by K L. on 5 stars for the doorman and the security crew. 0 star for the bartenders and the greediness of the investors. In summary, this place is not worth it. When Vessel first opened its door to San Francisco, it was a nice hangout place. But then greed and poor management turned this place into a mess, customer service deteriorated. This is the place to go if you want to pay a $20 cover charge so that you can elbow your way down to the lounge, and then body-rubbing other sweaty clubbers to get to the bar, only to find that there is only one bartender trying oh so hard to serve drinks at the pace of a snail to a dozen of party-goers, while the rest of the bartenders are taking shots right in your face. If you do decide to go to Vessel, do not dance on the tables, and make sure you have a will in place in case of a fire or some other hazardous situations happening, the chance of you getting out of that dungeon safely is questionable. It makes sense that you have to wait to get in due to the maximum limit of 350 people imposed by law, so be prepared to wait outside if you plan to get to Vessel after 12am. There might be more meat in that tiny little lounge than it should. They do their best to pack everyone in there, but physically it is impossible because of its size.
by Linwood Desilvio on It's not very fancy ... it's actually kind of dumpy. And the fact that they have a mexican kitchen upstairs serving quesadillas and what not is sort of odd. Much as I love mexican food, the smell of that mixed with the funk of dancing sweaty bodies is not a perfume I'll be dabbing on my neck anytime soon. Still, as long as you don't show up with expectations of bouncers in suits, you won't be too surprised when a guy asks if he can lick your wrists to try to transfer the stamp. Bootie is a great party and the V-day one hit the spot. Despite the long line, I appreciated that they didn't increase cover. The bartenders are fast and efficient and multiple bars scattered throughout the club (and being cash only), keeps things moving. Also, I have yet to encounter a line in the ladies room.
