Kept by Mabuhay Gardens
North Beach Neighborhood Digital Relay
Every room on the strip, in the words of those who wrote it down.
Sunday Edition — rolls forward daily
September 27, 2026Music · Comedy · Festival map · 365 · Channels · October calendar · Database
Broadway, Columbus to Grant to Powell
In This Edition
The Music of North Beach
Eight rooms, the October register act by act, quotes that name their shows, and the artists' own clips — plus how many more dates each act holds ahead.
The Comedy of North Beach
Punch Line, The Setup, Cobb's just beyond the strip, and the Mab's comedy nights — quotes, clips and the open-mic gap noted.
The Festival Map, Day by Day
Twenty-three rooms as festival stages. Pick a night and watch the map light up; scroll the whole month grouped day by day, with the neighborhood's historic photographs.
North Beach 365
The standing schedule beneath the bills: the weekly series that run all year — jams, swing, salsa, cabaret, drag — day by day of the week.
The Channels
The rooms' active social accounts, verified — one tap to each room's own voice, collected by the daily relay.
The October Calendar
Every dated event on the strip, name by name, with times and ticket links, plus the performer register.
The Enriched Database
One row per event — performer profiles, social handles, ticket and review links. Import to Google Calendar with the companion CSV.
Open today’s full day sheet — every time, room and ticket link
Thirteen Ways to Read the Month
The Festival MapPick any night; every stage lights up, with Bix and the century-old landmarks.
The Month in MapsA scrollable gallery — every day its own expressionist canvas, times scrawled on the map.
The Calendar in One WordOne adjective per session. Browse by date or by word.
The Emoji CalendarOne emoji per session — the month legible at a glance.
The Genre CalendarJazz, stand-up, salsa, poetry — browse by date or by genre.
The Green ReadersA graphic novel: Fern reads the relay, Moss muses its mood.
The ConciergeEight expert itineraries, one for every kind of night out.
The Feelings MapThe neighborhood in the coverage’s own feeling-words.
The Word CloudThe week’s coverage, weighed by the words it used.
The QR PackEvery ticket and venue, printable as scan codes.
The Site MapEvery door in the relay and the Bright Future portal, on one page.
The RegisterThe full database: tickets, socials, reviews, sources.
Jackson SquareThe eastern rooms: Cigar Bar, Bix, Great Star, Punch Line, Old Ship.
ChinatownThe southern rooms: Great Star, Li Po, Red's Place, Lion's Den, Mr. Bing's.
At the Mab — The Nights Ahead
The Week Ahead
Sunday, September 27 through Saturday, October 3 — tonight leads, the week follows, and the days just passed are kept on the record below. Times and programs as the venues posted them; every event links to its ticket page. Each act appears with a clip of its own footing and a card of what has been said about it. Mabuhay Gardens nights are listed first, each linked to the room's Instagram, @fabmabsf; every room appears at parity.
Sunday, September 27
Tonight
10:00 AM Ensemble Creation Workshop with Slater Penney and Jaron Hollander — Mabuhay Gardens · event · @fabmabsf
Cosmo Alleycats - Old Sweet Song - LIVE at Keys Jazz Bistro · watch on YouTube
Emily Day
“Jazz vocalist, arranger and songwriter Emily Day has been performing jazz since the age of 16.” official
“As one of the major singers in her field (Scott Yanow, Syncopated Times), Emily's voice carries the history of American music.” official
“On stage, [Emily Day] combines her deep knowledge of jazz with her whiskey-tinged timber and vocal acrobatics — simultaneously wild and precise.” official
The Cosmo Alleycats
“A favorite of the San Francisco music scene since the band's 2010 beginning.” official
“If you pass a San Francisco bar on a Friday night with a great long line of expectant patrons out front, chances are they're all waiting to be propelled into the sonic time warp of a Cosmo Alleycats performance inside.” official
“However polished [the Cosmo Alleycats'] performance may be, it's their sense of playfulness that holds the door open for the unexpected.” official
Monday, September 28
Zinggflower Mondays
“GamperDrums brings an all-star band to The Mab for blues and beyond — funk, soul, jazz, and San Francisco psychedelia — continuing the fearless musical exploration inspired by Drew Zingg.” listing
“This week: John R. Burr on keys, Scott Sorkin on guitar, Kristen Strom on sax and vocals, Fred Randolph on bass, and Chris Gamper on drums.” listing
“ZinggFlower Mondays grew from the weekly GamperDrums FunkJazz sessions with Drew Zingg, and now brings extraordinary artists together each week for spontaneous creation.” listing
Tuesday, September 29
Joe Klocek at Snap LIVE! in Ann Arbor, "The California Confederacy" · watch on YouTube
DJ Purple ZOOMAROKE! The Best-Sounding Live, Virtual Karaoke Party! · watch on YouTube
No authenticated quotes yet for this night’s acts — the rooms’ own listings name them without description. The gap is noted, not filled.
Wednesday, September 30
Introducing... Eva Evans | Netflix is a Joke · watch on YouTube
Nick Rossi and His Swing Four · watch on YouTube
The Nick Rossi Quartet
“San Francisco-based guitarist and bandleader Nick Rossi is now best known for leading one of the West Coast's most dynamic and popular swing dance combos.” listing
“1930s-1940s style small group swing — now celebrating four years.” official
Time TBA Wednesday swing night — check the room's page for this week's band — Cat's Corner at Mabuhay Gardens · event
LINDY HOP & BALBOA DEMO - 2026 Cat's Corner · watch on YouTube
Thursday, October 1
RWOH Presents SF Sounds: Elenah - "Ilusión" · watch on YouTube
ELENAH, with Oskar Ly and Jazz Mafia Horns
“ELENAH celebrates the release of their new album, Momento, with a special expanded-band performance featuring Colombian pianist and arranger Oskar Ly and the Jazz Mafia horn section.” listing
“Led by Ecuadorian-American producer, composer and singer David Saenz, ELENAH brings together reggae, cumbia, Latin music, hip hop, and rhythms from across the Caribbean and African diaspora.” listing
“Completing the lineup are horns from Jazz Mafia, the acclaimed San Francisco collective known for fearlessly connecting jazz with hip hop, world music, electronic music, and beyond.” listing
Kung Fu Panda — official trailer · watch on YouTube
7:00 PM JS Tan and Clarissa Redwine — Against Tech Oligarchy (sold out at posting) — City Lights Booksellers · event
Leslie Liao — Silky Smooth, stand-up · watch on YouTube
Friday, October 2
Brad Leali, playing Broadway · watch on YouTube
The Brad Leali Jazz Quartet
“With a unique style and sound that echo the influences of his past, Brad Leali is one of the most notable saxophonists of current times.” listing
“Saxophonist Brad Leali was among the most soulful and exciting I've heard recently.” press-on-official
“[Brad Leali]'s solos are sparkling and Cannonball Adderley influenced.” press-on-official
Atta Kid - Boom Boom Room - SF - 7 22 16 "Own Thing Goin'" · watch on YouTube
Atta Kid
“A staple of the Bay Area scene since 2013, Atta Kid is an all-star crew that reaches into the swampy lilt of New Orleans and the razor-sharp precision of the East Bay at the same time.” listing
“Led by Daniel Casares and Max Cowan, Atta Kid will take you on a round-trip from Oakland to the bayou in every set.” listing
“Music for the brain and the booty.” official
The Setup
“The best speakeasy comedy experience in San Francisco.” official
“Ali Wong cut her teeth here. Sheng Wang built his voice here.” official
“This city has always been where the best comics do their most dangerous work, and The Setup carries that tradition at The Palace Theater and The Lost Church.” official
Time TBA Joan Crawford in Strait-Jacket — a Joan Hag-stravaganza (time not stated) — Great Star Theater · event
Saturday, October 3
Marcus Shelby Quartet ft. Tiffany Austin - Me and My Gin (Live at SFJAZZ) · watch on YouTube
Dee CoCo Johnson with Top Shelf Classics · watch on YouTube
No authenticated quotes yet for this night’s acts — the rooms’ own listings name them without description. The gap is noted, not filled.
No listings inside this window yet — the month ahead below stands, and the next edition rebuilds daily.
The week just passed — 1 edition kept on the record
Saturday, September 26
Closed — kept on the record
The Submarine Show — Underwater Laughs Aboard the Sub · watch on YouTube
The Submarine Show
“Two intrepid explorers crash their submarine, and that's only the beginning. What follows is an epic, madcap journey from the ocean floor all the way to the sky and back again.” listing
“Nonstop, breathless, and gloriously absurd — physical comedy at its most fearless, and not a word is spoken.” listing
“Since its 2009 debut, this award-winning comedy has toured the world to rave reviews and standing ovations.” listing
Dear San Francisco
“A love letter to city and the human body.” press-on-official
“Bursts with warmth… capture(s) the spirit and resilience of San Francisco.” press-on-official
“Dear San Francisco is an acrobatic love-letter to our wondrous city by the bay.” official
8:00 PM Full Moon Trip Temple — sound healing, suggested donation $5-20 — Live Worms Gallery · event
The Month Ahead — October, day by day
Every day of October on the board, in the full October calendar and on the festival map. Dots mark days with listings.
October ·2 ·3 ·4 ·5 ·6 ·7 ·8 ·9 ·10 ·11 ·12 ·13 ·14 ·15 ·16 ·17 ·18 ·19 ·20 ·21 ·22 ·23 ·24 ·25 ·26 ·27 ·28 ·29 ·30 ·31 ·
The Month Ahead — Watch and Listen
Every act on the October board with verified footage, embedded once, each with its scheduled dates and the room that hosts it. Acts already illustrated inside the week above appear here too, so the month view stands alone.
ELENAH Momento Album Release
Scheduled: Oct 1, Oct 1 — Keys Jazz Bistro · event
RWOH Presents SF Sounds: Elenah - "Ilusión" · watch on YouTube
Leslie Liao
Leslie Liao — Silky Smooth, stand-up · watch on YouTube
Atta Kid
Scheduled: Oct 2, Oct 23 — Keys Jazz Bistro · event
Atta Kid - Boom Boom Room - SF - 7 22 16 "Own Thing Goin'" · watch on YouTube
The Brad Leali Jazz Quartet
Scheduled: Oct 2 — Keys Jazz Bistro · event
Brad Leali, playing Broadway · watch on YouTube
The Setup stand-up comedy
The Setup Speakeasy Comedy at The Palace Theater San Francisco · watch on YouTube
Dee Coco Johnson
Scheduled: Oct 3 — Great Star Theater · event
Dee CoCo Johnson with Top Shelf Classics · watch on YouTube
Marcus Shelby Quartet Celebrates Monk and Trane
Marcus Shelby Quartet ft. Tiffany Austin - Me and My Gin (Live at SFJAZZ) · watch on YouTube
Lori Carsillo
Lori Carsillo – "What'll I Do?" (2024 Jazz Music Video) · watch on YouTube
Brian Babylon
Brian Babylon | My Tinders | Laugh Factory Stand Up Comedy · watch on YouTube
DJ Purple Karaoke
DJ Purple ZOOMAROKE! The Best-Sounding Live, Virtual Karaoke Party! · watch on YouTube
Cat's Corner
Scheduled: Oct 7, Oct 14 — Mabuhay Gardens · event
LINDY HOP & BALBOA DEMO - 2026 Cat's Corner · watch on YouTube
Pamela Rose & Wayne De La Cruz
Scheduled: Oct 7 — Keys Jazz Bistro · event
Hammond Organ Party! with Pamela Rose & Wayne De La Cruz · watch on YouTube
Ray Lau
Scheduled: Oct 7, Oct 7, Oct 8, Oct 8, Oct 9, Oct 9, Oct 10, Oct 10 — Punch Line SF · event · @rayjlau
Whole Audience vs. 1 Guy | Ray Lau | Standup Comedy · watch on YouTube
Marshall Law
MARSHALL LAW BAND - Full Set (Live in Los Angeles, CA 2020) · watch on YouTube
Paula West
Scheduled: Oct 9, Oct 9 — Keys Jazz Bistro · event
Mondays with Kuumbwa – Episode 31 – Paula West · watch on YouTube
Clairdee
Clairdee - STAND UP (with Tony Lindsay, Janice Maxie-Reid, Kenny Washington) (Official Video) · watch on YouTube
Laid Off
Laid Off - Not On, Kick On, Get On (Official Video) · watch on YouTube
Suzanna Smith
Scheduled: Oct 11, Oct 11 — Keys Jazz Bistro · event
Live from Meyhouse Jazz: Suzanna Smith-Peggy Lee Project · watch on YouTube
Nori Reed
Getting Sent to Trans Island | Standup Comedy | Nori Reed · watch on YouTube
Smith Dobson Quartet
Scheduled: Oct 14 — Keys Jazz Bistro · event
Smith Dobson Quartet · watch on YouTube
Aaron Weber
Aaron Weber | Signature Dish (Full Comedy Special) · watch on YouTube
Ivy Anderson & Devon Angus
Scheduled: Oct 15 — City Lights · event
"Alice: Memoirs Of A Barbary Coast Prostitute" a talk with historians Ivy Anderson & Devon Angus · watch on YouTube
Jinx Jones and the Kingtones
Jinx Jones & the KingTones · watch on YouTube
Jazz Mafia
Where Is My Husband (Raye) | Jazz Mafia Experience LIVE · watch on YouTube
Janice Maxie Reid
Janice Maxie-Reid Joins Skyler Jett: Soulful Keys & Sacred Truths · watch on YouTube
Rhonda Benin
Scheduled: Oct 18, Oct 18 — Keys Jazz Bistro · event
Rhonda Benin & Her Trio - Live Jazz @ B&B · watch on YouTube
Laurie Kilmartin
Best of Laurie Kilmartin | Stand-Up Comedy · watch on YouTube
Liz Kennedy
Liz Kennedy Live at The Sweetwater Music Hall - "Speed Bump" · watch on YouTube
The Smokedaddies
Smokedaddies @ Tupelo SF - 'Waiting In Vain' · watch on YouTube
Kenny Washington Quartet
Kenny Washington - "Moanin'" - Live at Jazz St. Louis · watch on YouTube
Howard Wiley
SFJAZZ Singles: Howard Wiley performs "Hotel California" · watch on YouTube
Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers
Lavay Smith & Her Red Hot Skillet Lickers - Caravan (Live at SFJAZZ) · watch on YouTube
Hector Lugo Jazz/Latin Trio
Scheduled: Oct 25, Oct 25 — Keys Jazz Bistro · event
Aguinaldo con salsa (Héctor Lugo y La Mixta Criolla at the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, June 2022) · watch on YouTube
Patrick Wolff Quartet
Scheduled: Oct 28 — Keys Jazz Bistro · event
Patrick Wolff Quartet - live jazz at Bird & Beckett · watch on YouTube
Rhonda Sauce
KCSM'S Studio 91 Presents vocalist Rhonda Sauce and her Quartet! · watch on YouTube
Tony Lindsay
"In My Shoes" by Tony Lindsay (live @ Yoshi's 1/5/26) · watch on YouTube
DJ Purple
Scheduled: Tue Sep 29, 9 PM — Tupelo
DJ Purple ZOOMAROKE! The Best-Sounding Live, Virtual Karaoke Party! · watch on YouTube
Emily Day & the Cosmo Alleycats
Scheduled: Sun Sep 27, 5 & 7 PM — Keys Jazz Bistro · @cosmoalleycats
Cosmo Alleycats - Old Sweet Song - LIVE at Keys Jazz Bistro · watch on YouTube
Eva Evans
Scheduled: Wed Sep 30, 7:30 PM — Punch Line SF · @evaevanscomedy
Introducing... Eva Evans | Netflix is a Joke · watch on YouTube
Joe Klocek & Friends
Scheduled: Tue Sep 29, 7:30 PM — Punch Line SF · @standupjoe
Joe Klocek at Snap LIVE! in Ann Arbor, "The California Confederacy" · watch on YouTube
Kung Fu Panda
Scheduled: see the rooms' listings — dates as posted
Kung Fu Panda — official trailer · watch on YouTube
The Nick Rossi Quartet
Scheduled: Wed Sep 30, 7 PM — Keys Jazz Bistro · @nickrossi_ny
Nick Rossi and His Swing Four · watch on YouTube
The Submarine Show
Scheduled: see the rooms' listings — dates as posted
The Submarine Show — Underwater Laughs Aboard the Sub · watch on YouTube
The Thematic Pathways
Named combinations of three things at three time ranges — evenings sequenced so the rooms' different start times become one arc. Mabuhay Gardens leads where it plays; every other room stands at parity. Each pathway is a suggestion of order, not a package: buy each room's ticket on its own page.
The Full Immersion
Saturday — closed September 26; the arc returns with the Mab's next Saturday bill
8:00 PM → 9:30 PM → 10:00 PM
Silence, then swing, then sweat. A single night that moves the body from watching to hearing to dancing.
18:00 PMThe Submarine Show — wordless physical comedy, an undersea epic built from nothing — Mabuhay Gardens
then
29:30 PMKeys Jazz Bistro — the late set, two bands a night on the strip's jazz stage — Keys Jazz Bistro
then
For dancers who also laugh, and anyone who wants one night to move from watching to dancing.
You learn to listen without words at the Mab, hear instruments answer each other at Keys, and by midnight you are the conversation. Three rooms, one progression: attention, appreciation, participation.
The Maker's Arc
Sunday, September 27 — Mabuhay-led
10:00 AM → 7:00 PM → 8:00 PM
Make it in the morning, laugh at it after dark, sway to it by candlelight.
110:00 AMEnsemble Creation Workshop with Slater Penney and Jaron Hollander — a day of making theater — Mabuhay Gardens
then
27:00 PMPunch Line SF — the S.F. Comedy Showcase, the room where the city's comics are made — Punch Line SF
then
For makers and their families — anyone who has wanted to build the thing instead of only seeing it.
A day that passes culture hand to hand: you build ensemble theater yourself at the Mab, hear comedy's newest voices take their first swings at the Punch Line, and end in a candlelit room where the old songs are kept warm. From making, to witnessing beginnings, to witnessing mastery.
The Slow Burn
Monday, September 28 — Mabuhay-led
6:30 PM → 9:00 PM
A quiet night that keeps two rooms' fires banked: the Mab's Monday band, and the jam that ends the strip's week.
16:30 PMZinggflower Mondays — funk, soul, jazz and San Francisco psychedelia, downstairs at the Mab — Mabuhay Gardens
then
Earlier or instead: the Waystone jazz jam runs 6 to 9 PM on upper Grant — Waystone.
For regulars, musicians, and the quietly devoted — the neighborhood at its own pace.
Monday is the neighborhood telling the truth about itself — no headliners, just regulars playing because the music is the reason. Zinggflower Mondays carry Drew Zingg's legacy in an all-star weekly band downstairs at the Mab; the Tupelo invitational jam closes the night by handing the stage to whoever showed up with an instrument.
The Night in Three Keys
Friday, October 2
7:00 PM → 9:00 PM → 10:00 PM
Saxophone, then speakeasy, then dance floor. A night in three registers: swing, whisper, bass.
17:00 PMThe Brad Leali Jazz Quartet ft Carla Helmbrecht — sparkling, Cannonball Adderley-influenced saxophone — Keys Jazz Bistro
then
then
For listeners who stay out late — one arc from the bandstand to the punchline to the floor.
Leali's quartet opens the night in the jazz tradition; the Setup carries it into a room with no sign on the door; and Bamboo Hut ends it free and loud. Each stop is a ten-minute walk from the last.
The Crossroads
Thursday, October 1
7:00 PM → 8:00 PM → 9:00 PM
A record release, a salsa floor, and the same band again — one night, two rooms, three appointments.
17:00 PMELENAH — Momento album release, first set, with Oskar Ly and the Jazz Mafia horn section — Keys Jazz Bistro
then
then
At the 8:00 fork there is a third road: Leslie Liao plays the Punch Line the same night — and again Friday and Saturday — Punch Line SF.
For night owls who want one neighborhood evening to hold a whole album's arc.
The new record opens the night; two blocks away the Savoy's free salsa floor takes it outdoors under strings; and the second set brings it home. Three appointments, each with its own clock.
This edition is kept in step with the North Beach Neighborhood Calendar, the neighborhood's public Google Calendar of local events. See also the full October calendar, the festival map and the enriched database. Every event links to the page it was verified on; the host page remains the source of truth. The register was verified Saturday, September 26, 2026 and rolls forward from today with each edition; every Mabuhay Gardens show links to the room's Instagram, @fabmabsf. The room this paper is kept from is regenerating as a community-owned creative space; if the paper is useful to you, support the regeneration at the Fab Mab GoFundMe.
North Beach, Then
The streets the music walks, photographed across a century — the same open-license set carried on the festival map, each credited and linked to its source.
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The Week's Rhythm
| Monday | Zinggflower Mondays at Mabuhay Gardens; the San Francisco Invitational Jam at Tupelo; the Waystone jazz jam, 6 to 9 PM; two sets at The Saloon. |
| Tuesday | The Django-style jazz jam at Paris 75; two sets at The Saloon; readings at City Lights most nights of the week. |
| Wednesday | Cat's Corner at Mabuhay Gardens — classes from 7, live band from 9:30; live music Wednesdays at The Devil's Acre; Bachata Wednesdays at Paname; the Takeover Wednesday patio party at the Cigar Bar; Wacky Wednesday in Kerouac Alley on alternating weeks. |
| Thursday | Live jazz and burlesque at Paris 75; two sets at The Saloon; Dear San Francisco at Club Fugazi. |
| Friday | Keys Jazz Bistro, two sets; DJs at the Bamboo Hut and Monroe; salsa and swing across the corridor; the Friday night happy hour at the Old Ship Saloon. |
| Saturday | Tonight's board above — Peña Pachamama at 8, the clubs along Broadway late, two sets at The Saloon and Keys. |
| Sunday | Ballroom live music at the Green Tortoise; Waystone's evening sets; open mic and open deck at Paris 75; The Saloon, as ever, twice a day. |
The Clip File — Broadway
What the writers said, in their own words. Each clip opens with the piece's title and links to where it ran.
Mabuhay Gardens — 435 and 443 Broadway
“At the legendary Mabuhay on North Beach's neon-lit stretch of Broadway, the punk past still announces itself.”
48hills — 48hills.org
“Mabuhay Gardens was a Filipino restaurant, nightclub, and music venue that was essential to San Francisco's punk scene before its closure in 1987.”
KQED — kqed.org
Cat's Corner at Mabuhay Gardens — 435 Broadway, Wednesdays
“Wednesday nights at Cat's Corner have become a ritual for San Francisco's swing dance community.”
Time Out — timeout.com
Club Fugazi — 678 Green Street
“A love letter to city and the human body.” — the San Francisco Chronicle, on Dear San Francisco. “Acrobats take over Club Fugazi with strength, grace and glee.” — the San Francisco Examiner.
press quotes gathered on the show's page — 7fingers.com — and KQED's review at kqed.org
Keys Jazz Bistro — 498 Broadway
“The San Francisco Examiner called it 'a secular church of live music' for putting two shows a night back on Broadway.” The same survey of the room's press and patrons: “The consensus credits Keys with single-handedly reviving North Beach as a jazz address.”
Bars for Kings, quoting the San Francisco Examiner — barsforkings.com
Monroe — 473 Broadway
“Monroe is a new bar located on Broadway St. in a building that was once the famous Jazz Workshop — where many comedians and musicians performed back in the day, including Lenny Bruce.”
The Bold Italic — thebolditalic.com
“Monroe SF is an upscale club located in San Francisco's North Beach district, drawing inspiration from the 1920s old Hollywood era. The Art Deco-inspired venue features plush curving sofas, dramatic artwork, and a patio that attracts drinkers and dancers alike.”
Wanderlog — wanderlog.com
The Bamboo Hut — 479 Broadway
“Tiki cocktails and fun island atmosphere.” The room, in its own booking listing: “We have a fake rock wall with a giant vintage 1950s Tiki Head, the rest of the space is covered in bamboo and matting on the walls and thatch roofing over the bar and booth area.”venue listing
Tagvenue — tagvenue.com — and the venue's own listing — peerspace.com
Paris 75 — 515 Broadway
“Every Tuesday, this cozy North Beach French lounge opens its stage to anyone with an instrument and a dream.”
Outgoing — outgoing.world
“Chic French-inspired cocktail bar in San Francisco's North Beach, known for its jazz nights, DJs, and a standout selection of French wines and craft beers.”
Tagvenue — tagvenue.com
China Live — 644 Broadway
“China Live, which has been described as the 'Eataly of Chinese food,' is currently in the buildout stage.”
Hoodline — hoodline.com
“The steel and concrete building was built by architect Philip Choy in the 1980s as part of a reimagined Chinatown and was a bit controversial at the time — I used to call it the Blade Runner dim sum house.”
Tablehopper — tablehopper.com
The Palace Theater / The Speakeasy — beneath China Live, 644 Broadway
“Sal's joint, Doc's Clock, The Palace Theatre, these are some of the many names given to the set pieces of Boxcar Theatre's The Speakeasy — a labyrinthine immersive production that has taken up residence under the streets of San Francisco's North Beach.”
No Proscenium — noproscenium.com
“The Speakeasy, an immersive theater piece set in the 1920s that ran for 425 performances pre-pandemic in a subterranean space in North Beach called The Palace Theater, is reopening tonight.”
SFist — sfist.com
Paname — 523 Broadway
“Opened in January 2025, Paname on Broadway, San Francisco, blends Las Vegas energy with Parisian elegance. A nightclub on weekends and a live music venue on weekdays, it hosts private events before 9 PM.”
Tagvenue — tagvenue.com
“Paname is a french Night club, Music venue and event space Offering unique experience like nothing else in San Francisco.”listing
Yelp — yelp.com
The Clip File — Grant Avenue
The oldest bar in California sits on this street, and the writers have not missed it.
The Saloon — 1232 Grant Avenue
“The oldest bar in San Francisco, established in 1861 as Wagner's Beer Hall, and still operating as if nothing has changed. The Saloon is a blues sanctuary. Two bands a day, seven days a week, for over 160 years.”
The Bold Italic — thebolditalic.com
“The Saloon is one of the oldest bars in San Francisco and easily one of the best places in the city to hear live blues music.”visitor reviews
Tripadvisor — tripadvisor.com
Professor Seagull's Smartshop — 1351 Grant Avenue
“Happening gallery space hosting north beach art walk, a fun social gallery and accompanied by music.”visitor reviews
Roadtrippers — roadtrippers.com
Tupelo — 1337 Grant Avenue
“If you're someone who wants their ashes spread across every square foot of the Marina, Tupelo will feel like your North Beach home away from home. Especially if home involves dancing wildly to live covers of '80s songs.”
The Infatuation — theinfatuation.com
“Teague, the owner, has brought great live music back to Grant Street (and is a badass musician of his own).”visitor reviews
Yelp — yelp.com
Maggie McGarry's — 1353 Grant Avenue
“Maggie McGarry's is a fun, high-energy Irish bar known for its lively atmosphere, especially during sports matches and karaoke nights.”listing summary
PosDO — pos.do
Savoy Tivoli — 1434 Grant Avenue
“The weekend jazz is one of my favorite SF experiences for a lazy yet lively weekend afternoon.”visitor reviews
SF Funcheap — sf.funcheap.com — visitor line via Yelp
Live Worms Gallery — 1345 Grant Avenue
“Saturday, September 26, 2026 - 8:00 pm to 11:59 pm. Suggested donation is $5-20, but we have free community entry.”listing
SF Funcheap — sf.funcheap.com
Golden Sardine — Green Street
“Small wine bar blends cozy intimacy with vibrant local energy and poetry events upstairs. Interior feels like a mini library, offering quiet corners and views over a lively street.”
Atly — atly.com
The Clip File — Columbus and the Alley
Beat history on one corner, a bookstore that outlived every prediction on the other.
The Devil's Acre — 256 Columbus Avenue
“Amazing drinks, cool North Beach Vibe, Great live music Wednesday evenings with Delta Blues Legends Drop_D.”visitor reviews
Birdeye — reviews.birdeye.com
Vesuvio Cafe — 255 Columbus Avenue, at Jack Kerouac Alley
“At the peak of the Beat craze Henry Lenoir, proprietor of Vesuvio's and other North Beach drinking establishments placed a sign up in the window of his bar that said: 'Don't envy beatniks ... Be one!'”
FoundSF — foundsf.org
“Across Jack Kerouac Alley from City Lights bookstore, the Beats' base camp from 1948. Kerouac shouted from the upstairs balcony.”
Bars for Kings — barsforkings.com
City Lights — 261 Columbus Avenue
“This shop is living history, a bastion of left coast literary evolution, and the bookshop lives up to its reputation by maintaining a beautiful collection.”
The Bookshop Hunter — jameshduncan.com
Green Tortoise Hostel — 494 Broadway
“Known as a social/party hostel, the property is particularly lively on weekends with live in-house music, beer pong tournaments, and other events, making this spot particularly popular among backpackers and 'flashpackers' in their 20s and 30s.”
Oyster — oyster.com
The Clip File — Powell and the Edges
A speakeasy of Andean music, a wine bar with a jazz habit, and the old hull at the bottom of the hill.
Peña Pachamama — 1630 Powell Street
“Peña Pachamama is the only vegan restaurant that is a Legacy Business in San Francisco.” The restaurant serves organic vegan South American cuisine with live performances after dinner on weekends.
HappyCow — happycow.net
“Two-time Latin Grammy Nominee, Bolivian composer, and Charango virtuoso Eddy Navia and Sukay founder Quentin Navia can be seen almost every Saturday with the Pachamama Band.”
SF Funcheap — sf.funcheap.com
Waystone — 1609 Powell Street
“Waystone is a wine bar that happens to have a great live music program. The space is warm, golden-lit, and unpretentious, with local art on the walls and a wine list that's both deep and approachable.”
The Bold Italic — thebolditalic.com
“Waystone's jazz jam is every Monday, 6-9pm. Whether you're a spectator, jazz lover or musician this is for you.”
offbeatSF — offbeatsf.com
NorthStar Cafe — 1560 Powell Street
“I heard this was the Buffalo Bills bar in San Francisco, and I was not disappointed.”visitor reviews
Yelp — yelp.com
The Lucky Spot — 1431 Stockton Street
“North Beach has another place to drink in The Lucky Spot, a bar with cocktails that taste like rootbeer floats or an Orange Julius.”
The Infatuation — theinfatuation.com
Bix — 56 Gold Street
“Bix is an old-school restaurant where you wouldn't bat an eye if you saw Francis Ford Coppola talking through movie scripts with his team, or a couple in mink coats signing divorce papers. There's live jazz every night. Ordering a martini is a requirement.”
The Infatuation — theinfatuation.com
“An atmosphere-as-product masterclass: the hidden entrance, the tableside theater and a flat-priced bar that sells itself.” Bix sits down a narrow alley at 56 Gold Street behind an unmarked door. Inside: a two-story art-deco room, a mahogany bar, nightly jazz.”
Menuomics — menuomics.com
Great Star Theater — 636 Jackson Street
“The historic Great Star Theater in San Francisco's Chinatown neighborhood, a venue known for presenting traditional Chinese Opera (in fact Chinese Opera continues to be on the bill for this charming little performance space).”
New Music Buff — newmusicbuff.com
“If you are visiting, check out the show; they're playing The Empire Strips Back right now.”visitor reviews
Yelp — yelp.com
Old Ship Saloon — 298 Pacific Avenue
“The Old Ship Saloon is best known for its historic charm as one of the oldest bars in San Francisco, complemented by a welcoming atmosphere and solid pub food.”
The Infatuation — theinfatuation.com
Lion's Den Lounge and Bar — Pacific Avenue
“Lions Den is not just a bar — it's a full-on blast of a party that perfectly embodies everything that makes the Bay Area special.” And from the same visitor file: “Drinks are sugary, but live music is excellent.”visitor reviews
SageMenu — sagemenu.com — and SanFrancisco10 — sanfrancisco10.com
The Setup — speakeasy comedy at the Palace Theater — beneath 644 Broadway
“The best speakeasy comedy experience in San Francisco. SF's Favorite Underground Comedy Night” — the show's own billing. A visitor on the same page: “Truly a hidden gem. 90 minutes of solid stand up comedy. Great way to spend a Saturday night.”visitor review
The Setup — setupcomedy.com — tickets via Eventbrite
“The venue is a small room in the back of the bar and it's super cozy and intimate.”visitor reviews
Yelp — yelp.com
Punch Line — 444 Battery Street
“Here, you can check out today's top comedians six nights a week.”
Tripadvisor — tripadvisor.com
“Have seen Dave Chappelle, Robin Williams (RIP), Bobcat Goldthwait, and a slew of great up-and-comers.”visitor reviews
Yelp — yelp.com
Cigar Bar and Grill — 850 Montgomery Street
“With signature cocktails, live music, dance lessons, DJs, and a lively atmosphere, it's ideal for date nights, group dinners, and special occasions.”
OpenTable — opentable.com
“When the weather is nice, or even if it's not, the courtyard fills up fast.”visitor reviews
Yelp — yelp.com
Best of San Francisco Stand-up Comedy — the Hobart Building
“Right around the corner from the Montgomery BART station at the historic Hobart Building, the Best of San Francisco Stand-Up Comedy shows are known to have a unique variety of jokes and performers every weekend.”
Dylan's Tours — dylanstours.com — tickets via Eventbrite
“Comedy is life for Vahe, and this endeavor is easily defined as his child.”visitor reviews
Yelp — yelp.com