House of Shields: Because I had to...

As I've mentioned in earlier posts, San Francisco is a commuter's city. Thousands of people, including myself, live (and die) by the transit schedule. In fact, right now the entire city is on edge as it prepares for yet another BART employee strike which will cripple it. I've never visited the 5th level of Hell, but I've always imagined it being something close to Bay Area traffic during commute hours in the middle of a BART strike (it happened about 3 months ago, trust me, my analogy is accurate). And if you're a frequent passenger, you're familiar with delays and the long gaps between trains. Fortunately for myself I've found a solution - it's a drinking establishment that's older than the street it's on, and it's right across market street next to the nearest BART and MUNI station: "The House of Shields".

One of the things I really like about this place, apart from it's convenient location, is the whole look and feel. Because the bar has been around since 1908, it still maintains the unique look and feel from that era. I'm talking about brass lighting sculptures, elaborate wood interior, small intimate booths, and a nice loft area with rattan furniture to lounge and hangout with friends. Even the bartenders there wear the old school barman uniforms - white dress shirt with a black tie and apron. And they're pretty sharp too. Not only are they quick to take your drink order and make it fast, but they don't mind a little bit of conversation or back-and-forth. There's a cozy intimate vibe here with the music at just the right level so you can actually be social, not have crappy pop music blasting in your ears. And people wonder why there's nostalgia for traditional American bars? I think not.

Another little charm of this place is their menu. It's pretty narrow when it comes to cocktails, but just a bartender what you want and they'll pour a damn good (and strong) one. They have a pretty knowledgeable staff when it comes to classic old-school cocktails. The beer list is also minimal, but it gets the job done; they have a sweet porter on tap as well as some hoppy selections. But if you come here for the first time, I would highly recommend you try their "Moscow Mule" as they're famous for it. It's a sweet little vodka and ginger beer concoction that they serve in a copper mug. I guarantee if you go anytime during peak hours on a Thursday or Friday night, you'll find at least a few people drinking them - they allegedly serve the best ones on the city.

Because of it's location, House attracts an eclectic mix of people. On any given night it attracts the business crowd from the financial district to hipsters, the 'Twitter-ati', or others. But the crowd is usually pretty mellow, apart from the occasional jackass who's crying to a bartender about his Manhattan not being perfect. And because of its size, it also can get pretty packed, especially during the holidays. As it gets closer to Christmas, there's often a private party during the evenings for a group of office workers or the like. But just be patient, for many people it's just a stop in their extensive night of pub crawling. I've spent many late nights here waiting for the next BART train and I imagine I'll spend more. Here there's no clock on the wall for a reason, I feel like the train is waiting for me.