We believe in being service-y now and again, and to share important advice that will spare you from misery, money wasting, and bad service. So please allow us to remind you again this year of a few places you should absolutely avoid this St. Patty’s Day weekend, at least if you are an adult who does not appreciate being elbowed, spilled upon, and generally humiliated. And since the holiday falls on Sunday, you can expect the whole weekend, starting today at happy hour, to be generally unpleasant at many venues.
Via our list from last year, we’ll reiterate…
The Don’t Go List:
1. Johnny Foley’s - Lines at the door from here to Sunday, amateurs who don’t know any better places to go.
2. The Irish Bank - See above.
3. Mad Dog In the Fog - Flying darts, will surely be crowded.
4. The Phoenix - In the heart of the Mission, definitely shit-showy.
5. Monaghan’s - The Marina + green beer = bad news.
To that list we’ll also add Kelley’s in Cow Hollow, The Buena Vista Cafe near Ghirardelli Square (which every tourist guide will alert people to as the home of the Irish coffee), The Chieftain in SoMa, Danny Coyle’s in the Lower Haight, and O’Reilly’s in North Beach.
The Do Go List:
1. Little Shamrock - Way out in the Sunset, you should be safe at this, one of the oldest bars in the city.
2. The Plough & Stars - Out in the Richmond, pretty mature usually, and featuring live Irish music.
3. The Liberties - At the foot of Liberty Hill, this should be a pretty safe bet.
4. The Page - Not an Irish bar! And therefore, despite its loyal and large clientele, still could be a safe choice in the Haight environs.
5. Magnolia Pub - Not a ton of room for crowding, and good food to boot.
6. The Showdown - It’s a one-day Irish bar pop-up, called McFitzie’s, and it’s on 6th Street on Saturday. This will definitely be a cooler, more low-key crowd.
ALSO: The Napper Tandy, Valley Tavern, Truck (for the gays), and The Dubliner.
