The Brazen Head located in the Cow Hollow District of San Francisco is nothing short of a San Francisco institution; it has done a pretty good job remaining a secret over its more than 30-year history down near the bay.
Call me old-fashioned, but I’m not a fan of their recent decision to accept debit cards. I liked the wooden bar accentuated by stained glass frequented by service workers with a pocketful of tips. Waiters and bartenders are great fun to drink with, but looking around you wouldn’t be at all surprised if you ended up having a drink with the ghosts of Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr.
Not only can you get the signature pepper steak until 1 a.m., but also as long as you sit before 1 a.m., you can have a multicourse meal (which should really begin with their french onion soup) in this classic which bills itself as, “a place worth finding,” given its intimate atmosphere and old-school vibe.
While tables abound along with more formal dining options, I’m not sure that in all my travels far and wide I’ve ever run across a setting that just begs you to enjoy your meal at the bar and take in the swank and joviality of its owner Eddie — if you’re lucky enough to walk in on a night where he’s behind the stick talking about New York baseball and the true meaning of life, which should be ordered medium rare. Yes, again, the pepper steak.
The Brazen Head
3166 Buchanan St.
San Francisco, Calif. 94123
415 921 7600
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