The best queer bars in San Francisco
From Castro institutions to scrappy neighborhood haunts — the bars that have been SF's living rooms for decades. Everyone's welcome; these crowds just do it best.
34 spots across San Francisco.
Mission
Jolene's Bar and Restaurant
a beloved lesbian/queer bar + restaurant, pool, dancing, and shows
The Mint Karaoke Lounge
karaoke seven nights a week, regulars who can actually sing
Martuni's
piano bar with show tunes, encyclopedic-knowledge pianist takes requests
SoMa
OMG
Latea hopping gay hangout, a dance floor under a domed ceiling
Driftwood
a nautical-themed SoMa cocktail bar, a beautiful hand-crafted bar and a piano
Lone Star Saloon
original bear bar (since 1989), huge back patio
The Stud
queer institution since 1966, reopened 2024
The Eagle
leather/biker bar, Folsom Street Fair HQ
Sundance Saloon
country-western dance bar, queer-friendly two-step nights
Powerhouse
leather and bear bar, dark room
The EndUp
opened 1973 — SoMa institution, part of SF's Leather and LGBTQ Cultural District, afterhours club — keeps going after most places close
Tenderloin
Club Kristi
a piece of Tenderloin history, a genuine community safe space
Aunt Charlie's Lounge
legendary Hot Boxxx Girls drag cabaret, last classic gay dive in the TL
The Rumpus Room
small queer-friendly TL dive, karaoke regularly
Castro
Copper Bar Kitchen & Microbrewery
a Castro bar, kitchen, and microbrewery, famously welcoming service
Moby Dick
a longtime, community-oriented gay bar, pool, pinball, and video games
QBar
Latea clubby Castro gay bar, a dance floor + DJs and effects
The Mix
a friendly Castro gay bar, a back patio and pool table
Hi Tops
gay sports bar, wall of TVs
Pilsner Inn
heated back patio, pool tables
Toad Hall
smoke-friendly patio, RuPaul Drag Race watch parties
Midnight Sun
Castro's original LGBTQ+ video bar (50+ years), cushioned seating
The Cafe
energetic Castro spot, bustling outdoor patio overlooking Market
Beaux
Latin Night Wednesdays, Big Top Sunday drag
Twin Peaks Tavern
first gay bar with clear windows (1972), iconic neon sign
The Edge
musical theater fan bar, Musical Mondays
Lookout
balcony overlooking Market Street, beloved queer bar consistently in lists
Rikki's
FIRST new lesbian/women's bar in the Castro in decades, named for pioneer SF bar owner Rikki Streicher
Polk Gulch
Haight-Ashbury
Hayes Valley
Bernal Heights
El Rio
queer institution since 1978, massive dog-friendly back patio with lemon tree
Mothership
replaced Virgil's Sea Room, funkified space-age decor
Wild Side West
SF's last remaining lesbian bar (founded 1962), named after the 1962 film Walk on the Wild Side starring Barbara Stanwyck
Can't pick from 34? That's what the lever is for.
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