San Francisco
Nightclubs
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. |
·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, including options in nearby Noe Valley and Hunters Point. |
San Francisco Nightlife by Category
| Rock-n-RollDance | BarSports Bar | BluesJazz |
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What the .Community is Saying...
| “The Worst Night” | |
 | “It was stuffy with no proper AC. There were lots of illegal activities going on. They never checked IDs.” Review Details. Said about: The Gingerbread House, by Non-Member, Reader |
| “Best Nightlife Staff” | |
| “The staff is great here, they made me feel at home in a nice upscale lounge. Great crowd and music; I danced all night. And it's…” Review Details. Said about: Icon Ultra Lounge, by "Vanessa", San Francisco |
| “Very Upset After This Saturday June 8th” | |
| “I recently went to 330 Ritch and was VERY DISAPPOINTED. I've been to this club many times and have never experienced what I exp…” Review Details. Said about: 330 Ritch Street Dance Club, by Member, Becky, San Leandro |
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