June 16, 2012

And They Sit at the Bar and Put Bread in My Jar

Last Thursday, a friend and I had dinner and drinks at The Brick Yard, a sports bar in San Francisco's Marina District. Game 2 of the NBA Finals was on, and we wanted a fun establishment to cheer on the Thunder together (sadly, to a less-than-positive outcome). 

The Brick Yard is an upscale sports bar, and from the moment I stepped in, I fell in love with the establishment. Sports bars are pretty much the only type of bar that I genuinely enjoy, so I guess I'm both a little biased, and relatively easy to please. That said, The Brick Yard is one of better sports bar that I've frequented. There are several television screens along the walls, facing in various directions, and offering a variety of sports-related fare.

My friend and I sat facing each other and the abundance of screens provided each of us the perfect vantage point from which to watch the game.

The bar's interior manages to balance modernity and rusticity, with its wooden embellishments and sparse furnishings.

 Also, in case it isn't evident, the seating at the tables is extremely comfortable.

Another thing I loved: The food. The Brick Yard serves slightly gourmet bar fare, boasting a menu ranging from a variety of pizzas, to chicken satay skewers, to citrus BBQ baby back ribs. 

Since we were in the Marina, all the females around us—of which there were only a few; sports bar and all—nibbled on their salads. Meanwhile, we dug into a plate of Buffalo and garlic wings, as well as a dish of mac & cheese (made with parmesan, gruyere, cheddar, and mozzarella). The food was unsurprisingly fantastic, but I think that even if it'd been sub-par (as American food has a tendency to be), the environment of the establishment would have proved to be adequate compensation. A good bar is hard to find, especially a good sports bar in San Francisco. 



While sports bars are my favorite type of bar, this preference tends not to hold true for the vast majority of my friends, and so I doubt I'll be back anytime soon. But I'd return in a heartbeat. If you ever pay it a visit, I bet you'd agree.


Picture credit: 1 / 2