Bay area gay bars

The Lone Star Saloon first opened its doors in on the corner of Howard and 7th. At first it was a bar for old gay hippies. Just beer and wine — oh yeh, and sake, fresh from the microwave. On October 17,the Loma Prieta earthquake struck. The bar, only 6 months old, was rendered unsafe and had to be demolished.

Like a proverbial phoenix it rose up at its current location at Harrison St. The space, with its ample main room, nooks, crannies, and soon-to-be legendary patio, appealed to the biker crowd that bay made The Ambush — the notorious leather bar once located directly across the street — their HQ.

Then along came the internet. With some cutting edge at the time social uses for it, the bar gained a reputation around the area. It was like a secret club. And what did it mean? Many things to many people: Older likes small, big likes gay, small likes furry, and on and on.

But above all it meant you were proud to identify as a bear. The Lone Star has been open for business and serving bears ever since. Most recently, the bar has been purchased by two of the longtime bartenders Bruce 19yrs and Charlie 13yrs. Bruce and Charlie, as well as their crew, are determined to make you comfortable and show you a bar time.

You can learn more about them from their bios on the Bar Staff page.

Lex’s Guide to Queer San Francisco Nightlife | LGBTQ+ Bars

Mon-Sat 4p—2a Sun 2p—2a. Say hello to the crew at The Lone Star Saloon, they're a friendly bunch. Actually I was born in Sydney, I moved to the U. S in I have been working in gay bars for 40 years and I love my job. Spending time with my partner and my passion for painting keep me sane. Bruce is a Northern California native.

Bruce has been a bartender in The City for twenty three years, fifteen of those at the Lone Star. It has been a dream of his to own a bar, and becoming an owner of the Lone Star is the best possible realization of that dream. Book your event today! DM us or email lonestarsaloonsf gmail.