Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
It's considered a modern tradition to visit
Buena Vista Café
(2765 Hyde St.,
at Beach;
%
415/474-5044; www.thebuenavista.com)
to order a $7.25 Irish cof-
fee (coffee and whiskey), which was conceived here in 1952 by a local travel writer
(hurrah!). This punch-packing quaff lures hordes of tourists before they wobble
toward the cable-car turnaround across the street. You may not want to hear how
the bartender gets the cream to float—it's aged for two days before use. Some
2,000 are served each day in high season, which means you'll probably have to
wait for a table on a weekend afternoon (better, probably, to come at night; it's
open until 2am). These beverages are indeed delicious, and the publike setting is
classic without being snooty, but the high price is questionable. Stop at one.
Exposed brick and lounging downstairs in the Krug Room, DJ upstairs at
The Bubble Lounge
(714 Montgomery St., at Columbus;
%
415/434-4204; www.
bubblelounge.com; closed Sun and Mon),
a temple to champagne and sparkling
wine. Drinks will cost you, but there's not usually a cover.
A loft-like blend of bar, art space, and performance venue,
111 Minna
5
(111
Minna St., and 2nd;
%
415/974-1719; www.111minnagallery.com)
consists of
two areas, each with its own bar, and an eclectic crowd. Skip the $10 cover by
coming Monday through Friday before 9pm, when happy hour's on. The artwork
on display changes so often, it's like visiting a different space each time you go.
For a spirited glimpse of how remarkably diverse and accepting the city can be,
there may be no more apropos drinkery than
Zeitgeist Bar & Guesthouse
(199
Valencia St. at Duboce;
%
415/255-7505).
What started as a rough biker bar is
now a beloved dive bar that welcomes a broad range of patrons, from urban pro-
fessionals to leather-bound gay folk to simple amblers who like their beers cold
and their afternoons long. And, yes, there's still a line of motorcycles out front,
although the chances of getting clocked with a beer bottle inside are slim to
none—particularly because pitchers (just $12) are favored here. The bar's back-
yard patio, larger than the barroom, is busy late into the night, and on weekends,
its picnic tables are snapped up early in the day. The under-the-freeway neighbor-
hood isn't much to write home about, and in fact, it can be too edgy for comfort.
(If this is your milieu, here's a tip: There are rooms for rent upstairs if you're stay-
ing for a few weeks or more. They're simplicity defined, embellished with a bed,
desk, sink, and the occasional blare of cycle mufflers. Get on the waiting list and
you may end up scoring a place for $30 a night. A great deal for those with youth,
patience, and/or tolerance.)
DRINKS WITH A VIEW
A 19th-floor bar doesn't sound like much when compared with the 52-story high
Carnelian Room (p. 208), but considering in this case it's in a building that's
already atop Nob Hill, and adding the fact that it's one of the most famous bars
in the country, both the view and the mood are high at
Top of the Mark
5
(999
California St., at Mason;
%
415/616-6916; www.topofthemark.com).
Floor-to-
ceiling windows take in the kind of panorama that makes people want to move to
this city: Golden Gate Bridge, Coit Tower, Alcatraz, and beyond, all in a smart,
upper-class setting. The operators regularly close the space for private parties, so
call ahead to make sure it's open on the night you want to go. From Tuesday
through Saturday, musical acts are booked—mostly jazz or other styles that make
