In an area known for wineries and wine bars, Solano Cellars is a mecca for Bay Area oenophiles who sit at the imposing wood bar and sample a dazzling array of wines from around the world. A staff of refreshingly unpretentious wine experts can guide you through the selection and help you find just the vintage you were looking for. The shop attached is tiny, but what they do not have on display can be fetched from the seemingly bottomless wine cellar. To enhance the wine, an ever-changing appetizer and dessert menu, designed with wine in mind, is offered. There is a strict prohibition on cell phones.
This favorite is full of congenial spirits (both the drinks and the regulars), fish and chips and some of the best in local and Irish bands. Enjoy over two dozen beers on tap, including an impressive selection of local brews and ales, as well as the usual suspects (Guinness, Rolling Rock). There is a small dance floor that fills up during live performances, but also features locals who jump on in for folk dancing. Traditional Irish dance lessons are held on Mondays, and Happy Hour lasts from opening to 7p.
This place has been serving up traditional pub fare, a few gourmet treats and lots of smiles in this congenial "publick" house atmosphere since 1981. If you are looking for a quick meal, want to catch a game on the television in the corner, or are just looking for a spirited good time, it is here. Sit at one of the tall tables or at the huge wood bar. The high ceilings and tall windows keep this place from falling into the dark, smoky sports bar category. Find dozens of beers on tap and a full bar. The menu features old standards like nachos and cheesy potato skins as well as the huge Henry's Burger.
This historic bar is full of stories, character, and charm. Once a place Jack London himself would frequent to drink and write, the story is that the famous author borrowed his college entrance fee from the bar's proprietor. The small bar still features a slanted wooden floor and charred walls leftover from the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906, which took its toll elsewhere in the Bay Area, too. Its name derives from the old days when it was the only bar at the Port of Oakland. Each day, as laborers would take the ferry to San Francisco and back again, this was the first and last chance for the working man to grab a drink. The bar serves only beverages and distributes literature on its history.
If music is your passion, make sure that you check out The New Parish. This concert hall and events space has achieved fame with the performances of the great music groups like Sarah Guthrie and Johnny Irion and The Stone Foxes. The place boasts of fantastic sound and stage technology that has made this venue a favorite of the event organizers and performers alike.
Yoshi's is not just a place where you can catch mind-blowing jazz, but also a sushi bar with an excellent food. Eager music lovers pack the restaurant and the Jazz House on performance nights. It showcases the best talent and boasts of high tech acoustics in the Bay area. A full cocktail menu is available with items like sushi, appetizers, salads and desserts. The attire is causal and the atmosphere jazzed up. It has a top-notch restaurant that serves Japanese food, and is open for lunch and dinner.
Vesuvio's colorful, stained-glass windows provide an unbeatable second-story view of the vibrant Broadway and Columbus intersection. Guests who want to drink where Kerouac & Co—"mad ones"—once did, come here to feel the echo of the 1950s' literary history. As colorful as the decor is, the ambiance can be described as whimsical and inspirational, with old classics playing in the background and arty walls adding more allure to the interior. You will usually find a mixed bag of writers, artists and tourists lounging around here. It's a good place to linger over drinks while soaking in the establishment's eclectic and neighborly charm.
This historic bar is full of stories, character, and charm. Once a place Jack London himself would frequent to drink and write, the story is that the famous author borrowed his college entrance fee from the bar's proprietor. The small bar still features a slanted wooden floor and charred walls leftover from the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906, which took its toll elsewhere in the Bay Area, too. Its name derives from the old days when it was the only bar at the Port of Oakland. Each day, as laborers would take the ferry to San Francisco and back again, this was the first and last chance for the working man to grab a drink. The bar serves only beverages and distributes literature on its history.
Not much made it through the Great San Francisco Earthquake and Fire of 1906, but this bar did. There is a great story behind that. Reportedly, local firemen (loyal customers) diverted water from other locations in order to save this place. Its customer loyalty is just as strong today. Founded in 1861, it has as much history as it does popularity. Come for live blues and all the charm of a tradition that is over a century old.
This restaurant in the heart of the Castro serves some of the freshest seafood away from Fisherman's Wharf. The service and decor of the restaurant are simple. Diners order at the counter and seat themselves at small tin tables and chairs. All the seafood is fresh from the ocean, including the steamed crab and steamed mussels. There tends to be a large lunch contingent, so dining during off hours is recommended. You can also buy fresh seafood here to make your own culinary creations at home.
So your loved one is always complaining that you never go to fancy places anymore? Cruise over to this plush restaurant and bar for scrumptious food, great ambiance and fine wine. The soft hues, marine-themed artwork and aromatic candles at Bar Crudo will help rekindle your love life! Fresh seafood delights await your palate; try the seafood chowder, the chilled oysters, or the little neck clams. Pick your poison from the colossal drinks menu as you enjoy the soothing indie music. And if the bar setting is too chirpy to handle, just head to the dining room upstairs, which has a far more intimate atmosphere with just ten tables.