Top of the Mark

No one can deny that Top of the Mark is still an amazing place to catch a fancy cocktail and hang out with your suit buddies after a tough days of deal making. Having that said, be ready to strut your stuff; or risk feeling uncomfortable in your own skin.

Pros: Amazing ambience

Cons: Pretentious crowd

Posted 04/13/09

Don't go. Ever. We're boycotting Top Of The Mark.

We've been burned by them before from bad service, but this was the last straw. We paid $200 for a dinner that was terrible. We literally did not eat the main course. Then the band completely sucked, it was like amateur hour. We had come for dinner and dancing and we got neither.

We stopped for fast food on the way home. That's not a joke. That's a very sad reality. Imagine seriously doing that, stopping for $5 fast food on the way home from a terrible $200 night at Top Of the Mark.

It used to be a nice place, but now it's just full of hot air. Anything that may have been nice about that place is long gone.

+$50 parking on top of that. I'm tried of trying to bring people there for a nice night only to be made a fool of by the establishment itself. We're through giving them $100 and $200 chances to give us something as simple as service, dinner, and dancing.

We're done with them.

Pros: They take all your money

Cons: You're pressured into saying it was a good time because you just wasted so much money.

Posted 01/11/09

This is one of the best roof top restaurants i have ever been to. The view from up there was just fantastic. My girlfriend and I went there on a Saturday night and there was live music played which was wonderful. There was a cover charge of $10 which was reasonable. The ambiance was romantic and the food was surprisingly good. But, to top all this up is the dance that you get to do there. Go there for the dance! I highly recommend this place for couples.

Pros: Music,dance,great martini,breathtaking views

Cons: Service can be a little better

Posted 07/07/08

My boyfriend and I went here for a drink and we were very pleased. The staff was attentive and courteous, and of course, the view was amazing. We had an unbelievable seat over looking the city. Great place to celebrate with loved ones, not children. Dinner is pricey, it was $82 fixed dinner on the Saturday night we went. We opted for drinks and appetizers, which were amazing and reasonably priced (for being such a great place).

Pros: Ambience, Service, Food, THE VIEW!!

Posted 12/01/07

My boyfriend took me here for my birthday a few weeks ago. I was absolutely stunned how beautiful the city looked from the Top of the Mark. We got the best seat in the house; a corner window seat. Everything was absolutely fabulous? the food, the dessert and the drinks. We got the chocolate covered strawberries and champaign. Afterward we danced. It was so incredibly romantic. This is one birthday i will never forget!!!

***If you want to impress a date I highly recommend taking her here!***

Pros: the view, the dessert, the drinks, the romantic ambience

Cons: cant think of any!!!!

Posted 08/23/07

i have been to san francisco the 2nd time and i wanted something special for my friend who was visiting for the 1st time. we went there on a tuesday at 6 pm for a snack and it is a nice open space with a really fantastiv view!! it was not too crowded so we could be seated by the window. the snacks were terrific! of course they are not cheap (they have a menue at the website), but it is great food in that location therefore i don't think it's overpriced (we shared the nachos and a dessert and we were full). i highly recommand that place for tourists- we really enjoyed it! but go on a sunny day or at night when the fog might have lifted!! i am in my 20s and i think they should put a night club in it, that would be fantastic!! i would go there every weekend! :-)

Posted 06/06/07

Get there before 9pm to save on the cover.
Sunset is great too. $10/cocktail isn't bad and the nibble plates are at a fair price too.
Can't beat Top of the Mark for drinks anytime time of the evening!!

Pros: view, reasonable prices

Cons: wait when crowded?

Posted 11/19/06

I absolutely loved this place. If you ever want to show off this beautiful city check this place out. It is full of upscale people and service.

Pros: Views, service

Posted 10/26/06

Stopped in for drinks after a great dinner in Union Square at John's Grill and took in the view along with a glass of port. This wonderful locale makes one feel so proud to live in the area. We walked up from union square that alone was brave but once we got to our destination the oversized confortable lounge chairs were exactly what we needed. This place is a must on anyones list.

Pros: Great view

Cons: Very busy

Posted 10/03/06

a lot of people don't know about this place. very nice. huge drink selection. live piano music. on the top floor of the hotel. no parking.

Posted 09/21/06

The place to go when you want to treat yourself to a nice ambiance and setting. The view is fantastic, and a great way to start the night on the town with friends or family from out of town visiting. I would say you can't wear your normal California gear--tshirts and flipflops, but it is definitely worth the view if you are looking for a place to impress your visitors.

Pros: View

Posted 08/29/06

I wish, oh, how I wish, that everything was not so damn expensive in San Francisco. But, with beauty like this, I guess you're paying for the view. I remember when drinks were $2.00, but then, I also remember when gas was 29 cents. Oh, well, relax and enjoy. It's great, it's fun, and we're going to die anyway. So bottoms up at the Top of the Mark.

Posted 08/26/06

So the view is just incredible at this place. You cant go wrong. Now the service is a definite turnoff at least for the time we went. They were out of 3 drinks in a row that we ordered and the waiter was not very attentive. Would suggest this place to hang out, relax, and listen to a great band, but if you are looking to get great service you may not be satisfied. I will go again and see if we get someone else and try to re-review again.

Posted 12/07/05

I think the Top of the Mark has the best views of the city and bay. On a clear day or night you can even see the Golden Gate Bridge and Marin Headlands! I used to go every Thursday night when Swing Session was there, now I go maybe once or twice a year. I regret missing out on Atomic Cocktail and Lavay Smith and her Trio or her Red Hot Skillet Lickers or Kim Nalley and her Quartet or Quintet. They should really bring back the live bands, they added so much to the ambiance. On Fridays there is a live band but most of the music they play isnt very good. The service is spotty, theres always a cover, parking can be difficult (but it's the city, what do you expect?) and some nights a long wait ensues to get in so be prepared.

Pros: Romantic, Ambiance, Breathtaking Views

Cons: small dance floor, expensive, wait

Posted 09/06/05

Love this place. I have been there multiple times on Fri/Sat nights. On those nights there is a good live band, $10 cover. If you like to dance to classics like Sinatra then this is the place to go. Although they do also play other music like Santana, 70's and such. Great views of San Francisco, good service, good music. Casual-dressy attire is perfectly okay but you won't feel out of place if you like/choose to dress up. Perfect for dates, very romantic. Drinks are pricey though so if you will have a problem paying around $10/drink then be aware.

Pros: Views of SF, Music

Posted 05/01/05

We ate ourselves silly at the Easter brunch and everything was wonderful. The manager and hostess were very warm and knowledgable and gave us a great window table; and our waiter was friendly and attentive. Views are spectacular, and though the food stations are kind of cramped, you will love your overall experience. Caviar lovers, here's one of few brunches that offer such luxury. All in all, I think the food and variety at the Ritz is slightly better, but this place wins in total package experience!

Pros: Service, Food, View

Cons: Cramped

Posted 03/26/05

I went there for the first time in February. I enjoyed the views and excellent jazz band. They played a lot of good songs and was great for dancing. The martinis were watered down and tasted lousy. This place is supposed to be known for martinis, so this was a disappointment. I would recommend going to Voda on Belden Place (5 blocks away) for a real martini. The service was also very slow - maybe a bad night?

Posted 02/28/05

bday and had a wonderful time at dinner with its yummy drinks (we tried everything on the drinks menu!) and awesome view. We were pretty young compared to the usual crowd, but nonetheless we danced and listened to the wonderful jazz band. The waiter dropped 2 plates on the floor, but were whisked away so fast and efficiently replaced it so we all ate at the same time - what incredible service! Afterwards, we had our own semi-private cornered seating area and enjoyed our drinks with the view.

Pros: luxury at its best

Posted 12/15/04

If you love top floor views, you'll love Top of the Mark. The staff at the door was great. There was a party going on that was invite only, but they were nice enough to let us in [even sat us at a table--no charge]. The crowd was young and hip. There was a dj a two bars set-up. Not sure if every night is as young as this night was, but regardless of the crowd, this is the best place in S.F. to get a drink and enjoy the views.

Posted 06/25/04

ok, let's be honest, I can't afford their sunday's brunch, $50 are you kidding me? So me and my girlfriend went to the live music on Friday night, the view, the music, the singers was just awesome. Yes the drinks are $10 but it was worth it with the music and the dance floor they have! Just go for the drinks but not for dinner or anything else.

Pros: Music!

Cons: Service

Posted 11/15/03

Top of the Mark is incredibly beautiful. I definitely recommending at least one visit. However, I did find it a little expense. It is a great place for tourist and special days.

Pros: Beautiful, Wonderful View, Romantic

Cons: So-so service, Expensive

Posted 08/21/03

Great view, great history, great drinks.

But if you flinch at paying 10 dollars for a perfect martini (gotta be one of the best in the city), stay away.

Probably the best view in San Francisco. You can look down at other "view" lounges from atop of Nob Hill. You're not obstructed by wirey cages on the windows and every seat in here seems to have an amazing view.

Read up about the history of this place before going for a full appreciation.

Posted 04/01/03

Great place to date or come with friends. You can feel the luxurious and friendly atmosphere with great view of San Francisco atop Nob Hills and great music bands to dance with. All of this for only $10 coverage fee. The 1001 Martini collection is amazing. The snack price is good too, considering you are in this five-star hotel. Best bargain and great to make impression on someone special.

Cons: parking, come early

Posted 01/23/03

Just had sunday brunch at Top of the Mark to celebrate my 21st birthday, and it is definitely an awesome place to do it at! Wonderful food for brunch, including a great selection of caviar, fresh seafood, and eye-boggling desserts! The service was incredible as well, in addition to the service. Overall it was a perfect time. On clear days, the view is amazing as well. Definitely would recommend!

Pros: Excellent Service, Excellent Food, Excellent Views

Cons: Expensive Parking, Need Reservations

Posted 12/21/02

the servings are great and the atmosphere is wonderful

great for a date if u want to impress them

Posted 09/02/02

Go for the dancing. Don't go on buffet night but do go for the dancing. Where else in the city can you have a wonderful bottle of champage a decent dinner and dance between courses. This is still my favorite place for romance. Try to ignore the poorly dressed tourists they just don't get it.

Pros: dancing, views, champagne

Cons: food is ok, tourists, no dress code

Posted 07/23/02