An assemblage of many of the best bartenders in San Francisco in a beautiful space (designed by Olle Lundberg) with a delightful Charles H. Baker Jr. inspired cocktail menu, combined with a great kitchen (part of the restaurant family of Slanted Door owner Charles Phan) makes for a fantastic new asset in the local cocktail scene.
What catapults Heaven's Dog to world class, though, is their consistent commitment to excellence and innovation. Their bar staff, under the direction of Erik Adkins, reliably provide exceptional drinks in taste and presentation - witness for example Jackie Patterson's award-winning Star-Crossed Lovers.
Their continued performance at this level seems assured by the practice they receive from the prominent placement on their menu of the "Freedom From Choice"; a high percentage of orders are merely a call for a base spirit and a direction either citrus driven or spiritous. Within these constraints they present consistently well-received choices original, historical, or contemporary, along with details about the ingredients and the drink's background.
Heaven's Dog has quickly earned a rightful place on the must-visit list in a town with some very bright stars indeed.
