Powerhouse

cristián varas

I am visiting San Francisco for the first time. I am Latino, but I live in Sydney. I asked for a few beers with the bartender. All good. When I was going for my 4th beer, the bartender (I wish I knew his name, he was white, skinny, with big black glasses) told me very loud: ARE YOU GONNA GIVE ME TIPS THIS TIME? BECAUSE YOU HAVEN’T! I felt so embarrassed because I didn’t know it was mandatory, and also, I didn’t know why he was so loud. I didn't say anything, just smiled. He didn’t attend to me and went to attend to the next guests waiting after me in the line, and I told them very screaming again: THIS IS CRISTIAN, THE GUY THAT NEVER GIVES TIPS, SHAME ON HIM! And all the people started to scream SHAME! SHAME! I was shocked and didn’t say anything; I didn't know what to say or do, so I just left that area and I went to the other side of the bar with another bartender. This same guy came to my area and started to tell the other bartender and the other people that I was Cristian and didn’t give tips to him in front of all the people in this other corner of the bar I felt so bad. I didn't know what to do. I tried to explain to him why I didn't do it, but with everything that I said, he was screaming at my words louder than I; he did not want to hear me or “fix” the situation. I just left the bar. I made a mistake; I didn’t give him tips, but I didn’t know that it was mandatory. From I am coming from, we don’t do tips, if we do tips, it’s optional, and we usually don’t tip in bars, mostly dinner, meals, restaurants. Anyway, he wouldn't allow me to explain it. Even though I deserve respect as any person/tourist going to any place, I felt so bad and so exposed after this bartender did this to me. There are some international rules in hospitality in the world that you can’t break, and one of them is to make your guests welcome, treating them with respect and kindness. He just was so rude and violent that he completed ruined my Thursday night in San Francisco. Worst experience ever. Definitely, I won’t go back to that place.

Grzegorz Łabuda

Nothing special. I saw the most boring drag show there. Good prices though.

Amer H

Tons of weekly events and great happy hour. Weekend nights are crazy fun and always packed. Weekdays can be a tad slow but the atmosphere is always friendly and welcoming by both patron and employee's. Mind you it's a dive bar to say the least and you may have to get passed the odor lol

Jason Husted

This bar gives you just a taste of what South of Market used to be. Some of the sexiest parties around. Whether it is Underwear Night on Thursdays to the always changing event line up like Powerblouse (fundraiser and drag event), to Hot Rod a Queer Rock-n-Roll Party, Beat Pig from the minds of the iconic Juanita More.