This is what happens when science, booze, and creativity combine in the wee hours of the night at Golden Gate Park. Varying weekly themes include ’80s Quake Party and Sustainable Catch. Prepare to cast your lines.
NightLife at The California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive, at Golden Gate Park (415-379-8000 or calacademy.org).
The 100-plus wine list will give you and your date something to talk about. Keep it classy with a glass of vino and an ever-changing assortment of pickled items, or go for a soft pretzel and one of the beers on tap.
St. Vincent Tavern and Wine Merchant, 1270 Valencia Street, between 23rd and 24th Streets (415-285-1200 or stvincentsf.com).
Enjoy a modern take on the old-fashion bowling date (for the 21-and-over crowd) with a restaurant menu conceived by Mission Chinese’s Anthony Myint, a full bar, an epic sound track, and an easy-to-use online reservations system. We guarantee you won’t feel like a pinhead.
Mission Bowling Club, 3176 17th Street, between Shotwell Street and South Van Ness Avenue (415-863-2695 or missionbowlingclub.com).
This one’s for the brainiacs. The Wednesday night trivia games can get intense, but whether you join a random team or start your own, the camaraderie can be a welcome distraction for a nervous couple. If you lose, you’ve got a great excuse to duck out.
Tonic, 2360 Polk Street, at Union Street (415-771-5535 or tonicbar-sf.com).
The FiDi location, stiff drinks, and dim lighting make it easy to ditch your date and get home in time for dinner. For the brokenhearted, happy hour is singles’ heaven.
Rickhouse, 246 Kearny Street, between Bush and Sutter Streets (415-398-2827 or rickhousebar.com).
Not all relationships have to end badly. This cozy Nob Hill wine bar is the perfect place to have a quiet conversation and work things out (or break them off) over a $3 glass of red.
Nook, 1500 Hyde Street, at Jackson Street (415-447-4100 or cafenook.com).
Snag a seat at the traditional Japanese dining table in the back and share a pot of Phoenix oolong (one of the rare teas) with your date. If all goes well, stretch out the evening with English service and three-tiered platters.
Samovar Zen Valley, 297 Page Street, at Laguna Street (415-861-0303 or samovarlife.com).
Taxidermy and mythical beasts speak volumes without making a sound. Break up with your beau; then drown your sorrows in a Sasquatch (or three).
Bigfoot Lodge, 1750 Polk Street, between Clay and Washington Streets (415-440-2355 or bigfootlodgesf.com).
This bar, tucked away in a hidden part of North Beach, doubles as an unsuspecting Sunday brunch-date destination (try the skillet) and a seductive spot for strong cocktails.
15 Romolo, 15 Romolo Place, between Broadway and Vallejo Streets (415-398-1359 or 15romolo.com).
An easy (and free) first-date spot for outdoorsy types, this eighteen-hole disc golf course spans unexplored parts of Golden Gate Park. Bonus: It’s BYOB, as long as you leave with everything you bring.
Golden Gate Park Disc Golf Course, 900 John F. Kennedy Drive, at Golden Gate Park (sfdiscgolf.org).
Calling all drama enthusiasts: Enjoy a good laugh at a stranger’s expense with readings of embarrassing childhood poems, journal entries, and breakup letters, plus hilarious performances of angst-ridden songs. If you’re feeling brave, deliver your own separation monologue and bid adieu to your partner publicly.
DNA Lounge, 375 11th Street, between Folsom and Harrison Streets (415-626-1409 or dnalounge.com or getmortified.com).
Get close on a first date with a $19-an-hour paddleboat rental. Observe the scenery, snap some photos, spot the turtles, and people-watch on your slow crawl around the dock.
Stow Lake Boathouse, 50 Stow Lake Drive, at Golden Gate Park (415-386-2531 or stowlakeboathouse.com).
Feeling noncommittal? Grab a quick bite and get to know your date’s food preferences at this Friday-night roundup of street eats, where it’s easy to linger or just dine and ditch.
Off the Grid, Fort Mason Center Parking Lot, at Buchanan Street and Marina Boulevard (415-779-6684 or offthegridsf.com).
The sign outside the bar (“Did you write your Mom today?”) will make you feel guilty enough. Get the painful breakup out of the way and indulge in the digital jukebox and extensive whiskey selection. (The PBR-and-whiskey-shot special cures the blues.)
Dear Mom, 2700 16th Street, at Harrison Street (415-625-3362 or dearmomsf.com).
The wide-open space in this warehouse/indoor beer garden is a breath of fresh air, which you’ll need while you’re downing pitchers of house-made brew and munching on pub grub. Don’t forget to tend to your date between gulps.
Southern Pacific Brewing, 620 Treat Avenue, at 19th Street (415-341-0152 or southernpacificbrewing.com).
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