The Edge: Comfy, cheerful, and low-keyed, The Edge is one of those "Cheers"-like hangouts with a gay influence.The crowd is mostly gay, depending on the night, but all are welcome. Whatever your talent level, you'll encounter a consistently friendly and encouraging bunch here. The Mint: It's true that you'll find some great karaoke nights at gay bars throughout the Castro, but The Mint-on the edge of Hayes Valley-is San Francisco's most hallowed ground for fans of the genre.Gradually, the LGBTQ presence has waned but The Cinch is one of the only gay bars remaining. The Cinch Saloon: Many, many years ago, Polk Street, roughly between the Castro and downtown, is thought to have been the heart of San Francisco's gay nightlife scene.Its long bar and backyard garden patio are perfect for mingling with friends. This conversation bar is set along the Castro's bustling Church Street Corridor, close to the Mission and Hayes Valley. The Pilsner Inn: What started out as a somewhat sleepy neighborhood bar has developed into a very popular (but still local-feeling) gay hangout that draws a varied crowd.Unlike a lot of bars in the Castro, this two-story haunt offers plenty of space for busting a move.
DJs here spin a nice mix of hip-hop and dance tunes, and a pair of pool tables are nearly always in use.
Beaux: With big windows facing a busy stretch of Market Street, Beaux-French for "boyfriends"-is attractive and contemporary, with plenty of seating up front (a part of the bar that's especially popular for weekday happy hour and on weekend afternoons) and a compact-yet-energetic dance bar in back.Just a few blocks east of Polk Street, the tiny bar has been known to host weekly parties that rake in a dizzyingly eclectic mix of old-school queers, hipsters, drag aficionados, and the occasional curious tourist. Aunt Charlie's Lounge: In the gritty, unvarnished meatiness that is the San Francisco Tenderloin District, this beloved drag bar is an SFO institution of considerable acclaim.