Mark Tavern in SoMa is hosting a puzzle night — "Murder at the Conservatory of Flowers" — and it won't cost you a single cent to walk through the door. That's right: FREE. No asterisks, no hidden fees, no "suggested donation" guilt trip.

The concept is simple. Show up, grab a drink if you want, and work through a murder mystery puzzle with friends or strangers. It's the kind of grassroots community event that actually brings people together — no taxpayer dollars required, no nonprofit overhead, no Board of Supervisors resolution declaring it "Puzzle Equity Week."

This is what small business owners do when the city isn't strangling them with red tape: they create experiences that make neighborhoods worth living in. SoMa has had a rough stretch — anyone who's walked down certain blocks lately knows the score — and bars and restaurants that invest in making their corner of the city a little more fun deserve your attention and your bar tab.

The free admission is smart business, too. Get people in the door, give them a great time, and trust that they'll order a round or two. It's almost like the free market works when you let it.

If you're tired of doom-scrolling through stories about budget deficits and encampment cleanups, consider this your palate cleanser. Grab some friends, head to Mark Tavern, and solve a fictional murder for a change — because solving the city's real problems is apparently above everyone's pay grade.

Details are available through Mark Tavern directly. No RSVP bureaucracy necessary.