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Categories: Bars, Specialty Food [Edit]
Neighborhood: North Beach/Telegraph Hill"Solid 3.5. I dig it because: - It's a Chicago Bears bar! (Probably why I rounded up to 4 stars instead of rounded down.) I've been just…" read more »
Old school, SF. As the signed poster in back says:
"To all my friends at Gino and Carlo's,
All the best,
Frank Sinatra"
Also, the pool players here are gods.
"You talkin' to me?"
Make sure you bring cash and a little attitude to this Italian neighborhood bar because they frown on the plastic and fufu drinks.
This is a man's man bar and a dive by no means. Most of these guys look like they do alright in their slicked back hair, black slacks, black sweater, and blinged out gold chain.
They have some flatscreens to watch the game but the entertainment is mostly centered around the two pool tables in the back. The older crowd of Soprano-ish regulars was on one pool table while me and the boys owned the other table for most of the night.
Some sweet caroline playing on the jukebox with a little Sinatra make playing pool with the Goodfellas tolerable.
Fun place wth a pool table in the back, what more could you ask for? Well I could ask for an older man in his mid 40's to not hit on me...apart from that great place for drinks. Definitely an old school vibe to the joint.
Even with a full bar, the bartenders know if you're looking for a drink and are super good on getting you set up.
This place stinks, and not just because it smells bad inside! It's full of old geezers who think they're part of Tony Soprano's gang and like to hit on any younger (under 60) woman who walks into the place. The drinks are weak, and the bartenders ignore you unless you're a regular.
There are plenty of other great places around North Beach to give you that old school vibe, without being creeped out and hit on by ugly old men, or cute married men (trust someone who knows - ANY good looking guy in there who hits on you is married).
If you want to pretend you're all mobbed up and talk about puttin hit's out on your enemies and f*&^ing broads on your boat - this is the place for you. If you're looking for anything else, there's waaaay better places to hang than here!
I love this bar.
The music on the Juke Box is always excellent. This is a dive bar of the best caliber. It is usually packed, half old school bar flies, half young partiers of the North Beach type.
The drinks are poured right, and the owners are fantastic (they are usually bartending).
Seriously, you want to know what true North Beach used to be, step in to Gino's for a bit.
It is small, it is dark, it is old. But if you want a great, old-school dive bar atmosphere, this is the place to go.
G & C's is one of the best "joints" I've ever been in, and I've been in 'em in over 30 states ! Now granted, I'm an S.F. native and I know the owners and "Joe Buck", bartender extraordinaire, but when you come into a "real" San Francisco bar, please leave the prissy attitude at home, will 'ya?! It ruins the drinking experience ! This is not a place for hipsters, it's a place for people who like other down-to-earth people who can talk to anybody regardless of income or vehicle ownership. There's a very simple rule at G & C's: be a lady or a gentleman and you'll be treated with the greatest of respect and service. Loosen up, get over yourself, have a couple of cocktails and get some personality. For those of you who understand this, you've made a good decision seeing the great people at G & C's !
Classic San Francisco.
Not the cleanest place. Not the roomiest place. But classic.
The barman was cool, easygoing, friendly but not ass-kissing, smooth.
Three pool tables in the back and looks like they have an ongoing annual billiards tournament.
They had Spaten on tap last night, don't know if they always do or if it was just for Oktoberfest.
The bar is cash-only but they have an ATM machine right there.
Definitely going back there.
Hole #2 For my friend's birthday night.
http://www.yelp.com/li...
Still relatively, early in the night, but it was crazy crowded already here. Kinda had to push your way to the bar in order to get some drinks, still we all grabbed a beer and drank with the birthday girl and moved on. I'll be back sometime and maybe come on a slow day and give their food a try...
im a fan before noon...when i can play pool on those gorgeous tables without having gli fking italiani breathing down my neck...and constantly kicking my ass :)
North Beach is a favorite area of mine to hang out in. But I would recommend so many other bars than G&C. If you want a neighborhood bar with regulars that are younger than 70s, try Tony and Nicks around the corner on Stockton. Tell Sebastian the bartender Hi and he will pour you a strong drink.
And if you do go here, never leave your drink on the bar. Make sure to always watch it cause you do not know what will happen. I say this from experience.
So perhaps I'm being a little too harsh on Gino & Carlo, as I DID stop in for the first time during the North Beach Festival, during which the bar was, I'm sure, much more crowded than it usually is at 1pm on a Saturday. That said, nothing about the bar impressed me.
After waiting kind of a long time at the bar's designated ordering spot, I was greeted by a relatively unfriendly bartender. The beer menu said they had Fat Tire on tap. So I ordered one. Oh, nope, turns out they changed out some of their regular beers for the Festival. So no Fat Tire. Hmm. I saw a bottle of Stoli Blueberry, so I ordered a Stoli Blueberry and Tonic. Turns out they were out of Stoli Blueberry. I ordered my friend a Stoli Raspberry and Cranberry. But they were out of Stoli Raspberry. I ended up with a straight vodka tonic; he had a vodka cranberry. Each drink was $6 and came in a pathetically small clear PLASTIC cup. Apparently they didn't feel like washing actual glasses for the festival. Or maybe we just didn't warrant actual glass, as I did see some real glasses on the bar.
The drinks were fine, but for the price, I felt they were too small by a half and mine certainly wasn't strong enough. I understand that this is most likely a bar where people come to chill out and many customers are regulars (and probably a lot older than me), and that the festival causes an influx of non-regulars, but shit. Come on.
Also, my friend was not impressed with what he saw on their internet jukebox, and a bar with bad music is...well, it's just not where I want to spend my money.
I will probably go back eventually, more because I want to go to a couple other bars in the area and because I think Gino & Carlo's sign warrants a second visit, but if next time my experience isn't exponentially better than the first, this bar will definitely be on my "pass" list. The rundown wooden interior was half-awesome and half-trashy, and I guess I need another experience at this place to make a final judgment.
This is the most classic neigborhood bar in North Beach. If you go there on a weekday afternoon or evening, you will feel as though you were suddenly thrust into an episode of the Soprano's. And that's the beauty of it.
Molto Bene Gino. One Jack and Coke please. Grazi.
***Old lady walks up to me waving her unlit cigarette in my face***
Old lady: Oh you look like a girl I met earlier.
Me: Nope wasn't me.
Old lady: I GAVE her a ring. **waggles cigarette at me again**
Jason C: Did you know this is my sister?
Old lady: REALLY? you're the umpteenth brother/sister couple I've met tonight. **waggles cigarette one more time** Got a light?
Me: **wonders why old folks love me**
I should have listened to Christopher K when he said don't come here. He was right, not my kind of bar.
Me, Trung, Jason C., Eddie, and Jason's friend Dennis(Thanks Jason!!!) popped in here briefly on Valentines Day. The bar was packed. I mean it was like sardines in a can. For how packed it was, service was surprisingly quick. The strength of my drink made up for the wait. You could smell the alcohol from two feet away. I had to sip it (I know it's shocking but true).
Will I come back, probably not. It's really not my kind of place...unless I need a really stiff drink on another made up holiday.
Do you like old man dive bars with cheap drinks, next door to a pizza joint? If not, then you suck. No no, i jest. But Gino and Carlo is super chill and fun laid back dive to end the night. There are literally old men, playing cards. This is the place to embarras yourself and no one will care.
Who DOESN'T love FREE, BLUE COTTON CANDY?!
Just one of the perks for using this place's bathrooms...which were tiny and gross.
Bar is small, but miraculously fits two pool tables.
Didn't have a drink here, so I can't speak to the bar tending skills.
The bar where all those Italian gangsters that you see in the movies hang out.
A friendly bunch of locals mixed with the new faces like me that want to play some pool and grab a beer. Cheers!
By the way, I love 2 photos in the wall:
- "The Sopranos" Of course.
- And a scary "Muhammad Ali" taming the bear.
A fun place for quick drop-in's and get-goings back on your route. It's got a good drink menu and most of the drinks are contemporary enough for even me. I like the locals and the relaxed sense of NB when you're having a drink with friends.
Real SF Bar. I saw Hongisto in here one time.Nice pictures in the back near the pool tables.
Locals/Natives.
Not too bad of a place. The bar staff is friendly and attentive, drinks were perfectly strong, atmosphere was pretty good. There are pool tables located at the back.... Not the best bar in northbeach, but is quieter and has more of a dive feel, if you like that sorta thing.
pluses:
Giant neon sign. A north beach bar isn't worth mentioning if it doesn't know how to rock some neon out front.
Friendly regulars. Older neighborhood folks, people who just want to shoot some pool. None of the stuff you and I hate about north beach.
Pool tables. Great place if you just want to shoot some pool.
A six dollar knob creek special. I'm not sure if they do this every night or not.
minuses:
none to speak of.
This is totally the bar where Karen K and I will drink well vodka, chain smoke, and shoot dice on the bar (for "pin money") when we're well into our late 50's, sporting matching Large Marge hairdos, and looking for a girl's night (or day) out. We totally saw our future here on a recent Friday night. And it was AWESOME.
The old-timers really do shoot dice at the bar and Large Marge was there with a gaggle of her girlfriends (one of whom asked me why girls my age have such BIG feet these days and promised to match me up with her son, who is a "real catch"). There were all kinds of toothless crusty old men and older ladies with aqua net 'do's. They looked utterly shocked when about 25 20-and-30-somethings bombarded their time-warped watering hole.
Drinks were strong and cheap and the pool tables were hopping. Super low-key on a recent Friday night when every other bar in the area was overflowing with obnoxious drunks. Hell yes, I say. Hell. Yes.
Leo, an older man taught me liars dice here, and bought my group of 5 a round of drinks because I beat him. He reminded me of the kind of sleazy uncle by marraige. But he was harmless enough. We kept playing with him, to trade rounds and even the score a bit. We had a great time.
Its a Classic Hangout where you get experiences like that, which don't happen on Union St or Valencia St. Everyone mentions how you can see yuppies to Garbage men in here.
They serve Fernet like they probably have been since the 40's. The patrons run the gamut of age. Some come to catch up with old family friends, some seem to come to find some new company, while others come to drown their tears and piss off the bar tender. The pool tables seem to be reserved for la familia, I always get a strange vibe when I walk back there, but that just adds to the charm.
Not sure if they have a real happy hour, but its such a great place to kick off the night, come between 7 and 9, get out before you say something stupid.
I wanted my 300th review to be special, to be a reflection of me.
I wanted it to say; Classy yet down to earth
Fun yet grounded
Smart yet sexy
Creative yet logical
Humble yet confident
Alcoholic yet functioning
So, what place says all of that? Well, nowhere I can think of so I picked a bar that opens at 6AM instead.
Now, I am not one to go on 6AM drinking sprees, so it is important to note that this is the only bar in the city that I have ever chosen to partake in a 6AM drink.
Oh, I love this place. It has been around as long as I have twofold. It has pool tables, good music, all of the North Beach regulars, food, sports leagues, strong drinks, great bloody marys (for the 6AM visits) and character.
This bit of conversation, as told by AD Winans, between himself and Charles Bukowski (Hank to his friends) seems just like the sort of conversations that have been going on here for years and will likely continue for years to come. This is why I love this bar;
"Hank and I entered Gino and Carlo's bar, where we found Cheap Charlie lying on the floor in a drunken stupor. Cheap Charlie had gotten his name because of his mooching free drinks at North Beach bars. Hank and I looked at Aldino, who was leaning over the body of Cheap Charlie and pouring whiskey through a funnel down Cheap Charlie's throat, as the patrons cheered on the action.
"Are all the poets in this area crazy?" Hank asked.
"Not all of them," I said."
Don't ever go here on St. Patrick's Day.
What a nightmare.
Let me give you a snapshot:
ANGIE C.: (struggles to get within 10 feet of the bar. Finally gets so there's only one row of persons between- this takes approx 10 min) Excuuuuse me bartender???
BARTENDER: (no response)
ANGIE C.: (look of longing for beer on face)
BARTENDER: (no response)
GUY AT THE BAR IN FRONT OF ANGIE: Would you like me to order for you, since I'm closer?
ANGIE C.: Oh, thank you so much! That's sooooo nice of you.
GUY AT THE BAR IN FRONT OF ANGIE: What would you like?
ANGIE C.: Ten beers.
GUY AT THE BAR IN FRONT OF ANGIE: (look of confusion) Ten?
ANGIE C.: I'm thirsty. (smiles) (pause) Seriously, I know I'll never get another round at this bar again, and I'm buying for a few people.
GUY AT THE BAR IN FRONT OF ANGIE: I totally understand. Ok. What kind?
ANGIE C.: Bottles of Bud.
GUY AT THE BAR IN FRONT OF ANGIE: Bartender!?!?!
BARTENDER: (no response)
fifteen to twenty minutes pass where this guy is trying to get the bartender's attention. Really trying because he wants to get back to his conversation with a really pretty girl.
Then finally...
BARTENDER: (gives look of "what the heck do you want?")
GUY AT THE BAR IN FRONT OF ANGIE: 10 bottles of bud
BARTENDER: We don't have any.
ANGIE C.: (peeks her head in) Well, bottles of anything will do.
BARTENDER: We have no bottles.
ANGIE C.: Well, I'll take whatever you have. What's on special?
BARTENDER: (Looks confused. Almost like she doesn't know if they sell beer at all. Then finally walks away, presumably to the tap.)
five minutes later, the bartender brings back 3 beers. I pass them assembly line style to my friends.
Five minutes later, the bartender brings the rest.
People give me dirty looks for trying to hand my friends drinks. What was that about?
Then, i start getting pushed. Almost spill my beer on myself and three other people. I make my way back to a corner of the bar. Drink my one beer and donate my others to the new arrivals to our friend group.
I'm done.
Try to leave, and it's like a fight to get out of the place.
ps- as I was leaving, I saw a bartender hand someone a bottle of fresh beer. grrr.
TOTAL TIME TO GET ONE BEER FOR MYSELF: 30-45 minutes.
WAS IT WORTH IT: No.
Gino and Carlo, you may be a great place, but I won't be returning for St. Patty's Day.
This place is for sure a San Francisco Treat!!!
I came here with my buddy Douglas to have a afternoon
Happy Hour Cocktail and we were greeted by Dick the bartender,
who was ever so entertaining....he sang to use along with the jukebox. Which by the is very classy. Dick had also invited us to his show, he was performing with Carol Doda. How cool was that....!!
I just love the vibe....you got the old timers and the wise guys playing pool and having a brew on mid afternoon. Also its a great place to hear stories of San Francisco and what was going on back in the days at Gino & Carlo Cocktail Lounge.....Its Historical!
EDITed: December 2007/January 2008
Bartenders are awesome! A pint or ten of Blue Moon on-tap with an orange slice is why I keep coming back over and over and over again :-)!
----------- + ------------- + ----------- + ----------
May 11, 2007 @ 7:35pm: Fernet shots continued. After the first one at Amante, Jenny and I headed to Gino and Carlo for our second shot. Yum. I love fernet especially with a coke chaser :-)!
Older and local crowd -- very nice people. It's a fun hangout bar, the music from the jukebox is nice and the bartenders are friendly and funny.
I may come back...
Fernet count at Gino & Carlo = 1
I love this bar. I drop in every time I'm in town (which, regrettably, is about once every 3 or 4 years). As noted elsewhere, the jukebox is outstanding, the bartenders are at times gruff, and the stories and conversation swirling around you will make you laugh out loud if you aren't careful (but don't, because eavesdropping is, of course, impolite!)
The only problem w/Gino and Carlo's is that it takes a while to be accepted by the regulars, and you have to reestablish this connection every time if you're an out-of-towner like me. It helps immensely if you bring female companionship with you. The boys have no problem striking up a conversation with a good-looking woman!
North Beach is wonderful in general, and G&C stands out in North Beach.
My favorite bar in SF! I am drawn to this place time and time again, year after year! A local brought me here years ago and I return every time I am in town. Nothing fancy about this place which is great if you just want a few "pops" and to play some music on the jukebox. It's really a locals spot but they welcome everyone, come as you are. It's a diverse crowd, old, young, hip, un-hip. Not a tourist trap and CASH ONLY PLEASE.
It's either going fishing with my set of Irish friend's or going to this bar to visit with them from time to time- and if you want to hear some real stories - you come here and pony up your pool game and sit in the middle...
The wives sit in the front and the husband's place bets in the back. My favorite part is the house cook Mike Gallagher, a San Francisco party legendary, who will take you in the kitchen and make you help him whip up all sorts of dishes, but only after a shot of whiskey or brandy - your choice though.
Really local. Like NBers that have lived the majority of their long, interesting, and full evening lives in the company of G&C and each other over many generations. I'm honored to know a member of the clan (my friend J waitressed at Capp's for many years back in the day). It's great fun to hear their epic tales when she brings me along for her periodic bar fam visits. Last night, I met the man that inspired J to achieve greatness...he kept after her until she went back to school and made something of herself (he beamed like any proud parent when thanked for his efforts). It was touching.
You can hear these stories too, if you show an interest in the gent or lady sitting next to you or just observe the family dynamics going on around you. You'll also enjoy traditional bar amenities: the drinks are stiff, chivalry lives, hospitality reigns. And ladies...nowhere else in this city can you count on total strangers waving you over and telling you how beautiful you are...it's that kind of place.
Holy hell this place rocks. Just stumbled in to play some pool and it was hard to get me out. I felt like I've traveled back in time in another place and I love it. I think it might have been cash only, but they had an atm inside.
Cocktail lounge...more like little dive bar...
This is one of my favorite bars in North Beach. Amazing too because isn't normally my kind of place. It's small, there's a pool table (although I don't play), they have Frank and Dean and the juke box, a huge autographed Sinatra poster in the back (which I would try to pilfer if it weren't for the fact that it's nailed to wall - I mean so I'm told!!) and the people you meet here are let's just say...friends of ours...no no, very interesting. Not pretentious at all. Only thing is that drinks aren't that cheap considering, but they're about average. Just a great place to bring some friends and hang out after work.
P.S. Shshh...they also let you bring in pizza from Golden Boy next door which coincidentally is my fav. pizza in the city!!
i liked this place cuz it had my name on the outside!! the place is cool though.. the bartender was hella cool.. it was a sunday nite and we had a great dinner at Franchino' and then we ended up at Gino+Carlo's..
after having drinks and shots, the bartender hookd up 4 shots of jaeger.. love it..
I was welcomed by all and drank a lot of tequila. This is not a tequila kinda place, especially for a gay (me).
BUT my friend lives in this hood, and we had dinner up the street...so voila....we came.
We played pool, talked to crazy locals who have lived here since 1935, and enjoyed Carlo's easy on the wallet prices.
This is the greatest bar in the greatest neighborhood in the world.Thus,it is the greatest bar in the world.
What can you say about Gino and Carlo's except... favaloso!
I love this place for it's fun atmosphere.. it's no mess'in around bartenders.. and the locals that make it the most colorful place in North Beach.
Frank and Sil.. love you guys!!!
ok let me tell ya, gino and carlo is one friendly place!!! the regulars are super nice and funny, and the drinks are good, strong and affordable. While I was in town in January, Gino and Carlo was a definate place on my list to stop in and a have a few cocktails... I also introduced a friend to the place as well.... if your in north beach, and wanna have a good drink in an unpretentious fun atmosphere well gino and carlo is the place to be, watch the game, get a slice from next door, or just have a drink.... thumbs up from me
We planned a bar crawl / scavenger hunt through North Beach last weekend (just slightly obnoxious for the innocent bystanders). Gino and Carlo's was our starting off point, and let me just say, this is my new favorite bar. This place is the perfect blend of great people, a historic North Beach setting and cheap drinks. Frank was the coolest bartender. So friendly, helpful and a great sport. Even the regulars were happy to help us in our quest. (Go check out the grate on the street just outside the door and to your right). Before we left, Frank made a point to thank me for bringing in such a big crowd early in the day. I highly recommend this bar.
didnt go here for any reason but to play pool....
talk about douchebags galore!!
bartender was cool. drinks average..
but the "old" guys playing pool made my night.
The lights aren't too dim so you can actually see the interesting local you're chatting with at this unassuming bar. Leave your heels and snooty attitude at home, as they won't get you any attention here. The crowd can be a bit on the tough side, but it's all an act. ;-) Great place to sit back and watch some old Italian guys arguing at the bar or even get into it with them! I have a great time everytime I go to G&C!
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