Tender

This is a great find! Went here with a few friends before a show at Golden Gate Theater. It was a convenient distance, easy walk. Great Happy Hour deal including meat/​cheese plates. Great staff too, thanks for the great service Christie!

What lure me in here?
Its Saturday and its my vacay and i just want to find some where quiet with music and wine to just unwind down. Guess what i found this gem while i was sipping on my HH moscow mule at the other bar.
Well i am so glad to have found this neat place. They only have a bar downstairs so you can have an open tab or close it.
So they have HH everyday and i happened to made it, within one minute and the barista was nice and cool about it. I went ahead and asked what wines they had on tap for the hh special. One was red and one was white. Of course i went with the red, without tasting i just went ahead and ordered 2.
When i first sipped on it, im like damn so dam dynamite deliciouso. Its strong and its on the sweeter side. I believe it is called stolpman sovengette. aka with my butchering spelling. But hey its some good stuff, served in a fragile fancy wine glass.
As well talk about service, i ordered 2 glass in the beginning and i said wait for the other one. As i am just chilling on the second floor, guess what it was put intona craft so yea, i dont even need to walk back downstairs to holler. Im happy wine camper at the moment.
Anyways what captured my attention is wines, notice that with an S meaning multiple wines are on tap. Hh is 8 bucks an glass, which i find cool, cuz we in the city. Now another thing that got my attention is the fancy environment on 2^nd floor which is a lounge and a my king chair! When i see a royalty king chair, i am sold. Its so relaxing and just chill, definitely bringing my Unilocal wifey here next time i roll in SF. thanks for reading and chillax.

So you’re walking to a bar in Union Square and find a snazzy place. It’s dark, closed and reserved for a private party. Your friend chooses a new place on Geary St further down the road. You’re walking. And walking. Then realize your in the TL. Gasp! Hmmm. My first thought was man! You guys couldn’t pick a place not in the hood? When I find out the name is Tender — is that as in Tender the app? I don’t know if I want to check in on Unilocal.
Well, enter Tender the Wine Bar. Think of it as the one beautiful mansion on a block of not so kept up homes. You walk into a cozy place playing lively music, with beautifully painted walls and a bar maid, (wine maid?) that is ready to pour to your hearts desire. On a Friday night Lord knows everybody needs a good pour!
Service is quick and friendly. Order downstairs, then mosey on upstairs to the lounge area. There are comfortable booths to fit the entire party. Tonight I joined a group of 10 ladies + coats and purses and we had plenty of room. Each seating area has a table.
Most of my lady gang ordered the $ 11.00 wine flight. It’s the best option in my opinion. I would have preferred to start with champagne of course, but it was half bottle orders only. I opted for the Pali Pinot Noir 2011, Tiamo 2014 Barbera, and Terra Rosa 2013 Malbec. Each one sublime and increasing in flavor intensity. I couldn’t have chosen a better selection!
My friend and I shared a charcuterie plate, which, at $ 16.00 for 2 items, I felt was pretty dear. It does come with bread, mustard and cornichon. But in a city that has plenty of restaurants offering more bang for your buck, I thought we could have had a bit more on our plate. If I were to suggest any change, it would be to increase the options for the charcuterie per price point. Nevertheless, the pâte and Gouda were very good on fresh bread.
Upstairs or downstairs, wherever you please, I’d recommend you come here and enjoy some wine with ease.

Tender is another excellent addition to the growing restaurant and bar scene of the Tenderloin. There are many things to like about this place, but the cool factor is that it has a large selection (20+) of wines on tap! Say, what?!
I’ve been here on a couple of Friday evenings and the place wasn’t too crowded either time. The downstairs area is fairly narrow and cozy. If you’re looking to stretch out a bit more, head toward the back and go up the stairs to discover a spacious, beautifully decorated upstairs lounge with plenty of comfortable seating.
Also, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the extremely accommodating staff here. On my last visit, even though there was only one staff member available to serve us at the moment, she said that it was fine if we went upstairs to make ourselves more comfortable. She then came upstairs to take our orders and bring us our wine.
Do yourself a favor and show some love and care to Tender!

Not the place to go if you’re looking for a glass of wine on a rainy Sunday afternoon and happen to have your sleeping infant with you. Not that it was loud and crowded and no place for a baby – it was empty. The place looks nice, and the staff was as friendly as they could be while telling you you have to leave, but no stars for the establishment that sends two thirds of their visible clientele back out into the rain.

Went to Tender to grab some vino for a friends birthday celebration for the first time last night, and totally fell in love with cute this spot! It’s clean (including the restroom), polished (love the décor), and has a chill vibe. We sat upstairs and played a few board games. The staff was super attentive and we all probably drank way more wine than we needed to on a Tuesday night. Definitely will come back here — and it seems like an adorable spot for a private party.

Great wines with good appetizers. Will try to stop in again, next time I’m in SF.

Had the happy hour house red and it was pretty bad. Surprised that a wine bar would serve such poor quality wine. Ambiance is nice. Well decorated. Too bad the wine is not as great as the décor.

I absolutely love Tender! Wine on tap? How cool is that!
I walk past here all the time and always admired the small interior and minimalistic but welcoming design. When my friend said she was having her birthday here I was wondering how would fit a group of 20 but to my surprise there was more than met the eye! At the back of the bar area is a staircase leading you to a chic upstairs lounge. Black leather furniture gives an upscale feel, few tables and dim lighting.
We had the upstairs to ourselves, played music and ordered a huge tray of charcuterie and cheese, all were delicious!
Lovely night, I’ve been back a few time since then for a quick drink after work. Employees are always helpful and friendly.

*** In Short ***
Neat little wine bar that offers some 20 wines on tap, a small selection of beers, sample tastings, and friendly service.
*** In Depth ***
Attempts at trying to kill an hour between the UN Night Market and a friend’s birthday shindig at 620 led to the discovery of Tender, a wine bar that opened up earlier this year, around the same time as Rx. Still not knowing all that much about wine also means having fewer biases about the sort of containers my wine is stored in, so I had no qualms dropping by and giving the place a shot.
And hey, with the option to sample some of the twenty wines before you try them, and friendly, knowledgeable bartenders to help guide your selections, there wasn’t much to lose in coming here. And while it did take a while to find something my noobish taste buds enjoyed, I did eventually settle on the Zinfadel, while my date opted for a glass of their Riesling.
While they have a couple beers on tap, as well as a few full bottle wine options, the name of the game here really is the tap wine selection. These get swapped out every so often to keep things fresh, or just because their provider stops sourcing the kegs, for better or worse.
The main bar is located downstairs, but they have an upstairs lounge area as well, for those looking for something a bit more cozy. This space can also be rented out for private events: in fact, someone was throwing a pretty bumpin’ birthday party the night we went!
***Accessibility Info***
Venue — Definitely on the smaller side, with seating for less than 15, and comfortable standing room for perhaps 30 – 40. Most of the seating is comprised of your typical high top tables, but there’s a lower accessible counter area to the right of the bar. The upstairs lounge isn’t accessible, unless you don’t mind being carried up a flight of stairs.
Bathroom — Large, spacious, and definitely accessible!

It’s a cute tucked away establishment in the loin. It’s a gem for wine lovers. About 20 different kinds of wine on tap (That’s right, on tap!) and small plates of cheeses and chocolate to accompany it.
Lenny and Amanda excel at their customer service and wine knowledge. Not stingy with the sampler too. Woot!
The upstair lounge looks nice, although there was a party there so I couldn’t quite explore.
Will be back for my wine night~

If you care to browse my Unilocal reviews you will see good customer service is a priority. At these prices (broken record! Lived here since 1984) why enable some p! ssy dysfunctional staff who doesn’t even live in the City? College drop outs please.
Never-​mind the bullocks Tender is sweet and the ladies there, personable. I sampled a nice buttery wine and bought it. Great people watching if you get a window seat. SF is an ever-​changing City and Tender is one of the bright spots in a grimy hood infested with misogynist creepy bums there I said it– bring on the gentrification (see my review about the much-​needed ice-​cream joint across the street). Sorry if it took a long time to get to the review. I’ll go there to sample more of the menu.

Lenny is freaking awesome! Multi purpose dynamo! Bartender and DJ! Must check out if you are cisiting SF. Wine on tap! You cant beat that, the atmosphere is awesome and they are auper friendly

I like you, Tender. Stick around for a while.
The staff here is very friendly and kind. The wine selection isn’t super impressive but when you’re thirsty, you’re thirsty.
It’s a small little joint with clean lines and an intimate feel inside. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to see the upstairs area yet, but the ground floor is great for small parties (2 – 4). The last time I was here, one of the gals was really sweet and brought us delicious truffles on the house. Will be coming back for sure.

I came by because a friend recommended this place to me. First off, I will say that I’m impressed that all the wine is on tap. Yes, you heard that right, on tap! I was greeted by Lenny and I have to say, he was the best server/​bartender ever! He’s very attentive and will know when to ask you if you need anything, unlike some people who will ask you consistently before you even take your first drink. This place is a hidden gem and I recommend everyone to come check this place out! Ask for Lenny when you do :) Oh! Check out the upstairs lounge!

Super cute place with a good selection of wines.
Staff is friendly and attentive.
It’s in the Tenderloin (don’t let anyone convince you it’s ‘lower nob hill’ — it’s not) so be attentive to your surroundings.
Most definitely will be returning.

Decided to venture down to the ‘loin purely to check Tender out. It was a Tuesday night so the scene was super calm, a little too much for my liking, even for a wine bar. I can’t complain, it’s a new spot in a tough area, and the space is such a diamond in the rough. I couldn’t help but feel like there was much «breaking in» to be done, but wines, service, and price points were definitely on point.
Great happy hour deals — 3 tastes for $ 11. And they let me try a few before committing. Next time, I’ll check out the upstairs area… couches and wine are a dangerous combination for me, but the space is nice!

Had to stop into this place to rest the feet and grab a glass of wine. I had just done about 5 miles up, down, and around SF and the wine was calling my name. I walked in just as they were opening for happy hour at 5pm and I made a great choice!
Amanda and Christie were very pleasant and made for nice conversation as I was there solo, and the only person in the place as it opened. They were great with helping me out with the wine list, making me feel welcome, but also with letting me relax with my thoughts and fermented grape juice.
Their happy hour is nicely priced and you can get a flight of wine for $ 11. The cheese options were also great. I only picked 3 but should have had them all. I had the sheep, goat, and aged gouda which were all perfect with the wine. They serve the cheese with some thinly sliced crunchy bread, almonds, and little pickle dudes.
I’m only giving it 4 stars because I didn’t stay too long and would like to return (although I’m from Seattle) and try out the upstairs lounge area with a group of friends. If the service is as great up there, then it’s a 5 star for sure!
Excellent place that I support and hope continues to do well!

Love this new spot.
Service is excellent, folks here are so nice.
Selection is small bites, wine, beer. I love the upstairs, great for groups. Would definitely recommend this diamond in the rough!
Cross the street to Whiskey Thieves when you’re ready for the harder stuff. :)

Neighborhood Wine Bar
Cozy + Nice Selection
Reasonably priced, nice atmosphere. Famous artists’ work on the wall was also a nice touch. The owner and her partner collect art and love wine. Can’t wait to see how this location improves with time.
Have heard things were going well. Will be coming back again and re-​review next time I am in town. Good luck with Tender Miriam, all the best to you and your family.
The Scene: Casual
Destination Rating: 6
Date Rating: 4
Hob Nob Potential: 4
Note: Come, enjoy, relax. Check out the upstairs lounge.