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Studio Z: The mezzanine of Studio Z offers a view of one of the most eclectic performance spaces in the Bay Area. A regular home to performance poetry events, the spacious club also hosts live reggae, world beat, rock, and fusion. Even if the genres are all over the map, the quality is always top drawer. 314 11th St. (at Folsom), 252-7666.
Sublounge: A great DJ bar in the not-yet-great Dogpatch neighborhood (first-rate DJs make it worth the trip). A clean, cool, and sometimes Burning Man-ish joint for dancing and/or playing a few rounds on the two PlayStations. 628 20th St. (at Third St.), 552-3603.
Suede: House, drum 'n' bass, and everything in between thump and grind at Suede, where partyers succumb to the rhythms of the dance floor. Expensive drinks and a surprisingly friendly staff make overcoming the butterflies somewhat easier. 383 Bay (at Mason), 399-9555.
Suite one8one: DJ Mei-Lwun's seedy mash-ups of hip hop, booty, and classic rock might not be the perfect fit for the super-swank environs, but his Friday residency brings in the club's hippest clientele. Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday the DJs spin hip hop, house, funk, and soul with a conventional flavor. 181 Eddy (at Taylor), 345-9900.
Tempest: Maneuver through the mess of bikes to the spacious back patio, and it won't take long to figure out that this unassuming SOMA dive is a favorite of punks, anarchists, and messengers. Accordingly, the stage is home to crust punk, noise, and rock. Though the performances are infrequent, they're nice and loud. 431 Natoma (between Fifth and Sixth Sts.), 495-1863.
Ten 15 Folsom: A central hub of S.F.'s dance scene, it boasts three enormous dance floors, an internationally renowned roster of DJs, and a guaranteed late-night party. Experimental DJ sets in the basement are a treat for heavy listeners, while the masses rage to more standard house, high-energy, and techno fare on the main level. 1015 Folsom (at Sixth St.), 431-1200.
Thee Parkside: This longtime home to bikers and blue-collars has transformed itself into one of the city's finest small rooms for rock. The calendar is jammed with the crème de la crème of garage, indie, and underground acts delivering intimate shows in the main room for a low cover. 1600 17th St. (at Wisconsin), 503-0393.
Thirsty Bear Brewing Company: Though most patrons come out for the selection of home-brewed bevvies, Thirsty Bear has recently become something of a live music venue. A cast of downtempo DJs spins on Thursday and the Sunday night residency by Toque Flamenco provides some tuneful ambience. 661 Howard (at Third St.), 974-0905.
Tongue & Groove: So you've always wanted to hear Scandal's '80s chart-topper "I Am the Warrior" live, but you were born a decade too late? Find solace at T&G's Thursday night cover band series, where live acts pay tribute to the hits of yesteryear. Other weekend days, the club hosts an assortment of local rock flavors from funk to indie. 2513 Van Ness (at Union), 928-0404.
Tonic: You may not be able to judge a book by its cover, but judging a bar by its jukebox is a safe bet. The one in this hipster meat-market boasts U.K. alternative staples (Blur, Smiths, Pulp) by the dozen. Occasional DJs spin hip hop, lite house, and soul, but be warned -- they rarely bring much action to the dance floor. 2360 Polk (at Union), 771-5535.
The Top: Aside from a booming sound system manned every night by talented DJs (local and noteworthy out-of-town guests playing the spectrum of electronic music), this Lower Haight haunt is largely no-frills -- and that thankfully includes the drinks, which eschew dilution in favor of pure punch. 424 Haight (at Webster), 864-7386.
Top of the Mark: This famed martini bar offers high-class wallpaper music on the weekends, including lounge piano, easy listening, classical, and some jazz combos. The best stuff comes late on Friday and Saturday nights, when the drinks pour with a heavy hand and the jazz bands blow with a little more gusto. Mark Hopkins Inter-Continental Hotel, 1 Nob Hill, 999 California (at Mason), 616-6916.
Trax: The DJ fare can be anything from trip hop to rock 'n' roll headbangers. A laid-back staff and cozy lighting attract a mixed lot of tourists and barflies, who -- with the right amount of liquid courage -- populate the dance floor. Though its DJs may not be the most sophisticated crate-diggers in town, this Haight-Ashbury mainstay rarely has a dull moment. 1437 Haight (at Ashbury), 864-4213.
The Tunnel Top: Its DJs have a penchant for spinning globe-trotting hip hop that explores everything from South American grooves to Afro-Cuban anthems. The cozy upstairs balcony is where most of the dancing happens, while drinkers downstairs enjoy silent movies projected on the wall and a rough-cut Euro atmosphere. 601 Bush (at Stockton), 986-8900.
The Velvet Lounge: Thursday through Saturday, it fills up with fashionable clubbers who partake in hip hop, house, and funky favorites. The music might be predictable, but when the minions of tube-top-and-tight-pants-adorned partyers get going, anything can happen. 443 Broadway (at Montgomery), 788-0228.
Verdi Club: Lace up your wingtips: The Verdi has survived the rise and fall of the swing fad to endure as one of the city's premier venues for live and DJed big-band dancing. Monday nights are for swing, and Thursday nights remain a favorite for tango aficionados; dinner dances take place one a month. 2424 Mariposa (at Potrero), 861-9199.
Vertigo: It's tough to get a bead on Vertigo's musical selections; the DJs at the ornate but unpretentious Polk Street watering hole might spin anything from Patsy Cline to DJ Shadow. Late in the evening the beats get louder, and the mixed crowd -- tourists, locals, folks of all ages -- takes to the floor, enjoying grooving pop, R&B, and soul from the past 30 years. 1160 Polk (at Sutter), 674-1278.
