The Sea Star

2289 3rd St.

If the Sea Star Saloon is what it’s like to be under the sea then sign me up for the scuba gear! Deep in the Dogpatch lives this magical boozy kingdom with slushies and cocktails and doggies, oh my! And it’s filled with underwater treasure in the form of a beautifully curated back bar and hand crafted cocktails. This is the where you will find the lovely and talented Alicia Walton, slinging drinks and curating good vibes for all who show up for the show. She is quick witted, immensely creative and she practices what she preaches. Last year she unabashedly ran a beer and shot combo “Fuck Trump” which included $1 donation to planned parenthood leading up to the election.

Alicia grew up in the service business starting out as a host then moving to the bar before she was even legally allowed to drink. She left Virginia for North Carolina and then San Francisco in 2002 after visiting the city by the bay and falling in love with the combination of joy the city offers. Her resume behind the plank here is astounding from Martuni’s to Elixir as well as Comstock Saloon, Brass Tacks, Bloodhound & Momo’s, it’s no secret how Alicia got her chops. These days she is swimming around the Star greeting, shaking, story telling, canning and mostly surviving what has been the most difficult of years for any bar owner but particularly those without a kitchen.

Alicia and her two business partners Ryan Gilbert and Tommy Shaw, bought the Sea Star in 2015 and built it up with their outstanding reputations and lots of sweat equity. Just a year after opening Alicia was named Rising Star Bartender and also won Ms Speed Rack SF in 2016 catapulting their bar into the limelight. Her fame also means you can find several of her original recipes published online. Here you can find Satin Sheets on the 209 gin website or here you can find two drinks linked to her star Bartender bio: Always be Closing and La Pachamama.

These days they are open for limited hours slinging dealer choice drinks or selling their steller cocktails to-go. Show up for a “yellow polka dot bellini” in their beautiful park-let and grab a bite at the Wholy Pig or any of the other dogpatch restaurants they have partnered with. And look forward to the day when you can sit back at the bar, under the Octopus tentacles and bask in the wit and whimsy that oozes from the Sea Star. I’ll meet you there.