Bay Area tequila fans, you’ve got something new to toast to. The San Francisco Mexican restaurant and tequila bar formally know as Tres Agaves has undergone a renovation and reopening, putting more emphasis on its place as a tequila destination.
The newly-dubbed Tres Tequila Lounge and Mexican Kitchen has added 10 new brands as part of a bar expansion program, bringing its broad selection to around 180 bottles, from around 125 last year. Additionally, it has expanded its bar area by around 50%, meaning that patrons will have more space and time to sip tequila and pore over the bar’s new “Tequila Book,” listing not only their selection, but information on the “terroir,” soil, altitude and oak qualities of different brands.
The change was prompted by two factors, according to Tres Executive Beverage Director and Director of Marketing Ashley Miller. The first was an organizational change that saw two of the restaurant’s original partners, Eric Rubin and Barry Augus, leave to concentrate on the Tres Agaves-branded tequila. Original co-founder Dave Stanton remains to oversee Tres.
The second factor was the organization’s long-held desire to expand its bar area and selection, according to Miller.
New brands behind the bar include Peligroso, Corrido, Excellia, Calle 23, Arta, Alma de Agave and PaQui. Miller says she likes to bring on the full line of each brand, rather than select bottles, so customers can experience the full expression of the brand. Under the expansion, Tres now has 45 complete lines.
Introduction of the Tequila Book, rather than a traditional menu, will also highlight the bar staff’s extensive training. Miller takes employees down to Jalisco, Mexico several times a year to visit distilleries and grow their tequila knowledge. The Tequila Book features pictures from some of the trips and highlights the tequila making process. (These educational trips are no joke. As San Franciscans, Grover and I always thought that Tres was the best place to sit down at the bar and chat with the staff about tequila—they really know their stuff.)
And while Miller said that there are plans to offer a few mezcals and sotols, to round out their Mexican spirit offerings, tequila will remain the focus.
“Tequila is our first and foremost love,” she said.
Salud to that!
I have only visited there once and it was a very memorable experience. The food was exceptional, but what made it a visit to remember was drinking a flight of tequila. The manger came over to ask us how we liked the tequila. We talked about them all and I happened to mention that one of the tequila’s was not something I would order again. He immediately brought me over another sample. I was not expecting this at all and was very impressed that we would go out of his way to make us happy. I cannot wait to visit San Fran again and go to Tres.
Looking forward to tasting Excellia at “Tres”!
Excellent news indeed. Ashley is very knowledgeable and they take tequila VERY seriously.
Tried the “Excellia” over the weekend. VERY good — and the anejo was particularly “spriteful”! More sippiing at “Tres” in in my immed. future!
I would have thought a restaurant/bar called “Tres AGAVES” would already have put a major emphasis on being a tequila destination. But I guess “Tres TEQUILA Lounge” leaves absolutely no doubt. :)