Nopa

Nopa stands for "North of Panhandle" which is where this restaurant is located. The Panhandle is that thin strip of a park that is connected to Golden Gate Park. This area used to be part of a larger area called "Western Addition" but over time, different areas have broken off to form their own distinct neighborhoods to try to disassociate with the negative image Western Addition acquired over the years. Nopa along with the Independent, Madrone and other relatively new spots have helped bring an artsy progressive vibe to the neighborhood.

Nopa makes what they call "urban rustic" food- my guess is that means they make simple food and do it well while adding unique twists. My friend and I split a salad and a grass fed beef hamburger. I'm not usually into croutons, but this salad had crumbled croutons that added a nice crunch without being cumbersome to eat, and a delicious creamy vinagrette dressing. The burger was juicy and had some really tasty spices in it.

This restaurant is in a large space but it's always packed well into the night on weekends. It's open until 1am. There are unreserved seats at the bar or the "community table", but even these can be crowded. It's best to make reservations if you're short on time. This restaurant is social, loud and communal and the staff is very friendly. It is San Francisco-trendy, in that eco-friendly, artsy, quality food kind of way. If you're sitting somewhere with a window view, you'll see a Popeyes fast food restaurant across the street. It slightly takes away from the cool decor and ambiance, but it also shows you what you're not missing!

This is a great medium-sized venue in San Francisco. The location has been home to other music venues over the years. For the past few years it has been The Independent and it's run by Another Planet Entertainment, purveyors of some of the best concerts and festivals in the Bay Area. It features a variety of genres and the crowd on any particular night reflects the kind of music that's being performed.

All of the shows are 21+ which means there aren't any restricted bar areas. There is a bit of seating on the side but it's mostly just an open space. Nothing fancy. There is also a balcony upstairs which is nice to go up to if you know people in the know. There is usually plenty of space to dance, but my friend told me that for non-dance music concerts they set up tables and chairs. The stage is raised high enough so that short people like me can see the stage, even from further back provided some really tall person doesn't stand in front of me. It's not small but not too big for people who appreciate intimate venues.