The Wooden Nickel

Update: 10/3/20 This is a great bar, absolutely come here. The owner is really sweet and friendly and it’s always nice when we drop by. The boozy slushies are still amazing, they added a Vietnamese Coffee one for brunch and it’s great. The Strawberry Marg slushy is still my favorite. Carne asada fries are great, they make a good California burrito and their chips and just perfect. —— I really like that they have boozy frozen slushees, the strawberry margarita was very tasty and only $9. Also tried some tacos, rolled tacos, and chips and guac. We came on Taco Tuesday for their price specials. the chips and guac were very good, I’d like to try more of the food in the future.

Awesome bar. Great food and drinks at amazing prices! They have ourdoor seating that is completely socially distanced and quite cute. If you've never been it's worth checking out. Had their mexican pizza which was an off menu item- they posted it on Instagram. It was DIVINE!!

Good food, good drinks. Taco Tuesday is a great deal and the salsa is excellent. Bartender is really helpful, if you don't know what you want, he does. If your lucky you will catch a local celeb here Ru.

The food is good and they have a discount on tacos on Tuesdays. The ambiance is "ok", they have tables outdoor, and they have a pool table. Decent price for the food but a bit more expensive than expected for the alcohol. However, the service was bad. We were at the bar and have been ignored for a good 8 minutes. It was not even rush hour...

This place is the best. So happy they are open. Blessed to be walking distance. Their staff is kind, their drinks are great, and their food is delicious. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for a good spot in San Francisco. Oh also, there's an outdoor pool table. How cool is that??

This place is so great! Sweet, cozy neighborhood place with kind welcoming regulars and excellent service. Taco Tuesday and margs are not to be missed. The tots and boozy slushees are also worth the stop. Leo is a very kind and keeps cool under pressure(taco night gets pretty slammed.) He’s remembered us since our second visit, it’s nice to be known in a new city.

Solid neighbourhood bar with good frozen drinks and excellent Carne Asada fries

In town on vacation and a sf friend brought us here for tater tot cali burritos. Place was packed and it was so nice to eat indoors. Food was amazing and bartender even brought handmade gifts to our table. Thanks for the good time!!!

The wooden nickel has the best shrimp tacos. We come often just to get out fix of tacos and a slushie drink. Although the other tacos are also yummy and top with crema and guacamole. I also hear the burger is great. Don't get there too late as the do run out of shrimp tacos on Tuesday's. The bartender is super sweet. Casual spot. I recommend checking it out.

come on tuesdays for $1 and $2 tacos!! very delicious but does take a while to come out, expect ~15 min even when not super crowded. drinks are also decent and average priced. music is good. theres a pool table inside and also a bartenders cute dog that goes around begging for scratches!!

Cool chill bar with yummy tots and a pool table! Can't go wrong with this neighborhood spot.

This place is the best. So happy they are open. Blessed to be walking distance. Their staff is kind, their drinks are great, and their food is delicious. Would highly recommend to anyone looking for a good spot in San Francisco.

OMfG - THIS is my new favorite bar! great friendly attentive staff, cool owners great boozy drinks full of real booze and #noms bites! #Outstanding playlists AND (AND!) in these times of Covid, they had the otherworldly fotsight to conceive of a outside pool table! I haven't played on an outdoor table since I lived in Costa Rica!

The Wooden Nickel, somewhat randomly, has the best San Diego-style Mexican food I've come across in the Bay Area. If you have a craving for Carne Asada Fries or a California burrito, this is the place for you.

Loved the Taco's! Wings are good too. Definitely a hidden gem. Bartender was friendly and welcoming as a first timer.

Very nice bartenders both times! Slushies! Oh yea!!!! Cool decor. Outdoor seating even before corvid paranoia i imagine. Yay

After reading other reviews, I realize that I did NOT take advantage of this place to its fullest extent and will need to come back again. My friend and I stopped by for a few drinks before a meeting at UCSF... yeah, that sounds about right. Since we were just killing time, we had a few cheap beers to meet the credit card minimum. There were obviously way better drinks here, including cocktails. I kept eyeing the menu above the bar and wished we had more time to spend. Food could be ordered from the counter in the back, and from the photos... everything looks delicious. Definitely getting the tacos next time. We took seats in one of the booths, chatting away and watching all the regulars walk in and hang out at the bar. Love the cozy and neighborhood vibe here. The bartender was chill. There's also a pool table. So much potential for a future trip to Wooden Nickel. Since I go to meetings somewhat regularly at UCSF, I'll have to plan ahead to pre-game or do an "after-party" here. Can't wait!

This is one of my favorite bars in San Francisco. Even though Taco Tuesday is still one of the best deals in town, I still come regularly on other days of the week. Reasons why I like Wooden Nickle: -Chill patrons / bartenders -Good music -Reasonably priced drinks -Unexpectedly great food (carne asada tots, chicken sandwich, crispy tacos). (I will say the tots have been a little salty recently) -The Doggo, Roux -Friends like to play pool. -Really close to a bike-share stand, so I can jump on a bike and come after work. Also great bike parking outside.

Love the Wooden Nickel! A fun place to visit during Covid. Nice to sit outside and have drinks.

Taco tuesday was a blast! Shrimp tacos were fantastic, my Negroni was delicious, and the music was phenomenal. Bartender is super friendly and funny. Pretty diverse crowd as well.

Newer expertly created cozy neighborhood bar - everything you could ever want is here: great drinks/selection, food, fun... all wrapped up in one with zero pretentiousness. Even though its newer, just over a year old, the place feels familiar and comfortable. Its a smaller space that immediately creates an intimate setting without trying. That seems to be a theme here: the place seems authentic - its not trying to be something that its not. It might not be super large but they squeeze it all in: a pool table, a small tv mounted way up, tacos in the back and good people all around. Easily one of the best neighborhood bars in the Mission - no don't call it a dive or your gonna have to deal with me.

Consistently pleased with Wooden Nickel! The service is always super friendly, attentive and accommodating. The drinks are awesome and well crafted and the deals are great (taco Tuesday and beer and a shot are a personal favorite). On a sunny day stop by for their frozen drinks. Can't forget the food - I've tried most the menu and I have always been impressed with the quality and flavor. Many dishes come with a really yummy hot sauce! All in all, would recommend the Wooden Nickel!

New neighborhood dive bar. Plenty of seats and a decent beer list. PROS: - Bike parking - Pool table - Cheap drinks - They have the Duchesse! (great sour ale) - Great tacos - They accept credit cards. CONS: - The bartender was a little rude.

Came here on a beautiful weekday afternoon. It's such a cool little place. They have a happy hour which included Hamms beer. Wow, that is a blast from the past. The music is outstanding as well. The service was friendly and I was happy to see they had a daqueris drink without dairy as well. If I'm back in that area I would definitely go again.

This review is for the cook, i think his names Jesse? He made the best california burrito, hella fresh with prompt and warm service. Great food, great service and even better drinks.

Bartender was obnoxious. Ordered the wrong beer and his response was "well you gotta pay for it. $6." Rude. When I told him he could have acted nicer he retorted that I could leave "his bar" and called me "a gentrifier". And then told me to go ahead and leave a bad Yelp review. At first I laughed in disbelief. But, sure. Here is that bad review of what could have been a good review. Haven't come back to the Wooden Nickel since ownership changed several years ago. I'll stick to Zeitgeist, Crafty Fox and Junior's where the staff is amazing, professional, and doesn't get emotional because you made a mistake.

I love dive bars! You might miss this if you don't look hard enough but it's well with the stop! Their customer service is top notch and you're greeted by the cutest French Bulldog who is used to the customers. It's pretty small with a pool table on one end but it makes it a cozy atmosphere. Cheap drinks! Need I say more?! Just do it. It's off the main drag but still has a lot of character!

Talk about a cozy bar. This place has been around since the late 1800's, and some of the woodwork actually survived both quakes! This place is a bit small, and kind of a hole in the wall, but once you get your seat, it's nothing but pleasure. You can choose from a variety of beers, or have a sweet cocktail from freshly squeezed juice. There's a pool table, and you'll find your usual hipster crowd, but besides that, a good watering hole.

Most horrible service I have ever gotten at a bar/restaurant. Before I get into the actual incident, here's some context: My friends and I were on our way to this bar to buy some food (the food here is phenomenal, I'll give them that). We decided to call them for a pick-up to save some time. We've done this before so we thought it was common practice. The person that we spoke to over the phone was extremely rude- that person being the bartender, Damon. He was very dismissive and pretentious, as if a pick-up order over the phone is burdensome for himself and the bar. My friends and I contemplated not going at all after the phone call, but we decided to anyways since we were just going to pick up the food anyways. We get there, and my friend decides not to leave any tip- with good reason. I've been to this bar several times and the same bartender (Damon) has been rather rude. I've never had a pleasant experience with him. Not surprisingly, his dismissive attitude over the phone was the exact same once I got there. I don't blame my friend at all for not tipping. In fact, he shouldn't even be expected to since it was a pick-up. There was virtually no service provided except taking the order. Damon starts throwing a fit about how we left no tip, "oh so you're just not going to tip now." My friend tries to explain that he wasn't happy with the service that he received a) Over the phone and b) His attitude while taking our order. Damon goes on a rant about how we're entitled and can't take "no" as an answer. It's funny that he talks about entitlement, when he believed that he was entitled to a tip... for taking an order. Now the icing on the cake. Before we leave, one of the patrons at bar shouts, "We tip here in America." My friends and I are all Asian, but we've lived here our entire lives. We are well aware of American customs. We happen to tip very well, given we receive even a moderate level of service, so you can only imagine how horrible the service was for us to leave $0 (not that you have to anyways for a freaking pick-up!! I hope you're reading this Damon). So, if you're into dismissive bartenders as well as patrons that will make racial remarks, this is the bar for you.

Situation - Met people on a Friday evening Pros - Decent beer selection - Good dice bar type of environment - They take credit cards ($15 minimum)

I work at a bar 6nights a week & i see to it that i check some bars too once in a while for a change of ambiance. I went to this bar 2 or 3wks ago & was really disappointed on how i was treated by the bartender, Damon. I understand if he was having a rough day but still he shldn't take that to work & take it out to his customers. He was rude as in rude. You can't be at the bar industry & not be pleasant. We go out & come to the bar to chill, relax & have a good time

Most unfriendly, arrogant, bartender I've ever met at a bar in San Francisco. Damon is the guy's name. I called Wooden nickel to try to order some food after work and needed to bring food home for my family. First, Damon wouldn't let me put in a phone order to pick up food, even though I would be there in 10 minutes. He was disrespectful on the phone, with no manners at all. He told me to come to the bar to order and hung up on me mid-sentence. Upset, I came into the bar to order food, and ask to order take out food. Damon ignores me, and takes an order from someone who comes in after me. After ten minutes of waiting, he finally takes my order and I leave no tip. He gets pissed and asks if I don't customarily tip. I explain that I tip for good customer service, of which I didn't receive from him. He argues back and says I'm self entitled, etc. Cancels my order and tells me to leave. I eat here and grab a beer couple times a week, but will no longer be coming here to be mistreated.

This new bartender at WN knows his shit! Made me two amazing drinks, that I asked him to customize for me! They were killer!! Thank you Skyler!!!

This place is a dive bar. Visiting from Portland and I felt welcomed. The bartender greeted us on the way in and was very accommodating. The place is dark so I can't comment on cleanliness of anything but my friends and I had a good time. Didn't feel rushed or anything. I would definitely come here again. There was a pool table but it was occupied the entire time we were there. Try this place out.

Got overcharged by that rude bartender, he literally tipped himself whatever he wanted on my bill, some stalky, slow, neurologically diverse dude, you'll recognize him. Damon I think? Place is pathetic.

Been here twice now. Great selection of craft beer on tap, and the traditional faves in a bottle, this place does great mixology! (they handmade the sweet and sour for my GF's margarita!) The smells coming from the kitchen are incredible! I like the 3 rolled tacos plate. I'm so glad this place moved into the Mission.....I will most certainly be back! Thanks Wooden Nickel!

Great little place to have a drink, watch the game, but mannnn, they have a food menu that would surprise you. I think he pours fairy dust onto the amazing cheeseburgers they serve here. And then the drinks are reasonably priced, and the slushy drinks are on point (ask for the swirl). And then they have a little pool table in the back to entertain yourself with should you need to. Come and enjoy, try it out!

This is the kind of place that used to be on multiple corners in every neighborhood of San Francisco, but now it's a rapidly disappearing species in this gentrifying Techtopia: the neighborhood bar. Great music playing, narrow and cramped when it fills up, rich with the smell of years of accumulated bar-ness, awesome bartenders, delicious bar food. Recently I had the carne asada tater tots and a couple of tacos, washed down with a couple of pints from our pals in San Diego. For a brief moment, all was well in the world.

One of my favorite places to stop by for a drink. It's usually not very crowded, making it a great spot for a larger group. They hand squeeze the grapefruits for their Palomas and Greyhounds, and they don't charge an arm and a leg either. The pool table is a nice touch, there's outside seating for warm nights, and a tiny hole in the wall kitchen in the back serves Mexican food (although last call is pretty early). Overall, a chill spot to hang out!

Looked for a place to catch the start of the Packer/Falcons game and scored a touchdown with this place. Fun little booths & they played the game on all the TV's and sound system. Food was better than your standard bar fare. I ORDERED a ELK BURGER & .. I mean who even has that on a regular menu? It was really good, our group ordered grilled chicken, wings, fried pickles YUMMMM-O , lots of varied tap beers & we all had a shot for the first score on the bar. Specials all week long according to the staff, they were excellent, Sunday was also a BIG ASS beer day & a bloody Mary bar, winning! Next time through, we will definitely stop again. CHEERS friends & GO PACK GO!

Solid local. It has the bones of a dive--too clean yet to earn that badge--and the friendly attitude of a neighborhood tavern. You will find beers on tap, a pool table, and cocktails with freshly squeezed juice. There's also a short menu of bar snacks when you get hungry. They take credit cards and they have an ATM near the door. Good spot for happy hour.

A cool little, I do mean little, dive bar with decent food and cheap beer. Went on a random Tuesday night and the place was packed.

It's a worthy successor to Truck, with a good selection of draft beer and the long-time pop-up serving carne asada fries. Outdoor seating is an option, though these tables are often the first to go on the warm Mission days.

It's open, it's Friday, it's a bit crowded but I was able to get a table . My friend had a burger with Tater Tots. The tater tots tasted similar to the tater tots at Benders Bar. They have 1 pool table and bicycle parking. Restroom is big and clean. Overall, I would come back again. Be aware, there is only restroom, but it's a big and nice one.

Great neighborhood bar with an awesome food menu, friendly local crowd and a freshly refinished pool table. This is a great place to meet up with friends as its not typically overcrowded and they have lots of seating options. Oh yeah its also DOG FRIENDLY! Thats always a plus one in the book for me and it should be for you too!

Went here with co-workers to establish a taco Tuesday tradition. Their beer selection is small, but solid. I got to try sour beer for the first time, and was pleasantly surprised by how good it was. My only complaint as far as drinks go is they didn't have a menu (but I'm the kind of person who likes to consider all her options... If you're good at making decisions on the fly, it probably won't matter to you). Service was good, and the tacos were an amazing deal! $1 for shrimp tacos (beerbattered and delicious) and $2 for chicken tacos (the chicken was a little dry, but the sauce was good). If I were to go again, I'd probably just go with shrimp. Overall, the food and beer was good, and everything was cheap! Sidenote: be sure to bring cash. I didn't and had to use the janky little ATM inside.

This place was heavenly. The drinks were great, the food was phenomenal, and the service was friendly. We ducked in to the almost empty bar early in the evening, worried it would be too soon to satiate our empty bellies but we were not disappointed. The drinks were cold and strong and the food was seriously, so good. The chicken tacos and chips and salsa were crispity and crunchity but the burrito with beef and fries (inside! What? ) was incredible. We will definitely be back and we hope Dwyane, the bartender, is working. He was so nice and told us all of his favorite places in the area...very friendly. Great place!

FUCK YES THIS PLACE RULEZ. Local neighborhood bar with real dope Mexican food in the back. One of the few places you can still get a good drink and not pay $15. Also outside seating is saaaweeet. Haters/techies go home.

Friendly bartender, dogs allowed, cheap beer. You can add a Miller lite pony to your shot for $1. What more could you want in an establishment???? Beware there's a $15 credit card minimum and depending on what you are drinking that might be hard to hit.

Classic bar atmosphere inside with good beer selection and drink menu. The food overshadows the bar, serving up some of the highest quality Mexican street food you can find in SF. Their California burrito is the best I've had in Northern California. They have outdoor seating and the staff is very approachable. The location is fairly convenient if a little off the beaten path. Definitely check this place out! They are new to the scene but it won't stay under the radar for long.

VERY RUDE BARTENDER. I believe his name was Damon. I just moved to the city and had been frequenting this bar a couple times a week. I will not be coming back. Grimy bar and disrespectful workers. There are better bars with better service.

I only came here because I heard they had good food, but instead my friends and I had the worst customer service experience . Damon didn't even bother to help us, and I can't help but feel like it's because of my race. The only reason other people probably gave this spot more than 1 star is because they "look" american. If you're any other race, i wouldn't step foot in this place because they'll treat you like trash. I usually love coming out to visit SF because everyone is so nice and friendly, and i know the bar scene isn't the same as in Vegas, but this by far has been the worst experience I have ever had

Awesome chill local bar, with kickass surprises such as: -pool table -photo booth -fresh grapefruit for greyhounds -AMAZING carne asada tater tots -low key, friendly staff -outdoor seating (hard to come by these days!) -take credit cards AND have an ATM -nice mix of locals, i didn't feel like i was surrounded by just hipsters or techies or bar flies, but a happy mix of all of that and more! I like my bars with personality, not cookie cutter edison bulb turn-keys that are popping up everywhere, this place seems like its been there for a long time, its like a comfy old pair of jeans, nice and worn in. -Also very worth mentioning: this bar used to be TRUCK which was a gay bar, i performed there and i miss the space. BUT unlike, other gay bars that have gotten bought out, Wooden Nickel is a very gay-friendly space and has even hosted drag shows and other LGBT events. Pretty amazing to see these days. Do it. Go there. :)

This place is the bee's knees. Great atmosphere, great drinking options. I've met the best people here! Nice little outdoor patio until 10/10:30pm and a fun pool table.

Very interesting bar. Made to look like a dive bar that's been around for 50+ years... in reality, only a couple of years old. Short but good selection of draft beers on tap. Food is from another counter - Mexican. Loved the mini quesadilla. The pork belly taco not so much - too hard after fried, much prefer braised. Everything is reasonably priced and good service. Nothing truly stands out and with so many options in the Mission, only 4 stars

This place sucks. Feels like your in hallway of a vampires house. Stale draft. Rude bartender. Very clicky sashage party. Zero females. Just beer grinding old hammerheads and hipsters. If your a visitor in town ignor the positive reviews from regulars. I was treated like dirt in this cash only grinder dive.

The service was terrible. We arrived before the kitchen opened and the bartender said we had to wait until 5 to submit our order. We ordered right at 5, but a few minutes later several tables got food. I asked the bartender why they didn't have to wait until 5 and she came up with some bs. Then she said I guess I changed my policy. Wow. Won't be back.

Cool little mission spot, decent beer selection, pool table in the back with seating.