Financial District: Open for just over a week, the buzz continues to swirl around Rickhouse, the current title-holder of the city's New Black. The hype is due to a few factors: the Bourbon & Branch pedigree, the look of the place, the FiDi's lack of sophisticated (pretentious) watering holes and of course, the cocktails themselves, which regardless of your thoughts on the place, do live up to said hype. The 28-page drink menu is overwhelming, to be sure, but on the bright side, it also features all kinds of over-the-top J. Peterman-esque diction (see above for some fun examples). Plus, for the daydrinkers in the crowd, the bar will be open at noon starting Monday. But like B&B, Rickhouse is definitely a polarizing place, so let's have a look at the early word, shall we?
The Good News: "It brings elements of style, class and real depth to the Financial District ... Rickhouse is indeed a destination and a welcome addition to San Francisco's expanding firmament of great bars." [7x7]
The Bad News: "...it’s a bit too Disneyland for me. He agreed. You know, when the ambiance is a little over-studied and just too perfect? I love the idea of a prohibition-era look and feel, but it’s like the girl who wears head-to-toe vintage with pillbox hat, gloves and all. Costumey. Artificial." [SFLoveStory]
More Good News: "Rickhouse? It's way better than it even needed to be. There's a new sheriff in town." [Citysearch]
Demographic Summary: "Rickhouse: Lovely space, happy staff, rocking drinks. Some patrons who care about cocktails, some just want vodka martinis & wine spritzers." [Life Begins at 30]
But the Bad News is the Americano Crowd Went Indoors: "What a great place for an after work drink! It's a complete change from the Americano's of the world" [Yelp]
Well This Was an Interesting Choice: "Cocktail napkins are, I do not lie, made of burlap. Burlap. Because really, what is more absorbent?" [SFLS]
And the Requisite Illiterate Yelp News: "Newspaper printede drink menu. The drinks are fabulous, hand crafted, muddled, mixed ,strained masterpieces. The cround seriously entertaining..." [Yelp]
· All Rickhouse Coverage [~ESF~]
As always, feel free to share further opinions in the comments.
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