San Francisco
Nightclubs
(Try keyword "Dance" or a ZIP code)
Welcome to NightGuide San Francisco! Your guide to Nightlife for the Greater San Francisco Area.
From ballet and opera to Irish pubs, piano bars, hipster hangouts, and died-in-the-wool dives, San Francisco boasts a phenomenal assortment of after-dark entertainment, often on the colorful side. After all, San Francisco is the home of Bimbo's 365 Club, launched in 1931 on Market Street pouring gin into coffee cups (while patrons gazed at girls swimming nude in a fish tank behind the bar), and holding forth since 1951 on Columbus Avenue, now drawing crowds with rock and jazz. Overall, the range stretches from avant-garde and expensive to basic budget.
Neighborhoods often provide a key: Nob Hill translates to upscale hotel bars and high-rise lounges with eye-popping views, whereas North Beach is known more for strip clubs and historic beatnik bars. Union Square and the Financial District boast Harry Denton's Starlight Room on the Sir Frances Drake Hotel's 21st floor, The Bubble Room for champagne, chocolate and caviar by candlelight, and Biscuits and Blues, for live bluesy music. SoMa, otherwise known as the south of Market area, hosts stylish restaurants, theaters, galleries and hot clubs. The Castro District and Polk Street attract gays and lesbians with some of the city's most popular eateries and watering holes, while alternative youth congregate at Mission District and on Haight Street, despite increasing gentrification. Fisherman's Wharf is a favorite nocturnal hangout, with places like The Buena Vista, dating to 1916 when it was a boardinghouse, and Knuckles Historical Sports Bar and Grill, a vibrant spot in the Hyatt for aficionados of memorabilia. Of course, there's no need to be on dry land to revel in San Francisco at night, since the city by the bay offers plenty of waterborne fun including dinner-dance cruises under the stars.
Dress, for the most part, is casual in San Francisco nightspots, although it's never out of place to be stylish, even with jeans and jackets. Saloons tend to close between midnight and 2 a.m., although after-work bars in the Financial District often stop serving earlier.
To perform a quick search for nightclub information in the area, please select one of the options below:
San Francisco Nightlife By Location
·Downtown San Francisco Nightlife in San Francisco's central downtown area, surrounded by San Francisco's Financial District, Civic Center, and Nob Hill.
·Civic Center Nightlife southwest of central downtown, in and around the neighborhood of San Francisco's 5-acre City Hall plaza, bordered by Van Ness, McAllister, Goodlett Place and Grove.
·Fisherman's Wharf Nightlife options near the ferry to Alcatraz and Ghirardelli Square, including options along the Northern Waterfront.
·North Beach Nightlife options east of Fisherman's Wharf, in the historic community of North Beach
·Russian Hill Nightlife between Fisherman's Wharf to the north, and the Nob Hill neighborhood to the south.
·Marin County Nightlife north of San Francisco, across the Golden Gate Bridge in Marin County, including the communities of Sausalito, San Rafael, Mill Valley and others.
·Mission District Nightlife south of the downtown area, in and around the Mission District neighborhood, including the nearby community of Haight-Ashbury.
·San Francisco Southeast Nightlife south of the Mission District, including options in Noe Valley, Hunters Point, Visitacion Valley and more. |
·Financial District Nightlife options just north of central downtown, in San Francisco's financial center, including the neighborhoods of Chinatown, Japantown, South of Market, The Embarcadero and the offshore communities of Treasure Island and Yerba Buena Island.
·Union Square Nightlife around Union Square, in the heart of the downtown area, including options in the Theatre District.
·Golden Gate Park Nightclubs around Golden Gate Park on San Francisco's west side, in the Richmond District to the north, and the Sunset District to the south.
·Marina District Nightlife options west of Fisherman's Wharf, in the historic Marina District neighborhood between Lyon Street and Van Ness Avenue, including options along scenic Lombard Street and in Cow Hollow.
·Nob Hill Nightlife options northwest of the downtown area, in and around Nob Hill, including the neighborhoods of Pacific Heights and the Western Addition.
·The Castro Nightlife south of downtown in The Castro district. |
San Francisco Nightlife by Category
| Rock-n-RollDance | BarSports Bar | BluesJazz |
You can return to the NightGuide San Francisco home page at any time by pressing on the "NightGuide" button in the left margin of the page.
Said by Readers...
“Icon Ultra Lounge”Member, Carrollton - “Icon is a great place to go for a girls night out. The music is very current, they have all the latest songs and artists…”
Said about: Icon Ultra Lounge
“Nice Spot”Jessie, San Francisco - “Good place for hip hop and dancing. Staff were very friendly. …”
Said about: Icon Ultra Lounge
“Fun Club”Member, San Francisco - “Rube is overall a fun experience. The building is very cool. The drinks are a bit on the expensive side however, an…”
Said about: Ruby Skye
“Dirty”Private Member, San Francisco - “Dirty drug infested after hours dump. If that's the type of place your looking for then 1015 is for you. If…”
Said about: 1015 Folsom
“Awesome Setting”Member, San Francisco - “Great club in an awesome building. An opera style theatre converted into a night club. Parking in the area sucks as…”
Said about: Ruby Skye
Said By Nightclubs...
Official descriptions are posted by an owner or a representative of the establishment.
“Temple Nightclub Offers An Unrivaled Nightlife Experience”“A venue for artists, by artists, Temple Nightclub offers a nightlife experience that is u…”
Posted by: Temple
“Wine Bar, Small Plates, Hot Panini's & Super Cool Wine Shop”“Rick's has been voted "Best Wine Bar" for 2008, 2009 & 2010 by Pacific Sun. Amazing Pinot…”
Posted by: Rick's Wine Cellar
Events At San Francisco Nightspots
| Deon Cole Performing live… Performance - Comedic Cobb's Comedy Club | Sun 4/20/25 |
| Chris Distefano Comedic performance live… Performance - Comedic Cobb's Comedy Club | Fri 2/14/25 Sat 2/15/25 |
| Bobby Lee Comedic performance live… Performance - Comedic Cobb's Comedy Club | Fri 2/28/25 Sat 3/1/25 |
| Lo Moon Alternative music performance… Music - Alternative Rock Rickshaw Stop | Mon 2/3/25 |
| Arts Fishing Club Performing country music live… Music - Country & Folk Bottom of the Hill | Sat 3/22/25 |
| Dune Rats Alternative music performance… Music - Alternative Rock Bottom of the Hill | Wed 3/5/25 |
| Jordana & Rachel Bobbitt Pop / rock performance… Music - Rock & Metal Bottom of the Hill | Sat 2/8/25 |
| Gareth Reynolds Comedic performance live… Performance - Comedic Cobb's Comedy Club | Wed 2/12/25 |
| Other Links: | Celebrations and HolidaysDeepfake Awareness DayNational Metaverse Day | Digital Twin Day |
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