Rowdy-leaning SoMa dive with strong drinks, a creative bar-food window, and uneven service; great late-night option if you like grit with your fries.
Tempest Bar & Box Kitchen earns its grade through strong food quality—particularly the Box Burger and creative bar snacks—and authentic dive-bar character that resonates with regulars. However, inconsistent execution with occasional kitchen mix-ups and variable service quality ranging from attentive to brusque prevent a higher standing. It's a solid neighborhood spot for late-night eats and drinks, but reliability concerns keep it from competing with more polished establishments.
One caveat: Service inconsistency from friendly to curt; some tip-pressure reports