San Francisco Bars & Clubs
Nightlife Essentials
Make your social life sizzle: Get the skinny on the city's hottest spots for partiers that are single and ready to mingle
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Girls Night Out
A night out with your S.O. is nice, but it's no match for an evening with the girls. Gather your gal pals and hit one of these fun spots for everything from a quick after-work drink to an all-night bash that carries over to Sunday mimosas.
Day-Drinking: Bars for the Early-Bird Boozer
There are plenty of good reasons to start drinking early in the day. Sure, it could mean you have a serious alcohol problem, but it could also be a safety issue: maybe you're a neurosurgeon and you want your hands to be steady. Whatever the reason, if you do practice the art of day drinking, you'll want to pick the right bar—good happy hours, outdoor seating and like-minded company are key factors—lest you depress yourself by spending all day at a dive bar with a bunch of grizzled, bloodshot-eyed old drunks (there's plenty of time for that; at this rate, you'll soon be one).
Alley Cat: The Best of SF's Backstreets
Some of San Francisco’s alleys are like the tiny, bistro-lined streets in Europe which, too narrow for cars to drive through, become pedestrian oases from downtown bustle and traffic. Others recall the foreboding back alleys of Gotham, where shady figures lurk in dark doorways, and behind unmarked, speakeasy-style doors music and food and booze await members of your club (those who know how to find the place). Coincidentally--or maybe not--this list of hidden alleyway bars and restaurants could double as a roundup of the best places to eat, drink and party in the city; now you know where to find them.
Top 10 New Bars of 2008
Unless you count the cheesy "ultra-lounges" we left off this list, 2008 didn't see a lot of splashy openings. This was the year of the re-do, with old classics getting tasteful upgrades, and also the year of the restaurant-bar, where some of the city's best cocktails can now be found. Without further ado and in no particular order, here are our picks for the 10 best new bars and clubs to open this year.
Secret Order: Off-Menu Eats and Drinks
Few restaurants advertise secret menus--it kind of defeats the purpose anyway, right In-N-Out?--and some will flat-out deny they exist, but insiders know that there are a number of high-profile spots in the city serving up both top-secret dishes and classified add-ons to enhance popular items. Here are a few hush-hush items to ask your server for (cajoling may be necessary) next time you're dining out on the town. Just remember, you didn't hear it from us.
