Still sightly recovering from an extra long weekend, and was able to hit up more clubs thanks to it. This week I’m reviewing Mist and Fluid (we all like some misty fluid here and there jk), so enjoy!
Positives: Mist (which was formally known as loft 11), has a pretty nice interior, and to my knowledge is the only place in SF with a glass dance floor for the upstairs VIP section. This makes the VIP experience pretty unique. I also like the private VIP room upstairs with a separate DJ booth, definitely makes this a good destination for private parties, company parties, or any other sort of exclusive get together. The overall vibe of the venue is pretty good, the all white makes it feel more upscale, making it a really good departure from the previous young/rambunctious crowd loft 11 attracted. That being said it’s still pretty obvious that this is not one of SF’s elite. I know this venue was recently renovated and all, but it still gives that feel - i.e. it looks like some of the interior may have been rushed and parts of the bathrooms look like a contractor just slapped some moderately decorative tile down and called it a day. I digress, Mist is far from the worst, so I don’t want to overstate my opinion here. Lastly, this place is just a few steps away from one of my late night food destinations, crepes a go go, whenever I go out in Soma I try to end my night here for some yummy deliciousness.
Negatives: There are some layout issues, but as I previously stated, it’s much better than loft 11. For example, the smoking room is upstairs next to the VIP area - it would just make more sense to have a sectioned off area outside for smokers and allow the entire upstairs space to be for VIPers. This presents another problem however, the VIP area, while great in theory, if not that many people buy tables it makes the upstairs look vacant…and hence lame, which makes me think they might have an excessive amount of space for the VIP. The bathrooms were pretty much thrown together quickly, and I tripped more than a couple of times when walking up the stairs in the back, so I question the craftsmanship. Crowd can be mixed depending on that night’s promoter, but I find its usually not that diverse.
- Location/Transportation: Located in Soma nearby the intersection of 11th and Folsom this venue is somewhat out of the way. The good news - parking should be relatively easy to come by, but there are several clubs in the area such as DNA Lounge, Holy Cow, and a few others so you may have to park a few blocks away. The bad news - cabbing to this location could be pricey if depending on what part of the city you are coming from. I usually find that cabs circle this location, so getting one on the way out is not that bad. Grade: 2/5
- Line: Lines are pretty manageable, depending on the event, but very rarely does the line extend more than say 25 feet. Grade: 3/5
- Interior: Overall I liked the white, on white, on more white look. The biggest problem was that some parts just felt rushed, and kind of cheaply made. The glass dance floor on the VIP level definitely makes this unique and interesting as well. Grade 2.5/5
- Exterior: Located on the fringe of the Soma neighborhood, there definitely are a few dodgy characters lurking, but what part of SF lacks this? (meh, I guess the Marina?). I do wish the club management would put up a “mist” sign, or some form of identification — as it is it’s just a white washed building in the middle of a block. Grade 2/5
- Drinks: Pretty reasonable prices here on average $8 for a mixed drink, $4 for a beer. Grade: 3/5
- Services: Security detail seemed very professional, VIP hostess was cute, bar tenders got through their orders quick, and the djays took requests. Overall pretty good. Grade 3/5
- Sound system: Two DJ booths, one on each level, good speakers. I doubt the upstairs room fills often, but I like the concept. Grade 3/5
- Overall: good venue, but I wouldn’t make this a regular destination, maybe, and I mean maybe I’d come here once a month - 18.5/35
Click here’s the Yelp reviews.
Positves: Fluid is definitely a place for the grown and sexy (and sometimes the grown grown…i.e. old dudes and cougars - I’ll get to that later). The crowd is very upscale and usually very mixed. The DJ’s usually try to spin top 40 or mashups, and there is ample and reasonably priced VIP tables. I dig the colorfully, disco 2.0, floor, and the bar as the center piece means lots of bartenders and good service right? The overall design, both inside and out is pretty sleek, this place exudes high end as there’s always some type of foreign export right outside the front door (I ain’t talkin about a Lexus or Adriana Lima — strictly Ferrari’s, Bentley’s, and Lambos)
Negatives: Well there really is no dance floor, the layout is kind of interesting to say the least. Patrons pretty much find free spot and start dancing - this is mainly due to the fact that the bar is the centerpiece and takes up a good amount of space for the venue. Also the VIP tables take up additional space as does the stage (which really should’nt be there in the first place). On some nights this works, others not so much, it’s pretty annoying trying to get to the bathroom and have to sidestep numerous couples dancing in the main corridor. The place is small, and due to that other issues arise, for example the bathroom congestion. I have no idea why the Men’s and Women’s bathrooms are in the same area, it would makes sense to have one on one side of the lounge and the other on the opposite…but oh no, not happinen’, so be prepared to wait in line for a while. Cover price can also be a problem, but click on the link above and you can sign up for the guestlist. Either that or get in good with the security team to try to get those oh so good discounts.
- Location/Transportation: Located in Soma (the good part) on Mission. Parking is pretty good in this area, and there are several pay lots as well. Harlot, Roe, 111 Minna, Temple and a few other spots are nearby but I haven’t noticed much of a parking issue. Cabing here is not bad either as its near downtown, just being a block from Market. The weird part though, it’s always been a pain to find a cab home here, I have no idea why, but competition is fierce! Grade: 3.5/5
- Line: Lines are pretty manageable, the security team does a good job getting people in and out quickly. Usually the line barely gets longer than 10 feet, even before the guestlist closes. I’ve honestly only been there once when the line was outrageous (for some fashion show with an open bar). Sometimes they do have party buses here so that can add a bit of a delay, but usually they just cut to the front anyway. Grade: 4/5
- Interior: Fluid is very sleek and sexy, I feel like the design is very highly regarded by club goers. Unfortunately, there’s not a lot of space, but a whole lot of demand, so it tends to feel cramped at times. The attendant in the bathroom is also a minor plus, he kind of acts as a traffic controller in times of chaos Grade 3.5/5
- Exterior: Nicely done simply put. The opaque glass doors at the entrance, the different colored accent lights outside, and reasonably safe location make this a high grade Grade 4/5
- Drinks: Prices here tend to be higher than average ranging from $8 - 10 for a mixed drink, $5 for a beer. I guess it’s made up by the more reasonable table service prices, which tend to start at $275 Grade: 2.5/5
- Services: Security team is extremely professional, VIP hostesses are some of the hottest around (especially this one), and there are a good amount of bar tenders. They usually have a pretty renown dj and requests are welcome. Grade 3.5/5
- Sound system: Single DJ booth, but you can hear it even in the back VIP section, since this is more lounge inspired they do a good job of making sure the sound system is loud but not that loud so that people can conversate. Grade 3.5/5
- Overall: Fluid is one of my favorite places in SF, it took me a while to warm up to it, but it has a great crowd, great djs, and good location. Interesting fact: members of the Warriors and Raiders like to hang out here, I always see Bellinellis and Biendris here - 24.5/35
Yelp reviews for Fluid.
