In The Press
We love this city and the many fine folks in it! Thanks for the LOVE back!!
An ode to the fabulous new restrooms of El Rio
Is this a toilet or a subway to the future? 2022's Best Dive Bar ups its loo game.
By Marke B.
2024 “One of the Ten Best Bars, Clubs and Venues for Dancing in San Francisco”, INSIDEHOOK
2024 “One of San Francisco's seven best locals-only gems”, BBC
2023 “El Rio is a peerless jewel…”, SF Standard
2023 “Best Small Music Venue”, Bay Area Reporter
2023 “Best Nightlife Event - Mango @ El Rio”, Bay Area Reporter
2023 “Best LGBTQ Bar”, 48 Hills SF
2022 “Best Queer Bar”, 48 Hills SF
2022 “Best Dive Bar”, 48 Hills SF
2022 “Top 25 Queer Community Landmark”, We Are Her
2021 “Best Dive Bar”, 48 Hills SF
2020 “Best Gay Bar”, SF Weekly
2020 “Best Overall Bar”, Bay Guardian
2019 “Best Women’s Event ~ Mango”, Bay Area Reporter
2019 “Best Comedy Night”, Bay Area Reporter
2018 “Best Comedy Night”, Bay Area Reporter
2018 “Best Women’s Event ~ Mango”, Bay Area Reporter
2018 “Best Nightlife Event ~ Hard French”, Bay Area Reporter
2018 “Best Neighborhood Bar”, Bay Area Reporter
2018 “Best Small Live Music Venue”, Bay Area Reporter
2018 “Best Lesbian Dance Party ~ Mango”, SF Weekly
2018 “Best Salsa Club”, Bay Guardian
2017 “Best Nightclub to Meet Women”, Bay Area Reporter
2017 “Best Neighborhood Bar”, Bay Area Reporter
2017 “Best Women’s Event ~ Mango”, Bay Area Reporter
2017 “Best Nightlife Event ~ Hard French”, Bay Area Reporter
2017 “Best Gay Friendly Bar”, SF Weekly
2017 “Best Salsa Club”, Bay Guardian
2016 “Best Dive Bar”, Bay Guardian
2016 “Best Neighborhood Bar”, Bay Area Reporter
2016 “Best Small Live Music Venue”, Bay Area Reporter
2016 “Best Women’s Party, Mango”, Bay Area Reporter
2016 Best Nightlife Party, Hard French”. Bay Area Reporter
2015/16 “Best Dog Friendly Bar” Bay Woof Readers
2015 “Best Neighborhood Bar, Mango, Best Womens Party, Hard French Best Afternoon Party” Bay Area Reporter
2014 “Best Dog Friendly Bar” Bay Woof Readers
2014 “Best Lesbian Bar” Bay Guardian Readers
2013 “Best Dive Bar” Bay Guardian
2013 “Best Dive Bar” foursquare
2013 “Best Queer Dance Spot~Hard French” Bay Guardian
2013 “Best Food Cart~Rocky’s Fry Bread” Bay Guardian
2012 “Small Business Award: Community Service”
2012 Harvey Milk Club: “Community Ally Award”
2012 SF Pride: “Pride Community Award”
2012 SF Mayor/Board Of Supervisors: “Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition”
2012 Board of Supervisors: “Certificate of Honor”
Bay Guardian “Best Of”
“Best Place to pretend you’re in a Fellini Movie- El Rio on a Sunday Afternoon”
2011 “Best Dive Bar” and “Best Super Duper Gay Party- Hard French”
2011 “Community Spirit Award”- Frameline
2009 “Best Happy Hour” and Swing Goth
2008 “Best Happy Hour- Free Oysters”- Audience Award
2008 “Small Business Award: Community Service”
2008 “Best Happy Hour”
2005 “Best Happy Hour- Audience Award”
2004 “Best Queer Revolutionary Headquarters”
2003 “Best Gayish Bar”
2002 “Best Salsa Club”
2002 “Best Bar To Play Pool In”
2001 “Best Salsa Club”
2000 “Best Place to meet Women, Mango on Saturday”
1999 “Best Salsa Club”
1998 “Best of the Bay”
1995 “Best Dive Bar”
City Search
2010 “Best Happy Hour”
2008 “Best Happy Hours”
2006 “Best OutDoor Bar” Audience Winner
AOL City Guide
“Best Gay Bar”
Examiner & The Independant
“Peninsulas Best Latin Music Club”
SF Chronicle
SF Chronicle/BayList Winner 2009: Voted Best Neighborhood Bar
SF Chronicle/SF Gate 2009: Best Nightlife/Neighborhood Bar
Bay Guardian Scene Spring 2007
“Party spaces that give a damn: Billing itself as ‘your dive’, El Rio defines ‘you’ as a crowd of anarchists, trannies, feminists, retro cool kids, and heat-seaking salseros as diverse as you’re likely to find congregating around one shuffle board table. Whether featuring a rawkin Gender Pirates benefit show or a rare screening of ‘The Fall of the I-Hotel as part of a radical film series Televising The Revolution, El Rio encourages and intimacy and camaraderie among it’s dance floor-loving patons less frequently found these days in an increasingly class divided Mission.”
Dick Cheney On El Rio
“This is a very scary place. I highly recommend against it. Do not let your children, your inlaws and particularly not your wife go there. They will never be the same.”
Somebody from the World Bank on El Rio
“We love El Rio. If only more for profits acted like non profits, the world would be such a pretty place. We are seriously considering their business model.”
It’s a mutual appreciation party (Andy and Vetiver)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_z6RfHE3jeI
Red Hots Burlesque
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3541/3376949702_ea5f4e4676_o.jpg
http://www.flickr.com/photos/redhotdottie/sets/72157604035538444/
El Rio on You Tube
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=el+rio+sf&search_type=
El Rio on Flickr
http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=el+rio+sf>
Gay Cities
http://sanfrancisco.gaycities.com/bardetail/24/
The Bloody Mary Mary
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/11/26/NS7J1AMM50.DTL
Thanks Burrito Justice for some history on our location
http://burritojustice.com/2009/10/21/el-rio-31-el-rio-123/
And our WEDDINGS…
Rock -n- Roll Bride – A DIY, Lesbian Wedding: Natalie & Sarah
http://www.rocknrollbride.com/2011/08/a-diy-lesbian-wedding-natalie-sarah/#more-85825