Fun place to have a drink and hang out out the Haight good people too Bartenders and patron are fantastic too read more

Walked in with my husband to grab a drink and walked to the back to the courtyard with our dog. We wanted to avoid having our dog inside. There was a full bar. We didn't even think to say we were going to the courtyard. We were screamed at for IDs. We turned around handed our IDs (33M and 31F). Wife took back her ID. Bartender made a comment "no need to snatch it. That's my job". We felt uncomfortable and decided to leave. Bartender yelled "good bye thanks for coming" in a very sarcastic tone. Terrible service. Terrible way to approach a customer. Regardless if you're having a homeless bathroom problem. read more

The place is not too bad, more like your local corner bar. The bathrooms aren't the cleanest but dustin is not a very nice guy. He gives attitudes when asking questions as if the guest are an inconvenience to him. He also yelled at me for asking if there were any other games to play at the bar. (Very rudely and unprofessional) All in all not the best experience I came to watch my friends play pool. Dustin definitely ruined the experience. read more

stumbled upon this gem drinks were well made and and even made me my favorite drink perfectly!!! Thank you Dustin ! I loved my grasshopper read more

Love this spot and the people that make it. A couple of the bartenders leave something to be desired in that their attitude is drab and grumpy; like they hate their own life and so you are constantly made to feel like an inconvenience. Also, don't put ice cubes in cider: https://brightsidebrewing.co.uk/should-you-drink-cider-over-ice/# read more

Classic dive in the Haight! Nice a friendly old guy bartender who has obviously been in the bar business for for some time. I got a shot of bourbon and a draft beer and the shot was nice and big, yay! My wife got a Gin martini and he knew to stir (not shake) it, that's a pro bartender for sure. They had a nice selection of draft beers with some local offerings as well as the standard domestics. Just about any booze you would care to drink and surprisingly the prices were reasonable. Next door to the clothing exchange it's a good waiting room for husbands while the wife shops. This time she was done quick so she joined me for a tasty adult beverage! read more

Gold Cane Cocktail Lounge - Draught - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This has been my favorite bar since I was 21. It's a great dive. Always somewhere to sit and you can smoke in the back.

Absolutely horrible service from the moment you walk in your freedom is taken. This place is not for those who are proud to be American's. The advertisement suggested that those inside would be welcoming to the brotherhood of america. I am in absolute disgust and disbelief with the service and quality of the establishment. As someone who has served in the army for a decade I was completely ignored and refused of service considering my place in this nation. I found that the accepting pride store across the street respected me and my presence much more than that of the Gold Cane Cocktail Lounge. Brothers, you must do better for our community. Last but not least the regulars I have met are truly disrespectful and the bathrooms were atrocious. Do not recommend. read more

Honest drinks, great barkeeps, good people! The back patio is a wonderful place for musicians to meet and jam. An amazing lineup of talent sometimes comes along and surprises everyone!!! read more

I came here last night and had a great time. I love the ambiance and the music had me vibing all night long. Great drinks at a good price, I would definitely come back again. read more

I have been going to this beautiful joint for well over 20 years and always feel at home here beautiful people community nice staff and just a great overall vibe. Please support this family on business and the beautiful people that run it and support it. Support the positive things in the heat and Cole valley not the negative crap that continues to walk the streets including hardware businesses, hateful people and just negativity. Let's stay positive and only support the positive and flush the negative nails bolts and crap down the toilet. read more

Very much a neighborhood bar with friendly bartenders and a community that talks to each other. It's the opposite of the tech world, because it's all social niceties & people would rather have a singalong than kick it on their phones. That said....there can be some shady dudes, so trust your gut & don't take any shit, ladies & gents. read more

On a random weekend day, we decided to clean our closets out and consign a few items. As you can imagine, there's a lot of waiting around that goes on while consigning, so a perfect opportunity to get a mid day drink! Fortunately next door was Cold Cane Lounge, so why not?!?! Walking in, I noticed a few points of interest. The place seems nice, open and lit, despite having dark wood lined walls and beams. It's an older tradition bar: A big moose head as one of the focal points, large bar area, tons of seating, a pool table to fun, large windows that open up to Haight St., lots of old traditional photos hung up and a jukebox to play some tunes. Then there's the best focal point in my opinion: the old cash til!! Such a cool point of interest behind the bar :) All in all, the bartender was attentive, checked with us often, and cordial. The bar was extremely clean, including the bathrooms - a huge plus! We just got a couple hard seltzer - they had mango or black cherry options, which were about $5 and some change. Reasonably priced, great location, and clean. The formula for a return visit for sure! read more

Quedé de verme con amigos en este bar. El cantinero solicitó ID el cual mostré, pero además solicito mi pasaporte, que por obvias razones, al no tratarse de aeropuerto o personal de migración, no cargo. No aceptan copias o fotos del mismo. Salí del bar, espere a mi amigo que tardó, asomé mi cara para apresurar a mi amigo. El cantinero (alto y negro) salio a la puerta cuando me vio y se quedo allí hasta que mi amigo y yo llegamos a la calle que debimos tomar (por supuesto que vi hacia atrás para darme cuenta de esta acción). Me hizo pensar que esto se trato de un caso de discriminación por el trato y ver otras chicas en el bar, incluso que aparentaban menos edad que yo. Solo quede de ver a amigos pero con esta corta y breve experiencia ya no regresaría ni lo recomendaría a personas extranjeras. Cane señalar que en otros bares no han tenido ningún problema si sólo presento mi ID de mi país / I agreed to meet friends at this bar. The bartender asked me for identification which I showed him, but he also asked me for my passport, which for obvious reasons, not being airport or immigration personnel, I did not have. They do not accept copies or photographs of it. I left the bar, waited for my friend who was late, and showed my face to hurry my friend along. The waiter (tall and black) approached the door when he saw me and stayed there until my friend and I reached the street we should have taken (of course, I looked back to notice this action). He made me think that it was a case of discrimination due to treatment and seeing other girls in the bar, even who looked younger than me. I only had to see friends but with this short and brief experience I would not return nor recommend it to foreign people. I can point out that other bars have not had any problems if I only present my ID from my country. read more

I dropped by Gold Cane last night for what I thought would be some insane drink deals. Upon entering the premises I felt an intense feeling of deja vu. I felt like I had walked this walk before, the look and feel of Gold Cane was all too familiar. And then it hit me, I was at this bar before... Many moons ago, when I was a younger man on a bachelor party bar crawl. Unfortunately I could not relive the revelry of that night, the Cane was packed and impossible to get a drink. I will have to try again next time I'm in the area. 3 dollar wells sound awesome. read more

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Great dive bar, reasonably priced drinks, pool table, and a few TVs. They don't serve food so dogs are ok.

First time at the GC and we loved it, nice and dark with a good and cheap selection of cocktails and a smoking patio outside up a flight of steps. Seems very much like a locals only bar but everyone was nice, bartender was super cool and friendly. We just moved here from Portland so we just sat outside and smoked and drank because everyone in there were rooting for the Warriors, lol. 4 stars, the bathroom could have been a bit cleaner but it's a dive bar so no big whoop. read more

Best jukebox in town, I just came here after 5 years of not living in San Francisco and the bartender remembered exactly who I was. Good people. The back patio here is legendary, as well. read more

Been living in the East Bay most of my life but upon moving to SF I have been looking for the best places to drink for "cheap" in SF. Gold Cane is perfect. Good drinks, full shots, and a great selection of beer for a bar. Dustin the bartender was super cool and checked all of our ID's (made me feel official since I turned 21 during Covid.) Perfect bar environment for me, super low-key with a local feeling. I love giving my money to places like Gold Cane and will definitely be back! read more

It's been awhile since my last review of the Gold Cane and thankfully my budding interest in Irish Car Bombs stopped years ago. My now preferred drink of choice is water... nothing beats getting super hydrated on a weekday night. I've always been a fan of the Gold Cane. The energy is always genuine and it's never too crowded. The scene is just easy. Their outdoor patio is one of my favorite aspects about this place. It's nothing fancy - but being able to enjoy fresh air and a robust full moon on a mellow night is a lovely thing on a weekday night in the Haight. Trust. read more

Good old Gold Cane. Plain Jane Gold Cane. Bargain Basement Gold Cane. I don't go into places like this during prime drinking hours, aka, between 7 and midnight Thurs-Sat. It's a great Tuesday afternoon place. The interior couldn't be more plain, and that's actually good because the basic design eliminates the tourists and those folks (including many MANY Yelpers) who would condemn a place like this as a Dive Bar. It's another great example of a neighborhood bar. Lots of career barflys, great bartenders, the trivia napkins are always fun, and the drinks are CHEAP. If you want to take your friend from out of town to a place with "personality" take them to Hobson's. If you want to talk to your friend and goof around and enjoy the great jukebox, take them to the Cane. Bonus points for a backyard area that again isn't fancy, but it's outside. Bathroom report: two of them, his and hers, very plain, and almost completely without graffitti. The last two times I was there, both his and hers were in good shape. read more

We like to come here to get away from the usual haunts in the avenues, the usual crowd at our neighborhood bars. Change of pace and all. No pretense, just good solid drinking with a band of soldiers there to do the same. All ages and backgrounds are here, most well-worn. Don't come here looking for Mr/Mrs. Right. Just don't - it's not what this bar is for. Use the patio to smoke, and not the sidewalk. If you smoke on the sidewalk, you'll get hit up for a cigarette by every single person walking past, and even a few from the bar who follow you out for that very reason alone. For some reason they don't follow you to the patio... read more

The bartender is friendly and hooks it up. During the day on a weekday, the place has customers but isn't too loud, just how I like it. The music is a hit or miss, but that's a matter of taste. I prefer slow tunes. read more

Gold Cane Cocktail Lounge - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I love this place! Very welcoming and friendly, the Gold Cane is a hidden gem in SF. Pros: - THREE private stall bathrooms (men, women, outside). Excellent for the shy pooper. - Large two-tier back patio for smoking and/or catching a glimpse of the sun. Chill. - Drinks are very reasonable. $4ish beers and $5ish cocktails. Lots of taps and a full bar. - Pool table and Addams Family pinball machine. - The jukebox has a huge selection of music and people tend to choose music that makes a body feel good. - Book and media sharing shelf. - Friendly staff and patrons. - Mostly locals, though it does get busy during any Haight-busy events. - Lots of seating. - Near both Buena Vista park and Golden Gate park. Cons: - Cash only. There's an ATM with a $2.50 fee, which is better than I've encountered elsewhere. - Outside patio closes at 10pm during the week and midnight(?) on weekends. - Near Haight & Ashbury so parking sucks. Parking is either metered or restricted by the "J" parking permit. Avoid if possible. - Internet/data service is spotty. The pros definitely outweigh the cons! read more

Gold Cane Cocktail Lounge - View from the east side of the top patio looking towards the west side of the top patio. - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Of the various neighborhood bars, this one is a good mix of space, divey-ness, and still has some TVs where if you're lucky, you'll watch Jonas Jerebko get a buzzer beating putback. read more

We stopped by here for a quick drink and to get off our feet after some intense shopping up in the Haight. Honestly, we should have gone to Hobson's a few doors down. The bartender was distracted and busy talking to other customers instead of taking our drink order (and he wasn't serving, he was being way too chatty/friendly, which is *extremely* frustrating when you're waiting for service); the music was super loud, to the point that conversations were nearly impossible with someone right next to you; and ultimately the bathroom was super gross: it smelled like pee and had an open window with people standing underneath. That latter bit wasn't too bad (although a bit uncomfortable) until someone opened a door next to the open window and was pretty much at eye level to my eyes as I was sitting on the can. OH HELL NO. It wasn't the worst experience I've had, hence the two-star rating instead of one, but I'd make a point of going to Hobson's over this place in the future. Or I'll try out some of the other pubs and divebars in the Haight-Ashbury area over this. read more

Ah the Gold Cane. You have a ridiculously awesome jukebox. You have hard core regulars and people who like the Giants even with Bonds and their crappy season. You're one of the true dives in the upper Haight besides Murio's Trophy room. Recently, and I'm actually embarrassed to admit this but I found out you have a patio that you can smoke on. I've been going to the Gold Cane since college and I graduated from there 5 1/2 years ago. My cousin came home super drunk. "How was the Gold Cane?" "Oh it was awesome we hung out on the patio!" "Umm what patio, you must have gone to a different bar." "No there was a patio I swear..." I've never made it past the first 6 bar stools. Even though you are cash only I will keep frequenting your bar. read more

My friends and I first started at Deluxe Club or Club Deluxe, whatever, and decided it was a bit too crowded for us. We found a table in the corner by the bathroom and kitchen so there was constant movement by us. People were touching my friend in places I'm sure he hasn't been touched in a while. We decided to move. Gold Cane was nice and roomy. The music was turned up a bit too loud but the tunes were great and we had zero desire to move from that place after we settled in. The drinks were cheap and the workers constantly around to grab cups away from our table. I think my friends and I are feeling a little old (group age range: 24-30 ha!) and seriously don't want to be bothered by the big crowds when we go out and talk. read more

Pretty decent dive bar in the Haight. If you're looking to escape trendy and crowded bars and just want a place to sit down and enjoy a drink with your friends, Gold Cane is the right spot. Beer selection on tap is fairly standard, with nothing you've never heard of before. The bartenders are friendly, but won't strike up a conversation with you. Pretty typical. The great thing here is that the place is so large, finding seating is usually not a problem. If you can, grab a table by the window; makes for great people watching in one of SF's quirkiest districts. The furniture isn't too comfortable, but it gets the job done. read more

Gold Cane Cocktail Lounge - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Great value bar in the Haight. The ambiance here is definitely similar to a Midwestern bar or one's you'll see out of movies like Roadhouse, minus the bar fights of course. The place is definitely intimate and you get the sense that this is very much a local bar. You'll often find locals here talking things up and sometimes couples swooning at the bar. More importantly, they have jukebox filled with 60s-80s classics which can set the mood, moshing or romancing. More importantly, drinks are cheap and always less than 10, unless of course you are buying for others. Cash only though so bring it ready! read more

Why are dive bar drink slingers so oddly sessy? Maybe it's because they ply us with cheap, stiff drinks or maybe they just look good against a splintered bar top but damn. Another blood mary, please! With our girls' weekend winding down, we needed some serious vodka therapy after a serious retail session. The pack patio is like sitting behind your hipster friend's duplex, and a great place to unwind. Most importantly? 2 bloodies and a Guiness were only $15. Mind. Blown. read more

Gold Cane Cocktail Lounge - pretty please with a shamrock on top? - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I was visiting S.F. from L.A. about 3 years ago and I can't forget how cool this place was, the bartender was very kind. But I remembered the most is this cute guy by the pool table. Of course we made eye contact. He was tall, wavy brown hair, late 20's early 30's, cool jacket. I had my chance but because I was hanging out with some loser at the time, I had to let him go, practically saying goodbye to each other just by the look in our eyes :(. But yeah, great bar! Will visit again soon! read more

great vibes, good spot, nice servers, cheap drinks and large selection. and billiards.

Usually when you think of drinks in Haight-Ashbury, you think Alembic or Zam Zam. But almost every single time I've been in the neighborhood I've ended up at Gold Cane. Doesn't hurt when the former are packed and there is always space at Gold Cane. And it was only on this most recent trip did I learn they had a patio. Ugh... Gold Cane is an affordable dive bar that offers some simple cocktails around $5, decent beer around $4, but the ambiance is where it is at. Filled with a friendly if eclectic mix of regulars and the occasional tourist group. Coincidentally I've usually taken friends out of town to here. With a solid bar, and a secondary room for sitting, pool, or pinball, it does offer a lot of space for groups or just finding a bar to sit at. Doesn't hurt they have some TVs to play some games. Even the bathroom situation is nice. But on this most recent trip, the sliding doors to what I just thought was a backroom were open. Some extra space, some kegs, and a cool little bookshelf with books and even some VHS tapes. And then I saw it... Gold Cane has a two level back patio. On the first level is a large, round table and a single bathroom. There was a jamband playing some music when we saw it. There are some stairs to the second level which has more tables or space to rest drinks. There is also a HUGE covered area behind this second level, but due to zoning or some kind of laws they can't actually have people go there. I'm a big fan of the Gold Cane, and looking forward to drinking more on the patio now that I know about it. read more

This is a very divey bar, but the atmosphere here is guaranteed to be one of the best in the Haight. The female bartender that works here is very friendly with patrons and makes some fairly strong and well constructed drinks for prices that could easily rival other bars in the area. Seating is always plentiful at both the bar and table areas, and most seats are within clear view of the overhead televisions. In addition to partaking in stiff drinks, this is a great place to play a few games of pool or listen to some diverse music on the jukebox while you drink. read more

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Leave it to Yelp to notice when you are taking a little hiatus from the addiction of wasting countless hours on the internet writing embarrassing anecdotes about your bad behavior while throwing in (hopefully) one minuscule tidbit of useful information about a place to the general public who are far too smart to use the site for anything other than its intended purpose. Leave it to Yelp to lure you back in like a crack dealer giving a kid their first rock for free. Thanks, Yelp for pointing out my tendency toward extremes by publishing my ROTD of my extreme (and extremely difficult) behavior of going vegan for a month. Thanks also for doing it right at the time I thought I was kicking my Yelp habit, thus sucking me in once again to the extreme behavior of wanting more bar reviews than anyone else on Yelp. This now leads me to write about my extreme behavior of not drinking for a month, and what happens when that month is over. You end up at the Gold Cane. A bar that, though it is spacious and has a back patio for nice days and nicotine addicts, as well as a decent selection of alcohol and a casual yet not quite dirty feel, you just can't bring yourself to go to unless you are completely trashed. I don't know what it is about this place but it just lacks personality. In its decor, in its patrons, even in its patio which is such a rare commodity in any SF establishment it can't help but be appreciated. Not at the Gold Cane. It is forgotten by me, until my friends drag me here for my 5th cocktail on 5 hours after not drinking for 32 days...which lands me on the floor, where I lose my keys and dignity and where I finally realize that even the floors are nondescript. It is also where I realize I would much rather be extreme than nondescript. read more

They have a really fun bar game back there. If you see MNR on the highest scores on any of the games on the machine, that was me, and my former bar companion. I think the bartender was drunk (which I appreciate). read more

We almost saw a throw down in here last night after B2B. Homeboy had WAAAAaaaaaay to much to drink and was cursing out his friends, yelling (so angry spit was flying as he was cursing out his friends) before he headed back out the door here to his Zima malt beverage he had waiting outside on the street for him. He continued to yell through the window out on the street, and was so mad that I was surprised that the bottle didn't end up back in the bar, in someone's head or on the floor next to them. At any rate, the Lagunitas was delicious and thankfully it came in a red keg cup. Good call, Gold Cane. I think my evening would have been very different if those beers of yours would have come in pint glasses. I'd come back if I find myself in the Haight when I'm in town again. It looks like they have a decent patio out back. read more

Ahh, the Gold Cane. This has been my go-to place for a quick, chill beer whenever I find myself in the Haight. Don't let the name fool you, this ain't no snoot-n-toot high-brow monacle-wearin' pimp-daddy extravaganza. This here is Divey McCrustydrunk.... it's Fighty McPukenstumble... it's Drinky McDrankydrunk. This no frills, no pretense cash-only joint is a quintessential SF dive bar. Decent liquor selection, friendly bartenders, pretty good brews on tap, wooden tables/chairs, solid bar, and supposedly a good patio out back (and windows that open wide to the street int the front). The prices are plenty reasonable for being on the Haight and having such a fancy name. The last time I was in, however, was a doozy. Post B2B, the place was jam packed full of WASTED drunk people, half in costume, 3/4 sunburned, and all 3-sheets to the wind. I almost witnessed a fight, and was actually surprised that a couple of dudes didn't end up with a bottle of Smirnoff Ice lodged firmly upside their heads. It was a rowdy scene, to say the least. Most of the rest of the times I have been in the joint, it's been super mellow. I'm guessing that, while weekend nights get rowdy, the post B2B crowd was a little beyond. All in all, a good, solid liquor dispensary. read more

Patio that you can smoke on....1 star Ample space for a somewhat large group of people....1 star Pool table that you can hustle on...1 star Relatively cheap drinks that you can consume and will lead you to believe you can hustle pool....1 star Yah...thats all i got. Its a bar on Haight. Good for hopping...but i wouldn't necessarily spend an entire evening here. read more