Mr. Lew’s Win Win Bar & Grand Sazerac Emporium

Mr. Lew’s is not what I expected. I had almost given up on any decent bars opening up in the Tenderloin, but Mr. Lew’s is exactly what the neighborhood was missing. The drinks are strong, perfectly balanced, and more affordable than other cocktail focused bars. The bar offers a nightly recession special, a cheep beer with a shot of whiskey at a good discount, an offer that is thankfully becoming more common in San Francisco. What I love most is that there is not a single television at Mr. Lew’s, and the bar is dark as night.

The bar is dropped down so that instead of the always uncomfortable bar stools, patrons can sit in regular chairs and be at eye level with the bartender. I love this setup and wish that more bars would do the same. The night I went, the bartender was playing Magnetic Fields, which was the perfect music to set the mood in the bar. I went somewhat early on a Friday night, and the bar wasn’t crowded at all and my drinks were perfect. The bar is far enough into the heart of the TL that the hard drinking, under 27 crowd of Polk Street doesn’t appear to have found it. If weekend happy hour stays that mellow, I may have to make Mr. Lew’s a regular stop.

The Boardroom – North Beach

I stumbled across The Boardroom during an early morning walk around North Beach. What caught my eye and brought me inside was a giant menu sign with the words “Bacon Wrapped Tater Tots”. How could I not try a bar that’s open in the A.M. and features a stoner menu? I popped inside to see if the bartender knew his way around a Bloody Mary.

Underdogs – Sunset

Underdogs is the place to go if you want delicious crispy tacos with a healthy dose of testosterone on the side. Calling Underdogs a sports bar is almost an understatement. Everything in the bar seems perfectly marketed to the jock inclined under 27 crowd, from the huge televisions to the bucket of Budweiser specials, from the basketball game in the back to the barely legal bartenders. I’m not saying that I didn’t enjoy my tacos

The Little Shamrock – Inner Sunset

I have the feeling that a lot of people experience The Little Shamrock for the first time after being dragged in by friends. The name and exterior don’t give one any idea of how wonderful the bar is. The Little Shamrock is actually the second oldest bar in San Francisco, and unlike the oldest, it doesn’t smell of a hundred years of beer and piss. Instead it’s a friendly pub with lots of comfy seating and board games for entertainment. The bar has its host of regulars, but newcomers are quickly made to feel at home as well. The bartenders are incredibly friendly, and all of them make an excellent Irish Coffee.

The Bitter End – Inner Richmond

The Bitter End is a large yet cozy neighborhood pub. While technically it’s classified as a restaurant, The Bitter End feels much more like a bar, despite the occasional babies in strollers. During happy hour The Bitter End is usually pretty mellow, and there is a large upstairs area that helps keep the bar from getting overwhelmingly crowded. (Note that the women’s restroom is also upstairs and not wheelchair accessible.)

I can’t say that I’ve ever had an exciting night at The Bitter End, but I have met people there over the years for birthday parties and such, and it’s always been a good time. The bartenders are nice, and most of the patrons live in the neighborhood. I wouldn’t go out of my way to drink at this bar, but it’s a pleasant stop while in the Inner Richmond. The Bitter End is the kind of bar you could go to with your coworkers or your mom.

The Bitter End

441 Clement St
(between 5th Ave & 6th Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94118

(415) 221-9538

Fizzie’s – Inner Richmond

Stop number two on my mini Irish bar crawl, Fizzie’s is a no-frills, hard drinking Irish neighborhood bar. Highlights include two billiard tables and the video game “Bowling”, which is very much like the video games “Golf” and “Bags”. There is also one of those outrageously expensive internet jukeboxes, (which unfortunately gives drunk people access to thousands of terrible pop songs.) Bad music aside, this is a great bar for a game of pool and a few shots of whiskey. The bartender is friendly, the bathrooms are pretty clean, and you get exactly what you would expect from a bar named “Fizzie’s”.

Fizzie’s

3954 Geary Blvd
(between 4th Ave & 3rd Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94118

(415) 221-7300

 

Ireland’s 32 – Inner Richmond

To be honest, I am not generally a big fan of Irish bars. Irish bars are usually synonymous with sports bars, and nothing bores me more than being stuck in a crowded bar surrounded by people yelling about the game. I decided to hit up a few Irish bars in one day, basically as a way to get them over with in a short period of time. However, I didn’t realize that the Saturday after Thanksgiving is an off day for a lot of bars, and I found myself quite enjoying three Inner Richmond Irish bars during their slow hours.

The Page – Lower Haight

The Page is a bar lover’s bar; it has all the qualities that make my heart go pitter patter. First of all, the bar is dark. Very, very dark. The sporadic red and yellow lights create a rosy glow that softens all of the hard edges of reality.

Columbus Cafe – North Beach

A friend had been trying to drag me into Columbus Cafe for a couple of years, and I always resisted. They bill themselves as a sports bar, which is just not my thing. On a recent walk through North Beach however, I was in search of a cold beer and found Columbus Cafe pleasantly empty of patrons and thought it a perfect time to check out the bar.

Sweeties – North Beach

Sweeties is one of the best bars I have ever stumbled across accidentally. I was in North Beach visiting a friend, and while walking around killing time, I saw a mysterious awning labeled “Sweeties”. Sweeties? Sweeties?! What in the world could possibly be in this place? I had to check it out.