San Francisco Hip Guide Part 1 – Drinking Like a Local

While most events in San Francisco happen at night, there is a sweet spot that's not too early, not too late, it's Happy Hour. Wherever you're from, you have it there too, but Happy Hours in San Francisco are not like other part of the country. Sure, there are the loosen your tie and grab a beer places, with flush face white guys yammering on about the account they just landed or techies, fresh off the trade-show floor at the convention center, but you need to avoid these places, There nothing you can not find anywhere at those spots. The Happy Hours you need to be at are at art galleries and hipster hole in the walls, with music, cheap drinks, dancing and attractive potential mates. Below are some of my top spots to stop for a beer when you want to hang out.

111 Minna – Check out the 111 Minna Gallery, especially on Wednesday nights for their long running Qool party. Two bars and hundreds of city hipsters congregating for DJs and socializing.

Elbo Room – Chicken wings on the grill and a huge outdoor patio, it's the alterna-hip spot for happy hour, located in the Mission. If you pay attention you might even get a free shot when they play the secret song. Hint: Think Dancing Queen.

Zeitgeist – Hey everybody, come to a big parking lot with port-o-potties and get drunk at picnic tables! I know I'm not selling it, but there are some places that can get away with being kinda nothing at base level, but they've got something that makes it the place to be. Zeitgeist is that dive.

Tokyo- A-Go-Go: With arguably the best sushi in San Francisco, Tokyo Go Go also has one of the best happy-hours in this city of plenty. Wide-open and lofty, there is so much space it is amazing that the servers can keep up with the crowd. Great fruit-infused snack cocktails tempt the senses while fresh sashimi and exciting rolls fill the void. Very Mission, very reasonable and very good.

Wish – If you work in SOMA or live anywhere near 11th and Folsom, hell even if you do not, you owe it to yourself to stop on down to Wish sometimes for their happy hour. With the dj playing chilled out electronica, a glass of complimentary peanuts and $ 2 Fat Tire in your hand, you will wonder how people manage to not make every night a happy hour. After you have that nice warm buzz from the drinks, you can head over to Bowser's pizza or to Sushi Groove across the street for some killer food and Sake.