The Bottom Line
The Pied Piper is a great stop in the evening when you're craving a bit of space from the otherwise chaotic nightlife scene. It's worth a trip to the lounge if you've never seen the vivid mural behind bar.
Pros
- Mellow lounge ambiance
- A slice of San Francisco history
- Easy stroll to surrounding areas and public transportation
Cons
- No happy hour specials
- Can get busy in the early evening, after work
Description
- ADDRESS: 2 New Montgomery Street (at Market)
- TELEPHONE: (415) 512-1111
- BART: Walk to Montgomery St. BART or Powell St. BART
- MUNI: J, K, L, M, N & F-Line Streetcar
- PARKING: Valet at the hotel - nearby garage at 833 Mission Street (at 5th)
- Palace Hotel Website
Guide Review - The Pied Piper
The Pied Piper Bar is old school and it should be. The bar lives in the historic Palace Hotel, just down the corridor from the stunning Garden Court.
The bar’s backdrop is the Pied Piper of Hamelin mural, painted by American artist Maxfield Parrish. The mural was commissioned for the Palace's 1909 reopening after fires from the 1906 earthquake gutted the building. Whether or not you're a fan of Parrish, you'll appreciate the visual kicker which begs for a slow-shutter photo op.
The ambiance is velvet all the way. The mahogany tones and muted lighting can fool you into thinking it’s cocktail hour when the sun is still at twelve o’clock high.
After work, the crowd is more business than leisure. But, slink in after hours following a risotto dinner in North Beach, and you’ll appreciate the serenity as you cap the evening with a brandy.
Located a hop and a skip from Union Square, the Financial District, and the Embarcadero, the Palace's south-of-Market neighborhood can be tight on street parking but easy to navigate by way of foot, MUNI or BART.