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Bruno's: After feasting on classic Italian fare, Bruno's patrons stay for the cozy after-dinner atmosphere, which features two red-lit lounges, live jazz, and a stream of premium cocktails. 2389 Mission (at 20th St.), 648-7701.
Bubble Lounge: San Francisco's premier champagne house complements its exhaustive menu of bubbly with live music every Wednesday. Though most of the acts tend toward wallpaper jazz, patrons can get giggly to the occasional offering of DJ'd electronica and live Latin grooves. 714 Montgomery (at Jackson), 434-4204.
Butter: Its cheeky trailer park décor has made it a favorite of club-crawling ironists. There's no heehaw on the tables, though, and the see-and-be-seen crowd poses to selections of deep house and techno from some of the area's A-list DJs. After dancing up an appetite, patrons hit the double-wide food stand for inexpensive "trailer treats." 354 11th St. (at Folsom), 863-5964.
Butterfly Embarcadero: This waterfront bistro complements its Pan-Asian fare with lightly swinging combos during the week (Sunday through Wednesday) and presents an eclectic mix of DJs spinning jazz, R&B, and reggae through the weekend. Best to leave the dancing shoes at home, though; the music is more for dining ambience than dance-floor action. Pier 33, Embarcadero & Bay, 864-8999.
The Cafe: "Always a crowd, never a cover" is its accurate motto, to which the bridge-and-tunnel crowd can attest. This gay dance spot -- popular for years -- stands as an out-of-towner mecca, but Sunday nights are reserved for locals only. The DJs, sadly, are lackluster at best. 2367 Market (at 17th St.), 861-3846.
Cafe Claude: Grab a glass of Beaujolais and prepare to enjoy live jazz (on the weekends) and escape into a lively slice of cosmopolitan Parisian life (every day, if only temporary) at this charming, tucked-away bistro. 7 Claude (at Bush), 392-3515.
Cafe Cocomo: Take in salsa dancing lessons, live music that explores a spectrum of Latin American rhythms, and a colorful buffet at the Coconut Groove restaurant (Thursday through Saturday), all within a lively indoor/outdoor setting. Classy attire required. 650 Indiana (at Mariposa), 824-6910.
Café Du Nord: With the look and feel of a martini lounge, this modestly priced venue with a just-raised stage features mainly underground music, from weekly DJ nights to local and touring bands. 2170 Market (at Sanchez), 861-5016.
Cafe Franco: Kind of strange to think that a nonalcoholic cafe in a Fort Mason hostel would be a draw for locals. Yet pile in they do, to enjoy evenings of acoustic music and gaze at the Golden Gate Bridge, particularly on the open mike night held on the second Wednesday of the month. Fort Mason, Bldg. 240, Bay & Franklin, 771-3738.
Cafe Mars: Admire -- or laugh, depending on your proclivities -- as patrons attempt to match the outlandishness of the galaxial theme (and general pretty-people vibe) to their SOMA club attire. The music is usually not quite so techno as the décor, with plenty of funk and modern jazz. 798 Brannan (at Seventh St.), 621-6277.
California Club: Despite its name, the semiprivate California Club is best known as a host venue for events from a variety of international cultural groups from places such as Iceland and Poland, making it a space where almost any type of music, from classical to folk, might be played and enjoyed. 1750 Clay (at Van Ness), 474-3516.
The Canvas: What started out as a combination of a bright performance space/gallery and a tasty cafe has expanded to become a music destination. Nimble downtempo and drum 'n' bass DJs are now as likely as comedy and open mike musings -- all still rare birds in the Sunset. 1200 Ninth Ave. (at Lincoln), 504-0060.
Casanova Lounge: Locals pack the worn velvet couches of this charming, dimly lit Mission District dive for pocket-change happy hour specials, the occasional rock set, and a stocked jukebox. 527 Valencia (at 16th St.), 863-9328.
Cat Club: Two rooms -- one with a stage, the other with a DJ coop -- and two bars double your pleasure in this dainty, well-lit hipster hangout. Music varies nightly. 1190 Folsom (at Eighth St.), 431-3332.
Charlie’s Club: The slow transformation of Charlie’s from workaday neighborhood living to lavish (if tiny) NYC-style cocktail lounge is displayed in its jukebox (which boasts some choice underground deep cuts) and its recent addition of weekend house DJs (still pending licensing approval). 309 Cortland (at Bocana), 401-0860.
The Chieftain: As the after-work happy-hour crowd gives way to SOMA pub crawlers, a variety of local acoustic acts entertain at this Irish brewpub. The live music ranges from maudlin ballads about the Emerald Isle to local singer/songwriters and unobtrusive folk rockers, but is mostly background music for draining a few pints. 198 Fifth St. (at Howard), 615-0916.
Cherry Bar & Lounge: In addition to hosting some of SOMA's most original dance club nights -- such as "Bootie," one of the first bootleg mash-up nights -- Cherry has also returned to playing live music. Local, reputable bands grace the stage at this charming venue. 917 Folsom (at Fifth St.), 974-1585.
Cityscape: It's worth saving pennies for this upscale bistro atop the Hilton San Francisco: The spectacular panorama from 460 feet above the ground is well worth the pricey fare. DJs spin light Top 40 nightly, but don't expect a bustling dance floor; most people are here for the views. Hilton Hotel, 333 O'Farrell (at Mason), 923-5002.
Cloud 9 Motel: This snazzy retro bar pretties up the otherwise dismal block at Seventh and Market streets. Sip cocktails and enjoy the house-music DJ in the glitzy upstairs bar or head to the basement for some dark and dirty dancing. 34 Seventh St. (at Market), 355-9991.
Club Jazz Nouveau: With nonstop jazz pumping from the stage and setting the mood, this club has spearheaded the genre's revival in San Francisco. The house sizzles nightly for a modest cover. 2801 Leavenworth (at Beach), 921-2100.
