“I only recently discovered The Cinch this year, and omg, it's amazing. The decor, the vibes, the back patio, and the staff are all amazing. I went last night for my birthday with a group of friends, and the bartender who helped us, David, was unbelievably kind and thoughtful and made us all birthday shots. And then when we were leaving and I was thanking him, he told me how nice our group was and was just overall incredibly kind and welcoming. Trust me, my entire group could not have higher praise for this bar, we had such a great time and we'll definitely be back!! Thank you!!“
“This Bernal Heights spot has been a lesbian bar since it first opened in 1962. When I paid my first visit quite recently, the irony was that most of the customers were guys. It was a chill vibe, and the bartender Heather had a been-there, done-that sense about herself which I quite respected. She made a fine $8 Tequila Sunrise (photo: which I promptly took out to the back deck. There was a female customer sitting contently on a couch, and she shared her long history with the place and generously walked me down to the large bucolic garden downstairs. I was surprised how large and private it was with lots of outdoor sculpture and various art pieces scattered among the foliage. I sat peacefully in my own private enclave. What a nice find on a mellow afternoon. DRINKS - 4 stars...the drink provided a nice balm AMBIANCE - 5 stars...definitely an unbeatable garden SERVICE - 4 stars...not much conversation but quick TOTAL - 4 stars...the secret garden, for sure RELATED - Exploring Bernal Heights? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed:“
“Great spot with surprisingly delicious food. The pretzel is excellent, and I love that they serve it with a nice spicy house made mustard. I've been twice and gotten the slushy both times, which have been delish. My girlfriend likes the corn dog, although it could use a thicker batter. Recently I tried the Bacon Beef burger (aioli, onion jam, wild arugula, gruyere) which was scrumptious. Cooked to perfection with the right amount of sauce and toppings (two nice slices of bacon that were perfectly cooked). Pretty decent prices for the serving sizes (burger comes with fries and a pickle). The staff are friendly and there's lots of seating both inside and outside.“
“The island of misfit toys meets vintage grunge with a motocycle club built in. Not the place to break in your new white tennis sneakers. No judgements otherwise. Stays within the parameters of decency, but just barely and not during festival-time. Great artistic application to the myriad lights and mobiles above in the high ceiling. Rarely dull.“
“There last night, which was a Monday and the place was bangin. The bartender (Justine??) was hella hot and I ordered a cocktail appropriately named ^ blush ^ hehe. Price was reasonable too. Stayed until the end and there were crowds of womyn in their 20s & 30s screamin near the dancing portion. Great energy and made me reminesce of the good ole days since I was here in the late 90s. Oh shit did that gave my age away? Next time I will bring my wifey. Btw although Mother doesnt allow food, options r plenty on 16th St. Tacos/Pizza/Pakistani. U name it. They dont mimd if you bring food in. I stayed until 11:45 pm (van u believe it this lesbian bar opens until Midnight Mondays) so hey you fellow dykes, dont keep complaining there r no good lesbian bars. The gays kept Moby Dick & so many alive in the Castro, lets reclaim the Mission!!! Oh yeah, the bounder told me tbe business is Lesbian owned. HIGHLY RECOMMEND“
“It seems there are less bars in The Castro then in the past. That's unfortunate. This one, in the heart of The Castro is a smallish, narrow, crowded party with two bars filled with bar stools, dark corners for whispering secrets, an extremely handsome, somewhat older but active and friendly clientele, good drinks and on the nights I was there, fun retro vids and music without feeling dated. You're sure to have a pleasant conversation with someone there in a short time. The bartenders are nice and helpful. Good lighting, fun environment. Great place to start your evening.“
“Met up with colleagues for drinks after work. Really chill spot to hang out and chat. We stayed at the bar but there is a cool back patio area too. Our bartenders JM and were awesome - strong drinks made fast at a decent price point and we had the option of paying up front or keeping a tab open. No food service but they do allow outside food.“
“Only been here once while in town from EU, was for UHual all female night and the eye candy was fantastic. Hot women of all backgrounds, love it! Def going back just for that. Plus free before 9pm, good deal before things get too crowded. We loved that it wasn’t too crowded too. Enough people but also plenty of space to chill and dance.“
“What a fantastic spot. Went for opening night of the 2024 Sqream 90's Drag Show. Outstanding performance! The club is clean and well appointed. The staff were friendly pros. The performers were the cat's meow, baby. Had a great Valentine's Day. Thanks to everyone at OASIS:) Y'all are amazing.“
“Big ups for the outdoor patio area; it's big, now with awnings to protect you from the rain, and a stage for the DJ. When a party is going on with an outdoor DJ, this is the place to be. El Rio hosts various fun queer parties; check out their IG for event details. Mango is a fun one for the female-leaning peeps. For some events they have food, but otherwise you can only get snacks at the bar, like popcorn. Their cocktails and beer options are nothing special.“
“I could not say enough good things about this bar! We live a few blocks away and it’s the perfect spot for happy hour, or drinks with friends later in the evening. The owner is so sweet and remembers us. The other bartenders remember us too and are so friendly. It’s dog-friendly and has a great selection of beers on tap and liquor. We go at least once a week. Thank you, Lone Star for being so welcoming!“
“Cheap drinks. Performers with lots of experience! But make a reservation. Cash only!We had booked a table in advance, anticipating watching a drag show. The show featured performers with lots of drag experience! It was fun :)The drinks were very cheap as I mentioned.“
“We popped in on a whim so we could warm up and use the restroom. We bellied up to the bar and enjoyed the company of our uber friendly bartender. We loved it so much that we had a second round of drinks. I ordered a Mimosa and then a Screwdriver. I was surprised, but the Screwdriver was my favorite. Both were strong and perfectly balanced. My husband just had a rum and Coke. He was satisfied with his drink. In fact, he’s totally why we stayed for the second drink! The restroom was reasonably clean as well as locked (understandable). You need to ask for the key. Yelp labels it as a gay bar | dive bar. We didn’t know it was a gay bar, nor did we care. I learned later that it is the the longest-running gay bar in the Haight-Ashbury area. However, it is indeed a dive bar, which we really liked! Dark, hard wood finishes–gives you a cozy feel on a cold Sunday afternoon.“
“I was working in the Castro yesterday October 5th and we decided to stop here and put up flyers. The Bartender let us put up flyers and then gave us two bottles of water. It was extremely hot yesterday, so I thought this was a very nice gesture.“
“This is my go-to spot in the Castro for a well crafted cocktail, good conversations and fun. I always end up meeting with and talking to so many random people. And the fact that I can order a Paper Plane, Naked and Famous, Aviation, or a Last Word with the bartenders not blinking in confusion is priceless - CJ in particular is the BEST.Bonus points for the content on their TVs where you never know what random movie on DVD will be playing from Death Becomes Her to Rat Race to random horror flicks.“