"Co-owner Will Herrera used to run the Barbary Coast trail institution Old Ship Saloon, so he knows a thing or two about honoring downtown San Francisco’s bar culture. “We’re here for an intentionally social environment, not a nightclub vibe,” he says of the nearly three-year-old Harlan Records, tucked down a cheeky alley. Open most days at 2 p.m. and closing late every day, it’s hard to leave Harlan once you’re sitting in a leather-bound chair, booth, or bar stool. A classic McIntosh receiver powers part of the system that Herrera says is still evolving. The striking cocktail list and loaded “Duets” (shot and beer combo) offering are fun to explore in the afternoon, or while hearing curated records from prime local selectors at night." - Adrian Spinelli