A while back, tablehopper intern Daniel Azarkman alerted me to the unfortunate and impending displacement of KOKO COCKTAILS from its current location into another spot in the neighborhood. Things have been up in the air with timing, so I was waiting to report on it. But now The Tenderblog brings word that Koko’s plans to move into a nearby location may be foiled due to some opposition in the neighborhood. If you want to support this cool neighborhood bar, please consider attending a hearing this Thursday May 5th. You can read all the details here.
Meanwhile, over in the Castro, I’ve been phone tagging with partner Mike Goebel to hear the news of what the former Bar on Church/Transfer was morphing into. Looks like Eater was able to dial in a connection, and reports the bar will be called CHURCHILL (as in Winston). Partners Mike Goebel, Anthony Healy-London, and Darin Brunson also own Bloodhound and Double Dutch, and will be putting in a jukebox, pool table, a lounge area with couches, and they added some windows to let in more light. Designer Lauren Geremia (who also did Bloodhound) is giving the place the reclaimed wood treatment, with blown-glass chandeliers and custom lighting. There will be 10 beers on tap, and good cocktails. The opening is reportedly in a couple weeks. 198 Church St. at 14th St. Update: one of the owners provided some additional details. He added that Dylan O’Brien (Bloodhound) is also a member of the partnership. Some additional furnishings and features will include a custom-made backbar constructed of steel frames with wood shelving, a bartop built by Danish master craftsman Soren Hansen of hand-picked walnut and ebony, coffee tables made of old wood explosive boxes from WWII, and couches made from old sail cloths. Yup, there’s a vintage military theme going on with all the salvaged materials. The cocktail program will be simple and unique, similiar to Bloodhounds, with rotating specialty cocktails, and they will carry as many locally produced spirits and beers as possible.
Over in SoMa, the LiveSOMA blog reports the CITY BEER STORE is expanding into a next-door space, providing more room for their bottleshop and tasting bar. 1168 Folsom St. at 8th St., 415-503-1033.
Last week, my Bernal connection mentioned in an email to me that “EL AMIGO (that little bar in front of Emmy’s [Spaghetti Shack]) will turn into a fancy tequila bar.” Sure enough, Bernalwood confirms the rumor, reporting “the family that runs El Amigos is transforming the joint into a ‘more upscale’ tequila bar.” Before you start bemoaning gentrification, Bernalwood adds this: “I was made to understand that ‘more upscale’ will likely be relative; rather than being upscale upscale, the tequila bar will simply be more upscale than the old El Amigos — which isn’t really so hard to do, so we’ll have to just wait and see.” A commenter on the blog chimes in with a tidbit that a bartender at The Royal Cuckoo is taking it over. Oooh, the plot thickens. 3355 Mission St. at Virginia.
Lastly, in the Mission, bartender Steve Schneider of New York’s Employees Only is guest bartending tonight at ~BERETTA~, and at ~DELAROSA~ on Wednesday May 4th. 5:30pm-1am, both nights.
