4 months ago
Review from Google Maps

San Francisco's famous bear bar
The Lone Star Saloon first opened its doors in 1989 on the corner of Howard and 7th. At first it was a bar for old gay hippies. We didn’t even have a liquor license. Just beer and wine — oh yeh, and sake, fresh from the microwave. They were humble beginnings indeed but at a time when HIV/AIDS was ravaging our community it was more about a sense of place than anything else. And in general, the bar’s founder, Rick Redewill, was helping to foster an atmosphere that appealed to working class men who felt more at home in SOMA than the Castro. On October 17, 1989, 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 1354 Harrison St. The space, with its ample main room, nooks, crannies, and soon-to-be legendary patio, appealed to the biker crowd that previously made The Ambush — the notorious leather bar once located directly across the street — their HQ. The leather/biker crowd soon began to merge with the bear scene, which was gaining its momentum as the Lone Star settled into its permanent home. Needless to say, the fringe scenes fit together seamlessly even as the bear movement become the bar’s calling card. Then along came the internet. With some cutting edge (at the time) social uses for it, the bar gained a reputation around the world. If you saw someone wearing a Lone Star t-shirt in London, Sydney or Tokyo you knew what it meant. It was like a secret club. And what did it mean? Many things to many people: Older likes small, big likes big, 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. It is fair to say the bar has a very special place in a lot of people’s heart, countless encounters started here, some lead to marriages that are still strong to this day. That’s something we are very proud of, it means we have done our job. 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 good time. You can learn more about them from their bios on the Bar Staff page.
Lone Star Saloon
1354 Harrison St, San Francisco, CA 94103, USA
Always travel safely and be aware of your surroundings.
419 reviews
Overall rating across WhereIs.Gay, Google Maps and Yelp.
Rating by source
Selected by Google Maps. Read more reviews on Google Maps.
4 months ago
Review from Google Maps
3 weeks ago
Review from Google Maps
2 years ago
Review from Google Maps
2 years ago
Review from Google Maps
2 years ago
Review from Google Maps
Excerpts provided by Yelp. Read full reviews on Yelp.
John S.
22 Mar 2026
Review excerpt from Yelp
Patrick S.
30 Dec 2025
Review excerpt from Yelp
Quintin E.
8 Aug 2024
Review excerpt from Yelp
Share your experience to help the LGBTQ+ community find great places.
Own or manage this venue? Claim this listing to update details, photos, opening hours and contact information.
Seen something wrong? Tell us if this venue has moved, closed, changed opening hours or needs an update.
Similar venues nearby, same category first.