The best dive bars in the Tenderloin
The 11 best dive bars in the Tenderloin, hand-picked from barfly.life's Tenderloin list. Cheap, dark, and gloriously unbothered. These are the SF rooms where the drinks are strong, the décor is an accident, and nobody's checking your shoes. Stiff pours over small talk.
11 spots in Tenderloin.
Kung Fu Action Theatre
Latea quirky Larkin Street bar, kung-fu movies as ambiance
Hanaro
a cheap, friendly Geary Street bar, great inexpensive drinks
Club Kristi
a piece of Tenderloin history, a genuine community safe space
The Outsider
a friendly Geary Street neighborhood bar, a pool table and the game on TV
Nite Cap Bar
a chill, dimly-lit TL hangout, beer, wine, and cocktails with top-shelf pours
Aunt Charlie's Lounge
legendary Hot Boxxx Girls drag cabaret, last classic gay dive in the TL
Ha-Ra Club
named after wrestler Hank and boxer Ralph (1947), original phone booth
Emperor Norton's BoozeLand
Art Deco building, Emperor Norton SF history theme
The Geary Club
no signage out front, second-smallest bar in SF
Cinnabar
consistently makes Yelp's top Tenderloin dive bar list, Ellis Street corner that hasn't been gentrified
The Rumpus Room
small queer-friendly TL dive, karaoke regularly
Can't pick from 11? That's what the lever is for.
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