The Back Bar Sofa

Came here for a party and had a decent time. Pros - it has a cool vibe to it and the staff was super nice and friendly. Cons- people vaping inside, it was a grungy inside and could use a deep clean

I don't want to come off like a regular in bars but i am pretty aware of the pricing and I made the biggest mistake of my life. I saw Hennessy behind the counter one alcohol that I prefer above the rest. I asked the bartender how much she said $15.00!!!!! Shot or mixed. Mind you it's it a fifth of Hennessy is about $30. I said forget it and opted for a well rum and coke mix. We got our bill and it was still $30 for the two smh. Keep in mind the charge the same for shelf alcohol as they do premium. Make sure you ask prices before ordering or you will be surprised as I was.

The Back Bar is not bad for a venue to watch some local bands. What I especially like about this place is the ample seating. There are lounge couches along the perimeter. In addition to the bar seating, there are high chairs/tables by the bar. Back Bar has two stages: a smaller one closer to the main entrance and a larger one in the room next door. During the latest show I went to, I saw that the room next door was re-purposed as a club. Previously I've seen this room used as spillover for people to hangout. There's only one bathroom area, which is shared between the two rooms. The Womens' restroom was considerably clean and well maintained. The latest show I went to at the Back Bar was for SJ's very own 5606. The lineup also included Lido Beach, Above the Noise, and GOLDVIEW. Each band put on a great show, but 5606's set was absolutely epic! The guys were such showstoppers, and fans were stage diving and moshing.While the show itself was awesome, there were a couple of things about the overall experience that could've improved. There was only one bartender for a really long time, so getting drinks took forever. The bar should also invest in better sound equipment. I saw first-hand the frustration some of the band members felt about the subpar sound system and acoustics at the Back Bar. One of the band members had to run back home to bring back a mic. Also if it wasn't for another band that brought some particular equipment, then there would've been no way we could hear the singers articulate their words over the instruments.

I doubt the owners look at these reviews because the security guys are still employed. Putting people with the emotional intelligence of a 5th grade bully in a position of power is a bad play - everyone appears to be a tiny 2nd grader to them. They are power tripping SO HARD. They will take every opportunity they can find to assert that they're in charge - they'll unnecessarily frisk you and ask personal questions that have no relevance to you being at the bar. I'm also astounded at how they spoke to the bands when they were setting up. When asking if there was a parking spot available to load up the gear I heard the security guy yell "YOU GUYS DON'T GET SPECIAL TREATMENT". Ok buddy. Chill plz. The venue at least has a lot of talented local acts - they're the only reason I still go. I hope this venue can start treating people with more respect because I'm only here to support the bands - not some place that acts like it's doing artists a favor for giving them a stage.

Kool place for a music venue. This is the spot to see very good Bay Area artist ya diiggg! Lots of chill area here, Sofa seating, VIP area, nice size bar (drinks are a lil watered down tho, open air lounge, no smoking, security strictly enforced, in and outs are o.k.

I came here last night with some friends to watch my friends' band rock out! This place as a venue for a concert isn't bad at all!It was my first time checking this place out, and it is actually bigger than I thought. It has an indoor patio area, and it also has two bar areas. They are both pretty big and the service is quick and helpful to give drinks. Prices are fair, not overpriced for a bottle of beer (about $4-5). The crowd is pretty cool too.Overall; I had a lot of fun, and would come back again!

I came here for a few bollywood nights and this place is unhygienic and chaotic to say the least. I understand that most venues get a bit untidy on a night like that, but I felt like I was going to catch some sort of infection just walking into the bathroom. Though the music and lighting was good, I also felt like the prices for drinks and entry did not seem fair considering the venue and service. I wouldn't recommend this place as there are better clubs and lounges nearby.

The ambiance , decor, and lighting are perfect here.The stage is pretty awesome makes you feel like a star. The bathrooms are big and clean too.The drinks are great.My favorite is the open mic that dirt bag dan hosts on I believe its Tuesdays.There's usually a great lineup of people out here.The place isn't very hard too find .The location is great actually, I love it.Bring your friends, this place is great.

A decent venue for live music, but definitely a hard floorplan to navigate for a first time visitor like I was during the SoFA Street Fair a few weekends back. My friend's husband was playing with his band in the afternoon and the plan was to meet up with her outside before he started playing. It was incredibly hard to find her as when I walked in what I assumed was the main room, it stopped short - there was also a DJ playing there so I figured I was in completely the wrong place. When the going gets tough, I tend to get going but considering it was my pal's birthday and I was determined to meet up, I followed some guys loading out equipment from a previous set into a room that I wasn't quite sure I should have even been entering; luckily, it turned out to be just where I belonged. To make a long story longer, during the show there were circumstances that led to us being made to feel uncomfortable by security, but the gentleman who I later learned was one of the owners made us feel more welcome after the fact. I like a good time as much as the next guy, but for those who know me, "rip roaring" are not words commonly used to describe my sensibility so it was odd to feel singled out as the sober one in a crowd of people who had essentially been drinking all day.The vibe was cool and it ended up being an ok experience (the show the band put on was awesome, of course), but when all is said and done I doubt I will plan a visit unless I have a very compelling reason to return.

The attitude from everyone that works here makes the entire experience terrible. The security discriminate and are just playing dicks. If the doors open and 8, don't even bother coming early. They won't actually start the show until 10pm-1030 and No ins and out.