citylikeyou — Radio Habana Social Club — San Francisco by Kelly Allen

This place makes my heart sing. I’m so happy it’s only 2 blocks away. This teeny tiny little Cuban restaurant/bar is always warm, welcoming, and vibrating with visual over-stimuli. Surreal toy sculptures cover every square inch, and I always find something I’ve never seen before while slurping down my sangria.

Address
Radio Habana Social Club, 1109 Valencia Street, San Francisco, United States

Visual Artist Illustrator Writer

Current city: San Francisco

kellyallen.com

I live in San Francisco with my husband Jay, in a tiny apartment in the Mission District. As a new girl to the city, I love exploring the different pockets and neighborhoods, sniffing all of the rose bushes and dodging the piles of human detritus on the sidewalks of the Mission. In addition to painting and drawing, I am a freelance illustrator and writer.

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Gorgeous view of the city in this park/permanent festival! Any beautiful day of the week you will find so many picnickers, hula hoopers, cute dogs, gay boys in their skivvies, ganja cookie salespeople, crazy weirdos and can collectors, it feels like a neighborhood concert is going on! My kind of place, for sure.

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I feel like a little fish, swimming under a twinkley ceiling of silver streamers and shiny things in this most fantastic bar. I am completely mesmerized by the gaudy décor and it is the best place for me to shake my booty to some Latin 45’s on the dance floor. Wish I were there right now.