Another week, another new bar. Wait, make that two. And an arcade.
Now open on 24th Street in the former Jack’s Club is JUNIOR from Matty Conway, Anthony Healy-London, and Josh McAdam (Brass Tacks), who joined up with David Ruiz (most recently the bar manager at Padrecito). It’s spacious, and Sayre Ziskin (who designed Brass Tacks and Anina) did a gorgeous job, with a colorful painted ceiling and wall murals, groovy light fixtures, large windows, and plenty of seating. Take a look at Ruiz’s menu here, which has a range of cocktails for $12 and plenty of beers to keep you happy. And they open early! Hours are Mon-Fri 2pm-2am and Sat-Sun 12pm-2am. 2545 24th St. at Utah.
Last week, I swung by the preopening party for THE SNUG, which is now open on Fillmore and Clay in Pacific Heights. Partners Zack Schwab, Shane Matthews, Brian Shin, and Jacob Racusin (The Alembic) wanted to create a neighborhood bar, offering well-made cocktails, plus craft beers and bar food that is definitely a level above the usual.
The cocktail list features creative spins on classic recipes, highlighting housemade ingredients and seasonality. There are a couple of exclusive bourbon selections, cocktails on tap, and 14 taps of beers and ciders, plus a cask ale and plenty of bottles highlighting sours, stouts, and strong ales.
Chef Brian Shin (Alinea, Corton, Benu, In Situ) is making some creative and well-executed bar food, from Korean fried chicken wings to a Spam musubi lettuce wrap with housemade Spam. He also is utilizing the space’s tandoori oven (it was previously Mehfil Indian Cuisine), with dishes like sesame naan and shiitake hummus. Check out the menu here.
The space has an approachable and clean look, with a long bar top (31 feet of Douglas fir!) and plenty of other wood elements, from the round swivel bar seats to the high-top tables with room for six each across from the bar. The front area flanking the street has low industrial/metal stools, which won’t be the coziest in the winter, but you’ll just need to drink more; there’s also an upstairs mezzanine with more seating. Britt Hull of Tide Design Co. is behind the design. Open Sun-Thu 4pm-12am and Fri-Sat 4pm-2am; kitchen until 11pm. Brunch and outdoor seating will come next. 2301 Fillmore St. at Clay.
And after being vacant for almost as long as I have lived in the Western Addition, and three years of construction, the Harding Theater on Divisadero was saved from demolition and is now open again and home to EMPORIUM, an arcade bar and event venue. The space is massive (more than 12,000 feet) and dates back to 1926—you’ll note some original architectural details, like the molding along the ceiling. There’s room for 900 guests, with a stage, original balcony level with some seating, and a skydeck with a second bar and pool tables.
There are more than 50 games, including Skee-Ball, air hockey, pinball, vintage arcade games like Pac-Man, plus Killer Queen and more. The 30-foot movie screen and 19-foot-tall projection screen will come in handy for viewings and big games, and there are plenty of display screens for private events too. Live music, DJs, and more will be programmed as well.
The cocktail list is still being tweaked, but there are a couple on tap, along with all-American craft beers—20 taps overall. They will be rotating beers often, but some initial selections include Social Kitchen & Brewery pils, Altamont Maui Waui IPA, Fieldwork Sensee Party Hazy IPA, and High Water Campfire nitro stout. There are also canned beers too. Interestingly there isn’t a food offering/kitchen, but outside food is allowed in.
The project is from Danny and Doug Marks, who also have three locations in Chicago. 21 and over. Business hours this week are Mon-Thu 4pm-2am, Fri 3pm-2am, Sat-Sun 12pm-2am. 616 Divisadero St. at Hayes.
