Bastille Day Bay Area: Red Bull, Gruyere and Frenchy Le Freak

Wednesday is Bastille Day, which means French DJs, Red Bull reps and scores of drunk Francophiles will flood San Francisco's "French Quarter" a.k.a. Belden Lane from 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. This year's entrance fee is $10, which includes one drink ticket and access to seven bars serving beer, wine and vodka cocktails for $7/pop. Keep in mind that some of the restaurants don't even bother with regular dinner service, subbing in crowd-appropriate small bite menus. If that's not your kind of French, there are quite a few other ways to celebrate around town.

COSTUME PARTY - If you have a Parisian burlesque outfit you're just dying to show off, the RN74 party is made for you. Show up in appropriate attire and you can move to French "neo-house" music while knocking back a complimentary cocktail, watching burlesque dancers and slurping down $1 oysters and/or French pastries. Naughty. [EaterWire]

WINE COUNTRY - Obviously Bouchon is having a fête in the courtyard between the Bakery and the restaurant with French food, music and activities for the little ones from 3 p.m. to 10 p.m. Chilled Beaujolais, a whole roasted pig and artsy French performances should make for quite the posh affair. The Bakery is also offering red, white and blue Rice Krispie treats, which feels more Starbucks than T-Kell; but we'll take it. [EaterWire]

BASTILLE BURGER - Apparently Joel Gott has some French ancestors; so he's created a "Franco-American hamburger" at Gott's Roadside with sautéed mushrooms and gruyere for the 14th. Philippe Melka and his wife Cherie will be pouring their newly released Métisse "Le Chatelet" Grand Cru to go with it. This is happening in St. Helena (5 p.m. to 7 p.m.) and on the Embarcadero (lunch and evening hours).[EaterWire]

FIDI - One of the boozier celebratory affairs promises to be Taverna Aventine's annual alley party starting at 5 p.m. Upping the French Factor, will be DJ Frenchy Le Freak and free baguettes for the masses. RSVP by giving them a call.

NOPA - If you're a fan of Bistro Central Parc, you may want to try its $30 three-course prix fixe Bastille Day dinner menu, riddled with French things like salmon feuillete and Bourguignon. [EaterWire]

DAD'S HOUSE - The Potrero Chez Papa Bistrot is doing a $55 three-course prix fixe; and the SoMa Chez Papa Resto is offering a 4-courser for $60 ($90 with wine pairings), backed up by live music and festive cocktail additions. [EaterWire]

LEFT BANK WIRE - Larkspur, Menlo Park and Santana Row Left Bank locations are offering a three-course prix fixe for $36, but the one in Menlo Park is adding in a chocolate gift and a brioche loaf stuffed with a token that can be redeemed for French-themed door prizes. [EaterWire]

PIRATE TALK - At Lafitte, Chef Russell Jackson will be offering absinthe service, a "stiff Pirate Punch," and a special four course "menu d'échantillon" with French dishes. [EaterWire]

RUSSIAN HILL - Tonight, La Folie Lounge is bringing in a bartender from Smuggler's Cove to shake up cachaça cocktails for $6. They are calling it a pre-Bastille Day celebration even though cachaça is Brazilian. [EaterWire]

HAYES VALLEY - Jardiniere is doing a slightly more French version of their usual Monday $45 three-course prix fixe with pate, hen roulade and plum tart. You can mosey in tonight whenever you want sans res. How French. [EaterWire]

[Photo: Flickr/jtchen22]