Specs’ Twelve Adler Museum Cafe

Address
12 Saroyan Pl
San Francisco, CA 94133 United States Get Directions
Phone 415-421-4112
Website https://www.specsbarsf.com/

Vibe: Maritime Dive | Radical/Literary Haven | Museum of Oddities

Specs is a legendary bar behind Columbus Avenue, a longtime refuge for artists, activists, travelers, and neighborhood regulars. Open since 1968, it is a living museum of North Beach counterculture, with strong drinks, and story‑rich regulars. It served as a Chinese temple, a mid-century fisherman’s social club, and one of the city’s first lesbian bars, Tommy’s Place.
Live music & atmosphere  
Specs has regular live music sets ranging from bossa nova, acoustic blues, to jazz, and indie artists. Low light, strong pours, and an all‑ages‑of‑adults crowd give the room a cozy, conspiratorial feel. It’s dark and moody and crammed with artifacts from merchant sailors, Northwest Coast indigenous art, and other oddities.
Drinks
Expect stiff, unpretentious drinks at classic North Beach prices—beer, whiskey, and simple mixed drinks poured with a generous hand. Cash is preferred, and there is an ATM inside the bar.
Details that define the room
• The only food is a cheese plate: a hunk of Edam cut from a giant wheel behind the bar, served with saltines.
• Specs has drawn everyone from Beat poets to jazz legends; you may well find yourself seated next to working poets, artists, and musicians.
• The alley was renamed William Saroyan Place in honor of the author.
Categories: North Beach

Events at this venue

Today

  • Hernandez Hideaway (Balkan/Klezmer)

    Hernandez Hideaway Hanukkah Party! (Balkan/Klezmer)
    Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe 12 Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA, United States

    Join Oakland-based Hernandez Hideaway at Specs for Balkan beats, Klezmer stylings, goofball remixes and original tunes. Playing the Bay and beyond since 2009, this band is always working hard to find that sweet spot where traditional meets modern. Bottoms up: bass (Dan Harrison), accordion (Tim Phillips), trombone (Sam Hernandez), saxophone (Claire Phillips), and voice (Lucie...

    Free

  • Wednesday Big Table

    Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe 12 Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA, United States

    An open gathering of writers, poets, artists and more around the Big Table at Specs every Wednesday from 6:30-8:30pm! This more than 40 year tradition began with writers Jack Hirschman and Agneta Falk, and continues on with hosts Agneta and writers Byron Spooner and Judith Bernhard. Join us for drinks, laughs, good conversation and become...

    Free

  • Wednesday Big Table

    Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe 12 Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA, United States

    An open gathering of writers, poets, artists and more around the Big Table at Specs every Wednesday from 6:30-8:30pm! This more than 40 year tradition began with writers Jack Hirschman and Agneta Falk, and continues on with hosts Agneta and writers Byron Spooner and Judith Bernhard. Join us for drinks, laughs, good conversation and become...

    Free

  • Smith Dobson Jazz Special

    Smith Dobson Jazz Special
    Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe 12 Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA, United States

    Monthly jazz jam session led by multi-instrumentalist Smith Dobson and his quartet. Every first Tuesday 8-11pm at Specs! All musicians welcome, bring your instruments!

    Free

  • Patrick Wolff Bebop Truth Quartet

    Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe 12 Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA, United States

    Patrick Wolff and the Truth Bebop Quartet bring hard‑swinging, straight‑ahead jazz to Specs’ Twelve Adler Museum Cafe, led by a saxophone and clarinet player with deep roots in the New York and San Francisco jazz scenes. With seven albums as a leader and a résumé that includes work with Albert “Tootie” Heath, George Cables, Marcus...

    Free

  • Wednesday Big Table

    Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe 12 Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA, United States

    An open gathering of writers, poets, artists and more around the Big Table at Specs every Wednesday from 6:30-8:30pm! This more than 40 year tradition began with writers Jack Hirschman and Agneta Falk, and continues on with hosts Agneta and writers Byron Spooner and Judith Bernhard. Join us for drinks, laughs, good conversation and become...

    Free

  • The Cottontails

    Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe 12 Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA, United States

    The Cottontails are one of San Francisco's most exciting musical groups, playing a wide range of styles ranging from 20'/30's Gatsby-era jazz, classic 40's swing, and vintage 50's/60's R&B.  The band's versatility allows it to accommodate many settings, from quiet acoustic duo to jazz quintet, to full dance band with horns and guitar.  Able to...

    Free

  • Jose Simioni Jazz Trio

    Jose Simioni Jazz Trio
    Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe 12 Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA, United States

    Fantastic North Beach based jazz and blues guitarist Jose Simioni brings his trio to Specs! With a career spanning three decades and performances in renowned venues, Jose's music captivates audiences with his distinctive style and heartfelt melodies. He came to SF from Washington D.C. for a couple of days with the essentials - “a guitar,...

    Free

  • Wednesday Big Table

    Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe 12 Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA, United States

    An open gathering of writers, poets, artists and more around the Big Table at Specs every Wednesday from 6:30-8:30pm! This more than 40 year tradition began with writers Jack Hirschman and Agneta Falk, and continues on with hosts Agneta and writers Byron Spooner and Judith Bernhard. Join us for drinks, laughs, good conversation and become...

    Free

  • Petunia and the Vipers

    Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe 12 Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA, United States

    Petunia grew up in rural Quebec, in exactly the sort of surroundings that a country musician would find idyllic, with old dilapidated barns, secret forts, and acres of unspoiled land.  As an adult, the wandering spirit took a firm hold on his life, so he set out on the road, playing every major street corner...

    Free

  • Wednesday Big Table

    Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe 12 Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA, United States

    An open gathering of writers, poets, artists and more around the Big Table at Specs every Wednesday from 6:30-8:30pm! This more than 40 year tradition began with writers Jack Hirschman and Agneta Falk, and continues on with hosts Agneta and writers Byron Spooner and Judith Bernhard. Join us for drinks, laughs, good conversation and become...

    Free

  • Deanna Marsigliese Sip n’ Sketch

    Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe 12 Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA, United States

    Sip n’ Sketch drawing class hosted by Pixar’s animation art director Deanna Marsigliese at Specs! All levels welcome BYO materials | $5-10 suggested donation Deanna Marsigliese is a Canadian born Animation Art Director & Illustrator living in San Francisco, CA. Specializing in storytelling through character design, Deanna has worked at Pixar Animation Studios since 2012....

    $5 – $10

  • Mae Powell Quartet

    Mae Powell Quartet
    Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe 12 Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA, United States

    SF based indie soul/jazz vocalist and bandleader Mae Powell returns to Specs, performing her take on classic jazz standards with a killer band! Check out her solo project here Mae Powell is a Bay Area based jazz singer that brings a mellow atmosphere and classic vintage vibes to any space. She plays a mixture of...

    Free

  • Wednesday Big Table

    Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe 12 Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA, United States

    An open gathering of writers, poets, artists and more around the Big Table at Specs every Wednesday from 6:30-8:30pm! This more than 40 year tradition began with writers Jack Hirschman and Agneta Falk, and continues on with hosts Agneta and writers Byron Spooner and Judith Bernhard. Join us for drinks, laughs, good conversation and become...

    Free

  • Smith Dobson Jazz Special

    Smith Dobson Jazz Special
    Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe 12 Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA, United States

    Monthly jazz jam session led by multi-instrumentalist Smith Dobson and his quartet. Every first Tuesday 8-11pm at Specs! All musicians welcome, bring your instruments!

    Free

  • Wednesday Big Table

    Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe 12 Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA, United States

    An open gathering of writers, poets, artists and more around the Big Table at Specs every Wednesday from 6:30-8:30pm! This more than 40 year tradition began with writers Jack Hirschman and Agneta Falk, and continues on with hosts Agneta and writers Byron Spooner and Judith Bernhard. Join us for drinks, laughs, good conversation and become...

    Free

  • Nathan Bickart & Levi Gillis

    Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe 12 Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA, United States

    Join us for two sets of original music from jazz- and folk-informed singer-songwriters! Nathan Bickart (piano/keyboards/voice) crafts sensitive, playful, deeply-felt music. Nathan's compositions and improvisations navigate the inner spaces between jazz, folk, and soul musics, melting together discarded records and old baseball cards and browning Bay leaves to create a heartening night of tunes, good for...

    Free

  • Deanna Marsigliese Sip n’ Sketch

    Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe 12 Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA, United States

    Sip n’ Sketch drawing class hosted by Pixar’s animation art director Deanna Marsigliese at Specs! All levels welcome BYO materials | $5-10 suggested donation Deanna Marsigliese is a Canadian born Animation Art Director & Illustrator living in San Francisco, CA. Specializing in storytelling through character design, Deanna has worked at Pixar Animation Studios since 2012....

    $5 – $10

  • Wednesday Big Table

    Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe 12 Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA, United States

    An open gathering of writers, poets, artists and more around the Big Table at Specs every Wednesday from 6:30-8:30pm! This more than 40 year tradition began with writers Jack Hirschman and Agneta Falk, and continues on with hosts Agneta and writers Byron Spooner and Judith Bernhard. Join us for drinks, laughs, good conversation and become...

    Free

  • Danny Brown Jazz Trio

    Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe 12 Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA, United States

    Live jazz with accomplished Bay Area based saxophonist and bandleader Danny Brown and his trio

    Free

  • James Gallagher Fire in the West Jazz Trio

    James Gallagher Fire in the West Jazz Trio
    Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe 12 Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA, United States

    James Gallagher Fire in the West Jazz Trio performs at Specs. As a  jazz drummer and educator, James Gallagher is a resident performer at the prestigious SFJazz Center who currently resides in Manhattan. After attending Berklee College of Music in Boston on a scholarship, James returned to the West Coast, where he quickly began performing...

    Free

  • Wednesday Big Table

    Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe 12 Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA, United States

    An open gathering of writers, poets, artists and more around the Big Table at Specs every Wednesday from 6:30-8:30pm! This more than 40 year tradition began with writers Jack Hirschman and Agneta Falk, and continues on with hosts Agneta and writers Byron Spooner and Judith Bernhard. Join us for drinks, laughs, good conversation and become...

    Free

  • The Good Bad, Meredith Edgar and Rob Summerlin

    Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe 12 Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA, United States

    The Good Bad was formed in San Francisco, California in 2010 by Aaron Lanes and Thom Beneudici. Over the past decade and a half, The Good Bad have shared stages with The Brothers Comatose, The Lil Smokies, Front Country, Della Mae, toured Europe, played prestigious festivals like Winter Wondergrass and performed at countless weddings, parties...

    Free

  • Valeriana Q & The Swingin’ Gatos

    Valeriana Q & The Swingin’ Gatos
    Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe 12 Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA, United States

    Wonderful Bay Area based vocalist and performer Valeriana Quevedo returns to Specs with her band for an evening of jazz, Latin, blues and songs from the Great American Songbook.

    Free

  • Wednesday Big Table

    Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe 12 Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA, United States

    An open gathering of writers, poets, artists and more around the Big Table at Specs every Wednesday from 6:30-8:30pm! This more than 40 year tradition began with writers Jack Hirschman and Agneta Falk, and continues on with hosts Agneta and writers Byron Spooner and Judith Bernhard. Join us for drinks, laughs, good conversation and become...

    Free
Event details are subject to change. Please confirm dates, times and cover charges directly with the venue before attending.