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Penny Royal seeks full liquor license at 1160 Polk Street in San Francisco

Penny Royal seeks full liquor license at 1160 Polk Street in San Francisco

Rule Changes San Francisco, CA local

The state lists a type 48 on-sale general application for the DecoDance cocktail bar's address; the license is applied for, not yet issued

Today: ABC report lists type 48 license application

Overview

Updated 55 minutes ago

A California liquor license application for a Polk Street cocktail bar appeared in state records on October 30. The filing names the business as Penny Royal and lists 1160 POLK LLC as applicant for a type 48 on-sale general license, the permit that lets a venue serve beer, wine and spirits to the public.

The address is home to DecoDance, an Art Deco cocktail lounge with weekend DJs, per the bar's website. The state record shows the license was applied for but not yet issued, and publishes no filing date.

Why it matters

The state's decision on this full-bar license determines whether the Polk Street cocktail venue can legally sell spirits to the public.

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Key Indicators

Type 48
License applied for
On-sale general license for public premises: beer, wine and spirits.
2
Official records at the address
A September city business registration and the October ABC license application.

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Organizations Involved

PO
1160 POLK LLC
Limited liability company
Applicant for the type 48 liquor license at 1160 Polk Street

Holds the ABC license application for the business registered as Penny Royal.
DB
DecoDance Bar
Cocktail bar
Venue trading at 1160 Polk Street, per its website

Art Deco-style cocktail lounge with weekend DJs and a seasonal cocktail menu.
California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control
State agency
Regulator reviewing the type 48 application

The state body that issues California liquor licenses, including the on-sale general type sought here.

Timeline

September 2026 October 2026

2 events Latest: Today

  1. ABC report lists type 48 license application

    Today Licensing

    California ABC report shows an applied-for on-sale general license for the address under 1160 POLK LLC.

  2. City registers Penny Royal at 1160 Polk Street

    Registration

    San Francisco business registration for the address, with location start set for September 4.

Scenarios

1

ABC approves type 48 bar license for Penny Royal

Likely Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: California ABC licensing records; most complete type 48 applications are issued after background and premises review

The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control completes its review of 1160 POLK LLC's application. If the premises pass inspection and the applicant clears background checks, the state issues the license and posts it in its records. The Polk Street bar would then hold full authorization to sell beer, wine and spirits to the public.

2

ABC returns or denies the liquor license application

Unlikely Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: California ABC; applications can be returned for incomplete documentation or denied on background or premises grounds

The application stalls. The state may request corrections, the applicant may withdraw, or ABC may deny the license. The bar could continue on whatever authorization it currently holds, but without the type 48 it cannot legally operate as a full spirits bar at that address.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

December 1933

Repeal of Prohibition (1933)

The 21st Amendment repealed the 18th, ending 13 years of federal alcohol prohibition and handing each state the power to license alcohol sales. California moved from federal enforcement to its own permit system.

Then

States built liquor-control bureaucracies; California created the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control in 1955.

Now

Every bar in the state, including Penny Royal's applicant, must hold a state-issued license of a specific type to sell alcohol.

Why this matters now

The type 48 application is the paperwork that the post-Repeal regime requires of a public bar selling spirits.

2000s-2010s

Craft cocktail revival (2000s-2010s)

A new generation of bars elevated cocktail technique, revived pre-Prohibition drinks and decorated venues in period styles such as Art Deco. American cities saw these cocktail lounges multiply.

Then

Cocktail bars became a fixture of urban nightlife, many styled as old-world lounges.

Now

Such venues now fit standard licensing categories for state regulators, and DecoDance's design belongs to this movement.

Why this matters now

DecoDance's Art Deco styling and cocktail menu place it in this revival; its liquor license application is routine for the genre.

Sources

(3)
City and County of San Francisco California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control DecoDance Bar