Night Life

If you like a sophisticated, yet lively scene to celebrate Saturday nights with dancing, then here are a few suggestions:

Rouge is San Francisco's most famous partier Harry Denton's newest club. It's conveniently located on Polk at Broadway, in a building that used to house Johnny Love's, and other popular nightclubs of the past. Harry has completely re-done it all in rich reds and with a gazillion crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. The unique twist to this nightclub is that two times a night, three dancers dressed provocatively, yet tastefully in evening attire designed by Harry Denton (a new endeavor of Harry's), come out on the extra-wide bartop to dance a few Broadway/Vegas style numbers. It's very fun. There's also a dancefloor under a crystal disco ball where you can live out your own "Dancing Queen" (or King) fantasies. $15 cover charge. ,1500 Broadway at Polk, San Francisco 415-346-7683.

By the way, right around the corner is Pasha, a lavish Moroccan-style restaurant which features, aside from delicious food served while you are seated on pillows, belly-dancers and live Middle-Eastern music, to which you can get up and dance to if you like once the belly-dancers have done their show. 1516 Broadway, San Francisco. 415-885-4477.

Near Union Square, Harry Denton's Starlite Room atop the Sir Francis Drake Hotel. It's a beautiful, lavishly decorated room with exquisite views all around of the citylights of San Francisco. 450 Powell Street, San Francisco. Cover charge varies; week-ends it's $10. www.harrydenton.com 415-395-8595.

A very hot spot these days is the Ruby Skye night club (www.rubyskye.com )also near Union Square. Friday nights are the hottest here, and there are often special events held here throughout the week, many open to the general public. It's roomily housed in a chicly refurbished theater, very elegant, and with two levels and several rooms. Cover charge: $20. 420 Mason Street, San Francisco. 415-693-0777.

A long-time popular place to dance is the Tonga Room at the world-famous Fairmont Hotel. A very tropical atmosphere, with drinks and simulated rainstorms to enhance the mood. They play Top 40 music for dancing. Cover charge: $3. www.tongaroom.com 950 Mason St. , San Francisco. 415-772-5278.

For a more low-key but very elegant place to dance, the world-famous Top of the Mark has live music and a small dancefloor, with spectacular wraparound views of The City. Live dance music nightly. Cover charge: $10 www.topofthemark.com 1 Nob Hill, San Francisco. 415-616-6916.

Glas Kat is a great new elegant addition to the dance club scene. It has several rooms featuring different dance music, a full bar and a sushi restaurant. Some nights there are actually go-go girls performing. There's even free parking available. 520 Fourth Street (between Bryant & Brannan Streets. ) Call ahead to check and see what kind of music will be featured on the evening you plan on going, and also a heads up on the anticipated crowd for that night, as it varies.
415-957-9318. www.glaskat.com

Café Cocomo's has Swing on Wednesdays, and Salsa on Thursdays and Saturdays. It's got fun, casual tropical rainforest décor. Spacious dance floor, but it does fill up! Lessons usually start at 8pm with a $12 cover charge. 650 Indiana St. @ Mariposa. 415-824-6910.

Kimball's Carnival in Jack London Square has a huge dance floor to make all the salsa moves you want. Call for info on lessons which happen weekly. 522 Second St., Oakland. 510-444-6979.

Maiko Dance Club is a very pleasant place to polish up your salsa moves . They have lessons for $12 that start at 8 pm on Fridays and Saturdays. They also serve Japanese food. 1629 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley. 510-527-8226.

The Redwood Room in the Clift Hotel on 495 Geary Street @ Taylor Street, is THE hottest, tres chic barscene in San Francisco these days. Not surprising since it is in the Clift Hotel which has been given the make-over by uber style-mavens Ian Schrager and Philippe Starck. Fortunately, the beautiful redwood walls, reportedly cut from one redwood tree, and the Art Deco lighting were preserved. The ambiance is lively, and the waitstaff is bubbling with enthusiasm. The meal-sized appetizers are excellent, especially the "Tunapica" which features tuna tartare picadillo-style with Spanish olives, almonds, black currant, soy-lime vinagrette and layered between a stack of friend wonton crisps. !Delicioso! 415-775-4700

The Bubble Lounge is a hot spot for just mingling in an upscale atmosphere. Close to North Beach. As the name suggests, the wine menu features a wide variety of champagnes by the glass. 714 Montgomery between Washington & Jackson Streets, San Francisco.
415-434-4204.

G Bar has subdued lighting, and a spare, chic elegant feel. Great date place. 488 Presidio @ California in San Francisco. 415-409-4227.

The Lone Palm, just off the very trendy and edgey Valencia Street in the Mission District, is just the ticket for you and your date for an after dinner drink or to discuss the movie you two just saw together. According to the Zagat guide to San Francisco Nightlife, this "sexy little number" with it's "cozy candle-lit tables" is a "good get-to-know-your-date bar" and "it is equally suitable for "just laying low" due to its "mellow ambiance (no attitude here)". It's a perfect spot "after midnight if you're not feeling rowdy" so locals hope it stays "a neighborhood joint". It reminds me of a cross between Bogart's bar in the movie "Casablanca" and the South Seas ambiance of a Trader Vic's. Two thumbs up! 3394 22nd St. @ Guerrero St. in San Francisco. 415-648-0109.

(No danncing)

Yoshi's ( www.yoshis.com ) Conveniently located next to Jack London Square in Oakland's popular waterfront, Yoshi's features world-class jazz and related music. It is also features excellent Japanese restaurant. You may order appetizers and drinks while you are inside the club itself as well.510 Embarcadero, Oakland, 510-
238-9200

( a la Coffee House days of yore)

Freight & Salvage (www.thefreight.org ) This place brings you back to the days when folk music was immensely popular, like in the 60's with groups like Peter, Paul and Mary ("Puff the Magic Dragon", "Leaving on a Jet Plane") and singer/songwriter Tom Rush, who still plays at The Freight every so often. A wide variety of traditional music from many diverse cultures around the world are featured here. Ticket prices range from $14.50 to $19.50 and are a real bargain. A real Berkeley-kind of a scene. 1111 Addison Street, Berkeley. 510-548-1761

The Plush Room (www.plushroom.com ) is a nice place to spend an elegant, entertaining evening. At the York Hotel, 940 Sutter Street, San Francisco, 415-885-2800.

El Rio is a great place to let loose in a casual atmosphere, with a very mixed crowd. Drinks are relatively cheap and everyone's having fun. On Sundays, salsa dancing is featured out on the patio with live music between 3 to 8 pm. Better get there early or face waiting in a loooong line. Wednesdays it's live flamenco starting at 8 pm. Thursdays it's "Arabian Nights" with free belly dancing class at 9 and a preformance at 11. Mediterranean food is on the menu on this night. Fridays, there are free oysters from 5 - 7 pm and starting at 9 the very popular dj Jose Ruiz spins world beat dance music. Saturdays program varies so call ahead at 415-282-3325. Located at 3158 Mission @ Precita in San Francisco.

The Ramp is especially great for dancing outside by the water on "hot" summer days, with salsa featured on Saturdays from 5 til 8, and samba featured on Sundays from 5 til 8. I get the feeling I am in some funky Florida keys bar when I'm there! Mixed crowd. 855 China Basin, San Francisco. 415-621-2378.

Just in a nutshell, the bar at the top of the Marriott Hotel ("Jukebox in the Sky") on Fourth and Mission gets my vote.

Another contender is, of course, The Top of the Mark at the Mark Hopkins Hotel on Nob Hill.

Blondie's Bar and No Grill is a really lively place with a bit of an edgy attitude. Mostly friendly crowd, but can get rowdy. Don't be surprised to see impromptu dancing on the bar. It might even be your bartender! Nice little dance floor that tempts with great 70's and 80's hits.
540 Valencia Street, San Francisco 415-864-2419