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- Price Range:
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$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Music:
- DJ, Live
- Best Nights:
- Wed
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Good For Dancing:
- Yes
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
13 reviews for Cat's Corner
13 reviews in English
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Review from Gordon D.
San Francisco, CA
11/19/2011
Cat's corner is a venue that always happens every Wednesday throughout the entire year. The combination of live music, alcoholic drinks and swing dancing makes a night very exciting and fun.
The layout of the restaurant consists of a small dance floor, surrounded by tables on the edge. The bar is located along its long hallway, followed by several more tables and chairs for sitting. The venue seems small yet cozy because of this layout. There's little space to dance in, but it also encourages people to enjoy their time at the bar or outdoors.
Every week there is a different band, so the music can range from the fast gypsy jazz music to moderate tempo-six minute songs by Lavay Smith.
The entry for the dance is $5 before 9pm; after is $10. Beginner classes start at 7; intermediate classes are at 8pm. It is unfortunate that beginners leave before the dance starts, but it will still be a great night for those who're determined to stay until the live band starts. Classes are taught very well, and the level of dancers are well adjusted.
Lots of socializing goes on throughout the night, and the environment is mostly friendly (ie not a lot of creepy strangers). There's a good amount of new people showing up, as well as the regular dancers. It's a good place to meet new people.
Overall, I always had a great time at the Cat's Corner for the past year an a half. -
Review from Mike V.
2/9/2012 2 Check-ins Here
My regular Wednesday haunt. Amazing swing dancing, a new band every week (last night, the California Honeydrops "brought it" big time). I've now changed pub quiz night for the foreseeable future to Tuesday. There are many immitators, but no duplicators. Cat's Corner is the place to be.
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Review from Anne F.
San Francisco, CA
5/28/2011
We are so spoiled for great swing dance venues in this city, but I keep coming back to Cat's Corner. Where else can you dance to a different, amazing swing band each week.? My current favorite is Regina Pontillo's Fantastic Swing Time Band. What's not to love about swing ukulele?
But what really keeps me coming back, is the incredibly warm and welcoming atmosphere there. Each Wednesday I hardly have time to dance because I am catching up with so many lovely friends there.
And I can't say enough about Nathan as a teacher. He's got a wonderful way of breaking things down to their fundamentals and keeps his lesson plans fresh and challenging without being overwhelming.
so I highly recommend that you come on down for a lesson or a swing out. What else are you doing with your Wednesday? -
Review from Rose C.
San Francisco, CA
6/6/2011
This place is great. Lots of great live music, different bands every week to keep it interesting, and great dancing! Nathan keeps classes fun but also challenging, so that dancers learn something new each week but don't feel overwhelmed. The atmosphere is awesome - lots of friendly, warm people and a touch of old-fashioned look to the booths, etc. Even though the dance floor is small, there is enough room to dance (dancers just need to be mindful of each other, not to run into each other, as is the case at any venue) and the size of the venue lends itself well to chats with new friends and lots of lively conversation and dancing - often getting more than one dance in with my favorite leads. :)
I also haven't ever had a problem getting water from the bar, so I'm not sure what others are complaining about. There are always glasses of water sitting out on the bar, waiting for dancers to drink them. -
Review from Marianne F.
San Francisco, CA
4/14/2011
Normally I'm the Verdi Club type, but I wanted to try something new, and I was hoping the classes here would be better. I didn't make it to the drop-in class but I saw the end and also scoped out their curriculum online for the monthly lindy series. It definitely looks like the classes are smaller and move faster, both of which are good things.
However, the dance floor is pret-ty small. How are you supposed to get a good charleston going in that kind of space? And as someone who doesn't bring their own partner, getting a good charleston going is a valuable skill. My usual tactic of "looking available" didn't work too well here; I ended up sitting out a lot of songs. The dance floor also felt just a little "sticky" - not in the literal sense, but my shoes (Converse) didn't swivel as well as I'm used to. Pivots are pretty important for swing.
Further disadvantages to a small venue are that "small" also leads to "crowded" and "hot." You know what helps with that? A fan. Too bad they didn't have one. Or rather, they had one, but it wasn't turned on.
The final insult, though, was that the bartender isn't "allowed" to give the overheated dancers a glass of water, and instead has to charge $3 for a bottle of Arrowhead or Crystal Geyser or whatever.
So, what's good about this place? Live bands. And, unlike Verdi, not the same band (with the same songs) every week. There are a few good dancers there, if you can snag them. If you get there early, it's only $5, or even earlier, $10 will get you into a promising-looking class.
I'll probably be back in June to try the monthly Lindy series, but I don't think it's worth coming for the open dance. -
Review from Michal K.
Berkeley, CA
5/11/2011
Sorry, Nathan. I've never had a nastier dance experience in my life.
And not because of the bands, which were okay, or the small dance floor, for which the place is notorious.
But for the lack of water - I have never, ever in my life been to a swing-dancing venue where tap water was downright denied. Especially after paying a $10 cover.
After demanding a mug, at least, to fill in the bathroom and avoid paying for plastic bottled water (trash island twice the size of Texas floating in the middle of the Pacific, anyone?), I filled it with the last of the water left over from the lessons. 20 minutes later, the owner came out from the back, leaned down to my seat and said in a threatening voice:
"Let's make this clear. If I EVER see you take a mug without permission from behind my bar, I will never let you in here again. Do you understand me?"
I tried explaining that the bartender gave it to me, but he called me a liar. Regardless of taking it or not, which I didn't, threatening a customer like that (I seriously felt violent vibes coming from him) is absolutely uncalled for. I wasn't planning on coming back with this whole denying-thirsty-dancers-water business, but the magnitude of the owner threatening me, and the rationalization done by Nathan to justify this ugly behavior, ensures I will never set foot in that ill-vibed place again.
As a dancer, I recommend you keep speaking up about the lack of water provision instead of just accepting that's the way it is. Personally, the thought of the whole situation makes me parched. -
Review from Noemi P.
San Francisco, CA
8/18/2010 2 Check-ins Here
Nice decor. The walls are covered with posters and framed albums of jazz artists from yesteryear.
There is a Lindy Hop workshop as well as drop-in dance lessons for those just learning the basics. Experienced dancers may also benefit to enhance styling techniques.
The dance floor is tiny. You WILL be bumping into other dancers. There was no chance to do a swing out (the essence of Lindy Hop) lest you collide with everyone around you.
The live band is awesome, and I enjoyed their performance and stage presence. DJs play an awesome selection. I only wish I could've danced more often. It seems the leads are a bit shy to ask for a dance.
The Savannah Jazz Club is an ideal place for dinner, drinks and live music, but as a dance venue, it just doesn't have the space to accommodate a large, dancing crowd. -
Review from Lisa L.
San Francisco, CA
4/30/2009
Note to self...don't wear TOMS slip on shoes to swing dance.
I'm back! My eight years hiatus from swing dancing is over. Last night I was able to convince a friend to head on over to Cat's Corner with me. Got there early and watched the intermediate dance class. The instructors were great! The drop in beginners class was very basic. Great for new comers. The live band was awesome! The bartender was really nice. All in all, I can't wait for next week!
Minus one star for the small dance floor. Watch out! I accidentally whacked a few dancers last night. Sorry!!! -
Review from Patrick R.
San Jose, CA
1/2/2011
I went here for the 1st time in December, a week before the holidays. Having just moved out here from Chicago, I was eager to learn and explore the dance scene out here in the Bay Area. Dancers with various levels of experience made for a fun and dynamic night! The staff was super friendly as were the dancers. There was even a surprise performance by a group of belly dancers. Something completely different- they belly danced and rocked the Charleston all in the same routine. Newbies fear not. Plenty of patient leads & follows who will dance with you. You have it all, not the least of which is a live band, and you can't beat that.
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Review from Ciara S.
Oakland, CA
8/16/2008
Cat's Corner has been my favorite weekly swing dance this summer. The regular band, the Jelly Roll Souls, has a wonderful kind of happy, soulful energy -- their sets are danceable, to be sure, but also musically substantial enough to enjoy just listening while you take a break from dancing. The crowd tends toward the young side, and is quite friendly -- people are very nice about asking for and accepting dances from everyone, and since the floor is, unfortunately, very small, if you stay to the end of the night you might dance with just about everyone there.
On Wednesday nights there's a beginning Lindy Hop series class at 7, intermediate Lindy Hop series at 8, and drop-in generic swing at 9. The dance starts at 9:30; cover is $10, but you can get in for half price if you show up before then. The band plays two long sets, ending midnightish, with DJed music in between and afterward as long as people are still dancing. (A couple of times this summer I stayed until the very end, and it was a lot of fun to have the space on the floor that really only opens up after the band packs up.)
The music (at least when the Jelly Roll Souls are playing) is often mostly mid-tempo numbers that lend themselves to Lindy Hop, though the floor is generally too crowded, at least at the beginning, to do real swingouts. They also play some really nice slow blues, and the occasional fast Balboa-tempo number. I like their mix of covers and original songs, and while the size of the room is not great for dancing, it does make the band more a part of the whole energy of the room and the dance floor.Listed in: Swing Dancing
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Review from Linda P.
Mill Valley, CA
2/4/2011
The bands are outstanding: Steve Lucky & the Rhumba Bums, Lavay Smith & Red Hot Skillet Lickers, California Honeydrops, Fil Lorenz., Jelly Roll Souls, Johnny Bones & the Palace of Jazz, et al. Classes are excellent (register online, they do sell out). The only reason I give it 4 stars in because of the smaller dance floor. But the dance atmosphere more than makes up for it. One of my favorite places to dance!
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Review from miki t.
San Francisco, CA
5/19/2010
Catrine Ljunggren (the "Cat" of the corner) is a wonderful, talented teacher. Her lessons always create a fun, lively atmosphere -- you find yourself looking forward to them (even if you are not a natural dancer and your spouse had to coax you to start learning swing).
Cat is patient, thorough, and never minds explaining a pattern as many times as necessary. She knows how to break down a series of steps in a way that makes them crystal-clear for both the follower and leader. If you take her classes, you'll find yourself with an arsenal of great moves in no time at all. Whether she's teaching at the Richmond YMCA or at the Corner, she's a teacher to follow! -
Review from Diane C.
San Francisco, CA
7/5/2009
Given the plethora of fun + interesting things to do in the city, I thought I was going to only take Lindy Hop lessons for a month or so, then move on to something different. Four months later, I'm not only still taking lessons from Nathan and Cat, but it seems that I've truly been sucked into the world of Lindy Hop - frequenting Lindy in the Park and miscellaneous dance events (ex. at the Fillmore Jazz Festival this weekend), signing up for the SF Lindy Exchange (http://sflindyexchange...), and even scheduling my travel plans around Wednesday nights at Savanna Jazz.
Things I love about Cat's Corner:
* Nathan and Cat are GREAT instructors. I have taken a smattering of other dance classes (not just in Lindy Hop) and I have not been seriously tempted to change venues. Nathan and Cat do an impressive job of breaking down complicated moves into simple steps and identifying exactly what it is that we're doing wrong - not just demonstrating the same thing over and over, but giving technique pointers like "followers should lean into the leaders arm" and "always keep your elbow in front of you" that make moves suddenly work correctly.
* The jazz band every Wednesday night at 9.30pm - it is so much more fun to dance to live music than recorded tunes (no offense to the DJs during the band break!). Plus when you're taking a breather off the dance floor (which does get hot and crowded), you can just sit and watch the band play. Johnny Bones and the Palace of Jazz + the Jelly Roll Souls are the bands that play most frequently and it's always a pleasure to dance to their music. The Fil Lorenz Orchestra also performed last week and they were amazing.
* The drop-in beginning swing class at 9pm, which provides an opportunity to work on basic steps, learn new (and often entertaining) moves, and meet people outside of your month-long class. Plus it's included in the price of the month-long class (as is admission to the dance at 9.30pm).
* The people! Besides Nathan and Cat (+ Yon and Heather, who are substituting for Cat this summer), there are many experienced, friendly, and patient Lindy Hoppers that drop by on Wednesdays who have taught me new moves and helped me work on the basics. My fellow classmates are also fantastic and I look forward to seeing them (as well as doing the whole dancing thing) every week.
Downsides:
* The dance floor is quite small so it takes some mental + physical effort not to crash into the couples dancing next to you.
* It gets really hot when there are a lot of people on the dance floor. Tip - wear something light and breathable. This may be easier for ladies than gents. =)
* It's hard to leave early enough to avoid making Thursday mornings a real struggle at work. Oh well, it's a small price to pay for an amazing Wednesday night...
