Best Alcoholic Cream Soda

Vanilla beer? Strange, but true, and it's just one of the peculiarities of the Thirsty Bear, where seven tasty house microbrews are juxtaposed with a lengthy tapas menu in a brassy, industrial, South of Market setting. Even if the bartenders do look at you a little funny for ordering it, the sweet-smelling brew -- which seems closer to A&W than Amstel -- is just the thing for washing down zesty offerings such as patatas al ajillo (aka "garlic fries") and gambas al pil-pil (shrimp with garlic and white wine) during the always-packed happy hour or just before or after taking in a flick at the nearby Metreon.