Wilson & Wilson

This place doesn’t exist… don’t come here…
Ok. Fine.
Went here as part of my anniversary trip with my wife and it was amazing. Our bartender Andrew made it extra special. Definitely make reservations.

bartenders tended to ignore all but one patron, the way they cottled the man and virtually ignored everyone else was a bit disconcerting. the bar seats were uncomfortable, especially when staring at an empty glass for 15 minutes on a slow thursday. perhaps im not that hip, however, i can detect a pompous kiss ass bartender. spot was cool, service was not.

Wilson & Wilson is, by far, one of my favorite bars I have ever been to. Not merely because of the atmosphere or because of the quality of the drinks (though these were fantastic) but the customer service of our bartender Mary. From the start she was sweet and very caring of the quality of our visit. My party and I had never been to Wilson & Wilson nor any of the other bars and were very curious about the menu and the different rooms themselves. Never once did Mary give any indication that we were a bother (a characteristic a lot of bartenders display when it gets close to closing time) but continued to be very sweet and hospitable from the time we sat down to the time we had to leave. I can honestly say she is the BEST bartender I have ever had the opportunity to meet. Wilson & Wilson is a very memorable bar and we’ll certainly be back to explore the other rooms, however, it was the quality, and always-​with-​a-​smile service Mary displayed that made us absolute fans of Wilson & Wilson. She is an EXCELLENT staff member and an OUTSTANDING example of INCREDIBLE customer service. She made us feel as if we were completely welcomed.

We were visiting from out of town and our friends made a reservation here about a month in advance. We were so excited to come here, and were craving excellent, balanced cocktails, just as all the reviews praised the mixology skills here. I love the concept of 3 separate bars within one establishment, there was definitely an air of excitement with all the people in B&B waiting to be seated for their reservations in their respective bars.
Our reservation was at 6p, and they were late to open, which cut into out 1.5 hour time limit, which they were not apologetic for at all, and still made sure we knew we had to get out soon. Fine, I don’t even mind as much because we had a busy night planned anyway. But I was incredibly disappointed with the cocktails!
The four of us each got a different drink each time so we can each try each other’s, so it’s not like I had a limited sampling. I don’t know if it’s because I was just coming from New Orleans where the drinks are perfection, but these at W&W were WAY too sweet, and not balanced. The drinks from the first two menus, the Apéritif, Main, I made an involuntary puckered sweet face with each sip (couldn’t come close to finishing them), and the drinks from the Digestif were not balanced. None of the drinks were on point. The Apéritif I got tasted like the frat house specialty jungle juice (typically concocted in a garbage bin lined with plastic, and had a super bright color).
If cocktails are their main draw, I think they should reconsider their menu and go over it w a top tier mixologist. Taste the drinks before serving them! I couldn’t even finish my 3 drinks. I kind of felt like it was «wham, bam, thank you m’aam»…we were there for 60 mins, rushed to guzzle saccharin drinks, and were then slapped w a high bill and asked to leave.
I really wanted to love this place.

I went to Wilson & Wilson on a Thursday night with a friend. Apparently, it’s hard to get in, so I had previously reserved a table. This bar is located inside of another bar; Bourbon & Branch. With the reservation, they give you a password you must say before being let into the bar. Ours was «ANGELUS.» The hostess then led us through Bourbon & Branch to a back room where Wilson & Wilson was located and sat us at our table. I liked that Wilson & Wilson was quite private and a chill atmosphere. There was soft music playing (not too loud), so you can definitely get into some interesting conversations here.
The waiter came to our table and explained the entire menu, which was quite unique and composed of 14 specific cocktails ($ 13 each), amongst other drinks. In the cocktail section, there was a list of 5 cocktails for the Apéritif, 5 cocktails for the Mains, and 4 cocktails for the Digestif. If you wanted a full «3-​course cocktail meal,» it would cost $ 35. I am not a strong or heavy drinker, but I went with the full 3-​drinks!
Off the Apéritif menu, I ordered the Night Gardner which was composed of St. George Pear Brandy, Dubonnet, Lemon Juice, Rose Syrup, Star Anise and Vanilla Almond Tincture, and Egg White. This was the best cocktail. It was so refreshing and cold, and I loved the way it tasted. Off the Mains menu, I went with the Miamy Blues which was composed of Ancho Chili Infused Denizen, Coconut Cream, Cane Syrup, Lime Juice, Lapsang Souchong and Toasted Coconut Tincture, and Banana. This one was also quite delicious and tasted actually spicy!
Finally, off the Digestif menu, I went with the Forgotten Man. This one was composed of Mount Gay Black Barrel Rum, Madeira, Stout Syrup, Cardamom Tincture, and Cinnamon Infused Laphroaig. This was sweet tasting, and a nice drink to chill and end the night. Overall, these were the most amazing cocktails, and I highly recommend coming here!
What I ordered:
–Apéritif Menu: Night Gardner
–Mains Menu: Miamy Blues
–Digestif Menu: Forgotten Man
Pros:
–Best cocktails I’ve ever had in my entire life and worth the price of $ 13 each (or offered as a course of 3 drinks for $ 35)
Cons:
–Bathroom door lock doesn’t work, so somebody can walk in on you doing your business quite easily

Had friends in town and made an advanced reservation for Christmas eve. Got a confirmation via email. Showed up only to realize the place is closed. No notice, no sign on the door — NOTHING. Stood there with a bunch of other patrons who were all in the same boat. Frustrating to say the least and horrible customer service. There are plenty of other places in this city to enjoy a great cocktail!

Made a reservation via their website. Got a reservation confirmation e-​mail. We show up — so do about 35 other people. We all stand around for 30 minutes. No lights on, no one answers the «secret» door, no answer on their phone. They’re closed, and still took everyone’s reservations.

What a great spot! Beautiful décor, great drinks, fantastic atmosphere. This place is one big bar separated into multiple rooms. Each room better then the other. Wilson and Wilson is one of the rooms. Is a small, cozy spot perfect for an intimate date. Make sure to get a reservation, otherwise, you will not be able to get a seat.
You may be wondering, «if you’re so impressed by this place, why the 4 stars?». Well, my date and I got our seats at the bar. Those days are pure metal. I couldn’t move my chair (I may be aweakling) and had to have my date move it for me. After sitting there for 2 – 3 drinks, my butt started to hurt and it wasn’t because of some fun date shenanigans. It’s because the seats became very uncomfortable.
All that being said, I highly recommend This place. Is absolutely great!

I’ve been to Wilson & Wilson a couple times and I always had a great time there and enjoyed the atmosphere and the explicitly well crafted cocktails. However, my latest visit with a friend was certainly the best so far. Especially the bar manager, Alex, made our visit an event that I will be looking back to in awe for a while.
So long story short: If you’re classy, love great cocktails and a cool atmosphere, go embrace the speakeasy concept of Wilson & Wilson, and let Alex invite you in a world of beautifully boozy beverages that can make your night.
And while I’m on it: shame those patrons who can’t handle a single bar visit without being loud, obnoxious or have to pull out their stupid phone. That’s not the behavior, this place deserves!

5 on quality of drinks, 3 on selection. I had been to bourbon and brach and loved it. Thought Wilson and Wilson would be worth checking out.
Cocktail list is creative but limited. I did individual drinks vs. 3 «courses.» I asked for recommendations — staff were super knowledgeable and informative. But most drinks had an ingredient I didn’t like. Bummer is they won’t substitute or go off menu. My bf even asked for a cocktail on the rocks and they said no.
I also think you need to go into this as an experience vs. getting well made cocktails. They are big on the password at the door and house rules. To me it seemed a bit cheesy, my bf thought pretentious. Regardless they make great cocktails and are super knowledgeable.

Wow! 10 out of 10! This is a speakeasy within a speakeasy. We arrived a little early so we couldn’t go right into Wilson and Wilson. We were directed to wait in «The Library» which is another speakeasy bar that offers a lot of old time drinks with a great environment. Once our table was ready, the hostess leads us through a bookshelf in the wall, through another speakeasy and into the back where Wilson and Wilson is located. This is the only original speakeasy left in San Fran, that’s what the door man told us as we were waiting to get in.
Everyone we encountered was beyond friendly and nice. Our main bartender in Wilson and Wilson was an amazing «mixologist». I simply told him I enjoy, berries, sweet not sour, champagne and vodka style drinks and he went to work. I loved everything he gave me! He joked around a lot with us too, so fun! He told me to stop drinking vodka because your alcohol should «enhance» the drink and not be tasteless. I told him I love tasteless alcohol. Haha! My husband was much more open and just wanted to enjoy any and everything! They offer «flights» which are three drinks for a set price, I believe $ 35. Individual drinks are $ 13 each. Either way, for the atmosphere, drink quality and staff I would gladly pay twice that amount! There is a private one stall bathroom in Wilson and Wilson and an exit that leads to the street.
I recommend everyone come check out and enjoy this place. Even if you don’t like alcohol, they will make you a drink you enjoy and give you such an amazing experience.

This place is amazing! A fellow Unilocaler explained it really well. Wilson & Wilson is the speakeasy inside the speakeasy Bourbon & Branch. But unlike B&B, W&W seats about 25 people in the space, creating a rather intimate setting.
We were the first ones there for our 6pm reservation. That’s one thing about this place. You have to make a reservation online and it’ll likely be two weeks out. And the maximum is 4 people under one reservation.
We were seated at the bar and I love that because we can engage with our two lovely bartenders. One of them used to be part of Cirque! It was incredible watching them work their magic on the art of cocktails.
The drink menu is setup like a three course meal. Ritif, the first cocktail, is softer and sweeter. As we move to the «main» and digestif, the cocktail choices are stronger. This three cocktail option is $ 30 and not shareable. Otherwise, it’s $ 12 a cocktail. Which still seemed reasonable to us.
I haven’t been to Bourbon & Branch but I’ve been told there’s no need to after experiencing Wilson & Wilson. And to be honest, I’m totally happy about that. And I normally like to try everything so that’s saying something!

This bar was super cool. It was very dark inside. Since you need to make reservations it’s pretty quiet inside and easy for talking. You’re shown to your own spot so people aren’t hovering around you at the bar or reaching over you to pay. You dont feel claustrophobic. It’s handled very well and allows you to have a relaxed time with not being rushed so you can truly enjoy the cocktails. The bartenders are fun to watch and put on a great show. Each cocktail we had was very unique in flavor and presentation, not something you normally see anymore. I appreciated their fun and intricate creations. I liked the vibe here a lot and definitely would come back again!

I loved the atmosphere and the cocktails were amazing, all of which had really unique ingredients that pretty much force you to go outside of your typical cocktail comfort zone and try something new. It is truly a craft here and I like that they do not rush you! I will be adding this into my speakeasy wheelhouse from now on!

Wilson & Wilson is so undoubtedly amazing they repeat their name twice, to guarantee your memorable cocktail experience.
If you’re a fan of Bourbon and Branch, you’re guarantee to love Wilson and Wilson. They take the same fine cocktails, add a dash of crazy scientist and a dab of mysterious detective agency feel to it. Connected to B&B through a walkway, you can also reserve seating online.
When you sit down, you’re presented with an envelope and inside you’ll find what’s similar to a 3 course menu at a restaurant. An apéritif to prep your appetite, a main to anchor your experience and a digestif to end on a high note.
And you WILL be high. On ETOH.
Phenomenal spirits, housemade bitters and fancy barware coupled with fantastic service. Well, no sh*t Sherlock. You got yourself a winner.

So this was my first time to the location of Bourbon & Branch and the only place I could get a reservation for within this establishment was the Wilson & Wilson bar within Bourbon & Branch. Upon arrival after making a reservation, you ring a doorbell & someone comes out to ask for the password given to you by email. We are then escorted in through the darkness of B&B to a small cocktail bar which is Wilson & Wilson. My wife and I are sat at a couple seats at the bar which are metal & a bit unstable.
After being sat, you are given a list of set cocktails & selection of whiskeys you can order straight up or on the rocks. There was only one bartender/​mixologist working behind the bar for the whole area so we didn’t know the format of ordering the cocktails. Then all of a sudden, a guy appears who looks to be the bar back & wreaking of smoke like he had just come from a hotbox of cigarettes. He tries to explain that the cocktails are «flights» that are to be ordered like a meal. The thing is, I wasn’t into wanting to order 3 cocktails that looked to be on the sweeter side. I only wanted to try 1 cocktail and then order a whiskey straight up after that. He didn’t seem to explain this right and told me I had to order 3 cocktails or nothing. When the bartender came by, he clarified that we could order just one cocktail if we wanted & didn’t need to order the required 3 we were told.
I ordered a refereshing cocktail with sparkling wine & grapefruit because I just wanted something fresh to start my evening of drinking. It was just okay as it tasted more like a mimosa with grapefruit juice & topped with champagne.
They do have a pretty amazing whiskey selection & my taste usually gravitates to bourbon but I saw that they had a stellar Yamazaki 18 year on the list and decided to get a pour of that. Fantastic.
If it wasn’t for the ash tray smell I got from the bar back and the disappointment in the cocktail I ordered, an additional star may have been earned.

Wow. I thought this place was going to be gimmicky, but it was absolutely stellar.
There’s a tiny room and a small bar and seats, so you get to talk with your guest and not have to worry about finding a waiter (or elbowing to the bar) for a drink.
The bartenders were extremely knowledgable — they weren’t just making cocktails someone else had designed, but clearly loved the art. Our bartender explained the details of how they came up with the drinks, what they had tried and hadn’t worked, and took time to just describe some of the ingredients we had questions about and how those were made.
And the cocktails were BRILLIANT. I love cocktails, and without question these were the best I’ve had. They have something like 5 flavors each, including spritzes here and drops there, and the balance is perfect. Every cocktail I tried was a flavor combination I’d never have thought of (usually a core of 3 – 4 flavors you’d expect and 1 – 2 wacky additions), and they worked.
Usually, I like a place that’s a bit more lively, but the cocktails and experience were so excellent here, we’ll be coming back for sure.

I owed a friend a night of drinking for his birthday. What better place than Wilson & Wilson to have our late celebration? It was on Friday, April 10^th. A couple weeks before, we couldn’t find a reservation for a big group. However, three of us managed to make reservations for two each at 6pm. Altogether we had six seats.
Our email confirmations stated they would only hold our spots for 15 minutes. Or course, we had a lagger in our group. Luckily, as long as he knew the password, we could go in without him. We all ended up sitting at the bar.
Investigative cocktails:
*Pinkerton: knob creek bourbon, coffee syrup, cranberry infused angostura orange bitters, angostura bitters, tobacco bourbon tincture, orange peel
*Truth serum: highland park 12, amaro nonino, brown sugar cinnamon syrup, sarsaparilla aromatic bitters, licorice root tincture
Started out with one cocktail since that was the bday boy’s choice. Got the Pinkerton. It’s a good starter cocktail. Reminiscent of an old fashioned. I didn’t try the Truth serum, but it looked like my kind of drink.
*Aberlour 18 year, abv 43% ($ 20): vanilla ice cream, stone fruits, honey, heather, apples, oranges, sherry
*Dalwhinnie 1995, distiller’s edition, abv 46% ($ 30): pear juice, cocoa, espresso, hops, dates, walnuts, chocolate milk, honeydew
*Auchentoshan three wood, abv 43% ($ 16): peanut brittle, vanilla wafer, almonds, butterscotch, sweet roasted nuts, flowers
*Gordon and macphail, old pulteney 21 year, abv 43% ($ 42): dried apricots, vanilla, peach, barley sugar, honey roasted nuts, milk chocolate, brine
The rest of the night involved pours of scotch and whisky. I really enjoyed the Aberlour. I could taste the notes of fruit, vanilla and honey. The middle two pours involved some guessing and blind picking. Their menu is huge and I’m in no way a connoisseur, so we decided to be adventurous. I don’t remember much about the flavors as I think my palette was a little overwhelmed at that point. I do remember liking that last pour of Old Putney. But who doesn’t love a 21 year?
Our bartender was great! He knew we were there to have fun and didn’t seem annoyed that we were randomly picking drinks to order. I do love that he left the bottle for us to look at. It makes for a great pic and I love reading the actual bottles.
The rest of our group got the tasting, which involves a 3 course drink menu. If I ever come back, I may try that next time. Looked like a great way to try what Wilson & Wilson has to offer.
I loved the vibe of the place. Laid back, but not in the dark speakeasy kind of way. Wilson & Wilson is brighter and really does feel like you’re in an exclusive bar. They only had one table that looked like a four-​six top and two tops along the wall. Other then that, there’s seating at the long bar.
Fun, light and laid back.

Probably my favorite out of Bourbon & Branch and The Library just for atmosphere alone. You can get the total experience, walking through B&B to your small table, where you can see the window with the ginormous sign on it. From that, to the crazy wallpaper, exposed brick wall and awesome crafted bar, it’s really fun to sit in and have a drink with someone (I would highly suggest as a first date or to take someone who’s visiting for the weekend).
As for the drinks themselves, I love that you can get a tasting of 3 for $ 30. Strangers on a Train (fruity, sugary), Farewell My Lovely (a little watery for a spicy drink), were original choices, but I’d love to probably just drink a glass of whiskey since the drinks were either too sugary or missing the mark. Either way, the atmosphere makes this place. Do it.

Such a fan of this place! A friend and I came on a Thursday night after being able to make reservations day of. Some of the more popular bar times were taken, but I think as long as you plan a day or two in advance, it isn’t too hard to get some prime time here.
Anyways, like many have described, this is a speakeasy inside a speakeasy. So cool, much wow. Actually, it was a little less cool than I actually imagined, but still pretty nice to give a password and pretend that I was going into something that was super exclusive. Wilson and Wilson does have its own door, but we entered through B&B. They take you through the bar and then to a side door that’s at the back of the bar area. That door then takes you into what is Wilson and Wilson Detective Agency.
The menu looks like case files from a detective cases. Cool stuff. The front half is the actual menu and the back half is random clippings that suit the atmosphere of the place. Conceptually, they have three «levels» of drinks. Starts with apertifs and then becomes progressively boozier. You can also get a flight for $ 30 which is actually probably a better deal especially given that we got two drinks each separately which came out to be around $ 30ish anyways.
I started with the Amoral Drifter and then got the Charlie Chan. Both are awesome and I’d highly recommend. Because so much goes into the crafting of the drink here, they don’t take custom requests. But honestly, even if you’re a wimp like me and don’t like super alcohol tasting drinks, these drinks are DELICIOUS. You can taste the alcohol but it’s just subtle enough that the flavors from everything else are much stronger.
Atmosphere here is chill and great. It’s not too loud, definitely on the intimate side. The bartenders are all pretty friendly and service is nonintrusive yet attentive. Right when we finished our drink, they perfectly timed offering the next drink which was great. But yeah, awesome vibe.
tldr; super awesome speakeasy with delicious drinks. I’d come here all the time. Reservations are a must and can be easily done through their online system