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Categories: Dance Clubs, Dive Bars
Neighborhood: SOMAWed-Sat. 9:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
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You may find the crowd to be severely variable in size but the music is usually pretty good, and the bartenders are super friendly. Anyways smaller crowd means more space to dance : )
There's not a massive sign outside so you could miss this place entirely as you are rolling down the street.
Also please show more skiing documentaries where people light themselves on fire
I didn't even know this place existed before! It is in the middle of nowhere so there is plenty of parking. I was kind of annoyed the guy at the door wanted to charge me and my friend (who is also a girl) $10 since we came six minutes after 10:30p after I was told it was free if you had one of the only two tables they have available. The guy trying to charge us was pretty immature, "This is my party and I get to charge what I want" until some girl that worked there told him that was not true. Anyway, that was so annoying.
Other than that, this place reminds me of Cardiff in Campbell. Has a dance floor, but used for space where people are crammed in with a drink in one hand and trying to move to the beat (sort of). It's like a standing room only bar. The staff/bouncer are nice and the decor was pretty cool (furry circular japanese lanterns that turn diff colors, free photobooth, princess bathroom). The guy's bathroom has a one-way mirror that looks out to the club so beware!
Hit this place after already being buzzed from a yelp event. I heard the *thunk* *thunk* *thunk*, and just couldn't stay away. We walked in, and the place was pretty deserted, but then again it was 10PM on a Wednesday (being a drunkard is frikkin hard work sometimes).
Rather than hittin the dance floor, we did plop it at the empty bar to talk with easily the coolest bartender I've met thus far in the city. We talked about everything from cough syrup to love fest(s). Super stiff drinks were poured for very reasonable prices, but after a vodka drink or two and some shots of fernet, I seriously can't remember how much "reasonable" was.
Awesome layout for dancing, and keeping the party moving. Not a lot of room to sit, but if you want to sit, well...don't come to a dance club! Attracts a very burning man crowd of people, no pretention here! It could be one of those 5 star places, but I'll have to head back again and shake my bootay some just to double check. In any case, you should check this place out.
In the entire history of drinking, I don't think I've ever seen anyone get a refund on cover....
Came here with a few buddies on a saturday night. This place is completely black outside and you would never guess that there was a bar inside. Oh the irony...since its called 'shine'. Not sure what they were playing, but it was definitely not hip hop.
Cover was $5, but it was completely empty at 11pm. We stayed there for all of 5 minutes because of a change in plans. Honestly I'd give this place 3 stars based upon the vibe of this place and a completely stocked bar. But the 4th star comes from the fact that we were able to get our cover back by asking the cashier nicely. Sweet Deal.
Anyway, there's plenty of street parking on 9th and Mission.
went here to celebrate a friend's birthday. the music was pretty decent. i think it was electronica night (saturday). people were dancing and having fun. the drinks were cheap and had enough alcohol in them...not too much and not too little. the bartenders were very nice and attentive! didn't try to photobooth in the back but it looked cool.
downsides: the cover was $10. if my friend hadn't wanted to go here, i probably wouldn't have payed and wouldve gone elsewhere. the crowd was a little older than i expected, but not a big deal. the bathrooms were kind of gross. the door to the men's restroom was left open and reeked of urine so i hit the dancefloor instead.
They keep the tables rotating fast - great place to hear an eclectic variety of styles and sets in one night (everything from funky disco to local tech house and throwback progressive in the span of two hours). Wouldn't even have noticed the place strolling by - we were drawn in by the sound alone.
I love love love Shine, it's intimate, the crowd is a true SF mix of ages, genders, etc., and the people who work there are awesome. DJs are usually great as well.
kinda pricey for the short not too stiff drinks, not much room to sit, just dance floor
took a picture in the photo booth but they flash to fast outside on display so didn't get to see them, but the others where fun to watch.
I had a great time at Shine. Nice decor. The music was retro pop top 40. There was no disc jockey for the event I attended. The bartender mixed some strong drinks. Gotta love that free photo booth, I have to hunt for my pictures online. I am still trying to figure out the black box wall displays that a full of alcoholic beverages and mixers.
I wish I had gotten up the nerve to play the Wii Sports game. I did not do much dancing just drinking and conversation.
What is up with that bathroom with the mirror?? Luckily us ladies did not get to see a show, the light bulb was burned out.
"People hate us on Yelp"
That was what the bartenders were wearing, t-shirts designed by one of the bartenders. They were too cool for school. The music was inconsistent but the bartenders were phenomenal. Fast and friendly. We came because it was a Pink Mammoth party and it was only a $5 cover since we RSVP. What a deal?!
Drinks were reasonably price for being a small club although the lines for the restroom were disgusting long. The crowd was a mix crowd of douchebags, younguns, sluts, BnT and your average Funny Useful Cool dude like myself.
Overall, I would come here on a weeknight hopefully it wont be as cramp as this. And hopefully, no cover.
The first stop on a night of dancing. I must say given the reviews of this place, I was disappointed by my experience. I think if we had come on a better night we would have had a better time.
The five dollar cover was definitely a steal for a Saturday night. We arrived around 10:30 and the place was just starting to get going. We ordered some drinks and sat at the bar. The drinks were ok and fairly priced. My midori sour wasn't too strong, which was fine for me since I am not always the biggest fan of the taste of hard alcohol, however I know the bf was not overly impressed with his G&T. I am not a fan of house music, but will pretty much dance to anything with a beat.
The best part of this place is definitely the photo booth. We had a ball taking ridiculous pictures in there and were pleased to know that we could find them online. The only annoyance with finding the pictures is that you have to have a Flickr account, which I don't but the bf does so we were able to access those.
Slow start to our night of dancing...
MAYBE I WAS THERE ON A BAD NIGHT.
i saw reviews on yelp cuz i was looking for a gOOD HOUSE club. i went on valentines day, and it was really AWKWARD. i felt like the place shouldve been just a BAR instead of a club. the crowd was older and didnt seem as INTO it... and if the crowd isnt good, it does not make for a FUN TIME. the only good thing was cheap drinks (6dollar CHOCOLATE CAKE SHOTS!)!
we stayed for about an hr, and the most fun i had was when the dj played fedde le grand- Creeps. i was hoping they would play more of this type of music, but they were playing more of ghetto-funk break beats that i just couldnt get into. awwwww man! :(
over all, small place, awkward people, weird location, but CHEAP AND GOOD DRINKS!
Just like any club it's all about the night you decide to get it on. The upside is a cool photo booth and generally accommodating staff. The downside, occasionally frighteningly empty. The big draw on this place in my opinion is their ardent commitment to NO HIP HOP which is a nice thing with a dance club to be frank.
I always like it when clubs have photo booths. It's just nice to have the option.
I've only been mid week. Wasn't it Paris Hilton herself who said only losers go out on the weekends, and those who know what's up prefer mon, tues, and wed nights? Drinks aren't that bad.
3rd Wednesdays- Intentional Experiment- underground house music + fashion + go go dancers + Designs by $lutzgetjealou$ (http://slutzgetjealous...)
Shine is a well hidden gem of SF night scene. Cozy dancefloor +solid sound + great dj's & friendly bartenders + one way glass in men's bathroom & awesome photo booth = good times!
Chill & cheap Shine is a stomping ground for true dancers & party animals :)
Unpretentious, fun little bar/lounge. They have a great lineup of DJs every week that spin fun electronic dance music. I love the cute little disco balls everywhere. It's pretty packed on the weekends and quieter on weeknights.
Check out the photo booth in the back - you and your drunk friends can take pics that are put up on the Shine website :)
Using my G&T rating principles, I was very pleased. The drink was $5, in a 10oz'ish glass and had enough G to give me a small pucker. Nice 3 (scale of 1-3).
I went for a listen to Sub Swara on 18Dec08 and found it easy to come early and sit by myself. Another woman was dancing alone in the pre sets and seemed totally cas as well. The music was mostly dubsteb and drew in dreadies and folks in anti pastel colored clothing.
The sound system is solid, loved the three screens showing anime and the bartenders were very friendly. There is ample seating and places to stow your jacket while you are boogying. It is small over all but this just gives you the sense of really connecting with people.
The photo booth is really fun and cool.
It is known as a Burner hangout and that amps up the alt feel.
Nice to have a lower cost option in SOMA.
First of all, I will always remember Shine because a gay man touched my chest and told me I was cute. Very flattering! Went straight to my girlfriends to get my manhood back.
I came here a few months ago to party with my older siblings for the first time since I turned 21...but soon realized that this was not the kind of place for someone my age. My siblings are 8-10 years older than I am...as was the rest of the crowd here.
When I go out dancing, I'm looking forward to hip-hop...but this place only plays dance/techno music. My friends and I went up to the DJ to see if he could throw in a little T-Pain...and we got shot down!
One of the cool things about this place was that for a certain period of time, you could play Heads or Tails with the bartender. If you called it correctly, the drink was on the house! For some reason...we lost more than we won. Like...we lost a lot! It was still fun though...and a great deal if you are a great guesser.
Don't get me wrong. I think Shine is a lot of fun...but just not right for me at this stage of my life. If you are looking for a mixed crowd of people 25 and older...enjoy dance music...by all means you should come here.
Kick-ass DJs, cutting edge music (breaks, techno, tech house, electro, dubstep, house, etc.), modest venue, great crowd, friendly bartenders, cheap drinks, cool photo booth - what more could you possibly want on a Friday or Saturday night?
Shine is a great place to dance your ass off! You're always guaranteed a great time at Shine!
If what you are looking for is:
- low cover
- strong drinks
- great beats (ie you are on a mission to dance)
- zero on the pretentious scale
Then hit this spot. I have been each Thurs - Sat nights and had a great time.
shine is a bit of a unusual spot. pretty hard core as far as DJ/dancing and partying goes. not in the most user-friendly area - which is exactly where you find most of the cool clubs. very close to that after-hour spot: Insomnia. this place seems to be known for having a lot of the top, trendiest DJ's in the city. it's also known for having the most hard-core partiers in the city. it's a little on the grunge side, which isn't necessarily bad. it tends to attract girls that are either bi or bi-curious which is very much a positive in my mind! :) drinks and doormen are fine. girls are cute - not to mention possibly bi!
it's sort of a dive place but it's hard to call it a dive when there are good, grade-a dj's and dancing. it certainly looks like a dive from the outside and the interior doesn't do much to dissuade you from that assessment. however, IMHO, dive bars are for drinking and discussing your unemployment benefit package only. maybe some pool. so this place already goes above and beyond the dive status with the dancing. the free photo booth is interesting too, but i didn't take advantage.
I like Shine -- it has the most casual feel of any lounge other than Mars Bar that I can think of in the city, attracting clubbers, hipsters, and neohippies, among many others. People I met were unpretentious and pleasant.
The DJ has been excellent the nights I've stopped in, although the crowd has been light. That did not stop people from dancing:I'd say three quarters of the guests were up and shaking their ass anyway. The decor's interesting but not the dominant element.
Nice - a good crossover bar/club scene.
This is definitely an interesting bar. The coolest part about it, is that there's a free photo booth that takes pictures of you and you can go onto Flickr a few days later to check and see the madness! There are some scandalous photos there to say the least! Drinks are pretty good, but the music is electronica, techno house, and break beats. It's like a smaller version of the club at 1015 Folsom. There is NO dress code either. I actually saw some girls wear crocs.
Since I had gotten there early with a girlfriend of mine, we even saw some guy stretching before he danced. And I don't think it was dancing either! It looked like he was being electrocuted on the dance floor! At least he wasn't doing the L.A. nordic track dance! I think he might have have some lessons from Billy Blanks Thai Bo video!!
I have one word to describe these guys - INCREDIBLE!
They accommodated me last minute, gave me a deal that was IMPOSSIBLE to beat, treated me like a QUEEN, and took a party for 100+ people with less than 5 days left for my 30th...
Who does that genuinely in a moment's notice and with the enthusiasm of someone who has been friends with you for well over ten years?! I wonder what they would have done if they knew I was a yelper - Ha!
Not only did I run into at least 6 or 7 people who I have met in the city time and time again who weren't part of our group - the same thing kept happening to many of my guests.
Yeah - do the math and it was a very cohesive clan by the end of the night! All of which ended up funner than all hell, sexy, crazy, classy, and fun fun fun!
The best part of the night is when they let me make a speech (which I STILL can't quite recall) and Ben (one of the owners) came over to my after party to help me serve drinks AND clean up until the wee hours in the morning!
And he even entertained my little brother! Showed him the 'ropes.'
INCREDIBLE!!
Loved this place. Hidden right off in the outskirts of the SOMA, this place is hard to find. The only thing that pointed us out was the bouncer that was standing outside. Went here for a friend's party. Arrived in the rain, thirsty, and to a semi empty bar. It was definitely a cute space. Definitely not pretentious, looks like something you could find downtown minus the wannabe players and platinum blond valley girls. The scene here is def low key, mix of hipsters and hotties.
We had drink tickets where in between 9-11pm after the first drinks, the second were $1. The bartender definately was generous with the amount of alcohol he put in our drinks. Then again, it was slow and kinda quiet at the bar.
The music was upbeat, house, techno, Euro beats, which I definitely loved. Wasn't where your ears were going to fall off but definitely something you can bob your head to and shake your tail feather to.
I love it! Love the location, love the space. Didn't get to try the photo booth, but that will be something to enjoy next time.
I'm starting to wonder why I even try to start off somewhere else when I always just seem to end up at Shine or wishing that I just ended up at Shine.
Most places that have a lot of comfy couches charge you $400 for a crappy bottle of vodka and the privilege of sitting there. Shine has them wide open and it's a great place to grab your drink and sit back and watch.
When you're ready to dance they showcase some great DJ talent and the crowd is very friendly. It's not too hard to get a drink as the bar is well staffed and you won't be standing 3 deep in order to get your order in.
Gay and straight couples and groups of friends are all here and everyone gets along great. Security is friendly and helpful and responds to guest requests instantly.
Shine is the model of what a good club should be.
I expected a place with the name of Shine to have those huge beacon lights pointed straight up to the sky saying... "We're over here!!" Or, a large Neon sign with an arrow pointed to the door. Or an albino who just got all oiled up standing in the doorway (yes...Id imagine he would be shiny) But nope. Nothing shiny about this place. Upon first approach, I almost walked past it. The only reason I knew where it was was because my friends were smoking out front
I'm glad I found it.
I think that my evening was probably similar to a lot of experiences here because it was "rented" out for a party. Not really rented so much as just a space that my friend could have his birthday party in, order food from Shine, and bring in his own DJ's, but I think anyone could have walked in off the street. Granted it was a Tuesday and a lot of people don't go out on school nights, so the crowd was fair. Not too many people, and I worked the door for about an hour, so I got to keep the tally...I know.
I really like the space, and would like to check this place out again...on a "normal" night. Decent size dance floor, some couches to sit/snuggle on, and a free photo booth whose photos are sent to Flickr. Apparently it's not immediate though because I just checked...I went on Tuesday, it's currently Thursday and they aren't up yet. The food that was offered was outstanding. Bacon wrapped meatballs...bacon wrapped scallops...bacon wrapped...no, just the first two, but there was cheese, and spring rolls too. Tasty. Reasonable drinks...my vodka soda was $6. Standard.
They are always doing all sorts of "private" events...and charity work. The money we raised at the door went to something....and not the birthday boy's or the owner's wallet. Maybe ill have my next "private" party here too....or just expose my "privates" in the photo booth. Either way I guess.
Zanzibar!
Great bar with a great feel of "comfort" and a place you feel you could really just kick back and enjoy. I always love one way glass in bathrooms, makes me feel naughty (although some would also love the little mirrored shelf in front of the window, to feel really naughty!) Of course the photo booth was a cool idea, Tripp was a great host, but I have two hesitations..
The drinks were very, I mean VERY inconsistant in terms of pour, WOW, that was strong, and What? Where's the booze? It's sad when you can set two drinks next to each other and would have NO IDEA they were the same drink.
Also, I prefer when given my credit card receipt, that I get a break down of what I have been charged, not just the slip to sign. I may not recall how many I ordered, but at least let me take a look at it for my own piece of mind....
I Shine. . .You Shine. . .WE Shine. . .
When I read Mission Street (between 9th and 10th) I had trouble visualizing what this place would look like. There are no big, bright lights to guide you in, but once you step inside you'll find comfy sofas to relax on, friendly bartenders, a digital photobooth that goes straight to Flickr, and a bathroom with a very unique mirror.
My only suggestion for improvement? Fix the bathroom door lock!
Thanks for hosting a kick-ass event! I loved the setup and the fact that I could actually navigate around. Also, the flicker cam booth is a cool idea. Overall, I had a lot of fun at the Yelp Elite event tonight. My only qualm is with the bartender that tried to charge me for drinks...
SO, minus one little star. I'll give it back if I manage to come again and there are no further infractions...
Okay, this place REALLY isn't my scene...the techno kills it. I hate techno. But I love the photo booth, which I used about 40 times in one night, and the drinks were great.
Unfortunately, their drinks were so good, that I had a few too many and left my wallet there. I called them after we left, and they confirmed that they still had it. I figured I'd just swing by on Sunday night. Tried that, they were closed. I emailed them, and they called me on Monday. Apparently they're under the same ownership as Sauce, so I stopped by after work to pick it up. It had all of my money and credit cards in it. I offered to give them money as a reward for finding it, but they refused. I love Shine because of that!!!
Shine for the 2-way glass? The photo booth? (Thank you for the demo of the booth Kristin and Nish). Would have to say it's Trip's excellent hosting and sweet albeit babyish staff!
Was expecting a more distinct or unique personality to be present from the various reviews and for such a vivid name. I would actually give it a 3 if it wasn't for the photo booth, bathroom glass and staff. Then again, the lights were bright enough to see everything so perhaps the ambiance didn't get in full gear. Never got to have my booze shot for my info trade (heh, karma biting me in the *ss for those info cards we made various elite squad fill out at the IO event), but my conversation partner had possession of the tickets.
One of my favorite neighborhood places to go. Also owned by folks I know so I am particular to it. Shine is the perfect size - not too big, not too tiny. There's usually room on the dance floor although it might be crowded, but that's better than overly cavernous.
The photo booth is of course a blast too. Lots of good nights like Dirtybird and Angels of Bass too to check out for varying types of musical tastes...
When I went for a Yelp event last year, I loved the space, the table -service-on-a-wall, the yummy Sauce food and of course the Yelptinis (thank god I didn't make it to the photobooth, I am planning on running for president someday!), but I didn't get a club-vibe from it at all; more of a pre-function sort of place.
Last Friday, however, we followed Savvy Sav's advice and headed over for actual dancing. I was dubious, but willing (this combo gets me into more trouble than I'd like to admit). And what a night! Good music that I would have danced to, if I wasn't so busy accepting Jager shots from Brian (THANKS for twisting my rubber arm!) and pronouncing to a professional colleague's wife, who we ran into there and who just had a baby, not "Congratulations!" or "Is it a boy or a girl?!" but rather, "Oh, so there is milk in there!" pointing to her breasts.
(I actually was not raised in a barn. If I can fit a New Years' Resolution under the wire, it will be to work on my social poise, just a little.)
So if the folks at Shine can guarantee that I won't run into my work colleague ever again, I will check out the DJ schedule and keep coming back, manners intact. *curtsy*
Shine is always a fun time. Almost always great music (it depends on the party, as with any club, but it's far more often hit than miss), good crowd, super nice bartenders, and I love the photobooth. Plus, it's easy stumbling distance from where we live so we can just toddle on home afterward.
Shimmy into Shine for some dancing, drinks, and an all around good time.
How do they fit a bar, dance floor, tons of seating and a photo booth into this place? I don't know, but it works! There's even cushy bench seating around the dance floor for when your legs start to give out from all that boogeying.
The bartenders were friendly and attentive, and I never had to wait long for service even when the place got busy. The drinks were strong and well priced. They even keep a pitcher of iced water and cups on the bar so you can rehydrate...for...more dancing of course!
Everyone loved the photo booth in the back were you can poise with your friends....love the beast fur wallpaper lining the booth.
My friend inquired about the big booths in the club. I guess you can sit there until the reservees come. Also, if you're so inclined, you can reserve the booth and then "buy" a mini fridge at the booth for a price ($200?). The mini-fridge is then stocked to your liking and for your party's consumption...
I'll be back to get my Shine on soon!
I finally got over to Shine down in SOMA, of course for our Yelp Elite event, and was really impressed with the vibe. It's still a work-in-progress, sort of reminds me of the old days of going to26Mix or something, but that sort of low key vibe appeals to me.
The bartenders are fun too, and that adds a lot of course, and how can you not like the implicit debauchery of a photobooth with faux fur lining? Oh, and one of the bathroom's - I guess it's the men's one - has a nice surprise waiting too.
The room is layed out with plenty of seating to chill out with friends and watch people get sweaty on the dancefloor. You can tell these guys appreciate their DJs, a nice sound system and speakers give off beats that are solid but don't overwhelm the place.
Trip, if you ever read this, I think you should get a Magic Bus to transport people from dinner at Sauce to dancing at Shine!
Shine is a homey bar lacking pretense. Its bartenders are friendly, serve decent pours, and Shine has enough space to accommodate bootie shaking, grinding or getting your monkey funky. There's even a nice loungy area with couches you can score if you get there early enough.
Minor gripes include lack of a coat check, and lack of a lock on the men's bathroom - but I suppose the novelty of its one-way mirror will distract you as dudes walk in, watch you pee, and walk out to wait their turn.
Checked it out last night for a Tall Sasha/ Playdoughboy DJ thing.
Fun small space, descent music (excluding some un-known kid who opened and didn't know how to use a mixer), cool crowd. Big minus for the pricey watered drinks. Big plus for the hilarious bouncer who amused w/his stories of working hip-hop shows in Queens!
What do you do when you're about to turn 30?
Ask your friend who knows the city better than you to help you find a cool place to accomodate all types of friends for a kick ass birthday party.
Et voila! Shine!!
I had never been there and the reviews we had heard were mixed, but I had an amazing 30th birthday there (sans the vomiting outside the club, but that's ANOTHER story). While it was my friend who planned everything, from what I can gather they seemed very accomodating, we had our own lounge area with our own mini-bar. The bartenders were great and the crowd was very cool (well, a lot of them were my friends but you get the picture...) The atmosphere is inviting and friendly, not overly-pompous as so many places in the city can be! Beware the photo booth in back...pictures may be taken that you will regret....and posted on the internet! (Not that I speak from experience...ahem)
I've been back twice since then and it hasn't disappointed!
FYI - Music changes dramatically from night to night so make sure to check the schedule...
Happy Hour with Spencer!
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
2 for 1 drinks
Neighborhood: SOMA
Neighborhood: SOMA
Category: Dance Clubs
Neighborhood: SOMA
Category: Dance Clubs
Neighborhood: Hayes Valley
Category: Dance Clubs
Neighborhood: SOMA
Category: Dance Clubs
Neighborhood: SOMA
Category: Dance Clubs
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