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The Saloon
Categories: Arts & Entertainment Jazz & Blues Nightlife Jazz & Blues Nightlife Bars Dive Bars Jazz & Blues, Dive Bars [Edit]
1232 Grant Ave(between Broadway St & Fresno St)
San Francisco, CA 94133
Neighborhood: North Beach/Telegraph Hill
(415) 989-7666
- Hours:
Mon-Sun 12 pm - 2 am
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$
- Music:
- Live
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Very Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- Yes
- Ambience:
- Dive-y
- Has TV:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
184 reviews for The Saloon
Review Highlights
"There is always live music of the rockin' blues variety."
(in 31 reviews)
"Great blues, cheap drinks, and a fun crowd."
(in 21 reviews)
"old school down to earth bartenders- check."
(in 12 reviews)
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184 reviews in English
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Review from Roy N.
1/10/2012 2 photos
After so many years, I can't believe that I have never reviewed this place before.
The oldest bar in San Francisco, there is a ton of history here. As such, it is also the last of the real bars. Everything in this bar, including patrons, is real. Not for everyone...there is nothing trendy about this place...no poseurs, no see and be seen. This is an old school drinking establishment with strong drinks and live bands where you go to hang out and drink. The bartenders have all been there a long time and are always wonderful to me. Prices are great too, especially in the daytime.
The place has a divey, but fun vive and people are friendly in here...this is not one of those "let's dress up and go there as a group to look cool before we go home again as a group" kind of places. Not by a long shot. If Mickey Rourke's character from the film Barfly was drinking in the neighborhood, this place would be his bar of choice.
All my biker friends hang out here too which makes it even more fun and interesting.
The Saloon is definitely one of my must stops whenever I'm drinking in North Beach and when barhopping the other night after a UYE (Unofficial Yelp Event...thanks Maureen!), this was my first stop of many that evening. You get a little bit of everything in here...good times! -
Review from James K.
Berkeley, CA
1/8/2012
I stopped in on their 150th anniversary just to check it out. I had no idea what to expect. Luckily, I saw Ron Hacker and the Hacksaws perform for several hours. Ron is an incredible musician and if you ever have the chance to see him, you should go. I've watched many Blues bands over the years and was not a huge fan. Ron absolutely takes it to another level.
The bar itself is the quintessential dive bar, as indicated by beer signs and the small fake multi-color Christmas tree on display year round. The cover is never more than $5 and the mixed drinks are very cheap ($5-7) by North Beach standards. -
Review from Linda H.
San Francisco, CA
1/7/2012
It doesn't get any better than The Saloon! Don't let the "dive bar" thing scare you, seriously. Keep an open mind and you'll have a blast. Three years ago I walked into Saloon by accident and couldn't see why I'd hang out anywhere else....and I don't. I love the people! The "regulars" welcomed me; danced liked crazy with me; and are now friends I look forward to seeing! And I take offense to some of the reviews about the bartenders....they work their butts off!
On any given night you'll see some of best live music San Francisco has to offer. Tony Perez - awesome sax player - with Second Hand Smoke plays on the 3rd Saturday and it's a MUST SEE! Ron Hacker & the Hacksaws, Daniel Castro, Curtis Lawson, Dave Workman, Lonnie's Eggs.....the list goes on-and-on. The music is some of the BEST BLUES you'll find anywhere in the country!
I congradulate owner Myron Mu for keeping the tradition of San Francisco's oldest bar alive and well. -
Review from Brad H.
Westminster, CA
2/7/2012
Takes awhile to get served. BUT, the music-------- FANTASTIC!!! I love this place!!!
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Review from Tiffany S.
San Francisco, CA
2/6/2012
The Saloon is a wonderful place, its my favorite bar in San Francisco. The majority of the time there is live music playing, day or night. Anywhere from blues, jazz, rockabilly, &soulful women singing. There is a mini dance floor, the drinks are decently priced. You can definitely go into this bar alone and just chill out while enjoying music; without having to worry about anyone bothering you. Its the perfect place in North Beach to escape the young yuppie crowd. You'll only encounter the elderly, or strange looking people in here & its fantastic.
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Review from Mike K.
San Francisco, CA
12/10/2011
As I read posts here, I think that one of the biggest issues is expectations. If you expect to be treated like the King or Queen you think you really are.. by all means go elsewhere. If you expect to impress a date, you best be over 50 and she best be from New Orleans...
If a fine afternoon every once in a while, is sitting back, listening to Etta James or Howling Wolf while chatting with strangers, then any afternoon would be good. If you don't mind dancing with women who want to dance to the music, rather than trying to impress you with their moves is fun, this place is for you. For what it is this place is the best, in the City, in the State, and is comparable with the best blues bars in the South. We are damned luck to have this place and it deserves our appreciation, and it deserves our respect. My thanks to Myron Mu for keeping this tradition alive. -
Review from Andres J.
Santa Ana, CA
1/23/2012
Wow, One of the best bars I've ever been to!!!! We saw Curtis Lawson and his band there, rocking the house and the drinks were loaded and cheap. Luvv this place, San Francisco's oldest bar, the bartender are kick ass and so is the crowd. The patrons were down to earth and very chatty, would definitely go back and throw some drinks down there again. Luvv The Saloon.
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Review from languid d.
San Francisco, CA
11/20/2011
This place is loud. The band will greet you from more than a few stumbles from the front door with electric blues. I live for institutions like this where that skanky bar smell that still has nicotine in the fine print.
The last time I remember actually sitting here, it was daytime, early afternoon, there was the sweetest skeksis bartender lady, I got the impression she was used to tending bar with her smokes but California had legislated that option away from her, she poured like they used to, like it was law, like an equalizer. After a few hours of sitting at her bar, quietly consuming Wild Turkey, I took in all that was around me. There are the clinical, the young, the old, the ones she wakes up, sets up and shoos out all sitting in consensus paying their courtesy at the bar. You might people who seem as if not everything is right when you look in their eyes. They might think the same about you. The insane might be you or they might be seated around you, dancing next to you or smiling to someone not even there. I love this place
This crowd has brothers and sisters drinking on 6th street and dancing in the doorways at 7 am in the 90's. You can find the ghosts of their cousins on Turk St on the corner of Taylor. All those places are falling away as the bureaucracy comes by like the revenue man with a clipboard, a minor and an old square chicken hawk. I'm glad this place has more stones than the ABC with a foundation since the Emancipation Proclamation and straight through Prohibition and the Twenty-first Amendment, punk rock, disco and crack.
I am going to go back, pay homage and promote sustainability so that The Saloon will be here when I'm gone. I won't get a last ovation but The Saloon will be a part of me as I passes into the urinal. They must have a bathroom but I can't remember if I used it in an official sense.
Like a reviewer posted earlier: dress for drinking. If you don't want a dive bar that your great-great-grand-daddy got shanghaied from that still has his dent in the door, from his head as he was thrown through, don't come by. -
Review from Bif P.
Manhattan, NY
1/17/2012
Great place to hang grab a cold beer and watch some music. Great crowd , nice people.
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Review from Jenny R.
San Francisco, CA
1/12/2012
I would give the Saloon five stars had it not been for the terrible service and inexcusably weak drinks. The blues band and singer were nothing short of brilliant. I mean, the singer was wearing a full bright red suit and rattled out a thirty minute song about how his wife threw him out of the house after he didn't come home one night. Really, how can you go wrong with that. And then all the old foges got up and started kicking up their heels . . . it really feels like you've been transported to South Carolina . . . or California in the 1800s, I suppose. But my god, you practically have to kill a bitch to get the bartender's attention, even early in the evening. And after five greyhounds, I began to realize that they were sadly devoid of alcohol. Anyway, it's certainly a good time, but be prepared to wait forever or wave your arms around desperately to get a drink.
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Review from Anthony Y.
San Francisco, CA
11/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
This bar pretty much sucks unless you are old, like bad music, like bad bartenders, and like being packed in like a sardine.
My parents love this place. -
Review from Nick B.
San Francisco, CA
9/10/2011
Man I felt like crap earlier. Just that life kinda sucks - I need to punch a hole in the wall - type of feeling. As I like my walls without holes I figured I needed something else to take my mind off of things. Booze and Blues? Damn straight.
The best thing about the Saloon is that you can just show up and relax. No primping or fancy dress code needed (not that anyone would notice with the lighting inside); which was good because I was dressed to drink.
Dave Workman (who is just incredible) was laying it down. Exactly one shot and a beer later everything worked into a nice, warm fuzz while the music took the edge off my day. I don't know why people complain about the smell in other reviews. Maybe they just aren't drinking enough? It doesn't really matter. Everything else about the bar outweighs a little odor. It can't be any worse than having some guy in a club, who bathed in Calvin Klien, standing next to you.
After another few glasses I had forgotten why I was pissed off earlier and that is why I love this dive.Listed in: Clubs, Bars, and Dives
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Review from Jim B.
San Francisco, CA
12/25/2011
I have tried to give this place a chance on two occasions. Actually, I even made it to their bathroom which makes the bathrooms on a 737 seem spacious. The second time, the smell from the multiple borderline homeless customers was too much for us to take, so we were on our way....
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Review from Edward N.
San Francisco, CA
8/21/2011
I've have been to many blues venues all over the country and this is one of a kind. Let's get this straight - it's a dive. But if you've ever heard the great Ron Hacker, Danny Castro, Steve Freund, or the many other great players ripping it up, and if you love the blues, cheap stiff drinks; then this is your place.
Some of the below reviews are just ridiculous. People, I implore you - try to have an idea of where you are and where you are going before you judge something. You will run into children at Disneyland, sick people in hospitals, dwarfs at circuses...and yes - you will find drunk people and really bad odors at divey, blues bars. It goes with the territory and don't act like a bitch when you find those things here. This is not a place that has a huge selection of beers, or pretty young attentive female bartenders. So go here with the right attitude and you will have a blast. Great (i mean GREAT) live blues, no cover during the week and only $5 on weekends, cheap drinks, and all types. They may look scary but looks are deceiving. I have been here many times and never witnessed a problem. Go here, listen to music, and enjoy! -
Review from Ashley J.
8/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
This bar is typically not my scene, but on a random night with a lot of friends, I was able to really enjoy myself here. We ended up here after the Mojito bouncer yelled at us for blocking "his" sidewalk. So we left and kind of just wound up here. It's apparently the oldest bar in the city, and the inside didn't smell very wonderful at all. However, the door guy was really chill, and let my girlfriends and I in for free (there's usually a $5 cover). Live jazz & blues, lot's of dancing, and the crowd is definitely on the older end. I think I saw at least 5 Santa look-a-likes inside. I don't think I'd ever hit up this place purposely, but I can imagine I'll end up here again.
FYI... it's cash onlyListed in: Favorite Bars: SF
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Review from Steven G.
Mill Valley, CA
11/14/2011
Hands down, my favorite bar. Sure, by day it's a loser bar. And it does smell faintly of urine and bleach. But at night it's a rockin' blues joint, with cheap drinks, a friendly and eclectic (to put it mildly) crowd, and the best live blues this side of Memphis. Ron Hacker on a Saturday night has to be seen to be believed ! AND, it's been in business at the same location for 150 years ! !
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Review from Eva O.
San Francisco, CA
6/2/2011
Great place! Got kicked out of here three weeks ago and I consider it an honor! (Janis Joplin was also kicked out for being too rowdy, I believe.)
Gave the bouncer some 420-money---he pocketed it and never spoke to me again. Unsuccessfully tried to rape the band vocalist's son, almost got into a fist fight with the MILF-wannabe-bartender, had the cops called on me, got my purse stolen, and threw up twice on the sidewalk near the entrance. Overall, a perfectly lovely, white-trash evening; full of decadence, embarassingly drunken memories, and painfully unsuccessful bar macking.
Highly recommended. Might be a little too much for hipsters and tourists. -
Review from Clem B.
Hermosa Beach, CA
7/28/2011
I went there a few month ago, Curtis Lawson was playing.
I don't know much about blues but I loved it.
I liked the atmosphere which was very open, just having beers, enjoying very good music, no show off!
Really relax! That's where I started enjoying San Francisco! -
Review from Eric A.
St Paul, MN
6/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is a great place if you want to hear the blues. I've been here several times when I'm in town, and it definitely lives up to the "divey" reputation. Not that it's bad, but if you're expecting glamorous food with your Pinot Noir, you're at the wrong place. Are you ever!
Blues, cheap, good drinks, and local color. Enjoy it or don't go here. -
Review from Mark W.
Cincinnati, OH
7/17/2011 1 Check-in Here
A really fun place to go and a must-see if you are visiting from out-of-state. I hear it's very historical. Bring cash they do not accept credit cars.
Oldest bar in San Francisco. -
Review from Andrew W.
Burlingame, CA
6/16/2011
I had reason to be here a few Saturday nights ago. It was one of the most authentic places I have ever been in my life. It was the way bars and music are meant to be. Natural and comfortable. You felt at ease. It is a 100% dive. That makes it 100% awesome. That's just the atmosphere.
I saw an artist called Daniel Castro - blues rock - sensational. Continuing the authentic theme, the music too was 100% authentic. The crowd was 50 plus although it become younger as the night went on.
It is in the North Beach area with lots of things to do either side of going to the pub. I don't get into the city that much but I am glad I found this place. Highly recommended. -
Review from G Y.
San Francisco, CA
12/22/2010
The Saloon remains one of the last old school Blues Bars in San Francisco. There was once the Blue Lamp on Geary. But it metamorphosed into the "Swig Lounge..."
The term "old school," really does apply in the case of The Saloon. This is reportedly the oldest bar in town. Those drunks of years past had to be careful walking out of the place in the post Civil War years, to avoid being shanghaied on some random ocean voyage.
The bar sits on Grant near Columbus. When you walk inside you'll see why it is still simply called, "The Saloon.." The place has remained the same for years, with a long bar, old wooden planks for a floor, and the same bearded door man..
The Saloon's building somehow survived the 1906 earthquake, and has held onto it's authenticity despite the ever changing landscape surrounding it. I can think of no better place in San Francisco to enjoy a stiff drink while listening to live blues.
Tommy Castro used to play here along with some others. Johnny Nitro jammed here on Friday and Sunday nights. The man was a local legend on guitar. Somehow when I am drinking a jack and coke here, I feel no guilt, no pain, only good spirits of past and present.
Sadly I just heard some tragic news regarding my favorite resident bluesman at the Saloon....
Rest in peace, Johnny Nitro.. The late great pope of North Beach.
http://www.sfgate.com/...Listed in: Down and Dirty Dives of the…, Sentimental favorites..
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Review from Krystal H.
Berkeley, CA
9/7/2011 2 Check-ins Here
The oldest bar in SF?! I'm there. INSANE people at the bar?! Perfect! This is the best place to drink cheap whiskey and have the crazies entertain you. Loved every second of it!
Listed in: Dive Bars
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Review from Yelena K.
San Francisco, CA
1/29/2011
This place is the oldest bsr inn San Francisco and one of the oldest bars in the US. It survived earthquakes, fires and the Prohibition and it definitely looks and acts the part.
The bar, with the wooden panels and mirrors, makes me think of Al Capone time, as if you stepped through a time machine door and are now in the 20s. When you walk inside, it has that 'bar' reek, and to me that's just another sign of authenticity. The staff is laid back (gotta love their 'bouncer'), and the crowd is cool. Nothing pretentious, everyone is just having a great time. The music will make even the squarest of squares get on the dance floor and shake that flat booty of theirs. And the drinks? Stiff, overflowing, and cheap. This is one hell of a place! -
Review from Rich W.
Los Angeles, CA
9/24/2011
Down and dirty bar. Great place to sit in the shadows and listen to some good music.
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Review from Josh K.
11/17/2010 2 Check-ins Here
It always seems bad from the outside. The Saloon has the smell of 100+ years of dried up beer and vomit. The barkeep is kind of mean. The bathroom needs to be buried underground for 200 years before it should be used by any man or woman.
But hey, it's not all bad. The blues are amazing and well worth the cover. My recommendation is to get sloshed for $2 a pint at king of thai noodle house next door first, then come over here and you'll be drunk enough not to notice the smell or want another drink. If you need to pee.. go back to KoTN... please.
P.S. Watch out for the cougars. My friend damn near hooked up with one of them. -
Review from Eric P.
San Francisco, CA
1/4/2011
The Saloon is a love-it/hate-it kind of place. I would give it a 5-Star rating except for two things - the smell of the place and the attitude of one of the bartenders.
The place smells like urine. When I asked the doorman why the place smells like urine, he told me it is because people urinate on the street and public pavement within yards of the entrance door. When I walk through the front door the overpowering stench of urine hits me. It's like a wall of urine smells. After standing inside the place for a few minutes, the nose becomes acclimated to the smell. It would be great if the owner/management would clean up the place so that customers weren't hit in the face with the overpowering smell of a public latrine when they walked through the front door. Other patrons have told me they have the same experience each time they enter The Saloon - the overpowering smell of urine.
One of the bartenders is a real asshole - rude, combative, and surly. This guy should go away from The Saloon. Management should get rid of him. One time I went there to have a drink, listen to music, dance, and meet people. He was working that night. I decided to leave as soon as I saw that he was working the bar that night. I went somewhere else to have a drink, listen to music, dance, and meet people. -
Review from meg w.
Chicago, IL
7/20/2010 1 photo
Warning Sign Posted: "One Drink Minimum Per Person" Really? Is this a problem?
Warning Sign Posted Part Deux: "No Loitering." I do my best loitering in dive bars.
Confess: I was going to give this place two lowly stars, but I was clearly there too early, no band (yet?), and perhaps on an off night. I was one of about 5 people, present company included. And now that I think of it, I'm usually one of the oldest people in the bar... Not so here! I was a baby comparatively. And the only girl.
The drinks were cheap. The service wasn't so friendly, but I'm betting after a few visits, it would improve. Well, maybe.
We dropped in here on a lark, and, truth be told, while I love dive bars, I think I met my match. But by all means, go! listen to some blues! don't loiter. -
Review from Neil A.
Montara, CA
2/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
This is a shit hole even for a dive bar.....
Great location and I'm normally a dive bar fan but this place just blows. We ran into some wanna be biker dudes who called themselves regulars..... complete D-bags. Two taps at the bar and one was kicked. For Christ sake how hard it is to properly manage the beer inventory when you only have two stinking taps?? And what is with the geriatric bar queen dressing like she's 25? Very disturbing! -
Review from Awesome P.
Los Angeles, CA
9/8/2011
I heard awesome music coming from this little place while I was passing by columbus and went in. Crowded place, nice bartender, awesome music. People dancing to blues. And this was on a TUESDAY night!
If you're in your 20's: As with most blues places in the U.S., expect quite a few older people. But I felt that this bar had a good mix of old and young people. Another good place for blues is Gold Dust Lounge at union square, but that definitely had a lot more old people, and the music style was also older (happy-go-lucky kind of songs, contrast with more guitar-heavy stuff that I heard here).
Would definitely frequent this place in the next few weeks. Good place to come with friends or just to have a chat with the bartender. -
Review from mary ann c.
San Francisco, CA
9/21/2010
I felt like I was in a biker bar in NOLA watching Flavor Flav (dressed as a Halloween pimp) front for an OK Blues band
But I wasn't in NOLA, that wasn't Flavor Flav (he couldve been a bad singing pimp though) and it was just kind of a biker bar
Ive somehow managed to walk past this place more times than I can count over the past ten years - and never really noticed it - but we decided to stop in for a quick (and super cheap) beer
The crowd was the oddest mix of bikers, hipsters, tourists, old people, and a few dregs of humanity
The bartender looked miserable and tired REALLY tired and not in good health
Interesting - check
Fun - check (because I can have fun anywhere I go
A place you totally have to check out - no not really - thus the three stars instead of five -
Review from Kara B.
Sacramento, CA
6/29/2010 2 Check-ins Here
If you like blues, booze (or not), a little - or a lot of booty shakin, and you're not a choade, then, I highly recommend gettin yourself on over here.
Cool, dark bar with requisite divey bathrooms, and old timers. Amazing live blues bands.
What surprised me the most was hearing a booming deep blusey voice belting out some blues. And, all of that was coming from an older, tiny, geee-tar playing, Asian woman, dressed like she just came from her office cubicle!
Not only did she rock singing the blues, she is a bad-ass guitarist too! She even sang a blues song that she wrote while in Japan, and sung it in Japanese. She got a lot of people (even me) to get out there and shake what their mama gave em'. -
Review from Tatev S.
Glendale, CA
8/3/2010
Good Blues- check!
old school down to earth bartenders- check!
dancing to live music- check!
good liquor(even the box wine seems ok:)- check!
This place has been around since 1861 and it seems nothing much has changed about it!
I love SF! I love The Saloon!!!!! -
Review from Mark H.
San Francisco, CA
8/20/2010
For me there is a very good reason to come here on a Saturday night.
Ron Hacker, the 65 year old blues guitarist with his band .He plays here once or sometimes twice a month and for $5 you can see and hear this genius. He does a couple of sets starting at 9.30 pm and at the end of each set you can buy a c/d or book by him or even a t-shirt , if you ask politely he will sign your souvenir.
The grisseld barmen pour a quality drink and are more than fair to one and all.
Check the calender and visit this bar and hear Ron Hacker. It is a privilege.
http://www.sfblues.net... -
Review from Gary G.
Menlo Park, CA
5/9/2010
On a recent trip up to SF, my friends and I stumbled upon the Saloon while cruising through North Beach. (Stumbling is a frequent and welcomed means of travel in North Beach.)
In any event, I paid the $10 cover and went in with low expectations as can be expected of a bar called The Saloon off an alley from Little Italy.
I was pleasantly surprised, as can be expected of a bar called The Saloon off an alley from Little Italy that's jam packed with a diverse and friendly crowd, and echoing with searing blues licks of a kick ass house band. I've heard a lot of house blues bands in my 26 years, and this was one of the best. I was so into the music that I forgot the name, but I think it was Danny Castro and the (somethings)? I could just be making that up.
The downsides to this juke joint are that the bar is cash only and has a limited selection of brews, and the space is pretty tight if there's a good crowd. Still, I was so down with the music and already buzzed from earlier in the night that I didn't care.
Seriously, the music was tight, and it was really great to see people of all ages and backgrounds getting down. It reminded me of the guitar duel scene from the Crossroads. Good movie, go rent it.
Back to The Saloon - I had a great time. I was loving the floor, I think I danced with a 70 something year old woman and a Tibetan midget. It was a great night.
Overall, if you're looking for a spot to let loose and dance to rockin' blues or bluesin' rock with a packed house, this may be your place. -
Review from Corey V.
Updated - 7/5/2011
This place still rocks, but if you've been here before then you know that. It's nice to have a good old standby Saturday afternoon bar to have some drinks and enjoy live music.
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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11/16/2009
I still really love this place. Great live music, no nonsense crowd and cheap drinks.
I have it on… Read more »
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Review from Augie R.
5/10/2010
This place is not for everyone--it's a dive bar in every sense of the word--but it's a great place for people so inclined. The blue music is great, the bartenders are attentive, the crowd is incredibly diverse and interesting--what's not to love?
Of course, if you like your bars and bathrooms clean, this might not be the best place for you. But if you're into good music, cheap drinks, and people watching, this is the place! -
Review from Gina H.
Oakland, CA
7/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Fun, loud music with a lively crowd of passersby, tourists and locals alike. Reasonably priced for North Beach with mostly bottle service and full bar with Pabst on tap. I'll definitely return!
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Review from Drue C.
San Francisco, CA
12/20/2008
I truly thought that a dad getting a hooker for his son on his birthday was one of those things you heard about but didn't REALLY happen. I haven't met anyone yet who can confirm that this is how they spent their sweet 16. They just know someone who knows someone from the back hills of Montana who lost his cherry somewhere in Reno after a long road trip and some quality bonding.
At least that is the story I had until I came here and saw it with my very own two eyes. Except the son was 21 and still hadn't been laid and the dad was getting himself a piece of the action as well.
This is the sort of random scene you might stumble upon at this worn down hole in the wall that's has been around long enough to see it all. You never know exactly what you are going to get, with the exception of a strong drink and some kick ass live blues and jazz. Its just that sort of place. Full of surprises while providing a consistently interesting time each time you walk through the door. -
Review from Broke-Ass Stuart S.
San Francisco, CA
4/6/2009
From the outside this spot has a total biker bar look to it, but once you get in you realize that it is more of a 55 year olds getting drunk and dancing sort of spot. This fabled watering hole is one of the oldest in the City, and didn't burn down during the fire/earthquake of 1906 because the firemen wanted to save what was at the time also one of the City's favorite whorehouses.
Although the whores are gone, the bar is still here serving $3 well drinks and having live, mostly blues, music every night. Make sure to check out the stained glass windows near the front. Last night the bartender carded my friends and after they explained that they were carded at the door, the barkeep answered, "By who? That guy doesn't work here." So what if the crowd is old, smells a little, and is usually shit-faced drunk, the Saloon might just be the bar that all other dive bars are trying to emulate.
