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The Royal Cuckoo

Cocktail Bar$$$$

Bernal Heights, San Francisco

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The Royal Cuckoo

8.8^/10

465

ratings

The folks at Eater and SF Weekly like this place. Would you agree?
"Awesome bar with good records vibes."(5 Tips)
"The live organ player on the weekends is my personal favorite."(2 Tips)
"Enjoy the awesome vinyl collection"(2 Tips)
"Excellent boozy drinks, cosy atmosphere and a live band"(7 Tips)

72 Tips and reviews

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outdoor seating
record
music
good for dates
bar
dimly-lit
good service
boozy drinks
great value
casual
hipster
spacious
trendy
good for singles
liquor
organic
vinyl
Moscow Mule
classic drinks
city
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Ted SmithJune 1, 2018
Been here 10+ times
Tbh, the best cocktail spot in the city by far. Good ambiance, good music, chill, friendly staff, STRONG drinks that are GREAT, a spacious patio for smoking whatever you want - it's got it all.
BommyJanuary 21, 2018
Good date spot / a place to have a conversation. Dimly lit with chill vinly music playing in the background. Surprisingly strong and good gin & tonic.
EaterApril 16, 2013
It's dark in here, and there are dead animals hanging from the walls, but records spinning and divine libations make it Eater's go-to in the Outer Mission/Bernal nabe.
Jessica RaeSeptember 3, 2013
Dimly lit, sexy, hodgepodge of mid-century thrift store lamps, paintings, & furniture accented with shades of red. A strong small batch spirits selection.
Matt LongstaffDecember 29, 2018
Been here 5+ times
Groovy little joint with live organ music (usually with accompaniment) and nuvaux-dive vibes. Be cool and keep $5 in your hand for when the band comes round with the cash vase.
Jonathan WJuly 27, 2016
Great ambiance, dim lighting, awesome drinks, cool patio - one of my favorite bars in San Francisco
ClandestineDrinkerAugust 14, 2019
I love this dive bar lovers type dive. They have a fantastic whisk{e}y list plus an extensive cocktail list. I’d never leave this place if I lived closer.
WhiskeyAvengerJune 13, 2018
Been here 10+ times
A dark and divey bar with awesome bartenders,delicious cocktails and one of my favorite whisk(e)y elections in the city.
Asterisk SF MagazineFebruary 2, 2013
Royal Cuckoo is a gem in the Mission with live organ player, vinyl spinning and delicious drinks from the bar. Enjoy chips instead of pretzels with your drink from time to time and have a great time.
Margot SeetoJuly 16, 2018
Been here 25+ times
Organ-based live bands! And the cutest patio out the back. Decent cocktails. Intimate and old, quirky vibe. Cash only.
Paula Wirth / Eat Drink OaklandAugust 18, 2011
Been here 5+ times
Fantastic cocktails and liquor selection are enough to make this an awesome bar, but add Hammond organ and old-school music on vinyl and you won't want to leave...
Jennifer BurlingtonMay 22, 2013
Been here 10+ times
Love this bar. Good drinks, service, decor, music (they play records when there's not a live organ or sax player) and they have a back patio most are unaware.
timoni westApril 17, 2013
Been here 10+ times
A cozy little Bernal cocktail den; good for first dates, post-dinner friend drinks, and listening to organ solos.
XiulungSeptember 3, 2014
Been here 10+ times
Strong cocktails, cozy atmosphere, small back patio, good vinyl collection and sometimes there's live music, sit on a bench and people-watch
Claire PedersenJanuary 16, 2015
Been here 5+ times
Favorite bar in SF because of how awesome the environment is. The live organ player on the weekends is my personal favorite.
Kemp MullaneyMay 25, 2016
Been here 10+ times
Try the signature cocktails!
Upvoted Mar 10
Emily PinkertonMay 27, 2014
Phenomenal cocktails and a great funk library on vinyl. You really can't go wrong here.
Jeremy TaylorJuly 17, 2014
Live organ and harmonica on a Wednesday night. Dim lighting. Small patio in the back. Cash only.
Erik WeberJune 7, 2015
Been here 5+ times
Great cocktail list and live jazz. There is a Hammond organ built in to the bar
Thomas DonnellyMarch 21, 2021
Great back patio. Amazing classic drinks. Cool atmosphere.
Byron WilkesJune 16, 2016
I personally enjoyed the interior versus the exterior but if you have a thing against taxidermy steer clear. Cash only joint.
Alex SilarajsDecember 27, 2022
Been here 5+ times
Awesome spot (minus the hipsters and the over reliance on bitters to make their specialty cocktails)
Ali Uro-MayDecember 17, 2016
Best gin & tonics around. The red margarita is really good, too.
Carmen SutterAugust 10, 2014
Get The Royal Last Word but w/ Rye. Sit on the back patio. Enjoy the awesome vinyl collection
DebbieSeptember 7, 2016
Been here 5+ times
Awesome bar with good records vibes. Sort of like a David lynch film spot. 👍🏻
meganificentDecember 30, 2012
Been here 50+ times
If you don't visit the smoking patio in back when it's open, you're missing out on life.
CécileJanuary 21, 2018
Love the atmosphere, the live music and the back patio.
Amy RobinsonSeptember 1, 2014
A cosy bar with a nice outside area and a large liquor cabinet.
O LSeptember 4, 2017
Excellent boozy drinks, cosy atmosphere and a live band
SF WeeklyMay 24, 2011
SF Weekly’s Best Of 2011 Winner – Editorial Pick – BEST NEW BERNAL HEIGHTS BARGreeted by a harmonica-toting bouncer who then passes you to a blind & drunk organ player… Read more
Kyle WildApril 2, 2018
Been here 10+ times
delicious cocktails and excellent music (live or vinyl)
DonaldJanuary 31, 2012
Where else do you know in sf that has live electric organ music on Saturday nights (1 of 4 petals via Fondu) Read more
Seth BensonSeptember 26, 2013
Across from Knockout where you can pregame. Great drinks and decor.
Sarita🍷September 16, 2012
Great bar with interesting ambience and occasionally a live. The cocktails though were disappointing
Amélie BeerensDecember 21, 2014
Nice atmoshere but limited choice of cocktails
sohailJuly 4, 2023
The ambiance is 👌🏼
Ivan Pulido NavarroDecember 12, 2014
Awesome place to have a drink, talk and have
Rem KoningMay 9, 2015
Unique and unusual selection or products and liquors.
Adam SampsonDecember 14, 2014
Great Back Patio
Nader FarzanAugust 13, 2014
Been here 10+ times
Patio! The drinks fantastic too ;)
DaveJanuary 9, 2016
Good whiskey and a cozy place to drink it
Dan KoplowitzSeptember 10, 2011
Hope you have binoculars and night vision, because that's what you'll need to read the drinks menu.
ChrisSeptember 3, 2016
Live jazz Thursday through Sunday
Brett LiderNovember 5, 2011
Been here 10+ times
A bar quiet enough to talk in and get seats in. On a Friday night. Please don't tell.
Leanne VanderbylAugust 6, 2013
Best Negroni in SF. Yeah, I said it.
Martin PMarch 29, 2012
The doorman is the blues singer, gotta love it. The rusty nail will oxidize you.
Joshua HaftelApril 20, 2015
Decent enough dive bar, dark and not too crowded.
Pratheeksha KSJune 12, 2016
Slightly older crowd but nice vibe
Linzi BerryJuly 9, 2013
The Bitter Cup is absolutely delicious.
timoni westJuly 31, 2015
Been here 10+ times
If David Lynch opened a bar, it would be like this.

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