It’s become a thing for bars to host holiday-themed pop-ups and “experiences” in December, and it’s happening again in many spots around San Francisco and beyond.
Whether you’re looking to throw on a Christmas light necklace and antlers and have a blast with your friends, or you’re just a fan of elaborate toys, now is the season for wreaths and kitschy festive drinks to drown out the election sadness.
These six bars and pop-ups across the city are serving up the best holiday-themed drinks to cheer your bucks on.
3rd Annual Causewells Holiday Experience
There are several holiday-themed events happening at the marina (see Mistletoe below), but perhaps the most interesting of this year’s array of holiday-themed drinks can be found at Causewells . Bar Manager Elmer Mehicanos is going wild with his original creations for the Christmas season, both here and at his new low-alcohol sister restaurant, Lila, next door. Don’t miss it if you’re feeling tipsy or want to start off slow. One of Lila’s spiced old fashioneds, or fancy kakagori (shaved ice) drinks. In addition to Causewell’s full menu of traditional drinks and a great food menu, the Holiday Experience menu includes two frozen cocktails. I recommend the Elvis Christmas featuring whiskey, banana, peanuts, oloroso sherry and oat milk. And there’s also a wonderful tarragon mistletoe negroni with cranberries. We also recommend the Grinch, for both flavor and glam, featuring Cenote Blanco Tequila, Liquor 43, fig leaf, kiwi, pandan, and a printed rice paper image of the Grinch himself seen above.
2346 Chestnut Street, open daily until 9 or 10 p.m.
Miracle @ PCH
Perhaps the first bar in town to go all out for Christmas was Pacific Cocktail Heaven, which threw itself into the Miracle pop-up in December 2017 and never looked back. Miracle is now an international phenomenon, with unique products and a standardized cocktail menu at more than 120 locations (including those in the Bay Area), so if you’re looking for something uniquely San Francisco-inspired, If so, this may not be the store for you. place. However, if you want to buy brandy in a barrel-shaped mug that says “Fa-La-La-La-La” to take home, this is the place. Please note that there is a $10 compensation and we accept reservations for groups of 6 or more via Tock.
550 Sutter Street, Monday-Saturday, 3pm-midnight through December
Mistletoe (multiple locations)
This year, the pop-up will be held in three different locations across the city. That’s Mistletoe, which has taken over Summer Place in Nob Hill, Wizards & Ones in Lombard, and a few spots next door. Miracle at 580 Sutter Street. Wizards & Ones is the largest space next to country bar Westwood, and the menu includes variations on espresso martinis as well as a rum-infused hot cocoa called Apres Ski.
801 Bush Street, 580 Sutter Street, 2030 Lombard Street
Shipping Santa @ Kona’s Street Market
“Sippin’ Santa” is a tropical-themed offshoot of “Miracle,” currently held at dozens of locations across California and the country, including the Flamingo Resort in Santa Rosa. Co-owned by PCH founder Kevin Diedrich, Kona’s is covered in Christmas lights and other kitschy touches, and the menu, created by Jeff “Beach Bum” Berry, features a spiced ice cream called Holiday on Ice. It leans heavily toward tiki drinks with a spicy White Russian variation. , Sugar Plum Mai Tai. Like Miracle, it has a $10 cover.
32 3rd Street, Tuesday-Thursday 4pm-10pm, Friday 4pm-11pm, Saturday 6pm-11pm
Vault Garden Winter Wonderland
This holiday pop-up at Vault Garden is in its third year and features a menu of festive drinks, both cold and hot. This year’s menu features a kind of cognac and rum milk punch made with persimmon, pineapple, allspice, citrus, and a ginger snap-washed milk whey called Beautiful Sight. There’s also a hot drink called Happy Tonight, which is made with chocolate liqueur, green chartreuse, cinnamon, brown sugar and oat milk. This place has the added bonus of having a full all-day food menu, so you can add a solid burger and Dungeness crab dip to make lunch or dinner.
555 California Street, Monday through Friday, 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Victoria Holidays @ Elixir
One of the Mission District’s OG cocktail spots, Elixir offers unique cocktails for the holidays, including Aged Egg Nog, which is aged in glass for a year before being released each December. Masu. You can also get regular house nog mixed with your favorite spirit. Also vanilla ice cream, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, vanilla, cardamom.
3200 16th Street in Guerrero. Mondays and Tuesdays from 4pm to 10pm. Wednesday 4pm to 12am. Thursday, Friday 4pm-2am Saturday 12pm-2am. Sunday 2pm to 10pm
