From Cynar to putting ACME Bar on the Whiskey map—Jennifer Seidman on Owning Your Voice and Reimagining Bar Culture in the Bay

In this episode of The Walk-In Club Podcast, we sit down with Jennifer Seidman—visionary owner of Acme Bar and Little Bird Bar—who’s helped shape the landscape of Bay Area bar scene for over two decades. Jennifer’s story begins with a paper route in Palo Alto, winds through the chaos of flyering for nightclubs in San Francisco, and lands in North Beach bars where she learned to bartend by saying yes and figuring it out later.

Jennifer reflects on the days when women weren’t allowed behind the bar—when the only entry point was cocktail waitressing. That didn’t stop her. She earned her stripes, held her own, and eventually opened Acme Bar in 2002 in what used to be a smoky, carpeted dive called Mike and Mary’s. We hear how a single $20 pour of Hudson Baby Bourbon put Acme on the whiskey map, landing her in Bourbon Review and Whiskey Advocate.

We get into: 🥃 Her early days bartending in North Beach and working her way into the craft
🔥 Opening Acme in 2002 and witnessing the rise of “red bars” like Ruby, Radio, and Acme
🧼 Turning a carpeted, smoke-filled dive into a respected whiskey destination
🌟 How a $20 pour turned into a top level whiskey program and national whiskey recognition
🕊️ Reimagining Radio Bar as Little Bird—a softer, more intentional space grounded in community
💬 Her take on longevity, leadership, and why reinvention is part of survival

Jennifer’s voice is sharp, grounded, and unapologetically honest. She shares what it takes to stick around—not just to survive, but to evolve. Her story is a testament to what’s possible when you lead with integrity, learn from the hustle, and aren’t afraid to change the room you walk into.

🔗 Follow @acmebarandco and @littlebirdbar to tap into decades of Bay hospitality, poured with purpose.

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