Clubs in South San Francisco

In the most recent installment of Consumer Reports, stand-up comedy was named the far superior postural form of comedy, beating out sit-down, lying-on-your-side, spread eagle, Indian-style, running-in-place, crucifixion pose, hunched-over-out-of-breath, kneeling-on-your-right-knee-while-tying-your-left-shoe, Statue of Liberty, King Tut, Napoleon Bonaparte, and the Heisman. The magazine's editors concluded that other comedy stances proved too distracting and greatly limited the comic's material (most jokes told in the King Tut pose went something like "Hey, somebody let me outta this coffin, I'm dyin' in here…").

Carefully choreographing everything you say and premeditating each approving nod you nod becomes exhausting by day’s end. Today’s Groupon provides an entertaining education in off-the-cuff living with one general-admission ticket (up to a $20 value at the door) to a Friday- or Saturday-night improv show at BATS Improv for $5. Buy up to four of today's Groupon for extra in-the-momentness and improv-ering witticisms.

Raised by a family of chefs in Belzoni–a town in the Mississippi Delta– chef Gaines Douglas Dobbins brings a distinctly authentic Southern flair to crafting dishes at the Zagat-rated Eureka Restaurant. Inside his kitchen, Dobbins prepares each dish to order, putting modern twists on Southern dishes such as pairing fried okra with yuzu aioli and smoking pork loin in-house to recreate home-cooked flavors that are as comforting as a grandma wearing a teddy-bear costume. Customers dine in three different areas, clinking glasses of wine or custom cocktails. The romantic main dining room glows with flickering votive candles on each table. Upstairs, just beyond the cocktail lounge, the dining room features windows overlooking the bustle of the Castro district and a fireplace. The garden room, just off the outdoor patio, looks out on the trees, flowers, and gnomes who water them each day.

Asian and American karaoke styles join forces at Pandora Karaoke & Bar, whose moodily lit space hosts both an open stage for crowd-friendly crooners and 15 private rooms for groups. In either setting, singers scroll through Super Master touch-screen karaoke systems to choose from more than 100,000 songs in languages including English, Mandarin Chinese, and Frank Sinatra’s native pig Latin. Wireless microphones then capture crooning voices as lyrics scroll across 50-inch plasma TVs, serenading spectators as they munch sushi and Asian-fusion fare from the menu. Inside private rooms, colorful cushioned banquettes host groups of up to 40 harmonizers beneath themed decorations such as brewery logos or a rebus representing the complete lyrics to “Eye of the Tiger.”

The Holy Cow's electrified hues of blue and purple cascade across revelers dancing and drinking inside the upscale nightclub dappled with chandeliers and private booths. Live DJs provide an ongoing cadence for dancing or rhythmic staring contests, and Sunday evenings unite patrons with live-house-music parties hosted by Honey Soundsystem. The Holy Cow's full bar can provide premium bottle service for parties of up to 10 guests, and its semiformal dress code aims to keep crowds in articles of their finest revelry regalia, such as collared shirts, clean shoes, and neon cravats.

Those who shudder at the thought of a stuffy "dinner and dancing" date will be pleasantly surprised at Infusion Lounge. The surprises begin on the menu, a roster of Pan-Asian food created by Chef Evan Turner. Finger foods such as mini burgers slathered with wasabi aioli graduate into refined entrees, such as tea-scented coconut ribs with papaya-mango salad. The cocktail list similarly refreshes the senses, with lychee liqueur and purée adding an Eastern element to the classic bellini and bartenders spicing lemon-drop cocktails with a hint of ginger liqueur. The dining room's decor matches the striking menu; dim, red lighting casts an otherworldly glow over translucent columns as diners converse at white-clothed tables.

All dinner guests receive a complimentary entry to Infusion's dance floor, yet another mod, surreal space. Here, orange and red neon light illuminates abstract, green latticework reminiscent of the vines in Pablo Picasso's garden. A steady stream of DJs and live music keeps feet moving, proving why Infusion Lounge was named an Open Table Diners’ Choice winner in the Good for Groups and Vibrant Bar Scene categories.