Angie S.

Bocadillos

cute atmosphere, decent food, fast service. not very authentic but tasty. The lamb bocadillo was really juicy and the cream of brocolli soup was good. the mixed greens was pretty boring (literally only greens, no tomatoes, nust, cheese... just lettuce)

Excluded from Almaden Cabana Club fundraiser because expired

Bittersweet Cafe

Located in the heart of Pacific Heights on Filmore Street, Bittersweet is a chocolate lovers haven.

Their specialty is hot chocolate (with 6 different variations) and homemade expresso marshmellows (and yes, there are as good as they sound)

They also have a wide selection of preium chocolate bars from around the world and cute gifts

Only cons are the price ($4 for hot chocolate! even tops Starbucks) and the hours (they close at 9PM)

Definitely worth checking out!
Here is their website www.bittersweet-cafe.com

Excluded from Almaden Cabana Club fundraiser because expired

The Front Porch

I LOVE THIS PLACE! yes, its out there (bernal heights/outer mission) but so worth it.

They have an actual front porch with rocking chairs! How long has it been since the last time you say in a rocking chair on a warm night and drank a beer?

As for the decor insider.. think Caribbean soul mixed with 1950's American kitchen and you are close. Small, cozy, and packed! Very casual

The owner Kevin greeted our party of 3 by introducing himself and asking our names. The 30 minute wait was a pleasure due to aforementioned porch (and not bad for a Sat night at 9PM)

The meal itself was so fun! Our waitress was wonderful. She spent 10 minutes describing all her favorite dishes and by the time she walked away she had put together a family style 3 course dinner for us.

The Red Bean Coconut Soup, Fried Chicken (YUMMY!), and Homeade Plaintain chips and hot suace were the most memorable for me.

Desert is where it gets interesting. Our server treated us to an off-menu concoction or Fried Chocolate Toast. Having trouble visualizing this one? Think PB sandwich but with chocolate ganache and fried like french toast topped with caramel sauce and sweat cream. That's called nasty goodness!

This place is new, and was clearly bending over backwards to provide great service and make sure everyone in the place was having a great time. My Advice, Keep it up!

I highly recommend the trip out!

I will be back to this place for sure!

Excluded from Almaden Cabana Club fundraiser because expired

La Belle Day Spas & Salons

Had a gift certificate for a massage, so decided to check it out. The massage itself was great and I love the fireplace waiting area. Big bummer for me was the cramped dressing area with no steamroom or sauna.

Excluded from Almaden Cabana Club fundraiser because expired

Canteen Corp

Really enjoyed brunch at Canteen last weekend. The place itself is tiny with about 5 booths (tight for more than 2) and 10ish counter spots, so probably not good for parties larger than 3. The decor is urban/trendy with the vibe is casual neighborhood diner. Loved the bright green counter top. I had the Albacore and tomato omelet. I was super weary of mixing eggs with tuna, but the really nice waitress encouraged me to try it. In retrospect it was more of a dare... either-way, I was not disappointed. It was really good! My friend has the cornbeef has which she enjoyed as well. Overall a great departure from my typical eggs and bacon brunch. Highly recommend!

Excluded from Almaden Cabana Club fundraiser because expired

Ace Wasabi's Rock N Roll Sushi

If you are looking for a quiet traditional japonese sushi place.. this is NOT the place for you. Located Smack dab in the center of the Marina off chestnut, Ace Wasabi is always packed and loud. The good news, though, is the sushi is actully pretty good. U2 roll is my favorite!

They don't take reservations and the wait can be horrendous, but it you don't mind sitting a the bar (that's what we did) you can avoid the wait.

Excluded from Almaden Cabana Club fundraiser because expired

Slide

Here's the scoop on Slide, the newest addition to SF's club scene.

The set-ups reminds me of Marquee or Cain in NYC, with large U-shaped booths set up for bottle service. There is a huge bar in the middle with lots of mingling room for those who aren't into the table thing (which in SF is prob the majority)

The decor is swanky 1920's Prohibition era... down to ever detail. Apparently it used to be speak-easy which inspired the theme. My favorite touches were the in-character flapper girls who roamed around all night (accents and all) and the crystals in the ladies bathroom. I heard that even the sprinklers where hand-dipped in bronze to match the decor. Now that's dedication!

There is also an actual slide you take to get down to the bar (to go along with the prohibition theme). It was pretty entertaining just to watch people's faces as they came down. Its hard not to feel like a 6 year old

As for the scene, I think its too early to tell. Most people were looking to have a good time and meet new people which was refreshing. It was a slow start, but by 1AM the whole place was dancing. We left at 2, but i think they stayed open until 3, which in SF is huge!

The music evolved throughout the evening, from swanky lounge to hip hop dance later in the night which I loved

The drinks were pretty expensive, but I guess that's to be expected

Overall, I really liked it and had a good time, and will def go back. I just hope they have more cute boys next time!

Excluded from Almaden Cabana Club fundraiser because expired

Auto Pride Car Wash

I went here today to get my oil changed b/c I saw they were running a special for oil change and full service car wash for $37.95. Unfortunately that's when the good news stops.

The service man tried to convince me I needed synthetic oil for my 99 VW Jetta (which would bump the oil change price up to $70!) When I questioned why I had never heard this before, he developed a smart-ass attitude and told me that I should read my owner's manual. I managed to hold my ground and told him to use the same 10W-40 I have been using for 6 years, but not without feeling totally taken for a ride.

When I came to pick up the car, the technican in question did apologize for his attitude, which I appreciated, but all the same I still hold a grudge for him trying to make me feel like an idiot and sell me a $70 oil change.

As for the full service car wash, I was very disappointed. The interior was vacummed but they didn't even bother to wipe down the dash or the cup holders. I can only hope the half ass job was due to the promotion. I can't imagine paying full price for that!

PROS: carwash+oil change in one stop, fast service
CONS: attitude, quality, price

Excluded from Almaden Cabana Club fundraiser because expired

Lion Pub

This dual function bar is part neighboorhood chill bar with lots of cozy tables, a fireplace, and free cheese and fruit bar... and part pick-up scene with its dim lights, long bar, and abundance of preppy pac heights boys ready to talk to the pretty girls as they order drinks. As for drinks, their signature fresh squeeze Greyhound is fabulous and surprisingly not overpriced at $5. The decor is hard to desribe... part jungle theme with lots of plants and wood furniture and part old men's club room with gold ornaments and animal statues

As for the crowd, it trends a little older than the marina, but definitely still a preppy crowd.

Excluded from Almaden Cabana Club fundraiser because expired

Blue Jeans Bar

So, I agree with the other reviews about ambiance of store, uniqueness of concept (its super fun to order jeans at a bar!) and helpfulness of the staff. There are however a few drawbacks to be aware of

1) they are frequently out of popular styles/sizes. While they do create a waitlist, it kills the whole instant gratification thing.

2) Their prices are defintely higher than most department stores. You can argue that the service is worth it, though

All in all, a great retail concept that I will continue to visit.

PROS: selection, fun factor
CONS:

Excluded from Almaden Cabana Club fundraiser because this business exceeds the payable review_maximum