The new bar The Residence opened this past weekend in San Francisco. It's on the site of Amber and Zodiac restaurant before that. I believe they have the same owners but gave it a revamp.
The biggest change is that the bar finally went non-smoking after using the owner-operated clause to have legal smoking for so many years. They changed over the entire bar in two weeks and surprisingly they got all the smoke smell out.
They freshened up the place with a new paint job and furniture.
The place is equally as casual and comfortable as it was as Amber, with some nicer lighting like half-globes mounted on the wall in the picture below.
They also changed the drink menu. The majority of the drinks on it are renamed classic cocktails like the Manhattan, Martini, Blood and Sand, and Sazerac. Three others are made with soju or sake. Cocktail snobs won't be impressed, but it's a step in the right direction. The more comfortable, casual neighborhood cocktail bars the better.
The Residence
718 14th Street at Market
San Francisco, CA





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