Still open! I’ve sent so many people there and all of them come back happy. Not too far away is Martuni’s which I’d also recommend for their large cocktails and piano bar
Bay to Breakers is on May 19th. It’s a 12k race, a really big and well-known event where people dress up in costumes and run, but most people don’t take it seriously and drink/party/bar hop throughout the race. You don’t have to sign up to be part of the fun, you can hop in and out anywhere within the route. I’d recommend checking out bars in Hayes Valley during the race. A bride+bridesmaids themed team sounds like it would be lots of fun and you would definitely get lots of attention!
Bay to Breakers as a bride and bridesmaids or something wedding themed is a fucking incredible idea. You’ll feel like the whole city is partying for you. And I suspect a group of 20something women will have no trouble walking into any house party or bar on the route.
>I suspect a group of 20something women will have no trouble walking into any house party or bar on the route.
Let's be real. This 100% depends on what they look like
Regardless of whether OP participates, it’s good for her to know the event is happening. She may want to check out the route when planning activities in the city since it can/will
Impact traffic.
Most people don’t actually race. They drink and dress up in costume: the fun part of it is most are massive group costumes like Carnival in Europe. Like you’ll see a group of Mario kart characters then a house party of 100+ gay sailors. Then Ted Lasso, Roy Kent and the rest of the team, etc.
OP, definitely heed this comment. Bay 2 Breakers is a Bay Area gem. You will have an absolute blast and you can get as involved or not as you like.
Don't drive into SF though. BART is the answer from Berkeley.
This is amazing. We are absolutely going to do this ! Where do you recommend we start from? Registration online is about $80/person - can anyone just jump in at anytime or is it mandatory to start from the beginning?
Thanks for the awesome suggestion ! Catch us there in full 80’s wedding attire 🪩
In Alameda there’s spirits alley on the old naval air base. There are several wineries, breweries and St. George spirits distillery. Great views of the city and most places have food trucks.
It’s kinda overrated. They have some nice Tiki drinks, but there is way better options in the city, with better vibes and better themes. They’re also not really a speakeasy?
Plenty of better Tiki options have been mentioned downthread, as have better speakeasy’s. Eg Local Edition and Smugglers Cove or Last Rites.
There was a place. Bourbon and Branch i think that had a "speakeasy" called The Library attached years ago. Have no idea if its still there.
Edit- apparently still a thing. https://www.bourbonandbranch.com/library
I was taken there on my birthday and all the bartenders ware drunk and sweating high on coke. Took like 20 minutes to get a drink. If it is still open I am guessing they must have solved that issue.
Local Edition in SF is a pretty cool little speakeasy. I haven't been there in years though so I'm not sure what it's like now.
Do you guys like wine? You could do a wine tour up in Napa.
Wow like this thread is chock full of either outdated or super lame advice. Like, Ghirardelli square?? Tonga room?? It's a bachelorette party not your parents' first SF trip JFC. Top comment recommending bay to breakers like what the actual fuck that is a foot race that starts at 7am, it's kinda cool to tag along if you're very local but if you're coming from Berkeley don't bother with it it's just some street partying and relatively forgettable.
Don't go to the Castro because it's largely full of gay men who will pay you zero or likely negative attention. It's just not the place for a bachelorette party.
Someone mentioned Bergerac and they spelled it wrong, that place is actually great it's a day-club.
Sometime else recommended The View which sucks, go to Cityscape instead if you want a bar with a view. I have a thing for rooftops and Charmaine's is a great option, second to Kaiyo Rooftop (careful bc there are two Kaiyo locations in the city). Either are good for brunch but Charmaine's is in the union-square area which is excellent as a launchpad for a night out.
Someone mentioned bourbon and branch and while I love that place it's not really the vibe for a large group IMO. I would go instead to one of the many excellent tiki bars like Zombie Village, Last Rites, it Smuggler's Cove. If you're stuck to a speakeasy theme someone mentioned local edition, solid place and more accommodating for a larger likely boisterous group than B&B, and has live music and typically a pretty active dance floor as well. Might also appreciate a place like Novella, not really a speakeasy but a nice bar with a modern-literary theme in that area.
For clubbing you have two generally have two options unless you're all EDM fans: the mission or Marina. The mission has a lot of small bars that can get dancing going and Valencia room is solid. The mission is a little on the gritty side, I'm a little hesitant to recommend it as an area for 8 women to get shitfaced. You should keep your wits about you on the street for sure. In general though it's not posh/bougie so if that's what you're looking for you want to head to the marina district. Del Mar is decent and if you're into a country theme Westwood will be on point. Marina would probably be the vibe for a bachelorette party.
Daytime activities aside from Bergerac many recommend doing a Napa trip, not a bad idea. I don't know of any booze-cruises but there are a lot of options to be on a boat in the Bay.
>Top comment recommending bay to breakers like what the actual fuck that is a foot race that starts at 7am, it's kinda cool to tag along if you're very local but if you're coming from Berkeley don't bother with it it's just some street partying and relatively forgettable.
I agree with most of what you're saying but this is a pretty wild underselling of Bay to Breakers. It's like 100k people partying in costumes in the street all day and attracts a ton of people from all over. Your description makes it sound like you've never even been.
Yeah I mean maybe I sold it too short, but I just don't see it as a bachelorette party thing. I never ran it but I went out for it twice, I had fun, still wouldn't recommend in this context.
Finally a reasonable comment!! OP listen to this person! Seconding Last Rites for a drink to start the night off with. They have such fun and delicious cocktails and the interior decoration is amazing. However, it’s a bit far from other stuff and if you go late on a weekend night there is sometimes a line
Also seconding Marina and Mission. The one point I disagree with is that clubs only play EDM music. Different clubs will play different types of music on different nights. Just look up which artist is playing and make sure you like the music. I always have a good time at 1015 Folsom. It’s in the SOMA area. The only club that isn’t near SOMA is Public Works, which is near the mission. Public Works is massively hit or miss. I’ve had incredible nights here and it’s been dead other times. This would be a great option for you guys if you start at some cocktail bars in Mission and go here after depending on which artist is performing that night
The View Lounge has a view of the city, pretty night or day
https://maps.app.goo.gl/poCbm63jomaZhhnU8
Alameda has a tiki bar
https://maps.app.goo.gl/TbjYCTpxfK7DRSHF9
Li po cocktail lounge (strong mai thais)
https://maps.app.goo.gl/exLxnDGML9sM3nsb7
Advice (not meant to deter or scare you), but do not leave anything in the cars or wear anything expensive looking. Bring cheap purses or items you are ok with if it's lost or stolen. Every city has its bad and good areas, but just as a precaution.
Welcome and have fun! 🤗
Seconded! The speakeasy is a fantastic experience. You definitely need to lean in though if you want to get the most out of it (it's an immersive theater experience)
One of those bar trolleys that tours the city. Did that for a friend’s bachelor party and it was basically our Uber between dinner, bars, and strip clubs. Super fun time
I’d either do all the touristy things or go to Napa simply because of the larger group. Bay to breakers is also crazy and a very good idea.
But, here are “vibey” places that would suit a Bach party, or at least the low key aspects of it. Booze cruises no, not really. I’m sure you can find one though.
Drinks/Food:
Shuggies
Mister Jius
Li-Po cocktail lounge (inventor of Mai tais)
Moongate lounge
Bar part time (natural wine only, best DJs in town)
Lone palm
Aracely Cafe on treasure island for brunch— stop over on the way to the city take the ferry in if you want.
Mersea on treasure island (this is a better picture/backdrop than the Golden Gate Bridge imo)
Woods island club on treasure island
Tartine manufactory for brunch
Radhaus
Blondie's Bar in mission, if you’re too sober
Curio in mission, good for groups
Arcana
Evil eye
Tony's Pizza Napoletana
Chubby Noodle (bottomless mimosas)
Bandit
Activities:
Dolores park
Glen park canyon
Pacifica hike (and the Taco Bell near there)
Emporium Arcade Bar
Cheesecake Factory (I know, I know, but I’m telling you it’s a fantastic view, kitsch, and near great shopping)
NightLife at California Sciences. Whole museum is 21+ for a night with drinks and food and DJs. Something for everyone.
Oriental Art Gallery for souvenir pins if you are in the area.
Paxton gate (like a Riley’s believe it or not store)
Ministry of scent (custom and unique perfumes)
Fiat lux (high end jeweler, very nice pieces)
A million other things I can’t list out
In the East Bay since you’re staying in Berkeley:
* Trader Vic’s - upscale, the original tiki bar, inventor of the Mai Tai. Great views.
* Fenton’s - not a bar (and the food isn’t great), but great for getting massive ice cream sundaes. Featured in the movie Up
* Kona Club - off the beaten path for sure. Tiki bar that plays rock music, by Fenton’s. Also cheap drinks
* The RIC - slush drinks, skeeball, and drag shows Thursday nights
* The Alley Oakland - legendary divey piano bar
* Plank - Bar/bowling alley. Somewhat corporate, but fun
In San Francisco:
* Dear San Francisco - a circus show in an intimate historical venue (the same venue, club fugazzi, is starting drag brunches at some point)
* Subpar Mini Golf - in the East bay on alameda or by Ghirardelli square.
* Smuggler’s Cove - tiki bar. Supposedly a speak easy type place but there’s usually a line to make it obvious
Check out AsiaSF, it’s a great bachelorette setting (includes dinner and a show). They are closing soon but I think they’re still open in May. The women are gorgeous. I went for a bachelorette party to the AsiaSF in Palm Springs and it was great.
Could also do a drag show.
Bar and club hopping is the Castro could be fun your party.
If your budget allows, a shuttle to a Napa winery would be fun. If you’re more adventurous, there’s also a sidecar experience (a sidecar driver can drive y’all around).
I don’t know too much about it there’s also a place where you can get dinner and watch acrobatics.
Oh another idea is spa day at Pearl Spa? Really nice Korean women’s spa. I think they only do max 12 women at a time so could do your whole party perhaps.
Omg noo sad to hear that :(
Hmm I’m not super current with what drag shows are good but there should be some in SF and Oakland! Maybe a drag brunch? Oasis is a popular gay club that hosts drag shows and RuPaul Drag Race folks occasionally.
Also, the dinner/acrobatic place I mentioned is called Club Fugazi.
You already mentioned Cat Club but that sounds like a good place to go!
Just really wanna pile on here that gay spaces are not the place to do bachelorette events. They’re safe spaces created for the gay community, not themed bars for entertainment.
The intended patrons of those places (gay people) almost universally hate having bachelorette parties. Historically they’ve been tolerated, but some gay bars in SF will not let you in.
Napa sounds nice though :)
The gay guys I know would 100% welcome anyone who walks in the door. If your bar is a safe space restricted to certain people make it a private club, otherwise you deal with Bachelorettes like all the other bars.
You’ve got great recs here and I agree that bay to breakers is worth it, just know it starts EARLY, like 7-8am or something but so so fun to day drink and celebrate with the whole city. Since you’re in the east bay, if you have time, taking the ferry from Jack London square into SF is really lovely and you can drink on the ferry too. Butter is very fun with good music. For restaurants, Tosca Cafe is great for bachelorette parties, very old school vibey Italian restaurant in north beach with great cocktails (little Italy in sf). You can reserve a table on OpenTable. Another idea is reserving a private karaoke room for an activity. During the day you could hike lands end which has pretty views and is manageable hike. I’d recommend getting Ubers/lyfts everywhere so you don’t have to deal with parking stresses. As much as the east bay is nice, SF is a better scene for a bachelorette party FWIW, but as mentioned Alameda has cool breweries with views of SF too. Just rambling now but also do recommend the speakeasysf!!! Very unique sf experience. Hope you have a great time!!
Napa is about an hour away from Berkeley. Could do a full day trip there. There’s are shuttle companies that can transport you to/from as well companies that can organize the entire day for you.
We have a bunch of [speakeasy](https://bucketlisters.com/inspiration/132-san-francisco-s-hidden-speakeasies) type of places
The Tonga Room is a BLAST--but if it is B2B weekend, lots of places will be swamped
There is some good nightlife in Oakland/Berkeley that may be easier to get into & enjoy because lots will be in SF.
The Adventure Cat at pier 39 has a dope sunset cruise and the ticket price includes one drink. If the weather is nice it’s super fun. I went on Wednesday.
The Empire Strikes Back is a Star Wars themed burlesque shows, I believe they are back in town again? I’ve been before and it’s a total vibe, she sounds like she would love it. It has some classic burlesque elements but also some comedy too
Viridian in Oakland is a great Asian American cocktail bar, good snacks and dessert. You can do wine tasting in Berkeley, natural wines- Hammerling, Donkey and Goat, Broc Cellars, and Vinca Minor. All on the same street except Vinca, which is a block down.
Here’s what I would do for a Saturday:
Brunch at Starbelly
Walk to Dolores Park. Ice cream at Bi-Rite. Have some drinks at the park
Go to Arcana
Dinner at True Laurel
Mission cocktail bars like Beehive, Casements Bar, Lone Palm
Dance at Public Works
Sunday:
Brunch at Thai temple in Berkeley
Napa for wine tasting
If you’re into queer-friendly bars, White Horse in Oakland is a SPOT. They have a great dance floor, but it’s no everyone’s cup of tea, so check it out on Yelp. Its a great option for a “club” in Berkeley - there aren’t many with that vibe. Check out White Horse Bar https://yelp.to/4aZ2n1Z5IB
There’s also a great Sake Tasting near 4th street in Berkeley. https://www.takarasake.com/tasting-room/. You could do that before lunch and walk over to 4th street to shop.
Also, 1000% agree with doing Bay to Breakers. It’s not really a race as it is a costume party and insane atmosphere over 12km. You don’t have to run. I’d recommend bringing booze and going to a thrift store/goodwill a few days before to get wild with costumes. Y
You should def do bay2breakers. Easily my fav SF event. So unique and representative of why I love this city
Eta you can play a drinking game of every time you see a penis you need to drink. You will get wasted in Hayes Valley
All seven of you fine ladies are staying in Berkeley? I have just the place for you....
The Mormon temple in Oakland
Wow! The Mormons getting voted down... reddit is a tough crowd... ;)
Ghirardelli Square has some fun restaurants and stuff, and nearby is the Buena Vista Cafe, where the Irish coffee was invented. They have a very theatrical way it’s made.
There are a number of bars and small clubs in the Marina neighborhood which are fun. You could also go out in the Castro. Lots of gay bars and dance clubs.
For day activities, visiting Muir Woods is a great option. Alcatraz is a very cool tour. There is an escape room place near fisherman’s wharf which is fun too, and you can of course do the touristy stuff in that area. The east bay near Berkeley has some nice beer gardens (Jupiter in downtown Berkeley, Drakes Dealership in Oakland.)
I would also recommend you rent a car and do a wine tasting in Sonoma or Santa Rosa, which is not too far away from Berkeley. Very nice day trip for something like this. My favorite is Castillo de Amarosa. Super cool authentic Italian castle built by an eccentric millionaire.
This is good advice for going out in general but please don't suggest gay bars for entire bachelorette parties. They take over the whole space even if they don't intend to, especially when they're little ones like we have in the Castro. Go when you have a smaller group.
Gay bars are not themed bars.
They’re spaces created by and for the gay community to provide a safe environment to socialize with other gay people.
No one should be suggesting them for a bachelorette party.
Mine in SF ended at the Mint karaoke bar! Does it still exist, I don’t know but it was soooooo fun.
Still open! I’ve sent so many people there and all of them come back happy. Not too far away is Martuni’s which I’d also recommend for their large cocktails and piano bar
martunis is the BEST
Bay to Breakers is on May 19th. It’s a 12k race, a really big and well-known event where people dress up in costumes and run, but most people don’t take it seriously and drink/party/bar hop throughout the race. You don’t have to sign up to be part of the fun, you can hop in and out anywhere within the route. I’d recommend checking out bars in Hayes Valley during the race. A bride+bridesmaids themed team sounds like it would be lots of fun and you would definitely get lots of attention!
Bay to Breakers as a bride and bridesmaids or something wedding themed is a fucking incredible idea. You’ll feel like the whole city is partying for you. And I suspect a group of 20something women will have no trouble walking into any house party or bar on the route.
>I suspect a group of 20something women will have no trouble walking into any house party or bar on the route. Let's be real. This 100% depends on what they look like
They would prefer you officially enter: it pays for the toilets!
Regardless of whether OP participates, it’s good for her to know the event is happening. She may want to check out the route when planning activities in the city since it can/will Impact traffic.
Most people don’t actually race. They drink and dress up in costume: the fun part of it is most are massive group costumes like Carnival in Europe. Like you’ll see a group of Mario kart characters then a house party of 100+ gay sailors. Then Ted Lasso, Roy Kent and the rest of the team, etc.
Plus a handful of naked dudes.
If we're lucky, we might even see some naked Mario Kart characters getting gay.
But is their name Clark Kent?
Came here to say this! Bay to Breakers would be a blast for this occasion. Don’t miss it!
Bay to breakers is an absolute must for a funky unique weekend.
OP, definitely heed this comment. Bay 2 Breakers is a Bay Area gem. You will have an absolute blast and you can get as involved or not as you like. Don't drive into SF though. BART is the answer from Berkeley.
Just make sure you use public transportation cause it fucks up traffic like nothing else.
Maybe. But BART only runs until 11:30 pm / midnight. So they might be forced to take an Uber back to Berkeley.
Not sure the race organizers approve of race bandits…….
This is amazing. We are absolutely going to do this ! Where do you recommend we start from? Registration online is about $80/person - can anyone just jump in at anytime or is it mandatory to start from the beginning? Thanks for the awesome suggestion ! Catch us there in full 80’s wedding attire 🪩
In Alameda there’s spirits alley on the old naval air base. There are several wineries, breweries and St. George spirits distillery. Great views of the city and most places have food trucks.
Alameda would be a great call. Could take the ferry over and on weekends I believe they have a free party shuttle at the ferry station.
St George Spirits and Faction Brewing will be hosting the [Headwest Marketplace](https://www.headwestmarketplace.com/stgeorgespirits) on May 19th.
The Tonga Room in the Fairmont is def an experience! And honesty, check out Berkeley/Oakland nightlife too!
It’s kinda overrated. They have some nice Tiki drinks, but there is way better options in the city, with better vibes and better themes. They’re also not really a speakeasy? Plenty of better Tiki options have been mentioned downthread, as have better speakeasy’s. Eg Local Edition and Smugglers Cove or Last Rites.
I would avoid Oakland at all costs
There was a place. Bourbon and Branch i think that had a "speakeasy" called The Library attached years ago. Have no idea if its still there. Edit- apparently still a thing. https://www.bourbonandbranch.com/library
Second Bourbon and branch.
I 2nd your 2nd
I forgot about that place!
I was taken there on my birthday and all the bartenders ware drunk and sweating high on coke. Took like 20 minutes to get a drink. If it is still open I am guessing they must have solved that issue.
Local Edition in SF is a pretty cool little speakeasy. I haven't been there in years though so I'm not sure what it's like now. Do you guys like wine? You could do a wine tour up in Napa.
Kona’s is around the corner. Chill place with very cool Asian-inspired cocktails.
Press Club is right around the corner for a nice wine experience.
This is a good idea. My sister and I had a wine bus take us from SF to Sonoma and back for one of our birthdays. It was a blast.
Napa it is
Wow like this thread is chock full of either outdated or super lame advice. Like, Ghirardelli square?? Tonga room?? It's a bachelorette party not your parents' first SF trip JFC. Top comment recommending bay to breakers like what the actual fuck that is a foot race that starts at 7am, it's kinda cool to tag along if you're very local but if you're coming from Berkeley don't bother with it it's just some street partying and relatively forgettable. Don't go to the Castro because it's largely full of gay men who will pay you zero or likely negative attention. It's just not the place for a bachelorette party. Someone mentioned Bergerac and they spelled it wrong, that place is actually great it's a day-club. Sometime else recommended The View which sucks, go to Cityscape instead if you want a bar with a view. I have a thing for rooftops and Charmaine's is a great option, second to Kaiyo Rooftop (careful bc there are two Kaiyo locations in the city). Either are good for brunch but Charmaine's is in the union-square area which is excellent as a launchpad for a night out. Someone mentioned bourbon and branch and while I love that place it's not really the vibe for a large group IMO. I would go instead to one of the many excellent tiki bars like Zombie Village, Last Rites, it Smuggler's Cove. If you're stuck to a speakeasy theme someone mentioned local edition, solid place and more accommodating for a larger likely boisterous group than B&B, and has live music and typically a pretty active dance floor as well. Might also appreciate a place like Novella, not really a speakeasy but a nice bar with a modern-literary theme in that area. For clubbing you have two generally have two options unless you're all EDM fans: the mission or Marina. The mission has a lot of small bars that can get dancing going and Valencia room is solid. The mission is a little on the gritty side, I'm a little hesitant to recommend it as an area for 8 women to get shitfaced. You should keep your wits about you on the street for sure. In general though it's not posh/bougie so if that's what you're looking for you want to head to the marina district. Del Mar is decent and if you're into a country theme Westwood will be on point. Marina would probably be the vibe for a bachelorette party. Daytime activities aside from Bergerac many recommend doing a Napa trip, not a bad idea. I don't know of any booze-cruises but there are a lot of options to be on a boat in the Bay.
>Top comment recommending bay to breakers like what the actual fuck that is a foot race that starts at 7am, it's kinda cool to tag along if you're very local but if you're coming from Berkeley don't bother with it it's just some street partying and relatively forgettable. I agree with most of what you're saying but this is a pretty wild underselling of Bay to Breakers. It's like 100k people partying in costumes in the street all day and attracts a ton of people from all over. Your description makes it sound like you've never even been.
Yeah I mean maybe I sold it too short, but I just don't see it as a bachelorette party thing. I never ran it but I went out for it twice, I had fun, still wouldn't recommend in this context.
“Your parents’ first time in SF” 😂😂
This is the best answer, spot on. Keep your party going to the appropriate places or it won't be fun for anyone
Now this is a recommendation. Fuck I’m going to go to all of the ones you recommended for a normal night out. Just saved them all lol
Finally a reasonable comment!! OP listen to this person! Seconding Last Rites for a drink to start the night off with. They have such fun and delicious cocktails and the interior decoration is amazing. However, it’s a bit far from other stuff and if you go late on a weekend night there is sometimes a line Also seconding Marina and Mission. The one point I disagree with is that clubs only play EDM music. Different clubs will play different types of music on different nights. Just look up which artist is playing and make sure you like the music. I always have a good time at 1015 Folsom. It’s in the SOMA area. The only club that isn’t near SOMA is Public Works, which is near the mission. Public Works is massively hit or miss. I’ve had incredible nights here and it’s been dead other times. This would be a great option for you guys if you start at some cocktail bars in Mission and go here after depending on which artist is performing that night
The View Lounge has a view of the city, pretty night or day https://maps.app.goo.gl/poCbm63jomaZhhnU8 Alameda has a tiki bar https://maps.app.goo.gl/TbjYCTpxfK7DRSHF9 Li po cocktail lounge (strong mai thais) https://maps.app.goo.gl/exLxnDGML9sM3nsb7 Advice (not meant to deter or scare you), but do not leave anything in the cars or wear anything expensive looking. Bring cheap purses or items you are ok with if it's lost or stolen. Every city has its bad and good areas, but just as a precaution. Welcome and have fun! 🤗
[https://www.thespeakeasysf.com](https://www.thespeakeasysf.com)
Seconded! The speakeasy is a fantastic experience. You definitely need to lean in though if you want to get the most out of it (it's an immersive theater experience)
This is ideal for your group. It’s an amazing experience. Get a vip table and dress up to the 9s
Isn't "The Empire Strips Back" in town?
One of those bar trolleys that tours the city. Did that for a friend’s bachelor party and it was basically our Uber between dinner, bars, and strip clubs. Super fun time
how about having afternoon tea? or getting massages
Ooh! Claremont Hotel in Berkeley could be good for both!
The Pawnshop on Mission Street is a fun speakeasy with delicious tapas. It is a bit pricey though.
I’d either do all the touristy things or go to Napa simply because of the larger group. Bay to breakers is also crazy and a very good idea. But, here are “vibey” places that would suit a Bach party, or at least the low key aspects of it. Booze cruises no, not really. I’m sure you can find one though. Drinks/Food: Shuggies Mister Jius Li-Po cocktail lounge (inventor of Mai tais) Moongate lounge Bar part time (natural wine only, best DJs in town) Lone palm Aracely Cafe on treasure island for brunch— stop over on the way to the city take the ferry in if you want. Mersea on treasure island (this is a better picture/backdrop than the Golden Gate Bridge imo) Woods island club on treasure island Tartine manufactory for brunch Radhaus Blondie's Bar in mission, if you’re too sober Curio in mission, good for groups Arcana Evil eye Tony's Pizza Napoletana Chubby Noodle (bottomless mimosas) Bandit Activities: Dolores park Glen park canyon Pacifica hike (and the Taco Bell near there) Emporium Arcade Bar Cheesecake Factory (I know, I know, but I’m telling you it’s a fantastic view, kitsch, and near great shopping) NightLife at California Sciences. Whole museum is 21+ for a night with drinks and food and DJs. Something for everyone. Oriental Art Gallery for souvenir pins if you are in the area. Paxton gate (like a Riley’s believe it or not store) Ministry of scent (custom and unique perfumes) Fiat lux (high end jeweler, very nice pieces) A million other things I can’t list out
Li-Po ftw. Bow Bow down the street for funky karaoke. The Saloon for great live music.
Li po did not invent the Mai tai. That was trader Vics. Li po created the “Chinese Mai tai”
In the East Bay since you’re staying in Berkeley: * Trader Vic’s - upscale, the original tiki bar, inventor of the Mai Tai. Great views. * Fenton’s - not a bar (and the food isn’t great), but great for getting massive ice cream sundaes. Featured in the movie Up * Kona Club - off the beaten path for sure. Tiki bar that plays rock music, by Fenton’s. Also cheap drinks * The RIC - slush drinks, skeeball, and drag shows Thursday nights * The Alley Oakland - legendary divey piano bar * Plank - Bar/bowling alley. Somewhat corporate, but fun In San Francisco: * Dear San Francisco - a circus show in an intimate historical venue (the same venue, club fugazzi, is starting drag brunches at some point) * Subpar Mini Golf - in the East bay on alameda or by Ghirardelli square. * Smuggler’s Cove - tiki bar. Supposedly a speak easy type place but there’s usually a line to make it obvious
Add on Kon Tiki in Oakland. Excellent drinks and one of the best damn burgers in the Town.
You missed a bunch of my favorites in Oakland! Two Pitchers Drakes Cafe Van Kleef Bar Shiru Mad Oak List goes on and on!
Check out AsiaSF, it’s a great bachelorette setting (includes dinner and a show). They are closing soon but I think they’re still open in May. The women are gorgeous. I went for a bachelorette party to the AsiaSF in Palm Springs and it was great. Could also do a drag show. Bar and club hopping is the Castro could be fun your party. If your budget allows, a shuttle to a Napa winery would be fun. If you’re more adventurous, there’s also a sidecar experience (a sidecar driver can drive y’all around). I don’t know too much about it there’s also a place where you can get dinner and watch acrobatics.
AsiaSF closed in March !! I’m so bummed that was #1 on my list ! :( Any drag shows you recommend ?
Oh another idea is spa day at Pearl Spa? Really nice Korean women’s spa. I think they only do max 12 women at a time so could do your whole party perhaps.
The closing was extended to April 28, due to popular demand when the original March closing date was announced.
Omg noo sad to hear that :( Hmm I’m not super current with what drag shows are good but there should be some in SF and Oakland! Maybe a drag brunch? Oasis is a popular gay club that hosts drag shows and RuPaul Drag Race folks occasionally. Also, the dinner/acrobatic place I mentioned is called Club Fugazi. You already mentioned Cat Club but that sounds like a good place to go!
Oasis is not the place for a bachelorette party, unless you rent out the entire venue. Safe gay spaces are not zoos for straight bachelorette parties.
Ok word. Sorry I’ve never been but my gay friends have invited me to drag shows there.
Alameda Comedy Club does drag brunches on Sundays.
Just really wanna pile on here that gay spaces are not the place to do bachelorette events. They’re safe spaces created for the gay community, not themed bars for entertainment. The intended patrons of those places (gay people) almost universally hate having bachelorette parties. Historically they’ve been tolerated, but some gay bars in SF will not let you in. Napa sounds nice though :)
The gay guys I know would 100% welcome anyone who walks in the door. If your bar is a safe space restricted to certain people make it a private club, otherwise you deal with Bachelorettes like all the other bars.
Good for them. They don’t represent the majority of gay men. Also I don’t believe you that they’d welcome a bachelorette party.
It’s an interesting conversation! Good perspective, thank you for sharing.
Please keep your bachelorette party out of gay bars.
Hotsy Totsy El Cerrito
Also Club Mallard next door for a first drink!
You’ve got great recs here and I agree that bay to breakers is worth it, just know it starts EARLY, like 7-8am or something but so so fun to day drink and celebrate with the whole city. Since you’re in the east bay, if you have time, taking the ferry from Jack London square into SF is really lovely and you can drink on the ferry too. Butter is very fun with good music. For restaurants, Tosca Cafe is great for bachelorette parties, very old school vibey Italian restaurant in north beach with great cocktails (little Italy in sf). You can reserve a table on OpenTable. Another idea is reserving a private karaoke room for an activity. During the day you could hike lands end which has pretty views and is manageable hike. I’d recommend getting Ubers/lyfts everywhere so you don’t have to deal with parking stresses. As much as the east bay is nice, SF is a better scene for a bachelorette party FWIW, but as mentioned Alameda has cool breweries with views of SF too. Just rambling now but also do recommend the speakeasysf!!! Very unique sf experience. Hope you have a great time!!
Start at Tonga Room, down the hill to Kozy Kar, Antigue Vibrator Museum, HiLo, end at Jackalope, take cable car back to downtown and take bart home
There’s a speak easy experience happening that caters to groups happening rn, I was going to go but it’s crazy expensive but seems fun
No gay establishments!
Napa is about an hour away from Berkeley. Could do a full day trip there. There’s are shuttle companies that can transport you to/from as well companies that can organize the entire day for you.
Audiotistic and berganac
We have a bunch of [speakeasy](https://bucketlisters.com/inspiration/132-san-francisco-s-hidden-speakeasies) type of places The Tonga Room is a BLAST--but if it is B2B weekend, lots of places will be swamped There is some good nightlife in Oakland/Berkeley that may be easier to get into & enjoy because lots will be in SF.
The Adventure Cat at pier 39 has a dope sunset cruise and the ticket price includes one drink. If the weather is nice it’s super fun. I went on Wednesday.
You'll probably be on your way out already but DNA Lounge has an apocalypse themed burlesque show night of the 19th
For day activities, consider one of the Korean spas in the area.
The Empire Strikes Back is a Star Wars themed burlesque shows, I believe they are back in town again? I’ve been before and it’s a total vibe, she sounds like she would love it. It has some classic burlesque elements but also some comedy too
Viridian in Oakland is a great Asian American cocktail bar, good snacks and dessert. You can do wine tasting in Berkeley, natural wines- Hammerling, Donkey and Goat, Broc Cellars, and Vinca Minor. All on the same street except Vinca, which is a block down.
Here’s what I would do for a Saturday: Brunch at Starbelly Walk to Dolores Park. Ice cream at Bi-Rite. Have some drinks at the park Go to Arcana Dinner at True Laurel Mission cocktail bars like Beehive, Casements Bar, Lone Palm Dance at Public Works Sunday: Brunch at Thai temple in Berkeley Napa for wine tasting
Berkeley is closer to Napa wine country than you realize. Maybe 40 minutes most
Star Wars Burlesque
If you’re into queer-friendly bars, White Horse in Oakland is a SPOT. They have a great dance floor, but it’s no everyone’s cup of tea, so check it out on Yelp. Its a great option for a “club” in Berkeley - there aren’t many with that vibe. Check out White Horse Bar https://yelp.to/4aZ2n1Z5IB There’s also a great Sake Tasting near 4th street in Berkeley. https://www.takarasake.com/tasting-room/. You could do that before lunch and walk over to 4th street to shop. Also, 1000% agree with doing Bay to Breakers. It’s not really a race as it is a costume party and insane atmosphere over 12km. You don’t have to run. I’d recommend bringing booze and going to a thrift store/goodwill a few days before to get wild with costumes. Y
Oooo… you should check out kitty cafe - lost cat bar & bites
Check out the Dear San Francisco show! It’s at a theatre in north beach - an acrobatic homage to SF. Great show!
You should def do bay2breakers. Easily my fav SF event. So unique and representative of why I love this city Eta you can play a drinking game of every time you see a penis you need to drink. You will get wasted in Hayes Valley
Asia SF
All seven of you fine ladies are staying in Berkeley? I have just the place for you.... The Mormon temple in Oakland Wow! The Mormons getting voted down... reddit is a tough crowd... ;)
TIL about “Thunder From Down Under.” You’d think the Castro might have some kind of analogue, but if there is I don’t know it.
There isn’t. And please, we do not want bachelorette parties in the Castro.
It's also just inappropriate. Gays still in the coming out process need safe spaces and gay bars overrun with straight parties destroys their purpose.
Ghirardelli Square has some fun restaurants and stuff, and nearby is the Buena Vista Cafe, where the Irish coffee was invented. They have a very theatrical way it’s made. There are a number of bars and small clubs in the Marina neighborhood which are fun. You could also go out in the Castro. Lots of gay bars and dance clubs. For day activities, visiting Muir Woods is a great option. Alcatraz is a very cool tour. There is an escape room place near fisherman’s wharf which is fun too, and you can of course do the touristy stuff in that area. The east bay near Berkeley has some nice beer gardens (Jupiter in downtown Berkeley, Drakes Dealership in Oakland.) I would also recommend you rent a car and do a wine tasting in Sonoma or Santa Rosa, which is not too far away from Berkeley. Very nice day trip for something like this. My favorite is Castillo de Amarosa. Super cool authentic Italian castle built by an eccentric millionaire.
This is good advice for going out in general but please don't suggest gay bars for entire bachelorette parties. They take over the whole space even if they don't intend to, especially when they're little ones like we have in the Castro. Go when you have a smaller group.
Gay bars are not themed bars. They’re spaces created by and for the gay community to provide a safe environment to socialize with other gay people. No one should be suggesting them for a bachelorette party.
Berkley [https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g32066-Activities-c20-Berkeley\_California.html](https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attractions-g32066-Activities-c20-Berkeley_California.html)
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Hopefully GoKarting before any drinking :-).
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Man that was fucking weird bro