Raise a glass to barkeep Chris Daly

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Daly's Dive: Where cocktails and cussing are always on tap

S.F. Weekly

Daly's Dive: Where cocktails and cussing are always on tap

Outgoing Supervisor Chris Daly is trading legislation for liquor and bluster for burgers. He and co-owner Ted Strawser (best known in these parts for donning a chicken suit at Mayor Gavin Newsom's erstwhile townhall meetings) today will open the doors of their new bar.

For now, the establishment at Market and Gough will keep the name Buck Tavern, but Daly said that in a few months it'll probably be rechristened Daly's Dive.

After weeks of back-and-forth with the property owner, Daly and Strawser secured a 22-month lease. They didn't get the rights to make major infrastructure changes they were seeking so they may look for another nearby spot after the lease is up.

For now, the menu will remain the same (think sliders, onion rings and mozzarella sticks), but Daly said he wants to add some healthier options soon. He also may brighten up the walls with some artwork and political campaign paraphernalia.

Some things Daly is certain about. For starters, he won't be joining the Golden Gate Restaurant Association (which sued the city over its universal health care plan) or the Chamber of Commerce. "I won't join any association that doesn't share my values," he said.

And he's not moving to Fairfield, at least not full-time. "I'll keep the same logistical situation with my family that we've had over the last year - part of the time here, part of the time there," he said.

We asked the notorious potty mouth whether he expects Bucks to feature more utterances of a word that rhymes with its name than he did at City Hall or fewer.

"Geez, I hope there will be more," he said. "There's a decorum myth that people like the (Supervisor Michela) Alioto-Piers of the world like to propagate. I haven't differentiated between how normal people act and what they do and what they say inside or outside of City Hall."

Alioto-Pier, who in 2007 proposed a code of conduct for the board in response to Daly's behavior, said she'd be happy to stop by Bucks. "We might get along better over a glass of scotch," she said.

Tony Winnicker, the mayor's spokesman, said he thinks Daly will find success in his new venture.

"If there's anyone who can drive a man to want to drink, it's Chris Daly," he said.

Posted By: Heather Knight (Email) | December 29 2010 at 02:58 PM

Listed Under: Board of Supervisors