Date: 12/30/2010

Category: · Writing  » News Coverage  » Bay Area Reporter · Writing  » Topic  » lgbt

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story and photos by Matt Baume

The cozy ambiance of The Gangway

What makes a dive bar divey? Is it the decor, the clientele, the prices, the paucity of decorative soaps in the gentlemen's room?

Or maybe it's just a way of life. On a recent survey of bars reputed to be "dives," we found that their one common trait is an inclusive atmosphere that invites all comers and asks nothing in return.

You can trace that friendly tradition back to 1938 and the construction of a bar that would one day be known as Deco Lounge. These days, Deco Lounge glitters with weekly Sunday amateur stripping contests, featuring a hundred-dollar grand prize. But really, when there's stripping involved, doesn't everyone win?

Monday nights at Deco Lounge, there's comedy; Karaoke's on Tuesday; and Ginger Snap hosts a drag show on Friday nights. You might come for the dance floor, but you'll stay for the drink specials: $2 Pabst Blue Ribbon beer, $4 shots, and $7 "special frozen drinks at bartender's discretion." Bearracuda and Go Bang occasionally return for their monthly events. Decos's newest event starting in January each third Saturdays, called Strobe, features classic disco and drag acts. And architects, note the woodwork: Deco has the largest mahogany bar on the west coast.

And that's not the Tenderloin's only dive bar with a respectable past. Head over to The Gangway if you really want to rub shoulders with history. It's the oldest continually-running gay bar in the city, dating back to the waning days of the prohibition-era Pansy Craze.

"Back in the '30s, that's when it became The Gangway," said owner Darryl Wright. "They called it a 'singles bar' then."

It's still a fun place for singles, and couples, and crowds. Friendly bartenders and go-go dancers keep the mood pleasant, and the $8 pitchers don't hurt. Saturday sees parties like Manquake and Chrome, and if you need a diversion, spend some time fishing for porn in the claw machine.

The history continues up the street at R Bar, where locals have been boozing it up since the 1940s. While not gay-specific, the neighborhood bar is gay-friendly.

But is it a dive? "I think people call it a dive bar because it doesn't have neon lights," said owner Will Presley. "We don't do table service."

Instead, they boast an impressive variety of drinks. It's the Fernet that crowds clamor for: a challenging, take-no-prisoners Italian spirit that's maintained a grip on San Francisco for a hundred years, R Bar is ground zero for shots backed by ginger. Or if you don't want a drink that'll make your bow-tie spin, opt for a $2 Bud Light, or a charming Bloody Mary.

Speaking of Marys, they don't make drag shows anymore like the ones at Aunt Charlie's. These are performers with some serious stories, having lived in the limelight for decades. There's not a lady alive who can own a room like Vickie Marlane, Gina LaDivina, and Collette LeGrande.

Even when the girls have the night off, there's still no shortage of down-and-dirty fun. Tubesteak Thursdays draw such a huge crowd that you might want to call ahead to make sure it's not too packed. Just don't pull out your phone once you get inside, since cell phones are strictly forbidden. Now, enjoy some complementary popcorn.

Trax bartenders Lee and Dan

Popcorn flows freely at Lucky 13, a gay-friendly but not gay bar popular with tattooed rock and roll folks. There's no shortage of other bells and whistles like pinball machines and a photo booth. The great selection of drinks is matched by a great selection of tunes on a jukebox that's far superior to any Internet-enabled hodgepodge. This is a dog-friendly establishment, so you might run into a few furry friends; and it's street-food-friendly, so you might run into the Tamale Lady. The only thing that's not welcome at Lucky 13 is credit cards.

So are these dive bars or not? Who knows. "Any bar's a dive bar," said Gangway's Darryl Wright. "It depends on the time of the year and the day and the week and who's there."

But the bartenders at Trax on Haight take a less ambiguous approach. "Absolutely we're a dive bar," said Lee Turner. "We're proud of it."

And so are the patrons, who range from college students to tourists to Cole Valley moms and dads. Trax is so laid-back and welcoming, you might not even notice it's one of the Haight's rare gay bars. There's no better break from the Castro scene, especially as a prelude to wandering down to Cockfight at SF Underground.

Progressive Saturdays at Trax feature the neighborhood's best drink specials: early in the evening, well drinks are $1, and climb to just $3 by closing time. The "Bitchin' Bloody Marys" certainly are, without a doubt, bitchin'. Just don't let them break your concentration at the pool table.

If you're feeling euphemistic, you might call these bars "economically inclusive." But no matter the term, they've got more character in a single olive than any high-gloss Marina bar could ever offer. From the gritty history to the one-of-a-kind ambiance to the knowing nod that you get when you walk through the door, there's nothing like a dive.