Prohibition in North Beach
San Francisco Brewing Company on Columbus, mid-1990s.
Photo: Brett Reierson
San Francisco Brewing Company, 155 Columbus (at Pacific). This is one of the few remaining historic watering holes in the area that was once the Barbary Coast, San Francisco's notorious waterfront vice district. The pub's nicely-preserved interior dates from 1907; check out the brass-trimmed mahogany bar and accompanying tile spittoon. Gangster Babyface Nelson was captured here, in what is now the ladies rest room. (Dont ask what he was doing in there.) What else? Oh yeah: Jack Dempsey once worked here as a bouncer.
--Dr. Weirde