Like any big city, high rent and liquor license limitations makes it difficult to find places to start a business. Add to that the natural filtering of people that avoid places where they are potentially hassled, stabbed or beaten and you’re left with the urban pioneers of the party scene.

Make sure to check out the weekly event listings, for what’s up at Club Six and Mezzanine, two of the best spaces in town.
Club Six keeps it Irie in the reggaton tip and Mezzanine has come to be known as one of the premier electro-pop venues in the country. I would safely say that if you’re into MGMT, Justice, Cut Copy, et al, you can safely roll into Mezzanine just about anytime and like what you hear. For mainstream acts, of course, there’s the Warfield nearby as well. The staff are dick heads, but the venue is killer.

For pure boozing, Anu, and Matador are the front runners. Anu has always been surprisingly nice inside, with infused vodkas and great bar staff. Make sure to check out Scott Carelli’s long time Satellite party on Wednesdays, which gets rockin’ by 11PM. Also new on the scene is The Room, which was previously Playbill and before that Lit Lounge. It’s much more plush these days, and the owners are building off the vibe of their other venue Loft 11.

Don’t forget to come down to 6th street during the day for some of the cheapest and best Vietnamese food at Tu Lan. And if you work anywhere nearby, you need to grab lunch at Split Pea Seduction. The owner Christian is an awesome cook, and it’s the perfect spot to catch a quick bite. Across the street from Mezzanine on Jessie Street is the new Blue Bottle coffee shop which people go ape shit over. Their coffee is super strong, you’ll be grinding your teeth, pacing and rambling to yourself as you wander down the street. Don’t worry, you’ll fit right in!

Hugo Hotel

Blue Bottle Coffee

Tu Lan