San Francisco: Gay and lesbian bars
San Francisco's gay and lesbian bars are many and varied, ranging from cozy cocktail lounges to no-holds-barred leather-and-chain hangouts. The scene may no longer be quite as wild as its reputation would have you believe, but at its best it can still be hard to beat.Badlands 4121 18th St tel 415/626-9320. A Western-style bar with a small dance floor and happy hour every weeknight (4-7pm). Very popular and recently re-vamped.
Café Flore 2298 Market St tel 415/621-8579. Very much the "in" spot before dark. Attractive café with leafy outdoor area and no shortage of people sizing each other up.
Eagle Tavern 398 12th St tel 415/626-0880. Legendary SoMa biker bar. Not for wimps.
Esta Noche 3079 16th St tel 415/861-5757. Gay discomania Latin-style. Young men and their admirers dance to a hi-NRG disco beat.
Harvey's 500 Castro St tel 415/431-4278. A central and convivial gay bar in The Castro drawing a friendly, community-oriented mixed gay and lesbian crowd. Serves food, too.
Hole in the Wall 289 8th St tel 415/431-HOWL. A biker and rock club that deliberately recalls the days when gay bars hid in dark alleys. Beware: the clientele can occasionally be found completely nude. However, it's all in good fun (and quite popular) but occasionally a little rough.
Lexington Club 3464 19th St at Lexington tel 415/863-2052. The first neighborhood bar for women in a long time, packed with lesbians of all stripes and their male friends. Good jukebox.
Martunis 4 Valencia St at Market tel 415/241-0205. A swank place in which to drink martinis and sing show tunes around the piano, from 9pm on.
Midnight Sun 4067 18th St tel 415/861-4186. Young, white boys dressed to the nines and cruising like maniacs in this noisy Castro video bar.
The Mint 1942 Market St tel 415/626-4726. The best karaoke bar in the city, packed with a boisterous, thirtysomething crowd of songsters.
Rawhide 280 7th St tel 415/820-1621. If men in chaps are your scene, look no further than this dimly lit SoMa bar/dance club that plays country-and-western and bluegrass favorites. A legendary SF venue.
The Stud 399 9th St tel 415/252-7883. An oldie but a goodie. A favorite gay dancing spot with lesbian nights on certain days. Energetic, uninhibited dancing and good times.
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