Tommys Mexican Restaurant

First off, don't pay attention to my food rating. I've never gone there for food (I've heard mixed reviews, but mostly positive), so I can just speak for the bar.

My passion for tequila is a new one. It's actually taken over part of my life. I'm glad to say that's not in an, "Oh no, I think I may be drinking too much" way. It's in an obsessive thirst for knowledge way. I'm loving learning about all the tequilas just as much drinking it, maybe more. It's just been fun. As much as Tommy's is Mecca for the seasoned tequila veteran because of their selection, it's just as great for a guy like me who knows what he wants to try (I've read a lot of reviews and have a lot of brands on my "must try" list), but also has much to learn. Though the staff is busy (it's a popular place, and they spend a lot of time making "San Francisco's best margarita"), they're incredibly friendly and seem to genuinely love talking to the patrons about tequila when they get a second, especially Julio, who runs things. He introduced himself, shook my hand, asked me my name, asked me where I was from, etc. And that friendliness extends to the patrons. If you run a place well, you attract good people (usually). Tommy's patrons are very cool and a few even introduced themselves to me as soon as they saw I had a genuine interest in tequila and was asking the staff a lot of questions. One guy had even brought in a couple bottles that he had aged at home and was sharing it with people, to no complaints from Julio, which was cool.

The prices are right about what you'd expect, not higher, not lower, and they pour a two once shot, like a good tequila bar should.

The only complaint I have (and the only reason I've knocked any points off for ambiance and service, because both are near perfect) are more a result of architecture than anything else. The bar area very small for the volume of business they're doing, with just enough room for one layer of people to stand behind the 8 or so bar stools. But, what the hell are you gonna do? That's the space they have. I've never been there on a normal weeknight, so I can't say what the non-weekend crowd is like. Size may be a non-issue on a normal night. But as great as this place is, I doubt it.

Bottom line, if you're a tequila lover, or just think you may want to be one, just go.

Tommy's is an experience all tequila lovers must have in there lifetime. An excellent selection of tequila, honest two-ounce shots/snifters, and orgasmic margaritas are but half of the picture. The proprietor Julio Bermejo, America's own Tequila Ambassador, will make you a tequila lover if you aren't one already and an impassioned deputy ambassador of tequila if you are already in the ranks of lover. The shortcomings of the place are that the size of the bar area is simply that of a ten stool bar (or there abouts) with a couple of feet (literally) behind the stools for standing before a wall. There is some space for standing on either side of the bar. This is usually just fine as you meet some great people but it may not fit everybody's ideal for a night out of tequila drinking. The second is that I have never really found the food to live up to the exceptional tequila. While the small plates and snacks work just fine, the dinners are definitely not the best in San Francisco. Tommy's is the best place to have a unpretentious experience with very high-end drinking and a place you can come away with some of the best tequila knowledge as well as a belly full of beautifully distilled 100% agave.

Oh Tommy's...If you are looking for rare and hard to find tequilas this is the place to go. This place has the rarest selection I have ever encountered. Where else can you get Chinaco Black Label (not to be confused with Chinaco Negro, the black bottle) on a daily basis and guaranteed for years to come. The only problem is that you get a different experience dependent upon if Julio is there or not. Julio is extremely knowledgeable and can make your experience at Tommy's amazing but it spoils you for when he is not there. It is just not anywhere close to the same experience. Luckily, Julio is there on a fairly regular basis. While some of the prices are high upon first look at the menu, you have to keep in mind that Tommy's has tequila that has not been on the market in over 10 years and continues to have these rare gems. From what I am told Monday nights are the best nights to go (I will make it there on a Monday at some point). If you do make it to Tommy's make sure to join the Blue Agave Club, which is the largest tequila club in the world with members on every continent. Also, do not forget to try one of their world famous margaritas. People come from all over the world to go to Tommy's and I find myself driving for over an hour to go there as often as I possibly can. I am hooked and I am sure that upon visiting Tommy's you will be too.