Best san francisco gay clubs

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Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox. Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news, events, offers and partner promotions. From biker bars to piano lounges, these gay bars in San Francisco and Oakland are the most fabulous in the Bay Area.

SF is known for electing Harvey Milk, the first openly gay elected official in the US, and is still known today for its thriving queer community.

San Francisco Gay Dance Clubs

This guide was written by Bay-Area based writer Clara Hogan. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are best by local writers who know their cities inside out. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. Been there, done that? Think again, my friend.

Queer artistic expression thrives at Oasis, a club and cabaret theater in SoMa. The comic, electric san is different each time, with the Queens taking on everything from Disney princesses to pop stars. The self-styled "safe space" is stylish and modern, with a large front room with booths, a pool table and plenty of bar seating, and additional tables in an alcove at the back.

The dance floor, brightly lit and papered in tasteful black-and-white breasts, thumps to the beat of DJs on Friday and Saturday nights. Thursday and Friday nights Jolene's kitchen serves satisfying comfort fare with plenty of veggie francisco. Weekends brunch fare like fried egg sandwiches and chicken and waffles pair perfectly with bottomless mimosas.

A true neighborhood bar in every sense of the word, the drinks are strong, the patrons are friendly, and the back patio is generous. Regular all-day drink specials offer just one more reason to drop in, no matter the club. One of the few San Francisco gay bars outside the Castro or SoMa neighborhoods, the Cinch is equal parts dive bar and dance club.

Today, this brightly colored space caters more to the lesbian crowd, with plenty of indie bands and nights dedicated to worthwhile causes to draw those from diverse corners of the city. While there are a handful of great queer patios in SF, El Rio's large, light-strung, plant-laden backyard is one of the best, with outdoor ping pong competition and free al fresco oysters on Friday evenings at pm.

This friendly neighborhood bar is one of the most low-key options in the Castro. With a blazing fireplace to warm you on foggy days and a jukebox chock full of 80s gay, this cozy pub will keep you in your seat until last call rolls around. Happy Hour ain't no slouch, either.