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Levende Lounge: Like Butterfly Embarcadero, its slightly swankier sister restaurant at Pier 33, this Mission District oasis offers live jazz and DJ sets. Small jazz ensembles play Monday through Wednesday nights, and an assortment of downtempo, lite house, dub, and reggae is on the decks during the weekend. 1710 Mission (at Duboce), 864-5585.
Li Po Lounge: Granted, the competition is slim, but Li Po is the hippest rock venue in Chinatown. The dank little basement (below the dank little bar) hosts fringe punk, electro, and rock for a fashionista set, in an environment that has all the cinematic charms of the shadowy old neighborhood. 916 Grant (at Washington), 982-0072.
Lingba Lounge: The impeccable DJ regulars have a penchant for downtempo, Afro-Cuban, and Southern Hemisphere house, which form a perfect soundtrack for the club's safari-themed furnishings. There isn't much action on the dance floor until the crowd has had enough blender drinks, but the room makes for cozy, quality listening. 1498 18th St. (at Connecticut), 355-0001.
Lit: Blessed with an intricate wood bar, the former Pow! features live DJs and a scant dance floor, which could use a few more IKEA mirrors to open it up. An above-average place to spend the night. 101 Sixth St. (at Mission), 278-0940.
Little Baobab: The combination of Creole food, Senegalese cocktails, and Brazilian music makes Baobab a wonderful multicultural celebration of food and fun. 3388 19th St. (at Mission), 643-3558.
Loft 11: Hip hop and bass-y beats bounce from the turntables as well-dressed twentysomethings grind on the dance floor. 316 11th St. (at Folsom), 701-8111.
Lou's Pier 47 Club: Live blues blares seven days a week at Lou's, a tourist-attracting club and restaurant in the heart of Fisherman's Wharf that hosts more than 65 bands each month. 300 Jefferson (at Jones), 771-5687.
Luggage Store Gallery: This eclectic cultural collective hosts exhibits and music in this gallery space as well as two others in S.F. Depending on the night, there might be experimental instrumental sounds, a hip hop special event, or a comedy open mike. 1007 Market (at Sixth St.), 255-5971.
Mad Dog in the Fog: British expats flock here for televised "football" games and pints of their favorite ale. Check out the infamous pub quiz on Thursday, reggae DJs on Friday, and rockabilly bands on Saturday. 530 Haight (at Fillmore), 626-7279.
Make-Out Room: It feels almost like a bingo parlor at the community church. Fortunately, the quirky Midwestern atmosphere of this bar lends itself to the mostly folk and country acts that play here. 3225 22nd St. (at Mission), 647-2888.
Marrakech: Moroccan décor, Middle Eastern music (both live and DJ'd), and phyllo dough make Marrakech a choice spot for a meal or drinks. On weekends you can trade moves with professional belly dancers. 419 O'Farrell (at Gough), 776-6717.
Martuni's: This very gay piano bar features pianists ranging from the classically trained to the classically cornball. Its solid reputation as a place to get tipsy and belt out a little Sondheim keeps its walls packed. But don't think that just anyone can step up to the mike -- the tone-deaf are weeded out posthaste. 4 Valencia (at Market), 241-0205.
Mecca: DJs spinning soul songs almost make up for the pricey entrees and steep cocktails. But if you've got it, Mecca's worth it. 2029 Market (at Dolores), 621-7000.
Metronome Ballroom: Come learn to dance like the pros -- swing, salsa, tango, and other partnered steps -- or just come to show off. Either way, the DJs and live bands send people twirling and twisting. 1830 17th St. (at De Haro), 252-9000.
Mezzanine: Is that 50 Cent and his posse? J. Lo? This place is red-velvet slick, although the dance floor's loud enough and packed enough that you may forget. Or you can just go upstairs to the more chilled-out lounge. 444 Jessie (at Fifth St.), 820-9669.
Mighty: Live funk bands and beat-friendly DJs make it easy to show off on the dance floor; the $10 cover, however, does not. 119 Utah (at 15th St.), 626-7001.
Milk: As one of the Haight's best-sounding rooms, Milk features DJ sets of dance-ready hip hop, soul, and funk. If you show up before 9 p.m., admission is free. "Sushi Sunday" is a matinee of up-and-coming rock and punk bands that starts in the afternoon and carries no cover. 1840 Haight (at Stanyan), 387-MILK.
Mint Karaoke Lounge: Top-notch singers -- amateur and, it's suspected, otherwise -- flex their intimidating karaoke skills here, but the lounge's dim lighting and cozy feel when packed in (which is often) are sufficiently comforting to the rest of us, too. 1942 Market (at Duboce), 626-4726.
Monkey Club: Bright primary colors and creamy curtains create a Middle East-meets-Hollywood setting for beats and grooves that are equally world-wise in scope. The clientele seems friendlier than most (but maybe that's because the delicious drinks are so strong). 2730 21st St. (at Bryant), 647-6546.
Moose's: Talked about more for its food than for its jazz pianists (and rightly so), Moose's boasts a devoted slew of regulars and a full and friendly bar for one-timers. 1652 Stockton (at Filbert), 989-7800.
Movida Lounge: Nightly DJs dropping hip hop (from the Roots to the rest) along with punchy sake cocktails rank this tiny hangout as one of the city's hippest. 200 Fillmore (at Waller), 934-8637.
New Langton Arts: The 55-person theater houses the fringe -- from experimental performance art to John Cage-like music. Though puzzling at times, these weekly shows always sizzle. 1246 Folsom (at Ninth St.), 626-5416.
Nickie's: When the Lower Haight was dirty and funky, Nickie's was the place to dance and get sweaty till early in the a.m. Now the neighborhood's changed, but Nickie's still serves up some of the best weekly parties in town as patrons get down to the sound of reggae, hip hop, soul, world beats -- and a weekly Grateful Dead jam. 460 Haight (at Fillmore), 621-6508.
