620 Jones

Jones, San Francisco, CA

Sazerac

Here at 620-Jones, the experience of having a cocktail and lounging is on a whole different level. The structural layout of the bar/restaurant is a unique one. The outdoor patio is designed to bring people together and mingle around at an intimate level. 

Once you enter through the tall gated entrance, the feeling of being in the middle of a crowded street, surrounded by tall buildings, light fixtures all around, all gives a city rooftop NY/SF vibe. This has got to be one of and if not, the best rooftop lounge in SF/Bay Area. 

There is a fully stocked bar with highly experienced bartenders that specialize in classic to modernized cocktails. My experience of having a Sazerac was a good one for my first time. My bartender measured the proper amounts of bourbon, mixed the exact ingredients, gently shook it with light ice, lightly burned the fresh peel of the orange, and wiped the edge of the glass with a finishing touch. Having my cocktail as I walked around the patio or even sat by the edge of the roof, gave me a breath taking experience. It made me appreciate SF even more than I already do. 

To finish things off, my friend Wes and I lounged inside the dining area. Lights were dim, walls had a dark mahogany to red look, music was on point playing classic indy to light lounge tunes, the conversations between people were close and loud enough to hear, and more. Even the water that is served at your table comes in a used bourbon glass bottle (I think this is a great idea). We had a great time sipping our cocktails and eating small bites of their Jones-style pizza. The pizza was served with fresh cheese that has a melted texture, the light tomato sauce has a nice fresh-sour taste to the tongue, and the crust was soft but with a rustic oven crunch. 

After waiting over a year for this place, my expectations were met. From the warm-comfortable feeling, three large fully-stocked and modernized bars, dark and intimate atmosphere, outdoor patio city scene with people laughing and enjoying their evenings, etc. This all reached a different level of Bay Area lounging. 

Photo by: Allister de Vera

Taken by: iPhone 6+

Jones, San Francisco, CA

The Lexington House

The Lexington House, Los Gatos, CA

The Old Fashioned

Complimentary Bread

Baby Potatoes, Salmon Roe, Slow Egg

First off, I'd like to thank my best friend Weston for recommending this place. I remember him telling me about the bar experience and how their drinks are perfectly made. I've been anticipating to go for a few months now and well, we both finally came together a couple days ago and my experience was tremendous. 

We originally came for cocktails to start our evening so we left-out the dinner. As I entered inside, there was a dim setting with limited seating and a fully-stalked bar. The interior design of the bar was something out from another country. I noticed a rustic type setting with an old-western finish. There were barrels on top pouring fresh whiskey, scotch and fine whiskeys on the second shelf, and most of your vodkas, gins, tequilas, etc. on the bottom shelf. I can easily tell this cocktail bar was legit due to the layout of fresh fruits, cinnamon & spices, bitters/mixes, special cocktail instruments, and more!

Jimmy and Stephen are the owners of the restaurant and lead bartenders of The Lexington. They provided me and my friend with great info about their style, the history of their friendship, and The Lexington House itself. They showcased their skills in mixing and provided excellent customer service. They created our cocktails based on our taste and also recommended certain whiskeys to create the perfect cocktail. Jimmy was slick and organized with his work. He kept everything clean and still performed a show for us without spilling a single drop.

I ordered The Old Fashioned which is a go-to of mine. My cocktail had the perfect balance of sweetness & smokey/bitter all at the same time. The fresh orange peel was ripened and gave off this bitter citrus flavor that complimented each sip. The way Jimmy made my drink reminded me of The Old Fashioned from Rob Roy up in Seattle. It brought me memories from my trip! This is so far the best O.F. Ive had in the Bay Area.

Of course me and my friend had to get an appetizer to compliment the cocktails. We had the dry farmed baby potatoes, slow egg soubise, and salmon roe. This appetizer was unique in every way. It literally looked like a painting or sculpture on a plate. The salmon roe pops in your mouth with fresh salt juice bursting out, the egg is cooked to where the yolk breaks to make the dish runny, the potatoes were moist and tender, the potato chips were crispy and gave some texture. This was one of the best appetizers I've ever had!

My experience at The Lexington House was a great one. The owners really know what they're doing here with their employees and their service. The menu presents real quality dishes with rare ingredients and ideas. The cocktails are served fresh and given time to be made in order to create the best taste for your palate. It makes sense to have drinks at the best and ONLY the best. If you're looking for quality cocktails made from real bartenders who put their passion on the line, then I suggest coming here to sip. This is where the standard starts.


Photo by: Allister de Vera
Taken by: iPhone 5s
The Lexington House, Los Gatos, CA