Third Rail

San Francisco, CA · $$$

Inebrious

Beverage Program Score

Editorial review: 2026-08-14

Editor: Micah Rousey

How we score

The editorial take

Third Rail's clearest argument is edible: the bar treats jerky as part of the cocktail program rather than a novelty parked beside it. The namesake drink brings bourbon, Lillet, honey, lemon, and orange bitters into a bright whiskey-sour frame; Old Potrero Queen Sun heads in the other direction with rye, Manzanilla sherry, and Amaro Montenegro. Put either beside Red Eye beef jerky, seasoned with coffee and two kinds of chile, or the shiitake version with sake and balsamic, and smoke, salt, sweetness, and umami become practical ordering decisions. That is a more useful identity than simply calling the drinks seasonal or craft. The current official site confirms the bar remains focused on cocktails and jerky, but does not expose the complete cocktail list or its prices. Third Rail therefore earns credit for a well-documented, durable pairing concept without pretending every present pour can be seen online.

What should I order?: Ask whether the namesake Third Rail is on the current list; its bourbon, Lillet, honey, lemon, and orange-bitters structure is the direct route into the bar's identity. If available, pair it with Red Eye jerky; choose the mushroom jerky when you want sake, balsamic, and shiitake against a stirred drink.
Who will enjoy this place?: Cocktail drinkers who prefer an easygoing neighborhood bar to a formal tasting room, especially anyone intrigued by using smoke, chile, coffee, or mushroom jerky to steer the next round.
When should I go?: Use the earlier opening on Friday or Saturday for a quieter first round; the official schedule runs until 2 a.m. those nights, while Tuesday through Thursday close at midnight and Sunday at 11 p.m.
What should I expect to spend?: Current cocktail prices are not published on the official site. The current menu listing prices individual jerky portions at $4 and the bartender-selected jerky sampler at $12, before tax and gratuity.
What makes the beverage program distinctive?: Jerky is integrated into the beverage logic: coffee-and-chile beef, sriracha, and sake-seasoned mushroom options give guests specific smoky, hot, sweet, and umami counterpoints to shaken or stirred cocktails.

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 durable neighborhood cocktail program gains a specific point of view by treating an unusually broad jerky selection as a tool for navigating bright, spirit-forward, and savory drinks.

Menu strengths

— Enduring namesake cocktail with a clear bourbon-and-citrus structure
— Shaken and stirred choices tied to a purpose-built savory snack program
— Jerky flavors that create unusually concrete cocktail-pairing routes

Standout selections

— Third Rail - bourbon, Lillet, honey, lemon, and orange bitters
— Old Potrero Queen Sun - Old Potrero rye, Manzanilla sherry, and Amaro Montenegro
— Cocktail-and-jerky tasting - an official dedicated pairing format

Pricing: Current cocktail prices unpublished; jerky portions listed at $4 and bartender-selected sampler at $12

How it sits with the food

This is snack pairing, not dinner pairing. Red Eye's coffee and chile suit the bourbon-and-citrus namesake, while the shiitake jerky's sake, balsamic, garlic, and pepper make a sharper foil for rye, sherry, or amaro-driven drinks.

Inebrious does not score kitchens, food or the restaurant overall. We review the beverage program only.

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