It's a bit of a quiet week in January, but there is plenty to eat—thanks to new restaurant openings (pizza! sushi!)—and lots of movies to see at Noir City and the SF Indie Film Fest. (Come to think of it, a simple dinner and a movie sounds really nice right about now.)
But if you're looking for more stimulation, soak up the suds at SF Beer Week, see The Seshen live in Oakland, and definitely don't miss The Night of Ideas. Enjoy the week.
Monday, January 28th
We feel like sushi tonight.
When: Dinner nightly
Where: Sushi Ondo, 1550 Howard St. (SoMa), sushiondo.com
From the crew behind Sushi Hon and Barnzu, new Sushi Ondo offers a blend of Japanese and Korean cuisines—think omakase mingled with Korean-style small plates, as well as more casual dining options at the communal table or sushi bar.
Martuni Monday
When: 6pm to 8:30pm
Where: Martuni's, 4 Valencia St. (Upper Market)
When we start to get nostalgic for things like piano bars and old San Francisco, we like to nurture the mood at Martuni's, where it's still ok to order up a Cosmopolitan—c'mon, you know you kinda want one. For three Mondays in January, Jason Brock and Dee Spencer are playing to the singalong crowd with Broadway show tunes, TV theme songs, and more. // $5 admission; tickets and info at facebook.com.
Tuesday, January 29th
Here's the beef.
Where: The Butcher Shop by Niku Steakhouse, 57 Division St. (SoMa), nikubutchershop.com
Fancy yourself some mouthwatering steak? Step into this new butcher shop where the high quality cuts of beef, pork, lamb, and more are absolutely endless. They also have all of the cooking tools, pans, and seasonings you'll need to pull together your home-cooked feast. Psst: This is also the city's only certified seller Kobe beef, so you know you're getting the good stuff.
See Stanley Kubrick's first film.
When: Double feature begins at 7:30pm
Where: Castro Theatre, 429 Castro St. (Castro)
The annual film festival Noir City continues its 17th year in San Francisco this week with tonight's double feature at the Castro, starting with Kiss Me Deadly, based on the novel by crime writer Mickey Spillane. But we're curious to see Killer's Kiss (at 9:40pm), the first movie directed by Stanley Kubrick at the age of 27. Made on a shoestring budget of $75,000 with 100-foot rolls of film, it's the story of a boxer who has an affair with a mobster's lady. Most consider it a tribute to Kubrick's hometown of Manhattan. // For tickets ($12.50) go to brownpapertickets.com. Noir City runs through Feb. 3; for more information and the full schedule, go to noircity.com.
Wednesday, January 30th
SF Indie Festival opens tonight.
When: Tonights double feature begins at 7pm; the festival runs through Feb. 14.
Where: Victoria Theatre, 2961 16th St (Mission); and other SF locales
The annual two-week film fest gets off on a fantastical start tonight with The Unicorn + Fantasia, a double feature of mystical proportions. First up, The Unicorn is the directorial debut of Robert Schwartzman (hint: he acted in Virgin Suicides with his cousin Sofia Coppola), about a young married couple who embarks upon a threesome to spice things up. Afterward, local electronica group The Firmament takes the stage (9pm) for a (gutsy) live re-scoring of the Disney classic Fantasia. It promises to be a trip. // Tickets to The Unicorn + Fantasia ($28), as well as a full schedule of festival events, are available at sfindie.com.
Get your Detroit pizza fix.
When: Open for dinner (closed Tuesdays)
Where: Cellarmaker House of Pizza, 3193 Mission St. (Mission), cellarmakerbrewing.com
Cellarmaker Brewing Company has opened a new pizza spot in the deep Mission. Stop by for square slices of Detroit-style pie and a pint or two of whatever Cellarmaker brew or guest beer is on draft.
Thursday, January 31st
The most gimmicky new restaurant in town.
When: 4pm to midnight Sunday through Thursday; 4pm to 1am Friday and Saturday; 10am to 3pm Saturday and Sunday brunch
Where: The Pawn Shop, 993 Mission St. (SoMa), thepawnshopsf.com
You may have heard a new "secret" tapas spot hiding behind a faux pawn shop facade next door to Monarch. Yep, The Pawn Shop is a real thing, even though we're not sure why. If you go, you'll find a golden phone outside that calls the "pawn master" who will give you instructions on how to get inside. If you've made it this far, you will find yourself inside a Barcelona-inspired tapas bar with small plates, wine, beer, and low ABV cocktails. Obviously there are no reservations taken at this "speakeasy" restaurant, so go and be prepared to wait (or maybe not).
Nightlife at Cal Academy: Color
When: 6pm to 10pm
Where: Cal Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Dr. (Golden Gate Park), calacademy.org
You'll sip on rainbow-colored cocktails as you shake your hips to the tunes of DJ Sep while exploring the vibrantly hued world of the Academy's pink coral, blue aquarium, and green rainforest. There will be pop-up talks with marine biologists, a deep dive into the coral reef, an examination of a spectrum of insects, and more. // More information and tickets ($15 admission; $3 planetarium passes) are available online.
Friday, February 1st
SF Beer Week gets brewing.
When: 6pm to 10:30pm
Where: Pier 35, 1454 The Embarcadero
Beer lovers rejoice—tonight's waterfront gala to kick off Beer Week is all about the suds, bringing together more than 125 NorCal breweries—think 21st Amendment, Half Moon Bay Brewing Co., Magnolia, and New Bohemia—pouring their best brews. // Tickets to the opening gala ($80-$125) are available on eventbrite.com. For a full schedule of the week's activities—including beer pairing dinners, special release parties, educational sessions, and more—go to sfbeerweek.org.
$5 First Friday: The Art & Science of Hip-Hop
When: 6pm to 10pm
Where: Chabot Space & Science Center, 10000 Skyline Blvd. (Oakland), chabotspace.org
Geek out and jam out tonight as Chabot explore the dynamics of hip-hop music. You can experiment with turntables and create your own beats and then head into the Megadome Theater for an interactive hip hop performance. // For tickets ($5) and details, go to chabotspace.org.
Saturday, February 2nd
Stones Throw pops up.
When: 10:30am to 2pm
Where: Corridor, 100 Van Ness (Civic Center), corridorsf.com
If you've been sulking since Stones Throw closed at the end of 2018, head to Corridor on Saturdays where the old team will be popping up to serve their brunch classics including puffed potatoes and eggs and Da Burga.
Night of Ideas
When: 7pm to 2am
Where: SF Main Library, 100 Larkin St. (Civic Center), sfpl.org
Need inspiration? Head to the library for an after-hours marathon of debates, discussions, performances, readings, music, and more based on the theme "Facing Our Time: The City of the Future." Hosted by the San Francisco Public Library, SFMOM, and the French Consulate in SF, the first edition of Night of Ideas in SF will bring together thinkers, change makers, and all around crazy cool people—think chef Dominique Crenn, Center for Humane Technology cofounder Tristan Harris, architect Nicola Delon, KQED's Michael Krasny, Litquake, and more. // Free to attend; RSVP at eventbrite.com; for more information, go to nightofideassf.com.
The Seshen plays New Parish.
When: 9pm
Where: The New Parish, 1743 San Pablo Ave. (Oakland), thenewparish.com
We're mad for the Bay Area's six-piece, R&B-meets-synth-pop group The Seshen, lead by singer/songwriter Lalin St. Juste and bassist/producer Akiyoshi Ehara. The band's latest release, Flames & Figures, is on our Spotify heavy rotation.
// Tickets ($16-$20) are available at eventbrite.com.
Sunday, February 3rd
Plaaay Sports Ball!
When: Super Bowl Sunday
Where: Parties throughout San Francisco
It's Super Bowl Sunday, the nationally recognized excuse to get brown-out drunk in the afternoon and eat too much. Here in SF, we like to call that "brunch." Survive the day with our picks for seven palatable Super Bowl parties in the city where fancy brunch, craft cocktails, arcade games, giant TVs, and bottomless mimosas will win over even non-football fans. Check out our party picks.
