Lan's #11-16: Shanghai Kelly's, The Buccaneer, Bourbon and Branch, 441, Rye, The Ambassador

Shanghai Kelly's
2064 Polk Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 771-3300

I always pass by Shanghai Kelly's on my way to North Beach, but I have never had the chance to stop in--mostly due to the parking situation in the neighborhood. However, we had some time before our reservation at Bourbon & Branch, and I really wanted to get some Nick's Crispy Tacos. When I walked in, everyone sitting at the bar was male...except Angelina!

They have Magner's, which I really appreciate. After a quick beer, we made our way to Nick's Crispy Tacos, only to find that they were closed for a private party! FUCKERS!

After the Buccaneer, we returned to Shanghai Kelly's for a quick $2 "Bart Simpson" shot--something with vodka, orange juice, pineapple...and other stuff. If you look on the wall behind the bar, there's a picture frame describing the $2 shot.

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The Buccaneer
2155 Polk Street
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 673-8023

After finding out that Nick's was closed, our options were to find more food or knock down another bar. When we passed this pirate-themed bar our choice was made--ARRRR!! A pint of Boddington's and a bottle of Magner's for $5.50 (it was happy hour). Great price! To top it off, we all got pirate-themed underwear at a discount!

My only complaint? The cock ring dispenser in the men's room was jammed. My seventy-five cents went back into my purse and we went to the next bar (actually, back to Shanghai Kelly's for a quick shot).

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Bourbon and Branch
501 Jones Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 673-1921

The speakeasy theme is kind of stupid and I felt like kind of an asshole saying the secret password ("mop") into the "secret" door on Jones and O'Farrell. The decor is quite nice once you get in, but the drinks are expensive and the tables are really skinny. The one thing I did enjoy was the bookcase which hid a door to another room (kind of like Anne Frank's hideout!). The free "amuse booze" that they gave us was rather untasty and my cucumber gimlet was pretty good, but I'd rather not have paid $10 for it. All in all, rather unexciting and we did not stay the full two hours that we'd reserved. Jamie can fill you in on further details.

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441
441 Jones St
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 474-2284

From the outside, it looks like a front for a brothel. When you walk inside, there's a simple bar, pool table, jukebox, and the wonderful aroma of popcorn! I love bars that serve popcorn. Even though I'd just eaten dinner, Jade the bartender put a plate of freshly microwaved popcorn in front of me and I ate the whole thing. Aside from our gang, there were four guys from the neighborhood (keep in mind we're in the TL) playing pool in the back. One of the regulars sitting at the bar was making kissy faces at the girls, which I tried to ignore. When he got up to hit on Angelina, the owner (an older Korean woman) grabbed the guy by the back of the collar, put him back in his seat, and apologized.

This is truly a neighborhood dive, so I just ordered a shot of Jager (this now common drink choice of mine can be blamed on Andy Vevers). I highly doubt anyone from the Marina-filled B&B bar a few doors down would ever spill into here. Oh, and I found no clues of it actually being a brothel. There were no males wandering in by themselves, and I couldn't find any secret doors when I went to the (very clean) bathroom.

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Rye
688 Geary Street
San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 474-4448

Right across the street from the Ambassador, Rye has this neat "outdoor cage" so that patrons can go out for a smoke and not get hassled by panhandlers (I'm guessing this is the reason, anyway). The inside area is also quite spacious with very high ceilings and brick walls...which means on a crowded night, it probably gets very loud in there. But it was Wednesday and NOT crowded...one of the benefits of living in the city. I ordered a basil martini (maybe not a martini--it was a basil something. Give me a break! It was the 5th bar of the evening and I was having trouble finding the buttons on my camera!). Jen the bartender was very nice. We told her about our project and she enthusiastically gave us a bunch of recommendations. Hopefully Jamie remembers, because I do not.

I didn't take very good pictures because my hands weren't steady enough for a non-flash shot. Here's proof:

Here's a shot of MinhCao imitating the guy from 441 hollering at Angelina:

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The Ambassador
673 Geary St.
San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 563-8192

When you walk in, the bar looks elegant, like a place you could wear an evening dress with long gloves to (at least it appeared that way to my drunk ass). There are pretty chandeliers on the ceiling, plush leather booths, a looooong bar, and a mezzanine with private bar. We scored the corner booth and discovered a telephone--in the booth! Angelina picked it up and heard a dial tone, but when I tried to dial, I was unsuccessful.

Since it was nearing the end of the night and I was already more tipsy than I should be on a school night, I ordered a quick shot of Jager so that driver Alden could take me and sleepy J home. The shots are served in thimble-sized metal thingies--hopefully they weren't too expensive.

I unintentionally skipped out on the check. Thanks for the drinks Minh!