Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Nightclubs
Like almost everything else in San Francisco, the city's
nightlife is fairly casual, friendly, and low key. There is little
of the fashion consciousness of London, New York, or Paris,
and flashy discos are few and far between. Many of the trendy
clubs are open only one or two nights a week, but cover
charges and drink prices are generally low.
If you want to sample an aspect of nightlife that is “uniquely
San Franciscan,” try the stand-up comedy clubs. Although
some of the once-vaunted places have closed, you can still
find stand-up done with a special eccentric flair. In addition,
San Francisco has many comfortable piano bars in luxurious
hotels or restaurants, which are perfect for an entertaining,
intimate night out. It is a good idea to rest up after the day
so you can enjoy the city after hours, too.
The Café
, which has a massive
dance floor and three separate
bars that draw friendly guys and
girls, as well as go-go dancers
and drag queens.
Gay and lesbian nightclubs
tend to change even more
quickly than their straight
counterparts, so check listings
and ads beforehand in local
papers like
Bay Times
and
Bay
Area Reporter
. Gay men in
particular can check
Betty and
Pansy's Severe Queer Review
.
Piano Bars
The name “piano bar” does not
really do justice to the variety of
bars and nightclubs presented
here. They all have nightly live
music, usually jazz, to enjoy just
for the price of a drink. Many of
the most fabulous clubs in the
city are in four-star hotels. A few
blocks from the Theater District,
The Lush Lounge
offers stiff
martinis in a funky setting. The
Art Deco-style
Top of the Mark
sits high above Nob Hill at the
top of the Mark Hopkins Hotel.
Other good roof-top piano bars
are
Grandviews
on the 36th
floor of Union Square's Grand
Hyatt Hotel, which offers great
food, good music, and
panoramic views, and
Four
Seasons Bar
, an elegant hotel
piano bar with cozy fireplaces
and leather chairs and
spectacular views of the
Financial District.
Other piano bars are found in
the better restaurants, where
you can enjoy music before,
during, or after dinner. Drop into
Lefty O'Doul's
for good piano
bar music with an obvious Irish
lilt and a fine selection of ales,
or head for
The Burritt Room
,
which is renowned for its
American food and sleek
modern decor.
The Theater District west of
Union Square has lively venues,
such as
Johnny Foley's Irish
Bar
. Talented pianists “duel” in
this dark basement bar that
encourages the crowd to sing
along. Farther west still,
Sheba's
Piano Lounge
is a romantic
spot that serves up live music
Where and When
Names, times, and locations of
nightclubs change constantly,
and even the most popular
places may last no longer than a
year. In many ways your best
bet is to check the
SF Weekly
,
Bay Times
, and
Bay Guardian
(see p275)
, and other magazines
and newspapers to see what is
happening. Most of the larger
clubs are located in the
industrial South of Market
(SoMa) area, and run from
around 9pm until 2am. A few
stay open all night, especially
on weekends, but all places
stop serving alcohol at 2am.
Always bring valid ID to prove
you are over 21 or you will
not be admitted.
one evening.
The Cellar
is a
popular “underground” hotspot
playing a good mix of sounds
from the 1980s and 1990s, plus
some hip hop.
Ten 15
is another
venue where the music is varied
and the atmosphere electric.
Also in this area is the after-
hours
Cat Club
, which stays
lively until dawn with acid jazz
and alternative-industrial
sounds, as well as a popular
1980s night.
Hemlock Tavern
is
another great place for music
enthusiasts, with a free juke-box
and a back room featuring live
music most nights.
Devotees of salsa should head
straight for
Cafe Cocomo
, with
the hottest live salsa and dance
lessons most nights of the week
from 8pm onwards.
Dancing
One of San Francisco's liveliest
nightclubs is
Ruby Skye
on
Mason Street, with its flashy
decor, great sound system, and
fashionably mainstream
clientele. R'n'B, hip-hop, and jazz
are played at
Nickie's
in Haight
Ashbury; while
The Sound
Factory
and
City Nights
, both
on Harrison, feature alternative
rock and modern dance music;
take a cab home after club
hours in this iffy neighborhood.
Located in the historic Mission
District,
Elbo Room
has multi-
level lounges and pool tables in
case you want a break from the
dancing.
The Mexican Bus
is a
real bus that takes you to three
different salsa dance clubs in
Gay and Lesbian Clubs
Some of San Francisco's most
popular clubs are primarily,
though rarely exclusively,
homosexual. These include the
ever-popular
Endup
, which is
open around the clock from
Friday night until Monday
morning for nonstop dancing.
Other gay and lesbian clubs
include
El Rio
in the Mission
District and
440 Castro
.
There are also a number of
dance clubs on and around
18th Street in the Castro District,
such as the
Midnight Sun
. In
the East Bay, the
White Horse
Inn
has been a popular bar
and dance club since the early
1960s. Also in the Castro is
