For the price of a low-end Long Island iced tea, you can get a round-trip ride on BART from the Pleasant Hill station to the Embarcadero station.  The question is — is it worth it?

Whether you are a newbie or a guzzled veteran – there are some legitimate, local options near-by as well as some delicious concoctions made in the city, which may satisfy your nighttime thirst.

San Francisco Bars

Fiddler’s Green Irish Pub

1333 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133

Roughly a 35 minute walk from the Embarcadero BART station, Fiddler’s Green is in a more affluent part of the city, and in close proximity to Fisherman’s Wharf, adding to the convenience of being able to call a cab for the way back. Kegs of Guinness, Smithwick’s and Harp are readily available; combine that with a stiff Cosmopolitan or a Washington Apple and your night is set.

The Buena Vista

According to an Examiner article from 2013, per the bar’s lore, in the early 1950’s the combined efforts of the former owner, a travel writer, a dairy owner and the mayor of San Francisco, resulted in the successful re-creation of the drink first created by Irish chef Joe Sheridan in 1943. Since then the bar has fine-tuned its method for cranking out these whiskey pick-me-ups at a staggering pace. They are stiff, but if you enjoy them, the BART ticket is worth the 10 bucks. The bartender Larry Nolan, has worked at The Buena Vista for more than 40 years.

Local Bars

Agave

1985 Willow Pass Rd. Concord, CA 94520

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.; 5 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. and  Sunday 12 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m., Closed on Mondays,  Night Club 10 p.m. – 2 a.m.

Functioning as a restaurant, nightclub and bar, this local option is your one-stop-shop in terms of nighttime entertainment. Their Mojitos are made right, with fresh mint, lime wedges and Havana Club white rum.

The first room offers the best of Salsa, Merengue, Rock en Español and Latin House.  In the second room, you can enjoy R&B, Club Hits, House Music and more EDM type songs. The club is 18 and over on Fridays, and 21 and over on Saturdays.

Diablo Valley Bowl- Strike Zone Bar ‘N’ Bowl

1500 Monument Blvd, Concord, CA 94520

Monday – Sunday 9 a.m. to close (not specified).

A bar within a bowling alley may not be what you immediately think of, but after 10 p.m. — Diablo Valley Bowl’s nightlife lights up, literally.

The best time to go is during their cosmic bowling session after 9 p.m. Friday till Sunday. Not only can you bring your drinks with you to the lanes, but they are reasonably priced, especially for a large group.

The Monday night bowling deal can also be a bang for your buck, with $5 pitchers and only 10 bucks for two and a half hours of bowling.

Also, a pitcher of beer for $6 and a full bar and billiards tables in the 21 and over area are at your disposal until closing.

Be it an Irish coffee or a margarita type of night, weigh your local nightlife options before getting on that train.