Sifting through the characteristic first date chit-chat to learn more about your possible partner can be tedious and time consuming. Find out what your new friend is really made of and see if they are man (or woman) enough to appreciate these Chinatown gems. The sights and smells of San Francisco’s Chinatown delight the adventurous and dare stomachs of steel. Roasted whole ducks dangling in windows, dimly lit bars and sour bartenders serving sweet drinks, will certainly separate the dull from the daring. 

Li Po Lounge
Look for the blue neon sign, duck into Li Po Lounge, and start off the night with a Chinese Mai-Tai - a concoction known to make patrons stumble rather than stroll from the premises.

This long-standing drinkery was recently made famous via a visit from Travel Channel's Anthony Bourdain. Don't let the minor celebrity status discourage a visit, there is as much character and history in the walls as in the faces of the patrons bellied-up to the bar.

R & G Lounge
A classic for locals and a treat for tourists, R & G Lounge is intimate and boisterous all at once cultivating good time atmosphere where you can still hear yourself think, or your date talk - if the conversation is worth listening to.

A house specialty, the Salt and Pepper Full-Crab might freak you both out a bit, but break that critter up and the delectable and sweet flavors of the sea will delight even the most squeamish

Chuck You - Delightful After Dinner Drinks
Come to Cathay for one thing only, well two things – Chuck the Bartender and his drinks! A circular bar enclosed by a thin partition spares diners from Chuck’s antics that include matching every patron shot-for-shot, sharing his perfected ‘stink-eye’ glare with everyone who orders a drink and creating some uproarious good time laughs with his screw-you shenanigans.

If you and your date can laugh as Chuck throws Singapore Slings and insults your way, you may have a keeper on your

L'Amore is for Lovers or Karaoke
So the dates going swell, crab juice slathered on your hands and face and hilariously rude bartenders have only added to your mutual fondness. Time for the Piece de Resistance: Karaoke.

Luckily, one Chinatown enclave is reserved for just this kind of ridiculousness – L’Amore Nightclub. With glow-in-the-dark star stickers smattered on hastily painted walls and the requisite awkward-karaoke-video that accompanies each song, the title of “nightclub” might be a stretch, but its all fun nonetheless.

Serenade your sweetie with a rendition of Lionel Richie’s “Hello” or bust out the Running Man to a Milli Vanilli duet. Say so long to your inhibitions and future faux pas, after this date your guard will be down and your comfort level up with only one thing left to do – decide what to do on your next date.

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