"Everything at Bar Jabroni feels set up for a meet-cute. This cozy Lower Haight wine bar (from the team behind Palm City) is where to sip on some funky wine and grab a few great small plates while mingling with strangers and potentially making some new friends (or lovers). This place is small, so you’ll play a game of human Tetris to get inside. You’ve got two choices: squeeze in shoulder-to-shoulder at the bar and make some new friends, or reserve one of the teeny-tiny tables. To dodge a wait, plan ahead and try to get an elusive reservation. photo credit: Carly Hackbarth photo credit: Carly Hackbarth photo credit: Carly Hackbarth The menu is short, all over the place (in a good way), and changes throughout the year. Despite many of the dishes being hits (like the fall-apart wagyu beef cheeks and decadent potato gnocchi), portions are on the smaller side—so don’t expect to have a full dinner here unless you’re planning on ordering the whole menu. Instead, grab a few glasses of wine, order a small pasta, and split a meat dish while you get to know your neighbors. After you’ve exchanged Instagram handles, head to one of the other great restaurants on Haight St. for a full meal. Food Rundown video credit: Taylor Gomez Wine All natural wine, all the time. What’s offered by the glass changes frequently, but we like the pét-nat and the vernatxa. The selection is curated enough that you can’t go wrong. photo credit: Carly Hackbarth A Bit Of Seafood There are some constants in life, like oysters and a crudo always being on this menu—they’re a solid choice. The larger seafood dishes, like the soft-shell crab, are just okay. photo credit: Ricky Rodriguez A Bit Of Vegetables Did you eat your veggies today? If not, go for it. There will be seasonal additions like stone fruit and a distinctive (and potentially polarizing) dressing like an anchovy vinaigrette. But if you had a salad for lunch, there’s no need to have this take up room on your already small table. photo credit: Ricky Rodriguez A Bit Of Meat Whether it’s a pork chop or wagyu beef cheeks, they nail their meats here. The wagyu and tender, and the pork chop is drenched in a perfectly paired tangy cherry jus. They’re bigger than the rest of the dishes, but still feel petit. photo credit: Carly Hackbarth A Bit Of Pasta Pasta is an essential part of a meal here. We love the dense gnudi served with sun-dried tomatoes and almond pesto. photo credit: Carly Hackbarth Something Sweet If you skip dessert, there’s about a 0% chance you’ll feel like you missed out on anything. If you have to get something though, order the fruit-forward choux and tres leches cake." - Ricky Rodriguez
