Five Superb Mixology Spots in San Francisco

Why we love it: We’re hardly alone in our appreciation of this perpetually busy Haight Street hangout, but thankfully we’ve grown out of disliking something just because it’s popular. Except in the case of The Transformers movies…they pretty much ruined our childhood. With its extensive selection of craft cocktails and never-boring menu of fare like beef-tongue sliders and pickled quail eggs, it’s hard not to be drawn in to The Alembic, even if you’ll routinely have to stand around a bit for a table. Just go easy on the signature Vice Grips; the combination of liquor, wine, coffee, and beer in a single cocktail can make your legs feel like a ton of Alembricks.

Why we love it: It’s easy to fall back on hating Union Square, what with its preponderance of big box stores and incessant dinging of cable cars, but then you remember San Francisco’s Downtown has a nice share of hidden spots that even longtime locals enjoy. Burritt Room is definitely one of those places, secreted away as it is above the lobby of the boutique Mystic Hotel and home to a vintage-styled hideaway where classic cocktails are the rule. Bartenders rely heavily on local fresh citrus in their delectable concoctions, but you can just as easily sip top-shelf bourbon neat as you can garnished with the Golden State’s golden navels.

Why we love it: Ask anyone where some of the most intricate drinks can be found in San Francisco and chances are good this place will come up. Luckily, we think Bourbon & Branch has earned its prominent place on SF’s mixology scene, if only because the staff spends upwards of five hours a day just hand-pressing fruit for the cocktails! The infusions and tinctures are handmade too, all of which are served up in an elaborately styled space that pulls off the speakeasy vibe without feeling fake. Maybe that’s because the building actually was a speakeasy back during Prohibition, or maybe it’s because ordering a Cosmo from one of the suspender-clad bartenders here will likely get you booted.

Why we love it: Surrounded by strip clubs and rowdy young suburbanites in town for the night, this cozy North Beach hideaway throws together a Pimm’s Cup so tasty even the manliest of men will have no trouble ordering several. The grub of locally sourced bar bites won’t blow your mind – well, except maybe for the pork sliders – but the ever-evolving drinks list makes it possible to keep dropping in for something new. So whether you step down to this basement saloon for a few rounds of brunch punch, stiff belts of a Bloody Hammer, or an original concoction you crafted yourself, 15 Romolo gives you way more than fifteen reasons to head for North Beach.

Why we love it: If you’ve got a thing for gin, there are few better places in town to go for a cocktail. And if you think you don’t like gin, this is probably the best place to prove you wrong. Most nights require some patience when waiting for an order, but that’s only because the intricately designed selection of cocktails on the menu isn’t something you can just whip up. There’s also a free-to-use vintage pool table in back – next to a giant chalkboard for when creative juices get flowing along with the fresh gin and juice – while a steel-caged patio makes it possible for guests to grab a smoke without having to leave the bar.