Standing nose to nose in the city’s latest It bar isn’t your idea of a good time. But off-the-beaten-path fun awaits: Here, four of our favorite SFers share the lowdown on their under-the-radar haunts.

• Candlelight, white tablecloths — just add a jazz band and you’ve got an authentic throwback noir watering hole.
• This is the kind of place you’d get the old crew together and go over the details of “the last big job.”
• Order a Bulleit Rye Manhattan.
• It’s small, so bartenders stick to their business.

3394 22nd Street, at Guerrero Street (415-648-0109 or facebook.com).

• I love that the wallpaper looks like a tea party pattern at first glance, but when you look closely, it tells a story about a small village somewhere exotic.
• The deviled eggs are extra special, because they add prosciutto. It tastes like breakfast in a bite.
• You’ll want to loiter over by the bookshelves.
• The Wes Anderson-esque decor lends an adventurous ambiance.

579 Hayes Street, between Laguna and Octavia Streets (415-863-3655 or 2sistersbarandbooks.com).

• This place is drunk harlequin meets P. T. Barnum.
• Ask for one of the small nooks in the upstairs dining room — it’s almost like having your own private circus tent.
• The bone-in filet, medium rare, is what makes this place shine. I could eat it alone, but the sweet potatoes with brown sugar are a tasty addition.
• Ask for a martini at the circular bar. The bartender is especially chatty.
  

1450 Lombard Street, between Van Ness Avenue and Franklin Street (415-441-8880 or boboquivaris.com).

• The best karaage in all of San Francisco.
• Always expect classic R&B jams on Saturday evenings.
• You won’t want to miss a handsome Korean bartender by the name of Jonathan.
• Every night the bartenders whip up something special. Example: habanero-infused limeade with fortified sake.
  

3378 18th Street, at Mission Street (415 967-2636 or eatkenkenramen.com).