The Café

A group of us came here after another friend of mines recommended this place for a good time. We went yesterday during SF Pride weekend and I must say… This is the place to be on Saturday nights. The music selection is Amaz-​ballz, the drinks were well made and priced reasonably.

Fun — crazy spot mix of people. Feels like the dance floor might cave in sometimes, but there’s always a story after a night here.

been in here to dance a few times im a fan

This place was so horrible. If I could give it a negative ten it still wouldn’t do my experience justice. It was dead! With a 5 dollar charge. The drinks were terrible. Like toilet water would have tasted better

I like this place, especially just for the drag show events. One star is for either for the security or the people that goes there. On 2÷8÷16 (Superbowl night), I only came just to watch the drag show which started at 10pm or so, I walk in alone, buy myself a drink, sitting by myself, after 30 minutes or so I see the police walk in. In my mind I was thinking something had happened, come to find out they’re escorting just me outside. They was told that someone saw me wearing black latex, which I was & for reasons only. I only told them that I just wore them just to keep my hands clean, & that was it. They let me back in after that, & plus the fact I didn’t even talk to anyone in there makes me mad just thinking about it. I felt so embarrassed, in the end I wont really know who falsify reported me.
Ps: Dont get too comfortable in places like this, especially if your by yourself.

Overall fun place!!! People are awesome! Vibes are good and the dance floor is spacious! I love that we can dance on the little stage!
Only negatives are cash only and the drinks could be a little stronger!
But love it there and will definitely be back!!!

I wasn’t that big a fan of this gay bar in the Castro, but I also came here at a pretty early time on a Friday night. My friend and I came here to meet up with some pals around 9 PM, and it turned out to be pretty empty. There was also a cover charge for that hour, which was honestly pretty annoying considering the fact that very few people were inside. Nonetheless, drinks were pretty good and cheap (the best part). I got a whiskey sour and an old fashioned for a total of $ 12. Not to mention that the old fashioned was SUPER STRONG — that definitely made up for the cover charge. Whiskey sour was a little heavy on the sour, but I didn’t complain since it was also pretty strong. When we left, it got a little more crowded, but still not too many people. I really wanted to dance, but no one was dancing, and my friends insisted on going to another bar in the Castro.

Came a little early to see the best action, but none the less this place is great. I wish I was a local to be able to enjoy happy hour here with my group. Yas!!!

Just got in. 6 bucks just to enter as soon as I order a drink and I m on the dance floor, got my drink down by a drunk couple and got them aggressive when i told them about my drink. Just cause i called the security to defend me i got kicked out and treated like a criminal. Just visiting SF there are way better place around with less problems… If you want to enjoy your evening don’ t go to this shiithole! And you can save your many for peaceful violence free environment!

Café today Sucks big time! Dj’s is so rude and nobody is dancing. I just want to put out there because I love this place and I’ve been here for 13 years!!! For a labor day weekend is terrible, not even the dancers can stand this!!!

The Café sucks tonight the music is horrible and the DJ is rude. I went to request a song and he shuted the door on my face. Honestly I Have been in this place for over 14 years and never had this kind of experience. PLEASE send this DJ to some place else!!! I love this place but I could not stand tonight!!!

I like this place, especially the drag shows. One star is for a female bar attendant by the DJ station for overcharging me for a beer. During the night I bought beers from other bar attenders and they all charge me the same amount. When I ordered from the female attendant I mentioned before, she charged me almost twice the amount.

The DJ on 7÷31÷15 was the worst. The end.
Ps– everyone was not dancing for a reason. Learn to mix it up and balance between house and hip hop.
If more than half are just standing around bouncing painfully out of pity, you should mix things up.
The worst.

How fun. It was only $ 5 to get in!
Once you get in you can go straight up the stairs to go into the club or straight back to get to coat check. The club had three bars… I think. Vending machines for snacks and a cute dance stage that did NOT go unused.
The crowd was super fun. Almost everyone was dancing and enjoying themselves. For the wallflowers there are plenty of chairs, couches and tables to sit back and watch the fun.
Drinks wise I would say my bartender was great. He mixed well. One Long Island had me rocking. It wasn’t a tall glass or anything so it didn’t do THAT MUCH, and it cost $ 15.
The bathrooms were nearly impossible to get in. Waaaay cramped but that’s a given anywhere you go that’s live and full of people.
All in all I felt nothing but good vibes and energy. I will be returning I’m sure.

Great vibes!
This place is two stories. The top floor contains the bar, male Gogo dancers, and a bunch of boys standing around talking. The bottom floor is where the magic is. The dance floor! I went on a Friday night and enjoyed how it wasn’t jammed packed. We weren’t shoulder to shoulder, so there was plenty of room to dance without bumping into people :)
Things to remember:
— $ 5 cover charge on Fridays
–cash only bar
— 90% guys, %10 girls (usually come with their gay friend)
— girls bathroom will have guys
I def recommend this place during a night out in Castro :)

This place was awesome!!! The vibe was great! Loved the look! Very very fun. The drinks were strong and at a fair price. The bathroom stall door was broken but otherwise no complaints here.

Every time we’re in Castro we hit up THE CAFE. It is defanatly one the biggest, funnest clubs/​bar at Castro. They used to host a LESBIAN party once a month but that has stopped, but we don’t mind attending other nights… mostly FRIDAYS and SAT. The drinks are cheap. they do run happy hour specials other nights of the week and also if you make it in before prime time on the weekends. Mondays they host DRAG QUEEN shows and Thursdays is LATIN night. Fun atmosphere and crowd, the staff is nice. DEF a good time for locals or people visiting.
Friday and Saturday nights covers are $ 5 before 10… goes up after that. Also ask about the bracelets for unlimeted drink (some nights).

Those dancers! I’ve never been so entertained at a dance club before. I saw a booty literally vibrate until I thought it was going to fall off.
Drinks seemed decently priced. $ 5 beers and there are waiters walking around with $ 2 A&F shots.

When in Castro, do as the Castronians do… go to the gay club on a Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday night. and the rest of the days of the week. Tis a welcoming environment.
I don’t think that I’ve gone one night in Castro without making it to Café at some point. One of the most popular nightlife spots here because of the multiple bars and multiple places to dance. Large in square footage, and larger in life when it comes to bumping butts with the Castro regulars and the beats of the DJ.
There are platforms everywhere with men dancing in next to nothing for atmospheric purposes. Barmen walking around with shots of sweet and sour who-​knows-​what-​just-​drink-​it making life easier when you’re in the middle of the dance floor, want a drink, but have not want to swerve through the masses to the bar. Convenience at it’s finest.
There is a coat check — because everyone ends up naked somehow at the end of the night, and an ATM since the bars are CASH ONLY. An extremely accommodating place to function. Oh, also, yes, cover on the popular nights, but well worth the $ 5-​$ 10.
Go to Castro, go to Café, grab a pizza after, and turn up at home. Sounds like a solid friday.

Once upon a time, there was a gay and merry place called Caféland. Caféland was a place where Queens roamed free, and openly welcomed people of all backgrounds, looks, and individuality. Caféland became known as a place to have fun, and became a destination for princesses seeking their prince charmings to go for a reprieve from the other balls they attend.
For years, Caféland held this unique welcoming atmosphere. But, not all was well in Caféland. Terrible jokers decided that Caféland should welcome them, and their lecherous ways. These jokers decided that they could impersonate the Queens that welcomed the princesses, and attempt to score a princess for the night.
The white knights of Caféland now have their hands full, kicking out these lecherous jokers who follow princesses into the restrooms. Drinks in Caféland have lost their kick. At the stroke of midnight, Caféland becomes a place where the scent of fish and BO permeates the land, far and wide. Though, the Queens still welcome any and all persons who come to their land and provide wonderful entertainment for them to enjoy.

went on a mission on the bart on a friday night just to get here, Lol. The crowd, everyone was really friendly. The venue was a good size, not too crowded, but not empty. The dancers all had great moves & nice bodies! Lol. The drinks are pretty cheap too! i was so surprised. maybe it was happy hour? 5 $ for shots/​mix drinks. Loved the bartender! most def would come bar hop here whenever im in sf!
cons: cash only. there’s an atm near the bar & there’s a service fee for 2.50 $ each time you pull out cash. i took money out twice that night. & on my bank statement they charged me $ 2.50 + $ 3.50 = $ 6. for service fee EACH TIME. WTF! –_​_​_​–

This seemed to be one of the happening Castro clubs on a Saturday night. We got there early, around 9:30 and it wasn’t too crowded, which gave us a chance to explore a little and find the best bartender. By 11 the place was packed, and kept getting more and more packed (no pun intended, but hilarious regardless).
There was a $ 5 cover charge last night, one of the queens from RuPaul’s drag race was performing there that night, which was a fun unexpected event. They had a deal at the door, buy a wristband for $ 25 and get one free drink and half off drinks the rest of the night. Pretty sweet deal because our group just ended up giving our money to the couple that bought the wristbands and had half off drinks all night!
This place has 2 bars, one on the lower dance floor and another upstairs by an unused pool table and the bathrooms. We found the upstairs bar was the better makers of fine cocktails. Our go-​to girl was super nice, made em fast, and made em strong. She recommended a White Gummy Bear to one of us and we all ended up drinking them all night, deliciously sweet and alcoholic!
The club is on the second floor of the building with giant windows looking down to Castro and the city on the dance floor. The music was awesome, sweet dance mixes to popular songs along with music videos on several screens around the club.
There is also a raised sort of area on the dance floor where half naked dancers, both male and female, come up on every now and then. Eye candy is always a nice touch. That’s also where RuPaul’s drag queen performed her number.
If you didn’t want to brave the crowds of the bars, a girl was walking around with $ 2 shots, had a few of those and they were delicious! Ins and outs are cool with this place too if you needed some air or some smoke in your lungs.
The Café is a fun place to party, gays and straights alike!

Came here to support my gay friends in having a good time. (disclaimer: I’m straight)
Parking is available on the street.
Cover was $ 5, which relatively steep for gay bars apparently, but my friends tell me this is the place to be.
The bar area is off to one side, and there is a metal bridge over the entrance staircase where go-​go dancers do their thing. I would say the place was 95+% gay, based on the people. Never felt so gay in my life. Hands down.
Drinks here can be served in these frosted cups with blinky LEDs at the bottom. I think you have to pay extra though.
The music was way too loud for my liking. I was piled up against my friends and still couldn’t hear what they were saying.
My one biggest complaint here is that I didn’t feel too safe here. Not from getting oogled or fondled by other guys or whatnot, but I felt I was going to get trampled. This place is WAY too packed. I spilled my drink several times because I couldn’t even leave the bar area without 30 people piling into me. If you are claustrophobic, this place is NOT for you. And this obviously creates a major fire hazard (no pun intended), as the only exit I could see was the narrow staircase where you come in (again, no pun intended). I ended up sitting on a window sill along the edge.
With that said, some of my friends had a REALLY good time. I could see them all giggling to each other. Especially after one of them got a peck on the cheek from one of the go-​go dancers.
If you’re queer and don’t mind potentially burning to death, this is the place to be.

OH The Café… Nothing but good memories here, and good times!
They play good music here, a mix of mainly EDM and sometimes a little hip hop. I think the cover is only $ 5 here on Saturdays. There is a pool table, the bathrooms are clean and the vibe here is great as well.
When I’m in my heels, it is a little scary walking up and down the stairs, and the worst part of it. would be the «truncated domes». lol the little half circle mounds that you can easily trip over. It’s kind of an odd place to put those. I think they are used to assist the blind?
I’ve been here once for happy hour, 2 for 1 drinks, but not for shots. poot :(. Come here for a chill happy hour and sit by the windows and people watch everyone on the ground level, or come here any random Friday/​Saterday night if you want to dance!
Cash only!