Red’s Place

Be forewarned, this is a dive bar. In fact, it is a dive bar in Chinatown. That said, it’s not so much that it’s a Chinatown dive bar (like Li Po). It’s really just a dive bar to get beer and cocktails, watch some sports and chill in an unpretentious spot.
Here’s why it gets 4-​starts: $ 3 Bottle Beer from 4−8pm, every day. That might not sound like much, but some of those beers (as of March 2016) are Sculpin, 10 Barrel, Lagunitas, Anchor Steam, Sierra — all of which are a primo deal at $ 3. They do have a few drafts, including Denogginizer. I wouldn’t anticipate fancy cocktails, but the bartenders are fun so they’ll make fun drinks for your group. Bartenders are another step towards 4-​stars. And, other than Li Po, the Chinatown Bar scene isn’t particularly strong. This is a better option than Mr. Bing’s, I say better than Buddha Lounge but I think that could be perfectly debatable based on taste.
Counter-​Argument: If you aren’t a dive bar person, I wouldn’t seek it out. It can have cool people, it can also have the 20-​somethings who believe every word spoken by their crew is the FUNNIEST, THING, EVER. The ceilings are low, and the bar isn’t that big, and the television views aren’t perfect. And, the bathrooms are downstairs and while I don’t have to touch much while in a bathroom, if I did I don’t know I would want to.
So, don’t necessarily bookmark this place. But if you’re passing by from 4−8pm, like good beer, and like a deal — you could do a lot worse.

Lived here in the city for years but never thought about going to a bar in Chinatown.
I wanted to go to one on my birthday.
My friends and I went to two other famous Chinatown bars, then we stumbled upon this one.
I have to say Red’s Place is my favorite dive
bar in Chinatown. It is not fancy at all. They have Christmas lights up all year.
Jerry the owner tends bar a couple of nights. He is so friendly. My friends and I think he is cute too.
The patrons at this bar are also very friendly. Nice place to hang if you want that local feel.

This is not your typical bar you see on Union st but its defintely a GO TO PLACE!
Owner Jerry makes you feel welcome right when you walk in. Friednly and divey atmostphere. I love the fact he works so hard and even makes all the drinks really fast! you dont have to wait for a long time for your drink or flag someone down for attention.
well stocked bar — from low to top shelf liquor.
will definitely come back here again.
#supportyourlocal

I’m glad I came here and I enjoyed the company at this bar. If you are walking around Chinatown in the middle of the night craving for a drink, try this spot. I came here on Christmas eve and the atmosphere here was great. The place was packed with locals and tourist alike. I really liked how the bartender Jerry treats all his customers like family. Great drinks, plenty of tvs and a place to hang.
This is my new place to get some loud mouth soup.

I don’t hang out in Chinatown too often but I was there in September for the photo shoot on Grant for the First Chinatown International Fashion Show and took a break. I was wandering off to another Chinatown bar I knew about and found Red’s Place. I met the owner Jerry who’s a great San Francisco guy who makes sure his patron’s are well served. Now I’ve got a good reason to hang out in Chinatown more often!

What a find! Great bar, positive atmosphere and our host Jerry was more than accommodating: he talked us through his excellent selection of beers (both local and from further afield) and insisted that we try some of his fantastic draft beers. We really enjoyed our hour in Red’s Place: Jerry makes it an awesome place to be: he even made a lager shandy (San Francisco version) for my wife which was hugely appreciated. We will return.

Fun little spot, real friendly. Came during happy hour and the beers were very cheap I think 3 dollars. The bathroom was an experience, downstairs in the dungeon.

Jerry the owner hung out with us, told us about the city for hours. Best place for a drink in the entire city.

Red’s place is our local bar. We often find ourselves here after a long days work relaxing with the locals. The 3 dollar happy hour is one of the best in the city and all the bartenders are more than charming. The owner Jerry runs the show but his staff is filled with gems like Elaine and Pam. They both create a charming atmosphere and are born to serve. Just the other day Pam was working and some crazy walked in from the streets. Pam handled it so professionally asking the crack head to leave and making sure we were comfortable as well as looking after the Cantonese locals… Love this place! ¹⁰⁄₁₀

The best dive bar in Chinatown. Bartenders are friendly and will remember you after the second visit; pours are generous and relatively inexpensive; selection is pretty good for a dive bar. Basement restrooms can freak people out a little, and occasionally there’s a homeless person hanging around, but most of the time, it’s just way cool. Watch out if a local tries to get you to play liar’s dice, unless you’re planning to drink a lot and buy several rounds. ;-) Every trip to San Francisco, I stop here.

I’m a fan! There a few places around Chi-​town to drink… and this is one of them. Very divey and cheap. If you happened to be near by its great to stop by. We came by after a comedy show at Cobb’s Comedy Club. The place is tiny so its good for small to medium sized groups.

A bar in SF that isn’t inundated with techies or hipsters!?! What?!?
Red’s Place is a great Chinatown dive bar run by a guy who truly cares what he serves his patrons. His desire and passion for finding local brew to keep on tap is not found in many places — you can find some pretty good beer here! Also, on certain days, the owner tends the bar himself… Cool guy and will definitely show you a good time!
Tourist or local, if you are Unilocaling and looking for a bar that has got the local Chinatown vibe with a great selection of beer and cocktails, I highly suggest this place. It’s a great place to hangout and talk on your journey through SF!

Stop four of our Chinatown bar crawl. We stopped by on Friday, August 7^th around 8:30pm. This time we did a couple round of drinks.
I had a great time taking shots of clase azul, drinking beer and playing liar’s dice. I used to hang out at bars all the time playing cards and such while drinking. This reminded me of my 20s. I even taught a friend how to play and now he wants to go out to play and drink some more.
The bartender was a blast. We can get loud while playing the game, but she was super fun. I wish all bartenders were like her.
Great bar and fun atmosphere. This was actually my favorite stop on our crawl!

Come with:
— Comfortable clothing
— Good vibes
— Good friends
— Dollars for the jukebox
Don’t expect:
— Classy atmosphere
— Cocktail dresses
— Expensive drinks
A bit divey, but definitely a fun no pressure atmosphere to enjoy some fermented beverages with your closest friends without paying an arm and a leg for that organic free trade vodka and tonic.

Due to the remodeling and upgrades Jerry has made cozy, Reds Place,
The new HOT SPOT IN CHINATOWN !
4 wide screen T.V.s for all sports events, super sourround sound, excellent !
Helen is a sight for soar eyes, and keeps the happy hour regulars here year after year !
Jerry’s warm welcome and personal touch have always made everyone in the neighborhood feel appreciated and at home !
I am happy to be a part of this place !
«REDS PLACE «
THE NEW HOT SPOT IN CHINATOWN !
EILEEN M.

Major secret: Chinatown has great bars. Red’s is one of them. I was there last night and they were hosting a watch party of a skate video. It was sweet.
Red’s has a really solid beer selection too (while the other bars in chinatown proper don’t).

Cozy, fun neighborhood dive bar where you can grab a drink after work, dance to the music playing from the jukebox, watch sports, or have a good convo with the bartenders and/​or the person next to you.
Awesome down-​to-​earth people and great beer selection! What more can I ask for?

I was in San Francisco last week for only a few days but this was definitely one of the most memorable spots in the city. It’s all thanks to the fantastic bartender! I never introduced myself but I heard regulars calling him Jerry. He’s so personable and always making sure his customers are feeling good and at home.
I only was drinking a water (lame, I know), but I liked the fact that I wasn’t made fun of for that (I have before). Jerry was super sweet and made me a non alcoholic Tequila Sunrise at no charge. Who does that?! Jerry needs to bartend here in Portland, Oregon for crying out loud! He even offered great suggestions for night explorations around town. The Bay Bridge night light show was beautiful. Thanks for the suggestion and keep doing what you’re doing because you rock!

It’s not often that I find a SF haunt no one I know has reviewed… but it’s not often I find myself in the bowels of Chinatown and come out smelling like a rose. I’ve been spending time in San Francisco since [redacted] and only recently have I begun to enjoy it the way my friends who live there do. Place’s like Red’s is why.
Red’s isn’t my typical kind of place. It’s a little dingy. It’s a little dirty. It’s a little (a lot?) divey. It’s not my kind of spot… but I really liked it.
1.) The folks who work here and the folks who frequent it, keep it real. I know that phrase is almost all the way played out but there’s not an ounce of pretension on either side of the bar. SF startup money? Nowhere to be found. Dumba$$es taking selfies and pouting with duck lips? Not here. Smart-a$$ed bartenders who have no time for foolishness? Check. Strung out regulars barely able to sit upright? Check. Anthropological glee from yours truly? Check.
2.) I drank a Little Buddha beer. The taste wasn’t much to speak of (think any green bottle beer from your college years) and I don’t think it’s authentic at all (Australia rather than Asia) but it’s kitschy and tacky and I will love it and pet it and call it George. Plus, you know I had to drink beer out of a bottle at a place like this. My lips don’t touch pint glasses at dive bars. It’s a rule.
3.) It’s a real bar. There’s nothing else to it. There’s no theme. There’s no scene. There are no screaming woo hoo girls or frat boys making noise. There’s no crazy markup on the suds. It’s just a place to get a drink, either with friends or by yourself, and enjoy a beer or two. It’s crazy to think that such a concept is groundbreaking but these days… it sort of is.
Looking for a drink in SF without much (any) bull$hit? Come here. I think you’ll like it. I do and I value cleanliness. Think about that.

Was in SF for a few days and we decided to take a drinking tour of China Town. 1^st stop, Red’s Place. There was about 2 other patrons in the joint at the time. Bartender was very quiet but nice. Place is definitely divey and that’s our favorite.
Good beer selection and a few TV’s scattered around.
Maybe it’s just me, but I was totally getting a creepy vibe with having to go downstairs to use the restroom, felt like the scene from the Goonies when the kids find sloth. Can seem a bit shady but I came out unscathed. Drinks were priced right, and although we did not stay long, we would definitely come back the next time we’re in town.