Zagat Releases 2013 San Francisco Nightlife Survey Covering 601 Bay
Area Nightspots
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Zagat
released the results of its 2013 San Francisco Bay Area
Nightlife Survey, covering 601 bars, clubs, lounges, and
restaurants. The Survey is based on the voting of 3,617 night owls.
The burgundy Zagat guidebook is now available in stores, while the
ratings and reviews are available for free across Google Maps,
Search, Google+, and mobile.
Winners: The "gorgeous Carmel sunset" provides a
top-rated experience at Sunset Lounge in the Hyatt Carmel
Highlands, this year's winner for Top Atmosphere, while Bourbon
& Branch in the Tenderloin won for its "swanky" Decor. Over
in Hayes Valley, "friendly" bartenders "make you feel right at
home" at Top Service winner, Place Pigalle, and
surveyors chose the "long-standing" 1015 Folsom in SoMa as
their Most Popular nightspot. The full list of winners is: (S) =
South of San Francisco; (N) =
North of San Francisco
Atmosphere
|
Decor
|
Service
|
Popularity
|
1. Sunset Lounge (S)
|
1. Bourbon & Branch
|
1. Place Pigalle
|
1. 1015 Folsom
|
2. Bourbon & Branch
|
2. Ritz-Carlton Lobby Lounge
|
2. Residence
|
2. 111 Minna
|
3. Hotel Biron
|
3. Redwood Room
|
3. Mansion Lounge (N)
|
3. Bourbon & Branch
|
4. Top of the Mark
|
4. Sunset Lounge (S)
|
4. Ritz-Carlton Lobby Lounge
|
4. Ruby Skye
|
5. Ritz-Carlton Lobby Lounge
|
5. Smuggler's Cove
|
5. Twin Peaks Tavern
|
5. Britannia Arms (S)
|
What's New: Among this year's list of 39 notable
additions to the nightlife scene is Oakland cocktail bar Plum Bar,
the Survey's Top Newcomer, considered by surveyors to be "a great
place to chat with friends." Rounding out the list of top-rated
newcomers are (in order), the "hip" "retro" Mission Bowling
Club, SoMa's "fairly secret" Monarch, "upscale" The
Grand and the "smokin' hot" Penthouse San Francisco,
located on Telegraph Hill.
Hot 'Hoods: As always, the Mission is still one of
the liveliest nightlife destinations in San Francisco, with new nightspots this year
including the "reasonably priced" Rock Bar, complete with a
pool table and jukebox, the swanky Victorian parlor The Armory
Club, and live-music venue The Chapel, located in
a former chapel on Valencia Street. Elsewhere in the city, SoMa is
buzzing with the sleek happy hour spot Alibi Restaurant &
Lounge, weekend DJ hotspot Qi Ultra Lounge and
the Edgar Allen Poe themed Raven Bar among its new nightlife
residents, while Polk Gulch – arguably the most up-and-coming
nightlife neighborhood – welcomed newcomers including the
industrial-chic Hi-Lo Club from the former crew of KoKo
Cocktails, Playland, in the old Kimo's space, and Soda
Popinski's, the latest expansion of the team behind
Russian Hill's Tonic, Bullitt, and Dr.
Teeth & the Electric Mayhem in the Mission.
Trend Watch: When it comes to nightlife in the Bay
Area, there's something for everyone. The speakeasy trend continues
to spread with bar-within-a-bar standout The Hancock
Room(inside North Beach's Sip Bar) and bespoke
cocktails at the ironically named Big in the Tenderloin. For
those seeking cocktail specialists, the East Bay is experiencing a
renaissance with Top Newcomer Plum Bar, as well as
original and revived cocktails at Fauna, top-shelf
spirits from Alex Smith (ex-Gitane)
at Honor Bar and midpriced libations at
Prizefighter, both located in Emeryville.. Meanwhile, oenophiles can
take a flight from the "super-knowledgeable staff" of Cask Wine
Bar in San Carlos, who
navigate visitors through a global wine selection, or experience
new wine bars such as Healdsburg's
Bergamot Alley, the "upscale without being pretentious"
EtceteraWine Bar in the Mission, and SoMa's
Jamber Wine Pub.
Trailblazers: Among the unique nightlife options
in the Bay Area are Cerveceria de MateVeza in the
Castro, serving unusual beers that are naturally caffeinated
because they are brewed with yerba mate, as well as Polk Gulch's
Upcider, where dozens of ciders from around the world
are made available to customers.
More Winners: Winners across other categories and
features include: (S) = South of San
Francisco; (N) = North of San
Francisco; (E) = East of San
Francisco
● After Work: Specs Bar
|
● Lesbian: Cafe
|
● Beer Specialists: Trappist
(E)
|
● Lounges: Ritz-Carlton Lobby
Lounge
|
● Cocktail Specialists: Bourbon &
Branch
|
● Music Performance Venue:
Fillmore
|
● Dance Club: Mighty
|
● Newcomer: Plum Bar (E)
|
● Frat House: Jupiter (E)
|
● People-Watching: Vesuvio
|
● Gay: Last Call
|
● Sports Bar: Danny Coyle's
|
● Hotel Bars: Sunset Lounge (Hyatt
Carmel)
|
● Strip Club: Penthouse SF
|
● Jazz Clubs: Rrazz Room
|
● Wine Bar: Hotel Biron
|
Restaurants: In addition to nightspots, this
year's Survey includes 107 restaurants with outstanding nightlife
scenes for views, meeting for a drink, or even grabbing a late
bite. Among the top spots by feature are Auberge du Soleil
(E) (Meet for a Drink), Ozumo (E/SF) (Single Scenes),
Nopa (Open Late) and Jardiniere
(People-Watching.)
Coming Up: As the guide went to print, a number of
exciting openings in San Francisco
remained on the horizon, including Ceri
Smith's (of wine shop Biondivino) now
open-for-business wine bar Et Al. in Russian Hill, The
Alchemist in SoMa, from Kinson
Lau (ex-Gitane), and cocktail bar Trick Dog in the
Mission, which is being decorated with salvaged materials.
Survey Details: The Zagat 2013 San Francisco
Bay Area Nightlife Survey was edited by Michele Laudig and Sharron Wood. Zagat's scores and reviews are
integrated across Google Maps, Search, Google+ and mobile. The
recently redesigned guidebook ($13.95) sports a new luxury matte cover with
user-friendly flaps, a fold-out city map and brighter paper stock
for easy reading. These elegant new guides make the perfect gift,
and are available wherever books are sold.
About Zagat:
Zagat is known as the "burgundy bible" and a trusted source for
consumer-generated survey information. With a worldwide network of
surveyors, Zagat rates and reviews restaurants, hotels, nightlife,
movies, music, golf, shopping and a range of other entertainment
categories and is lauded as the "most up-to-date," "comprehensive"
and "reliable" guide, published on all platforms. Zagat content is
integrated throughout Google, including Maps, Search, Google+ and
mobile. Zagat guidebooks are also available at all major retailers.
In September 2011, Zagat was acquired
by Google Inc.
About Google Inc.:
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SOURCE Zagat