I was just sitting here thinking ’bout how I should head to Dalva sometime soon to see their newly revamped back room. Immediately following this thought came the realization that I could likely satisfy my curiosity with some minimal Googling.
True! Take it away, wordsmiths at UrbanDaddy!
There lurks a sultry crimson-stained den with leather banquettes. And at the bar’s helm is expert cocktail slinger Todd Smith (Beretta, Bourbon & Branch), hand pouring everything from Pappy Van Winkle 15 to Mexican Coke to the bourbon-infused Creole Cocktail—basically, a more artisanal selection than you’ll find at the bar out front. And if you bring enough friends, you can spill over into the intimate lair just upstairs.
Such lush language! Makes me feel like cuddling.
They describe Dalva’s Hideout as a “bar within a bar,” which is also what M.C. Escher doodles when he gets drunk. I’m curious to see how two bars can be crammed into such a small space without becoming an unbearable shit show. Guess I’ll have to make a visit after all and slam back some artisanals.
We really have a fetish for “hidden” bars in this city, don’t we?
Now it’s my turn for some misguided good ol’ day syndrome. I liked Dalva’s crummy, smoke filled back room.
Yep. I’ve been there since the remodel and it sucks. The drinks are smaller and more expensive than they used to be and I can’t smoke there anymore. There were suit wearing people buying $17 bottles of Japanese beer. The doorman was also feeling awfully self-important. The entire atmosphere was a complete downer.
Isn’t “shit show” (or “shitshow”) on the list of San Francisco Bloggers’ Ten Most Overused Expressions of 2009? Besides, isn’t the term just a little bit extravagant for anything that might happen within the confines of Dalva?
i bet this means i can’t smoke back there anymore. to hell with renovations.
Also of note, is that the ‘hideout’ is only open thu-sat.. according to sign i saw last night.
I used to enjoy smoking the green back there….if you want some great cocktails in the Mission, Elixir is the place to go, no doorman, minimal attitude, and awesome well-balanced cocktails.
in the history of the pacheigts-ification of the mission, this is right up there with 12 galaxies becoming the blue macaw…worse actually
that smoking room was the shit and sneaking out the back room to climb up on the roof was awesome. i drank at dalva alot, but now i plan on doing it less