Update 1/11/07: Now this place is called Knockout and it's still pretty hip. Was there last night with some friends. I bought a round that included 1 Racer 5, 2 Stellas, 1 Pacifico and a Vodka Tonic, the total was $14.50. 'Nuff said. On Wednesdays, stop in for happy hour where one of the previous chefs from Tokyo Go Go makes fresh sushi at knockout prices. ----- The infamous Odeon, home to some truly wacky and out there entertainment on almost any night of the week. Bad Bad Karaoke, if they still do it, is worth checking out. On quieter nights, this is a cool bar just to hang out at. read more

I love this place, but I do have to revoke the title of "dive bar." Dive bars shouldn't have lines or covers at the door. That being said... This place is a blast - from the great djs to the crowded dance floor to the random people that ALWAYS pop their heads into one of my shots in the photobooth. The only other downside is that they don't take cards at the bar. I REALLY do hate that. read more

Damn, boy. Why u gotta be so far away? You know I wanna holler at you, but I'm not trying to drop 20 on a cab just making it to ya crib. I miss ya fine ass cocktails and photobooth. EDIT 6/8/07 Dayum. I can't believe I gave the Knockout 2 stars. I'm such a whore. I believe in giving updates on places, so let's talk about Knocking oneself Out. I came here to lower my rating of the Knockout because the place, quite frankly, has gotten too popular for its own good. I'm sick of the attitude I get at the door here when paying a cover. But at the same time, it's good enough that lately I end up here once a week. That's right. I cross fucking town to come here. So I'll up its rating a star. But one thing that bugs me is when it's a coke whore night here. There's only one stall, ladies. Take a cue from the Arrow (RIP) and just do it by the vanity. Some of us need to pee!! read more

The bartenders here are just mean people. The music on oldies night was fine and the clientele friendly, but these bartenders made me feel bad for being alive. Once we got the drinks, they tasted like pure rubbing alcohol. To make things worse, one bartender threw out my drink before it was finished and when I told him he said "well, there wasn't any ice in it." Yeah dude, because it was hot inside the bar! I know that there are things more important than the bartenders at a bar, but I have never in my life been treated so horribly. It seems like the people who work at this place think being mean is cool. News flash: it's not. read more

My cousin was in town (I know, I repeat myself), and on her last night we decided to do dinner and drinks and photo booth madness. Apparently, it was some crazy donut night, with claws, and a fashion show?? I really have no idea what was going on, but I work with the doorguy and he said we should come, so we did. It was crowded, and again, we were confused, so we just grabbed a couple of (cheap well) drinks and hit the photo booth. Three bucks, color, four photo strip = four stars. Fair enough? I might come back, if I'm ever way out in this neighborhood again on a normal, non donut night. (Who am I kidding...they have the only traditional color photo booth that I know of in the city. I'll more than likely be back for that reason alone) read more

Wednesday night Ichi sushi RULES! If you ask me, it is WAY too inexpensive for the quality... Great bar to hang in... Affordable quality all-around...what's not to love?! read more

Good dance party bars are hard to come by in the city...usually they are TINY, sweaty, and full of weirdos. The Knockout kills it (for me)! I love Sweaterfunk Sundays...old school jams and the whole place is grooving. They have cheap-o shot/beer deals and a photobooth!! What's not to love? *I won't lie, the place is divey, but somehow, it makes up for it with quirky charm. The crowd is eclectic, but you can certainly find some gems amongst the packed dance floor. Plus, Taqueria Cancun is a couple doors down once those drunk munchies hit. Next night on my hit-list: Booty shaking contests on the 3rd Saturday of the month. See you then, rowdies. read more

4 stars in less than 20words: Wednesday night delicious sushi in cozy bar with 1940s stripper clips on the telly for very little money, yeah! read more

Well, I've only been to Knockout for Bingo on Thursdays and it's always a great time. It's dark and divey, which I love, and I dig the decor-especially the mug shots of Alcatraz inmates-they all look so evil. Anyway, Thursday Bingo is a lot of fun. You get one card for every drink you buy. Last week I won the blackout round and won 2 drink tickets and 2 prizes! I picked out a little plant as one of my prizes and I'm going to try my best not to kill it...I don't have a very green thumb. By the way, I'm not a "hipster." I don't look like a hipster. I don't pretend to be a hipster, but I have never felt uncomfortable or out of place in Knockout. Maybe the Thursday Bingo crowd is a bit different than the regular crowd, but don't let the negative reviews of the "hipsters" keep you away. read more

I love Sushi Happy Hour on Wednesday, the killer Motown music they always play, the bartender who can make you a mixed drink you've never heard of and will order again and again, the photobooth, the tall stools, the proximity to excellent burritos, the general lack of pretension, and the decent prices. Hooray for The Knockout! read more

I've been here 3 times. The first time was a revelation. I hadn't been that excited about a SF bar since we found Frisco Disco at the Arrow Bar whenever that was. It was oldies dance party night, and the music was amazing. The crowd was great, people were dancing, cheap drinks were flowing. I thought I had found my favorite new spot. The last two times I've been have been very disappointing. 1. Our friend wanted everyone to go there for his birthday. The (very slick) website said it was oldies night with a dj. He talked to somebody on the phone about it and they confirmed. When we showed up, it was $7 at the door instead of the advertised $5, and it was bands - not oldies night with a dj. Even the chalkboard outside the door said $5 oldies DJ! 2. We tried again. This time the website said 90's. We got there (it's pretty far out there) and it was rockabilly bands. Nothing against rockabilly bands, but I had to offend a close friend by leaving their going-away party at midnight because there was no dancing and I just wanted to go dancing, and then this. Am I missing something? Is there a way to find out what event is Actually going on at the Knockout on any given night short of taking the $15 cab down there? Tonight is says Oldies Night w/ DJ's. My fingers are crossed. read more

Oooo nice little dive bar with good acoustics. It would be 5 stars if they had a patio! But I know that's easier said than done. Came for the benefit concert fo the tamale lady. Damn, those are good tamales... 10-15 minute walk from the 24th St. & Mission BART stop read more

I've only been here on 1st and 2nd Fridays for Oldies night, hosted by Primo. I once stumbled into the Knockout on a Saturday night and it looked pretty dead inside. Unless there's an actual event or DJ scheduled for the evening, it doesn't look any more special than a typical SF bar in the Mission. My nights at K.O have always been fun. They provide you with the essentials of Mission livin': strong cheap drinks, dance floor, plenty of willing and questionable make-out strangers, and a photobooth to capture your drunken memories. The only downside to K.O is that it's really out there on the other side of town. If you get tired of the joint, you're left stranded in a sea of taquerias and the option of El Rio. read more

Deep into one of my numerous tallboy cans of Tecate at the Knockout one night, I text messaged my friend who used to live in Chicago: "knockout sf = empty bottle." Anyone who's scoped the music scene in the Windy City should be able to recognize what that means. It means that, like the Empty Bottle in Chicago, the Knockout SF is a cool place to see some cool indie/punk bands and, sometimes, try to ignore all the people who are simply TOO cool. Yes, the Knockout can occasionally suffer from infestations of Hipsteris Elitus. Like a few weeks ago, when an Israeli band set things on fire, poured beer down their own trousers, played on top of the bar, and rode a kick-drum over the audience's outstretched arms while banging out primal rock'n'roll rhythms --- and yet there were still groups of skinny-teed trendoids who dared to stand around, slouching and glaring through their bangs and acting as if it was all SO boring and, omigod, can I BE any less excited? Um, yeah...and fuck YOU, too. Besides the indie clones, though, this place is pretty sweet. Affordable prices and a small stage for live underground music are always a fine mix. Keep your hipster gag reflex under control and you should have no problems. read more

Had a great time here on a recent rainy Tuesday for KUSF's happy hour. They have Racer 5 on tap, along with a really great selection of other beers, including an excellent selection of the cheap 'n' dirty variety. I felt super comfortable there. It has a run-down but clean feel, and good random decor, with all these little dark nooks -- good if you like to sequester yourself with your drinking pals. The bar is made of old-fashioned wood like I like, nice and long in case you feel like being part of the action. The 'tender was super laid back, but not remiss at all. He opened the mason jar of corn likker for me to taste (Soooo gross! Smells like tequila, tastes like corn oil. But oddly smooth... So I finished the shot, naturally.) just 'cause I was curious (or maybe just 'cause of the growing pile of ones at our end of the bar). We meant to stay maybe 2 hours, ended up staying a full 4. The availability of great drunk-people food in all directions is also a plus. I mean to return, and the Bingo sounds like it might be similar to the Cacophony Society one I used to love. Hell, I love any Bingo, so you can bet I'll make it one day... read more

I like how the Knockout has a lot going on on the different nights of the week, it really makes this little bar come alive. I like how their concerts are usually $5 or cheaper and that they have drink specials. I like their adult root beer floats (which taste just like normal root beer floats) and their bartenders. I like this bar! read more

Look out weekend cus here I come, because weekends were made 4 fun! And on the weekends I'm lookin for a DANCERIA! Ey, It's all about BOOTY BASEMENT NIGHTS! The gots: Debbie Deb Dr. Dre n Snoop Shit even Mama Old Skool hits DOWN! All that was missing was some Zapp n Roger *The only thing is the dance floo is not big enuff for me--ey man push those tables back!* read more

Nothing says "party" like the Knockout. Many a night I have spent here, flirting with tall skinny boys in tight jeans, luring them into the photo booth for a taste of my frothy beer. Yes, my seduction tool of choice - the photo booth. I'll post pictures of some of my finer catches in the near future. Maybe I'll even make a collage! The girls at work are all jealous because I can rock a gold lame bra and snag emo boys like nobody's business. And the Knockout is my bar of choice! Long live donut parties! read more

I've seen too many shows to count here. It's a great mainstay for quality, semi-cheap music (generally $5ish). Musicians love the place because it has great sound. I love it because it has great dancing! It sort of has an open, two-room design that separates the dance area from the bar, making for less spilled drinks. And they tend to have good DJs in-between and after sets, making for more fun! :D Other observations of awesomeness: $2 Hamms $3 Color photobooth Neon sign that says "NOPE" instead of "OPEN" Friendly bouncers that actually make non-vapid conversation read more

This place is cool because cover is just $5, there are crazy videos playing on the TVs, and they spin popular 90s hip hop. What I don't like is how stuffy it gets when the crowds start pouring in. This place isn't that big. Overall, it's a fun place to be with your friends and get lots of cheap drinks and dance, dance, dance. read more

SUSHI on wednesdays is awesome. We are picky, and these guys bring it for real. Just get there early for a table. $2 Kirin Ichibans, and $6 for A Kick-ass margarita feat. Fresh squeezed lime juice. Good service, fun crowd. Dj spinning 45's...even cooler. Looking forward to more times there. read more

If you want to dive bar this is it. Good place for a drink and to party. Hi Energy Good times!!

Wicked place. Just moved to the area and it is the only place I've found worth going to. Went to the International Club(which had lovely bartenders-coolios but the place was chock full of lecherous Latino blokes ,all vying for the bartenders attention) and another Latino bar on Mission that I didn't get. The latter had a gender mixed crowd which is better than the last one but it was weird to say the least. We get in there after an interrogation by the midget security folks and go to the bar. The bartender is all smiles and shakes my hand. (thats cool-i say to myself, friendly folks) I order a gin&soda for $8 and gave her a $1 tip. (Ok, its a little pricey but hell i'm alittle toasted so i let it slide and start to mingle at the bar) 10 mins later the lady comes back and says "Excuse me thats $2 tip not $1", not in a mean, intimidating way but in a very nonchalant friendly manner. (Knee Jerk reaction =hand her another dollar and smile, 'when in Rome') ....1min later...internal monologue....wait a minute WHAT IN THE MONKEY BUTT JUST HAPPENED?!? I 've never heard that before, that's not even a tip, that's like a payment but in 3 parts : a advance, a deposit and last months rent. So it came up to be a $10 drink. Till this day, i do not know what kind of place it was but i can assure you, it was shady. Then we ended up at the Knockout Room and had the same drink for $4 and a belly of laughs. Yes luvya Knockout read more

Although it was raining in the city, a quick walk through the Mission to Knockout on a Thursday night was perfect for my friends and I who were just looking to chill out for the night. Thursday night Bingo comes equipped with a Bingo Mistress, a free drink ticket and a table with a plethora of wonderful prizes. After plenty of drinks ... by the end of the night we walked away home as big bingo winners and had enough bingo cards to prove it! We didn't walk home empty handed but straggled home with a potted plant, plastic neon fun sunglasses that would have been found at any 6 year old birthday party, a jar of delicious finger-sized pickles and a 6oz. can of mushrooms. There was never a line for the girls bathroom, drinks were good, and the bartender was super friendly. And who doesn't love live music?! You got to love this place. read more

Who the fuck doesn't love a photo booth? We went in like six times last night. Good times. Never gets old, except when you run out of $. read more

If I were a townie & a drunk & I lived in the deep Mission or Bernal Heights, you bet your ass I'd be here every night. I was there last night (Tuesday) for a friend's show, & first impression is that I like pretty much everything about the Knockout. It's an obvious dive, they've got cheap drinks, a photobooth, pool table, pac-man, booths for people to sit in, awesome paraphernalia on the walls, & it's very roomy. Nevermind the extremely drunk creepy dude hitting on two of my friends all night. That's just Roger. Okay so I don't know his name, & there's no excuse for that, but being that The Knockout is the perfect townie bar, he was probably buds with the bartender & it's known to the regulars that skeeziness is his M.O. Great place. read more

Don't let the talk of the hipsters scare you away from this great bar. The Tamale Lady-Equivalent of the 'sushi guy' is there on Wednesdays for happy hour which, as disgusting as that may sound, is a very, very good thing. I've never won big at bingo on Thursdays, but have gotten drunk enough to lose track of the six scorecards in front of me. I've been there for a Friday/Saturday night band and those are the nights I would like to avoid most. Having said that, it's still a blast. read more

For some reason lately this has been my defacto bar when in the Mission and I love it. They have a really awesome Oldies night, photo booth, and photo hunt (which is a rare combo). I also find their bartenders really nice and drink selection cheap and good. You can't go wrong with a tall boy of Tecate or their alcoholic root beer float. It is also a great small venue to see some great bands play at. I saw Glass Candy here on New Years Eve and it was amazing. read more

Great location for me (stumbling distance to and fro) I always seem to have a good time here - they book lots of bands which is cool as there are fewer places to play in the City these days. dX is a great guy - he booked my ukulele act there a couple of years ago based simply on my pitch (Dark Side of the Moon on ukuleles).... He gave us a Sat night and the whole thing was such a blast we did it again for the Knockout's 2 yr anniversary. The Tatamimats are forever grateful! read more

I'm one of those people that doesn't really go outside of her comfort zone when it comes to bars. I will try eating at new restaurants, listening to new records, maybe ill even get crazy and try on a different cut of jeans. But very, very rarely will I go to a bar when there isn't at least one bar stool with a severely deep impression of my levis back pockets. Knockout has had a pretty good string of shows and dance nights, some cheap some free. That got me in there. The fact that they have tall cans, cider, and odd cocktails kept me in there. The cute dudes, efficient bartenders and fact that its pretty close to a bunch of other bars will keep me going back. Its official. I like this place. Damn, does that mean I'm growing? read more

If there is a Map for revolutionaries, instigators, booty-shakers, or people who want to create community through good beverages, good people, and good music, then Knockout is the place for you. Knockout is the home for artistas, wanderers, and good spirits. After I attend a rally, or cook a huge meal for protestors, or my familia, I go to the Knockout to hang out with people who don't believe in petty hierarchies, and appreciate Bingo and Karaoke and Rockabilly and good Latin House. If these nights were names for political parties, I would join them because that is what political party should do more of, PARTY! DX is the best bartender in the City. He is understanding of musical and political history is above all. Y la Tamale Lady's recipes are to die for. She is a true revolutionary cocinera! Whenever I leave San Francisco for too long, I go back to Knockout and know that I am home. read more

Last night was my first time going to this place. Actually... it was the first time in that part of the Mission area.. it's nice! I went to go see the Scratchies play they're last show. I'm bummed!! Not a bad walk from BART and a few buses run right outside the door. Makes it easy for us non-drivers, non-bikers, too-poor-to-cab-it's to get to. They had a special drink list that everything was $5. I tried the "extreme Limeade". I was pleasantly surprised that it was good! great! fantastic. This place reminds me of the punk scene before everyone was covered in piercings and tattoos and wearing Chucks. I didn't feel judged or stared at, which is hard to find when you're a woman wearing a neon zebra print shirt and have tattoo sleeves. My only complaint was that it was hot as balls in there. it wasn't crowded, but I still felt like I was in a sauna. read more

I went to go see my roomates former band play. It was pretty nice. I like the grungy feel to it all. Indie rock is a nice complement to this place. I don't know what else to say, other than I enjoyed the environment. read more

The first time I came here I stumbled in, unknowingly, with a college buddy who had friends bartending. Needless to say, I left even more elated than when I arrived. The second time I visited, I was dining across the street and someone suggested to grab a quick beer. "A" quick beer it was not. We stayed most of the night, drinking, dancing, playing video games, taking photos in the photo booth, and jamming to the tight sounds from King City. This place rawks even more because my buddy who recently got engaged, has found his wedding reception band. That band is King City. We'll see what his fiance says ... The bartenders pour awesome drinks. When I say awesome, I mean heavy, just the way that I like it. The entertainment is clearly there (btw, Thursday nights are Bingo night. The prize? More free beer!), and the best part is that Taqueria Cancun is right next door for drunk munchies. The reason why this place doesn't get 5 stars is because it's impossible to get a cab from here. It's location is where Valencia meets Mission, and both times I've stumbled out the doors I've had to wait. And wait. And then call Yellow Cab. And wait. And then someone got dropped off at Taqueria Cancun and I jumped in their cab. read more

Drinks are cheap, some are very original and good, not overly crowded (although it could be very busy with band shows and such), and show cover isn't too expensive either. Bathroom always has plenty toilet paper, and it's relatively clean compared to other bars. Parking isn't too hard, they always have fun events like 60s DJ dance night, good band shows, tons of restaurants nearby, and bartenders are friendly. I love The Knockout. read more

I really should have come here a lot sooner. Tonight they played early 90s rock -- she's a keeper. Also, there was a gnarly fight outside after last call. read more

Okay, so my first two star review easily goes to the Knockout. Now, I want people to keep in mind that what I am looking for in a bar is important to the 2 star rating. 1) I like places with cheap, but quality drinks. They had advertised $2 Kirin on tap on their website, however it was actually $3 dollars and then went to $4 after 9pm. Considering that most other similar bars have an actual $2 quality draft happy hour, and that Sudachi has actual $2 drafts all day on Sapporo, the Knockout disappointed here (after 5 beers w/ tips the difference adds up fast). 2) I like places with a cool crowd, age group early to late 20s. This place had a crowd of late 20s to early 30s and the people were very unimpressive. Most that I talked to had really similar life stories -- drifted from job to job never really advancing far and kind of settling into mediocrity. It was like time traveling forward and seeing what happened to all the High School burnouts. The scene was really boring. 3) I like places with some sort of ambiance. Yes, I know this is a dive bar, but if the drinks aren't particularly cheap then part of what you go for is an interesting setting. And considering how cheap it is to make a punk/rock club look good, they really under delivered. Also, the bathrooms are terrible. All in all, I came expecting a unique place, cheap drinks, sushi, and good music. I left pretty disappointed. Won't be going back. read more

The Knockout Rocks! Any bar with a drink called "big ass margarita" is cool by me. Thursday Bingo is silly and fun. With each drink, you get another card - sitting at the bar, watching your three cards like a hawk - how can you beat this?. Eat at Emmy's and then head to The Knockout. Afterall, Thursday IS the new Friday. :-) read more

So dark my I can feel my pupils straining to dilate turning my eyes into that of a sleestack. Whoa... pretty cool. I didn't realize Thursday was a bingo night until the large and friendly bartender gave us a board per drink. I was thinking, wtf? But, turned out to be fun. The hostess perhaps being key to making it that way. Lit up bingo board display is doing it right. After bingo, the first band of the night began to play, the singer being in a near devil-possessed frenzy,, and I felt like the guy in one of those pictures where the wind is hitting is face so hard, his face begins to distort from the sheer force. Only my second time here, definitely won't be my last. read more

I love this place. Every time I visit SF, I make a trip to the Knockout. Who doesn't love a good dive bar? Love Tracy! Always good music, some new concoction to drink, hooks for me to hang my purse, and Blue Plate is literally across the street if you get hungry! The photo booth is also a nice touch. Never disappointed. Will be back again! read more