Photo: Drinking at the Death Star

Think of it as a cross between the hotel bar in Lost in Translation and the Emperor's chambers aboard the Death Star. From the outside, the Marriott is one of the most despised buildings in San Francisco — it looks a lot like a huge Wurlitzer jukebox. The view is better from The View, because the bar sits on the 39th floor, at the apex of two giant glass archways. Order a stiff drink, chat it up with the conventioneers at the next table, and imagine you're watching the Empire thrash the rebels right outside the window.