New Bar The Snug Will Settle in for Pints in Pac Heights

Pacific Heights stands to get a little cozier this fall with the arrival of The Snug, a bar and kitchen from partners Zack Schwab, Shane Matthews, Brian Shin, and Jacob Racusin. It’s named for a classic feature of many British and Irish pubs: A private area, often tucked behind frosted windows, for secluded drinking via its own bar access. The Snug’s space is 2301 Fillmore Street, formerly a location of Mehfil, and it’s currently being remodeled — perhaps to fit that definition — by Britt Hull of Tide Design Co.

The Snug sounds like a group effort: Shin, who has worked in the high-end kitchens of Benu and In Situ, will design a menu of bar food, and Racusin, previously of the Alembic will have the cocktails to match. Schwab and Matthews, who are alums of craft beer destinations including NYC’s The Jeffrey and SF’s Mikkeller Bar and The Monk’s Kettle, will take care of beer drinkers. Expect 20 taps plus a cask engine for “real ale” — beer served old school, without pressure from Co2 or nitrogen gas.

“We want to create the kind of bar that we want to go to on our time off,” said Schwab. "Our favorite bars are neighborhood bars that aren't pretentious in the slightest but still serve damn good food and drinks, and that’s exactly the kind of place we want The Snug to be."

Longer term plans for the snug include brunch and outdoor seating. Eater will have more as the project goes forward.