#2067 - Wexler's, San Francisco - 2/26/2013

I had to check out this upscale barbeque place based on a friend's describing them as having "good, smokey Manhattans." They did, and pork plate that I had was very tasty as well.

The only shortcoming for me is that the place is small and busy, which limited its ability to feel relaxed and intimate. That may be picking nits and is probably inevitable for a small space in the financial district with a Michelin star chef. But judging it as a bar, this puts it just a notch below my highly recommended ranking.

568 Sacramento St San Francisco, CA 94111 - (415) 983-0102
Est. June 2009
Web site: wexlerssf.com - facebook
Reviews: sfgate - sfweekly - chow - yelp

#2066 - Annabelle's Bar and Bistro, San Francisco - 2/26/2013

A white table cloth sort of bistro with some fairly good cocktails.

68 4th St San Francisco, CA 94103 - (415) 777-1200
Est. 1993 - Building constructed: 1913
Web site: annabelles.net
Reviews: citysearch - gayot - yelp

#2065 - DNA Lounge, San Francisco - 2/25/2013

The DNA Lounge is a fairly large nightclub and live performance venue that caters to alternative crowds, including "Death Guild," which is claimed to be America's longest running goth night. During the second half of the 90s DNA Lounge was owned by three people including comedian Rob Schneider, and peaked in its popularity, with secret shows by performers like Prince and Metallica. In 1999 the club was purchased by well known open source software developer "jwz" (Jamie Zawinski), who closed it for extensive remodeling and re-opened it in 2001, keeping a blog on his clashes with city hall and other experiences owning the club.

Even during alternative theme nights like Death Guild, Trannyshack, and bootie, with many people dressing the part, the vibe is fairly casual and open (the night of Death Guild I attended on this evening included people in jeans, sandals, and even tie dye). There are two floors, two stages, and two DJs, and of course the vibe and crowd vary widely with day of the week.

375 Eleventh St San Francisco, CA 94103 - (415) 626-1409
Est. Nov 22, 1985
Previous bars at this location: Chaps (leather bar)
Web site: dnalounge.com - facebook
Articles: wikipedia - yelp

#2064 - Tommy's Joynt, San Francisco - 2/25/2013

Walking down Geary at night and coming unexpectedly upon the psycho circus exterior of Tommy's Joynt felt like stepping into the pages of "Something Wicked This Way Comes."  But that feeling changed dramatically the instant I stepped into the comfortably cluttered interior. Tommy's is the first of the "hofbraus" -- the San Francisco area cafeteria style restaurants including Lefty O'Douls, the Chick-N-Coop, and Brennan's. During the day people line up to get hand-sliced meat dishes and sandwiches from no-nonsense workers who all give the impression of having worked here since it was founded in 1947. Opposite the meat counter there is an old bar that serves what is said to be San Francisco's largest selection of inexpensive beers (over 100 choices from 30 countries, mostly in bottles), as well as dive-style cocktails.

Tommy's was established here in the Fillmore neighborhood by local crooner Tommy Harris, and is still run by his relatives. The collection of oddball items and historical photos that cram the walls appear to mostly date back to the early days of the place. The food and drinks are both pretty basic, but this is one of my favorite places I visited on this bar-crammed tour of San Francisco.

1101 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94109 - (415) 775-4216
Est. 1947
Web site: tommysjoynt.com - facebook
Reviews: divefood - sfgate - hanging with harris (video) - food network (video) - sfweekly - yelp - citysearch

#2063 - Smuggler's Cove, San Francisco - 2/25/2013

Few people interested in cocktail bars would need a description of Smuggler's Cove -- Martin Cate's celebration of rum and tiki bars past has been cited in various publications as the best bar in San Francisco and one of the best in the world. Stepping past the nondescript exterior into the dark, Disneyesque, tri-level, pirate cave inside instantly provides the kind of escape to another world that characterizes the best tiki bars.

You must try some of the house classics, but in addition to tiki originals, classic cocktails from famous old tiki bars, Caribbean Island drinks, and prohibition-era Cuban drinks, if you would like a break from the sweetness of tiki drinks, the bartenders know their stuff and can create something delicious with a few indications of your tastes (I had a tikified Sazerac with Falernum). If you are ambitious you can join the "Rumbustion Society" and drink your way through the huge list of fine rums. The "Tiki Central" crowd meets there on Tuesdays.

Smuggler's Cove is one of my favorite 2 or 3 tiki bars in the country.

650 Gough St  San Francisco, CA 94102 -  (415) 869-1900               
Est. Dec 8, 2009
Previous bars in this location: Jade Bar
Web site: smugglerscovesf.com - facebook
Best Reviews: critiki - foodography (video) - rumdood - alcademics - eater - thetikichick - sfweekly - tikiroom - sfexaminer - sfweekly - sfist - yahglobal - thrillist - esquire - yelp

#2062 - The Avenue, Oakland - 2/24/2013

A nice, divey joint with touches of punk and skeleton themes, The Avenue sits nicely amidst cafes and art galleries that helped convert the grimey Temescal neighborhood in Oakland into "Oakland's answer to San Francisco's Mission District." (wsj)

4822 Telegraph Ave, Oakland, CA 94609 - (510) 654-1423
Est. 2007
Previous bars in this location: Connolly’s, The Bird Kage
Web site: facebook
Reviews: oaklandnorth.net - insidebayarea - eastbayexpress - dailysecret - yelp

#2061 - Trader Vic's, Emeryville, CA - 2/24/2013

The Emeryville Trader Vic's is considered the flagship of the chain, even though it moved here from its original location in 1972. After establishing Hinky Dink's, the "home of Frankenstein," with menus printed on cigar boxes, Victor Jules Bergeron, Jr. visited Hollywood, took in the island flotsam themes of Don the Beachcombers and the Seven Seas, and along with Don, invented the tiki bar, converting his Oakland place to "Trader Vic's" in 1937. He began his expansion in the 40s, starting with The Outrigger in Seattle.

In '72, the original location moved a few miles north to the current location on the San Francisco Bay waterfront in Emeryville. It is large, seating nearly 400, with various dining rooms, and a patio bar area. Trader Vic's tends to get the most credit, among various disputants, for inventing the Mai Tai, and after a five-month remodel and menu revamp in 2010, the menu now includes their made-from-scratch 1944 version. I had never been to the pre-remodel version, but apparently it includes a few more tikis now (Bergeron is credited with introducing actual tikis to the common decor of polynesian restaurants).

The food and drinks are fairly good, but of course the reason to eat at Trader Vic's is to be at Trader Vic's. This one lives up to the expectations.

9 Anchor Dr, Emeryville, CA 94608 - (510) 653-3400         
Est. 1972
Web site: tradervicsemeryville.com - facebook
Reviews: critiki - alcademics - ronniedelcarman - sfgate - coastalliving - eastbayexpress - mercurynews - yelp