Jay Alexander Reads Minds in a 44-Seat Moroccan Lounge
Mentalist Jay Alexander's 75-minute show in a Moroccan lounge on O'Farrell Street, with close-up magic at the tables in the hour before curtain.
Mind Tricks Live is mentalist Jay Alexander's show at the San Francisco Magic Theater, a Moroccan-style lounge tucked inside the Marrakech at 419 O'Farrell Street, a few blocks from Union Square. The theater describes the room as 44 seats with no stage barrier, so the performer works within a few feet of the audience.
The main performance runs about 75 minutes. The listing books two hours, because the lounge opens an hour before showtime and the sleight of hand starts at the tables while people are still ordering.
The listing starts at USD 65 per person and sells tickets for ages 8 and up. Shows run Friday and Saturday at 6:00 PM and 8:30 PM, and Sunday at 6:00 PM. All sales are final, with no refund for cancellations, so pick the night before you pay.
A Magical Night with the San Francisco Mentalist: Jay AlexanderSan Francisco Magic Theater · 2 hours with the lounge hour · Fri to Sun evenings · from USD 65www.viator.comCome an Hour Early, the Magic Starts at Your Table
Doors open an hour before showtime, and the theater says that if you have a ticket, you have a table, so no separate dinner reservation is needed. Jay works the lounge during that hour with close-up sleight of hand at the tables, and the theater calls it the part many guests remember most.
Food and drinks are not in the ticket price. Craft cocktails, Moroccan mint tea, non-alcoholic drinks and light bites are sold in the lounge before the show. Arriving at curtain time means skipping that whole first act.
Forty-Four Seats and No Stage Barrier
The show is mentalism more than big illusions: predictions, mind reading and card work done close enough to watch hands. Audience participation runs through the whole performance. The theater says nobody is put on the spot or embarrassed, but in a room this size there is a fair chance you get called up.
In September 2026 one traveler wrote, "Even my teenagers were thoroughly impressed." Another, from August 2026, described a group of 10 in which many of them were pulled into the acts.
The Man in the Hat
Jay Alexander hosts every part of the evening, from the lounge to the stage. On its own site the theater says he performed for the Rolling Stones across three U.S. tours, worked alongside Robin Williams for more than 20 years and holds the Society of American Magicians Gold Medal of Honor.
Photos are allowed during the show if you tag the theater online; video is not. There is no dress code, though the theater asks guests to dress festively or at least business casual.
Ages, Seating and What to Ask First
The listing sells tickets from age 8 and does not admit toddlers or infants. The theater itself recommends the show for 12 and up, while saying there is no offensive language and a well-behaved younger child is welcome. A ticket for an 8 to 11 year old is valid, but the theater pitches the show at 12 and up.
If your party books under different names, the theater asks for an email at least 24 hours before the show so it can seat you together. For mobility needs it asks guests to call ahead. The listing marks the evening as suitable for all fitness levels.
📍 The San Francisco Magic Theater is inside the Marrakech at 419 O'Farrell Street, across from the Hilton Union Square. Powell Street BART is a short walk away, and the theater points drivers to the garages on O'Farrell and Mason Street, since street parking runs short on weekend evenings.
Aim to walk in an hour before your showtime, order something at the table and let the night start there.