Ideal Night in the Castro

October 11, 2008 7:47 PM

Looking for an ideal night in the Castro for some gay friends visiting out of town.

There are 6 of us in total. Here's the breakdown:

- 1 gay couple
- 2 straight couples
- All under 30
- Looking for a good representative night in the Castro where all can have a good time.

We have all had dinner, so we're just looking for good drinks, music, etc.

posted by mto to grab bag (7 comments total)

It's not in the Castro, but they have a really nice Gordon Biersch down by the water.
posted by docmccoy at 7:57 PM on October 11, 2008

The Castro Theater.

No doubt showing something cool or interesting, and even if not, it's so pretty that you forgive a bad show. Plus, real popcorn!
posted by The Whelk at 9:10 PM on October 11, 2008

And after the show, if it's around 9, you can walk up to Martuni's for a piano-bar-tourist experience, or jump across the street to The Mint for more inter-active karaoke experience. Pretty touristy in all, but fun. I think. Maybe.
posted by The Whelk at 9:16 PM on October 11, 2008

In retrospect it's a bit of a long walk if your vistors aren't used to trolling up Market in the dead of night (I love it, but YMMV) You can hop on the Muni from Castro to Church to save legwear.
posted by The Whelk at 9:27 PM on October 11, 2008

If you're looking for dancing, The Cafe is the main spot in the Castro for actual dancing. Most of the large gay clubs are South of Market, and many are one-night-a-week affairs (different themes/djs each night).

Twin Peaks, at the corner of 17th and Castro, has a lot of history, as the first gay bar with street-level glass windows, so the denizens could be seen from outside. As the local joke goes, those guys are still there -- it attracts an older crowd of gay men. A seat at the window gives you a good view of the crowd strolling by. Harvey's, at the corner of 18th and Castro, is also good for watching people go by.

You can pick pretty much any bar in the Castro and you'll have some sort of experience. Walk up and down Castro and 18th St., or Market towards Church, and pick one that suits your fancy. Enjoy!
posted by gingerbeer at 11:08 PM on October 11, 2008 [1 favorite has favorites]

I love Lime. Great plates for sharing and delicious drinks. The interior is much like stepping inside Jon Ive's imagination - everything is shiny white plastic with pink lighting.
The Bar is always busy, even on Tuesday nights. Castro tends to be 90% male, but this place attracts more women so it's a bit more even.
Hot Cookie doesn't actually have hot cookies, but I highly recommend the cocoa-cayenne cookie. Also, pick up a cute pair of Hot Cookie underwear for a fabulous souvenir!
Cafe du Nord is a great venue, check out their calendar for shows. The atmosphere is dark and art deco, standard drinks.
Lucky 13 is a classic dive bar. Bring your sharpies to add to the graffiti.
Cafe Flore is a good place to end the night. Lots of hot drinks at the bar - mulled wine is nice when it is cold.
If you have time during the day, be sure to check out Cliff's. It is the neighborhood hardware store, but it has everything. I'm not kidding.
Really, just walk along Castro and Market, you will definitely stumble across something awesome no matter what day of the week it is.
posted by idiotfactory at 11:32 PM on October 11, 2008

Gingerbeer has it. Seconding The Cafe. Very Castro, very upbeat. For quieter drinks check out Twin Peaks and/or The Mix (18th & Noe).
posted by ClaudiaCenter at 10:57 AM on October 12, 2008