Chris Daly, Bar Owner at Last

At Daly's Dive, Everybody knows your f**king name...

​Chris Daly may never be a Republican. But he is now a publican. The District 6 supervisor tells SF Weekly his long odyssey to obtain Buck's Tavern is near its end. "It looks like later today, we'll close escrow," he says. "With the timing of the holidays, we were unable to obtain insurance. We won't be open tonight. But next week; maybe the 28th."

Daly, readers may recall, had his sights set on the Buck Tavern earlier this year, only to seemingly lose out when negotiations stalled. In a example that, perhaps, Larry Ellison might take heed of, Daly decided to take a lesser deal he wasn't quite as thrilled with.

While he didn't get the long-term lease he was hoping for, Daly and 50/50 partner Ted Strawser purchased the lease from the bar's current owner. He has "just north of 22 months" left on that deal and may yet relocate if he can't secure a better deal in the ensuing period. In the meantime, you'll be seeing a lot of Daly at 1655 Market. He plans on taking "a good number" of shifts behind the bar. Let no one say this is a politician who doesn't serve the people.

"We'll probably convert the name and whatnot in February," said the outgoing supe, who has favored the moniker Daly's Dive. "You'll see largely cosmetic changes. We're not looking to dump money into a space we're just going to be in for another year and a half."

Daly said the process has lasted a cheery seven months and "proved more difficult to negotiate than the America's Cup."


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​Speaking of the Cup, if Ellison does indeed walk through the door, will his money be good at Daly's Dive? "Oh man. That's a funny question," says the newly minted bar owner. "You should produce a video of that."

Daly turns serious, and notes "I don't think Larry Ellison is done with San Francisco." The supe believes the billionaire is trying to "ramp up the jealousy" to sweeten San Francisco's deal, and perhaps cajole Pier 50 away from the city.

He doesn't think that'll happen. And it certainly won't be something one can order at Daly's Dive. 

H/T SF Appeal, Grub Street

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