The Harlequin

SoMa’s New Bar, the Harlequin, Hopes to Bring a Gatsby-Style Party to Downtown San Francisco | Eater SF

"Tucked inside the historic Mosser Hotel at Fourth and Jessie, the Harlequin opened June 13 and aims to be a downtown draw with a Roaring-20s, Gatsby-style atmosphere—dark ornamental wallpaper in the main room, a warm copper-clad Gold Bar, and a showstopping ginkgo leaf gold chandelier meant as a symbol of good luck. The team leaned into the building's original bones (patterned tile floor and exposed brick) and designed a dramatic, whimsical interior. The food menu favors groups with five styles of pizza fired in an on-site oven and shareable plates such as panko-encrusted tofu bites tossed in a ginger-teriyaki sauce and roasted bone marrow with an optional "sherry luge"—a carryover moment from Members Only that involves taking a sherry shot out of the finished, carved-out bone. Larger plates include Thai shrimp pasta tossed in a lemony coconut milk sauce, a fried chicken Caesar sandwich, and a two-patty smash burger with American cheese, while the raw bar features oysters and dishes like salmon tartare; oysters also appear on happy hour at $2 each from 4 to 6 p.m., alongside fries and drink specials. Cocktails are intended to be fun and approachable, ranging from classics like an Old Fashioned and an espresso martini to more distinctive offerings such as a rum-based Ube Colada (ube, coconut, pineapple, and a touch of lime) and the Phoenix Rising made with a strawberry-chile shrub and ginger beer, plus a sizable wine list, draft beers, and thoughtfully prepared nonalcoholic options. I see it positioned to serve tourists, convention visitors, and a healthy office happy-hour crowd, and the team hopes its hours (open 4–11 p.m. Mon–Wed, 4–midnight Thu, 4–2 a.m. Fri–Sat, 4–11 p.m. Sun) will help reanimate downtown nightlife." - Dianne de Guzman