by Antwan Debeer on At the last minute, my sister picked this place for her girls only birthday dinner and it was fantastic! Thankfully, we made a reservation Saturday morning (and added more people throughout the day) with no problem. Our server was really friendly and we had a pretty large group of picky girls and he navigated through our drink and food orders like a pro and even surprised us by providing separate checks at the end of the meal, so we didn't have to mess with it! Usually an avid wine drinker, I decided to be adventurous and try something off the cocktail menu. I had a Yellow Roses to start and it was the perfect drink for a summer night. The lavender-infused vodka was sweet and the lemon made the drink light and fresh. I got a little more daring on my second drink, trying the Fancy...it has egg whites in it, so I was a little scared, but it was also delish! These people know how to make a good drink! I had the duck confit pizza as my meal (really good, but really salty and the dough was a little too doughy) and we split the mac and cheese and spaetzle - both melt in your mouth, I have to have another spoonful right this second amazing. The sides are perfect for splitting among people and were rich enough that you only needed a couple bites to feel satisfied. Overall, we couldn't have asked for a better low key girls night out birthday celebration (that didn't break the bank) and I will be back here time and time again to try out more cocktails!
by Shad Grebe on Thank goodness I have awesome friends who make up for being at craptastic places. We stayed up in the loft mostly. A $40 minimum for a tab is the most I've ever seen; even clubs I've been to in Vegas don't charge that much. After I got over that and bought 4 drinks, I go to close my tab and I noticed the receipt was for about $10 more. I asked the bartender why my bill was more and he said gratuity is included. The funny thing is, it wasn't listed as a line item or anything, and there was still an additional line for tip. For all I know, this bartender could've just been charging my card more and just saying it was gratuity. My friend said something about the loft being a VIP area. Just because it may be a VIP area, doesn't mean crappy bartenders have a right to just get tips. Maybe if I had bottle service or if I was at a restaurant and actually had a server taking orders, bringing out food, etc. I would understand the included gratuity, but let's be real. Does Vanguard have to have a minimum that much because it can't afford the service charges from credit card companies? I guess that $12 drinks can't cover overhead costs and employees' salaries, so they need the $40 minimum and included gratuity.
by Timothy O. on In San Francisco, we're blessed with an abundance of cool live venues. Cafe du Nord is my favorite for smaller acts. It's conveniently located on upper Market, near the Castro and Lower Haight, and a streetcar/MUNI ride from downtown. You walk in by walking down stairs. A long bar is on your right, and the stage is through a separate larger doorway. That leaves enough space for people who are more interested in meeting than music, and also allows for merch tables. There's also a pool table way in the corner, and a couch for those who'd rather watch people than bands. The sight lines to the stage are not as good as Bimbo's, The Fillmore, or even Slim's, but if you can get one of the few tables on the side, you'll be in good shape. I've seen one or two people eat there, but I can't comment on the raves the food has gotten. The club has been doing a great job of booking indie/alternative acts there recently. The Trash Can Sinatras, Michael Penn, and local favorites Rogue Wave all come to mind. I don't think the acts can actually leave the venue from the stage door, so it's easy to meet the artist after the show for an autograph. You can sign up for weekly emails of upcoming shows, see a calendar of shows for Cafe du Nord and their sister venue The Swedish American Hall, by going to http://www.cafedunord.com. Sadly, you need to use http://ticketweb.cominstead of http://virtuous.comto buy advance tickets.
