November 25, 2009
Magnolia Pub & Brewery is a wonderful establishment situated on the hectic corner of Haight & Masonic (Yeah, it doesn’t have the same ring, does it?). Once known as the Drugstore Café during the Dead Head Days of the 1960s, Magnolia, today, is a rather small, yet very busy, gastropub offering an incredible array of quality brews, the list of which can be found on the appropriate chalkboard. During my visit this list consisted of two IPAs, two bitters, two stouts and several others that impressed me. Additionally, there were three casks. All in all, outstanding given the limited brewing space allowed. (I understand that their brewery is located beneath Haight Street.) By the way, if you can, stop by on "$3.00 Tuesdays," when beers are ... well, you know. As mentioned above, Magnolia is another one of those "gastropubs," and the menu is an eclectic one that stands well above your average "pub grub;" and while I always put great beer ahead of great food, this is still a good thing - and serves as an extra bonus when paying a visit. As a longtime Beer Advocate, I have long appreciated such establishments that respect beer enough to pair it with cuisine. In any case, I heartily recommend the organic burger, which was superb. Many positive aspects abound here; one is the efficient and knowledgeable service, always an asset for customers craving food and quaff. Of course, another asset about Magnolia is that it is a short walk (or stumble) to Toronado (See Review). Speaking of transportation, you can also take Muni Bus 6, 7, 33, 37, 43 and 71.

August 2, 2009
My dad and I stopped in here for dinner on friday of RBSG. The place was slammed, but what can you expect on a friday night in The City? Cozy and just a bit cramped with a worn and eclectic wood feel. The bathroom has cloth towels for hand dying, which is a nice touch. They only had maybe eight beers, but four on cask, which is exceptional for a brewpub in these parts. The beer is good for the most part, and has a nice organic feel to it. It also goes quite well with the interesting and tasty food. We had goat cheese stuffed dates wrapped in bacon, glazed duck wings, and a chorizo and egg pizza, all of which were quite good. Despite the crowd, our waitress was prompt and friendly. I totally got denied a sampler because she said the glasses break easily and they were out. I was a little bummed, but a couple pints does better with dinner anyway so I can’t complain to much. The ambiance, food, and beer were a winning combination here.

July 16, 2009
Cool hip spot, had just 1 beer. I would come back again.

July 6, 2009
Right in Lower Haight, so has a different bar feel from minute one. Decor is perfectly run-down. The dingy walls and smoked mirrors make it look like it could actually be haunted. Waitstaff are as efficient and cool as Hamilton’s. Not too many beers on tap, but the ones they pick are really unique. Seems to have goos foot traffic but I bet it gets slammed on weekends.

July 1, 2009
This Hippie district, very popular restaurant distinguishes itself by its cask offerings. With 4 casks including very hoppy beers, they stand apart from every other brewpub in the city. It weas hard for us to get a table on a tuesday (1hr waiting list), so we had to come back on Thursday when we had a bit more luck earlier. The beers I tried were solid, satisfying ales and I remember liking their Saison at GABF. It is also very close to Toronado which pretty much makes it a must-hit, especially with the spectacular architecture in between the two pubs. On the other hand, the service was quite disappointing, taking forever to bring the beers and never really just fainting a smile. The same goes for the food, the menu seemed promising, but the food was simply quite plain, lacking seasoning as much as creativity and ingredients, especially that it’s not on the cheap side.

June 25, 2009
A great psychedelic looking brewpub right in the heart of the Haight. I imagine what this place could have been like 40 years ago. Either way when I was in there a few years ago it was super packed and loaded with business. But the couple brews I had were excellent. I don’t remember what they were but I would definately go back again next time im in San Francisco.

April 13, 2009
A cool spot in a trendy neighborhood. On Haight Street, where all the old hippies use to hang out, this place reminds me of being in the east village in NY. The selection was pretty cool while I was there. They had a kolsh, a mild, a bitter, and a gruit on when I visited. Those are styles you see less often at a brewpub. They were all pretty solid as well. The Sampler was given in a star shaped wooden holster. The place was laid back and had a nice vibe. They also gave out a post card with the beers that you order listed by the bartender and has a little section for notes (perfect for us beer geeks) This was probably the best brewpub within the metro area.

January 9, 2009
Visited during a business trip in December ’08. Had heard much about the Magnolia from my visits to the Toronado, so I decided to take to bus a bit further up Haight to visit. Very small bar area, but plenty of restaurant seating. Many different styles on tap, and the bartenders freely give samples. Didn’t have a beer that I disliked, which says a lot... worth a stop before your pilgrimage to Toronado.

December 11, 2008
Probably the best brewpub in San Francisco. Its definitely lacking bar space, so its more of a dinner spot. The beers are good, food is good. Just wish it had a bigger bar. I have heard they recently went under a renovation, and I havent seen it since so maybe they redid the layout.

November 27, 2008
Cool, darkened bar on Haight Street with a sizable amount of English-style stouts and milds and IPAs. Cask ale selection is solid. The Ruby Mild was underwhelming and a touch watery, but the stouts and IPAs were excellent. Bit on the pricey side, especially after Toronado, and a very small bar area. Still, a good stop for lower-alcohol English beers that reminds me a lot of the Wharf Rat.