Bourbon & Branch

Bourbon & Branch is a Prohibition-style speakeasy at 501 Jones Street, on the border of the Tenderloin and Lower Nob Hill in San Francisco, California. The bar is built around the idea of a hidden drinking room: the main space is entered by reservation with a daily password, and the venue includes several rooms with different levels of access. It is one of the better-known speakeasy-style bars in the United States and has been a fixture of San Francisco's craft cocktail scene.

The crowd is mostly adults on dates, small groups and cocktail enthusiasts, along with visitors who book the venue for its theatrical setup. Dress is smart casual, and the mood is intimate, dim and quiet, with low conversational volume and an emphasis on staying at the table. The rules of the room discourage rowdiness, and guests must be 21 or over. Music is a background selection of period-appropriate recordings.

The drinks programme focuses on classic pre-Prohibition and Prohibition-era cocktails, made with fresh ingredients and an emphasis on technique, alongside a selection of whiskeys, including bourbon, which matches the name. Cocktails are priced in the upper range for a bar, usually in the high-teens in US dollars or above. Food service is minimal, so visitors generally eat before arriving.

The venue operates in the evenings, with hours that should be confirmed on bourbonandbranch.com. There is no cover charge, but a reservation and the daily password are required for the main room, and the reservation is handled by phone at (415) 346-1735 or through the venue's website. Walk-ins are sometimes possible in The Library when space allows, though this is not guaranteed. Bottle service is not part of the model; the experience is built around table service for cocktails.

The bar is a short distance from Union Square and the theatre district, which makes it a convenient stop before or after an evening in downtown San Francisco. Visitors planning a weekend visit usually reserve days in advance.