El Rio

This decades-old standby embodies all-inclusive San Francisco at its finest. The beloved dive welcomes a colorful cross-section of the city: gay and straight, young and old. The dog-friendly patio is huge and inviting; inside, you’ll find shuffleboard and pool tables, a trusty old juke box, and an anything-goes dance floor where bands, DJs, burlesque dancers and karaoke kings perform nightly. In warmer months, you’ll find live bands out back—from salsa to bluegrass. Between the casually competitive bar games, chatty patio, and ongoing dance party, introductions happen naturally.