Inside For the Record, a Retro-Fabulous Cocktail Destination Grooving in the Marina

With sincerest apologies to bargoers of the Marina, the neighborhood’s latest cocktail vacation spot can’t make a Purple Bull vodka and received’t play any of in the present day’s greatest hits — not even Justin Bieber, we already requested. As a substitute, you’ll have the ability to get a thoughtfully crafted cocktail, or a good traditional drink, to get pleasure from with a wholesome dose of soul, funk, and disco. That’s as a result of For the Report, which opens in the present day and celebrates its grand opening Thursday, Could 19, is dedicated to cultivating the retro vibes of San Francisco’s wildest That ’70s Present goals, from the wooden paneling on the partitions to the glittering disco balls dangling from the ceilings.

“It’s about creating the total expertise right here,” says proprietor Barry John Walsh. “It’s not simply the drinks.” Although, in fact, the drinks ship, too.

Walsh brings loads of expertise to his first challenge; he’s a longtime worker of Future Bars, the prolific San Francisco group behind nightlife locations like Bourbon & Department and Pagan Idol. And he’s introduced on one other Future Bars alum to work on the cocktail menu. Coming off a stint as Bar Director for Liholiho Yacht Membership and Good Good Tradition Membership, Janice Bailon beforehand hung out behind the stick at Bourbon & Department and Satan’s Acre and has pulled collectively a full album of hits for For The Report. Each drink on the record of 10 takes inspiration from a unique tune from the late ’60s by means of the mid-’80s — every tune serves as a jumping-off level for the drink’s taste profile, she explains.

Take as an example the eye-catching, azure Superfly, named for the soulful 1972 James Mayfield traditional, made with smoky mezcal balanced by lemon, passionfruit, and a contact of natural Galliano liqueur. The California Soul channels the vibe of driving down Freeway 1 on a summer season day blasting Marlena Shaw, which, in cocktail type, tastes one thing like vodka with crisp and floral Lillet Blanc and honey. A bubbly float and a splash of Campari give the drink a layered look not in contrast to a California sundown.

With the Superstitious — a Stevie Marvel funk anthem transmuted into drinkable type through aged rum, housemade ube orgeat, coconut, and occasional — Bailon will get a little bit private: not solely was the tune her go-to when she sang with the band at North Seashore’s Tupelo, however ube can be a nostalgic taste for Bailon, who’s Filipino American. “That’s part of my childhood so I like to include that into what I do,” she says.

There’s a good again bar for workers to work off so, sure, you can too stroll in and order a gin and tonic. However for those who’re making an attempt to show issues up a notch, don’t be stunned if the workers steers you away from straight photographs in favor of one among their Cheekies — so named as a result of the mini cocktails are “simply sufficient to fill your cheek,” Bailon explains. The disarmingly clean Lowrider blends tequila and sweet-herbal Cardamaro, whereas the smoky Unhealthy Ladies combines mezcal and bittersweet Brucato Amaro. “The second that you’ve got it, you’re like ‘Oh, we’re in bother,’” Bailon jokes. And for the non-spirit drinkers, there are beers by the bottle or can and a shortlist of wines obtainable.

For The Report’s meals menu is certainly concise, however it’s backed by the creativity of consulting chef Frank Hua, recognized for his hit Hawaiian-inspired pop-up Unco Frank’s. Hua says he began researching meals from the period however discovered himself confronted with recipes for marshmallow and Jello salads and pineapple hen. “Meals that you just don’t need to eat,” he says. “So I took a unique method.” Hua leaned into the concept of a retro ceremonial dinner however elevated the standard finger meals: deviled eggs get topped with smoked trout roe and coconut shrimp comes with a facet of coco mayo. There are additionally some easy, stable bar meals choices together with a Ceasar salad, fries, and porcini popcorn topped with white cheddar mud and brown butter.

Walsh says he’s been on the lookout for the precise area to interrupt out on his personal for a while. He settled into the low-ceilinged floor flooring area that when housed Mina Take a look at Kitchen (and extra lately, U Dessert Story) and spent the final 4 months remodeling the slim room into a comfortable bar-meets-conversation pit hybrid. Groovy patterned wallpaper from Benicia’s Bradbury & Bradbury wraps across the lengthy, slim most important room, with a wall of inexperienced banquettes set throughout high-top tables leaving loads of room for standing and sipping a drink.

Walsh additionally tapped a handful of native skills to fill out the area. Design advisor Britt Henze painted a striped mural that strikes, lightning bolt-like, across the area. Design advisor Ivan Mora hung a disco ball set up within the backroom, and there’s a hand-painted signal hanging out entrance by Fernando Garcia. Even small touches converse to the retro-fabulous theme: a row of glowing lava lamps, a classic radio cupboard, and framed artwork sporting psychedelic Invoice Graham fonts. “I really like historical past and after I was trying into the historical past of San Francisco, there was a lot about this period,” Walsh says. “However there’s no bar that leans into it as a lot as we’re.”

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For The Report (2120 Greenwich Road) debuts Wednesday, April 27 and will probably be open from 5 p.m. to midnight Tuesday by means of Thursday, 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday, and three p.m. to midnight Sunday.