Phone Booth

There aren’t enough places like Phone Booth anymore. There’s no gimmick, it’s just got that genuine intangible thing that’s tough to describe. So I won’t try to. If you’re in the area, you should pop in and have a drink.

Order my first beer and open a pack of cards to play with friends. Bartender says dont play at the bar. Fair, albeit delivered in a rude manner. Then goes on to say its polite to tip your bartender. Its a cash only bar. I usually tip when i leave…at the end of my tab? Communicated this and it ended up being extremely awkward throughout the drink. Obviously did not tip after that :(

A wonderful, real bar. Immediately at home. Amazing old-school jukebox. The owners were absolutely fascinating to talk with. And Liz, the bartender, made the entire experience so perfect ❣️

Stopped in here tonight on a visit to San Francisco. The bartender, Liz, was very friendly and welcoming to me and my friends! Drinks were reasonably priced ($1 discount on beer for happy hour) and the atmosphere was cool. Cash only but they do have an ATM on site.

Came here to meet friends - reluctantly, I may add, due to the cold rain. But friends are friends. I was minding my own business, sticking to my own friend group, not bothering or interacting with anyone else. I was not yelling, performing any antics, or doing anything that might otherwise bring unwarranted attention my way. My second beer into the night, the bartender gives me the boot. No explanation other than I am "too animated". I wasn't in and out of the bathroom. I wasn't sniffing around egregiously, sopping up my snot between every word in the conversation. In fact, other than the two beers I had, I was basically sober. I certainly wasn't on any weird sketchy uppers. (Unlike about 60-80% of the people in their bathrooms on any given Saturday evening.) I get it, bartending a bar is a tough job. You make calls, sometimes they are right, and sometimes they are wrong. Well, you made the call. But it was a baseless call, made solely on a hunch. And, again, considering the usual bathroom behavior by your regular clientele, completely and utterly hypocritical. And now you have a nasty one star review that I hope will make people think twice about frequenting this stuck up, low rent dump - lest their night is also randomly ruined by their idiotic (lack of) judgment. And my unyielding, lifelong enmity. Not like you care, but hey - a customer is a customer. And, might I add, one who has hung out at this place for well over a decade now, and remembers when the management didn't care if you smoked indoors. Best bar in the neighborhood!!

I should’ve read the previous reviews more closely. We signed up for the pay per play pool table. Waited for over an hour and a half. When it’s finally our turn, the man who I assume is the owner jumps in to play, claiming that the rule in any bar is that you play the last winner (it’s not? I’ve been to plenty bars where this is not the rule and I paid for the game). Then him and his buddy start listing off rules for why our shots are illegal after the fact. Bouncer then throws in a comment about “this is why you don’t play last minute games”. Come on guys, my friend and I just wanted to play a bit of pool after waiting for forever and buying several drinks. This is not how you keep customers.

I don’t know what people are complaining about. Get a drink, leave a dollar, repeat. That’s how bars work.

Just left this bar, my fiancé and I thought it was so cute from the outside since we are visiting from out of town and don’t know the area well. Because we looked online ahead of time we knew it was cash only so we made sure to get some but we have never been to a cash bar before. We were planning on tipping a larger sum at the end of the night, as we were planning on ordering multiple drinks, but we did leave a couple dollar tip for our first drinks when we put the money down, not thinking much of it as we had just gotten there. A couple minutes into our drinks the bartender, a short, older person with tattoos made a comment, loudly, to us about how “bartenders deserve to make a livable wage and that tipping is standard everywhere and that we should expect to experience that everywhere”. Implying that we were terrible people for not tipping (which was not going to be true) We were literally barely even 3 sips into our drinks and we were getting harassed by the staff. To make it better they then chatted with the couple directly next to us about “bad tipping” for the next 5 min. I know that my fiancé and I are young, but I’m sorry that is no reason to be blatantly rude to us as staff. If he said that to get a better tip, it didn’t work and he actually made less money as we left and did not order more drinks or tip more. 100% would not recommend this place to anyone unless you want to get verbally assaulted for being a patron.

Consider their retro name as a hint? Per size, step in for a quick hello or so? Well, it's also got a loyal local sweet set of fantastic friends who rely on that phone booth for necessary connections, ok? So, you know, be chill & it'll go well. Quick anecdote to illustrate: they don't always have a TV out or a DV projector, but if there's something interesting or special, they might. So once we were in and they had figure-skating world championships on. Everyone's way into it. An unfamiliar-with-the-scene-here guy piped up w/ the most duh question, "can we see the game a sec?" The whole bar answered on cue, almost in unison like a classic sitcom "NO!!!" Love that memory so much! Hearts to infinity:

If you're around 24th & Mission killing some time, this is a great little watering hole to wet your whistle. It's a straight up street corner dive bar. I think there is trivia night here. The decor is a nice touch. Pro-tip: Don't assume anyone's pronouns

Overall a cool place but the bartender really changes the vibes. Rudely insistent for tips when we weren't done with our drinks and seemed to only behave this way towards my friend and I. Such a let down since the bar itself is quite interesting, but the rude bartender is what's making us not come back.

Fave dive with the best juke booth, themed holiday decor, perfect interior, and strong but cheap drinks. Dog friendly. Appreciate the squeaky clean bathrooms. Good cocktails too if the bartender has time to make them but keep in mind this isn't some fancy cocktail bar.

Large drinks, regulars, amazing jukebox selection, festive decorations, and the friendliest staff ever? Amazing neighborhood dive. Cash only but ATM right inside!

Cute place, cheap beer. A few Fridays ago, me and a friend went, we sat down, they ordered a $4 PBR, paid, got the change, before I even took a sip the bartender goes "so do you never tip your bartender or is it just me" i laughed bc i thought she was joking but she was not. I know it's a dive and gruffness can be part of the charm but it rubbed me the wrong way, we were gonna be there all night so we typically tip at the end of the night. Its a bit different because its cash only so its not like we had a tab, but i still think thats pretty standard. She gave another kid there a hard time too, i absolutely support tipping bartenders, but all this over a dollar? Or even 80 cents? We left after that...

I've been a patient of this unsanitary gross place for 25 years and last night was the last Jumbo straw. I was disrespected and harassed by the transgender bartender upfront, and it was a strangest thing ever. Nobody had my back, including the staff and the owner who I've known for two decades. This is such a sad situation. What I do want to say beyond my experience is overpriced drinks un, sanitary toilets unsanitary sinks, disgusting service horrible circulation. Said don't ever support this crap. It's a complete waste of time and the people that run it and ruin it and staff it with the exception of my favorite guy from San Jose are absolutely pathetic.

Been to this bar off and on over the years. Great jukebox. Strong drinks. Fast bar staff. Unfortunately, the last time I was in there I was alarmed and now I feel sorry for the entire bar staff. My older brother and I decided to get a few drafts and watch the Super Bowl. There were a lot of cute girls in the bar and plenty of food. Everyone seemed to be having a great time. After the game, things died down and a different bartender showed up. I'm pretty sure she usually works Sunday evenings. She's the friendly one with the pinup vibe. She had not been there long and the bald guy with the apron started yelling at her angrily from the back room. I think he's the owner. He'd been there all day and was extremely drunk. You could tell she was trying to avoid him by washing glasses. But he came out to the front and started yelling at her inside of the bar. The music was loud but we could still hear him screaming and swearing at her and she had no where to go. He walked toward her behind the bar and was aggressive. She backed up and it sounded like she was saying "calm down, please let me do my job." My brother and I were concerned. The bald guy was inches from her face, yelling at her. He seemed irrational and I thought there was a chance he might hit her and we'd have to jump in. He finally backed away from her and eventually left for the night. One of the regulars asked her what happened and she said something about a bowl he broke in the back room. She tried to play it off casually. Like it was not a big deal even though she was shaking. A bowl? It's fairly obvious that he was mad about something else because his rage would not be justified even if the bowl were made out of diamonds. I watched her help customers later on and you could tell she wasn't happy but trying to plaster a smile on her face while serving people drinks. No employer should treat their employees this way. What I saw and heard was a verbal assault. I'm hoping this was a rare incident and he apologized profusely to her the next day. Poor thing.

I'm mad!!! Some of the reviews here need to be deleted or updated. Lookie here: The PB&J (Pabst blue ribbon and Jameson) has gone up in price by one dolla. Second: there is no pistachio machine. Huh? i know. What could go wrong with pistachios all over the place right? Lastably: there is no hidden chamber that leads to the underground sex dungeon, anymore Please get your facts straight. #FakeNews !!!

Beware of the bartender who harasses people for tips! Love the 'vibe' of this bar - from the fairy lights to the humorous vintage tin signs, it's a lovely and comfortable place. However, the extremely low review is for the service and it's a shame that the staff can make this such an unwelcoming place to patron. The handful of times I've visited this bar, I typically end up getting this person with short buzzed hair who wears a paddy hat and plaid (unsure of their gender identity). A few months ago, I ran into the bar needing to use the restroom and I asked politely but urgently and reassured them I'd buy a drink after. They angrily said that if I stepped foot inside I needed to show my ID. While I obviously know the law, I'm over 21 and I had been there before and nearly pissed my pants giving them the ID. Even after an apology (which I shouldn't have given), they roughly said I should know better. Then last month, my friends tried to ask for a cocktail and they didn't know what it was so they explained to her and they yelled at us saying they wouldn't make it. It was my birthday and I didn't want any conflict so we all accepted the rudeness but I purposely didn't tip *a lot* because they - in general - was unpleasant. My favorite part of the night was them coming up to me and my friend and yelling at us in front of everyone and saying that we didn't tip enough. "This is San Francisco and we make our money through tips!" and they actually leaned across the bar and snarled at us. We should have said something in the moment but we were so caught off guard that we didn't react. I absolutely tip every time and would have tipped more in normal circumstances but I purposely didn't because they were rude to us EVERY SINGLE TIME. If you also think that bullying someone into tipping will get you more money or a new regular, you're wrong. How they continue to work there is beyond me - every interaction I've ever had with them has been unpleasant. Even more, it baffles me that the owner is typically at the end of the bar as this happens and acts as if this is absolutely normal! And from the other reviews, it is clear they harass everyone for tips and somehow are still employed there! I'm almost certain the most recent negative reviews are about them. So I don't get it.

Great dive bar, with great bartenders Neighborhood bar in the afternoon, and lively at night

This place is dope. Has been for decades. I'm concerned about their choice of door greeters though. One of them, named Faye I believe, was drinking and chatting with patrons on the job. That's not a problem in itself, but I believe that's what led to them to unwittingly nearly burn me at the door, and then opt to blame me for the near miss. Rather than recognize their clear showing of unprofessionalism, they instead said that I "got too close". Truth is, I was several feet away from them, not moving at all, because I had already telegraphed their level of intoxication. I raised my forearm to protect myself, then stood motionless while loudly saying "On your left! On your left, on your left!!!" Until, finally, because they never registered my voice, ran directly into me. Next, Faye immediately gave me a stern feel kind to about trying to "squeeze" between them and the door, while in fact, I wasn't moving a muscle, they were just lacking the presence to recognize that face. Faye let me in, I had a couple of drinks before attempting to address the misunderstanding on my way out. When I tried to speak with Faye, human to human, they were so unwilling to, and incapable of having a normal conversation, that a regular who named himself "Avery," stepped in to tell me to go home. He did so while, verbally asserting that while he thought that I was "clearly ok", Faye "wasn't there yet," and I should try to have that conversation "another day." That's fine, I might even see Faye tomorrow. But I live here. I have and will live here indefinitely. It would be nice to know that my neighborhood bar is a welcoming one. I don't come often, but I want it it be there, and I want to be welcomed when I do... The doorperson/waitstaff/bartender/bouncer/service person working in an establishment that serves alcohol should always be ready for anything. Faye is probably great in their best moments, but tonight they were underperforming if I'm being generous. I hope they are more reasonable when I return, and I will, because the Phone Booth is just across the street from my home, and as a San Francisco native who loves everyone who cares for those around them, I'd like to go back to this, long enduring, San Francisco staple, without receiving such an unwelcome response from what presented as such an unprofessional bouncer.

don't come here. so many better places in the mission. tonight at 1:43 they yell out bar is closed. Which isn't true. my review will be listed before there actual closing time. bar closes at 2am. for how many poeple were in there yelling 'get the fck out' is CRAZY. i'm industry too and would never. I was in the women's bathroom at 1:43 and the male door guy BUSTS in to say 'gather your stuff and get the fuck out'. my friend was finishing his last shot at pool and the door guy walks up and grabs the stick out of his hands and says 'are we gonna have a fckin problem?'. so he gives up the game and leaves. i'm a bartender too and would never in my life approach a customer like that. super hostile and threatening for no reason. all you gotta say is 'hey we close the pool table a little before closing' and there would be no issue. Anyways. african american door guy with the crazy eyes and white/ mixed chick with the curly hair bartender in the tank top are super unprofessional. don't come here if you want your tips to go to people who actually deserve them. that was crazy and unnecessary and threatening. regret leaving them even a dollar.

I absolutely love this bar but will never return on a Monday night. The woman behind the bar on Monday nights might be one of the worst bartenders I've ever encountered. Shes unfriendly, rude and possibly one of the most uptight people on the planet. Her energy is awful and she clearly either hates her job or hates her life...

I remember coming out to phone booth in 2011 with my now husband, acting like faux douchebags drinking deloach Chardonnay and playing pool and playing the juke box, back when people could still smoke in there. I would have loved it even more if I smoked at the time, but I started after we stopped going to this bar and stopped after we moved away. Anyway- the owner told us back then, "I'm glad you like the jukebox, I fill it with all my favorite music " which happened to be our favorites too. We discovered a band called Coves because of that jukebox, whose songs we played at our wedding in 2015. We moved in 2020 but will always remember the deep dark recesses of Phone Booth, and the love we cultivated there and round the mission. Godspeed!

Perhaps my new favorite bar in the city. Friendly, affordable, and a great juke box. Classic dive bar of the best sort.

Nothing too noteworthy about this dive bar, but I did enjoy it. Interesting decor, relatively affordable drinks (nicer beers were about $7 each), and music that wasn't too loud to have a good conversation. Won't be making it my regular spot but I did like it and wouldn't mind going back. Cash only so be aware of that. There's an ATM on site.

I was heading out to a concert at the Oracle Arena and wanted to get a quick drink before catching the bart. Phone Booth is located within 4 minutes walking distance from the 24th Street Bart Station and they serve great drinks for super cheap! I ordered a Greyhound and IPA for a total of only $10. Such a steal, especially here in SF! The only downside is that this place takes cash, which is why the drinks are inexpensive. If you're looking for a casual hangout spot to start your barhopping adventures in the Mission, then I highly recommend trying out Phone Booth! I will definitely will be coming here more before my concerts. :)

This is the worst bar I've ever been to in terms of both service and drinks. We came for the Christmas decorations because we found this place on a holiday bar list but what we got instead were terrible drinks and an extremely rude bartender. First off, we asked if they had a menu for drinks or any holiday specials. The bartender said no. As we were trying to think of some basic cocktails we could order, we asked if they had mojitos he said no because they don't have mint. My friend ended up ordering a margarita and he asked what kind with a blank stare. It took us a minute but I guess he was asking what kind of tequila she wanted because there's a price difference. We ended up just ordering a $10 margarita, two shots, and a vodka soda. Keep in mind, the whole time this (male, Asian) bartender looked extremely annoyed with us taking our time to order and made our drinks carelessly. See photo of the "salt rim" around the margarita. Before he made our drinks he made it clear that they were a cash only bar. The thing that REALLY irked me was after we paid in cash, I left a dollar at the bar as a tip and we went to go sit at a table. The same male bartender proceeds to SLAM his hand on the bar as he grabs the dollar. Excuse me, but I think me even leaving any sort of tip is generous given the terrible service and low quality drinks we received. I do not recommend this establishment to anyone, there are tons of better bars down the street with bartenders who actually want your business.

This place is a dive. It definitely has that dive smell. When you catch a whiff you will know what I mean. That isn't necessarily a bad thing. It's definitely got character. It's an easy night out, no frills just drink. Drink and hang out and sit back and be yourself.

All divey and when we went decked out in Halloween decor. Perfect for a late October pub crawl! Where the drinks anything special to write home about? No. Was the beer selection that amazing? No. But the whole experience was fun everyone was super laid-back, if not a little grungy. But I totally dig that. It was fun, it was probably the best night we had in San Francisco. I would certainly go back but if you're going to go. Maybe make it one of the last stops in your pub crawl, so that you're a little more loosened up and can enjoy it for what it is. That's a fun little divey bar.

A great place, Steve the owner and Chris the bartender are both nice guys who took good care of us. Order inside and sit outside, great Covid protocols and very clean.

The inside of the place is as depressing as it looks on the outside :) Overall, this place is like any other dive bar in the Mission, except it's actually slightly on the smaller side, with not a lot of space. There were signed photos of Barry Manilow and Tom Selleck on the wall, so presumably they were once patrons? In any case it's clear they no longer visit, because I have a hard time imagine them going there! In any case, the beer was cheap (it was $5 Stella in the afternoon), and not a lot of patrons, so the bartender was kind of bored, which is reasonable. Overall, an OK place for a quick drink if you happen to pass by, but probably not worth the extra detour to intentionally find this place.

This is a rad dive bar with quirky details, a friendly bartender and his equally friendly dog. I came here at an off time and there was plenty of seating available, but I imagine this bar is not often packed. A dark and stormy was $7, as were quite a few of their beers. Heavy handed pours, cold beers on tap (including green flash), and whatever well drinks you could imagine. The bartender is super friendly, service is fast, and everyone in the bar is relaxed. Plus, there's a pool table! The chandeliers made of naked barbie dolls, and there are branches hanging from the ceilings. It's located on a street corner, easy to find, and near bart. They don't serve food, but we brought our food over from la taqueria around the corner and nobody seemed to mind. Would definitely come back here if I was in the area!

I have nothing against a good ole' dive bar. In fact, sometimes these are the best ways to experience SF. The bartender and other patrons were nice, and there were even two very friendly bar dogs/mascots (which I truly love). I only give three stars because of price - given the neighborhood and the fact that Mission Bar down the road has a similar vibe but charges half, The Phone Booth is a bit overpriced for what it is. Still, a cool place to pop in and visit.

We were here on a slower Sunday night. Incredibly rude bartender that snapped at me and my friend for asking for a water with our drinks even after we left a good tip. Weird, aggressive hipster vibe.

Hello, I wanted to reach out about the events that transpired at your bar on Saturday night. Given the circumstances ended with me, you should probably hear from me. I know you've heard from many people... I have many dear friends that are much braver - but my voice should be heard, too. On Saturday, I wanted to celebrate my boyfriends birthday at a bar we all love, and frequent often. To note, the minute we walked in, your door guy was aggressive. He walked around shoving chairs, clearing tables at unnecessary moments, and even giving myself weird looks. It was odd, and I noted this to myself, but didn't say anything out loud. I wasn't outside when he started yelling at my friend that she "elbowed him", but given the three people that were are all my dearest friends, I know they tell the truth when they say that she didn't ever elbow him. Even as he was yelling at her, she remained calm, while he continued to insult them. I came outside as he was telling my friends "to go back where they came from", and calling them "entitled children." I was there for those comments. By this point, he should have gone back to his chair. If he was correct, he should have been resolute with kicking my friend out of the bar and going back to do his job. But he was not. As he continued to make inconsiderate and offensive remarks, he chose to zero in on another one my friends, who inquired about what happened. The door guy then chose to show him by elbowing him in the side. Totally unprofessional, not cool and unnecessary. Obviously upsetting him, my friend asked him not to touch him. He then chose to zero in on him and began pushing him away from the front door, noting that he was "too close to the fucking door to be smoking there." It was unnecessary, and an indicator that he just wanted to fight. He continued to push him, and aggravate my friend. It was shocking. That was when I had enough. That is when I told him, that we would all be leaving, but if anyone should have been acting level headed in that situation, it should have been him. Because, out of all of us there -- he was the one working. He was currently at his "job", and instead of yelling at us, pushing people around, he should be acting like an adult. There were many others ways he could handled the situation, and this was not okay. That is when he said, "Oh I'm sorry, what do you want me to say? "Yessa Massa?". Racism is something that I'm very used to, and aware of. I'm from Utah, where my black skin has been the base for many jokes. Why I haven't received jobs. Why I wasn't chosen to participate on teams, or just plain ignorance out in the world. But since moving to San Francisco 3 years ago, I've never had anything like this happen. I couldn't even speak. And even today, I'm still in shock that someone would outright and blatantly be so racist, ignorant, and just a sad human being. I understand that the management there was just doing their job last night, by asking us to leave. They didn't know the full story, they weren't outside to hear the conversations or see the pushing. Their job is to protect their employees -- particularly in a workplace where patrons can get crazy. But now that you have the full story, I hope you make the right decision and choose to terminate his employment. Phonebooth deserves to be represented better -- and I know this because this is a bar that I frequent often. And in todays landscape, I think it would speak volumes if you let him continue on. He will continue to spew racist hate and intolerance, which I hope you have a no-tolerance policy for. Sincerely, Shaquille Heath

Wonderfull place. Probably not for you though; if you have to read on the internet about somewhere to go then stay away find somewhere else. Plenty of interesting locals with good bartenders.

The Phone Booth is the only bar in SF where I was called out for what I was wearing. The sooooo ironic hipster bartender refused to acknowledge me because I was sporting a gray brooks brother polo shirt and pressed chinos. Sorry man, but I didn't get the memo. I didn't know knee socks and tattered t-shirt was the preferred dress-code. Will you serve me a drink anyway? Douchebag. Listen hipster, one day you are going to have to grow up and get a real job with real responsibilities. Your days of skateboarding on South Van Ness won't be so COOL anymore. In retrospect, I really shouldn't be writing this review because I live about 10 feet from here. I can already hear the sound of chuck taylors making their way to my door. Hipsters are like zombies. They congregate in small packs and once you kill them; there are a hundred more ready to impress you with their precious "irony". If the city ever puts all the hipsters on their own island, it would be filled with establishments like Phone Booth and Boogaloos. God, I'm such an a-hole when it comes to these people. I hope you burn down, just like "Benders" did. 1 star.

If it's granted that bars are worthy of the same innate consideration as most citizens (if not more so, since most citizens don't exist solely to help me get drunk), then a bar is innocent until proven guilty. Thus, every bar's rating begins with 5 perfect stars and goes down as all available evidence is held against it. In the case of the Phone Booth, allow the prosecution to offer the follow exhibits: Exhibit A: A cadre of too many smug, self-conscious hipster elitists (or, worse, those who desperately want to be hipsters but can't even pull off the act of fashionable conformity). It's a known fact that the Phone Booth is post-collegiate hipster central, which thus makes it a cornerstone of Mission district gentrification...not to mention more than a little annoying when you're surrounded by a swarm of horn-rimmed fake intellectuals. Penalty: Minus 1 star. Exhibit B: Ironic decor. Not merely kitschy decor, since I can appreciate the whimsical flair of retro paintings and lamps, but the sort of all-out decorative absurdity only hipsters think is actually funny, e.g., a motherfuggin' New Kids on the Block poster. Get your own life and live it, ironic losers. Penalty: Minus 1 star. Exhibit C: Subtle mood-lighting halogen lamps above the bar. Sorry, but no so-called "dive" should ever have these things. They reveal the latent yuppie aspirations of any bar (and/or citizen). If I wanted to sit under a chic string of crimson halogen bulbs, I'd go to some trendy SoMa cocktail lounge with a name like "Lotion" or "Smooth" --- and then I'd kill myself, because I hate those kinds of places. Penalty: Minus 1 star. As all-encompassing prosector, judge, jury, and executioner, however, I will go easy on the Phone Booth because of several extenuating circumstances, including: - relatively cheap prices (i.e., $2.25 pints of PBR, $3.75 tall boys of Tecate, etc.) - a pretty-sweet chandelier made of Barbie torsos - a very solid jukebox with punk, post-punk, country, funk, indie rock, and a blessed minimum of cliched Greatest Hits CDs - a generally enjoyable combination of cozy size, comfortable darkness, and casual bartenders. So I give the Phone Booth back 1 of its penalty stars, leaving a total of 3 stars overall. Take down the NKOTB poster and I may give it 4. I'm permanently withholding the 5th star until one of the resident hipsters can finally explain to me why the hell I should give a crap about Stephen Malkmus.

The bar is NOT open for indoor seating - AT ALL. They only have a table at the front door where you can buy drinks - seating is outside on cheap chairs along the dirty smelly street. The information for this place seriously needs to be updated. Super deceptive to say you're open when you only sell drinks to go.

The Phone Booth is a quaint dive bar in the mission. No crazy night is going to happen here, but it's a good place to start, come to with friends and have a conversation, or to play a game of pool. They have good mixed drinks, a small selection of beers too. Staff is nice and the place is well decorated. Don't expect too much of this bar, but it's a fun place to stop by

If there were an outdoor patio it might get 5 stars but then it wouldn't really be the phonebooth. Friendlier than other bars in the area. Even if you don't drink it, it is comforting to know that there is $2 Pabst in pint glasses. The history, as I've learned, is that it used to cater to gay workers in the Pac Bell building across the street. There are still locals who show up and a pretty tolerant crowd most nights - tolerant of people of various ages, races, genders, sexualities and fashionabilities. Still, it's the Mission, and clearly not a bar for the Latino immigrants in the neighborhood (though even a couple of them drop in for Tecate when it isn't too crowded), so it is often dominated by hipsters, their contemporaries and their admirers. Despite the 4 stars, it is my bar of choice in the neighborhood and the city for that matter.

Let's get this straight. You drive a Bimmer, you look like you just stepped off the set of Sex and the City, and your favorite companions are your cell phone headset and your credit card. YOU totally would HATE this place!!! For the rest of this, this is a little spot of HEAVEN. Small, narrow, long, dark, and cozy, with charming vintage elements, like a great wood bar down the length of the place, plaster dancers on one wall, pool table, and cheezy/cool old paintings. Large selection of quality booze to choose from, too. After drinking one too many coffees over the day, I was hopelessly dehydrated (and working on a headache), so I started the evening off with a couple glasses of water, while my friend knocked back a few beers. The bartender was totally cool about it, was super nice, and kept voluntarily refilling my water. Once I was suitably watered, I ordered a Cosmo (the first of two)... not only was my Cosmo exceptionally tasty, it was inexpensive, and plentiful (the bartender gave me the extra drink from the shaker in a second glass--- what my friend called the "Junior" cocktail). He even chilled the martini glass with ice water before pouring my drink. Lots of class. From my vantage point, at the corner of the bar, looking down the length of the bar, I had the perfect people watching space, watching the influx of interestingly diverse, unpretentious locals and cute dogs at the door. The place was super chill at 9 pm, and got much more popular in the next few hours. The great thing is, the music was fun, but not so loud up you couldn't have a low-key conversation at the bar. Sitting at the tables would be better for folks who like to get up close and personal with their neighbors, and aren't too claustrophobic. A good place to go with a friend (or two), a date, or alone, since people seemed happy to chat with newcomers. Dive into this place as quick as you can!!! (Sidenote: Best of all, not once during the night did I feel too old.)

I went here to meet a friend. So i waited at the bar. And i seen that the bartender lady was talking to her friends and eating whatever . and she looks at me but doesnt say hi ot anything and ignores me. Is been minutes finally i left Like okay b itch. I wasted 3 bucks there from pulling money out the atm transaction fee

CASH ONLY and DOG-FRIENDLY!!! The place itself is very small: around 4-5 small tables + bar sittings + a pool table. $7-8 draft beers, not too bad prices. The selection of drinks is great. It seems like people of all ages go here, it has an interesting vibe. Everyone is very nice and friendly to each other here. It's definitely a place if you wanna stop by and pregame or just chill with friends for a bit. It is not particular clean or fancy, but then again it's not a place that you would stay for hours anyways. There was only 1 bartender when I and my friend went at 8pm on a saturday night but she knew what she was doing so we didnt have to wait for very long for our drinks. I would definitely dive in again in the future.

Cute little dive and I did like the remnants of the Halloween decorations mixing with all the other random stuff. Bullfighting painting + goblin lady + black claw branches: yesss Showed up right when Glee started, so conversations all kinda ground to a halt and even the bartenderess stopped mid-pour to watch. Typical Mission crowd, with somehow a heavier lean on the gay lever. Cheapish drinks. Docked 'em one star for the heavy ciggy smoke. Love the place, but I can't stand it when my clothes are imbued with smokiness for the next few days.

The name is the size. It's a fun joint to hang at deep in the heart of the mission, pool table, free popcorn, decorated during Halloween, good enough beer. Playing pool can be a butt sometimes as it's so packed your cue can hit the wall. Not a lot of seating, be prepared to haggle for a chair if you have a group, but it gets the job done and can be a fun start to a mission pub crawl.

If you want to be verbally assaulted by a bartender, this is the place for you. Went in for two rounds of drinks with two friends. By the second round the bartender aggressively confronted us on why we hadn't tipped her yet. Drinks were mediocre.

Terribly unassuming, but I dig it. This seems like one of those "neighborhood bars" where it's all the same crew all the time, but manages to feel and be so unpretentious. The drink selection is good and the bartender (Martin) is attentive. Bathrooms are kind of weird though. But you can smoke, I am told there is popcorn, and the lighting is nice and low (but not Ruby Room-low). Also, pool table! I'm typically not down with playing pool at new bars where I don't know anyone, but the vibe here was so chill that I really enjoyed myself and developed a more-than-pleasant repertoire with everyone I played against.

Perfect for solo drinking. It's actually remarkable how much action they've managed to cram into their small footprint. Bench seating, a pool table, and a rock-solid jukebox are the highlights. Plenty of options on tap, and the cocktails are well done. Their one flaw is a tragic one: it's very popular. When this bar gets busy it's sweatier than MUNI. No kitchen, but you can BYO eats. Cash only. No smoking anymore.

I was pleasantly surprised with this sweet little dive bar. Pretty empty on Sunday night but my fiancé and I had a blast. The bartender that night was the coolest/sweetest! Definitely recommend for a fun date night or just to go out and experience the great music selection on the juke box! Will definitely return in my next sf trip. Cheers

One my alternative post work haunts if I get off before Mission Bar opens. (again, don't tell my sponsor, hah) Decidedly more hip than Mission Bar, I still enjoy the divey feel and that black cougar painting really is awesome. All the bartenders have been cool, the two guys I mostly see always remember I get a whiskey double. This place works for me both for my solo day time drink and a place I would go out with others at night, which is ideal for me!

This place is a super cute and cozy dive bar. The owner is great. They have amazing holiday decorations.

It's a dive bar so don't expect frosted glasses or even bar stools that match much less look like they are from a design within reach catalogue. Still it's got a great jukebox and the staff is friendly and cool.

Ring... ring... "Who is it?" "Hey, playah! It's Age-Inappropriate Drinking. I've conferenced in Poor Decision Making." "Hi guys! I didn't think I'd hear from you til the weekend." "Oh, wow. Now we're just your *weekend* friends? Nice. ANYWAY, we're calling from The Phone Booth. Come meet us for some rambling conversations, a little light brain cell loss and a shorter life span!" "Yeah. Listen guys, you know, I'm married now, and I feel like it's time for me to hang out more with my couple friends. You know, Gardening and Baking. They're actually really cool once you get to know them. Reading and PBS Documentaries are great, too. I mean, they put me to sleep sometimes, but..." "Jesus! We hate them! And can we remind you that there used to be a time when you wouldn't be caught DEAD with them? Sometimes we don't even know who you are anymore.... Plus, you know who's here?" "Who?" "Only your ex." "Noooo. Seriously? Nick O'Teen? I thought he was 86ed from like everywhere. I mean, he's not even allowed to hang out in front of *restaurants* anymore. Everyone hates him." "Oh no, girl. He's here. At the tables." "God, I feel like we're toxic together. But it couldn't hurt to say hi... I mean, it's not like I'm going to DO anything... Things between us always get hazy and leave a bad taste in my mouth, but I've moved on now... I'm sure this time will be different..." "Uh-huuuuuuuh...." "See you in five minutes!"

An alcoholics paradise thanks to the bargain basement drink prices. One of the best not so divey dive bars in the city. Great uber hipoisie atmosphere, crowd and jukebox. Though there's some activity and decibels, it's not bad enough that you can't hold some convo. WARNING: This watering hole ain't for asthmatics...bring inhaler. Otherwise, prepare for the kind of lounge space that Charles Bukowski would feel right at home. It's mui metro! 4 thingys.

The Prince Hits CD here is busted. Wasted other peoples money last night trying to hear Sexy MF and another fine Prince song. Don't cocktease with the Prince please, even if it's not my money. In line with that, if you're enjoying a happy hour here and a drunken regular asks you to pick out some songs on the jukie because he doesn't have good taste, know ye this : he'll want to know what every song you chose is and by whom and also what it's like (I just want to hear something fun! Upbeat!). Then moments later when the song comes up he'll want to know all that all over again. Which, whom, what and suchlike as if he wasn't even listening the first time. About the time Violent Femmes came on and he asked "Is this Prince?" I went to the Red Place of the semi-batshit musical academic. "Dude, this is like the opposite of Prince. Are you even listening?". Props anyhow to the regulars here. This is one Mission bar that didn't alienate all the original joints rummies when the cool kids bought it. God bless their elastic pants, these lifers. Actual Gov't check recipients slurping down their E&Js before the fixed gear crowd checks in for their shift. You don't see that often. Nothing sadder then seeing a guy in a straw cowboy hat with a Saddam moustache staring longingly at the Latin-American or Doc's Clock as if to say, "Man, I used to get in some knife fights up in this. But no more." Makes me get all Indian Crying At Garbage. Great bartenders. So good they'd almost rate Five Stars. But there's the thing about the Prince CD hustle. Do not deny me Prince. To that end, if a working Prince anthology is an important bar criteria to you, feel free to judge this review "useful". Check The Update 01/14/07: My whistle-blowing saw a clear result in Wanna Be Your Lover earlier tonight. I'm going back for happy hour tomorrow to see if I can break off some Let's Go Crazy. Dearly beloved, when Prince breaks down The Agent don't sleep!

So I was sitting in the 21st Amendment drinking mediocre beer and the person I'm hanging out with says, "lets go to the phone booth, do you know where that is?" I'm a little surprised because she lives in North Beach and I didn't think anyone outside the Mission knew about this place. It's on the far side of the mission and not on the trendy side of Mission St. Not only do I know about it but also it's only a few blocks from my house. I wandered in there once and I got the feeling that it's a really clicky place and hadn't been back because while I liked it no one ever suggested going there. The Phone booth is a cool little spot, it's small like the name suggests. There are plenty of colorful regulars, including a girl with elf ears. The beer is still only $4 a pint. Also they didn't even seem to get mad when my companion kicked the table and knocked all the drinks on the floor breaking the glasses in the process. They sprung into action to clean it up like it happens there regularly.