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Aunt Charlie's Lounge
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 10 am - 2 am
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Music:
- DJ
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- Yes
- Ambience:
- Dive-y, Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
136 reviews for Aunt Charlie's Lounge
Review Highlights
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"DJ Bus Station John has one of the best record collections..." In 6 reviews -
"Aunt Charlie's has an awesome drag show." In 24 reviews -
"Love the ladies, cheap drinks (PBR for $3." In 16 reviews
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136 reviews in English
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Review from Pammy S.
San Francisco, CA
1/4/2012
LOVE this place..... true sf awesomeness
P -
Review from Dor Z.
1/2/2012
Came here for New Year's Eve and had a blast. Was expecting a 'glam' show with high fashion and Lady Gaga and was happy to have experienced something a little different. I'm 23 and the only modern song that I recognized was Ke$ha's "Tik Tok"! Everything else was 'classic' stuff like Tina Turner, Whitney Houston, Madonna, and Cher. I also LOVED that they performed to Jack Off Jill, Bjork, and Feist!! We were dazzled by the costumes, which ranged from huge headpieces to a Suckerpunch-inspired outfit to a jeweled bikini.
Also: their drinks are STRONG and CHEAP! The beer is $4.50 and I'm pretty sure I got charged $3.50 for a gin and tonic. Nice.
The venue is very small, so it's an intimate setting. I wouldn't get here too early, though. I arrived at 9:00 and it was kind of depressing.
DON'T FORGET TO TIP, TIP, TIP! -
Review from Emily D.
12/4/2011
I loved it. Why are people expecting perfectly executed songs and/or talent? I wasn't expecting much out of sheer ignorance, but what I got was 3.50 whiskey cokes that were 99% whiskey and 1% coke, and ridiculous drag queens singing the most female-empowering songs of the past decade, who then finished up with some KESHA.
YEAH. IT WAS AWESOME.
Bring dollar bills and your best cat calls. And maybe some glitter. -
Review from Johnny W.
San Francisco, CA
3/29/2012
Finding an authentic dive bar in a city that reeks of money and gentrification is remarkable enough, but add to that a proud history of quality, classic drag shows, and you've got a truly one-of-a-kind establishment. Come here to escape the bougie SF snobs and enjoy a cheap, strong drink with some quality people. Yes, the shows can be incredible amateurish, but that's kind of the point, don't you think? No one should come here expecting to see a Trannyshack-level production.
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Review from Justin S.
Oakland, CA
4/4/2011
I've been to a lot of drag shows, from NYC to Minneapolis. I've written articles about drag, I've organized shows, I've drank with drag queens before shows, and I always enjoy it. I'm not an expert, but I have a thing or two to say about good drag performances.
I have NEVER been to a show like the one I saw last Saturday at Aunt Charlie's. Is it pure talent? Not at all. Is it a big, comfortable place? Not so much. BUT. The performers are unique, and the songs are such classics and done with so much heart that it's a blast. I will remember the 80+ year-old drag queen bringing down the house with "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" by Celine Dion for a long, long time.
The drinks are cheap and strong, and the server is really fun. If you can, reserve a table ahead of time so that you can be up front for the show. The bar is tiny, so if you don't, it might not be easy to have a nice seat. Or it'll be super empty and not a problem at all, depending on the night.
Come. Drink. Enjoy with friends. Don't be too afraid. You'll have stories to tell. -
Review from Robert Shawn W.
San Francisco, CA
7/15/2011
I came here Thursday night with some friends for Tubesteak and have to say I had a good time despite almost midnight hitting and the DJ never came on. This bar is historic and was very nice to sit and talk to the patrons who have been going there for man many years.
The crowd was a mix of neighborhood folks and LGBT folks who had been around since the 60's. Talking to them made me smile and hearing their history and stories. The bar is small but the bartender/manager was very nice and the drinks were cheap. Only downside was the bar started to get young annoying, stuck up hipsters around 11 which ruined it for us so we left. I came here to get away from those jerk offs you see roaming the Castro and SOMA
They also have a weird "no cell phone" policy which they enforce when they darken the room with nothing but red lights (which btw make u look 5 years younger) or drag shows.
I will go back for sure :) -
Review from Cindy A.
Portland, OR
2/20/2012
Such a great time! I went with a few girlfriends, looking for a good Friday night show. It totally delivered. I loved Ms. Colette, she was our bartender who also lip syncs a wonderful Kesha number. Drinks weren't steep compared to SF prices. Overall fun time.
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Review from Peter V.
1/27/2011 1 Check-in Here
I have been here twice and if you average my 2 experiences, you get 3 stars. This is a super small dive bar with a lot of character.
Thursday night is Tubesteak Connection and it was a blast. we had a great electro disco dance party in the back with smoke machines and lights controlled by switches that the dj turned on and off. Some of the best music I have heard in SF. The place was not too packed and there was a great energy, a little sexual, all dance party. The vintage porn on the bar helped too.
My other experience was a wednesday night for the Dream Queens Revue. We show up a bit early and there were 4 other people in the bar and no music at all. We get a drink and eventually some music comes on, a mix of Gaga, Ke$ha, and Katy Perry. I was kind of bothered by the bartender smoking behind the bar. At 10:20 we decided to leave since nothing was happening and it was kind of a downer (there were 3 other people at this point). The place was dark and depressing.
I can't wait to come back on a thursday night to dance it up. I would skip wednesdays. -
Review from Tarrah H.
Mountain View, CA
12/11/2011
I centered my best friend's bachelorette party around the drag show at Aunt Charlie's Saloon and it was the best thing I could have done! It was beyond AMAZING! The talent and personality of the performers is unbelievable and makes for quite the evening -complete with Lady Gaga and Beyonce look alikes! The show is literally in the middle of the bar, which is a great dive with cheap drinks and only a $5 cover for the show. Everyone couldn't stop talking about how much fun it was for the rest of the night and pretty much the whole next day! IT WAS LEGENDARY!
* These talented ladies dance their asses off, so make sure you bring some singles for tipping! -
Review from Jona Y.
San Francisco, CA
10/23/2011
A very amateurish and embarrassingly bad drug queen show. Seriously. Most of the performers are old, their attire consists of a skirt/dress, fake boobs and a wig, and their number is basically lip-syncing while walking from one side of the small bar to the other. The problem is not the age, but the poor execution overall. Middle-school level kind of performance. Me and my friends were joking that we could do a better job. I appreciate the spirit of the performers, but seriously, a good drug queen show is about the character, the specific body/face/hand gestures of the artist they imitate, all the way to the details of the dresses, hair and make-up. Alternatively, some drug queens do an excellent job in bringing their own personality, but that works if they really shine and their performance is unique and truly entertaining.
The bar could be a fun place to hang-out at, but if you are looking for a good drug queen show, that's not the place. -
Review from Chuck F.
Reno, NV
2/21/2011
I think this might be my fave bar in all of SF maybe in all the Bay Area.
Gay bar in the TL with some of the wackiest drag shows and great bartenders plus old skool disco. what could possibly be better? -
Review from Allison D.
San Francisco, CA
2/28/2011
For my friend's birthday we decided to head here for a show. We called ahead, and they even reserved some seats for us!
Super strong and cheap drinks, great shows, if you go on certain nights, and overall just a fun, not-at-all creepy atmosphere. There is nothing like fist-pumping and lip-syncing along with Vicky Marlane to "It's All Coming Back to Me Now" to end your night. -
Review from Nicole G.
San Francisco, CA
2/28/2009
Sooo.... is it bad that I want to be a drag queen? Between my wig collection, my make-up kit and my boob job, oops, I mean... nevermind.
Point being, if you like drag queens, you will love Aunt Charlie's! It's the place to watch some of the longest performing (and oldest performing) ladies in the biz strut their stuff. The bar is the diviest of dives on one of the scariest blocks in the 'Loin, the catwalk is a ratty carpet and the stage is nothing to speak of, but the drinks are stiff and cheap and most importantly, these queens BRING IT.
It's straight friendly, but I gotta say, they love them some fresh young boy meat. To get serenaded by these queens is one of the greatest compliments known to man, or woman for that matter. Or at least in my case. -
Review from Rachel H.
El Cerrito, CA
2/9/2009
I want to be a drag queen. It looks like way too much fun! Sadly, I am a real woman, and could never be a drag queen, unless I pull a "Victor Victoria" and try to fool everyone.
Aunt Charlie's has an awesome drag show. Emily J. took me to this lovely little bar in the Tenderloin, and as with most things Emily J. introduces me to, I enjoyed it. I was thoroughly impressed, especially with the "lady" who is pushing 70. Many of these lovely "women" are great dancers, and their costumes are definitely fabulous. They are really nice, too! Gina LaDivina said I had "lovely B/Cs". It was such a nice compliment, especially coming from a woman with breasts as nice as hers. Check out Emily's review for some good tips, such as calling ahead for a table, and how to use the bathroom (at Aunt Charlie's, not in general).
My husband and Emily's fiance (Jac C.) are both straight and extremely manly, and they loved the show, too. My husband was a wee bit skeptical, but he ended up being very impressed with the show-woman-ship and the costumes. He said he would definitely be interested in going again. A few of the "girls" were giving him the eye, which I liked. I like it when another woman compliments my cute shoes, so why not my cute husband? (But, it has to be in a similar way, e.g. you could ask me where I got my shoes or tell me how adorable/sexy/versatile they are, but you wouldn't ask if you could make out with them sometime, and if you knew me, you certainly would not ask to borrow them.)
I plan to return with my mother and Emily J. and her mother for a mother night.
Minus half a star for the obnoxious girls who asked if they could squeeze in next to me, then sat down before I could say no, and then blocked my view. This is not the bar's fault, but as with any bar, beware of annoying drunks. -
Review from lindsey r.
Austin, TX
6/8/2010 1 Check-in Here
I'm really lazy about finishing old reviews, but I just watched the documentary about Miss Gay America ("Pageant") and felt inspired to finish my story of this fabulous place.
Thank god I had a gracious and intelligent host while visiting one of my favorite cities during Valentine's Day Weekend. And, where better to spend that romantic holiday than at a slightly seedy, very divey, (dare I say sketchy?) part of the Tenderloin...drag show/bar. Oh. My. GAWD. It was sheer perfection. (Sheer also refers to the costumes.) Everything about it made me look up to the red Christmas lights strung across the bar and ask, "Are you there, God? It's me, Judy Garland."
I've seen good drag shows before, but this one takes the cake AND the cookie batter. Why? It's intimate, dark, cheap ass drinks, five dollar cover, and some of the oldest and boniest queens I've ever seen. Bring LOTS of $1 bills to tip these ladies, they deserve it. One of them (Lord, I wish I remember her name, but I had one too many hot toddies) was pushing 80, weighed maybe 95 pounds, and brought the house DOWN with her rendition of Celine Dion's "I love you" and a prop letter in her hand. I almost shed a tear every time I hear this song now.
What more can I say? Bring your close-minded relatives (naw, screw 'em, they won't appreciate it), bring only those nearest and dearest to you for this oh-so-special-SF treat. -
Review from Wes P.
San Francisco, CA
1/29/2009
The first time I came here I didn't know what to make of it.
Old school porn was everywhere. The bar itself is cramped and small. Outside is a sea of homeless crack heads. All of this seems to add to the charm that is Aunt Charlie's.
You don't come here looking for a snazzy new place. This place is down and dirty. A gay dive to the fullest. You run into a lot of real men... not Castro queens. I do not come here often but when I do I always have fun. Every city needs a bar like this one. Every gay needs one even more.
Break up the monotony of your usual castro/soma bars. Get out of comfort circle and get to Aunt Charlie's!! -
Review from Drue C.
San Francisco, CA
2/4/2007
One star for the free popcorn and the $2 pabst.
One star for the fact that a bar the size of an outhouse actually decided it was a good idea, 8 years ago, so I was told, to put on drag shows.
Other than that this bar did not have a very good feel to it. It was dingy, but not in an "ewww, cool, this place has been around forever and is therefore sticky" way. It was just a small bar wth downtrodden cross dressing batenders and a clientelle with the personality of Larry King on Qualudes.Listed in: Drinking and Diving, I'm not gay, but my bar is.
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Review from Kate K.
Chicago, IL
12/20/2009
Note: If you choose to make out with your boyfriend while sitting at the bar at Aunt Charlie's you will be mocked by the lovely Queens who are lip synching their way up and down this narrow, dark, red piece of Tenderloin awesomeness.
HOWEVER, being mocked by a Queen is one of the more awesome experiences a fag-hag like me could possibly have. And, all the Queens in question agreed that I had the hottest man in the bar. (It's true, my Paranoid Android is a looker -- tall, dark, tattooed and pierced, ice blue eyes -- sorry don't mean to brag, but I have been head-over-heels for the guy for almost 10 years, hence agreeing to go for round #2 on the bf/gf thing not so long ago, which if you're wondering, is part of the reason I'm not on Yelp all that much... but, I'm rambling now and not about Aunt Charlie's, so...)
High points of AC's -- great drag queens, cheap drinks, free popcorn and true SF ambiance. Je t'aime. -
Review from Maria D.
San Francisco, CA
2/4/2007
3 dollar well drinks, free popcorn & drag queens who have seen better days. It's a narrow little place with red seats (love that) that reminds me of some of the old queen bars in the West Village (especially one of my favorites, Pieces), so I felt a little kinder towards this bar than the rest of the group who were pretty much ready to leave in 10 minutes. It's Zagat rated, baby. You know it's classy.
PS - An extra star for the excellent Thursday night I just had dancing to some AWESOME obscure 70s disco. The crowd is a little rougher than the Castro and frankly, I am all for that. -
Review from Robert P.
San Francisco, CA
6/14/2007
WOW.
This place definitely has some character! I witnessed drag queens, bums, what I'm pretty sure are drug addicts, drunk straight women, and some pretty straightforward sexual propositions. All within the first ten minutes.
My kinda bar.
Oh, and they have a digital jukebox. Master key to my heart.
I only deduct one star because this place is in the sketchy ass Tenderloin, and I felt like I was going to get shot when trying to hail a cab!!! Perhaps next time I'll wear my bullet proof vest and a full body condom so that I can feel slightly more at ease. -
Review from Lisa T.
San Francisco, CA
4/22/2007
I've been to plenty of trani shows. But I had never before been to one quite like the show they put on at Aunt Charlie's.
Ordinarily, an evening in a tiny bar stuffed to the gills and kept by a bartender slower than molasses would be a recipe for a crabby Lisa. But not at Aunt Charlie's. Because I was too fixated on the greatest trani show in town. And in this town, that's saying something.
I only hope when I'm in my sixties, I look half as good as these gals. And can shake it half as well.
Oh, and it didn't really matter that I could only get the bartender's attention about once every hour and a half. He pours 'em strong enough to make the wait seem like a good idea.
Aunt Charlie's is the hidden off-Broadway gem to the Broadway spectacle of places like The Stud; it's the place where the tortured geniuses of a more weathered and worn community get their moment to shine.
And they look fabulous. -
Review from Tony S.
Truckee, CA
5/13/2010
I am not a resident of SF. Like many, just a great friend of The City. I am also a married guy.....and travel often for work.
Last week, while in SF for meetings, a co-worker suggested a few places to visit for the evening: dinner in North Beach and then some after-dinner favorites (his). We were staying in Union Square (The Westin) so everything we did was either a simple cab or walk thing.
Our dinner at Washington Square was amazing. Great vibe, great service for us, great crowd. (Will go back, often).
I had a great time @ Charlies! Hopefully you will too (no matter what gender, orientation, etc). Actually made new-friends with two guys visiting from Dallas. Drinks are priced fine. Bartenders were friendly, smiley, quick on the pour: we sat at the bar. Funky? Sure. Whatever. More importantly, those who go (locals) and those that go (tourists, straights, married, college, whatever) were having a good, good time. Heck, I'll go back just for the DJ! -
Review from Mike W.
San Francisco, CA
2/6/2006 1 photo
I first heard about Aunt Charlie's from a a friend of mine who was berating his psychopathic ex-boss. The ex-boss went on a hideous drunk one night, resulting in a one-after-the-other string of alcohol induced atrocities. The crowning offense of the evening was when the psychotic boss "Went to a transvestite bar in the Tenderloin that opens at six in the morning". The final mention sparked my interest, and another seedy bar was added to my must-check-out list...
And check it out I did one weekend day, when myself and a ladyfreind were in search of "hidden charm within the Tenderloin". After several hours of searching we came up empty handed. To commiserate, I suggested a quick round at Aunt Charlie's. Myself and this lady had a bad habit of getting comfy in a bar and extending one round into three. This time, we didn't have that problem....
To say Aunt Charlie's was dimly lit would be an understatement. Sunlight blared in through the entrance, but farther back in the bar it became flat-out dark....the only illumination in the place was a net of miniature Christmas lights tangled in a mesh on the ceiling. I had a beer, but my sidekick ordered a glass of wine. The bartender, a neurotic cross-dresser who looked like Uncle Fester in a Bra, practically had to dust off the one bottle of white wine they had in the place. Finding a corkscrew was a problem, and someone had to enlist the help of a patron-derelict to get the bottle open.
I was nice to the bartender, but some of the other patrons weren't. This was NOT your typical gay bar. A collection of aging misfits at the end of the bar were making all sorts of comments to the bartender....comments that weren't funny, weren't nice, and bordered on psychological sadism. The bartender was clearly upset, and the patrons seemed to take an eerie satisfaction in this. Two stools down towards the door, a couple more crusty drifters were eyeballing the two of us. One was flashing us a dated "Hey babe, my place or yours" smile, while the other looked like a connection for anything from a .45 automatic to a dime-bag of China White.
I've been in quite a few dive bars during my time, and I don't say this about too many of them....this one creeped me out. It didn't feel dangerous...but it had an *extremely* bad vibe about it. There was seediness without charm....dysfunction without humor....and bad grunginess without a sense of tradition or history. Even though it was daytime, I expected something along the lines of a "Trannyshack" type crowd where a drag queen would share her secrets of controlling facial hair, making a size 14 dress fit someone with a 34 inch waist, and the best places to find a set of mens size 11 pumps. Instead, we found a dead-end alley of urban decay, a shallow trench of mental anguish in which we were unwilling to participate, and anxious to leave...
Hidden Charm within the Tenderloin? We didn't find it here....Listed in: Tippin' a Tall one in the…
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Review from Jen B.
San Francisco, CA
2/7/2009
What a hoot this place is! If you love dive bars, some old school beats like total eclipse of the heart, cheap drinks and of course some good old fashion drag you will leave Aunt Charlie's wanting more. The place is rather small so I suggest getting their around 9pm. The bartender will make you a stiff drink and it will only cost you $4.50. I almost had to ask for some more red bull because that was just how much vodka was going on.
Onto the perfomance... it's priceless. A great group of ladies (men) ranging from their 20's to damn near 68 years old. Anyone who can rock a performance of New York New York in their 60's gets a round of applause in my book! Make sure you bring some doller bills with you to keep the ladies employed. They work hard for the money!
I will definitely be back! The Hot Boxxx (three x's) Girls have style and grace! -
Review from Chanpory R.
San Francisco, CA
4/7/2009
My first haiku review:
Cheap drinks and cheap boys,
Irony beards and tight jeans
All at Aunt Charlie's. -
Review from Rocco B.
San Francisco, CA
4/13/2007
YICK!
Probably one star, but two for being the SEEDIEST GODDAMN PLACE I'VE EVER BEEN TO!!! -
Review from tommi k.
San Francisco, CA
5/22/2008
You gotta keep in mind that this place is among the diviest gay bars in the city. The "hit" in hit or miss will either be a weekly party like Tubesteak in which the tiny hallway-sized space is packed with hipster gay boys dancing to some pretty awesome obscure disco, or else you'll be there for a drag show performed by ancient divas of the more down-trodden variety. Still, as a young non-op tranny/genderqueer individual, I gotta give my respect to those who paved the way for me to be able to feel comfortable going to San Francisco straight bars all dolled-up without mace, and to be able to shop in women's clothing stores so I don't have to go through sisters's closet (albeit sometimes these experiences are still nerve-wracking).
But if you're an alcoholic like me, you'll visit this place for the "miss," and no, I don't mean my favorite drag queen or transsexual, I mean, go during the day when you need a reasonable priced and unreasonably stiff drink before heading off to band practice at San Francisco Studios next door.
You gotta dodge the zombies with that familiar gimpy stance amidst the clouds of crack smoke, but once inside this dark little Turk Street refuge, you'll find this place pretty charming. Bartender Joe is sweet and often pours a water glass 3/4 full or more with the good stuff, then adds a splash of soda/juice.
Hmm... guess I'm easy to please. Four stars? that's keeping in mind that this is a total dive, and compared to other dives, it's got a lot goin for it, even free food on some days (is it sundays?), I'm always surprised the local street dwellers don't rush in for the chili or pasta salad. Instead, the bar during daylight is filled with regulars, and I see the same dozen faces literally everytime I stop in for my fix.
Alas, there is always something missing, and here it's a pretty big one: no beer on tap!!! Why?!
FYI, bathrooms are pretty gnarly and if you're a boy you will be leered at by the regulars who are otherwise alright with a friendly vibe. -
Review from Emily J.
12/12/2008 2 photos
I was introduced to this establishment by a childhood friend and I don't think I've ever had that much fun at a bar (not even ones with karaoke!). The drinks are strong, inexpensive, and you don't even have to get up to order one. I must say it's the best service I've ever had at a bar. It's also BARTable but we took advantage of the nearby parking so we didn't have to leave before the show was over.
Some tips:
1. Call ahead and reserve a table. The place is small and it's hard to tell if it will be a busy or slow night. (We've experienced both.)
2. Bring extra dollars for the performers. Drag is expensive.
3. When going to the bathroom be sure to walk around the curtain and not through it. There is a women's bathroom. It is the one with the door on it.Listed in: BARTable, Hey Jealousy - Places to Bring…
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Review from Lauren D.
San Francisco, CA
1/26/2011
This place is awesome..super stiff and cheap drinks, fun tunes, and one of the most entertaining shows in town (talented, crazy, beautiful 'ladies' working here!). There was variety between each performer of the evening, from a 76 year old vet, to sashays and pirouettes, to the cocktail waitress giving up on lip-syncing and just walking right out the door for a smoke. Remember to bring lots of ones for this talented group!
I'm knocking a star because I wish they had better security..there was one obnoxious guy/queen who was being rude to the performers and the audience -- creeping us out and ruining the show for others. They should have kicked him out from the get-go, but I'm sure there's one of 'those' most nights here. -
Review from Paula J.
Cupertino, CA
7/24/2008
For this weeknight-focused t-gal, the 2nd & 4th Wednesday of the month drag shows at Aunt Charlie's are a great choice!
Have been going, off and on, for over six months, and got a happy surprise last night, stumbling upon "Christmas in July" where the ceiling lights were on, and the gloom was lightened a bit.
Cheap, stiff drinks fuel the patter between the audience, MC & the drag queens, and lots of focus on the community, and various benefit events.
Impact of the sketchy location is mitigated by using BART- only about 1.5 blocks from the Powell Street station. Though, those strong cocktails can adversely impact one's ease of riding the relative high-speed escalators, when perched on stilettos!
Every Weds. I've been there, its totally been a warm, welcoming "tranny oasis," (more so for those of us "of a certain age")so anyone seeking an additional t-freindly SF venue would be well served, coming here!
Bring lots of singles- the great song selection, costumes, and choreography will have you stretching them out for each number! -
Review from Adair G.
San Francisco, CA
1/26/2012
Came here for the Dream Queen Revue, every 2nd and 4th Wednesday night @ 9:30. Fun show, no cover, good drinks, good prices, friendly atmosphere. Bring many $1 bills, make a reservation if you have a group, follow Ruby's rules, and enjoy!
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Review from Daniel H.
San Francisco, CA
5/26/2007
I'm glad the people giving one and two stars for Aunt Charlies aren't getting it! That way they won't have to come back for us to deal with their little dangerous voyage out of the Marina or Castro. And how difficult it is to drink a PBR out of the can. My eyes are rolling.
Aunt Charlie's is a NEIGHBORHOOD Bar - meaning it's designed for folks who live in the Tenderloin and yes - this does include some shaddy elements, and sometimes bad wigs. But its also a colorful neighborhood that's alive with diversity and sure beats the nightlife of anything that's going on in the Castro these zzzzzz -- OH! Sorry! I automatically become narcoleptic when I think about the Castro night life....
Anyway... The Hott Boxxx Girls on Fridays and Saturday Nights are always good. Unfortunately said Marina chicks are making, what they'd consider very avant gard treks to the bar a little bit too often. Its one thing to deal with a Tenderloin drunk in a Tenderloin bar. It's another thing entirely to deal with some uppity Marina Gal stumbling around the bar. No one needs to see that!
But much love to Aunt Charlies - long live yoU! -
Review from Andy M.
CA
9/5/2007
Ever wanted to take a tour through the brain of John Waters? If you said "no", may you continue to live a safe but dull life. If you said "Hell yes!" there is possibly something really wrong with you, but at least you're game. If you said "Err, sounds kinda creepy, but hell, I'll take a peek", you have the right outlook for Aunt Charlie's. Whoever created Aunt Charlie's somehow distilled the very essence of John Waters (Eau de Waters, you might say) into this seedy little jewel. Prepare yourself.
Bring lots of $1 bills for the bizarre but hugely entertaining tranny show. Hide your money somewhere clever because you're highly likely to get mugged just stepping out the front door. Come at Christmas - then the place gets really festive and you get some great lip-syncing to campy Christmas songs like "Ho, Ho, Where'd the Other Ho Go?" Don't go by yourself, because that would be weird and way less fun; and don't bring 37 friends because the place is about the size of a sardine can. -
Review from I Love Beef C.
New York, NY
1/21/2006
Tragic drag queens at their best in the equally tragic, seedy bar. It's like being in an alternate universe - drunk or not - with the primarily good-looking alternagay crowd smack dab in the Tenderloin.
Not the most diverse, but a definite good alternative than the Castro affair. Good for talking, pre-partying, or watching old drag queens morosely belt out songs about yesteryear. It was almost cathartic. -
Review from Kathleen G.
San Francisco, CA
5/4/2008
Most people mistake me for a wine bar girl, and while I do heart vino, it's dive bars that really speak to me. Unfortunately they also tend to have the worst wine. (The Sattelite Lounge in Seattle is the only exception to this rule, btw.)
Uncle Charlie's, alas, follows the rule. It serves, and I drank, unspeakably bad wine (from a 1.5 L bottle, which is one step up from the box I was expecting to see).
It's divey down to the bar stools, the bathrooms reserved for sex and drugs only, and the hefty servings of drink. Local love it: it was like walking into a Cheers episode---if you imagine Cliff and Norm as aging transvestites and Woody a rambling man whose incoherence is exacerbated by excessive cocaine use.
Speaking of the trannies, the drag show Friday night was really something. I think the performers were supposed to be 55+, but they didn't look a day past 40. Lovely job, ladies.
(N.B. If you're there just for the drag show, you'll be expected to pony up an additional $5, which, given the staggeringly low cost of drinks, is perfectly acceptable, but if you're there just to drink, you need not pay.) -
Review from Nicholas E.
San Francisco, CA
9/6/2006
Holly Deville brings out my 2%! Potluck and sleaze on a Wednesday, what more can you ask? Deep in the loin, no pretense, just a good, old-fashioned dive with some big ass ladies.... Goldfrapp!
Dang, though. I was outside having a smoke and this crackhead couple (I'm sorry but that's what they were) came up to me. First, in between involuntary hoover vacuum snorts, the girl asks me for a cigarette. Then, after I light it for her, she asks me for a quarter. I said that she'd have to just settle for the cigarette (I know, perhaps not the most gracious response I could have chosen). Then the guy asks me for a cigarette, and as I hand it to him, he hands ME a QUARTER! Defies logic. Tenderlogic. -
Review from Mackenzie B.
San Francisco, CA
8/30/2008
I went for a friend's bday party. It is a small place with strong, cheap drinks and lovely, um, ladies. I was one of probably 3 naturally-born women in the packed place.
Tips: Don't walk in this neighborhood alone and bring lots of singles to give the performers as they walk by. -
Review from Pepper M.
2/19/2009
five stars. NO SIX. wait, maybe more. can i take stars from other places and bring them here?
a small narrow venue, but totally kitschy amazing decor. there were lights all over the ceiling that gave the place what i want to call an ethereal glow, but really was more miami vice. whatever, i loved it.
$5 cover to see the Hot Boxxx Girls, but I would have paid more, especially considering how cheap the drinks were. first round was 7 drinks, and it was under $30.
now the drag show: i have never been so entertained. the ladies of the show are not the goddesses of AsiaSF, but they are goddesses just the same. Gina LaDivina is my hero, and when i grow up, i want to be just like her. GOWNS AND ALL. in fact, if she has an estate sale, I hope she calls me.
After the show they cranked up the music and we danced until we dropped. I had an amazing time.
The women's bathroom is behind the curtain and around the corner- the first bathroom you see is the men's room, and it's scary.
I can see how this place might get old if you went often, but for out of towners it's a blast. a good place to take your guests for a wild night. -
Review from Edward P.
San Francisco, CA
5/23/2008
When you're bored on a weekend night in the mood to watch a heavily-made-up-60+ year old-tranny-with-dentures-strip-cabaret, I say come here and bring lots of dollar bills. It'll change your life a little bit.
Not that it matters much because five minutes after you leave you'll be stabbed and mugged by the crackheads and left for dead anyway.
just kidding.
But you'll WISH that that had happened because before long you'll realize that the 200-proof all-well-booze drinks they poured had just left you blind and with massive liver failure minutes after you leave.
Retarded Strong Drinks. Weird entertainment. -
Review from Mortimer P.
San Francisco, CA
6/2/2008
In the days before there was a Lady Pestlebottom, I used to patronize this lounge on a weekly basis, particularly on Tuesday evenings (Mortimer Pestlebottom generally, but not exclusively, prefers the intimate company of men. Which is just fine for Lady Pestlebottom, who prefers the company of gentlemen who prefer the company of men). I recall jubilant music, interesting motion pictures, fine company, and a lively atmosphere.
More recently, on my birth-day, I was able to attend on a Saturday evening to see the amazing performing ladies (and one man, Bobby, who defies categorization - not quite a "drag-queen," nor a "drag-king," but something else entirely). I am generally not an aficionado of such shows, but I appreciate that it is Old-Tyme Drag. Many of the ladies are of advanced age, but surprisingly lithe and well-preserved. They tend to perform old-tyme songs, and pay personal attention to everybody in the matchbox-sized saloon. For this reason, you would be well-advised to have many dollar bills handy, or otherwise feel like an utter clotpole for not tipping the performers.
Lady Pestlebottom naturally could not resist informing the hostess that it was my birth-day, despite my protestations. The hostess of course acknowledged this publicly, but was very decorous and sweet, and I was hardly embarassed.Listed in: My Neighborhood, The Places I Go Out
