This SF rooftop bar charges $25 for cocktails. Is it worth it?

Nobody comes to the View Lounge for the food. Or even the drinks.

I went to the View Lounge years ago under two very specific circumstances: drinks with my family when they were staying at the Marriott for my college graduation, and a show-off Tinder date.

I’ve never visited, however, when I was the one footing the bill. The View Lounge’s sky-high views are only matched by its sky-high prices: A cocktail here will run you a whopping $25. 

Now that I’m a self-sufficient adult paying my own way, I needed to know: No cocktail is worth $25. But is it at least a good cocktail? 

My investigation began unfortuitously: I was foiled by conference-going techies who had booked out the whole bar for a private event. Bravely, I returned the next day, dodging all the lanyard-wearers flooding the second largest hotel in the city.

My colleague and I arrived right when the bar opened at 4 p.m., making us two of the very first to take the elevator up to the 39th floor. We had our pick of seats, so we snagged a set of cushy forest green chairs right up against the Art Deco-inspired floor-to-ceiling window. If you do want a window seat (and of course you do, it’s the whole point), arriving early is a must. 

From where I was sitting, the whole city was at my fingertips: Yerba Buena Gardens, SFMOMA, the tip of the Ferry Building, ships bobbing in the bay and even the Oakland cranes. The fog mostly shrouded the Bay Bridge, but I could just barely make it out, too.

The menu, however, is what really took my breath away: $25 for a martini; $30 for shrimp cocktail. 

After exchanging horrified glances, my colleague and I began ordering anyway: a Skyline Punch for me, a martini for him. The View Lounge’s signature martini is called the “Ten/89,” named after the hotel’s unique opening story. 

On Oct. 17, 1989, the San Francisco Marriott Marquis was celebrating its opening day when the Loma Prieta earthquake hit. The hotel survived with only a broken window. But as legend has it, all the glassware above the bar crashed to the floor except a single martini glass. Today, that same glass is still on display in the lounge.

The bar’s signature martini is not really a martini at all: Featuring lavender hibiscus gin, Grand Marnier and fresh lemon juice, it tasted more like a citrusy gin cocktail than a booze-forward martini. The Skyline Punch, made with Captain Morgan white rum, pineapple juice, house citrus mix and cherry syrup was a sweet concoction that tasted primarily of pineapple. 

Both drinks were fine. Neither knocked my socks off. And without any particularly premium ingredients, you’re definitely paying for the view.

Some of the food felt more worth the exorbitant price. A plate of scallops, artfully presented on seashells, was $30, but incredibly delicious. Each scallop was perfectly seared and blanketed with a tangy Meyer lemon beurre blanc, lemon caviar and kombu oil. Sure, we only got two scallops, but at least eating them made me feel luxurious. 

The grilled octopus ($29) was far more disappointing. Served on a bed of bitter greens and topped with orange wedges, olives, dates and crunchy chickpeas, it looked promising. But each bite of the octopus was like chewing a tire. The rubbery tentacles simply would not yield to my increasingly fatigued molars. Eventually, I gave up — we didn’t even finish our plate.

If I could make only one recommendation, it would be the house-made potato chips. The thick, crispy potato chips were served with a “fine herbs ranch dip” that tasted far more creamy and decadent than your average ranch. And for only $12, it’s one of the cheapest things on the menu.  

Do yourself a favor and don’t try to order a whole dinner at the View Lounge. You’d probably go broke doing that anyway. Grit your teeth and order an overpriced cocktail, snack on the potato chips, and focus your energy on soaking in the view. 

As it neared 5 p.m., the bar was loud and packed. The conferencegoers had descended. Many jostled their way to the windows to snap photos of the view, and some began to stare us down for our enviable table. I chatted for a few minutes with a woman visiting from New York who told me she’d heard about how this was the best rooftop bar in the city. We agreed: This one was definitely up there.

Really, though, she wanted my table, so I took the hint and hustled out of there. I would’ve liked to stay for sunset (I’ve heard it’s beautiful), but I’ll have to save that for next time. The fog was rolling in, anyway. 

The View Lounge, San Francisco Marriott Marquis, 780 Mission St., San Francisco. Open daily, 4 p.m.-midnight.