San Francisco Nightclubs and Neighborhoods for New Year’s Eve
SAN FRANCISCO (PRWEB) December 21, 2017 -- According to WalletHub, San Francisco has the most New Year's Eve events per capita (not to mention the most music venues and nightlife options in general). There are parties, performances and special events for every visitor we welcome. The city attracts top talent who love to perform here, and our local nightlife trendsetters are always trying to outdo themselves.
In short, there's no better place for a bright, exciting and memorable New Year's Eve than San Francisco. San Francisco Travel provides a guide to what some top clubs are planning for the last night of the year. Learn more at http://www.sftravel.com/article/new-years-eve-guide-san-francisco-clubs.
AsiaSF (201 Ninth St.)
This local legend offers two seatings (7:30 and 9 p.m.) on New Year's Eve. Both include a four-course menu, party favors, and a live performance from The Ladies of AsiaSF; but only the 9 p.m. seating includes a champagne toast at the stroke of midnight and dancing in their downstairs nightclub.
Audio Nightclub (316 11th St.)
Audio is welcoming back Nora En Pure for New Year's Eve. The Swiss-based South African DJ, producer and musical maverick will be spinning her special blend of indie dance and deep house, after an opening set by Eli Wilkie. The party starts at 9:30 p.m.
DNA Lounge (375 11th St.)
There's nothing in San Francisco quite like Bootie, DNA Lounge's own mash-up dance party. Going on for over a decade, this non-stop explosion of creativity is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. If you never thought you'd hear Madonna and The Sex Pistols, or Lady Gaga and The Cure, or Adele and Green Day and Aerosmith all rolled into one, then you haven't been doing your mash-ups right. The New Year's Eve edition of Bootie will feature, among others, resident DJs Adrian A, Tyme, and Jimi G. The fun starts at 9 p.m. Here’s an inside tip: You can attend the NYE pre-party on Dec. 30 and see some of the same great talents!.
Halcyon (314 11th St.)
DJ Dan will be the master of ceremonies at Halcyon SF on New Year's Eve. Having played alongside the best in the business since the early 90s, DJ Dan is a legend whose sessions can't be missed. The dancing begins at 10 p.m. and promises to go well into the earliest hours of 2018.
Mezzanine (444 Jessie St.)
See METRIC live at Mezzanine on New Year's Eve. One of the most iconic indie synth rock bands to burst onto the scene, METRIC has played with the likes of Lou Reed and The Rolling Stones. Additional performers are still to be announced.
Oasis (298 11th St.)
Hosts Heklina and D'Arcy Drollinger will be welcoming the one-and-only Cazwell to the main stage as 2017 winds down. He'll be joined by some of San Francisco's most famous drag performers for a night of fun and mischief that won't even get started until 11:30 p.m. A VIP pre-party is also on the menu.
Verso (1525 Mission St.)
Verso will play host to NYE18, presented by Chris Fisher and Dustin Dolby. These two have brought in LA's DJ Morse Code to get everyone moving. NYE18 is your chance to do one last good deed this year, as a portion of the night's proceeds will benefit Napa and Sonoma fire relief. Bottle service will be available. The fun starts at 10 p.m.
"The Speakeasy" (Palace Theatre, 644 Broadway)
Boxcar Theatre’s immersive hit show "The Speakeasy" will open the swanky new Gaslamp Lounge for a New Year's Eve party. The Gaslamp Lounge is an 800-square-foot space space adjacent to "The Speakeasy" cabaret, with a coffered ceiling and seating for 40 people. The menu, designed by Producer and Bar Manager Geof Libby, includes rare aged whiskeys and “ingredients from all over the world: from fresh grapefruit and black lemon bitters to Jamaican rum and Swedish Punsch.” The party on December 31 will count down to the year 1928 with live music, passed hors d’oeuvres and handcrafted cocktails. Dancing and dessert cap the evening. VIP tickets give patrons access to the Gaslamp Lounge for special drinks, shrimp and caviar and rooftop access to watch San Francisco’s firework display.
San Francisco is a city of neighborhoods, each with its own character and nightlife that’s inviting any day and night of the year. Here are some suggested streets for bar hopping and exploration.
Valencia Street
A bastion of bohemian San Francisco, Valencia Street is the dynamic Mission District's official party zone and quite possibly the largest in the city. For live local acts, try The Chapel (777 Valencia St.) or The Elbo Room (647 Valencia St.), which sports a cozy bar downstairs and live music above. Packed lounges perfect for meeting people like Blondies (540 Valencia St.) and Skylark (3089 16th St.) also abound in the area. Valencia Street is easy to get to by taking BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) to 16th and Mission Streets and walking one block to the heart of the action.
Polk Street
Polk Street is a full city sampler just made for bar hopping the entire night away. Start with great happy hour specials at Blur (1121 Polk St.) and Vertigo (1160 Polk St.) before heading up to the Kozy Kar (1548 Polk St.) to meet the creative set. On the other side of Broadway, classy lounge Royal Oak (2201 Polk St.) and dance friendly Rouge (1500 Broadway) hold it down. If you get hungry, pop over to Nick's Crispy Tacos for a Taco Nick's Way (inside Rouge). The 19 Polk Muni bus runs the length of this nightlife district while the California Street cable car line will drop you right in the middle of it.
Union Street
This Marina District stretch has a distinctly casual collegiate vibe with its many sports bars and local watering holes. To chat up the friendly locals, drop into the historic dive bar Bus Stop (1901 Union St.) or Bar None (1980 Union St.), where a variety of bar games await. Get your craft beer craving fixed at The Brick Yard (1787 Union St.) and sample Northern California vino at West Coast Wine and Cheese (2165 Union St.), all easily accessible from downtown on the 41 or 45 Muni bus.
Columbus and Broadway
This area is home to San Francisco institutions like Vesuvio (255 Columbus Ave.), where the Beat poets used to gather for drinks, as well as Tosca Café (242 Columbus Ave.), where opera music plays while you enjoy spiked cappuccinos enjoyed in lush leather booths. Over at Doc's Lab (124 Columbus Ave.), local musical and comedic talent perform nightly, while festive locals rage at the Comstock Saloon (155 Columbus Ave.). To completely ditch the crowds, tuck into 15 Romolo (15 Romolo Pl.) for a cocktail. Take the 30 Stockton Muni bus from downtown and step off on Broadway.
Haight Street
San Francisco’s alternative scene is on full display on Haight Street. Check out the artsy design of NOC NOC (557 Haight St.) or the die-hard regular crowd at Molotov's (582 Haight St.) before heading over to Nickies (466 Haight St.) or the Peacock Lounge (552 Haight St.) for some dancing. The 7 Haight Muni bus gets you here from Market Street in a snap.
Duboce Triangle
Centered on Market Street where the Castro, Lower Haight and Mission Districts all come together, Duboce Triangle is a bustling nightlife area. Experience the vintage cool of dive bar Lucky 13 (2140 Market St.) or catch a live band at classic music venue Café Du Nord (2174 Market St.) before storming the mic yourself at the Mint Karaoke Lounge (1942 Market St.). Churchill (198 Church St.) and Blackbird (2124 Market St.) are friendly local bars worth checking out as well. Get here on the elegant F Market streetcar from downtown.
Union Square
Most people need a stiff drink after shopping till they drop. Luckily, the Union Square area transforms into a popping nightlife district after the sun goes down. Home to stylish lounges like Hawthorn (46 Geary St.), drinking dens like John Foley's Irish House (243 O’Farrell St.), which has live music nightly and hosts a dueling piano bar downstairs, plus nightclubs perched on top of historic hotels like the Starlight Room (450 Powell St.), Union Square will have you set for the night. Micro-brew fans should check out the selection at the Golden Gate Tap Room (449 Powell St.) and swing by the in-house brewery in Bartlett Hall (242 O’Farrell St.)
Divisadero Street
Stretching from the Castro to the Marina, Divisadero is packed with hip bars and cocktail lounges that make for some top notch bar hopping. DJs and local live music are usually spicing things up at the Madrone Art Bar (500 Divisadero St.), while over at Bar 821 (821 Divisadero St.) you can sample the city’s biggest selection of Fernet, a San Francisco favorite. Mini Bar SF (837 Divisadero St.) is cozy and showcases local artists while The Page (298 Divisadero St.) offers pool tables and foosball. The 24 Divisadero Muni bus runs the entire street.
Castro Street
While the entire City by the Bay is LGBTQ-friendly, the Castro is the official home of the community and the nightlife here is like nowhere else. Go people-watching, cocktail in hand, on the balcony at Lookout (3600 16th St.), get your body in motion on the dance floor at The Café (2369 Market St.) or just meet and greet at Moby Dick (4049 18th St.), a Castro landmark. Sports fans should also swing by Hi Tops (2247 Market St.) to catch the game. Take the F Market streetcar to the end and you are here.
Clement Street
This Inner Richmond strip is a bit of East meets West, with some of the city’s best Asian restaurants as well as a great line-up of Irish pubs that fill up every night of the week. Sway to authentic Celtic music over a proper Guinness pint at The Plough and the Stars (116 Clement St.), join the boisterous after-work crowd at The Bitter End (441 Clement St.) or Ireland's 32 (3920 Geary Blvd.), and check out the local bands at The Scarlett Lounge (408 Clement St.). Take the 38 Geary Muni bus to Arguello Boulevard.
Fillmore Street
San Francisco’s original jazz and blues district still keeps things bumping in standout joints like John Lee Hooker's Boom Boom Room (1601 Fillmore St.). Head north on Fillmore towards Pacific Heights from here for the Wine Jar (1870 Fillmore St.), offering tastings of vinos from around the world, and Harry's Bar (2020 Fillmore St.), where an excellent whiskey selection awaits. Take the 38 Geary Muni bus to Fillmore Street and you are in the bull’s eye.
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Laurie Armstrong, San Francisco Travel Association, +1 (415) 227-2615, [email protected]
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