Taking you along on the journey through my neck of the woods searching to find the best drinking venue on the 2.0 mile strip I call home.

Continuing my conquest to beber at some of San Francisco’s finest bars (and as many as Polk street has to offer) I congregate with a group of buddies at the heralded and some would say mythical Big Foot Lodge. Boasting a breeze through window and a hanging stump above the entry, The Big Foot Lodge is a bit of an oddity from the street. This first glance judgment is backed up upon entry as the wooden walls, girl scout sash adorning bar tenders and 9 foot sasquatch  throw anyone for a loop (especially after a few pre-game cocktails). The busy Saturday night makes getting to bar all but impossible with the row of people awaiting drinks and another along the side wall making even walking an American Gladiator Eliminatoresq test of will. This mass of people does provide the opportunity for a little conversation, which is quickly becoming my forte.

Me: Hey, how’s it going?

Random Guy: Keep walking

Me: Touché

Taking the random guy’s advice I press my way to the bar and order up some beers for my friends and what I believe to be the bar’s signature cocktail the Sasquatch.

Me: 3 beers and on Sasquatch

Bartender in pre-teen Girl Scout garb: Alright, you’re the first person to order one all night

Popular, I’ve clearly made the right decision

Grabbing my bounty and heading to the back of the bar to meet my friends I discover a gem as a comparably open lounge area lies beyond the human gauntlet at the front of the house. Taking my seat and taking second to glance at my credit card receipt I’m pleasantly surprised by the results, 3 Beers and a signature cocktail for little more than the base ATM fodder, not bad. These reasonable prices stun us even more as we escalate to martinis as a nice round two and are all too happy to party with a Hamilton in exchange for the finest vodka the rail has to offer.

Stumbling drunk by the time we rise from our seats we notice the crowd at the bar has grown and that now they’re chanting. Reminiscent of tribal ceremony or a pep rally bonfire, the bar is soon a blaze as a towering (semi-towering) inferno engulfs the publican’s arena (I wonder what SFFD thinks of this ritual?) Not wanting my drunken stupor to lead to an inquisition era auto de fé, I give the Sasquatch statue the requisite dap (oh, you always have to pay respect to the Sasquatch) and fight my way out of the bar.

Avoiding injury and getting my fill of cocktails I’m not quite sure what I’ve just experienced. Nevertheless, The Bigfoot Lodge served a worthwhile Saturday evening companion and unlike Harry and the Hendersons, I’m definitely keeping this Sasquatch as part of my family (or at least my drinking one).

The Rundown:

Address: 1750 Polk St (Between Washington and Clay)

Hours: 3:00pm – 2am daily

Best Night: Weeknights, Saturday. Look out for the Fire Show.

Drinks: Beers – Amazing happy hour specials. Hamms. The Sasquatch: Spicy  ginger brandy and Wild Turkey (which I’m certainly a fan of).

Synopsis: Great bar with a flair for the dramatic. Space can be a problem, but drink prices keep your mind otherwise occupied.