San Francisco Nightlife Tips by SteveOSF

Live Music: Biscuits and Blues Live Music Review

Biscuits and Blues is an outstanding blues club. It offers quality live blues acts. It’s a great place to listen to music in an intimate setting. They also offer Southern cuisine for those who want to add dinner to an evening of entertainment. The dinner is optional, as you can watch the shows without stopping by for dinner. But with the dinner option, you get a good seat and table as well as some good Southern cooking. On weekends they usually offer two shows, with the early one starting around 8:00 p.m. Dinner is only available for the early show. If you are planning on having dinner, it is a good idea to call for reservations. The club is located in the Theater District, which falls in transition zone between Union Square and the Tenderloin Neighborhoods. It is public transit friendly, as it is close to the cable car lines and is within walking distance from the Powel Street BART Station. Their website shows the up-coming acts.

Address: 401 Mason Street

Phone: (415) 292-BLUES (2583)

Theme: Live Music

Website: http://www.biscuitsandblues.com/

Art / Theater / Concerts: Half Price Tickets Art / Theater / Concerts Review

Half price show tickets can be purchased at Union Square. Tickets for theater, dance, and music are available at a discount. The discount is primarily for same-day shows that will likely not be sold out. These do include some quality theatrical productions. Naturally the producers would prefer to sell a discounted seat than to leave one vacant.

The tickets are available at a booth in Union Square. It is located on the northwest portion of the square closest to Post and Powell Streets. This is extremely convenient to visitors staying at a Union Square hotel or simply spending an afternoon in the Union Square District who are looking for something to do in the evening.

Discounts are not available for every show as many sell out in advance. But if you are in town and would like to see a show, check out what is available at the half price ticket booth. You might encounter a significant savings.

Directions: Union Square near Post and Powell Streets.

Theme: Theater

Tosca Cafe: Great North Beach Pub NORTH BEACH Review

Tosca is an inviting bar in the North Beach Neighborhood that has become a San Francisco institution. The pub is welcoming with friendly bar tenders. Its old wooden bar is the centerpiece of a decor that makes visitors feel as though they stepped back in time a few decades to another era. Tosca offers a combination of old San Francisco charm and inviting ambiance that pleases both tourists and locals alike. It is a great place to stop by for a drink and conversation.

Be sure to order one of the specials. These are hot chocolate and brandy concoctions that are semi made and lined up on the bar ready to be completed as they are ordered. The specials can hit the spot on a cold San Francisco summer night.

Address: 242 Columbus Avenue

Directions: It is located on Columbus Ave. near Broadway.

Phone: (415) 986-9651

Theme: Eating and Drinking

Vodka Voda Lounge: Popular, but Crowded Financial District Lounge

The Vodka Voda Lounge is popular with the after work crowd. This trendy nightspot offers a variety of specialty martinis along with typical bar drinks. It has an interesting, somewhat dark interior. The martinis were fairly good, but a bit overpriced. It tends to get crowded in the evenings. Its limited seating means that for many it is standing room only. The music tends to be a bit too loud to carry on a conversation. It might be worth trying if you are in the mood for a fancy martini and can get a seat before the crowds show up. But better options exist in the City if you are looking for a drink and conversation with friends.

Address: 56 Belden Street

Theme: Nightclub

Tonga Room: Polynesian Nights in the City

The Tonga Room is located on the lower level of the Fairmont Hotel in Nob Hill. It has a Polynesian theme, simulated rain, live music (the schedule may vary), and specialty tropical drinks. Some of these drinks are made to be shared!

Reservations are recommended if you want dinner there.

Dress Code: They claim a casual dress code, but you may want to dress it up a little for this Nob Hill Hotel.

Address: 950 Mason Street

Phone: (415) 772-5278

Theme: Nightclub

Top of the Mark: Elegance

The "Top of the Mark" is an elegant bar at the top of the Mark Hopkins Hotel in Nob Hill that offers some great views. They have some occasional live music. It is a bit pricy, but you can take the elevator up and just check out the view. Enjoy some old school San Francisco at its finest.

Dress Code: This is a coat required type place.

Address: 999 California Street, San Francisco, CA 94108

Directions: On the top floor of the Mark Hopkins Hotel at Nob Hill.

Phone: (415) 616-6916

Theme: Nightclub

Website: http://www.topofthemark.com/