The Interval At Long Now

What a great find! An absolutely great spot for locals to hang out and tourists to discover, this is such an interesting place. It’s a bar & a museum. Non-​profit and tucked away, this is a gem. The bartenders are like chemists, mixing your liquid concoction with care. It’s quiet enough to have a conversation yet a hip vibe to chill out and relax.

Quite an interesting place to have a drink, alcoholic or non alcoholic. But you can’t talk about this place without talking about the atmosphere. Part science museum, part classroom, part bookstore, part bar and café… but they make it work. Whoever designed this place had form over function in mind. Location is absolutely gorgeous as its on the dock /​warehouse area of Fort Mason.
Upon entering around 330pm, all of us were in awe of two things: the space and how library quiet this place was. We all kinda looked around and then finally myself and another coworker asked the nice bartender «Are we supposed to keep it quiet?» She kinda chuckled and told us we can be ourselves. :) Despite the words, we still kept it fairly quiet.
All of us had some kind or another beer or cider. No complaints about the drinks. We sat around a metal globe looking thing by the entrance and chatted for an hour before most of us wanted to get back to the BART to beat the SF Giant’s game crowd back home.
I’d definitely return, but only for a drink if I’m in a quieter mood.

I love their draft gin and tonic – simple and somewhat unremarkable looking… then it sinks in. Most tonic waters are uninteresting – this was full integrate and oh so soothing and delicious. I have to go back… I will back just for this. A must taste.

Best bar in the Marina! The atmosphere is fabulous. The cocktails are divine and are always so unique and delicious. It’s such a special delicate bar that is perfect for a date or get together with friends. Favorite is that there is a limit to how many people are allowed in so you don’t feel smushed in a bar. It’s almost like a secret, but not at the same time. Thanks for existing and being you — fabulous staff all around!!!

We were at Fort Mason for International Arts Festival, we had not had anything since lunch and had an hour to kill. Fort Mason would seem a perfect spot for restaurants but only dining option was a $ 60 multi course menu at Greens. Figured the Interval would have a bar menu but did not have much to offer (crackers, hummus, pickles). The draught gin & tonic was fabulous, even the ice was good ($ 9). They could beef up the lite bites menu with maybe some cheese. The ambiance is cool as is the service, bartenders are quite capable but somewhat aloof.
Apparently the Interval bar is part of the Long Now Foundation, a non-​profit which «hopes to provide a counterpoint to today’s accelerating culture and help make long-​term thinking more common. We hope to foster responsibility in the framework of the next 10,000 years»
I have no idea what that means but the cocktails are great.
Also on a side note, from reading some of the less-​than-​glowing reviews, if you are not part of the Long Now in-​crowd it sounds like they will tolerate your presence and take your money but certainly will not go out of their way to make you feel welcome. One reviewer actually was told, after politely pointing out that he had been bypassed several times by the bartender, «This is not a first come first serve type of place». Takes chutzpah to say that to a customer. Reminds me of Seinfeld’s Soup Nazi

A very uniquely appointed spot in Fort Mason, The Interval had opened about 30 minutes before we arrived, with only one other customer at the bar.
Most folks then (and after we arrived) came in and tried the carrot tea, but we were looking for a more ‘mature’ option — it’s Sunday, before noon, time for a bloody! Prepared with Svedka vodka (one of my choices at home, glad they agree), and with the right amount of kick, this bloody held its own as we waited for the rest of our family to wake up and start their day.

unfriendly bartender. Thanks for not providing me a glass for my 9 dollar canned cider. Great effort. Why Jeff bezos hasn’t fired you is really beyond me. The fact that you do this job with such disdain while a million other people would do it with a smile is a total farce.

The only plus side here is that the drinks are really good. I have been to the Interval multiple times and the service every one of those times has been horrible. What do I mean by horrible? Sitting at the bar in the middle of the day with only a few patrons and having To wait 5 – 10 minutes before you receive an acknowledgement or a menu. Taking my drink order multiple times and still not getting it. Having a bartender treat the simple act of asking for a glass for a can of cider (when the other bartender clearly didn’t feel it was necessary) as if you asked for their last kidney. Having to sit at the bar or table and feel like you are a major inconvenience to their livelihood.
I honestly will no longer recommend this bar to my friend or people asking me for a nice place to grab a drink.

This place is the worst.
Most pretentious bartender in all of San Francisco.
Also took my bottle of water because apparently outside drinks are forbidden. He eagerly took that from me before I was even able to order a drink.
Tried to order for at least 15 minutes before the bartender wanted to notice me.
Most people go to a bar to have a good time. If that is what you are looking for, don’t come here.

Beautiful setting, beautiful cocktails.
I have passed by this place a lot and never came in until reading about the great cocktail menu on some food/​drink blog and decided to come check it out for a Friday after work treat. Arriving around 5 this place wasn’t too full yet, the high ceilings and huge windows allow a lot of natural light giving this place a nice modern and relaxing feel. The bartenders were great, quick to give me a menu and make my cocktails of choice:
Whiskey Cocktail ($ 10) — my go to drink is typically an old fashioned so this drink did not disappoint. The wedge ice cube was a neat concept and the drink kept ice cold while I sipped away (mmm).
Oaxacan Old Fashioned ($ 13) — This drink was a phenomenal mix of two of my favorite things, an old fashioned and mescal. The nice smokey mescal balanced with the citrus and a little heat from the chile liquor.
The menu at Interval at Long Now is creative, different and tons of options for anyones palate. I can’t wait to come back and try more.

3.5 Stars
Pros
Ambiance is lovely
A solid array of drink options
Flavor profiles can be hit or miss depending on your drink choice
Cons
Seating space is limited
Wait time to get in can be long
Service is stiff but effective
Overall Thoughts
I think if I had lowered my expectations beforehand, I would have a much better experience

Um no. This place is a huge letdown!
Basically it’s some sort of foundation that serves drinks. The décor is not richly done. Basically some bookshelves found in a thrift store with some cheap scientific apparatus. The lights are turned WAY up so there is zero atmosphere. Their «famous“old fashioneds are served in a very short glass with a beautiful but huge chunk of slanted ice which makes your drink maybe two ounces, far below your typical bar standard. You will not feel anything on your brain unless you order two. And they are not cheap. Employees are aloof. I would not call this place hipster. I wish it were hipster. Filled with a bunch of geeks eating their food truck food. Avoid at all costs unless you are a douchebag! Three stars out of respect because it is a little different.

Adorkable!
The walls are lined with art, bookshelves, and other intriguing décor. The drinks are uncommon and in quite a unique little pamphlet. Who would’ve known this whole placed is based off of a centurion clock?!
They also have small bites and an espresso bar. This seems like a great place to take a visitor, as the ambiance feels like a mix between the bay area and seattle. From the eye-​catching décor, even into the restrooms, all the way to the delicious drinks. What more could you ask for? I could also see this as a nice place to study as it feels like a bit like a museum, in a good way.
From the consumers sitting at the large class table supported by some sort of engine, the tea and bites seemed delicious and our drinks were impeccable, never tried draught gin before but I would love to come back for more!

Found this place while walking to Greens, and couldn’t be happier. This place opened up about a year and a half ago, and according to our waiter, is in the top 10 bars in SF to visit. Apparently, bartenders from around the country visit this place to partake of their amazing spirits. Their menu is filled with modern takes on traditional drinks from decades ago.
The interior of this place is akin to a, «Mad scientist’s man-​cave.» Even the menu is in handwritten font on grid paper. You have to experience it. I suggest coming around noon when the crowds are not so crazy.

I think this place is going to be something big. The idea is certainly new.
At first, my girlfriend and I thought we entered a hipster bar. I think I even left a tip when we initially got there, on Unilocal,and said something about the place being hipster.
Shortly after we sat down, we noticed liquor bottles sitting just below the bar’s ceiling, they were labeled by numbers.
When we inquired, the bartender explained something about donors, and how their mission was supporting science (something to that effect). The bartenders explained how they held the bottles specially for the donors, and that the spirits are actually developed specifically for the donors. I believe the donors contributed over $ 1,000, which was the rationale for the special bottle of spirit.
The room was filled with notes about the place.
There were two stories, the bottom was accessible to the public, even some very important displays that looked like prototypes. Prototypes? Why are prototypes in a bar? The top was a library that was closed off, I would assume they opened up for donors for special occasions.
As we looked around, we began to see robotics in the room. One robot specifically even drew pictures on the chalkboard. There’s also a very large clock that appeared to the indicative of the rotation of our planetary system
I gave a second look around and realized that this was a bar that belongs to a company, that was dependent on donors, to better the scientific community.
What an innovative idea!
Place is involved in a bunch of projects, most very under the radar. But it’s open to the public. The public can come in, and get booze, and read all about these innovative ideas. And if they want, they can donate. Bar is good, little pricey.
I think it’s an interesting new take on what a bar can do. It’s sort of like a lounge area to a much broader idea. I also like the idea of it being open to the public, you can drink, have fun, and maybe learn a little bit. And if you are a baller, maybe sponsor or something. It’s an interesting way to get the public involved.
It was very exciting to visit. I will say that the prices do reflect that excitement, and do reflect their goals. This is not a cheap place by any means. Even the beers are over $ 10. That being said, it is worth checking out once just to see what’s going on.

SCORE!
I was in Fort Mason for an art gallery event that turned out to be a dud last night, so I walked across the street to walk into Interval. I had no expectations, I just saw an establishment that clearly dispenses adult libations, and that is all I was hunting for.
What a pleasant surprise. The space décor is definitely for hipsters — but I don’t mind I’m young at heart — with some high and low tables, and a very, very well stocked bar. The place was quite busy, but not crazy and after ordering I was able to actually sit at the bar with just a few minutes’ wait (thank you odd couple on clearly your first date for moving onto your dinner part of the date).
Bartenders are also hipsters, but friendly and helpful. The menu was the surprise. The well stocked bar was a promising hint of what was to come, but boy, I did not expect the extremely extensive, excruciatingly detailed list of house made, hand crafted cocktails, organized in sections by type (martinis, old fashioneds, etc.). I was blown away. The beer list is also very representative, but I am not much of a beer guy in the winter.
Uncharacteristically, I decided for a glass of red wine vs my standard pre-​dinner vodka martini up. The only shortcoming of this place is the very short wine list, but it was a temporary disappointment, as I sipped the glass of Gamay, I was in heaven. Very happy with the quality of the vino, I looked at the food menu. It is small bites stuff, like meat jerky, and spreads. I went for the cheese and cracker spreads and it was a very good companion to the wine.
Oh, I will be back for those cocktails fah sho!

I’m not a huge fan of coffee, but this gem hidden in Fort Mason is one of the coolest coffee shops I’ve been to.
As soon as I walked in the coffee shop, I was immediately impressed with the aesthetics. What’s really cool was that it was also a museum. They had a lot of fascinating things here that’s worth admiring.
They also serve alcohol here! I ordered the cranberry with Douglas fir shrub and it kind of tasted like vinegar. Not necessarily a bad thing, I actually enjoyed it.
There’s a small lounge in the back that my group and I went to. There, you could see a beautiful view of the Marina and the Golden Gate Bridge.
I would love to come back here again and show this place to my friends!

New levels of San Francisco hipster to be found at The Interval…
You may think Fort Mason screams prep boys and Marina girls in leggings, but venture off the beaten path within the Fort Mason complex and you’ll find The Interval at Long Now. This coffee shop and café (serve beer, snacks, sandwiches) is a great escape from the heavily popular and expensive Marina district standards.
I got their pimiento cheese & crackers and a hot coffee. The hot coffee was one of the best I’ve had, and it came in a wonderful ceramic cup. The baristas were very friendly (I thought) and efficient.
–1 star as I did hear the baristas actively talking about customers as I turned away to sit down… a bit rude.

I adore this place! I definitely found my working café in SF. Came here yesterday because my girlfriend said it’s a great place to get work done. She was so right! Not only do they have free wi-​fi, but the atmosphere is amazing. It’s super quiet with nice jazzy background music. We both had almond milk lattes that were delicious, and we also tried the pimento pub cheese. You have to get it!
Side note: this place also serves alcohol later during the day — so it doubles as a bar at night. Definitely a cool spot to check out if you’re near the Marina area!

Gute Cocktails; auch die internationalen Standards werden gemixt, wenn man sie auf der Karte nicht findet. Nicht ganz günstig, aber sehr gute Auswahl. Und die Cocktails haben mit unter ordentlich Bums. Durchaus elegant…

I always drop by The Interval when I stop over at Off The Grid Fort Mason. Nice looking bar with a classroom /​museum look to it. It’s a good transitional place from stuffing myself silly from the food trucks and then move on into the night into the city.
Once cool thing about that it being near Off The Grid, is that they allow you to bring in your food. Just make sure that you clean up your leftover trash afterwards.
Their bar menu is very creative with influences from around the world and they have a whole section with different takes on the Old Fashioned. My faves from the menu are the Haute Caustic which essentially is coffee and whiskey straight up with a shortbread cookie, the Regent’s Draught Punch wish is brandy, rum, citrus, black tea, pineapple and sparkling wine, served over ice with nutmeg, and the Szarlotka which is ŻubrÓwka and unfiltered apple juice, served tall with a slice of lemon. Plus, they have a whole section of the menu with low or non-​alcoholic drinks for those who prefer not to have alcohol.
And they also serve Sightglass Coffee and Samovar Teas here so if you need your caffeine buzz, this is nice place to get some.
If you’re ever around Fort Mason, I highly recommend stopping by The Interval. It’s a great place to sit back, relax, and enjoy some great drinks for any occasion.