The Aub Zam Zam Persian Lounge - Bruno

Does anyone remember the Aub Zam Zam? A search for this Haight Street gin mill will show up a lot of bool sheeite exaggeration and downright false stuff about the owner, Bruno.. a gent of the old school.. while the place is still there, the heart and soul, not to mention the atmosphere, is light years away from back in the day.. not even a pale imitation.

: )

Peace!

 

Outside the door, Haight Street.. inside, a classic 1940's cocktail lounge.. the juke full of Glen Miller.. play "American Patrol".. a place for grown ups.. take off hippy garb, and don a sharkskin suit for the trip.. dark, nostalgic memories of childhood in frisco gin joints, where the alky dad would buy a coke with maraschino cheery for the kid..

: )

 

The place is still there but much smaller. It is still populated by suits.

Max

 

if you say so man, never been in there myself.

 

I was watching Anthony Bourdain and was amazed that he went there. The place is exactly the same, including the bartender. I don't know what the secret is but everything does not look a day older than it did in the early '70s. Blows me away. Can I say...Far Out?

 

And Murio's is still there, too, though without the Big Kahuna, John Murio, may he rest in peace. John, IIRC, was an Olympic swimmer, tennis champ, etc. His bar was right next door to the Omnibus (1821 Haight). He was still tall and strong, even in his old age, showing that Hawai'ian stamina. He was a little gruff until you got to know him (and frequent his bar), but once you did, he had a hundred stories, sports and otherwise. Murio's was like stepping back a few decades, for sure. And funny to say, it's still the same. I just miss the Big Hawai'ian!