V.I.Potties: San Francisco's Coolest Bathrooms
By Gina Goff, City Editor
Public bathrooms get a bad rap. Given their history of being hotbeds of everything from nasty germs to catty girl gossip, it's no wonder why. But, smart business owners are starting a new design trend that just may abolish the seedy status of public restrooms for good. From futuristic toilets and sociable sink setups to digital entertainment, these spots earn a rightful place in our hall of fame.
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Pizzetta 211
211 23rd Ave, San Francisco, CA
This quirky, pint-sized pizzeria's water closet is quite literally a closet. Inside, a tiny TV over the toilet loops short films that can only be described as what a film student might create if armed with a camcorder and a fistful of illegal substances. -
Slanted Door
1 Ferry Bldg, San Francisco, CA
Both trendy and tasty, this Ferry Building restaurant for high-end Vietnamese fusion encourages its attractive crowd to mingle in the unisex bathroom area, which features shared sinks and mirrors. -
Minako
2154 Mission St, San Francisco, CA
Diners take a surreal dip in the ocean when they visit the aquarium-like restrooms at this Mission district sushi spot. -
Bushi-Tei
1638 Post St, San Francisco, CA
The tankless, self-flushing TOTO toilets feature automatically raising and lowering seats; a bidet option with settings for speed, temperature and direction; a seat warmer; and an air dryer for your heinie. -
Crunch Fitness
1000 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA
"See and be seen" takes on new meaning at this hip health club, where the racy peek-a-boo showers reveal shadow outlines of buff-bodied gym members of the opposite sex. -
Vino Locale
431 Kipling St, Palo Alto, CA
The clawfoot tub filled with wine corks at this renovated Victorian-turned-wine-bar is alone worth the drive to Palo Alto. -
Notorious for Hair
561 Castro St, San Francisco, CA
Unconventional style mavens get their hair colored and their tushies toasted at this funky Castro salon, where the bathroom boasts a heated toilet seat. -
Bong Su Restaurant & Lounge
311 Third St, San Francisco, CA
Male diners get an education in more than just Asian cuisine at this stylish SoMa eatery, where Vietnamese translations to common pick-up lines are piped into the men's room.
