10 Best San Francisco Spots to Take (or Find) Your Daddy

Dad’s coming to town and you’re obligated to take him out but where should you take him. From the tourist traps to the local cigar bars, Dad can see the town and spoil his kid while he’s here. And if there’s another kind of daddy that you’re trying to find, well San Francisco has those spots too – from sugar daddies to leather daddies. The following ten bars are each different from one another but you’re sure to find a dad of some kind in each of them!

1.Gold Dust Lounge, 247 Powell St. (@ Geary St.), Union Square 415.397.1695

For dads that are coming from out of town, this historic spot is tourist-friendly but not so obnoxious that you’re going to hate hanging out there. Your friends won’t see you kicking it with Daddy since it’s not a local hot spot, but you’ll enjoy the laidback attitude and the chance to chat with your pa. And if he happens to be buying, you can get that rare pleasure of the pricey drink. Honestly, this is a really great spot for a quick drink with Dad.

2. Cigar Bar & Grill, 850 Montgomery St. (@ Pacific St.) Financial District 415.398.0850

Take Dad to smoke a stogie at this downtown joint. He’ll enjoy the relaxed atmosphere and will feel hip at the same time. But think twice about how hip he is before you light up with him; does Dad really know that you can do the cigar thing with the best of the boys?

3. The Slanted Door, 1 Ferry, Building #3 (@ The Embarcadero) Downtown 415.861.8032

Trying to take Dad somewhere nice for dinner and drinks? You may have to make reservations in advance for this spot but Dad will be wowed by it and you’ll have done your good kid deed for the year.

4. Garcon, 1101 Valencia St. (@ 22^nd St.), The Mission 415.401.8959

If you really need to impress Dad (come on, you know what you did wrong or what it is that you need money for), this French restaurant should do the trick. You can enjoy some great wine and cocktails and get Dad ready to loosen up on the purse strings. And if it fails, you can always say goodbye to Daddy at the door and make a night of it out in The Mission.

5. La Rocca’s Corner Tavern, 957 Columbus Ave. (@ Taylor St.) North Beach 415.674.1266

Is Dad more of the sports bar kind of guy? This is the corner bar for you. It isn’t a totally over-the-top sports bar but a just-right sports bar. It is a solid neighborhood bar that sometimes serves BBQ and always has strong drinks. It’s comfortable and that’s sometimes the best thing for hanging out with Dad.

6. The Big Four Restaurant, 1075 California St. (@ Taylor St.) Nob Hill 415.771.1140

This is the “old boys club” of San Francisco. It’s got the live piano player, the dim lit dark wood ambience and the scent of cigars that makes the old men feel at home. Ladies looking to let the men with money know that they’re around waiting for their prince can sit at the bar and get their flirt on. Beware, however, that this is one of those spots that makes locals call the area “snob hill”.

7. The Occidental Cigar Club, 471 Pine St. (@ Montgomery St.), Financial District 415.834.0485

Maybe you’re looking for a different kind of daddy – like a sugar daddy. There’s no better place to find old men than to head to the cigar bars in San Francisco. If the aforementioned Cigar Bar & Grill doesn’t find you a date then head here. This one is trendy enough that not everyone here is going to be old and laidback enough that you might even like it here. The older guys hanging out here are mostly businessmen so they aren’t shy about sending a drink over to the ladies.

8. 440 Castro, 440 Castro St. (@ Market St.), The Castro 415.621.8732

If the daddy that you’re looking to spend time with isn’t your bio dad but rather that older gay man that gets your skivvies in a twist (on the floor), 440 Castro is the bar you’re looking for. Known as “Daddy’s”, this leather/levi bar is the spot for cruisin’ for that Daddy that’s going to treat you right.

9. The Gangway, 841 Larkin St. (@ Geary) Tenderloin 415.776.6828

Want to hang out with the old gay guys but don’t want to go to a spot where you’ll look for a leather daddy? Head to The Gangway. This is one of those “old men gay clubs” that dots the city. Some of the guys look like they’ve been coming here since they first came out of the closet forty years ago. The vibe is totally laidback and quite divey and if that’s your scene then this is your place. And if you happen to have a gay dad then this is a good place to take him.

10. Aunt Charlie’s Lounge, 133 Turk St. (@ Taylor St.) The Tenderloin 415.441.2922

Not all of the older gay guys in this city are hanging out quietly, sipping their scotch and showing off their money. Some aren’t even looking like men. If you want to find the oldest drag queens in the city and the men who love them, you need look no further. Old doesn’t mean dead and these dudes are staying fabulous. You’ll wish your own dad was this cool!