The Cinch
While Polk Gulch was once a seedy strip of male prostitutes, the Russian Hill of today is not typically a gay destination. The Cinch is nearly all that remains, an…
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440 Castro
Cruisy, cheap and full of corrugated metal, 440 Castro is a dark, sweaty cavern of masculinity. Formerly Daddy’s, it’s one of the last vestiges of the Castro’s working class past,…
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Aunt Charlie’s Lounge
Probably the most lurid gay bar in San Francsico, Aunt Charlie’s Lounge sits at one of the grungiest intersections in the Tenderloin—and that’s really saying something. Narrow enough to grip…
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SF Eagle
Only the most joyless of sticklers could complain about the Eagle’s latest incarnation. The Sunday Beer Bust ($12 for all-you-can-drink Miller Lite plus BBQ, from 3 - 6 p.m.) remains…
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Hi Tops
While the idea of an LGBT sports bar sounded like the ultimate oxymoron when Hi Tops opened, turns out it was a quite logical proposition. With a menu of upscale stadium…
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The Lexington Club (CLOSED)
Weird as it sounds, the bar-saturated Mission has almost no gay bars. And there are almost no lesbian bars anywhere in San Francisco. Yet here stands the Lexington Club in…
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Lone Star Saloon
The slightly lower-key companion to the Eagle—which is only two blocks away—Lone Star is a leather bar that’s as equally popular with bears as it is with hipsters. The floor is…
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Martuni’s
The shocking death of piano bars and cabarets in San Francisco shows how much things have changed since the 1960s, but Judy and Liza’s fan base will always have a…
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Twin Peaks Tavern
The first gay bar to feature plate-glass windows, Twin Peaks Tavern is a beautiful, historic place. The bar is intricately carved, the bartenders are pleasantly world-weary, and the regulars queue…
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Penrose
A beautiful, soaring space, Penrose comes to you courtesy the chef behind Pizzaiolo and Boot & Shoe Service. Charlie Hallowell's open fire cooking is the main attraction, but the long,…
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