Saunas and baths

Archimedes Banya

4.2

+14152069000

San Francisco, 748 Innes Ave, San Francisco, CA 94124

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If you’re looking for a place to truly "unplug" and sweat out the stress of the city, Archimedes Banya in the Bayview is a hidden gem that locals swear by. Located at 748 Innes Ave, it’s not your typical, quiet-whispering luxury spa. It’s a lively, social, and authentic Eastern European bathhouse where the vibe is all about community and extreme temperatures. It’s tucked away near the water, giving you a killer view of the Bay that most people never even see.

The main draw here is the "heat circuit." They’ve got multiple saunas—ranging from a moderately hot Finnish one to a Russian sauna that will make you feel like you're actually melting—plus a Turkish hammam that's thick with steam. The real pro move is the cold plunge. Jumping into that 55-degree water after a 190-degree sauna is a total shock to the system, but it leaves you feeling like you’re vibrating with energy. If you really want the full experience, book a Platza (the "venik" treatment), where someone basically hits you with bundles of leafy oak or birch branches in the steam. It sounds crazy, but it’s the best massage you’ll ever have.

One of the coolest features is the layout. It’s a multi-story building with a rooftop deck where you can cool off in your robe and grab a fresh juice or a beer while looking at the San Francisco skyline. They also have a legit cafe inside—Zteamers’—serving up real-deal comfort food like borscht, vareniki (dumplings), and smoked salmon. It’s a co-ed, clothing-optional environment, so don’t be surprised to see people walking around comfortably in the nude; it’s a very non-judgmental, "come as you are" kind of place that’s all about health and relaxation.

Because it’s right on Innes Avenue, parking is usually pretty easy compared to the rest of SF, though you might have to walk a block or two. It’s the perfect spot for a rainy day or a "self-care" Sunday with friends. Just a heads up: it can get pretty social and talkative on the weekends, so if you’re looking for total silence, try a weekday afternoon during their Happy Hour for a more chill, introspective vibe.

Business Hours:

Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 12:00 PM – 11:00 PM

Saturday – Sunday: 10:00 AM – 11:00 PM

Tuesday: Closed (Except for special Women's/Men's nights once a month)

Happy Hour: 12:00 PM – 4:00 PM (Weekdays)

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Reviews about Archimedes Banya

Review Checked

02.04.2026 16:52

We visited Archimedes Banya on January 21, 2026. It’s a fully equipped Russian-style bath complex with ice-cold plunge pools, a Finnish sauna, a steam room, a warm pool, and a jacuzzi. They also offer massages.
Even though it was a weekday, the place was busy. Most men and women were completely naked — very authentic banya culture.
After several hot–cold cycles, we stopped by the café for borsch with black bread and a cheburek — both were excellent.
They also have some art on the walls; I wish they would add a reproduction of Boris Kustodiev’s 1926 painting “Russian Venus” to match the atmosphere.
One thing I really appreciated was their attention to safety. Staff watched carefully for anyone who looked overheated. One of the workers even helped me walk and rest after my first session in the hot room. He mentioned that this is the hottest banya in the U.S.
Overall, a great experience — highly recommended.

Review Checked

4.5

02.04.2026 16:51

I went there on my birthday because they offer a free pass, but booked a Venik Platza as a treat. Highly recommended: amazing experience, very authentic, saying as a russian person. The place itself is rather small and doesn't have so many different saunas or pools, so the normal entry seems rather overpriced to me (75 dollars normally, 55 in the happy hours). It also has a cafe with eastern european food and drinks and a terrace with a bit of a sad view.

Review Checked

3.0

02.04.2026 16:51

My girlfriends and I visited this bathhouse for the first time and were very disappointed with our experience.

Several of us regularly visit bathhouses, so we are familiar with the concept and general etiquette. Despite this, one staff member was extremely condescending toward us from the start. He insisted on giving us a tour even and repeatedly spoke down to us using phrases like “you girls need to listen,” which felt disrespectful and unprofessional.

When we were in the hot pool, the same staff member chimed in on a private conversation I was having about my birthday plans. He strongly encouraged me to return to this facility for my birthday, stating that it would be free. I politely declined and mentioned that it was too far for me. He followed up with additional remarks that made me feel uncomfortable..

The cleanliness was also concerning. We found insects inside the lockers and ants directly outside the steam room, which made the space feel unhygienic.

There were also safety issues. The facility only provides one-size-fits-all slippers, which were far too large for one of my friends. She slipped because of this and fell inside the Russian sauna, injuring herself. After leaving the room, she began feeling faint and dizzy.

When this happened, the same staff member approached us again and began lecturing us for “not listening” and for allegedly skipping the cold plunge. We explained that we had already done the cold plunge earlier and were planning to return before she started feeling unwell. While we appreciate his attempt to help, he proceeded to give medical advice and instructed her to stand up and move positions while she was faint, which felt unsafe and inappropriate, as he is not a medical professional.

We also overheard him raising his voice at other guests and pressuring people to fully submerge their heads in the cold plunge. The environment felt stressful rather than relaxing.

Overall, this visit did not feel peaceful, professional, or safe. Between the cleanliness issues, lack of professionalism, and uncomfortable interactions, we would not return.

Review Checked

02.04.2026 16:51

excellent place! its not exactly luxurious, but it has everything you need for a pretty reasonable price!! variety of sauna, banya, pools, aromatherapy was AMAZING (definitely need to try!), venik plaza is awesome, the rooftop view is great to chill at even in winter (pic attached)! and the cafe has a variety of cuisines to offer! (my fav was borscht!) definitely will be back!

Review Checked

02.04.2026 16:51

Great place - just be warned, it can get really busy on weekend nights. Like so busy you can’t even get into the sauna. So hit it up during the day on weekends, or even during the day on weekdays if you can make that work.

Otherwise it’s a solid working class bathhouse. Not a lot of bells and whistles, so don’t expect luxury spa vibes and you’ll really enjoy it. The sauna is hot, the hot tub is roomy and the cold plunge is absolutely frigid (as it should be!). Plus; we splurged on massages once and they were the best we’ve had in the City. Just wish we didn’t have to pay for the Banya Pass on top of the already expensive massage. Otherwise we’d get massages every time!

Review Checked

4.0

02.04.2026 16:50

I have been here many times and have always appreciated the facilities, relaxing experience, and respectful energy. I went again recently and it was a nightmare! There were way too many people in this place here on a Friday night! This isn't supposed to feel like a club. One of the hot tubs was closed so everyone was squishing together into the only open one when there is a sign that clearly says "5 people max" but really there would be like 10 people in there and water spilling out of the sides from being too full and creating a hazardous wet floor! The steam room was so packed that it seemed dangerous since there was literally 0 room for anyone and the steam was too hot since the temperature kept getting messed up from people opening the door too often. The regular saunas had lines and people awkwardly standing around because of the limited space. People were VERY loud and would yell to each other across the facility or just be like laughing/screaming in the pool. Someone took my sandals that they assign you so I had to wear my street sandals in there. There was a guy trying to get into the hot tubs with his street clothes on and one of the employees had to stop him. Also, I don't want to soak in people's endocrine distributing laundry detergent, just soak naked! Nobody cares what you look like! Please get over your fears of being naked and leave your swim suits at home!! With this many people allowed in at the same time, even the overall cleanliness of the place could have used a solid refresh. Like the pool water was very murky, maybe due to the oak leaves that are used in the banya that people don't wash off before entering. Overall, I think the problem is 50/50. 50% this place should limit how many people are allowed in, especially if they have facilities that are not even open, and 50% people that are just ignorant and stupid that ruin the experience for everyone else by not following the rules. I ended up getting a cold from this place from being around too many people in a small, wet, environment. I still love and appreciate this place and hope they do well and keep providing a safe, clean, communal environment for everyone to enjoy.

Review Checked

02.04.2026 16:49

48th sauna review: this is a great banya. High temps, high humidity. Wood fired, constantly heating, with timed humidity releases. Many different bench heights for all levels. Well sized fitting a decent number of people in. Smooth throughout.

The Finnish sauna is pretty terrible by comparison. No bucket/ladle, bench height too low, and no ventilation.

I got gently told off for spending too long in the cold plunge. Think perhaps the team could do with a cold pool to spend more time in for those who want to stay longer.

This is a banya, it was the star of the show and gets a full 5 stars for it.

Review Checked

3.0

02.04.2026 16:49

1. incredibly loud atmosphere, not relaxing
2. towels provided for use were stained/dirty
3. staff member misgendered my friend. Not an inclusive/safe space for LGBTQIA folks. When informed front desk staff they were not sympathetic. Felt the need to bring the offense up with the staff member directly because we could tell they would not be doing any kind of training or educating of their staff after we left. Had higher expectations of a spa in San Francisco (supposedly a queer friendly city). The staff member did EVENTUALLY apologize to my friend - after I explained how it was hurtful and assumptive.