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San Francisco

Trick Dog

time Everyday: 3pm - 2am

A once warehouse has been converted into this Mission District hangout offering a line up of quirky craft cocktails & eclectic small plates — Trick Dog nails it. 

OUR ARTICLE

BY: Alex Temblador Contributing writer

When you become an adult, suddenly, you have responsibilities (and for some of us, it was earlier than that). Maybe, it started with studying hundreds of hours for school while working over a 20-hour work week. Later, it turned into a full-time job that’s taxing on your mental state, and a house and a dog and maybe even a partner and kids. Taxes, mortgages, 401Ks, doctor appointments, bills – it all gets piled on you and you miss the days when life was easy.

And that’s why we go to bars. We seek out places where we can loosen our ties, chill in sneakers, socialize with friends, and sip on something that will make all those burdens disappear for just a moment. And if you can find a bar that promotes a bit of fun – even better.

We found such a bar in San Francisco. Meet: Trick Dog.

There’s nothing ostentatious about Trick Dog. The industrial style isn’t flashy. It’s practical, giving the place an authentic feel. On busy nights, the downstairs area is packed with visitors vying for a drink, and the upstairs area, filled with green and red old-fashioned chairs and wooden tables, is relaxed and intimate with patrons talking with good drinks in hand.

The folks at Trick Dog want you to have fun at their bar and they do that in an unique way. Every six months, they change the cocktail menu. While that doesn’t sound out of the ordinary, it is when you take a closer look. Currently, Trick Dog is rocking an aviation-themed menu titled “Trick Dog Airways,” which features international airports as drinks and a “frequent flyer” program that will make you want to come back for more.

In the past, they’ve had menus that look like Chinese restaurant menus, dog calendars, paint swatch books, and astrological calendars. Many of these menus are interactive. You might have to spin a wheel, flip a flap, or peruse through an artistic book to try a Trick Dog cocktail, the likes of which often reflect the menu’s theme. For instance, the Miguel Hidalgo y Costila Guadalajara, Jalisco airport in Mexico is a current drink of the Trick Dog Airways menu, made with Tequila Ocho Plata, Mezcal Union, Dolin blanc vermouth, mango, lime, and pico de gallo bitters on crush ice.

Trick Dog knows that no one should have to leave a fun spot to grab something to eat which is why they also have a small food menu with items like Frito pie, tuna ceviche tostada, fried brussels sprouts, French fries, dips, and other bites.

Trick Dog may be a bit quirky, but isn’t that what you want? A place to let you escape the monotonous drudgeries of life, a place where you can be you, and have a laugh or smile at a creative menu. That place is Trick Dog.

FIELD TIPS

Menu morphs and changes often, keeping your pallet on its feet

This haven gets packed, head in on an quiet night to get the full experience

Close to CYTIES staples Ritual Coffee & Fellow Barber

Eclectic small plates to wet the appetite