B Restaurant & Bar in SOMA

14Feb09

Front of B Bar

We don’t get very many sunny days in The City, but when we do I try and make it to B Restaurant & Bar in SOMA. What makes this ideal for sunny weather is its rooftop location, outdoor seating, all glass walls, surrounding waterfalls, and beautiful views of the downtown skyline. Situated right above Yerba Buena Gardens behind the Metreon, B Bar is easy to miss if you don’t know it’s there and it really creates a relaxing getaway for those perfect days.

View from below

Inside B Bar

Partial view of the Downtown skyline

The menu itself is New American, featuring things you would expect like burgers, steaks, seafood, truffle oil fries (yum!), salads, and so on. Their cocktails and happy hour menu are where this place really shines. During happy hour you get to treat yourself to an assortment of $5 cocktails, $1 fresh oysters of different varieties, truffle oil fries, shrimp cocktails, and other tasty treats that go perfectly with a nice cold drink.

$1 happy hour oysters!

Treat yourself to the many beers on tap, a pitcher of Sangria, or some of their specialty cocktails. My favorite one happens to be the girliest drink on the menu, a Love On. It’s a sweet, shaken cocktail made with (I think) pineapple, raspberry, vodka, and features a cute (it is!) heart drawn on top with syrup. If you feel like keeping your manhood intact, forego the hearty (literally) concoction for a Pear Shandy, which is a pilsner with fresh pear juice. Crisp and refreshing with a nice bite to it.

Love On. It's good, who cares!

Phil with a couple Pear Shandy's and Sangria

They also have DJ’s playing music loudly on a regular basis, and they usually spin house or hiphop. Some might complain about the loud music but I love it and really adds to the cool vibe of this place.

I wouldn’t come here on a cold, dark, or rainy day. Although they have indoor seating, you don’t get the full effect without the sun shining in all it’s glory beaming off the glass and stainless steel. Plus, they don’t have heatlamps outside so you probably won’t even enjoy your meal or drinks.

So next time you see the sun, head on over to B Bar and enjoy it with good company, while it lasts. I’ll be the guy with a heart-laced martini.

B Restaurant & Bar
Yerba Buena Gardens – Upper Terrace
720 Howard St
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 495-9800

Also check out:
The Ultimate SoMa Happy Hour Gameplan
John Colins Bar in SOMA
Hog Island Oyster Company on the Embarcadero
DaDa Bar and Art Gallery