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    Ginger's

    4.1 (45 reviews)
    InexpensiveGay Bars, Cocktail Bars
    Closed Closed

    Ginger's Photos

    GINGER'S ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Trendy
    Classy
    Casual
    Good for dancing

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    Recommended Reviews - Ginger's

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    Outside
    Jerry C.

    Being born and raised in San Francisco, but having moved away 20 years ago, I frequented a lot of SF gay bars "back in the day." I'm pretty sure I've been to three incarnations of Ginger's. This LGBTQ dive is hard to find, in a side alley off Kearny St in Downtown. Luckily my friends brought me. It's almost like a speakeasy, down in the basement of Rickhouse. It has all the gay bar basics, like a pool table, small drag stage, cubby corners, and cute bartenders. An added Yelp star for Ginger's paying homage to SF gay bar history via their cocktail names. Endearing and clever, most of the younger crowd probably don't even realize why the cocktails are named that way. Of the 13 cocktails with historical and closed bar names, I've been to 9 of them scattered throughout SF Castro, Polk Gulch, SoMA, Mission and Tenderloin (I'm really aging myself)...like Metro, N'Touch, The Gangway, Este Noche, Daddy's, Marlena's...hey where's QT? The bartenders were fun and our group had a great time. I want to return when Ginger's reopens. I love dive bars like this!

    Bar
    Liz B.

    Ginger's is worth searching for. And trust me, you won't know it's there until you look for it. Stuck at the end of an alley way, this cute dive bar has great music, attentive bartenders and a bunch of funny cocktail specials. I mean, it's a gay bar so you're obviously going to have a lot of fun with these drinks! Came here on a Friday afternoon after work for one last sendoff for a dear coworker of mine. Honestly, it was basically empty around the time I got here, maybe 4pm or so. I just got a cider and eventually the atmosphere perked up and a few more people trickled in. I have to say, I'm glad I left early because it's a small basement. I'm sure as soon as more people slowly come in, it'll be standing room only. There's a few tables and booths, a pool table, and restrooms somewhere in the dark. Ginger's is decorated in all the colors, lively, and fun with great music. Great for after work drinks or a low key date. I hear they have shows a few times a week too. I'm guessing drag shows and music? Look them up!

    Jon L.

    Hidden gem of a bar in the basement of Rickhouse. Cheers to this reincarnation of Ginger's. It's just so great to find a spot after work in the FiDi where you can find seats and enjoy a drink. Speaking of drinks, the lovely bartenders here mix up great cocktails. My personal fave is the Ghost of Ginger's which is a refreshing gin concoction with plenty of mint, ginger beer, and sparking wine. If you like gin and Moscow Mules, you'll probably like this too. If you're a fan of tequila, the Esta Noche is a pretty popular cocktail too. Plenty of seats, pool table, friendly bartenders, and lovely drinks make Ginger's a lovely spot for post-work drinks.

    Erica C.

    Cute place located down a small alleyway just past Rickhouse. Look for the rainbow flag at the entrance or you might miss it. After being carded you walk down the stairwell into an eccentrically decorated lounge are with pool table and stage. Several nights a month they host a drag show, which I didn't get the chance to see. During my visit DJ was playing 90s music and everyone was friendly. LGBTQ friendly and very comfortable atmosphere. Friend and I had a fun time here singing along to music we grew up with. Drinks are reasonably strong and well priced.

    The bar area with decoration.
    Jamie J.

    I love this somewhat hidden gem and that it's located outside of the Castro district. It felt like a gay speakeasy because you walk through the alley to get to it. Not that the bar is hard to find, but it's not on a main street with through traffic and it sits across from a parking garage. You go down the stairs and you find yourself in a cool space which was fully decorated for Halloween. The music was on point and the bartender was very friendly. The drinks are fairly cheap which is definitely a bonus and rather hard to find in the area. I would love to come back here during the weekend for my next visit because it felt like a place that's more my speed.

    colorful umbrellas hanging from the ceiling

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    Ask the Community - Ginger's

    Is Gingers currently open and what time do they close?

    Is Ginger's wheelchair accessible? (I know Ginger's is below street level - is there an elevator?)

    Yes, just ask the door host and they will direct you to the elevator entrance

    View All 3 Questions

    Review Highlights - Ginger's

    Decorations are super cute, and there's usually theme nights throughout the week (karaoke, drag shows, etc.).

    Mentioned in 12 reviews

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    Cool bar with bites in the Mission District. We got there shortly after it opened at 4pm on Friday…read moreafternoon. I was craving a refreshing craft cocktail and got one with the Green Emmanuelle. I liked the cardamom in the Beauty Mark as well that my partner ordered. We ordered shishito peppers and mushroom bahn mi sliders. The mushroom bahn mi sliders were amazing - the quality fillings and taste of the soft bun - I was unexpectedly hit with a bite of spice from maybe jalapeño seeds left but didn't sour my experience. The shishito peppers ended up being extremely spicy as well, those are usually just a few spicy and not the majority. The roasted lemon and salt was a wonderful combo but just too spicy to eat. However, the server very kindly removed it from our bill without us asking. We order the crostini because we were still hungry and that was an absolute hit. Delicious med-soft crostini with luscious berries and sweet honey. I didn't care my hands got sticky as it was soooo good! Great experience, I would be weary if the peppers as I'm a bit spice-intolerant but everything else was spot-on.

    5% surcharge. They have the place all festive for the…read moreholidays. Here's the run-down: 4.6/5: Hot buttered cider $17. With Johnny Walker Black, Drambuie, apple cider, apple butter. I definitely prefer this version to the more traditional version that just adds water. 4.5/5: Pigs in a Blanket $15. The puff pastry is very buttery, and the sausage is higher-end.

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    Terrene

    Terrene

    4.1
    (207 reviews)
    0.6 mi
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    The food is very good - we've been here twice and had great food all around…read more Our first visit we had some trouble with the service, feeling rushed thru for what is a pretty expensive dinner, but the team there contacted us after (we had a reservation so they had our email) and they made it right by inviting us back as guest of Rob, the Bev Mgr. The 2nd visit the service was impeccable, everything went exactly as we had hoped. We will be back. We can recommend the scallops and the Salmon, the chicken was very tasty. Also, for the food, I recommend the dips and the fresh pitas, so good. We'll be back just for that. Reminds me of the old Berkeley restaurant years ago, Holy Land (IYKYK). Mmmm. Thanks!

    We each ordered the sunrise sandwich - one with bacon and one with sausage. The sausage was super…read morethin and dry. The bacon was fine. The sandwich comes with a small dressed salad and three tomato halves. It was nice. The potatoes served with the sandwich were roasted but served cold and dry. Like they were left over from the night before. Randy enjoyed his mocha. We shared a very dry, flavorless except for the two small bits of jam in them, "cheese" danish. Definitely skip this $7 item that you could get at a circle k for $1.50 and it would taste fresher. You order when you walk in and someone delivers your order and then you're left to fend for yourself. We were able to locate some ketchup for the potatoes on our own. Nobody ever checked on us. This is the second place on this visit that's charging an extra 5% fee so that their employees can have a living wage and health insurance, which absolutely, every employee should have. With the prices they charge, they should already be able to do that, though. I read an article about this fee with many different names and I would rather pay a bit higher of a price and know the employees were taken care of than be surprised by this fee later. Two sandwich breakfasts, a mocha and a danish on top of tax and their healthy sf fee was $63. Steep for the quality we got. Won't be back.

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    Holy Water

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    I have to preface my review by stating I absolutely adore Catholic art, antiques, relics and such,…read moreso this definitely influenced my decision to check this place out; but I am beyond happy that my curiosity led me here. The ambiance was perfect for a nightcap. I visited Holy Water with relatives who live in the area but hadn't visited the place themselves before. Drinks we ordered include: * Mexican Firing Squad - Our favorite of all. We are classic paloma cocktail lovers, and this drink provided everything we enjoy in a paloma and more. Tart, smooth, and all-around divine. * Southern Exposure - The celery in this really awakens the senses. Very refreshing. * Zombie - Boldest drink we've tried yet. Haunted us the remainder of the night (in a good way). * Poinsettia - Wish this wasn't just a holiday menu item. It's fabulous. * Caribbean Snow Day - The playful kid's cup this came served in had us fooled. This eggnog sure packed a punch. Can't wait to be back and check out what other rotating or seasonal drinks they provide. Lastly, major shout out to the hard-working bartender last night who provided kind, prompt and attentive service on top of greeting all patrons coming in, taking orders and bussing tables. You rock!

    I've been here a few times and most say Bernal Heights rarely disappoints on their restaurant and…read morebar scene. This place is a nice craft cocktail bar that is always busy on the weekends. It's also a fantastic spot to catch a happy hour drink before the sun goes down. The bartenders are amicable and the bar is dark and moody - perfect for a drink to unwind and catch up with friends or colleagues.

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    Holiday decor at Holy Water December 23

    Ginger's - gaybars - Updated June 2026

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