Inexpensive and impressive drinks or dinner

[MIss G]

My cousin and her finance are going to be in town from Idaho....they're staying in Union Square and we're going to a few Giants games. I've offfered to take them out for drinks before the game but I'm on a budget. Any recommendations on good inexpensive drinks/eats? Thanks in advance!

[chuckl]

Public House right outside AT&T Park is hard to beat. Food is quite good and they have a full bar. Beers are the star, however.

http://www.publichousesf.com/

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Public House
24 Willie Mays Plaza, San Francisco, CA 94101

[Mari]

If it's during a weekday then you might opt for happy hour specials in the area. CoCo500 makes good drinks and they are having happy hour specials in July. Zuppa, reviewed earlier, used to have an excellent happy hour so it might be worth a call to check and see if they still have specials. Orson is another option with happy hour drink specials in the neighborhood.

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Zuppa
564 4th Street, San Francisco, CA 94107

[carfeng]

Not sure what you're looking for by "impressive" but 21st Amendment is close to the ballpark and the watermelon beer could be fun for out-of-towners to try and would make for a cheap meal. There's also Little Skillet as a lunch option, though it's more of a takeout place, not sit-down.

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21st Amendment Brewery Cafe
563 2nd St, San Francisco, CA 94107

Farmerbrown's Little Skillet
330 Ritch Street, San Francisco, CA 94107

[chuckl]

the food at 21A just isn't very good. Beer is OK.

[bbulkow]

The food @ 21st amendment is quite basic however. It's a classic pre-post-giants place thus gets crowded.

Please answer:
* beers or mixed drinks or both?
* what's 'cheap'?
* how far out of the way are you willing to go?
* what hour of what day?

Let's face it: you're going to have to relax a constraint. That's not the neighborhood for inexpensive and impressive. You're going to travel, or pay more, or be less impressive.

For example: for everything except inexpensive, I'd say Gitane. Drinks (but not so much beer), good food, good SF atmosphere. But the cocktails are $10, apps are $12.

For cheap and awesome it's hard to beat Torando and Rosdamunde, but it's on the other side of town.

If you're talking late afternoon, the answer is almost certainly a happy hour somewhere. I'm not in the know enough - and it's not well publicized - Rickhouse has no food, Nova is only well drinks, SD I dunno if they have a happy hour.

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Gitane Restaurant & Bar
6 Claude Lane, San Francisco, CA 94108

Rickhouse Bar
246 Kearny St, San Francisco, CA

[MIss G]

Well, we're taking a cab/Muni to the night game on the 30th and I'm not looking to travel for cheap beer and bad hot dogs. Thanks for the reccommendations! Gitane seems to be right in the budget...

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Gitane Restaurant & Bar
6 Claude Lane, San Francisco, CA 94108

[vulber]

who said anything about bad hot dogs?

[MIss G]

Nobody....I haven't eatten near the park recently and am looking for rec's for good food without paying an arm and leg for it.

[bbulkow]

So by "on a budget" you mean "I don't want to get ripped off at the park", not "I need a place for $10/pp. Got it. Gitane would be a good solution.

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Gitane Restaurant & Bar
6 Claude Lane, San Francisco, CA 94108

[sfbing]

Other possibilities: Tres Agaves, Zuppa, Coco500, Ironside
Saw a new place: Spire

I kind of like primo patio for beer and a plate of jerk chicken, but it isn't exactly impressive. More like cute.

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Tres Agaves Restaurant
130 Townsend St, San Francisco, CA 94107

Zuppa
564 4th Street, San Francisco, CA 94107

Coco500
598 4th St, San Francisco, CA 94107

[MIss G]

bbulkow...exactly...thanks...sorry for not being clear in the first place....

[cosmogrrl]

The Daily Grill on Union Square has a good happy hour menu. Plates for $2.95, $3.95, and $4.95. It runs from 3-6 everyday. Nice eats and on your way to the park. Nothing special though. However I do like their popcorn shrimp. Also good for the mandatory (for me anyway) shopping cocktail.

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Daily Grill
347 Geary St., San Francisco, CA 94102

[tvham]

If you want to stay close to the park you should check out Marlowe. Had a fantastic burger there prior to the Paul McCartney show a few weeks ago.

[Nopa]

Red's Java House. Great waterfront view and you won't find cheaper alcohol in the city.

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Red's Java House
Pier 30, San Francisco, CA

[Nopa]

Oh and Hive Dive next door ain't bad either....

[yehfromthebay]

Mars Bar has great beer choices, a full bar, decent food a heated patio and is within walking distance of the ballpark.