San Francisco - Alison Bing [177]
Badlands: Sadlands
The Cinch: The Stench
Powerhouse: Powerblouse
Hole in the Wall: Hole in the Head
Lone Star: Go-Home-Alone Star
Café Flore: Cafe Floor Show
Daddy’s/440: Debby’s/220
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440 CASTRO Map
415-621-8732; www.the440.com; 440 Castro St; noon-2am; Castro St
The most happening bar on the street, 440 Castro (aka Daddy’s) draws bearded 30-something dudes in tight T-shirts, and an odd mix of Peter Pans for Monday’s underwear night.
AUNT CHARLIE’S Map
415-441-2922; www.auntcharlieslounge.com; 133 Turk St; admission $3; 9am-2am; 31; & Powell St
On one of Downtown’s worst blocks, divey-chic Aunt Charlie’s brings vintage pulp-fiction covers to life with the Hot Boxxx Girls, the city’s best classic drag show, Friday and Saturday nights at 10pm (call for reservations). Thursday is Tubesteak Connection ($5), when bathhouse anthems, vintage porn and early ’80s disco draw throngs of art-school gay boys. Other nights, it’s the classic old-school dump.
BADLANDS Map
415-626-9320; www.badlands-sf.com; 4121 18th St; 2pm-2am; 24, 33, Castro St
The Castro’s primary dance bar gets packed with gay college boys, their screaming straight girlfriends and a few chicken hawks. If you’re over 30, you’ll feel old. Weekends, expect a line, which no self-respecting local would ever wait in.
BLACKBIRD Map
415-503-0630; www.blackbirdbar.com; 2124 Market St; 3pm-2am Mon-Fri, noon-2am Sat & Sun; 22, F, J, K, L, M, N, Church St
The latest addition to the Castro lounge-bar scene draws a happening local crowd of guys in tight T-shirts and their gal-pal admirers. The look is sleek and clean, but not overstyled; cocktails are strong; and there’s a good selection of wines and craft beers by the glass. Bartenders provide delicious eye candy. Ideal spot to begin a Castro pub crawl.
BLOW BUDDIES
Map
415-777-HEAD; www.blowbuddies.com; 933 Harrison St; admission $12, plus $8 membership fee; Thu-Sun nights, call about Wed-night fetish parties; 27, 47
When it’s time to get laid, head to the Disneyland of cock. The original owner was a Disney fetishist and set out to recreate, with exacting detail, Disneyland-like attractions, with mazes and specialty-fetish rooms spread over 6000 sq ft of indoor-outdoor warehouse space. New owners aren’t detail-oriented, and rarely put money back into the club (the outdoor camouflage-berm tore away years ago, and the play area under the stairs closed eons ago when the barber’s chair broke), but for a sex club it’s the best in town. Some nights are positively dreary: count coats in the coat-check through the barred window by the entrance; if fewer than 30, don’t go in unless it’s early. Note: no cologne, or they won’t let you in. Sweat – and spilled poppers – are the preferred scents.
CHAPS II Map
415-255-2427; www.chapsbarsanfrancisco.com; 1225 Folsom St; Mon-Thu 7pm-2am, Fri & Sat 3pm-2am; 12, 19
Chaps II promises what its eponymous 1970s predecessor delivered: leather, kink, gear and cruising. Black walls, vintage-’70s leather-porn posters and red lighting provide sexy visuals, but the place rarely fills. SF needs a hard-cruise bar in these days of online hook-ups, but will men really leave their keyboards? We remain hopeful. Best between 9pm and midnight, Thursday to Saturday, after which everyone goes to Powerhouse.
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THE WEEKNIGHT SCENE
Going out on weeknights and Sunday nights can be boom or bust – but you have to know where to start. Many spots are dead midweek. Ask around for the latest, and read posters at the gym and on lampposts in the Castro.
Sunday: Beer Bust at the Eagle (opposite), the definitive SF bar party, especially in summer. Afterwards, Truck for burgers and socializing, Lone Star (opposite) for bears or Powerhouse for hook-ups. For dancing, Honey Soundsystem (opposite) or Sundance Saloon.
Monday: Underwear Night at 440 Castro is hit or miss – it can be very strange. Kids dance at Badlands.
Tuesday: Chilidog (above) for DJ beats; Pink Slip (confirm it’s still happening) at the Stud; and C U Next Tuesday at Qbar. Get the password for Truck (guys only; Click