Swedish American Hall

Came here to see Gilbert O'Sullivan perform in his first-ever San Francisco show. It was amazing to sit in the front row directly in front of his keyboard not even 20 feet away! :-) However, I really didn't like the fact that the seating floor was flat. The room could basically double as a high school basketball court, and the seats were uncomfortably narrow and crammed together. :-/There's a bar there (I took Lyft, BTW) with pretty pricey drinks. I had one Whiskey Sour and that was it. The show was very good! It really was nice to finally see Gilbert perform live in San Francisco.

Came here for Willy Mason on a Saturday night. A pretty small and intimate venue perfect for acoustic acts. There is seating on each of the sides so get early if you want a seat. There is also an upstairs for better viewing if the downstairs is too crowded. A decent bar available and the men's bathroom is a urinal and a stall. I would come here again for a show.

This was my first time attending a concert at the Swedish American Hall.We arrived about 30 minutes before the time on the ticket and we were the first people in line. The line will depend on the act you're seeing.I appreciated that they had the ropes ready. Right at 7 pm, a SAH employee came out and opened the door. He had a smile on his face and said, "Welcome..." It makes such a big difference when people take the effort to be happy and welcoming. They scanned our tickets and checked our IDs pretty quickly. They have a cute bar upstairs (staffed with two bartenders for our visit) with a water dispenser and cups easily accessible to anyone. The bathrooms were clean. I liked the patio style white lights strung across the audience area. The wood furnishings and decor make the place seem very cozy. The seats were slightly padded. Anywhere you sit/stand the view of the stage was probably good. We sat in the front and it was almost weird being that close to the musical act. Loved the concert.

Had the opportunity to see Christopher Willits film and scoring here a while ago as a solo show for an album release/Noise Pop fest. Amazing ambient music, all instrumental + amazing visuals. As for the venue it reminds me of a temple/church/music hall all modern and wood. I have been to multiple Willits shows around the bay area w/ cohorts Tycho, Dusty Brown, Heathered Pearls, Nitemoves. Epic. I'm so glad to be alive in these amazing times with interesting music food and people! (:Enso#9https://www.christopherwillits.com/http://www.ticketfly.com/event/764553/_"I wanna be a cult classicBlack boys wrapped in plasticYeah stuntin is a habitWhatever you want you can have itI always give a lot of lee-way"- Cautious Clay French Riviera

Saw an Irish indie rock band here. Lovely little venue to see a show. The sound seemed a bit distorted on the night I was there. Perhaps it was a fluke, hard to say. Still, it's a nice place to get close to your favorite artist or discover a new one. Bathrooms are clean, people seem to be generally polite and the bar is small but there's something for everyone, including Tequila Ocho which was a pleasant surprise. Bartenders are friendly and helpful. We had excellent parking karma that night and I didn't drive, so that was all good by me.

Held a terrific private event here for 100 people. Great ambience with the lighting flexibility to create the mood we wanted. The built in stage and screen worked very well for our entertainment and slide show. We had the main hall plus a side room with windows that looked over the street for a dessert area. The staff was great to work with and partnered well with our caterer. For certain size events here I'd build a valet service into the budget as the street parking in the area can be tight.

Swedish American Hall is located in San Francisco.I hadn't been to this venue in a few years. Parking can be challenging, so I parked a distance and walked.It was surprisingly warm that day, but the venue was shaded by the time I arrived. The staff there were friendly and helpful.Once inside, they offered free ice water to hydrate. I was up front near the stage, so I had a good view. The sound was fine after a minor hiccup at the beginning of the set.All and all a great experience and a fine establishment. I hope to be back in the near future.

To me, this venue sux. It is true that it's a nice little intimate space with pretty sparkly string lights and in a good location (no food, but lots to eat and enjoy around the area). However, I have the same beef with this venue as I do with Brick and Mortar. It's too F#$%#ing hot! I know, music venues in general tend to be warm, but the owners of SAH really need to like, loosen the purse strings and invest in some AC, even just a light fan. Or consult with Rickshaw Stop, which is way too cold, and try to even things out. I saw Snail Mail here last night and even she apologized for feeling crappy because she was sick and the heat in here didn't help. I felt really lightheaded, too! If you work in a hospital, maybe you could try to hook yourself up to an IV beforehand if you need to come here. I do work in a hospital so I'll try to do the same next time. Anyway, the drink selection is fine, but pretty expensive, even for a music venue. $11 for wine.. $8 for an Anchor Steam.. $12 for a cocktail (though it was a good one, albeit only like 0.5 ounces).. $4 for a Tecate, at least.

Intimate is a great way to describe this venue. But don't forget "sit-down" as well!I came here for an event held by Culture Collide and Noise Pop SF to see some of my favorite musicians/bands *cough* Milo Greene for their so-called "An Intimate Evening with Milo Greene," and I have to say... It sure was intimate!The place is charming. It almost reminds me of a little dance hall with people line-dancing all around, arm-in-arm as the cute Etsy-style strung lights are hanging above.The event was pretty low-key and there wasn't much management going on. Just two simple guys handling the bar (thanks for the yummy daiquiri), and a floor and upstairs viewing area. The stage itself projects pretty well throughout the hall that the music seems like a full-out concert. The only thing that makes it more intimate and stripped-down is that you're able to be close to the performers and see them in all their glory! Also, you can totally hear people having conversations with each other. Very light-hearted. Very intimate.I just wish I weren't strapped down to my seat to see the performers... Their music just wanted to make me get up and dance and scream and sway right in front of their faces! Made me want to fan girl, but this ain't the place for it. "Whooo's" and cheers are just enough!

Gathering place for short trips, Swedish ancestm or on. Me also! Christmas past. Fun times.