The Lush

A couple reopenings to report, starting with the return of the candlelit HÔTEL BIRON wine bar/den in Rose St. alley (by Zuni). A tablehopper reader (and regular) let me know there’s a slightly different management team than before the pandemic, and you’ll notice the new orange B…

Some quick boozy updates for you, starting with the opening of CHEZCHEZ from Bon Vivants Hospitality in the former Bon Voyage! in the Mission. The project is from founder Josh Harris; Drew Record, Chezchez operating partner and sommelier; Jennifer Colliau, BVH beverage director; and Timmy Malloy, BVH chef de cuisine.…

The former Portal’s Tavern in West Portal has been transformed into THE SHERWOOD, sloughing off its dive bar patina and now restored to highlight its 1939 bone structure, the oldest bar space in the West Portal area. The owners (Foli Media) utilized local craftspeople for every aspect of the…

The REDWOOD ROOM reopened at The Clift Royal Sonesta, with a revitalized look (new Art Deco-inspired furniture, flooring, lighting, and wall art). Fun tidbit: the original Gustav Klimt paintings (reproductions created by students of Klimt, under his direction) were uncovered onsite during the hotel renovations and have been painstakingly restored…

With the reopening of San Francisco comes the opening of some new bars! Opening this week in the former The Cellar is PERSONA, a space designed for happy hour, quality cocktails, events, and good times, with sound set up in four different areas (DJs and entertainment will be coming in…

A couple quick updates for you about bars around town: first, the historic THE BUS STOP, one of the oldest bars in the city (since 1900!) and certainly one of the oldest sports bars, is back open! The new owners are Joe Wallace (from a financial advisory firm) and Robert…

Last week, I had a delightful evening with friends checking out INDIE WINE & BEER BAR at the new location of the San Francisco Wine Center, which moved from their Bryant Street address last year to this spot near Levi’s Plaza. There’s a spacious, warm, and protected outdoor…

Noe Valley has a new cocktail bar, MR. DIGBY’S, from husband and wife Mike McCaffery (Mission Rock Resort) and Kristen Gianaras McCaffery (Novy). Cocktails range from a Boulevardier to a Garden Gimlet, plus wine and beer. Perhaps even more extensive is the food menu, with pimento cheese dip, steak…

A while back, I heard some local bar talent was potentially taking over the original Californios location on 22nd Street in the Mission (which has reopened in the former Bar Agricole in SoMa), and now it’s time to release some exciting details about the upcoming BUDDY BAR & CAFE.…

The pandemic has been particularly brutal on our local bar scene, but you gotta love that hope really does spring eternal, and in this case, it’s a plant-loving bar called PROPAGATION, opening in the former Tonic’s second location (on Post) in Lower Nob Hill. Co-owners Heather Hoffman (an…