As temperatures continue to drop, there’s no better evening destination than a bar with a fireplace. Warm your tootsies by the fire as the cocktails and craft beer help you thaw from the inside out.
Summer Place Cocktail Lounge
Don’t be fooled by the name: the Summer Place is meant for fog-swept evenings and cold nights. Cozy up to the stone fireplace in a leather chair at this old-school Union Square dive, one of the few places left in the city where smoking is permitted indoors.
This beachy mainstay with a roaring fireplace is one of the best refuges from the cold ocean air. If you're looking for entertainment with your cocktail, they host open mic nights on Mondays, karaoke on Tuesdays, and on the weekends a hodgepodge of DJs, bands, bingo and occasional visits from restaurants like Memphis Minnie’s BBQ roll through.
Fireside Bar
At this aptly named neighborhood bar you’ll find an oversized brick fireplace bordered by comfy couches with enough room for multiple chilly patrons at once. The Fireside is friendly and laid back and canines are always welcome.
Chambers has found a way to turn the hip, rockstar vibe of adjacent Phoenix Hotel into a stylish bar. Chambers literally glows with mood lighting and a warm, eye-catching fireplace keeps patrons cozy as they sip cocktails at the bar.
This Victorian-inspired saloon evokes the San Francisco of days gone by with its damask wallpaper, tiled floors and vintage lighting. The second floor’s cubby-hole performance space, open on one side to bar patrons below, adds a little speakeasy-style exclusivity. And in the back, there's antique wooden seating around a fireplace. Classic cocktails (think Manhattans and Sazeracs), oysters and a small but creative menu come Anthony Bourdain-approved.
Created by the team behind Kink.com (the website's headquarters are across the street), this swanky spot, with its tin ceiling, lush damask wallpaper, vintage lighting and onyx bar only hints at the sordid happenings across the street with well placed, tasteful photos and paintings. Curl up on leather couches in front of the cast iron fireplace and warm yourself with an artisan cocktail. We like the Smokescreen made with Famous Grouse scotch, Compass Box Peat monster, Foro amaro, Benedictine and Angostura bitters.
Durty Nelly’s
A fireplace tucked into a brick wall at the rear of the bar gives this Irish pub a cozy vibe. A good selection of beer on tap and a damn fine burger are designed to keep you snuggled in your booth until the outside world warms up or fades away.
With a fire always blazing in the fireplace, friendly bartenders serve up beer and liquor for a crowd lounging at the extra-long bar, dragging on cigarettes in the partially-enclosed smoking room or playing pool in the back.
Downstairs, Maven is a stylish gastropub with a living wall and modern red tulip chandeliers. Upstairs, Maven is a cozy throwback to mid-century smoking lounges complete with leather club chairs and dark grey couches set around a fireplace. On the menu is a selection of grown-up comfort foods just made to be enjoyed front of a roaring fire, like the grilled cheese sandwich with manchego, piquillo pepper and olive tapenade and grilled steak and onions with mashed potatoes.
This friendly neighborhood spot has not one but two roaring fires to keep you toasty while you watch the game. If there’s no game on but you’re itching for a little competition, snag a classic board game from their stash.
This comfortable, vaguely nautical neighborhood bar features artisan cocktails and craft beers from San Francisco and Northern California breweries. Driftwood comes complete with a roaring fireplace and plenty of seating.