Green beans, celery, lemon, olives, and a big hunk of pepperjack cheese garnic Elite Cafe's spicy bloody mary. Elite Cafe has creole overtones that ensure its bloody marys are full of flavor and spice Read more.
Daniel Parks and Justin D’Olier are heading up the project as managers, offering crafty tiki drinks like a mai tai on the rocks, and the “bird of paradise” made with passion fruit whipped cream. Read more.
Arnold Erik Wong (E&O), Phil West (Range, Third Rail) and barman Carlos Yturria (A-16, Range, Absinthe) have delivered a classy, day-to-night bar with upscale snacks, like caviar and oysters. Read more.
Adam Keough has revived this bustling Hayes Valley fixture. Its lively, yet comforting brasserie scene remains, but now there’s an energized bar food program & the menu has new soul. [Eater 38 Member] Read more.
All 16 cocktails on the menu (organized by spirit) feel thoughtful and smart. Highlights include Whiskey in Church (smoky scotch, oloroso, maple, smoked pear bitters) and the Sutro Swizzle. Read more.
With three ounces of gin mixed in a "1000 to 1" ratio with vermouth, this famous martini get you lit in no time flat, the better to enjoy the Middle Eastern vibe. Read more.
The adventurous drinks are ever-changing, but you may encounter anything from a bottled riff on Zima to a cocktail incorporating rice wine vinegar or salted chili oil. Read more.
An easy breezy Castro-bordering spot to rely on for a solid, sometimes rather inventive, cocktail. Blackbird has super-nice bartenders, and a fun-loving mixed crowd that rarely gets out of control.
This address has housed a bar of some description since 1907, and it feels like it. Think classic cocktails, abundant antiques, some live jazz, and the dress code is, blessedly, Fedora optional.
Former Kimpton higher-ups Jacques Bezuidenhout and Ken Luciano are behind the creative drinks, with combos like cumin-infused vodka and passionfruit, or Irish whiskey and a strawberry-chamomile shrub. Read more.
Wander through the mysterious alleyways of Chinatown until you find yourself at Li Po's. A round of high-proof Chinese MaiTais masked by pineapple juice will go down easy. Read more.
Snuggle up to Maven's fireplace, which is tucked in the loungey upstairs corner, with any of the cocktail haven's stellar drinks. Read more.
Eight years into its tenure, it remains one of the city's toughest tickets: book early, try brunch, or go later in the evening for the awesome burger. Read more.
The godfather of the market-fresh cocktail movement in San Francisco, situated in an unexpected nook of the TenderNob, with a pool table, a smoking patio and some flattering soft lighting, to boot.
Bet you never thought a crazy kitschy den of all things tiki could actually serve high-fructose-corn-syrup-free, all-natural drinks. This one can, and the cocktails hold up to the best in town.
The Alembic is one of those bars where the drinks take time to make, but they're also hands-down the best in the hood, perhaps in the city.
Head for a drink at Trick Dog tonight and ask for Caitlin, she's been named to Food & Wine's inaugural class of Best New Mixologists. Read more.
The food is Bangladeshi-inspired pub fare, like mussels vindaloo and pakoras with spicy lime pickle, Asian pear and lassi bubbles. Read more.
Leo's opened with a retro splash, immediately luring diners to its petit dining room and bar for oysters, clams, lobster rolls, and classic cocktails. Read more.
