Bloodhound
Certain barroom themes virtually guarantee abundant boozing, like, say, "Mexican Cantina", "Sports", or the under-appreciated classic, "I've Just Savagely Riddled a Covey of Quail with Buckshot". Going for the latter, Bloodhound.
Co-owned by the guy behind The Ambassador/Double Dutch and his sommelier friend, Bloodhound's a hunting lodge-styled watering hole housed in the almost impenetrable thicket of SOMA. Saunter in, and you'll see an entry of woven leather couches and rocking chairs, while beyond are raw redwood communal tables, a 30ft wood grain bar lit by Edison chandeliers, and scads of old Field & Stream ads, reminding you of those halcyon days of...going to the dentist. Brews (10 drafts, 10 bottles) are mostly local or Belgian, from Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout, to Stone IPA, to La Chouffe; no-f'ing-around specialty cocktails include the Buffalo Trace/house-made grenadine "Ward 8" and the Herradura Silver/lime/curacao "Rickey RicardO", a drink made for true Ball-ers.
In the rear's a pool table lit up by a chandelier of antlers, and the co-owners are also currently engaged in a civilized argument about whether to install Big Buck Hunter -- because another theme that encourages drinking is "Stroking Brilliantly Colored Three-Foot-Long Weapons".
