The Lion Pub – Not Just for Bros Anymore
Imagine taking a vacation to an island that’s a dark and steamy jungle, filled with tropical foliage and tame animals. You’re cozying up next to the fire pit, sipping a freshly squeezed mojito surrounded by the attractive natives. Sound appealing? Well, you’re poor and that’s probably not going to happen until you lay off the sauce and get your life together. But until that dreadful day, you can have the experience without breaking the bank, all the while listening to David Bowie.
The Lion Pub (more commonly referred to as The Lion’s Den) is not the kind of place you happen to stumble upon. There’s no inviting sign on the building and the outside is covered by banana leaves. In fact, it’s kind of like you’re going into someone’s garage. But once you’ve made it in, it’s hard to imagine leaving.
The staff is extremely friendly and fast regardless of how packed the place is, but I’d recommend going on a weeknight to avoid the unnecessary body to body heat. If you’re trying to walk through this place on a Friday or Saturday night, you might as well be holding your breath for an autograph from Michael Jackson (too soon?). But Sunday through Thursday, there’s quite a bit of open seating including next to a huge fireplace for those blistery San Francisco summers.
All of the cocktails are made with freshly squeezed juice, and you can save money on dinner since they have a FREE gourmet cheese and cracker bar. A few of the drinks are a little steep, but all are stiff and still reasonable for the quality of what you’re getting. They also have rotating drink specials, most commonly a FREE Dos Equis with any shot of tequila.
This is probably hands down my favorite bar in the city, not for the crowd, but for the atmosphere. It’s typically Marina-esque bros and hoes, but don’t let this deter you. I’ve spent a fair amount of time at this fine establishment and have seen a wide variety of characters trickling in. I’ll never forget the time I found myself sitting at the bar talking to a tweaker visiting from Santa Cruz on my right, and an albino ballerina imported from Sweden on my left. True story.
The Lion Pub
2062 Divisadero St. [Lower Pac Heights]
At the corner of Divisadero and Sacramento
(415) 567-6565
