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San Francisco is a city where there is something to do every single night of the week, every single day of the year. Although there are a wide range of different activities to enjoy, one of the most popular things to do is to hit up the bars and nightclubs that are located all throughout the city. From the live music bars to the under-eighteen clubs, from the gay bars to the sports bars, there is something around San Francisco for everyone who is willing to go out and look for it.

Here’s a look at some of the best bars and nightclubs in San Francisco:

photo credit: forklift

Best Live Music Bars in San Francisco

There are many different spots in the city where you can listen to live music. Here are some of the best ones:

• Grant and Green Saloon. This North Beach bar regularly has live music performances without a cover charge. There are a range of different types of bands that play in this place so what you’re going to get here is going to vary from night to night. For people who plan to go bar hopping in the North Beach area, this is always a must-stop live music bar.
• The Independent. This is more specifically a concert venue in San Francisco but it’s got a bar, a generally low cover charge and a big space for dancing. People who are specifically interested in live music are going to enjoy a night out at this San Francisco hot spot.
• Red Devil Lounge. This is a small live music bar located in the increasingly trendy Polk Street area of San Francisco. There are bands and various types of live entertainment shows (such as burlesque performances) here almost every night of the week. It’s a two-story intimate place with just enough room for some dancing. It almost always has a cover charge.
• Hemlock Tavern. This is a rather large bar that includes a separate section where bands play almost every single night of the week. There is no charge to get in to the bar but the music section has a low cover charge. It’s also located on Polk Street.
• Elbo Room. There are several live music bars in the Mission district; this is one of the best ones avaialable there. Different types of live music bands are featured regularly with a low cover charge to the area of the bar where the music is played.

photo credit: alexharries

Best Dance Clubs in San Francisco

People who want to get their groove on aren’t necessarily looking for the best live music but may just want to find the best places for DJ-music to be enjoyed. Those places are located all over the city - here are some of the best ones:

• Cat Club. This is a great dance club located in the increasingly popular SoMa neighborhood. One of the favorite nights here is Thursday nights when 1984 - the eighties dance music night - is featured. However, there are different events going on here each night of the week.
• The Cellar. People who are visiting San Francisco and staying in the Union Square area will find themselves within walking distance to this great underground dance club. Multiple rooms offer a great nightlife experience here.
• End Up. Anyone who is up all night and trying to find that one spot in San Francisco that doesn’t close is going to want to put their dancing shoes on to head to this SoMa spot. It’s got a high cover in comparison to other bars but it opens on Friday night and doesn’t close again until Monday morning so it’s one of the best options for people who can dance all weekend long.

photo credit: alexharries

Best Gay Bars in San Francisco

The majority of bars in San Francisco are open to people of all sexual orientations but there are some bars that are more specifically considered to be gay bars. The Castro is one of the best places to go for these bars but that’s not the only option so look all around the city for hot spots like these:

• Badlands. If you’ve ever seen in a gay dance club featured in a movie, it probably looked a lot like this place. (Think Babylon from the show Queer as Folk.) It’s got two different rooms for dancing and drinking, it’s always packed with a young crowd and it’s considered a gay bar that’s very mixed-orientation-friendly.
• The Cinch. This is a gay dive bar located on Polk Street that is popular on nights when drag shows are featured. Drinks are cheap and strong which is what many people are looking for in a good gay bar.
• The Bar on Castro. This is another place known for cheap strong drinks. This one is in The Castro and is considered to be one of the staples of Castro nightlife. There is sometimes music here but the reason that you go is for the drinks - and the company.

photo credit: jsc*

Best Sports Bars in San Francisco

San Francisco has its sports bars just like any other city. Here are some favorites:

• Bar None. This place is known for its chicken wings and beer pong. There are also pool tables and sports on TV here. It’s a fairly big bar and it’s always packed with people. If this sounds like your crowd, it’s a good place.
• Kennedy’s. This is a strange place in North Beach which is part Irish Bar and part fine dining Indian food restaurant. Despite the differentness of it, it’s one of the most popular sports bars in the city. Pool tables, air hockey tables, a juke box and lots of beer on tap help add to the atmosphere here.

photo credit: phogel

Best Eighteen-and-Up Clubs in San Francisco

San Francisco nightlife isn’t specifically geared towards the eighteen-to-twenty-one crowd since it’s really a city that loves to drink but there are a few eighteen-and-up clubs that are worth checking out. Here they are:

• Popscene. This is a live music club located in the SoMa district which is considered to be the best nightlife option for eighteen-and-up folks. There are two huge rooms here with plenty of space for dancing, a live music stage, multi-media video screen displays and other features of a big club environment.
• Rickshaw Stop. This club has eighteen and up nights that tend to be fun for people who are interested in dancing and having a good time. There is sometimes live music at this location as well.
• The Crib. This is a favorite dance club for people who are under legal drinking age. It’s got two different dance rooms which include big club perks like cages that you can dance in. However, it’s got a high priced cover in comparison to other San Francisco clubs.

Best Risque/Alternative/Adult Clubs in San Francisco

It wouldn’t be San Francisco if there weren’t some places that you could go at night to indulge in or enjoy some risque behavior. In addition to the numerous straight/gay/mixed strip clubs, you might be interested in these bars and clubs:

• Power Exchange. People who are seeking out some serious adult action should know about this adult sex club / playspace. It’s open to the public and includes a dance room and lounge area so it’s okay to just go and watch if you’re not sure that you want to join in the activity.
• Divas. This is a tranny strip club located in The Tenderloin that is one of those things that you can see in very few places so you may want to check it out while you’re in San Francisco. There are several floors with bars so it’s okay to hang out and not see the strippers as well.

San Francisco is better than any other U.S. city at offering a little bit of something for everyone. If you’re interested in checking out a certain kind of San Francisco nightlife, you need look no further than the closest SF neighborhood to find the thing that suits your style.

Tags: Bars | California | night clubs | North America | San Francisco | United States