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Find this business under: Cocktail Lounges

If you've lived in San Francisco for more than five years -- or if you prefer classic over trendy -- you might take issue with the redesigned Redwood Room. The spot in its previous incarnation, with floor-to-ceiling redwood- paneled walls and giant Klimt prints, was stately rather than flashy, a quiet place, since 1933, for a convenient pre-theater drink.

Enter Ian Shraeger, the man behind Studio 54 and a chain of boutique hotels. With postmodern designer Philippe Starck, Shraeger made history of the Klimts in favor of "living portraits" -- flat-screen projections that disarmingly blink their eyes and breathe. Starck and Schraeger kept the majestic walls, however, and added an amazing backlit panel of glass and liquor bottles that glows a warm yellow behind the bar. The result is a sleek but still breathtaking creation.

The crowd has also morphed: Patrons are younger, and the piano player has been replaced with trance-music DJs. The atmosphere recalls chic spots of New York and Los Angeles, as do the clientele and the prices. If you're feeling flush, it's worth it to kick back in Starck-designed chairs with a nice glass of bubbly and ogle the beautiful surroundings.