cocktails near Le Méridien

[linus]

can you fine people help an ignoramus out? i'm looking for a place to nab a drink near the le meridien hotel, and am fairly clueless when it comes to san francisco and the area around the hotel.

i'm looking for various options: upscale, cutting edge cocktails, shot and a pop kind of places, places with extraordinary selections of whiskeys, tequilas, rums, and joints with a fabulous selection of beer or wine by the glass.
possibly interested in a nosh, although that's not a deal breaker.

many thanks.

[Keesey]

Rickhouse - crowded financial district type of bar. Dark, dim, trendy. Great, well-made cocktails... sort of the type where you call the bartenders mixologist.

I will second the Aventine rec. A lot more casual and hidden.

[farmersdaughter]

The Hidden Vine is a nice wine bar very close to Le Meridien. I don't know if they have a full bar. I have only had wine there and was not paying attention.

[foodeye]

10 minute or less walk to Comstock Saloon, same distance in the opposite direction (but may not have any snacks) House of Shields Saloon, and 10 in yet another direction, the bar at Slanted Door (really great drinks, including interesting wine and beer and snacks, too). For the rum drinks, take a cab to Smuggler's Cove.

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Slanted Door
Ferry Slip, San Francisco, CA 94111

House of Shields Saloon
39 New Montgomery St, San Francisco, CA

Smuggler's Cove
650 Gough St, San Francisco, CA 94102

Comstock Saloon
155 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133

[pane]

Tosca, which is lovely and old school, and 15 Romolo, which serves good cocktails but is more hipster than swish.

[Ruth Lafler]

How near is near? I think my first choice in that area would be Aventine. But there are bars of every description -- from upscale, to dives, to topless -- within a 15-minute walk of Le Meridien.

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Aventine
582 Washington St, San Francisco, CA

[linus]

o.k., within a fifteen minute walk, then. not a minute more, though...