Cocktail bar
Unclaimed profileElixir
San Francisco, CA · $$$
Inebrious
Beverage Program Score
The editorial take
Elixir treats the standard bar menu as a foundation, not a ceiling. Sixteen classic whisk(e)y cocktails are available all the time at $16, alongside a rotating off-menu pour tied to the weekly Cocktail Club. A separate Low Impact menu handles low- and no-alcohol orders with six non-alcoholic cocktails and a rotating Spritz of the Day. The beer list runs twelve draft lines, including a house-branded Snake Oil IPA, and the wine side leans on draft pours and sherry. Order the Sazerac.
- What should I order?
- Start with the Sazerac, an absinthe-rinsed glass with Woody Creek Rye and Peychaud's. For a lower-proof order, the NAgroni uses Wilderton and Free Spirits in place of gin and vermouth. If you want beer, the house-branded ELIXIR Snake Oil IPA is made for the bar by Standard Deviant.
- Who will enjoy this place?
- People who want a full bar with a deep classic-cocktail list and a real non-alcoholic program will find both here. The whiskey events and weekly Cocktail Club suit drinkers who like a structured tasting format. Beer drinkers get twelve draft lines and a house IPA.
- When should I go?
- Happy hour brings discounts across all taps, including beers, cider, cocktails, and wines. The weekly Cocktail Club tastings are free with any bar purchase and focus heavily on whiskies.
- What should I expect to spend?
- Classic whisk(e)y cocktails are $16. Non-alcoholic cocktails are $18. Draft wines are $12, draft beers and ciders run $8 to $11, and bottles and cans range from $3.50 to $9. Sherry serves are $15.
- What makes the beverage program distinctive?
- A dedicated all-the-time menu of sixteen classic whisk(e)y cocktails is the anchor. The Cover Songs menu translates classic drinks—Irish Coffee, Pisco Punch, Chartreuse Swizzle—into the format. The Low Impact menu and recurring cocktail classes round out a program that treats drinking as something to study as well as enjoy.
Beverage categories
We only score what a venue sets out to do. Categories a venue doesn't attempt are left unscored rather than penalized.
Cocktails
A sixteen-drink classic whisk(e)y cocktail list available all the time, plus a rotating off-menu pour, a Cover Songs menu of classics, and a Low Impact menu with a rotating Spritz of the Day. Happy hour discounts reach the cocktail taps.
Menu strengths
- — Sixteen classic whisk(e)y cocktails are available all the time at $16, giving the list unusual permanence.
- — A rotating off-menu cocktail or neat pour tied to the weekly Cocktail Club spirit keeps the program moving.
- — The Low Impact menu covers low-alcohol and non-alcoholic cocktails, including a rotating Spritz of the Day.
Standout selections
- — Sazerac: Woody Creek Rye, Peychaud's Bitters, and simple syrup in an absinthe-rinsed glass with a lemon twist, $16.
- — Vieux Carre: Lot 40 Rye, Pierre Ferrand Ambre Cognac, Carpano Antica, Benedictine, and two bitters over a big cube, $16.
Pricing: $16 classic whisk(e)y cocktails; $18 non-alcoholic cocktails
Wine
The wine list is compact but deliberate: two draft wines by the glass, a Prosecco split, and a sherry program spanning Fino and Amontillado. Classic four-ounce sherry serves and a Sherry Cobbler appear on the Low Impact menu. Draft wines are included in happy hour discounts.
Menu strengths
- — Draft wine service keeps two wines—Angeline Pinot Noir and Angeline Sauvignon Blanc—available by the glass at $12.
- — A sherry program covers both Fino and Amontillado, with a Sherry Cobbler extending it into cocktail format.
- — Draft wines are among the taps included in happy hour discounts.
Standout selections
- — Lustau Jarana Fino sherry: dry and crisp with almond and bakery notes, $15.
- — Sherry Cobbler: Lustau amontillado sherry, sugar, and fresh orange on crushed ice, $18.
Pricing: Draft wines $12; Prosecco split $11; sherry serves $15; Sherry Cobbler $18
Beer
Twelve draft lines cover a wide range—Guinness, Old Speckled Hen, Sudwerk Pilsner, Weihenstephan Hefeweizen, West Coast IPAs, cider, and more. A house-branded ELIXIR Snake Oil IPA is made for the bar by Standard Deviant. Bottles and cans start at $3.50 and reach $9. All taps are included in happy hour discounts.
Menu strengths
- — Twelve draft beer and cider lines give the list genuine range without relying on a single style.
- — A house-branded ELIXIR Snake Oil IPA, made for the bar by Standard Deviant, anchors the local draft selection.
- — Happy hour discounts apply to all taps, including beers and cider.
Standout selections
- — ELIXIR Snake Oil IPA: original West Coast IPA recipe made for Elixir by Standard Deviant, 7.2% ABV, $8.
- — Sudwerk Pilsner: Northern German-style Pils poured on a Czech-style Lukr faucet, $8.50.
Pricing: Draft beers and ciders $8–$11; bottles and cans $3.50–$9
Nonalcoholic
A dedicated Low Impact menu lists six non-alcoholic cocktails at $18 each, from the Hurricane Lyre to the NAgroni. Five non-alcoholic beers are available, including Heineken 0.0 and Guinness Zero. Low-alcohol options include the Winter Sour, Sherry Cobbler, Spritz of the Day, Vermut & Tonic, and classic sherry serves. The Low Impact menu is included in happy hour discounts.
Menu strengths
- — Six non-alcoholic cocktails on a dedicated Low Impact menu give the category real depth, not a token option.
- — Five non-alcoholic beers, including Heineken 0.0 and Guinness Zero, cover the beer side of no-alcohol drinking.
- — Low-alcohol choices span sherry serves, a Spritz of the Day, and a Vermut & Tonic.
Standout selections
- — Hurricane Lyre (NA) — $18 — Lyre's Amaretti, Fresh Victor Grapefruit & Sea Salt, passion fruit, lemon, and orange flower water.
- — Hurricane Lyre: Lyre's Amaretti, Fresh Victor Grapefruit & Sea Salt, passion fruit, lemon, and orange flower water, $18.
Pricing: Non-alcoholic cocktails $18; non-alcoholic beers $7; low-alcohol options $15–$18
Spirits
Weekly tastings bring in distillers and brand ambassadors.; A nine-whiskey tasting and a bourbon festival with seventeen brands and more than thirty-five bourbons show a serious event calendar.
Menu strengths
- — A nine-whiskey tasting and a bourbon festival with seventeen brands and more than thirty-five bourbons show a serious event calendar.
- — The private barrel program is referenced for bourbon festival pours.
- — Weekly educational tastings feature distiller and brand ambassador guests.
Standout selections
- — 'Nine Sips to Understanding American Whiskey' tasting nine American whiskies.
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