I know Alchemist Bar & Lounge as the place where startup founders go to have drinks after Demo Day, but for the last few weeks it has served as one of the more tastefully done holiday bars in San Francisco.
The decor at Alchemist is subtle but effective. In place of gaudy colored lights, the brick-and-timber-style room is fully lit with warm white lights and biophilic garland. There was no fake snow to choke on, and while the holiday vibes game is strong, it’s more understated than “in your face like Christmas threw up everywhere,” said owner Phil Chen.
Last Sunday was mellow, so I was able to try a few different drinks and check out the decor without getting jostled every five seconds like I did at PCH the night before. Kenny Jones, the tall, chiseled-jawed lead bartender, managed a steady flow of drinks while keeping a composed, neutral expression under his wide-brimmed boater hat adorned with a peacock feather.
Apparently they do have a snow machine, but it wasn’t operating when I was there, and I appreciated the restraint.
A casually dressed after-work crowd was socializing in small groups, drinking from the holiday menu created by Jones and bar manager Ramon Garcia. The cocktails looked like season-agnostic drinks, served in proper glassware rather than the Miracle franchise Christmas mugs. Very demure.
“Orbit Trip” by Golden Mean was playing when we walked in, and jazzy hip-hop fusion music maintained a sophisticated ambiance for the remainder of our stay. I realized I was relieved not to hear Christmas music. Am I already sick of it?
Silhouette motion pictures were projected onto the wall in three places. When I asked Mr. Jones what they were, he shrugged and replied, “Just random short movies.” But they were cohesive, all looking like early renditions of Tim Burton’s scratch pad.
We ordered a Cafe Vizuvio with rye whiskey, Tequila Milagro Reposado, Mr. Black Coffee Amaro, Amaro Pasubio, and Falernum, and then moved to the Holidays in the Sun, with Botanist Gin, Tequila Reposado, Giffard Mango, Thai curry, and citrus. The latter had that delightful coconut sunscreen flavor you normally taste in the summer, rather than three days before Christmas.
The chicken wings had an extra kick that elevated them from typical bar food, and the pork bao buns weren’t too filling but kept us in the game while holiday bar-hopping.
I spoke with Rita K. of Potrero Hill and Suzanne G. from North Beach as they sat at the bar, sipping on pink Giddy Yap Giddy Yaps from the happy hour menu, made with vodka, raspberry, Falernum, Pamplemousse, jasmine, and citrus. “Chef’s kiss,” they mimed about the drinks.
The ladies told me they’ve been to many bars with holiday decorations, but this was the first “official holiday bar.” I asked what an official holiday bar is, and they replied, “Umm, probably something that has Christmas-themed drinks and Christmas decorations…”
It turns out they were originally set to go to PCH, but it was closed, so they ended up here on a friend’s recommendation. Suzanne told me she went to PCH last year but prefers Alchemist because PCH was “a little over-the-top” and also charged a cover. “It was like, you pay a cover, then you pay more for drinks,” she noted.
I asked the ladies if they felt like holiday bars gave them an excuse to drink anywhere, anytime, without feeling guilty about what could be perceived as overindulgence. Rita replied, “I think bars in general give you an excuse to drink anytime after work during the holidays.”
On that note, Mr. Jones handed us a complimentary shot of Wreck the Halls — a spicy concoction of tequila, Aperol, guava, pepper medley, Mazapán, and citrus — and we headed out to drink more guilt-free booze at the next holiday bar.
Courtney Muro is a San Francisco-based content strategist, producer, designer, and creator.
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More photos of Alchemist Bar
All photos by Courtney Muro for The Bold Italic.
