Nightlife in South San Francisco

Beneath twin lanterns rests the entrance to a quiet punch house modeled after the classic British punch houses of the Victorian era. These are not punches of fruit or fist, but rather of rum, the chosen inebriant of Hobson's Choice. The bar stocks more than 120 varieties of this sugary spirit, including Old Grog, Myers's, and Neisson Réserve Spéciale, as well as rare and limited-quantity batches. Beneath a line of antique chandeliers dripping with sweet, sweet history, the staff fills glasses with specialty cocktails such as the Planter's Punch, a mixture of Coruba dark Jamaican rum, fresh orange juice, lemon juice, and grenadine. To chase these libations, they also serve food catered by the nearby Asqew Grill.

Taking its name from a Sean O'Casey play, The Plough and the Stars wears its Hibernian heritage on its sleeve as it captivates visitors with an atmosphere of Irish whiskeys, heady beers, and live music. The owners and most of the staff hail from the Emerald Isle, charming their guests with authentic accents and a mastery of pouring Guinness the Irish way—easing the black ambrosia into a glass as they recite On Raglan Road while drinking a cup of water. Patrons sip perfectly mixed irish coffees as they watch Celtic set dancing on Thursdays or raise their glasses of draft Kilkenny and Smithwick's to live bluegrass, blues, and traditional Irish tunes almost every day of the week.