Bourbon & Branch

What you need to know

You need a reservation. You need the password. You need to find the unmarked door at Jones and O’Farrell in the Tenderloin. Bourbon & Branch takes the speakeasy thing seriously, which sounds gimmicky until you’re actually sitting in a hidden booth drinking a correctly made Sazerac.

How It Works

The building housed an actual Prohibition-era speakeasy, operating as J.J. Russell’s Cigar Shop while selling booze through the back from 1921 to 1933. When the bar opened in 2006, the owners kept the bones and added the theater. You book online, pick a room, and receive a password by email. Show up, ring the buzzer, say the word, and the door opens.

There are four rooms in one building. The Main Bar is the primary reservation space. The Library is a walk-in bar you enter with the standing password “books,” no booking needed, open 6pm to 2am seven nights a week. The Russell Room is a private bookable space named for the original cigar shop. Wilson & Wilson is a detective-themed speakeasy within the speakeasy with its own entrance, its own password, its own 90-minute time slot, and seating for 28. It operates Thursday through Saturday only and requires a separate reservation.

What to Drink

The cocktail list runs deep into classic territory. Sazeracs, Manhattans, Old Fashioneds, and variations built by bartenders who know the history. The main menu is organized by category: Lighter Fare, Spirit Driven, Free Range, Ice Breakers, and Fresh and Fancy. Wilson & Wilson runs its own experimental menu and offers a three-course tasting format (aperitif, main, digestif) or a communal punch for four served in a silver teapot.

If you’re not sure what you want, describe what you like and the bartender will build something. Just don’t order a vodka soda.

The Rules

No standing. Speak quietly. No phone calls. No photography without permission. The rules sound strict because they are. The place wants you focused on the drinks and the company, not the room. Most people find the restrictions relaxing once they adjust.

Getting In

Reservations open several weeks in advance and popular slots go fast. Weeknight early evenings are easiest. The 90-minute limit keeps tables turning, so plan to continue your night elsewhere. Rideshare is the easiest way in. Powell Street BART is a ten-minute walk.

If you don’t have a reservation, walk to the Library at 501 Jones, use the password “books,” and take your chances on space.

📍 Location: This bar is in The Tenderloin. Explore the neighborhood →

What to drink

Sazeracs, Manhattans, Old Fashioneds — classic cocktails made with precision by knowledgeable bartenders