San Francisco, California
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Trick Dog opened in January 2013 on a rapidly developing stretch of 20th Street in San Francisco’s Mission District. The old warehouse space it occupied was converted into a handsome bi-level bar and restaurant (courtesy of renowned restaurant designer Wylie Price) that was, and remains, supremely stylish but ultimately unassuming. Its debut menu was not. Designed to resemble the Pantone formula guide, the team—led by owner Josh Harris and a rotating cast of right brains, like Morgan Schick, Caitlin Laman, Chad Arnholt and now Nick Amano-Dolan—created 10 drinks meant to channel the feeling evoked by specific Pantone colors.
The epitome of Nine Bar’s approach, the house Mai Tai brings an “Asian-ish” bent to the tropical classic with its almond cookie orgeat, a nod to the sweets often eaten for Lunar New Year.
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MAKE IT
Combining shochu, baijiu and sake alongside aperitivo liqueur, Calpico and fresh citrus, this playful highball is, in Wang’s words, “refreshing, a little funky and pleasantly tart.”
Neon City
MAKE IT
A “spicy bourbon citrus banger”
featured on the 2015 Chinatown menu,
the #5 was a hit—the bar sold
upward of 11,000 in six months.
#5
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Designed to resemble the Pantone formula guide, the team—led by owner Josh Harris and a rotating cast of right brains, like Morgan Schick, Caitlin Laman, Chad Arnholt and now Nick Amano-Dolan—created 10 drinks meant to channel the feeling evoked by specific Pantone colors. In the 10 years since, the team has redesigned its menu twice per year (with a short break during the height of the pandemic) around a theme: an actual pin-up calendar of dogs, a photo collection representing 13 pieces of public art commissioned by Trick Dog (many of which still exist) and a satirical replica of The Joy of Cooking that featured cocktail collaborations with the city’s top chefs. The latter raised around $11,000 for charity (another hallmark of the Trick Dog approach) and earned the bar a cease-and-desist order from publisher Simon & Schuster. While Trick Dog has developed a reputation as one of the most forward-thinking bars in the country, its success isn’t just a product of conceptual prowess. The bar’s real trick, if you will, is pairing this relentless imagination with the kind of hospitality that has made it a true neighborhood bar. The drinks, too, have achieved a similar feat: They are both envelope-pushing and just plain delicious.
RECIPE
In the 10 years since, the team has redesigned its menu twice per year (with a short break during the height of the pandemic) around a theme: an actual pin-up calendar of dogs, a photo collection representing 13 pieces of public art commissioned by Trick Dog (many of which still exist) and a satirical replica of The Joy of Cooking that featured cocktail collaborations with the city’s top chefs. The latter raised around $11,000 for charity (another hallmark of the Trick Dog approach) and earned the bar a cease-and-desist order from publisher Simon & Schuster. While Trick Dog has developed a reputation as one of the most forward-thinking bars in the country, its success isn’t just a product of conceptual prowess. The bar’s real trick, if you will, is pairing this relentless imagination with the kind of hospitality that has made it a true neighborhood bar. The drinks, too, have achieved a similar feat: They are both envelope-pushing and just plain delicious.
Trick Dog is known for its elaborate, themed menus, including a Pantone formula guide and a satirical replica of
Oloroso sherry and a cherry soda (whose profile has been likened to Dr Pepper) showcase the team’s penchant for unlikely flavor combos.
MAKE IT
A smash hit from the bar’s first
menu, the frothy Tequila Sour
is still available by request.
Baby Turtle
MAKE IT
A “spicy bourbon citrus banger”
featured on the 2015 Chinatown
menu, the #5 was a hit—the bar sold
upward of 11,000 in six months
#5
A low-proof industry favorite, the Trick Dog Aperitif has appeared on every iteration of the bar’s menu.
RECIPE
RECIPE
MAKE IT
A nonalcoholic milk punch made
with probiotic yogurt, Puppy Pose
is an example of the bar’s often
high-concept approach to N/A.
Puppy Pose
RECIPE
Oloroso sherry and a cherry soda (whose profile has been likened to
Dr Pepper) showcase the team’s penchant for unlikely flavor combos.
MAKE IT
A smash hit from the bar’s first
menu, the frothy Tequila Sour is
still available by request.
Baby Turtle
RECIPE
The Joy of Cooking.