I used to spend a lot of time in sex clubs in San Francisco. About two years ago, I stopped. There wasn’t any specific reason other than burnout and the fact that I wasn’t having as much fun as I used to. I guess I’m still longing for the “friendly neighborhood sex club” days of places like Mike’s Night Gallery, where people were nice, crowds were diverse, and patrons actually allowed personalities to show on occasion.
I still believe in the concept and I think that sex clubs are a good and healthy idea. I forward friends to them all the time. There seem to be some distrurbing trends developing as to safer sex and overabundant attitude in some places, but they’re still worth a look. But you most likely won’t see me hanging around much these days, since I’m starting to find the idea of bed more appealing at 4AM. I would be interested in publishing some reader reviews. Let me know if you’re interested.
A reminder: sex clubs here are different from bathhouses in that (by law) there are no completely enclosed private spaces. If public sex bugs you, you might as well skip this scene.]
South of Market Sex Club Guide:
Blow Buddies
(933 Harrison near Sixth)
Blecchhh. How could there be so many people in one building who all look exactly alike? Boots, moderately tight 501s, white T-shirts hanging out the back pocket, nice pecs, and not a single distinguishing characteristic separating one bland white boy from the next. This is the McDonald’s of sex clubs; homogenized and cloned to within an inch of its life. Two visits in the past six months (Nov ’97 and Mar ’98) neither amused nor impressed me. Despite the “no fucking” rule, I witnessed several wide open gang bangs without benefit of latex and no one seemed to be doing anything about it. And this was right in the middle of traffic, not off in a corner or a cubicle. Blow Buddies still has a great layout, and the prices are not bad ($3 membership, $7 entrance fee), but I won’t be coming back anytime soon.
The Power Exchange: Main Station
(74 Otis Street between South Van Ness and McCoppin)
If I were designing a sex club myself, this would come pretty close to what I’d do. Lots of corridors and mazes, the tents are back, and pseudo-bedrooms have been added. Crowd skews late. Decor is now sort of trippy and clubby, with indoor smoking lounges and cool lighting; seems aimed more toward a chemically-influenced club crowd, but I liked it too. Have had some good reports recently.
The Power Exchange is “co-sexual” on some nights and divides into two zones: one dedicated to male-male only action, and the other “anything goes”, with females and transgendered persons.
Read a review by Planet SOMA contributor David Bloxsom.
Mack’s
(317 Tenth near Folsom)
I recently revisited Mack’s (July 1998) for the first time in about two years, thanks to a cute green-haired boy and his multi-tatooed boyfriend. I was pleasantly surprised. The place seemed cozy, attitude-free, and remarkably empty of steroid clones. The crowd ranged from punks and club kids to leathermen. It reminded me a lot of the late and great Mike’s Night Gallery, although it’s a tad more claustrophobic. All the info I get about Mack is positive, except for a few reports of unprotected sex. I’ve heard good things about late Friday nights; I may give it a little more attention on the coming weeks.
The Sling
926 Natoma near 10th and Howard)
Never been, but per their own info, the place is large and private and features regularly scheduled handball and water sports parties. Cigar or bear parties are occasionally scheduled. Tubs, troughs, etc. and latex are provided free with admission. Beer and lube are free on watersports nights and available for purchase other nights. Beer, and lube are free at water sports parties, and they may be purchased at other events. For schedule and prices, phone (650) 985-7085.
Clubs Outside the ‘hood:
Eros (Market near Church):
Expensive, with mandatory clothes check. Reputed to be a touch antisceptic, but I haven’t been.
Black House/Castro Party (Castro between 19th and 20th):
First sex club I visited in SF, and it seems to have been on the decline ever since. Was it something I said?
SteamWorks Baths (2107 4th Street, Berkeley):
Popular, I hear, although I don’t do bathhouses, so I can’t say.
WaterGarden Baths (1010 The Alameda, San Jose):
Ditto. I hear really good things about the place.
Dark Alleys:
I’m sad to say that the yuppie invasion South of Market has put a bit of a damper on street cruising. Keep in mind, too, that street cruising has its risks. I live here. I know the terrain. You should too. Do not attempt this when your consciousness is lacking due to too much drinking or chemical stimulation. It could be more painful than you bargained for. It’s also pretty hopeless trying to make it in most alleys before last call…too much traffic around.
Ringold Alley (between Folsom and Harrison, Eighth and Ninth)
A San Francisco tradition, this interesting spot can be experienced on foot or by car; there is even the occasional cab. Tour buses are discouraged. Ringold is by and large a late space, filling up around 2AM when the nearby bars empty out. Prime time runs until 3 or 4 especially on weekend nights, and the cruising is of a dark and severe nature. Tendencies toward leather and an older crowd, but this is not an absolute. Hustlers on occasion. SOMABoy has often made out right there on the alley. Cool, but be careful. I’m mad that my favorite open areas have been fenced off; no place to take a piss now except on the street or on someone on the street.
Rogers/Heron/Berwick (across Eighth Street)
A convenient and less public place to retire after the above, especially when trucks are parked there. Had a right nice time here with two boys one night last summer, one of them a lost Castro queen and the other a friend from the ‘hood. I’ve actually arranged dates in this alley.
Folsom Street proper (from Fifth to Eleventh)
It’s not an alley but there’s several adjacent ones. Cruise late at night, with clusters around the bookstores near Fifth, again between Seventh and Ninth, and — so I’m told — near Dore Alley. Sometimes works in the daytime too. If you wait long enough after last call, 90% of the suburban heterosexuals are gone. This makes cruising easier and more convenient. Sometimes workable in the daytime too, especially on the eastern fringe, but you gotta have an eye for it.
Parks ‘n’ Stuff:
I can’t really personally recommend some places, as I deny the existence of the Castro, and like places within walking distance. There is a cruising park in the Castro — where little seems to happen — behind Cala Foods at Eighteenth and Collingwood .
Buena Vista Park in the Upper Haight is interesting around midnight, they say, and the views are good. There are also rumors of youngsters in the after school hours if that’s your thing, but if you’re over 18, make sure they are too.
The Windmills at Golden Gate Park (older crowd with a tendency toward closets) and Land’s End (younger and prettier and sunbathing nude in the summer) offer sex in a beach setting. Watch those cliffs. The donut patrol (cops) have been making rounds here of late, I’m told. Land’s End is also a national park and is thus outside the SFPD’s slightly less homophobic jurisdiction. Be careful.
Lafayette Park in the lower Pacific Heights area (Gough at Sacramento) has also been recommended. No personal reference here. Never tried it; Pacific Heights (a/k/a “Specific Whites”) gives me the willies.
As to the tearoom scene, should you be so inclined, recommendations include Rincon Center and 4 Embarcadero Center in the Financial District, and Keith at cruisngforsex.com recommends the fourth floor of the library at San Francisco State University. SF is not known for its tearooms.