Bix
In addition to nightly dinners, Bix is also open for Lunch on Fridays. The lively bar offers a diverse wine list and cocktail menu that earned Bix the "Best in the City" by readers of the San Francisco Chronicle. Barmen mix myriad libations with classic cocktails such as Martinis and Sidecars. Bix's wine list offers everything from premium Cabernets and Champagnes to vintage by the glass values. After dinner, patrons savor an aged Eau de Vie, a rare Cognac or a snifter of Mendocino brandy blended by Biederbeck himself.
The Scene
A high-ceilinged, two-story dining room rich with details draws business lunchers, but the joint is better cast as a leisurely pit stop for a Rat Packer and his dolled-up date. The long mahogany bar is impossible to ignore, and cocktails both classic and inventive are a strong suit. The '30s supper-club theme extends to the service, which is knowledgeable and precise; it's a joy to watch the waiter compose a steak tartare or bananas Foster tableside.
The Food
Updated renditions of American supper-club fare reign here, with a few twists and the occasional dip into regional cuisine; the results are usually satisfying, if not quite transcendent. Roast quail with potato-and-olive ravioli is succulent and creative. Try the inch-thick potato pancake, delightfully crispy, with smoked salmon and creme fraiche, or the juicy and iconic club burger, draped with bacon.
Know Before You Go
Nightly jazz enhances the '30s-style atmosphere.
What to Drink
Bix is known for its classic martinis.
Specialties: Bartenders, Fine Dining, Martini
Hours: Mon-Tue 4:30pm-10pm, Wed 4:30pm-10:30pm, Thu 4:30pm-11pm, Fri 11:30am-12am, Sat 5:30pm-12am, Sun 5:30pm-10pm