Speakeasies resurface

The new breed of retro-style drinking clubs mix the allure of insider privilege with some seriously good cocktailing.

Camper English

San Francisco was dry during Prohibition, but this town wouldn’t let a Constitutional amendment get in the way of our fun. Many hotel basements housed speakeasies, where illicit booze and hot jazz were served to those with the secret password. Today, speakeasy-themed venues have sprung up on some of these original Prohibition-era sites. The newly opened Bourbon & Branch, with its burgundy velvet wallpaper and secluded location, has scenesters buzzing as if they’ve just downed a few pints of contraband hooch.

The decoy “Anti-Saloon League” sign and the slot in the door through which barflies announce themselves capture the insider feel of the old-time joints. Reservations are required, though walk-ins may be admitted if seats are available. Named after the classic cocktail featured on the extensive drink menu, Bourbon & Branch has a covetable scene, but its real draw is the speakeasy’s defining feature—booze.

Bourbon & Branch
8:53 p.m.

THE CROWD
Hip cocktail connoisseurs and the city’s best bartenders on their days off.

THE POUR
Well-made drinks that include classics such as the signature White Lady and new creations like the Rouge No. 10.

THE SOUND TRACK
Classic jazz and current down-tempo keep the mood mellow.

THE AMBIENCE
Low lighting and fine drinking make the perfect setting for a date (or an affair).

EAVESDROPPING
“Where’s the secret room?”

THE RESPONSE
Pay no attention to the curtain behind the record player!

501 jones st., s.f., 415-673-1921, www.bourbonandbranch.com.

Elsewhere

After a $2 million-plus restoration, the old speakeasy next to Ruby Skye—where guests during Prohibition entered via a hidden slide—has been resurrected as a lounge called, you guessed it, Slide. 430 Mason St., S.F., 415-421-1916, www.slidesf.com.

The candles give the laid-back Lone Palm a clandestine air. They also seal the bar’s reputation as the ideal spot to persuade a date to end the evening back at your place. 3394 22nd St., S.F., 415-648-0109.

Theatergoers no longer enter the Empire Plush Room through the tunnel beneath Sutter Street, but the show goes on with crooners like Rita Moreno singing beneath the stained glass ceiling. 940 Sutter St. S.F., 415-885-6800, www.empireplushroom.com.

Suicide hotlines and resources

If you or someone you know might be contemplating suicide, contact the following resources.

From their lips to the White House's ears

10/20/08—Copy chief & reviews editor Mia Lipman volunteers at a star-studded rally for words.

Burning Man Decompression 2008

10/14/08—Rebecca Pariser and her camera crash the annual Burning Man after party.

Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2008

Editorial intern and bluegrass musician Brian Heffernan reviews the eighth annual festival's highlights.

ARTS

Treasure Island Music Festival 2008

The eyes at San Francisco magazine capture two days of good, clean, carnival-themed fun at the second annual festival.

START/ EDIT NOTES

Nellie's gotta go

Irascible, iconoclastic, infectious—what made Don Nelson this way?

PUB NOTES

Publisher's note

When you’re traveling, sometimes knowing what’s ahead is even more exciting than anticipating the unknown.

Slaughterhouse redux

In a follow up to San Francisco's August feature on the future of slaughterhouses, Incanto chef Chris Cosentino offers a view of the past with a look at his collection of vintage abattoir photos.