#2056 - Tempest, San Francisco - 2/23/2013

I saw many references to what a dive the Tempest is, but it's the sort of dive that has fairly deftly executed artwork -- not the sort of old stuff that could have come from Goodwill -- and the old regulars appear to bike messengers. It also serves food that seems pretty un-dive-like; e.g. they serve corndogs, but they're jalapeno corndogs with aioli. I dropped by in the middle of a sunny afternoon, which may have made in seem all the less divey, and it seems like the new owners may have modernized a bit since acquiring it in 2010.

In any case, it's still a cool bar and somewhat hidden in a somewhat divey part of town.

431 Natoma St, San Francisco, CA 94103 - (415) 495-1863
Est. 1991
Web site: facebook
Best reviews: sfgate - spottedbylocals - unlike - yelp - do415 - toiletsoftheworld

#2055 - Farmerbrown, San Francisco - 2/23/2013

"farmerbrown is about supporting local and african-american farmers, using organic, biodynamic, and/or sustainably raised foods, and beverages whenever possible." -- farmerbrownsf.com

"'Soul food as interpreted for SF hipsters" -- Zagat commenter

Those two comments pretty much capture the place. It's a nice stop for brunch, and the cocktails, while not delicately crafted, create some interesting spins with juices.

25 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94102 - (415) 409-3276
Est. June 2006
Web site: farmerbrownsf.com
Reviews:  sfgate - sfweekly - chowhound - gayot - yelp

#2054 - Summer Place, San Francisco - 2/22/2013

A pleasant little dive just above the Tenderloin decorated with a jangle of miscellaneous items that seem to represent every theme except Summer. This includes a fireplace, where apparently you can sit and smoke for some reason.

801 Bush St, San Francisco, CA 94108 - (415) 441-2263
Reviews: examiner -  everybarinsf - sfsu - yelp - tripadvisor

#2053 - Rye, San Francisco - 2/22/2013

Good cocktails.

688 Geary St, San Francisco, CA 94102 - (415) 474-4448
Web site: www.ryesf.com - facebook
Reviews: sfbe - diffords - rebeccawilkowski - yelp - tripadvisor

#2052 - Swig, San Francisco - 2/22/2013

A pretty bar with pretty people and good cocktails (it's run by the owners of Bourbon & Branch and Rickhouse) -- and crowded on weekend nights like this one.

561 Geary St, San Francisco, CA 94102 - (415) 931-7292
Web site: swigbar.com

#2051 #S1117 - Von Trapp's, Seattle - 2/20/2013

Von Trapp's is a capacious, Bavarian wonderland of a bar -- 11,000 square feet on two floors in a former candy factory and, most recently, a furniture store. It has two large, lodge-like fireplaces, five bocce courts ("boules" if you prefer not to use the more common Italian name in a German-themed bar) and a sizable collection of German and Belgian beers which it serves in various containers including 2-liter boots.

Owners Deming Maclise and James Weimann had already recently created ornate, Seattle bars in period themes of France (Bastille), Mexico (Poquito's), and Scotland (Macleod's), before pouring a million and a half dollars and 11 months of remodeling into this, their most ambitious effort yet. The staff at Von Trapp's seem unusually friendly and patient in working with you on what to eat and drink. It was instantly popular, just like their other places in Ballard and Capitol Hill (they subsequently opened "Stoneburner" in Ballard as well). Despite the size, you will find a line on most evenings and on Friday and Saturday evenings they will serve 2,000 people.

Even if you are not a fan of brats and Belgian beer, the decor and atmosphere make it well worth a visit.

912 12th Ave Seattle, WA 98122 - (206) 325-5409
Est. Feb 12, 2013 - Building constructed: 1930
Previous bars in this location: None known
Web site: vontrapps.com - facebook
Best articles: seattletimes - eater - bizjournals - seattlepi - seattlemet - seattlemet - thestranger - seattleweekly - yelp

#2050 #S1116 - Von's 1000Spirits GustoBistro, Seattle - 2/18/2013

Von's 1,000 Spirits on the Harbor Steps is new, and everything about it is very different from its previous incarnation as Von's Roasthouse on Pine. But through various moves, and starting under the name Rippes, this has been a continuously operating restaurant for 109 years.

After opening as Rippes in 1904, the restaurant moved to 4th Avenue in 1923. In 1940 it was sold and renamed Von's, and moved to 619 Pine in 1987. They now take over a space at the top of the Harbor Steps leading from 1st Avenue down to the Elliot Bay waterfront, previously occupied by Wolfgang Puck's and Ipanema. The new version is led by Merrisa Firnstahl-Claridge, daughter of  long-time owner Tim Firnstahl, and great granddaughter of Germanus Firnstahl who founded Sunny Jim Peanut Butter.

While the previous location was known for affordable after-work martinis, the new location lies in a more touristy area just up from Pike Place Market and provides a sort of circus of food and drinks. They claim to have the largest selection of spirits in Seattle (over 1,000, as the name implies), including Louis XIII cognoc for $608 per shot as well as a number they brew themselves in oak casks above the bar. They call the bar "Alchemy" and play up the mad scientist theme, with chemistry lab style filters and flasks and referring to their mixologist as both "alchemist" and "bar scientist." From there they serve circus drinks like a "French Open" (cotton candy melted at your table with Lillet, lemeon lime soda, and "boozey berry gelee") and the "Big Apple Gelee (their in-house, ultra-filtered "Sanctified Vodka", apple pucker, lemon lime soda, and boozey berry gelee). The bartender at my first visit was not well versed in craft cocktails, but was friendly and game for suggestions.

The food too takes some exotic spins on standard pub fare. They don't serve "burgers" and "pizzas," they serve "hamburgs" and "frics." I had their "Classic" hamburg and it is one of the better burgers in the city, using  prime-grade marbled beef, chopped daily in-house, with housemade sourdough brioche bun, shaved iceberg lettuce, red onions, tomatoes, packer dills, candied bacon, aged Columbia Valley cheddar, and "Jim's Drive-In sauce."

Clearly this is the establishment of someone who very much wants to be adventurous, and is not interested in sticking to any theme or period. They have a vinyl station which supplies all house music from vinyl, and an iPad bar across from the cocktail bar, where patrons can browse as they drink. I'm not quite sure what to make of it it, but it is plainly not quite like any other place in town.

1225 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98101                            
Est. Feb 15, 2013 (Opened as Rippes in 1904, moved to 4th in 1923, renamed Von's in 1940; moved to 619 Pine 1987, current location in 2013) - Building constructed: 1996
Previous bars in this location: Wolfgang Puck's, Ipanema
Web site: vons1000spirits.com  
Reviews: seattletimes - bizjournals - eater - thrillist - yelp - tripadvisor