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From ultrasophisticated piano bars] to come-as-you-are dives that
reflect the city's gold-rush past, San Francisco has a tremendous
variety of evening entertainment. Although you never know exactly where
you might stumble upon an elegant cocktail lounge or a hip dance club,
knowing some neighborhood generalizations can improve your chance of
finding the kind of entertainment you want. Nob Hill is noted for its
plush hotel bars and panoramic skyline lounges. North Beach—though it
still has a short stretch of strip clubs along Broadway—is mostly known
for historic bars that invoke the city's beatnik past and sleek lounges
full of locals and visitors alike who stop in before or after dinner at
one of the area's many mom-and-pop Italian restaurants. Fisherman's
Wharf, although touristy, is great for people-watching and is convenient
to many hotels. Tony Union Street and the nearby Marina are where you
find singles bars that attract well-dressed and well-to-do crowds in
their twenties and thirties. South of Market—or SoMa—is a nightlife hub,
with a bevy of popular dance clubs, bars, and supper clubs, as well as a
few excellent live-music venues. The gay and lesbian scenes center on
the Castro district and along Polk Street. Twentysomethings and
alternative types should check out the ever-funky Mission District and
Haight Street scenes, although even these two neighborhoods get more
upscale cocktail lounges and fewer dive bars every year. |
