"Next door to the Bus Stop Saloon in Cow Hollow is a pair of unmarked doors to what looks like an apartment building—except these include a bouncer out front. Ascend the stairs and step into a cocktail lounge that’s full of bubble velvet couches, chandeliers, and enough gold accents to make Versailles look minimalist. You’ll find people wearing flashy dresses and freshly dry-cleaned sports coats lounging next to painted portraits that look straight out of an exhibit at the Legion of Honor. To match the atmosphere, the drinks and food have a bit of extravagance. Cocktails with ingredients like jasmine rice-infused tequila, aloe liqueur, and Okinawa brown sugar and bar bites such as a Valrhona mousse choco taco, $65 aged wagyu bites, and $12 bumps of caviar. Walk-ins are subject to availability, so plan ahead, make a reservation, and pull out your gala outfit (or, more realistically, the flashiest piece in your wardrobe). " - julia chen 1, lani conway, patrick wong, ricky rodriguez