Bloodhound Bar

SoMa, San Francisco –

There’s no shortage of dance clubs and gritty dives in the SoMa district, but Bloodhound – at least by last count – is the area’s only hunting lodge. Tucked beneath a budget hotel, the simple venue could easily be missed by inattentive passersby, but inside, the place looks like a barn and a speakeasy gave birth to a rec room.

Despite the wild taxidermy glaring from down from perched corners, early evening hours are tame as a mix of office types and hip SoMa loft owners gather around high-top tables or lounge on leather sofas.

Mood lighting from the antler chandeliers set into the reclaimed wooden walls and exposed bulbs over the old bar create a relaxed atmosphere, marred only by the occasional burst of gunshots from patrons playing Big Buck Hunter by the pool table in back.

Despite the testosterone-heavy implications of its name and the eerie flock of blackbirds painted on the ceiling, Bloodhound’s signature drinks trend on the fruity side, with orange bitters, Campari, and grenadine all featured prominently on the menu. Plenty of obscure beers and good ol’ Bud are on hand too, much to the relief of the young pre-clubbers and preppy post-grads who tend to dominate the scene on Friday and Saturday nights.

Whether for pounding punch or playing pool, chasing tail or shooting it, Bloodhound is a country bar that city folk will wish they grew up with.