Hi Tops is not only a gay bar but also a sports bar. Nestled in the Castro neighborhood, this casual hangout welcomes all into its lively ambiance. Television screens, displaying various sports, dot the walls, around which like-minded fans cheer for their favorite players while drinking cocktails and beers. The menu features a delicious array of finger foods. On offer are sandwiches, corn dog, pretzels, chili and burger, but the most popular of all is their Buffalo Wings.
Once you walk in through the doors of the Local Edition, you will be transported to a whole different era. This cocktail bar recreates a newspaper office from the 1950s and 1960s, and is a perfect tribute to the space that was once the printing room of San Francisco's popular publication, The Examiner. The walls are adorned with newspaper articles of the mid-20th Century, and the bar counter even has typewriters as embellishments. Classic concoctions and contemporary variations are well represented here. Do try the Bloody Mary and Highball, or the Fidel and Mojito for a new flavor.
The Martuni's is a post-theater nightcap hot spot whose charms are many. The sophisticated, candlelit interior includes both a main bar as well as a piano bar with live performances. Patrons are generally well-dressed and well-to-do, which contributes to the elegant ambiance. Wednesday is singles night for gay men (although it happens on just about any other night, too).
Although it looks like an authentic Dublin pub from the outside, you do not have to be Irish to enjoy this place. The cultural flavor of Johnny's is definitely mixed with a heady brew of Irish beers, Scotch malts, Italian food, and American hamburgers. An equally mixed crowd is found enjoying it all as it is served up by a boisterous and efficient wait staff.
The retro luxuriousness of Bimbo's 365 Club's interior adds unexpected character to the venue. A wide variety of artists perform here, from local talent to major-label superstars on international tours. Past headliners have included the Detroit Cobras, the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, They Might Be Giants, Seu Jorge, Aimee Mann and the Flaming Lips. Weekly Wing nights fill the floor with Charleston-ing zoot-suiters, accentuating the original plush crimson curtains of Bimbo's 1931 opening.
No Name Bar may be a Marin landmark, hence the lack of a need for an actual name, but it is not because of the decor or ambiance. What sets it apart is the live jazz, usually Dixieland, that plays without a cover until 1a. There is garden seating in the back if you'd prefer sunshine or moonlight to the dim light of the bar itself. The food is good with the usual bar sandwiches done well and in huge proportions. The service is efficient from people who love jazz as much as the musicians who play here. Call for more information.