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San Francisco Elks Lodge No. 3
Categories: Event Planning & Services Venues & Event Spaces Arts & Entertainment Social Clubs Venues & Event Spaces, Social Clubs [Edit]
450 Post Stinside Kensington Hotel
(between Mason St & Powell St)
San Francisco, CA 94102
Neighborhoods: Union Square, Civic Center/Tenderloin
(415) 421-5231
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
22 reviews for San Francisco Elks Lodge No. 3
22 reviews in English
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Review from S. R.
San Francisco, CA
1/27/2012
If you get a chance to eat dinner here GO!!! Rick is doing some amazing cooking!!! I took my parents on a Friday night for dinner. The prices are right and the service is great! My Dad exclaimed that Filet Mignon he had was one of the best.
If you are looking for a place to have a good dinner on a Friday night without a wait, go to the Elks! -
Review from Anthony A.
San Francisco, CA
9/3/2011
This Elks Lodge is a hidden gem. A member recently gave me the grand tour and took me to dinner here. The facilities include a gym, swimming pool with sauna, reading room, and billiards room at a bargain price for a private club. The Elks logo on the pool tiles is cute.
The 3rd floor dining area serves up a pretty good T-bone steak. The entire floor is decked out like a hunting lodge in keeping with the Elks motif, with some big ol' elks heads mounted on the wall. The bar mirror with a frosted glass elk is a nice touch, as is the ever-present Elks logo on the carpet.
Organizations like the Elks are disappearing from the panoply of American culture. People get too wrapped up in texting and video games to remember that a favorite hangout is worth maintaining. Elks Lodge No. 3 fits the bill for people who need camaraderie but can't afford the Olympic Club or Bohemian Club down the street. -
Review from rew c.
Santa Rosa, CA
9/9/2010
Great drinks for a great price and
now their food is excellent on Friday nights.
The place is beautiful inside, old mahogany wood and
sits on the 3rd floor on Post Street above the Farralon
restaurant. -
Review from Jeff G.
12/15/2009
When I think of the Elks, I think of when Homer Simpson became a stonecutters. So when my friend said I have to check out this place in Union Square, I didn't expect that it'd be at the Elks Lodge. But the Union Square Elks lodge is actually pretty cool! It's steeped in history and the building is beautiful.
We went for lunch. Food and a drink for two people was less than $20, tip included. The food was pretty good too. I'm not saying I'd go there all the time, but if I lived in SF, I might actually consider joining. It has the potential to be a fun place! Don't knock it until you try it. -
Review from kdub ..
San Francisco, CA
4/27/2008
My granddaddy was an Elk. I remember visiting them and getting all dressed up to go to "the Club" on a Saturday which, in Beatrice, Nebraska, was essentially a metal corrugated building in the middle of nowhere.
This ain't your grandpappy's Elk Club.
The building itself is fucking rad--all old, ornate woodwork and plush carpet with a long bar that takes you back to a more civilized time when men wore hats and drank old-fashioneds.
We were there for a friend's initiation ceremony and got the full tour. There is an indoor pool, a steam room, a sauna, racquetball court, and a full gym. There are two different rooms with pool tables. And my brewer girlfriend about peed on herself when she saw the '70s 7UP machine that dispensed PBR, Hamm's, and Coors for $2 a pop.
On that fact alone, I think we're going to join.
Everyone was super friendly and the cocktails were $4. Four dollars! No one has a $4 cocktail anymore. And the chick behind the bar was a firm pour, so you definitely get your money's worth.
The food was solid. All very simple food but cooked well and CHEAP. The clientele was all over the map. There were more young people than I thought there would be. And it was surprisingly comforting to see the little old couple in their seventies eating their weekly Friday night dinner at the Club. So cool.
If you find yourself in Union Square and don't want to drop a couple hundred bucks on dinner and drinks, pop into the Elks. -
Review from amy m.
San Francisco, CA
7/17/2007
I'm not a member, but I got the grand tour on a recent visit. The building is beautiful - dark wood bar, fireplace, and a bartender that knows how to pour a drink.
I lost count of all the pool tables. There is racketball court, pool, sauna, and a room that reminds me of a large den in a suburban home (complete with an old guy snoring on the sofa) too.
The piece de resistance is the 7up machine that has been converted into a $2 beer dispenser.
The members are welcoming, fun and surprisingly diverse.
I am looking forward to my next visit. -
Review from Quinn S.
2/24/2010
The longest established lodge in America, San Francisco Elks Lodge No. 3 is a great organization that does wonderful things for kids, veterans, and innumerable other groups who need their support.
If that weren't enough, they have the best bar in the city, a half block from Union Square, where the drinks are cheap, the members are kind (if not a little surly at times), and the food is great. If you know a member, talk them into bringing you for lunch, a Friday dinner, or a drink at the bar. -
Review from Andy B.
Burlingame, CA
9/20/2008
I am a native San Franciscan, have been an Elk since 2003, and the Lodge is Home away from Home for me.
Everyone should be honest about their experience here on Yelp, and where someone can find the time to write a bad review about the Elk's guest experience (take Suzi O's review from July '08), is beyond my scope of understanding, but hey! it's a free Country afterall, you have your opinion. I'm sorry that you didn't have "the tour" from Kurt or Artie or Johanna... the bar is the place to be.
My feeling is biased, naturally, and I wouldn't presume that eating at the Lodge compares to the French Laundry (which by the way currently holds 4 stars), but it has its many fine qualities that most people will never have the chance to understand. Qualities that I hope everyone in our fair City finds the time to discover for themselves, and especially if it's a second visit....
As an Elk, I wouldn't fail to show brotherly love to Suzanne O. through buying her a martini or two, and trying my best in convincing her to edit her review, so long as she never applies for membership! ;-) -
Review from Sarcastic T.
San Francisco, CA
7/1/2006 2 photos
While this is a private club, for dinner on a Friday night non-members are welcome. Simple, good three course dinner ($15/person) and a piano player who can play just about everything are the Friday night features. The drinks are cheap and the Elks are friendly and welcoming. The crowd comes from just about all walks of life. Dust off the image of "old men at the bar" and see what Elks really are in San Francisco! You may be surprised.
UPDATE: There is a new caterer in the Lodge! The piano player is gone (for now) on Friday nights but the food is very good. The Chef is a well-known SF chef and businessman. Who is it? You'll have to stop in to find out. :-)Listed in: Union Square: the Good, Bad…
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Review from Harry M.
Oakland, CA
10/25/2007
Best place on Union Square. Great food, great company, great gym. Stop by an find out why the Elks are some of friendliest people you'll meet.
Friday night dinners are a special treat, and inexpensive too.
And who could say no to a $2 bottle of Budweiser?Listed in: My Neighborhood
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Review from Suzanne O.
San Francisco, CA
7/11/2008
Oh no. Now, let me just say I'm reviewing my restaurant experience. I'm sure the gym is wonderful.
They say they have a vegetarian special option. They don't.
They said their 3-course pree fee dinner is $15. It is $18, and the dessert is neither free not good.
The best for last, folks. I had the salmon. I used to say you could never mess up salmon. I've changed my mind. I wasn't crystal clear on what it was supposed to look like, but I was reasonably sure it should have been warm. It came out on a bed of shaved fennel that didn't taste like fennel. And it was freezing.
The rolls we got made me smile...they were just like the ones we ate in the 70's. Eric thought they were gross. I thought they were charming. Charming dinner rolls.
Anyway, my dinner was so gross, I ended up getting drunk on $4 martinis so I wouldn't have to taste my dinner. Thumbs up for $4 martinis. -
Review from riottgirl o.
Newark, CA
10/16/2008
A stunning location! A phenomenal bar and restaurant! And the most real and kind people ever collected in one place. That's Elk's Lodge #3. Get the tour to see this wonderful establishment. Learn about what it means to be an Elk. Your heart will swell with compassion and joy.
#3 is a respite from the crazy world. -
Review from Johan V.
Dover, DE
6/8/2009
This is the best kept secret in San Francisco! Well, it was.....
The Lodge is the oldest continuously operating lodge in the United States. It's in a beautiful building on Post Street, (Kensington Park Hotel) and has a beautiful bar, ballroom but best of all, an awesome gym with a great salt water pool, steam, sauna and yes,... a machine that dispenses $2 beers!
Everyone is friendly, the staff both in the lodge and the spa bend over backwards to help you, and the atmosphere is very relaxed.
They have great dinners on Friday nights, pre-fixe menu for $18. The food is always good.
You have to know an Elk to be recommended for membership. If you walk in the door, that's typically taken care of in the first 30 seconds! -
Review from N. L.
San Francisco, CA
9/13/2008
I left the lodge seriously considering becoming a member.
Unfortunately the part of the oath about believing in God would expose me as a heathen.
The dinner itself was great. I had the mixed greens starter which was very fresh, the duck leg confit with mashed potatoes and string beans which was as good as it gets, and a slice of smooth strawberry cheesecake that my Elk buddy finished for me because my belly was already happily stuffed.
The gym facilities are worth the membership alone and I may have to start believing in a supreme being other than myself so I wouldn't be a phony and can swim in that very inviting pool.
The Elks are a very friendly and welcoming bunch. I would definitely return. -
Review from Theresa B.
San Jose, CA
8/24/2009
The Elks host a wonderful holiday event for our seniors that they look forward to every year. It is located in their lodge, which is beautiful.
It is a gorgeous ballroom and if you ever get a chance to see it, I would go! -
Review from Christian M.
San Francisco, CA
8/3/2010
Elks #3 kicks ass.
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Review from Colleen B.
San Francisco, CA
9/1/2006
Great organization! If you join for the very nominal fee you get to be a member of the fraternal group (that welcomes women), enjoy a great gym, olympic pool and wet & dry saunas. There are a lot more younger Elks now and they're all friendly. Good place to drink inexpensively and hear a lot of war stories from the older generation. Lunch is hopping and the Octoberfest is not to be missed!
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Review from Jennifer W.
Daly City, CA
1/21/2009
My father is a member here and as such I get to experience the little perks that Elks members have once in a while. And I must say, this place is great. The location for the lodge itself is in a stunning boutique hotel. I love their workout facilities, complete with a wet and dry sauna and a beautiful pool. The bar, complete with gorgeous dark wood, is a friendly and relaxed place to grab a drink and just chat with the person sitting next to you or relax and decompress from your day at work. They have dinners every Friday night for members that are excellent and, most importantly, filling! But best yet, I have not met a person there that is unfriendly or grumpy. Everyone there is truly happy to welcome new people in and will always make time for a friendly conversation. I love that this place is unpretentious and exudes a welcoming atmosphere to anyone and everyone.
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Review from Ki K.
San Mateo, CA
Updated - 1/27/2009
Updating my review as they have a new caterer who used to be the executive chef of the four seasons before he opened his own catering business in the financial district. It is very easy to get drunk here at the Lodge since the drink prices are ridiculously low for Union Sq. and stinky drunk is what you would have to be to not enjoy the food here! ;-)
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/11/2006
Excellent place to get a table for 10 on a Friday night for dinner. Not because it is empty but… Read more »
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Review from Antichris E.
San Francisco, CA
3/4/2009
Elks Lodge No. 3, the oldest continuously operating Lodge in Elkdom! Everything else there is to say is top secret. B.P.O.E.
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Review from Bruce T.
San Francisco, CA
9/23/2008
Beautiful location in the heart of San Francisco's Union Square. The people there are friendly and welcoming. The lounge bar is old-style and that's good. Lovely dark, wood and barkeeps that know what they're doing. The dinner I had there was literally meat and potatoes but very tasty at that.
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Review from Matt W.
San Francisco, CA
3/27/2010
My wife and I had dinner here last night as guests of our friends who are members. I was blown away. The new chef and food staff formerly conducted underground gourmet meals all over the Bay Area and have chosen the Elks as the place where they've "come in off the road." I had the best ribeye I've ever eaten, and as part owner of a popular steakhouse I've eaten many excellent steaks. The pricing amazes me most. For 3 times the price I'd have gotten 1/3rd the steak down at Mortons right downstairs. They also has an eclectic list of extremely high quality wines to choose from and the price of our killer pinot was $28. They are obviously running this as a cost-plus operation. Unbelievable in a beautiful old dining room with a great bar. The wait staff are as high quality as the chef. We are joining for sure. Sadly, I get the impression that the chef Tom will get a wanderlust and move on, he's only been there a few weeks, but it will be fun while it lasts !!!
