Staggering Through Fog

Having argued before the bar such cases as ‘Shut up v. You Shut Up’, and ‘That’s my seat v. I don’t see your name on it’, Barrespondent Drew continues his distinguished service of finding out which bars are worth a lengthy trial and which ones should be given a ‘suspended sentence’.

There are in fact, too many bars in the Mission. We know, this is total blasphemy and we can’t believe we’re saying it either, but c’mon, there’s not nearly enough distinctively different ‘scenes’ to warrant the ridiculous number of clubs, taverns, venues and dives strewn about 16th and Valencia.

Sure, just about everywhere in the Mission is crowded on weekends, so we suppose the number of bars is sort of called for. But are there that many remarkable differences between most of these places? Wouldn't two or three 'mega-bars' serve the same purpose? And what about the people like us who prefer going out anytime ‘but’ the weekend? We’re left with 50 near empty bars that need to cater to whatever the Friday/Saturday crowd want just to stay in business which winds up creating an entire neighborhood where virtually every bar is the same. Local flavor is replaced with the same pre-set internet jukebox and surly bartenders that are miffed that they didn’t get the ‘money’ shift and have to serve two or three diehards on a Tuesday night.

Luckily, there’s one or two places that don’t seem to follow these rules and try to keep things as local and non-weekend focused as they can. Read about one after the jump.

The Elixir on 16th and Guerrero (formerly Jack’s Elixer) has been the ‘lonely stepchild’ bar on that particular corner for years. Sometimes local dive, sometimes Boston College sportsbar, and sparsely attended throughout a lot of the summer since there’s little to no sports going on, The Elixir is a great place to hang out in The Mission if you don’t really want to ‘hang out in the Mission’.

Featuring a decent selection of beers and a killer Sunday ‘make your own Bloody Mary’ bar, the Elixir’s staff is usually very helpful and attentive. Combine that with great people watching out of the row of windows along the wall and it all makes for a very nice daytime drinking experience.

Some of the locals at the Elixir can get a little loud and obnoxious, but for the most part they’re harmless and tend to congregate near the front part of the bar, leaving most of it free for those of us who are just there to have a drink or two. It’s these locals, however, that make the Elixir what it is, a bar smack dab in the middle of the Mission that isn’t trying to appeal to everyone outside of the Mission.

So if you’re tired of Mission bars that are as much theme park as they are hipster scenes, check out The Elixir. It truly puts the ‘local’ back in the Mission District's ‘locale’.

Liver… Out!!