Knockout
3223 Mission Street
(between 29th St & Valencia St)
San Francisco, CA 94110 (415) 550-6994
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: No
- Parking: Street
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Music: DJ, Live
- Best Nights: Thu, Fri, Sat
- Happy Hour: Yes
- Alcohol: Full Bar
- Smoking: No
- Coat Check: No
15 reviews
Neighborhood: Fisherman's Wharf
"It's a great location overlooking the water, with a fun little patio that was perfect on the sunny day when we went. We ended up joining…" read more »
157 Reviews for Knockout
I love The Knockout anyway, but it gets 5 stars because I met my boyfriend there.
Apparently I'm not as "unapproachable" as people have suggested . . . thanks to liquor!
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At first, I wanted to give this place 3 stars, but then I realized they had pacman AND a photobooth, so automatic one extra star. Who doesn't like to drunkenly play Pacman? Maybe the dreadfully gorgeous Patrick M, whom I caught drinking scotch and reading Manga (where are my damn lessons so I can start reading Manga, dammit!). I think I just fell in love again (why yes, I HAVE been drinking since 8am, why do you ask?)
Most of us headed here after Socha, and started drinking again. The woman at the front door told us to quiet down, even though, HELLO, we're in a BAR. You want quiet, go next door. Plus, if you, the bartenders, are having a conversation, and there is a customer waiting for you (aka ME) to shut the fuck up and pay attention to the order, then you should probably not finish your conversation first.
HELLO.
But I WAS able to photograph the ever lens-elusive individual Jon A., by backing him into a corner of the photobooth and forcing him to sit, and stay. By that time we were so drunk I wasn't in any of the pictures, so they're wonderful headshots but he's probably plotting to kill me and take them out of my luggage--er I mean purse--as I'm writing this.
Btw, I'm posting them up all over t3h internetz.
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This is my favorite grimy dive bar in San Francisco. Why? I like to look at the people who go there and I love the musical line up. While I'm not a show going person, I do think they have some good bands come here (that is if I liked contemporary music which I seem not to). The DJ nights are spectacular. You can hear anything from jock jams to French 60's pop. It's amazing.
More on people watching/interacting. I have had more success here than most other places in SF. I have met new people here, ran into old friends, and I've even made out here (it was in a secret spot). But, let me tell you, if you ain't a hipster it may not be your thing. To this day I'm scared of bringing my friends from the the Marina here. It's one of the few Mission spots that isn't desecrated by frat boys on the weekend, and for that it def. deserves 5 stars.
As for the drinks, well I don't like them much but they are much cheaper than the drinks I usually buy when I'm out. But what do you expect, this is a dive bar, and frankly it's a great place in which to be drunk even if it isn't the best place to get a drink.
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Oh how I love thee Knockout. The OG home of the Broseph. The menu spells it Bro-Seff, but I don't think that's right. It should be like Joseph. I even expounded on the Broseph and took it a step further, to the Broheim. Same ingredients, but it's when you take a swig of Absolut Citron from the bottle and immediately chase it with a swig from a can of Sparks. Has to be transferred directly to the mouth.
Great place to start off a long night of drinking. I pretty much hate when they have bands play though. They always suck hardcore and ruin my buzz.
I've been to a few minutes of Bingo, but didn't really get into it.
You know what? The drinking is enough for me. I hate it when bars feel the need to book activities.
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Two words: BINGO NIGHT
My roommies have been going here on Thursdays and last week I finally caved in.
It was so worth it! Very fun, late twenties something crowd. Do you remember those rainy days in elementary school when your whole class would stay in to play heads up 7 up, 4 corners, or BINGO? Well, it's like that, but with alchohol, people. I love how everyone gets involved, and when you win your future ceramic-pot-that-used-to-have-a-live-plant-in-ther e, and take home your future ex from there, you can't not come back again and again, week after week, you know what I mean?
I also heard they serve sushi on Wednesdays. Man, I love my 'hood.
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With a mere 3 bars, the Deep Mission manages to offer a very well-rounded hipster drinking scene. First: El Rio (the obligatory sprawling biergarten with random things to eat), then Argus (the best spot for ambience-fetishists and bar traditionalists like myself), and finally The Knockout--for the committed hipsters.
The place itself, from the deliberately unaesthetic reddish-grey palate to the impractically small tables and the seemingly thoughtless (yet no doubt carefully composed) layout is very much an exercise in random-chic. Ordinarily that would be the telltale sign of a den of minimalist, abrasive snark, but you gotta hand it to 'em for going all-out on the activities--seems like not a night goes by without karaoke, bingo, an all-girl Kinks cover band, or (as in our case) a 90's dance night. And yes, we did show up in thrift-store flannel so as to get in for free.
And then there's that drink menu. Long have I searched for a root-beer cocktail that was worthy of the name, and their root-beer float was just that (I think the secret is the vanilla vodka). Can't go wrong with the bro-seff either (though normally I abhor energy drinks). Or you can just down a mini-sake bottle for 8 bucks. Pretty soon, you'll stop worrying whether you're as cool as the guy in the fedora, glasses, goatee, tie and short sleeves who hasn't looked up from his iPhone all night (swear to God), and just get out there on the dance floor, moving from Blur to Supergrass to Stone Roses until suddenly you realize it's 1:00 and you're not even tired (don't laugh, I'm 65 at heart).
Oh yeah, and don't forget to do a quick round in the photo booth for your morning-after Facebook profile (but plan out your poses ahead of time, or you'll be drunkenly caught off-guard--and out of frame).
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I'm from San Diego. The Knockout (despite the fact that I came during the 90's night...YAY to the Flannel-palooza!) was still a refreshing change from the lack of a scene here in SD.
Things this bar does NOT have, that every other bar in SD does have:
1. Girls wearing glittery halter tops and guys wearing rainbows
2. $15 Whiskey & cokes
3. "Don't Stop Believin" by Journey
4. "Livin' On A Prayer" by Bon Jovi
5. People who like to sing the above-mentioned songs EVERY time they play them at a bar.
Cheers to the Knockout for providing a nice venue for me to escape from the horrors that is SD for a little while.
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When my friend suggested we go on 90's night Saturday it seemed like an awesome idea. When we got there it was anything but.
It wasn't crazy crowded but it had a good mix of people although it seemed like everyone was young and trying very hard. If you wore thrift store flannel you got in for free or else you had to pay 5 bucks. Wow, um, what a great and hip and ironic idea!
The bartender is cold but makes a strong greyhound. The music was indeed 90's with more alternative that pop faves.
I felt painfully unhip and old, and personally I think I'm neither! It reminded me of when I used to go out, get all dressed up and go to 80's night at the Cat Club, and dance to songs that I had no clue about.
It's depressing when you go to a theme night and you remember when the songs came out.
Last night was my first time going to this place.
Actually... it was the first time in that part of the Mission area.. it's nice!
I went to go see the Scratchies play they're last show. I'm bummed!!
Not a bad walk from BART and a few buses run right outside the door. Makes it easy for us non-drivers, non-bikers, too-poor-to-cab-it's to get to.
They had a special drink list that everything was $5. I tried the "extreme Limeade". I was pleasantly surprised that it was good! great! fantastic.
This place reminds me of the punk scene before everyone was covered in piercings and tattoos and wearing Chucks. I didn't feel judged or stared at, which is hard to find when you're a woman wearing a neon zebra print shirt and have tattoo sleeves.
My only complaint was that it was hot as balls in there. it wasn't crowded, but I still felt like I was in a sauna.
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A favorite local watering hole. This place has been getting better and better since it changed hands a couple years back. They got rid of the pool table (thank god), and switched the stage to the other side of the room (which makes so much more sense), and started booking decent events.
Oh except for the lame punk shows that seem to happen every tuesday. On such nights I always seem to end up walking down the block to the argus, quietly cursing under my breath.
still, they have pretty much everything you'd want in a bar. dancefloor, good selection of booze, photobooth (a classic party enabler), small stage, shitty soundsystem, cocktail galaga, plenty of seating.
!LLOR SEMIT DOOG EHT LET
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I only go here for bingo, otherwise the Knockout is a bit too hip for my tastes. The bingo allows (forces?) the hip kids to take off their veneer of cool indifference and shout along with the drunken masses "BEEEEEE SIIIIX!!!!"
This makes me happy.
That and my Virgin Mary night light that I won a few months back.
She lights the way.
Oh! This is where the hipsters went! I was wondering.
Decent prices, decent space (not overly hot, but just enough hot to be sexy sweaty) and a rather unpretentious crowd.
90s night is where I run into hip former coworkers and reminisce about 90s music. It is bittersweet because some of it just makes you feel old, but other songs just make you dance and laugh. Like really, that Harvey Danger Song?!
Warning: the bathroom line is incredibly long (one stall) for all the ladies. So avoid breaking the seal until the after party.
Paranoia Paranoia everybody's coming to get me!!
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I really should have come here a lot sooner.
Tonight they played early 90s rock -- she's a keeper.
Also, there was a gnarly fight outside after last call.
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Coming from a musicians perspective, I think this place is lame. My band has played there twice and there has always been shitty sound. The location of the stage is super shitty also. The whole set up is awkward. What this place really needs is to tear down the partition that separate the bar and tables, that would open it up.
From a patrons point of view, it's cool. Too many hipsters for my taste though.
90's night is a very underrated theme.
Wear flannel, and you get in for free.
I sang my little heart out to Annie Lennox songs.
Unpretentious, cheap GOOD drinks, and a jolly good crowd.
They have photobooths too.
i don't like most san francisco bars. they seem to be highly concentrated douchebag zones, ya know? and the city can't handle that...
my friend knew the bartender so beer was free (i'm so cool). the photobooth was almost fun. the room was hot without anything hot going on. and there was a cover. stopping in for a beer with an old friend before a party costed an initial five dollars. weak! at least they have a "cheap shit" menu for drinkers that blew all their money on getting in, right?
an unrelated/unimportant note: i saw cops get in a brawl at a party after i wasted time at this bar.
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I hail from San Diego and sometmes I would hang out at a place called the Whistle Stop. One of my absolute favorite nights there is called Booty Bassment. So, when I found out that the same guys throw Booty Bassment up in SF at the Knockout I was ecstatic! Booty Bassment is good for your mind, your body and your soul. Dimitri, one of the DJs, is very cool so follow him where you can - he always plays a good mix.
The crowd here overall was great, sans a few overly drunk women who were all over the place running in to people disruptively while dancing (which is when I shared with the folks I was with the "booty and elbow bump" dance which clears some space around you). Overall though everyone was just having a great time dancing. Or dancing and rapping. Or maybe that was just me doing the dancing and rapping combo. Either way everyone was all smiles.
Did I mention the drinks are pretty cheap? Because they are. Getting sweat-tastic to hip hop while holding a 24oz Tecate that costs dirt cheap is amazing.
Kudos to this place. Here's to it becoming a second home.
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The drinks and even the drink specials are decently priced, the crowd is good and so is the stage area/seating. I like the movies being played in the background (conversation pieces if nothing else). My favorite part of this bar/venue is the photo booth. Best one in SF. I'm serious! High-quality, color photos for $3.
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If there is a Map for revolutionaries, instigators, booty-shakers, or people who want to create community through good beverages, good people, and good music, then Knockout is the place for you.
Knockout is the home for artistas, wanderers, and good spirits. After I attend a rally, or cook a huge meal for protestors, or my familia, I go to the Knockout to hang out with people who don't believe in petty hierarchies, and appreciate Bingo and Karaoke and Rockabilly and good Latin House. If these nights were names for political parties, I would join them because that is what political party should do more of, PARTY!
DX is the best bartender in the City. He is understanding of musical and political history is above all.
Y la Tamale Lady's recipes are to die for. She is a true revolutionary cocinera!
Whenever I leave San Francisco for too long, I go back to Knockout and know that I am home.
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I really like this place and have ended up going there quite a bit recently. Can't say I love their choices in bands that they have there all the time, but the people that go there, bartenders, and atmosphere are all fun. They also have what might be one of the better drink deals in the city all the time: 22oz. Tiger Bombers for 5$. They don't advertise it, but they're there. Waiting for you and calling to you behind the bar.
I also like the $1 Oyster Nights that the do too. High quality food for a happy hour deal!
SO far yet so worth it.
So many different things happen here, I love it.
I've gone here for Booty basement many a times, dance your ass off, get someone else's sweat on you. It's a great work out. :)
I even did the hair for and walked in a friends fashion show here about a year ago, it was really fun. You can find pictures on fliker/ knockout fashion, or something like that. Donuts events are a blast here.
I always see everyone I know here, plus or minus, you decide...
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I like to come here with friends for bingo on Thursdays... I don't really know what it's like here for other events, although I hear they have some good dance nights.
The drinks are inexpensive, and they have a drink called the root beer float that's pure deliciousness (I'm a sucker for sugary drinks). You get a bingo card for every drink you buy.
The bingo caller is really entertaining, and the music is always good. It's more fun if you get there early, so you have a table to spread out all of your bingo cards... it's almost impossible to keep track of more than one when you're standing up. Trust me, I've tried.
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SUSHI on wednesdays is awesome. We are picky, and these guys bring it for real. Just get there early for a table. $2 Kirin Ichibans, and $6 for A Kick-ass margarita feat. Fresh squeezed lime juice. Good service, fun crowd. Dj spinning 45's...even cooler.
Looking forward to more times there.
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4 stars in less than 20words:
Wednesday night delicious sushi in cozy bar with 1940s stripper clips on the telly for very little money, yeah!
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I never would have found this bar ... but a local Mission-ite took me here after dinner. Drinks were cheap, cash only.
We spent the money we saved on drink playing Pac Man, Frogger and
Donkey Kong - drunk or sober, I suck at it ... Don't believe me when I say it's the controllers that's broken.
Spent the rest of my money making faces in the photo booth. Pictures are awesome - full color, great quality. $15 spent on the photo booth ... with a digital camera in my purse.
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Wednesday night Ichi sushi RULES! If you ask me, it is WAY too inexpensive for the quality...
Great bar to hang in...
Affordable quality all-around...what's not to love?!
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There is no better way to mourn the beginning of another workweek than to make like an Outer Mission hipster and head to the Knockout for its Monday night "Krazy for Karaoke Happy Hour". After a shot of karaoke-induced adrenaline and a few drinks from its quirky menu -- which includes hot toddies, spiked root beers, and electric limeade -- you'll start to feel like Friday's not looking quite so far away after all.
I love Sushi Happy Hour on Wednesday, the killer Motown music they always play, the bartender who can make you a mixed drink you've never heard of and will order again and again, the photobooth, the tall stools, the proximity to excellent burritos, the general lack of pretension, and the decent prices.
Hooray for The Knockout!
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Nothing says "party" like the Knockout. Many a night I have spent here, flirting with tall skinny boys in tight jeans, luring them into the photo booth for a taste of my frothy beer. Yes, my seduction tool of choice - the photo booth. I'll post pictures of some of my finer catches in the near future. Maybe I'll even make a collage!
The girls at work are all jealous because I can rock a gold lame bra and snag emo boys like nobody's business. And the Knockout is my bar of choice! Long live donut parties!
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Had a great time here on a recent rainy Tuesday for KUSF's happy hour. They have Racer 5 on tap, along with a really great selection of other beers, including an excellent selection of the cheap 'n' dirty variety. I felt super comfortable there. It has a run-down but clean feel, and good random decor, with all these little dark nooks -- good if you like to sequester yourself with your drinking pals. The bar is made of old-fashioned wood like I like, nice and long in case you feel like being part of the action.
The 'tender was super laid back, but not remiss at all. He opened the mason jar of corn likker for me to taste (Soooo gross! Smells like tequila, tastes like corn oil. But oddly smooth... So I finished the shot, naturally.) just 'cause I was curious (or maybe just 'cause of the growing pile of ones at our end of the bar).
We meant to stay maybe 2 hours, ended up staying a full 4. The availability of great drunk-people food in all directions is also a plus.
I mean to return, and the Bingo sounds like it might be similar to the Cacophony Society one I used to love. Hell, I love any Bingo, so you can bet I'll make it one day...
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When you have five bingo cards going and a couple beers the fun just gets better and better. I would tell you what night I was there (was it Thursday?) but the fact that I can't remember is probably the best sign of all. Every beer you get a bingo card and they have some good giveaways. Also on Wednesday they have a killer sushi night (I know but I eat Tamales from a lady that wanders around in the mission so I figure what the hell). The place is super chill and a lot of fun. Away from some of the mission craziness but still can get pretty rowdy on the weekends.
I've been here twice. Once to see this band called Astral, right after getting burrito-jacked at Tacqueria Cancun next door, and once to see Jeremy Jay.
When the bar isn't absolutely packed its actually a rather pleasant place to sit down, drink a few beers and listen to some obscure-ish indie rock type stuff. Its got that dingy indie dive kind of thing going on. They sell Hamm's beer by the can for $2.
When it is packed, however, its very difficult to move around inside, and you have to really get all up in peoples' personal space to order a drink. The Jeremy Jay show was like that. There were all these indie-rocker girls screaming "Jeremy Jay!!!", and trying to cram themselves in front of the stage. The other girls would stare daggers at them as they slunk past one at a time in that little hand-holding daisy chain you see in crowded places.
For the few minutes I actually lucked into a seat at the bar, people were leaning over my shoulder to order drinks. I got to chat with this one girl for a while as direct result of that. She was drinking Maker's Mark in a shot glass, and dripping Coca-Cola into it with a straw. "That's pretty slick", I told her, and she smiled back at me for second before taking another sip.
After that, I went over to the KUSF table and bought a t shirt. Ty Segall, the opening act, let me take a few pictures of him as he leaned up against the wall near the bar. We chatted for a few minutes about guitars and reverb and stuff.
Outside on the street, people gathered around me to bum some smokes as soon as I took the pack out of my pocket. This one guy and his girlfriend told me a story about how there's some dread-locked guy down by some tacqueria on 6th & Market who put weed on everyone's table to celebrate April 20th last year. Sounds intriguing.
It was an intriguing kind of night, I suppose.
Bingo on Thursdays is fun on a stick. However, the band that was warming up before Bingo started sounded like nails on a chalkboard. It was near impossible to have a conversation. I'll forever love my squeaky chicken I won during the game, and will go back for more!
Hipster bar at its finest, atlho not being located too close to the main concentration of hipster mission bars keeps a lot of the riff raff out.
Im not a hipster, but I fit in fine here. There is a little bit of a 'tude present, but fight 'tude with 'tude and youll be ok.
Every night hosts something different: sushi, bingo, karaoke, plain ol' local band. Also included: photo booth and a table top video game.
As for drinks--they range from bar specialties like "Man Berry" -- dont know what was in it, but damn it was strong. And of course, the cheapest beer available (we asked) -- Hamm's. So gross, but so satisfying. Oh Hamm's...from the land of sky blue waters.
For some reason lately this has been my defacto bar when in the Mission and I love it. They have a really awesome Oldies night, photo booth, and photo hunt (which is a rare combo). I also find their bartenders really nice and drink selection cheap and good. You can't go wrong with a tall boy of Tecate or their alcoholic root beer float.
It is also a great small venue to see some great bands play at. I saw Glass Candy here on New Years Eve and it was amazing.
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Since Monday signals the beginning of another work week, Heidi and I took it upon ourselves to mourn the passing of the weekend by throwing back cheap vodka and singing our (her) heart(s) out at Happy Hour Karaoke at Knockout. Was it happy? Yes. And it lasted longer than an hour (6 p.m.-9 p.m.).
The place is a dive but a clean dive full of outer-mission hipsters, guys in flannel shirts, and what appear to be neighborhood natives. The bartender last night was a most adorable, itsy bitsy dark-haired girl with a heavy hand for vodka and unending patience with a drunk guy at the bar. There is a stage, a PHOTO BOOTH, and a very private, clean ladies' room.
It's a mellow place with a laid-back vibe and some pin up shots behind the bar. I wouldn't go out of my way to come back, as it's kind of out there, but it's a great option if you live in or find yourself in the Outer Mission. Especially on a Monday for Happy Hour Karaoke. OOOh! And if you get real drunk, you can even justify munching on some big, juicy tacos (*ahem*) at Cancun next door!
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Although it was raining in the city, a quick walk through the Mission to Knockout on a Thursday night was perfect for my friends and I who were just looking to chill out for the night. Thursday night Bingo comes equipped with a Bingo Mistress, a free drink ticket and a table with a plethora of wonderful prizes. After plenty of drinks ... by the end of the night we walked away home as big bingo winners and had enough bingo cards to prove it! We didn't walk home empty handed but straggled home with a potted plant, plastic neon fun sunglasses that would have been found at any 6 year old birthday party, a jar of delicious finger-sized pickles and a 6oz. can of mushrooms.
There was never a line for the girls bathroom, drinks were good, and the bartender was super friendly. And who doesn't love live music?!
You got to love this place.
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The kind of place for a big Chimay and a table full of strangers who you may or may not end up hugging at evening's end, even if you're not really a hugger. Because this crazy bitch is so high she's calling you "babe" and handing you her dog and all of a sudden you're part of this weird ad hoc little family.
Bars like that are nice.
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hip hop booty shaking after some comfort food across the street?
yes please.
B-I-N-G-O
forget what you think you know
about bingo, yo
And Hamm's.
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