Comments (0) Best Chill Bar Before 10 p.m. - 2001
Movida Lounge
On a recent visit to Movida at 9 p.m. on a Sunday, a local sitting at the bar told us Movida was so "chill" that his wife had come there to fetch him in her pajamas. That's the spirit of this cozy lounge, which celebrated its first birthday in April and is a stylish addition to the Haight/Fillmore area, known for edgier dives like Molotov's and the Toronado. The theme of Movida is Don Quixote, according to bartender Tamara Hayes, but with the mural outside the bar -- which features a smirking red bull with a red rose in his mouth -- and the bullfighting art inside, we're deeming the décor "matadorian." Movida has a wide range of average-priced wines and beers -- both draft and bottled -- from which to choose, but its specialties include sangria (natch) and two wine-soaked cocktails: the Movidarita, with agave wine replacing tequila, and the Cosmosake, with sake instead of vodka. On most nights, arriving before 10 p.m. should guarantee a spot at one of several booths, tables, or the bar and enough peace to chat, but after that the air thickens with yuppies and the locals tend to head elsewhere.
