The hotly anticipated natural wine bar, Sluts, finally opened its doors on Friday, January 3rd in SF’s SoMa district.
The bar is the creation of Hi Felicia founder, Imana, who took over the space formerly occupied by Terroir wine bar. Imana ( who goes by her first name only) is taking a radically different approach to the space, creating a place that’s playful, provocative, and unlike any other bar in SF.
The purple-drenched space features a stripper pole, nude statues, plush seating, and even a disco ball in the bathroom. “I just want people to come and have a really, really good time,” Imana told Eater. “I want people to have a place to be wild and crazy.”
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For food, Sluts has embraced something approachable and easy to love: junk food. Their menu features Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, Chips Ahoy cookies, and a selection of Lean Cuisine and Lunchables options. This isn’t your typical natural wine bar fare and has a very different vibe from its predecessor, Terroir, but that’s precisely the point.
Imana is part of a growing trend of restaurateurs that are shying away from airy, minimalist design. Restaurants like Shuggie’s Trash Pie in the Mission and Oakland’s the Stork Club and Hi Felicia have all embraced bolder colors and evocative decor in a way that feels fun and celebratory.
Imana’s Oakland restaurant, Hi Felicia, opened in 2022 after starting as an underground supper club, with guests like Alice Waters. The maximalist restaurant is filled with mismatched chairs, campy paintings, and a paint-spattered floor. Chef Imana and her team serve an interactive 7-course family-style dining experience with Mexican and Japanese influence. They’ve already got the attention of the famed Michelin guide, with aspirations for a coveted Michelin star.
Sluts, which also started as a pop-up, is a deliberately provocative and empowering name for the space. “I think the power is claiming it, and claiming womanhood, and feeling liberated and safe in my sexuality — it’s just a word that encompasses embracing who you are and not being shamed for being yourself, and I just wanted to find a way to tie that into a business,” Imana told Eater.
Sluts wine bar is open from 5 p.m. until midnight on Thursday, Sunday, and Monday, and from 5 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. They are located at 1116 Folsom Street, near the corner of 7th and Folsom.
Featured image: @slutsthewinebar via Instagram