Check this: a dimly lit wooded bar, with high ceilings and naked light bulbs hanging in front of a wall of booze and chalkboards displaying more types of whisky than you ever knew existed. Cast your eyes further back and you have a cosy dining room, with works of art moonlighting as plates of food, which smell amazing. This small haven nestled amongst the post-hippy-now-grunge area of Haight-Ashbury offers some of the best cocktails in the city - if you can find parking, that is.

Classic cocktails, such as a Jack Rose with Applejack, grenadine and lime, are right at home next to the new school ones, like the Southern Exposure which has Junipero gin, lime, celery juice, mint and a touch of sugar. Feeling indecisive? Tell the bartender what you like and they’ll happily grab the reins and take you for a spin. Start off with ‘just one cocktail’, and next thing you know it’s been a four course meal and a tour of the whisky shelf. Time flies with friendly, intelligent staff, who love finding and exploiting your weaknesses. This is the bar that teaches you what gin you like and just how you like your Old Fashioned. Amen.

It's almost always busy here, so it's a good thing there's an expansion in the works. More room, means more whisky, which BarChick likes just fine.