If there was ever a tourist trap that merited the attention of locals, this is it. Home, according to legend, of the 'Irish Coffee' popularized by the late local columnist Stanton Delaplane as well as some of the best people watching available in San Francisco, this place rocks day and night with fun and the opportunity to make fabulous fleeting friends. For reasons that evade me, hordes of local bartenders and waiters flock here like soldiers of fortune returning from a desert campaign, freely spending the tips left just hours ago by the same tourists they now shower with free drinks and advice. This place seems always happy, buzzing with the excitement and romance of imminent departure and exhausted arrival, there's a mystery and intrigue about who you're sharing space with at each of the large round tables that hold center stage at the BV.

The drinks are good and generous, and a bargain for the Fisherman's Wharf area. The food is much more than merely respectable for such a small and busy kitchen, and the servers are old seasoned pros, seeming to enjoy the moment as much as the guests. There's a freedom that's palpable in this almost stately old Saloon, somewhat akin to the feeling of being cast off in a lifeboat knowing that rescue is only minutes or hours away, and that there are enough provisions and comforts to induce the making of immediate and lifelong friendships. I can't think of another watering hole I've ever been to that brings out this much goodwill and shared intimacy so effortlessly and with such ease.

The food, like the drinks is hearty, simple and quite good, ranging from traditional breakfasts and lunches to robust platters of near perfect corned beef and cabbage found on the menu later in the day or evening. Every meal I've had at the BV has been good, as good or better than most acclaimed restaurants in the City. But enough about the food! This place is more about nurturing the soul than about mere sustenance. When I have out of towners in tow, a free late morning or afternoon, I can think of no place to take them that will be more remembered than the Buena Vista. I never know what to expect, but then neither does anyone returning time and time again, smiles identifying them as people seeking warm inviting companionship with fellow travelers from near and far.

I highly recommend the Buena Vista to anyone seeking fun and an experience that will be remembered far beyond the memory of the food and drink they will almost surely find here.

Stu Smith

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