There’s no sign outside 17 West 24th Street, a freshly painted black-and-white building in Old Goucher. Only a welcome sign welded to the cement step out front greets guests at Werewolves Welcome, the latest cocktail bar in a neighborhood that seems to be bursting with them.
Behind the stately front door is a spot that’s unapologetically bold in its sense of style. Sultry jazz filled the place when we visited on a late-September Thursday evening, a few weeks after its grand opening.
A fireplace separates the downstairs lounge area from the cozy, 10-seat bar. Colorful wallpaper and a backlit shelf behind the bar set the mellow mood envisioned by proprietors Bryan Ranere and his wife, Caroline, who spearheaded the architectural, interior, and graphic design. Upstairs, there’s an outdoor patio with funky furniture and an herb garden, as well as a movie room with comfy couches and a big screen.
None of these unique touches would matter if the drinks were pedestrian, but everything we’ve sipped has matched the decor in terms of quality.
The cocktail menu features several options that stand out from the norm. The Bloody Caesar is made with vodka and spicy Clamato, and arrives with a spiced rim. It’s thinner than its cousin, the Bloody Mary, which makes it smoother, but just as pleasantly spicy.
A Sazerac made with Rittenhouse rye was expertly assembled. Ranere is known for opening San Francisco’s Foreign Cinema and running its extension bar, Laszlo, and perhaps the star of his new menu is the Fake Tales of San Francisco. A martini-like combination of St. George Terroir gin, habanero vodka, and Fernet Branca—garnished with rosemary and a lemon peel—it’s flavorful, strong, and unlike anything else we’ve had. On a second visit, our bartender nailed off-the-menu orders: a classic Old Fashioned and dirty martini, crafting each with the perfect levels of ingredients.
Despite its suave style, Werewolves Welcome doesn’t take itself too seriously. A smattering of cardboard coasters— one touting Budweiser, another Eskimo cream soda—sit atop the bar. There are bowls of mixed nuts and small Belgian chocolates, which, aside from hot dogs, are the only food available (for now). Made by New York’s Schaller and Weber, the dogs are half beef, half pork and steamed to give their skin the perfect snap when you bite in. (Be sure to ask for the jalapeño mustard.)
Ranere helped his friends Lane Harlan and Matthew Pierce open Fadensonnen, the natural wine bar a few blocks from his new joint. Now, they’re all contributing to making the area—which includes Fadensonnen sister-spots W.C. Harlan and Clavel, as well as nearby Dutch Courage and Mama Koko’s—into a cocktail mecca. Werewolves Welcome is a welcome addition.