San Francisco’s Historic Barbary Coast Bars

Legendary San Francisco columnist Herb Caen once described Zam Zam as, “a place that time forgot, its curving bar filled with worshipers sitting in silent contemplation of the silver bullet in its graceful stemmed glass.” And Zam Zam, with its art deco-tinged aura of Middle Eastern decadence does feel like a carefully preserved piece of Hollywood-influenced history. Originally called Persian Aub Zam Zam, the bar opened on Haight Street in 1941, and stood strong under the iron fisted-ownership of Bruno Mooshei until he passed away in 2000, at the age of 80. (Getting kicked out by Bruno was something of a rite of ...

Don’t let the lack of frills or the decidedly tourist-centric address deter you from a visit to the legendary Buena Vista Café. Located at the intersection of the Powell-Hyde Street cable car line and the San Francisco Bay, the Buena Vista is known for one thing, and one thing only: the Irish Coffee, a heady, sweet mix of strong black brew, Irish whisky, sugar and thick cream. Credited with introducing the drink to the U.S. (it was invented after a particularly stormy, harrowing flight to Shannon, Ireland), the Buena Vista still makes a textbook-perfect version: sweet enough to trick you into discrediting the generous ...

Comstock Saloon sits on some old foundations; it was formerly a real Western saloon, and one that still includes the pisser trough from a different century. Maybe more notably, though, it was one of the first bars in San Francisco to counter the fetishized cocktail movement with a decidedly laid back approach to drinks. When Jonny Raglin and Jeff Hollinger diverged from the seven-ingredient cocktail formula in 2010, they helped droves rediscover the simple joys of Southsides and the west-coast classic Pisco Punch.

Heinold’s has been holding court in Jack London Square since before the lauded West Coast writer had risen to prominence (and certainly before he was old enough to drink). Located next to one of the Port of Oakland’s major marinas, Heinold’s has maintained its crusty sailor spirit, thanks, in large part, to the original gas lamps, wood-burning stove, tilting floor (courtesy of the 1906 earthquake) and decided sense of history. London, of course, was a regular in his day and the locals will tell you he worked on drafts and gained inspiration for his books here. These days, the surrounding square has been cleaned up ...

“This is an old place,” declares the descriptor on the Hotel Utah’s menu. Old, indeed—especially for a young state such as California. The Utah was built in 1908, and—modern conveniences aside (plumbing, ATM Machine)—it’s easy to believe that not much has changed in the last 100-plus years. Everything, from the old-school neon sign to the appropriately scuffed mahogany bar provides a decided contrast to its surrounding SOMA environs; tech companies come and go, but the Utah remains. Whether you’re stopping by for a beer before a baseball game, grabbing an after-work-drink with co-workers, or making a night of it with ...

The eccentricity of San Francisco—in all its left wing, bawdy glory—is on full display at Specs’, also known as the Adler Museum Cafe. The bar doubles as a pack rat’s dream; walls are covered with photos, paintings and taxidermy with wooden tables and chairs crowded in anywhere they’ll fit. Sitting across the street from City Lights Bookstore and Vesuvio, Specs’ completes a North Beach beat-trifecta, despite being a relatively new kid on the block. Opened in 1968, Specs’ was, and is, a regular hangout for the neighborhood’s writers and musicians, who may well break out into an impromptu poetry slam or jazz piano ...

Tadich has staked its claim as the oldest restaurant in California (it has origins in an 1849 coffee stand), and its traditional, seafood-heavy menu of Gold Rush-era favorites is as accurate a portrait of San Francisco culinary history as you’re likely to find. Appropriately, it’s a fine place to drink, too. The restaurant’s tagline, “The Cold Day Restaurant,” paints an apt picture of Tadich’s appeal; this is the kind of place you want to hunker down on a particularly foggy San Francisco day. The space is a study in heavy, dark woods and white tablecloths—the long, wooden bar is the place to be, whether you’re ...

Get in touch with your inner sailor over a cold beer (or a bracing glass of Pisco Punch) at The Old Ship Saloon, a bar that sits above the final resting place of the Arkansas, a three-masted ship that arrived in San Francisco in 1849. The ship’s hull was an actual bar for a brief period (it was dismantled in 1859), but the space still serves as a bustling neighborhood bar replete with refurbished wood and exposed brick. A full menu of bar food classics (plus, breakfast service) gives you plenty of reasons, beyond booze, to stop by. Expect a busy lunchtime crowd from Financial District offices and nearby North Beach, ...

There are dive bars, and then there are dive bars with a century and a half of history behind them. The Saloon is one such place, having been in continuous operation since opening in 1861. Based on the look (and smell) of the joint, not much has changed since. Everything about the dark, dingy space evokes an era of hard-living regulars; the Gold Rush may be over, but the crusty clientele remain. Still, The Saloon is the place for a cold one (plus something strong, straight and brown). Its staying power is definitely a part of the appeal; it survived the Big One in 1906, after all, and because, legend has it, the ...

Established in 1907, The Savoy has long prided itself being a cross-section of society: “A favorite of Hippies and Beats, Punks and Preps, Ladies and Gents.” The sprawling, Grant Street bar complete with a covered front patio has seen its fair share in the buzzing North Beach neighborhood over the past century. But these days, the biggest cross-section may be between old-time regulars and the rowdy Saturday night crowd. It serves both groups admirably; the former can be seen crowded around patio tables during the afternoon, while the latter packs it in come nightfall for shots, photo booth shoots and maybe a phone ...

Descending into the Tonga Room, housed in the lower level of the stately Fairmont Hotel atop Nob Hill, feels simultaneously like entering another world and time period. From the dangerously sweet tiki cocktails to the periodic indoor “rainstorms,” the Tonga Room is all kitsch, all the time. Drinks are more balanced than you’d expect, though beware the shareable punch bowls. Try to score a seat by the indoor swimming pool from which the Island Groove Band, playing on a raft, will serenade you with Golden Oldies. You’ll probably take to the dance floor after the third round of drinks.

It’s all about the midcentury glam at Tony Nik’s, a well-appointed North Beach lounge that would make the Rat Pack feel right at home. The bar opened in 1933, immediately after Prohibition was repealed, and has since excelled at serving classic cocktails with a decided sense of style. The dimly lit bar is flanked by a glass checkerboard with a sultry lounge tucked in the back. Ensconce yourself in one of the champagne-colored banquettes, draw the curtain and indulge in a little time travel.

Tosca's House "Cappuccino," an armagnac and bourbon-spiked chocolate milk, has been going strong since 1919. A requisite for regulars and tourists alike, the drink is made beneath the hulking metal coffee urn, Tosca's most notable fixture. This neon-adorned North Beach space has welcomed celebrities and A-Listers for years, and while it's recently been re-vamped by the New York team behind The Spotted Pig and The Breslin, the theme remains Italian. The wine list, a collection of both classic and more esoteric Italian wines (helmed by Ceri Smith of Biondovino) is joined by a robust selection of amari, assembled by bar ...