Mission District Part 2

Dive Bars, Neon Lights, and Late Nights

If Dolores Park is where the Mission spends its afternoons, the neighborhood’s bars are where the night begins.

The Mission has always had a little bit of grit to it. Artists, musicians, punks, and misfits of all kinds have called this neighborhood home over the years, and that energy definitely shows up in the nightlife.

One of the most legendary spots and my personal favorites is Zeitgeist.

If you’ve never been, imagine a massive beer garden filled with picnic tables, motorcycles parked outside, and Bloody Marys that could wake the dead. I CRAVE a Zeitgeist smash burger regularly.

It started as a biker bar in the 1970s and somehow became one of the most iconic hangout spots in the neighborhood.

Then there’s Casanova.

Walking into Casanova feels like stepping into another decade. Velvet booths, dim lighting, naked girlies on the wall and a jukebox that’s always playing the vibes. It’s one of those places that feels like trouble and romance all at the same time. Maybe a great spot for a first date?

Just down the street you’ll find Delirium, which is a proper Mission dive bar. Cheap drinks, loud music, and a dance floor that is always crowded.

This is obviously a very short list of what makes the mission what it is. The Mission has always been a little rough around the edges but full of creativity, and the nightlife is a perfect reflection of that.

Next week in Part 3 we’ll talk about some of my favorite spots to eat and shop in the neighborhood, plus a few of the special Mission traditions that make this part of The City so memorable.