The Li Po Cocktail Lounge is a famous bar located in the heart of San Francisco’s bustling Chinatown. The bar’s vault-like entrance and lantern-shaped neon sign has been a fixture along Grant Street since opening way back in 1937.

Upon opening, the bar became part of what was then known as the San Francisco’s Chinatown nightclub scene, a subset of the city’s nightlife catering to white Americans looking for an exotic experience. During the 1960s, as tastes changed, the bar would become more of a laid-back cocktail lounge. By modern standards Li Po is now considered a dive bar due to its rough-around-the-edges aesthetic.

The bar’s signature drink is their own spin on the classic Chinese Mai Tai which is so good that they’ve trademarked their secret recipe, give it a try. Visiting San Francisco’s Chinatown is a must when visiting the city and stopping by at Li Po’s for a Mai Tai is a great way to delve into the interesting history of the bar and surrounding area.