Inside High Treason, a new wine bar at 443 Clement Street. Photo by Michael B.
Reader Michael B. send us the above photo of the interior of High Treason, a new wine bar that opened recently at 443 Clement Street near 6th Avenue.
Treason’s owners, fine-dining sommeliers Michael Ireland and John Vuong, are striving for a casual, approachable concept that is “a respite from the stuffiness in wine”.
“We just want good wine for good people and to make things a little more inclusive than exclusive,” Ireland explained to EaterSF back in November.
Originally known as Pivot but forced to “pivot” on their name for legal reasons, High Treason will also feature a small plates menu of sandwiches, salads and comfort food based on the 30-wine list. They will also have a wine club.
High Treason’s official grand opening is this Saturday, February 13 but you can stop in after 5pm this week for their soft opening.
Welcome to the neighborhood, High Treason!
Sarah B.
Just what the city needs. Another black and grey dead space. “Treason’s owners, fine-dining sommeliers Michael Ireland and John Vuong, are striving for a casual, approachable concept that is “a respite from the stuffiness in wine”.” Looks like they achieved it with another sterile cookie cutter SF modern “design” that has zero character. Pretty comical that they think this is approachable and “a little more inclusive than exclusive.” Is there some “hip design” catalog somewhere that these places come from? This city is plagued with this crap. How about adding even one color to the palette. It’s sad to see this garbage seeping into the Richmond. I wish them the worst of luck.
What was previously in that space. (I moved 2 years ago). I can’t quite place it.
Chinese purse store
I feel discriminated against; what about bad wine for bad people ?
Welcome to the neighborhood! We can’t wait to become regulars. The Inner Richmond really needed a great place to chill and enjoy wine.
For years it was the sister store to Gold Star Discount at Clement and 9th.
Looks like a mind-boggling renovation, if my memory of the space serves – so much more spacious.
Can’t wait to check it out. While I always love The Bitter End, Plough and Stars and even Side Car, sometimes I just want a glass of wine and don’t want to walk down to Internos to get it.
WOW “B”! I’m happy to have both another option of a place to go along Clement for an adult beverage that isn’t a casual bar…. and this place has been empty for so long, it’s really great to have another open business along the street!
@B Someone feeling angry today and need some attention?
I am really excited to finally have a wine option in the Inner Richmond. I like Internos alright, but I find I’m not a big fan of the wine there. Plus, they are closed Sunday’s.
Welcome to the hood! Happy you are here. We’ll be in soon to check things out.
This is a good addition to the neighborhood, we’re excited to stop in soon and check it out. Will definitely want to know more about the wine club!
There’s a small typo, “var”, that should read, “bar”, in the photo caption.
Welcome!
@B: Come now – do we really need another shady massage parlor or shell company? This is a welcome change.
Hey buddy. What you are not seeing is huge wall of my art on the other side of the picture. It’s about as opposite of dull as you can get. It might be a good idea to actually check a spot out before you start hating.
So many stools in a bar doesn’t seem like a good idea. Maybe need more chairs with some backing so people can sit upright, especially the elderly. It can get messy when people start falling off the stools, need a little more support to keep the more dedicated customers upright.
It’s always amusing to read comments from Richmond residents when new retail comes online or a business goes under. Retail is very fluid. The people and residents will ultimately vote with their wallets on the success of any retail store in the Richmond. If this wine bar is not great, it will go the way of many other bars before it.
I just wish Tsar Mar would release the restrictive chain store laws he so dearly loves and allow the residents to vote with their wallets on what retail we want in our neighborhood. I know that free market is a weird concept for people of SF, but it is what makes the USA so great!
Franz – it’s not just Tsar Mar…. the guy who owns the Toy Boat Cafe who is anti-chain – to the point that he fought a starbucks INSIDE the safeway on 7th! I fully agree with you – I leave the hood if I want a Peets coffee vs going to one of the local shops where I don’t care for their coffees. See this article from SF Gate a few years ago. http://www.sfgate.com/restaurants/article/Jesse-Fink-keeps-charm-in-chains-off-Clement-2367768.php
Right on Franz and Susan – thank god we in the US know how to keep those markets free re. corporate tax holidays that promote universal wallet suffrage !
Accidentally walked in on their pre-opening a couple of weeks ago. Great place! John is super nice and the place has great atmosphere. Interior is minimalist but they do have huge paintings on the walls (@Ben – ?). And the main point: they have nice selection of wines and ciders!!!
People have a tendency to extoll the virtues of the Free Market when it works for them. If someone in the Richmond District is all for Free Markets then by all means lets have them:
1. All zoning controls removed. Free Market to do what you please with your property.
2. No funding of Muni except via the toll box. No general taxpayer subsidies.
3. Water & Sewer. 100% cost containment paid directly by the users of the systems. No general tax revenues may be used.
4. Roads and Highways. Free market. All roads and highways paid by users and not tax based and owned by private individuals in the Free Market.
Let people vote with their wallets if they want to live in a true Free Market, sure, but I suspect that “Real Free Markets” would scare the hell out of most people..
Welcome to the neighborhood! I’ve been wishing for a wine barcloseby for a while and am excited to check this place out!
Have to agree with JD. There are reasons besides mean bad guys being mean that the greater neighborhood might not want a bunch of alcohol establishments, and they might be good ones. The flaw in your reasoning, Franz, is that residents of the Richmond will vote with their wallets to decide what stays and what goes. Did it occur to you that people come from all over the Bay Area and city each weekend to go to bars in SF? So actually it would be residents of the Bay Area and SF as a whole who would be deciding how many bars are on Clement. And the guy who lives on 6th between Clement and California would have very little say on who was vomiting on his doorstep/circling endlessly looking for parking in this free market system. Sound like fun?
^should have said ‘ residents of the Richmond will not be the only ones voting with their wallets to decide what stays and what goes’ in a free market.
Noticed it earlier this week and popped in for a drink. Yes, it is minimalist but friendly and they will tell you as much or as little about something that you want to know about. Art work on the wall we can’t see and wine boxes up above on the wall we can see does give it visual appeal. They also have local quality beer and they told us that they’ll be increasing their food menu weekly. I’m a local and I approve this place.
I love the modern minimalist design personally. To each their own.
Now if only we could get a wine bar further out, past Park Presidio. Everything new is always in the Inner Richmond!
@B i agree completely but the techie virus is infecting the richmond aint nuthin we can do but ride it out or move to nebraska
Been an inner Richmond resident for 15 years, and love this new spot! Great wine & a fun atmosphere. Been twice already & expect to be back this weekend