Here’s the thing about SF Tequila Shop: if you visited once, early on, and filed it away as “the tequila place,” you’re working off outdated information. Four years and a lot of curiosity later, owners Moose and Scott have built something that barely resembles a single-category shop anymore — even though tequila is still very much where it all started.
With a 4.9-star rating across nearly 200 Google reviews, it’s not just locals who’ve taken notice. Regulars consistently point to the same things: a deep, hard-to-find selection that goes well beyond what you’d expect from a neighborhood shop, staff who clearly know their craft rather than just moving product, and a habit of bringing in distillers from around Mexico for in-person tastings. Moose in particular comes up again and again — customers describe him as the kind of person who always seems to recommend exactly the right bottle, whether you’re a total beginner or a self-described tequila nerd.
The expansion nobody saw coming.
Mezcal was the first departure — smoky, funky, regional, and a natural cousin to tequila. But then things got more ambitious. Mexican rum that holds its own against Caribbean classics. Gin infused with native botanicals youwon'tt find anywhere else in the city—even Mexican wine, which still catches people off guard. One recent reviewer even mentioned stumbling onto a surprisingly good beer fridge tucked into the shop.
The team's pitch is simple: most people have no idea Mexico produces world-class spirits beyond tequila — and four years in, this shop has become the place that proves it.
Tastings that feel like a masterclass, not a sales pitch
The weekly tastings are where the shop’s personality really shows. Recent lineups have included Tears of Llorona (an extra añejo aged across three barrel types — the kind of bottle collectors seek out), Kokoro (a genuinely unusual Japanese-Mexican collaboration), and Caballito Cerrero, made using centuries-old tahona stone-crushing methods. These aren’t rushed pours — they’re a real excuse to slow down, ask questions, and taste your way to a new favorite.
Why people keep coming back
Ask around Bernal Heights, and theanswer'ss always the same: it’s Moose and Scott. Four years of conversations behind that counter have turned them into the neighborhood’s go-to for anything from “what should I bring to a dinner party” to “explain reposado vs. añejo like I’m new to this.” No upselling, no gatekeeping — just genuine matchmaking between people and bottles.
A shop that shows up for the neighborhood
The shop’s community footprint has grown alongside its shelves. It’s a driving force behind the annual Tequila Crawl, which raises money for the Ogden Avenue Garden, with Playa Azul supplying Mexican seafood pairings along the route. Four years in, this isn’t a business that happens to be in Bernal Heights — it’s one that’s actively invested in it.
The takeaway: four years — and a nearly perfect rating — is a long time to keep surprising your regulars, and SF Tequila Shop is still doing it. New arrivals land regularly, tastings run weekly, and there’s always a reason to stop back in.
📍 SF Tequila Shop — Cortland Avenue, Bernal Heights
Premium Tequilas • Artisanal Mezcals • Mexican Rums & Gins • Mexican Wines
⭐ 4.9 stars · 197 Google reviews
Join Us for the Bernal Heights Pop-Up Town Square Bench Painting!
Bring your creativity and help add some color to the Bernal Heights Rec Center! We are hosting a community bench-painting day to spruce up our neighborhood space, and everyone is invited to join in.
Event Details
Date & Time: Saturday, September 12 | 9:30 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: Bernal Heights Rec Center (Moultrie St between Cortland Ave & Jarboe Ave)
What to Expect: We provide paint, supplies, coffee, and pastries. Just bring yourself, your family, and your neighborhood spirit!
Brought to you with love by Civic Joy Fund, San Francisco Recreation & Parks, Greening Projects, and Friends of Bernal Heights Rec Center.
Birdhouse Painting at Ogden Avenue Gardens
Date: September 12, 2026
Time: 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Location: Ogden Avenue Gardens
Grab the family and join us at Ogden for a relaxing, creative morning in the garden! We are hosting a community birdhouse painting session designed for kids and the young at heart.
We’ll supply all the wooden birdhouses, brushes, and colorful paints—all you need to bring is your imagination. While the artists get to work, parents can kick back and enjoy a fresh cup of coffee.
Spend a couple of hours connecting with neighbors, enjoying the outdoors, and building a cozy new home for our local feathered friends.
No registration required – drop by and paint with us!
About Ogden Ave Gardens
It is inspiring to see how a neglected stretch of asphalt can be transformed into a vibrant neighborhood asset. Reclaiming an unaccepted street on Ogden Avenue between Folsom and Gates into the future home of Ogden Avenue Gardens is a powerful testament to community-led urban renewal. Bernal Heights will undoubtedly benefit from having another dedicated green space that prioritizes native plantings, pedestrian walkability, and local environmental stewardship.
A COMMUNITY PROJECT BY GREENING PROJECTS – BERNAL HEIGHTS, SAN FRANCISCO
We are neighbors working to transform a neglected, weed-strewn street into a children’s playground, a community gathering place, and a safe, comfortable place to wait for the bus.
The 400 block of Ogden Avenue (between Folsom and Gates) is an “unaccepted street”, meaning the city does not maintain it. It has no sidewalk. Yet it is a heavily used path to the bus stop for local parents walking their toddlers to Ana’s Childcare and for neighbors walking their dogs.