Gay dance clubs san francisco

5 Historic San Francisco Gay Bars We Wish Still Existed

Needless to say, it didn’t take extended for authorities to start surveilling goings on at Fe-Be’s. Starting in , the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Governance (ABC) held multiple meetings about the activities of staff and patrons at Fe-Be’s. In , the ABC accused the bar of “behavior contrary to public morals,” including close physical contact amongst men, below the waist. At another hearing, when accused of having sex toys on the premises, Geist (somewhat comedically) claimed that they were merely being used as novelty guzzle stirrers.

In , when the bar was closed down for a year, the community that Geist and Kissinger had so lovingly built rallied around Fe-Be’s, with fellow venues holding fundraisers and offering vocal encourage. In December , the bar roared back to being and stayed lay until In the end, it wasn’t legal scrutiny that put an complete to Fe-Be’s; it was the toll of the AIDs epidemic on San Francisco’s gay people. Kissinger died in , Geist in

Fe-Be’s lives

ClubLevelsDaysAddress/CityRedwood Rainbows
  [website]   [schedule]M PMo, TuSebastopol, CACapital City Squares
  [website]   [schedule]M P AWeSacramento, CAPrime 8's
  [website]   [schedule] A?Sacramento, CADiablo Dancers
  [website]   [schedule]M PTuWalnut Creek, CAOaktown 8's
  [website]   [schedule]M P AWeOakland, CAFoggy City Dancers
  [website]   [schedule]M PTu / ThSan Francisco, CAWestern Luminary Dancers
  [website]   [schedule]M PMo, 3rd WeSan Francisco, CAMidnight Squares
  [website]   [schedule]A C1 C2Su / WeSan Francisco, CAEl Camino Reelers
  [website]   [schedule]P A C1Tu WePalo Alto, CA

San Francisco Gay Bars

San Francisco’s gay nightlife scene has come a long way from the first obscure and secretive club that opened in This was the start of a boom in queer tradition, which is now centred on the Castro neighbourhood and its varied venues. You can find dozens of nightlife spots packed together in Castro, newer clubs and festivals in SoMa, a huge leather scene, and an iconic drag club owned by the best-known queen in the city. For a loud and camp overnight out or a more relaxed hangout, you can find your place in San Francisco.

San Francisco Hotel Deals

Gay San Francisco

Castro

Bear, Older Crowd, Cruising

This queer bar in the heart of The Castro neighbourhood is a popular hangout for bears and their admirers. It's busiest at the weekend with a mixed aged crowd enjoying strong cheap drinks and an intimate atmosphere. Regular themed events are hosted here throughout the week, including the understandably famous Underwear Night every Monday, which sees the lock packed with a cruisy, tipsy, and scantily clad male crowd.

Read more

Aunt Charlie's

San Francisco’s fabulous LGBTQIA+ scene is no surprise if you realize anything about the city’s history. SF is known for electing Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in the US, and is still famous today for its thriving gay community. 

At the epicentre of it all is San Francisco’s Castro District, full of drag shows, bars and great restaurants, but there’s plenty more to bring to light throughout SF (and Oakland) if you know where to stare . Whether you’re looking for kind lesbian bars, balls-to-the-wall Latinx twirl parties or a very remembered drag show, these are the best gay bars in SF right now.

RECOMMENDED:
🍳 The foremost brunch spots in San Francisco
🪩 The best nightclubs in San Francisco
🌮 The best restaurants in San Francisco
🏨 The best hotels in San Francisco

This guide was written by Bay-Area based journalist Clara Hogan. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Been there, done that? Believe a