VinDivine - Living it Up John & Janine Style

The Ambassador - Tendernob

Go to this obnoxious place across from one of our faves Rye, after a late dinner and even if you've already hit at least two drinkeries cuz you've GOT to be on the same level as all of the d%^#bags in this place! We went after a dinner at Brick, just down the street. We stopped off for a glass of vino at the Wine Bar across from Le Colonial, then off to the Ambassador. So word is DJ  A.M. started this place. Woo hoo! Us celeb-starved folks from 'frisco get pretty hot and bothered about crap like that.

Wow, HUGE ceilings, beautiful spot, schwag booths to the right, long bar to the left as you swim through a sea of late-night, well-dressed, flashy fools and foolettes.  Wall to wall drunken reject idiots from the Marina making their way to the bad-ass...Tendernob! Bad-ass for them I guess. Wow. We scooted past the suit-clad 20 somethings and went right upstairs to an empty loft overlooking the gads of wannabes. And much to our surprise we landed a vacant couch/loveseat area, and a dead little mini-bar (not the hotel type, literally a small bar). Sweet.

Drinks are pouring, and the fools are pretty easy and entertaining to talk to. Ask our friend Patrick, who took it upon himself to play Tony Robbins - The Expert on Dating for Men - who pulled in any skirt that walked by to talk to. Foolish girls sat right down and joined. Oh well, that's what you get when the bridge and tunnel meet the big city. Go here if you want some great people-watching. Sit back, grab a stiff drink (order a double, they are light on the pours), and watch the party begin. Then get out before some bimbo pukes on your shoes.

Oh yeah - get a website for Chrissakes!

Ambassador
673 Geary Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 563-8192

Rye - Tender Nob

Last night we went to Rye Bar for our friend Shari's 40th bday party. Talk about a two ton tantalizing treat in the Tender Nob. Alliteration! OK, add this place to a bar crawl of Blur, R Bar and the Holy Grail. Start here though. Hell, end here too! Jon and Greg of Romolo, Rosewood, A16 fame opened up this place. Once a trifecta success, now a quadfecta? Is that a word?

This place hasn't even had it's grand opening yet, and gotta say, these guys bar it right. Huge ceilings, mod interior, exposed brick, all that we love about buildings in this town. Sophisticated - chic - hip, very cool place that makes clubbing around SF fun. Two big rooms, main room has a bar, pool table and one of the most ginormous mirrors we've ever seen. The other room is clubby and has a wire mesh screen exterior wall open to Geary that lets people hang out and get some fresh air, grab a smoke or whatever. Pretty cool. This place is so new, there isn't even a website yet. We got our margarita on so much that a trip to Golden Boy pizza was in order for some serious soakage. Wow.

Check them out, take a taxi. Geary and Leavenworth. It's scheduled to open in a couple weeks. And remember - your friends at Vindivine were there FIRST!

'R' Bar - Tenderloin/Nob Hill

Well, if 'R' stands for retarded that was me the other night after a rousing good time. This bar is real (damn another 'R').  A great bar-bar, know what I mean? Nothing fancy, just nailing the basics dead-on. Good crowd, good drinks, good scene and the owners, Chris & Todd, are cool. Plus, Tim and Eric behind the bar and Ethan (ex-Paragon) at the door.

They also have an all-star type bartender thang where they have mixers from other friendly bars around town do stints st the R. Very cool and very smart. Draws a great crowd of regulars from a network of other bars. Hey Eric & Todd - did you go to Stanford?? We know Elliot, our bud that owns Nova Bar and has guest 'tended at the R, he's an alum. Another Master of Bars Administration grad.

They attract an industry crowd that respects the trade. It's like an unwritten 'no a-hole policy'. And it seems to work. These dudes draw a rockin' crowd and keep it going with a a good vibe. And fun the whole ride. Yee ha!

Located in Polk Gulch at Sutter near Polk. And yes, we refuse to use the term TenderNob. Oh and there's a parking garage across the street thank god.

R Bar
1176 Sutter St.
San Francisco, 94109
(415) 567-7441

Top of the Mark - Nob Hill

If you listen to one word we say...Martini Menu. Well that's two words but wtf. I believe, at last count, these folks had more than a hundy martinis on their menu. That, a view to kill for, and an old-school (o-l-d) jazz music vibe make it a fun place to take outta towners, but also just to revisit a cool place in the city yourself. So what if it's jammed with touristicas?

Grab yourself a Snicker-tini (yeah, that's right - a Snicker's flavored martini), some overpriced bar snacks and GET FUNKY! Once per year you should hit this spot. And if you are one of the aforementioned touristicas first, welcome to SF, and second, take the long elevator ride up to the Top and see the city from the best vantage point around. Don't wear shorts and really don't whine about the bill;)

Top of the Mark (Mark Hopkins Hotel)
One Nob Hill (999 California St.)
San Francisco, CA 94108
415-392-3434