They’re talking about us.

Virgil’s Sea Room was going to be a tough act to follow. After that beloved queer bar closed in early 2021, a group of three bartenders announced they would take over the space and convert it into Mothership, a vaguely outerspace-theme bar with affordable drinks and neighborhood vibes. It isn’t Virgil’s — nothing could be — but Mothership is a fun destination in its own right, with great drinks, raucous party vibes in the evening and an attractively verdant back patio.

A moody, pink-purple glow encases the bar, the work of partner Sean Mabry. Two Days and Two Nights ($13) is almost a meal in itself, with orgeat (made with toasted pumpkin seeds, instead of the usual almonds), tangy guanabana fruit and nutty corn liqueur. Or opt for the Ten Forward ($13), a light, refreshing, herbal drink with fennel, amaro, passion fruit and a vibrant blue float of pea flower.

Mothership is a team effort with a trio of new owners: Joanna Ricco was a bartender at El Rio for eight years, before launching her practice as a psychotherapist in the last couple of years. Alicia Griffiths has tended bar for Brass Tacks and Junior, before becoming a video producer in the last couple of years. And Sean Mabry worked at the Knockout across the street for an impressive 12 years, he says, in every capacity.

All three may pitch in behind the bar at the new Mothership from time to time, but Mabry will be running the day-to-day operations. They’re all old industry friends: Griffiths and Mabry are actually a couple, who met-cute on the dance floor of the Knockout, and used to belt karaoke at El Rio when Ricco was working a shift. Griffiths lived just around the corner from Virgil’s for 10 years, and Mabry moved in with her for the last five years of those.

Some of SF's most beloved bars closed permanently (RIP Bar Agricole, The Saratoga), some remain shuttered temporarily (Slanted Door, P.C.H.), and several new ones have opened (Bar Iris, Mothership).

The city and this list, which represents the most notable adult beverages it has to offer, have experienced a big shuffle, but that’s all the more reason to get out on the town to explore new venues and revisit the old standards you’ve likely been missing over the last couple years.

Our selection (in alphabetical order by cocktail name below) reflects the flavor and format trends we’re seeing in the bars. Rum drinks like the Red + Blue at Kona’s Street Market represent sophisticated escapism. Mezcal, in cocktails like Casements’ Peas for Bees, is threatening to overtake bourbon and gin as the city’s most popular mixing spirit. And that “low and no” trend you keep hearing about is everywhere, in the forms of spritzes, cobblers, gazoz, and mocktails made with sherry, amaro, sparkling wine, and non-alcoholic spirits.

Three veteran San Francisco bartenders are taking over the Mission District space that formerly housed Virgil’s Sea Room, the beloved queer-friendly bar that permanently closed in February. Their new bar, Mothership, will open in the fall with affordable cocktails, plenty of mocktails and a “magnificent hanging garden” in the back patio, the owners say.

The cocktail menu will incorporate fresh produce, fresh-squeezed juices and homemade syrups, with a focus on affordability. Local wine and craft brews will be on tap, though cheap beers like Tecate and Miller High Life will also always be available, because “that’s what we drink,” Sean Mabry says, one of the three partners on the bar along with Joanna Rico and Alicia Griffiths. There will be gluten-free beers, ciders and a thoughtfully composed menu of nonalcoholic drinks for people who aren’t drinking or are trying to drink less.

The Hottest New Cocktail Bars in San Francisco and Oakland, February 2022

Mothership has finally landed on upper Mission. A trio of industry local bartenders took over the former Virgil’s Sea Room space and transformed it into a funkadelic bar, which quietly opened in October. The patio is currently open for outdoor drinking, serving affordable cocktails and pitchers of margaritas — check the calendar for DJs and upcoming events.