Moby Dick

Great! I loved sitting at the window and getting a drink. We ordered food from a place down the street and enjoyed eating it at the bar. It was delivered to us and really was great! 10/10!!

Mobys is a great pub with a pool table ($2 bucks) and a very comfortable setting. The barkeep was personable and helpful. The bloody, great saltwater aquarium is a relaxing attraction. Friendly patrons to us two tourists.

Great space for happy hour drinks. It’s fun & chill - the bartender was great & so friendly. Happy hour is such a steal.

Great cocktail and friendly bartender. Love the fish tank.

Wandered in on a Sunday afternoon for a quick drink. The bartender was friendly, the atmosphere was chill. Overall a casual, unpretentious vibe.

Cute place, and bartender was really nice. I liked the 70s music that was being played, but be aware of this if that isn't your thing.

Super cool peeps… good pool table and 3 working pinball machines … what more could a boy want?!?

What a nice place to hangout with friends! It's such a easy going bar - the bar keeper was under the pump though, he was BUSY! The place is awesome and their happy hour drinks are amazing value!

If I could give Moby Dick 10 stars, I would. I was greeted by the most amazing bartender, Eddie, who was not only great at their job, but also gave fantastic dinner recommendations! If you're lucky you might even see the local nudists walk by! Seems to be frequented by many regulars/locals, but by far my favorite spot in Castro as a tourist! Don't forget to get the food offered from Hot Johnnies down the street! AMAZING!

I had not been back to this longtime Castro spot since the pandemic, but I've always appreciated its convivial atmosphere and big fish tank. Perhaps it's because I don't possess the most literary mind, but I thought the provocative name referred to a whale penis which you may know measures an average of nine feet in length. I saw one at the Icelandic Phallological Museum. Don't ask. Perhaps it was the colorful fish and coral in the tank (photo: https://bit.ly/3qBjcub), but it put me in a most tropical mood. Without all the mai tai fixings on hand, the bartender mixed me some Malibu's Rum with orange juice, kind of a Rum Punch, for just $6 (photo: https://bit.ly/3KE6Rwh). I came back weeks later for the $6 Tequila Sunrise (photo: https://bit.ly/3qvU3kJ), and it was even more delightful. At that bargain price, I couldn't help but get two. While I didn't end up getting in the tank with the fish, I did share what I saw in Iceland. Now I didn't say it was the one that got away, just that size does matter among select mammals. COCKTAILS - 4 stars...like the tropical ones and loved the price AMBIANCE - 4 stars...still the same congregation spot it's always been SERVICE - 4.5 stars...the bartender was here to please TOTAL - 4 stars...the name is anatomically correct RELATED - Exploring the Castro? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2HrpFPC

Favorite bar in San Francisco..The staff is friendly and welcoming. They play thoughtful music videos. Love the nautical theme and local art features. Castro pours here, if you know what I mean. Pool in the back when you're in the mood.

An employee here was absolutely horrible last night (10/31/24). It was the individual in a cowboy costume who was working as a barback. This employee shoved my under 5 foot tall friend out of their way to get back into the employee bar area while we were trying to grab the drinks we just bought for our group. A drink was spilled on me but that was not a big deal compared to the fact that my friend's shoulder still hurts today because the employee grabbed it while they shoved her. The same employee later approached my partner who was facing his friend who was leaning against a wall. The employee came over, interrupted our conversation and said "WHATS UP?! WHATS UP?! WHATS UP?!" as if they were trying to fight my partner out of nowhere. The whole thing was bizarre. We were all mid-conversation facing our friends and did not understand why they came over to my partner who was facing a wall. I witnessed this same employee act aggressively towards others shortly after they confronted my partner as well, so we didn't bother to finish our drinks and left to go elsewhere. I have no idea what was going on with this person. It is possible they were stressed out because the bar was understaffed and they needed more support than they were getting, but that does not explain the random outbursts. Regardless of what was going on, management should figure out a strategy to better support this employee and keep these behaviors from recurring because having someone like this on staff is a huge liability and is generally a detriment to the great community that this space serves.

Unfortunately I brought friends to this bar who were visiting from out of the county. The person checking our IDs was initially friendly, but they ended up harassing my friends who spoke English as a second language because of a simple misunderstanding. Despite me and another in the group explaining that there was a communication problem, the employee escalated the situation and made strange accusations. The bartenders inside were very friendly to all of us and made sure everyone had a good time. I would come back here but only if different people are working the door.

What's up with the bouncer at this bar. Didn't say hi, didn't welcome me, just yelled, ID? People need to learn kindness.

I came to this bar for the first time. No one was here. Saturday night. I said i always see this bar. Lets go why not, we sat at bar ordered a drink. Immediately we got scolded by guy in blk hat. He said i was ordering from space that it was for service. I looked around there was no one around. So i moved to the right. He came back and starting saying something else. I said, dude i get it this space is for service i already moved. He said, not far enough, you still blocking a portion of service area. I cracked up and said, oh my bad, lol i didnt realize it. It was 9pm. NOBODY WAS HERE. I moved a bit further right. Never again. First and last time i come here. This guy needs to get re-trianned. Our bartender was wasted and he kept messing up out drink. I dont know why I tipped him so much. After he got the tip he turned into an ass. But oh well. I dont let people ruin my night but never again. Be ware of the power trips int this bar. They all about i dunno what, maybe being rude to customers and getting drunk. Will not recommend. But dont take my word for it. Try out. Maybe u have better night

Moby survived COVID! Hooray! But they are returning to hosting the worst drag shows in town. Go there during the day.

Wifey strikes again with insisting we come here for a drink when we in castro. I'm like sure we can go wherever there is a stiff drink in my hand. . Came here and got served quick. I wanted a Hendricks gin and tonic with a cherry and lime. It was strong had 2 big cups and it was refreshing! 12 bucks each. . Daddy John was the mixologist. He was happy to serve us, help us charge our phones with our cords. He smiled before we even asked a question. We love the friendly welcome. . We saw lots of fun people. We loved the vibe. We will be back for more drinks in the city soon. Thanks for reading and have a yelptastic day!

stopped In for a beer tonight during the debate. nice bartender, good crowd, but who the hell was the completely obnoxious woman with main character syndrome?

I'm pretty sure this is a gay bar from the looks of it, see included photo. We were visiting The Castro and just the name of this place encouraged us to visit. It's pretty small but classic gay vibes: dance music, music videos broadcast on TV screens. There's even a large aquarium above the bar. I agree with some of the other reviews mentioning that it took a while to order a drink and the bartender did not seem to prioritize providing patrons a drink as we had just arrived and despite the fact that we were obviously going to want to order a drink in the immediate future, he disappeared somewhere for a while. We, as two women, did not receive or notice any disrespect while we were there. When it was time to leave for our dinner reservation, I was disappointed and would have wanted to spend more time here.

Most expensive beers and worst bartender in the Castro. Up 'til recently we were very regular customer as my friends and I would frequent the pool table. We've been going to Moby Dick for nearly 18 months and have always been very good customers and generous tippers. Despite the months of patronage, the bartenders (Brian especially) have the worst attitude I've seen. Never a smile, never a kind word, just a grimace and "what do you want?" Over the past few months the treatment has deteriorated from discourteous and indifferent to disrespectful. The barback is extremely moody one day being sweet-as-pie to the next sneering and belittling customers. Mikey and Daniel were the gems of the bartenders, unfortunately they're there the least. We've all had our issues with the staff and have opted not to return. There are plenty of other good bars in the neighborhood where patrons are treated with kindness and respect.

Cheap strong drinks and very sweet bartenders !!! kindness goes a long way and the service here was above and beyond.

if they have an"event" and you are not white, they don't bother check your ID to see if you can go in. SAD.

Been here a few times - every time I've had the best experience. Our bartender today, John, was extremely nice and accommodating. We came in right as they opened at noon and immediately were greeted with a warm smile and kindness. The decor is perfect and very on theme with the name "Moby Dick". John fed the fish in a big tank and explained the fish and their personalities. You can tell he really cares. I will definitely be back as soon as I can. I cannot recommend this place more if you're looking for a strong drink and a good time. Cheers!

The pandemic upended my pub and it was time to move on. Folks I knew told me to come here, and I did. No regrets. Now I see folks I knew from the other place, and the good times are still rolling. The aquarium is wonderful. The staff are wonderful. The bartenders are wonderful. And the prices are reasonable. Very. The pool table is busy, the arcade games are fun, and the crowd is nice. My new pub. Enjoy!

Pours here are wildly inconsistent and that would've been OK but top shelf is stupidly overpriced. They start at tiny and go to semi reasonable at best. Adding insult to injury was basically being told to fuck off because I complained about a weirdo taking pictures of me while I was urinating in the men's bathroom. Maybe I just should accept that when there's a fucking trough in the men's bathroom? Gross. This place used to be cool but after a visit after some years ago, never again. Bartenders deserved their zero dollar tip.

If you want a piece of broken glass in your drink, which you almost swallow, and a belligerent bartender throwing 20 dollar bills at your friends to make it better -- come here! Near death experience, followed by awkwardness.

Ima get this out at the start: I love fish. They're beautiful and graceful. Lots of people to to bars to watch sports or some bullshit on TV but usually I just ignore everything and fiddle with my phone. Moby Dick is the one place where I keep my phone down so I can just stare at the giant salt water tank behind the bar. I could sit there all day getting buzzed watching them swim around. If you like fish this is the spot for you. If you don't like fish there's other stuff to love. I come in about once a month and two of the bartenders remember my name and drink order. I'm really not chatty or much to look at, I have no idea why they remember me but it's cool. There are so many bars in the 'stro and I don't really think I belong in many of them. Moby Dick is a nice place with a chill vibe that seems to make everyone feel welcome.

This has been one of my favorite bars in SF for many years. I'm really glad that they survived the pandemic. We were so happy to go back there when they reopened and went many times last year. I Just got back to SF after traveling for the holidays and last night we went for drinks here and ended up being charged $8 for a draft beer. $8!!! Are you guys insane? This is not a fancy bar or restaurant in Beverly Hills! I understand that the loss of income during shut down must have been hard and inflation... but c'mon. We left after just one drink as we were not going to pay $18 for two pints of Stella (including tip). It was deserted in there. You gotta ask yourselves why... Please don't kill your business.

This is the worst bar in the Castro. If you want to actually have fun, I highly recommend that you DO NOT go to this establishment. The management has horrible customer service skills, and they only prioritize the customers that they favor. I think the staff and management need to reevaluate how they deal with customers and it is highly inconsiderate to be disrespectful to customers. It is an industry standard to keep customer service top of mind and the staff at this is place can't even do that. Our group got yelled at when we were having fun while play pool. The only thing good about this place is the fact that they have a pool table. It's got nothing else going for it, they call it the glass coffin for a reason.

Small, old style bar, cash only. The 2-for-1 frozen margaritas for $7 are awesome! There's 1 pool table and a few pinball machines in the back. Wish they accepted credit cards here.

I was working in the Castro yesterday October 5th and we decided to stop here and put up flyers. The Bartender let us put up flyers and then gave us two bottles of water. It was extremely hot yesterday, so I thought this was a very nice gesture.

It took me about 5 years of living in the Castro until I discovered this incredible bar. In those years I was all about the in-and-out vibes and club environment. Right off the bat after one or two times at Moby, they made me feel like family and that down to earth spirit made me rethink why "I go out" I now frequent the bar and am there at least twice a week. Incredible staff, great cocktails, and folks ready to embrace you as family.

I don't often go to bars, but when I do decide actually have fun and stop being a homebody, Moby Dick is my favorite place to be. I love it here because it's one of the bars within the Castro District that's not too cliquey. It's a chill place for people to just grab a drink or socialize. Often times I find in bars, especially gay bars, there's a certain specific vibe that you can't get into. Moby Dick has a comfortable and low key atmosphere. The people that visit here are also very nice and friendly. I probably have talked and had great conversations with people more than I have with any other bars. The staff is nice and very attentive especially with how chaotic bars can be in general. If you're ever visiting the Castro District as a tourist or you're just an SF native looking for a nice place to hang, this is definitely on my recommendations.

first time visitor, i came in with a couple of friends right at opening, john's energy and personality was shining through right away!! im so thankful i got to meet john as he is a perfect example of great customer service!! will be back everytime i come home to the bay area

Moby Dick is a gay bar located on the corner of 18th and Hartford, at the bottom of the hill in the Castro. I first came here more than a dozen years ago, then visited again recently with my fiance, and I don't think the place has changed a bit since that first visit in 2006. Moby Dick is as unpretentious as it gets. It's not huge inside with the nautical-themed bar (with large fish tank on the wall behind it) in the room when one first enters. Further back, you take a few steps up into another space that contains a pool table and a few pinball machines. The crowd here is friendly and drinks relatively inexpensive, though Moby Dick was fairly quiet when we were here on a Friday night, and it seemed to close earlier than the other bars in the area on Saturday. That's probably for the best, as shooting pool isn't always the easiest endeavor when the place is full, as there's bench seating to one side of the pool table, the pinball machines are at the rear, and you're often having to ask people to move so you can shoot. There are 2 restroom options: The men's room has one long trough where several guys can line up shoulder to shoulder and pee at the same time. All good unless one turns out to be a creeper (unless, of course, you're into that). There's also a second, unisex restroom that's private.

It's always been comfortable and low-key. I really enjoy meeting friends there for a drink and not having to worry about a thing. Attitude free and nice people. What more can you ask for? And, they have a really nice Kölsch on tap--yum! Corner of Hartford and 18th. Huge aquarium!

Yes, I know it's only the second day after reopening. Yes, I know bar help is hard to find. And yes, I know that not every bartender is familiar with every single drink there is. But. After being ignored at the bar for 10 minutes, our group was finally able to place an order. The order was for two Manhattans and a Black and Tan. The bartender had never heard of either of those, and said flat out he couldn't make Manhattans anyway because the bar was too busy. As for the Black and Tan, he misheard or misunderstood the instructions and gave us a pint of Trumer and a pint of Guinness. So we left. I do hope things improve, because if they don't, the inept service might manage to do what COVID couldn't: shut this wonderful bar down.

Moby Dick is a dive bar lacking in soul. The owner seems to prefer bar staff devoid of any personality. Maybe they're high or maybe their just well...American. Charm is not the their strong suit, but they have TVs, a pool table, and pinball machines. There's usually an eclectic crowd of all ages, as well as the requisite drunk girl that talks too loud. It's good for a date night or when you want something low key or subtly social.

Fun gay bar when you're with good company, glad our Yelpy friend Vincent L. joined us. The bartender Patrick made a decent mojito. At least he tried and went out of his way to find some mint, others don't even try. Thanks to fellow Yelper Edwin R. for confirming what I thought I saw in the fish tank, and it wasn't my mind playing tricks on me (or the mojito) LOL! 'Til we meet again ~ cheers!!! https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/moby-dick-san-francisco?select=7ejQeVMys1cfZ3U8rUdQhg https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/moby-dick-san-francisco?select=euGJEhGgnjfnjSHPX3Sg-g

I recommend Moby Dick because of the bartender James. He's very friendly and fun, but most of all he makes me feel safe & protected. As a trans woman bar hopping alone it's amazing to know that I don't have to worry about anything happening to me while I'm inside this establishment because of James.

Randomly found this place as we were strolling down Castro. The happy hours menu definitely caught my attention. 2 lemon drops for $7.50! Who can beat that? It has a pretty high alcohol content as well. It is pretty packed even at 5 pm on a Sunday. People were just enjoying each other's companies. Old MVs (like Britney Spears and Madonna) were playing on the TV. I love it! Definitely going to try to catch the happy hours again!

I remember when Moby Dick was synonymous with "friendly neighborhood bar." Not anymore. Mean Girls on a Friday night. Also a weak pour quite deliberately. Good job making locals of 27 years feel outcast on their own turf.

Staff is super rude now. Went here with my friends and my dog, the staff didn't seem to realize that sometimes dogs stand up to say hi to people or other dogs. The server was super rude when my dog was 6 inches away from my chair and " blocking" a 3 foot walkway..... he told me "this is going to be a problem" with the biggest attitude. We left and I won't be returning. I used to love this place. Shame..... I'll take my and my friends business elsewhere.

I was first living in this neighborhood bar back in the early 70's. Just to be clear and NO offense to anyone... I am not a gay man. I am part of the community. I loved this spot. The last time I was there I was treated with disrecspet. The bartender questioned me about my sexual identity and if I "Knew Where I Was?" That set off a group of younger people to heckle me about being a women and throw drinks on me ... the bartender laughed. I have not been back. I wish them the best. But if they want to allow that treatment of a person. ... it is not my place to relax and have a friendly drink. I wish them the best and will live with my old happy memoris.

Absolutely worst service in the Castro and they have a reputation for that! Just look at their yelp reviews...The guy at the door who looked like a 14 year old kid was the rudest of all. It was also dead. Cross the street and go to the bar closest to them, or really any other bar for that matter, and you can expect better service. I have gone here a couple times for a drink and have never been impressed but we had a person in our group that wanted to check it out (even tho I had already advised against it and warned of the notorious bad service) but if you want a true SF experience definitely stop bye to get hazed and then move on to the next bar during your Castro crawl! Do not spend money here, they DO NOT deserve it. I promise you the surrounding bars will give you a much better experience and be more lively!!!

If you're looking for a welcoming environment, you're better off looking literally anywhere else in the Castro. Went here last night with some friends and was antagonized by the most hostile bartender I've ever met (my guess is they had just had a bad day, but that's still no reason to treat patrons the way they did). I was accused of being too drunk upon entry when there was no reason to believe that, and was told to leave a few minutes later when I was having a conversation with the people I was there with. Literally any other bar in the Castro deserves your patronage more than this place.

After finishing a fantastic brunch and mimosas with my BFF at Café Flore, we decided to mosey on over to shoot some pool ...and where else... Moby DICK! Moby DICK was quite homey. I really liked their saltwater aquarium over looking the bar. Did I mention the bartenders here were a hunk of meat? For you guys or ladies who love your men with fur, tattoos and full of bulging bear muscles, this could very well be, your regular hangout. My BFF goes bonkers over them!! Their draft beer here is actually really good! I would always recommend coming here on late Sunday afternoon if you like "Sex on the beach!" Sunday happy hour draws quite a crowd. Also, Moby DICK has a pool table at back, and great fun to get together with friends. One thing that stood out from Moby DICK was how friendly everyone was, the bartender especially! Just so you know, here are the pluses for coming to Moby DICK: --local bar with lots of drink options --friendly hunk bartenders --friendly patrons --great for late Sunday afternoon hangouts with friends and then some --pool table located at back --awesome saltwater aquarium (great to stare at after a few drinks) --plenty of very friendly drag queens (they were fantastic, but watch the glitters as they get "grindy" if they land on your drinks) Well, until then... Cheers! :p

ger ger wanted to come back. great dive for cheap drinks in the Castro. friendly bar staff, we liked John. no attitudes here.

I don't know how this place doesn't have 5 stars. I seriously have never had a kinder experience at a bar. This place is fabulous! Love it!

Going to Castro on a Wednesday night for bar hopping is such a great way to de-stress after a day of school! Bars all around Castro have happy hour deals and what I love about Moby Dick is that the bartender can really make STRONG but TASTY frozen margaritas! Wish I took a photo for evidence, but me and my girlfriends got 2 for the price of 1 ($7.50) frozen margaritas and were surprised with how strong each one was. It was as if a lime popsicle was blended with the margarita mix and tequila! The bartender added a slice of like on top so it was a great blend!

Well what can I say. It was advertised as a gay bar but I entered straight and left straight. Not sure that qualifies as false advert. Honestly it's a nice little joint in the Castro and the staff and other customers were plenty friendly. Beers were poured quick and plenty of seating around the bar to enjoy a pint.

$2 beer on Tuesday. That's on ALL the beers. It's probably one of the best deals in town and they have a pretty decent selection of brews on tap. Less microbrews but perennial favorites from good old local staples like Anchor and Lagunitas to seasonal brews like Sam Adam's Cold Snap, they're all $2 on Tuesday. If you get in here right after work, you'll probably be able to find a quiet spot to catch up with friends over beers but it starts to fill up around 7pm. Friendly bartenders and generally chill crowd. In a neighborhood of buy one get one liquor drink happy hours, it's nice that folks aren't to messy here for brewskis happy hour. Not till later at least.

I am so happy I found this place! The best thing about this bar is that they have the buy 1 get 1 free frozen margaritas! These margaritas are dangerous but delicious.... It can get crowded but everyone is very friendly!! CASH ONLY

I don't think you can beat Moby Dick's happy hour prices. $2 for draft beer? Ok! The bartender also makes a fantastic slightly dirty martini. Behind the bar a giant fish tank offers a little something extra, and they have a pool table and 3 pinball machines in the back for a little friendly competition. Your classic dive bar - dark and old looking, as if nothing has changed since they first opened the doors. Overall a really fun environment and seemingly an institution in the neighborhood of Castro. As we were leaving they were setting up for a drag show. Beware that you will not get phone service in this bar, at least not if you have Verizon like I do.

It is nice to sit down and enjoy the scenery. It was nice to see my old Bartender John, cute and funny as ever. Thanks to Brian who was outside with a great smile and hospitality.

Moby Dick is a biiiiiig vibe. Tom was absolutely amazing. Thank you for the Green Tea shots! I will absolutely visit again when I come back to enjoy San Fran!

The bar definitely lived up to its name. I have nothing good to say about this place. Went there a few months ago and the bartenders were very rude and impatient when I asked questions. Another bartender was quite rude to my friend too. I would never in a million years step my feet into this bar again.