Yesterday I cruised over to check out ODD JOB, the new bar in SoMa that’s opening in the former Shine. As previously mentioned on tablehopper, the partners in the project are Peter Glikshtern (Jones), Jordan Langer (the former Big), and Jeff Whitmore (Public Works). The place feels like an amalgam/love child of Big and Public Works—the front bar is more on the Public Works workshop tip, with a conveyor belt as the foundation for the main bar (and 15 drafting board-style stools) and some groovy custom lighting fixtures (including a washing machine drum that will contain a disco ball). A tool pegboard will be going up on the wall above the booths. There’s also an incredibly cool steampunk-meets-Rube Goldberg cocktail-making machine by East Bay artist Ben Cowden (I got to see it at work, and it’s gonna have its own fan club).
Odd Job is going to be a cocktail-oriented bar (not a club), although Whitmore mentioned there would probably be some special one-off DJ appearances/small sets a few times a month. For now, it’s all about being the kind of bar you can pile into with a group of friends after work or late at night (there are going to be a number of booths upholstered in a herringbone pattern you’ll be able to take over), or you can find a smaller table to sit at with a date. Look for six to eight cocktails that will feature twists on classics (bar manager Nate Cardozo’s favorite to tweak is the French 75).
Now, in the back is where you are going to find more of the Big bespoke cocktail experience. It’s going to have a swank and intimate vibe, with a vintage chandelier, a ceiling swagged in gold velvet, and diamond-shaped wall panels with burgundy bison leather in the middle. The back bar is finished in Mini Cooper white and powder-coated gold, and there’s going to be room for about eight to huddle in at the bar for customized cocktails, and 25 seats in all. A fun feature: Look for the former pawn shop rotating case that will be repurposed to showcase booze instead. The back room is still very much under construction, so it’s going to be a few weeks out before you can visit. Like the title says, this is just a sneak peek.
As for the rest of the bar, components are still being installed, but they are doing some soft opening/friends and family nights over the next couple of weeks. So if you see the lights on and people inside, feel free to head on in, take a peek, and order a drink. I’ll announce the official opening soon. 1337 Mission St. at Washburn (near 9th St).
