Martin Macks Gastropub

This place got a reboot last year and a nice one at that. I used to just go here for sports watching whenever Kezar was packed but I've since gotten used all the extra space in here. It's so nice to not get elbowed in the face. The food is solid too. You can't go wrong with their nicely meaty burger.

In short, great for sports-watching, grabbing a bite with your drink, and not getting elbowed in the face.

Martin Macks is a pretty decent bar to catch up with friends and enjoy a quick dinner. Nice decor and a fairly standard menu.

There's a few cocktails on the menu that you could get aside from your typical Irish beer. I got an Im(pair)ed, which definitely did justice to its name. I don't remember what was in it, but it was strong and delicious.

In terms of food, there's not much to offer. I ordered a Steak & Mushroom Pie to split with a friend, and was greeted with a surprise. I assumed this would be a nice Australian-style pie with plenty of meat inside. Instead, we were served bowls of mashed potatoes with a few pieces of meat and mushrooms on the bottom. Mostly just mashed potatoes, though. They were tasty, but not what I was expecting. A bit of a disappointment.

Service is great and waiters are all down to earth. Our waiter could clearly see we spent the afternoon at Dolores Park, and was absolutely fine with it.

Meh. Just meh.

The nirvana was pretty good. The bloody mary wasn't. They're being overzealous calling it SF's best.

I got a side of soggy, clearly just defrosted from a bag, veggies. The nachos were underwhelming. 4 strips of tortilla chip with cold melted cheese on it. My girlfriend got a cesar salad. 'Salright. Not great.

This place's saving grace? The location and the service. My waiter loved me, and didn't bill the bloody mary after I called them out on being liars for calling it the best.

Pretty much the cliche bar food dilemma where the food sounds better than it is.

*After writing this review, I was promptly addressed by the lead server Anelia who addressed my aforementioned concerns and has offered me a free drink upon my return. Extra star for courtesy and professionalism!