Even after dark, it’s hard to miss the Mission bar’s galaxy-themed exterior. On the window is a handwritten weekly calendar advertising events such as “djs on monthly rotation” and “taco Tuesday”. Guests mill about with draft beers on the covered parklets, and a doorgreeter says hello to neighbors passing by. (He’s greeted me a few evenings when I’ve walked past with my work uniform and bags to my house.) Under the yellow glow of the “kitchen is open” sign, there is an advertisement for “big weird trivia” with a hand-drawn picture of a unicorn.

I’m at Asiento for a date, the kind of third date where you’re really settling into knowing each other and alternating between talking about your childhood and taking cute selfies in the candlelight. We’re ushered into the cozy candlelit space to take in the deep navy walls, colorful paintings, and smattering of potted plants. The bar hums with the gentle activity of a group of friends chatting over cocktails, a live band duo packing up their musical instruments, and the muted sounds of the World Cup game on the TV in the corner. After chatting with a bartender in a Giants ballcap, my date and I order matching sangrias and settle into a table to chat and people-watch.

“Asiento” translates from the Spanish “sit,” which is basically the nature of the bar in a nutshell. After all, the bar has all the ingredients for an inviting, relaxing night in the neighborhood. They have creative food and drink options that are below the typical Bay Area price point (ten broke-ass points!). They have cozy leather booths to curl up in and a teetering pile of board games in a table corner. Most importantly (at least to me), they completely avoid overstimulating overhead lights, opting instead for funky light fixtures, flickering candles, and LED strips behind the bar. I can see both locals and passersby alike ordering cocktails, kicking up their feet, and staying a while.

Sitting in the bar with my date, I realize that Asiento’s warmth is beyond surface-level. Asiento’s been a community fixture for thirteen years, and its effects are felt. Our bartender’s favorite part of working here is that Asiento treats its staff “like people”. That’s no small feat for a San Francisco that daily increases its AI usage and decreases its humanity. It’s no small feat either that he’s worked there for ten out of the bar’s thirteen years. My housemate’s favorite things about Asiento is running into neighbors and friends and waiting out her dryer cycle with her book and a glass of wine. It’s rare to find places we feel comfortable lingering in this capitalist hellscape, and I don’t think we should take them for granted.

I have warm memories of Asiento too from my first six months of living in the Mission. My first Asiento drink was a prickly pear margarita with my best friend the night that I moved into my townhouse. It was also Halloween and my birthday, so I spent my time at the bar going through a quarter-life crisis in bunny ears (the bartender laughed). Since then, I’ve shared a Love Supreme cocktail and a Queso Fundido appetizer with a friend-turned-situationship. I sat with my out-of-town friend and her dog on the patio during happy hour on a sunny afternoon. I even met the bar’s owner, Debbie, while buying a few headbands from her garage sale. Any bar can have fun decor or a disco ball, but Asiento actually is a source of comfort for its community and a place where people can belong.

San Francisco is a big city, but Asiento makes it feel more like a neighborhood. Take a seat, grab a drink, make a friend, and stay a while.

Join thousands of San Franciscans supporting local businesses and saving money every single month. Sign Up for the Delicious Card in about 30 seconds here.

Discover new eateries and get awesome discounts for visiting your favorite restaurants in San Francisco!

Takes about 30 seconds to sign up; check out the Delicious Card here.