San Francisco Nightlife Tips by Pounder73

Nightlife Spot: www.sfstation.com

until i sit down and add in individual watering holes and clubs, sfstation is a great website. usually the places i go are on here anyway...

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Theme: Other
Dress Code: varies from tennis shoes and sweatshirts to leather to pimp-daddy-gear.
Directions: all over the city, but more in the SOMA area.
Website: www.sfstation.com

Nightlife Spot: 2nd Sundays Mass(ive)

For a party that keeps the booty shake’n all Sunday long. This is where all the kiddies come to worship the sun and the sounds of deep house music. Located at Kelly’s Mission Rock, right on the Bay in China Basin. It showcases two floors, both with sun decks that overlook the water. All the beautiful babies will be out flaunting their stuff for sure. And they even have a little “beach” there to sit back and relax and talk to those you just met.

During the summer months, it is held every 2nd Sunday of the month. Get it? From about noon to 10pm. So if this is your scene, plan your trip to SF accordingly. Also buy your tickets online in advance or show up EARLY... otherwise you will not get it. 2nd Sunday Parties are popular to say the least.

How hardcore are you? When do you want the party to start or end? Might I make a few suggestions? Saturday night, check out Sfstation.com and find out where your DJ’s will be spinning? There are always different clubs going to 4 or 6am. (Although drinks stop being served at 2am) Then as long as you have an open mind and tolerance for anyone, you can check out a SF cornerstone at the End Up. Primarily a gay and lesbian club, until Sunday morning, and lets just say, EVERYONE is welcome Sunday morning there. (6am to noon peak time). Then the 2nd Sunday all day long, before the after-parties at several other clubs. One of the mainstays is Spundae at 1015Folsom… this should give you 36 hours of non stop action to get a real feel of the flovour the City

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Theme: Nightclub
Dress Code: Club gear with no limit on how skimpy you want to go. This is a DAY party, so DON'T forget your shades - for many reasons..
Phone: 415-626-5355
Address: 817 China Basin, San Francisco CA 94107.
Directions: In the China Basis, on the Bay behind Pac Bell Park.
Website: www.2ndsunday.com

Nightlife Spot: 1015 Folsom ( Release & Spundae )

This is SF’s oldest, biggest, and most worldly known nightclub. With 4 to 5 different rooms, all with different genres of electronic music, from the breaks and Drum&Bass in the basement, to the 80’s flavor in the front room, to the tribal upstairs… and you can’t miss the main-room… that’s where the DJ is who you came to hear, right?

Okay, this is the scoop… this is the place that brings in the big name DJ’s, so if you want to hear the like of Oakey, PVD, Digweed, Maas, Tiesto, this is where they usually play. It is big, it gets crowded, and it gets hot. If you are looking for a more “sophisticated” atmosphere, I would suggest Sno-drift or Ruby Skye. But the happening spots jump around the city from night to night. At 1015 you’re at least guaranteed something… I almost never go here, but I guess I am getting old, because now my friends and I say things like, “I remember what it used to be like, back in the old dayz, before they started doing bodily cavity searches at the door.” And now I prefer places with couches…

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Theme: Nightclub
Dress Code: club gear - no tennis shoes, but jeans are fine. usually about a $20 cover. and Free b4 10:15pm...
Address: 1015 Folsom (& Fourth)
Directions: in the SOMA Dist.
Website: www.1015.com
Other Contact: www.spundae.com

Nightlife Spot: End Up

This club is a must for the list, but it is only a must GO to for the few – and not necessarily if you live the alternative life either, but you will know who you are. This spot is going on 30 YEARS of what can still be classified as SF Underground. It historically caters to the alternative lifestyles, (get it? The End Up – duel meanings…) Also cameoed in the indi-flick “Groove”

This spot has themed nights. For example, “Fag-Fridays” or “Roller-Girl” on some Saturdays. Thursday nights, deemed KitKat, is dedicated to the Str8. Saturday and Sunday mornings is when it gets interesting, it then “opens” up to EVERYONE (from 6am till… well… it really doesn’t close). Never been there Sat morn’n for “Other Whirled” but keep in mind, this is where Fag-Fridays just left off. On Sunday mornings, T-Dance (aka Sunday worship) is more of an eclectic scene, especially if Saturday night was a straight night. The only place I witnessed a 350lb black transvestite in a pink mini leather shirt pick up on 2 of my friends… separately.

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Theme: Nightclub
Dress Code: Do I need to tell you?
Address: 401 6th St @ Harrison St (2 blocks away from 1015)
Directions: directions on site - SOMA District
Website: www.theendup.com

Nightlife Spot: Boom Boom Room (Filmore)

This is the late John Lee Hooker owned joint. Live music 7 nights a week, anything from underground hip hop / jazz to some soulful rhythm and a whole lotta blues. Covers usually range from $5 to $10, but check website to see what it might be for your night.

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Theme: Live Music
Dress Code: Stylish... the brothas out in full gear.
Phone: (415) 673-8000
Address: 1601 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115
Directions: in the Filmore District, Close to the Filmore Concert Hall.
Website: www.boomboomblues.com

Nightlife Spot: Blind Tiger & Rosewood Bar

I list these two bars together because they are just about across the street from one another and can be described in similar fashion. Both are one-room bars, with small dance floors and always have someone spinning. Some nights its breaks, others house, sometimes some funky stuff, and Rosewood has Hip-hop on the regular. It is a little bit dressier in the Rosewood, but not by much. Covers usually range from free to $10, and usually the bouncers will let you sneak a peak, to see if it is your scene. Usually a very unpretentious crowd.

They are conveniently located within a 2 minute walk from inner North Beach, Close to Chinatown. And these close at 2am.

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Theme: Nightclub
Dress Code: intelligent.
Address: 787 & 732 Broadway - North Beach Area
Directions: walk toward the tunnel on Columbus (between Stockton & Powell)

Nightlife Spot: Vesuvio Cafe

"This world-renowned San Francisco saloon located in North Beach just across from the infamous City Lights Bookstore, was first established in 1948 and remains an historical monument to jazz, poetry, art and the good life of the Beat Generation. Vesuvio attracts a diverse clientele: artists, chess players, cab drivers, seamen and business people, European visitors, off-duty exotic dancers and bon vivants from all walks of life."

the Vesuvio Cafe

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Theme: Eating and Drinking
Dress Code: uhmmm... not naked.
Address: 255 Columbus Ave, SF 94133
Directions: Noth Beach
Website: www.vesuvio.com

Nightlife Spot: Dragon Bar (North Beach)

Recently (June '03) we hit up this new little club located in the heart of North Beach for Kevin and Andrew's B-dayz.

Some cool house music spun, with a little mix of some hip-hop once in a while. This place has newly been remodeled to a pan-Asian red motif; comfortable environment with bench style seating around the dance floor. Small outside patio with in and outs but inside is a little touch to talk without yelling.

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Theme: Nightclub
Dress Code: Moderate dress code. no sneakers. $10.00 cover and one of those places that close at 2am.
Phone: (415) 834-9383
Address: 473 Broadway St
Directions: Heart of North Beach
Website: maximumproductions.com/dragon.htm

Nightlife Spot: Dragon Bar (North Beach)

This is something a little different from the small loungy pubs that share the North Beach nightlife among the girlie-bars and great Italian restaurants. I like the option it provides the area.

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Theme: Nightclub
Address: 473 Broadway St
Directions: North Beach

Nightlife Spot: Ruby Skye / Sno-Drift

I put these two together because they sort of have the same flavor. They attract top DJ’s, many of them Bay Area favorites, and all the babies will be in full gear (intelligent threads). Different nights may very, but usually a house / techno music scene. Check out the website, they’ll give the up to date info, times. Plan about $20 when the say “TBD” for cover, rarely goes over, sometimes goes under.

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Theme: Nightclub
Dress Code: for shizzle on the tizzle. (shine the shoes)
Directions: Sno-Drift - Potrero Hill / China Basin - 1830 3rd Street

Ruby Skye - Union Square - 420 Mason
Website: www.rubyskye.com
Other Contact: www.sfstation.com/clubs/snodrift