San Francisco

Zeitgeistst 199 Valencia St., 415-255-7505. Some days you just need to be saved, from boredom, listlessness, work … whatever. Enter Zeitgeist—a place in San Francisco's Mission district where bikers, bohemians, ne'er-do-wells, and do-nothings can enjoy grimy environs, tasty pub food, and 30 different kinds of beer. The walls inside are haphazardly covered with signs, paintings, and posters—which are cool, but not the reason you're here. Rather, the draw is the spacious area of picnic tables in the backyard. This is the reason that Zeitgeist is great: a wide-open, airy swath of anything goes. "I was here one time when there was a backyard-wide game of spin the bottle going on," shares on local. "Classic San Francisco," she adds. Should you get blitzed or lucky, hotel rooms can be had upstairs for a reasonable rate.

500 Club 500 Guerrero St., 415-861-2500. This is a neighborhood bar, not a scene. It doesn't put on airs, it doesn't have a tagline, and its suspicious-looking carpet seems to be vacuumed very rarely. What it does have is a fireplace, plenty of cheap booze, and a lively and loyal clientele. Arrive early enough, and you may be able to snag the 500 Club's holy grail—a booth. From these vaunted, padded thrones you can witness everything that's great about this place: the interesting mix of people crowding around the circular bar, regulars playing pinball, and perhaps a dog sniffing for discarded popcorn on the floor. Show up with just $20 for the night and you should be able to amply self-inebriate. Plus, your booth status marks you as veritable royalty—people may come up and talk to you simply because you have a seat.


Hemlock Tavern 1131 Polk St., 415-923-0923, hemlocktavern.com. Sandwiched between gritty Polk Gulch and the watch-where-you-walk neighborhood known as the Tenderloin, Hemlock's vibe is suitably unrefined. Cheap drinks can be had at the spacious two-tiered, wraparound bar, and a buck buys you a bag of warmed peanuts (shells go on the floor, not the bar). Faded landscape paintings and amateur taxidermy create a kitschy, oddly welcoming setting. The tiny back room features unique (and often experimental) live acts in an intimate atmosphere. And in smoke-free San Francisco, the Hemlock's comfortable smoking lounge sets it apart from other bars that make customers stand outside for a drag. A grungy yet homey aesthetic pervades this gem where underground music fans and thrifty drinkers convene.

Related Links:
Double Down Saloon : http://www.doubledownsaloon.com/
Ivan Kane's Forty Deuce : http://www.fortydeuce.com/
Saint's & Sinners : http://www.saintsandsinnerslounge.net/
Clermont Lounge : http://www.clermontlounge.net/
Northside Tavern : http://www.northsidetavern.com/
Star Community Bar : http://www.starbaratlanta.com/
Hemlock Tavern : http://www.hemlocktavern.com/
Creekside Lounge : http://www.thecreeksidelounge.com/
Basement Pub : http://www.basementpub.com/
Velvet Lounge : http://www.velvetloungedc.com/
Wonderland Ballroom : http://www.wonderlandballroom.com/
Madam's Organ : http://www.madamsorgan.com/
CC Club : http://www.ccclubmpls.com/
Memory Lanes : http://www.memorylanesmpls.com/
Half Time Rec : http://www.halftimerec.com/
Pawn Shop Lounge : http://www.thepawnshoplounge.com/
Duff's Brooklyn : http://www.duffsbrooklyn.com/
Magnetic Field 97 : http://www.magneticbrooklyn.com/