Zam Zam
Cocktail bar · Haight-Ashbury ·
Classic cocktail bar with vintage decor and a jukebox
Classic cocktail bar with vintage decor and a jukebox
"A martini is always a good idea. A martini at a dive bar? Maybe not so much. But Zam Zam, a Haight Street staple with one of the most distinctive bars around (both in the bars actual shape and it’s distincty Haight Street vibe), is an exception to that rule. Once deemed “the Holy Shrine of the Dry Martini,” it very much still lives up to that moniker today. Just make sure you’ve got cash on hand." - Lena Park
"There’s a certain mythology to Zam Zam (full name Persian Aub Zam Zam). This Haight St. cocktail bar has been around since 1941, has strong and cheap drinks, dim red lighting that makes it perpetually feel like 2am, and a mural that they had to restore in 2000 thanks to years of tobacco smoke. Rumor has it that back in the day you would be kicked out if you didn’t order a martini or sat at a table instead of at the bar. Now, you can order whatever drink you want, sit at the somewhat wobbly tables in the back, and strike up a conversation with any nearby stranger. The only modern touch is the acceptance of card payments." - ricky rodriguez, julia chen 1, patrick wong
"The Persian-themed Aub Zam Zam is a true San Francisco original and unlike any other bar you’ll find in the city. Though there’s a much lower chance of getting kicked out ever since the original owner, Bruno, passed away in 2000 (he was famous for finding any excuse — ordering wrong, being annoying — to send people on their way), not much else has changed at this local haunt that opened in 1941. Play some jazz on the jukebox, grab a seat at the horseshoe-shaped bar, and order a martini — the bartenders make some of the best in town. Just be prepared to pay in cash." - Paolo Bicchieri
"People seem to think that if you don’t follow a very specific set of rules at this classic spot in the Haight, you’ll get kicked out, and one of those rules is that you’re supposed to order a martini when you’re here. And while no one’s going to ask you to leave for not ordering a martini or ignoring one of the regulars’ stories about when Jefferson Airplane (supposedly) used to drink here, it’s fun to play along at this place that looks like it was modeled after the stories in Arabian Nights. Plus, the martinis are really good. The bartenders claim that the “proper” ratio is 1000:1 gin to vermouth, and even though they never seem to measure anything, they come out perfect every time." - will kamensky
"Haight-Ashbury doesn’t get enough respect for the wonderful places to eat and drink, though newly-opened sandwich shop Sandy’s may change that. Zam Zam joined the legacy business roster in 2016 and for good reason: the red-lit bar is blocks from the heart of the neighborhood and keeps the cheap drinks flowing all night." - Paolo Bicchieri