The Buena Vista

The Buena Vista is the bar that introduced Irish coffee to the United States. It opened in 1916, when the ground floor of a boarding house was turned into a saloon, and its most famous moment came on 10 November 1952. The travel writer Stanton Delaplane of the San Francisco Chronicle had tasted Irish coffee at Shannon Airport in Ireland, and he and the owner, Jack Koeppler, spent hours trying to recreate it. The trickiest part was getting the cream to float; the mayor, George Christopher, is credited with the advice that it should be aged for at least 48 hours. Delaplane then promoted the drink in his column, and the Buena Vista has since served more than 30 million.

Ordering one is the point of a visit. The bar opens in the morning and the kitchen serves food until 9.30pm, so you can visit at almost any time of day, from a mid-morning Irish coffee to a nightcap.

Opening hours are 9am to 11pm Monday to Thursday, 9am to midnight on Friday, 8am to midnight on Saturday and 8am to 11pm on Sunday. The kitchen closes at 9.30pm every day. All major credit cards are accepted. As one of the city's most famous bars, it can be busy, so be ready to wait for a seat.

The Buena Vista suits almost everyone: families stopping for a meal, couples warming up after a cold walk by the bay, and visitors who want to tick off a piece of San Francisco history. Irish coffee contains whiskey, so children will need something else, and it is worth pacing yourself if you are tempted by a second round. For a quieter visit, come in the morning soon after opening, when there is more chance of a seat at the bar to watch the drinks being made.

The location could hardly be more convenient. The bar is just west of the last stop of the Powell-Hyde cable car line in Fisherman's Wharf, so it is perfect after a cable car ride down the hill. It also makes a good end to a day exploring Fisherman's Wharf.