It took me about 5 years of living in the Castro until I discovered this incredible bar. In those years I was all about the in-and-out vibes and club environment. Right off the bat after one or two times at Moby, they made me feel like family and that down to earth spirit made me rethink why "I go out" I now frequent the bar and am there at least twice a week. Incredible staff, great cocktails, and folks ready to embrace you as family. read more

if they have an"event" and you are not white, they don't bother check your ID to see if you can go in. SAD.

Randomly found this place as we were strolling down Castro. The happy hours menu definitely caught my attention. 2 lemon drops for $7.50! Who can beat that? It has a pretty high alcohol content as well. It is pretty packed even at 5 pm on a Sunday. People were just enjoying each other's companies. Old MVs (like Britney Spears and Madonna) were playing on the TV. I love it! Definitely going to try to catch the happy hours again! read more

Moby Dick - Gay Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

After finishing a fantastic brunch and mimosas with my BFF at Café Flore, we decided to mosey on over to shoot some pool ...and where else... Moby DICK! Moby DICK was quite homey. I really liked their saltwater aquarium over looking the bar. Did I mention the bartenders here were a hunk of meat? For you guys or ladies who love your men with fur, tattoos and full of bulging bear muscles, this could very well be, your regular hangout. My BFF goes bonkers over them!! Their draft beer here is actually really good! I would always recommend coming here on late Sunday afternoon if you like "Sex on the beach!" Sunday happy hour draws quite a crowd. Also, Moby DICK has a pool table at back, and great fun to get together with friends. One thing that stood out from Moby DICK was how friendly everyone was, the bartender especially! Just so you know, here are the pluses for coming to Moby DICK: --local bar with lots of drink options --friendly hunk bartenders --friendly patrons --great for late Sunday afternoon hangouts with friends and then some --pool table located at back --awesome saltwater aquarium (great to stare at after a few drinks) --plenty of very friendly drag queens (they were fantastic, but watch the glitters as they get "grindy" if they land on your drinks) Well, until then... Cheers! :p read more

Moby Dick - Mademoiselle Navy Gyal of Moby DICK! :p - Gay Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Been here a few times - every time I've had the best experience. Our bartender today, John, was extremely nice and accommodating. We came in right as they opened at noon and immediately were greeted with a warm smile and kindness. The decor is perfect and very on theme with the name "Moby Dick". John fed the fish in a big tank and explained the fish and their personalities. You can tell he really cares. I will definitely be back as soon as I can. I cannot recommend this place more if you're looking for a strong drink and a good time. Cheers! read more

Moby Dick is a dive bar lacking in soul. The owner seems to prefer bar staff devoid of any personality. Maybe they're high or maybe their just well...American. Charm is not the their strong suit, but they have TVs, a pool table, and pinball machines. There's usually an eclectic crowd of all ages, as well as the requisite drunk girl that talks too loud. It's good for a date night or when you want something low key or subtly social. read more

I recommend Moby Dick because of the bartender James. He's very friendly and fun, but most of all he makes me feel safe & protected. As a trans woman bar hopping alone it's amazing to know that I don't have to worry about anything happening to me while I'm inside this establishment because of James. read more

This is the worst bar in the Castro. If you want to actually have fun, I highly recommend that you DO NOT go to this establishment. The management has horrible customer service skills, and they only prioritize the customers that they favor. I think the staff and management need to reevaluate how they deal with customers and it is highly inconsiderate to be disrespectful to customers. It is an industry standard to keep customer service top of mind and the staff at this is place can't even do that. Our group got yelled at when we were having fun while play pool. The only thing good about this place is the fact that they have a pool table. It's got nothing else going for it, they call it the glass coffin for a reason. read more

I was working in the Castro yesterday October 5th and we decided to stop here and put up flyers. The Bartender let us put up flyers and then gave us two bottles of water. It was extremely hot yesterday, so I thought this was a very nice gesture. read more

I remember when Moby Dick was synonymous with "friendly neighborhood bar." Not anymore. Mean Girls on a Friday night. Also a weak pour quite deliberately. Good job making locals of 27 years feel outcast on their own turf. read more

Staff is super rude now. Went here with my friends and my dog, the staff didn't seem to realize that sometimes dogs stand up to say hi to people or other dogs. The server was super rude when my dog was 6 inches away from my chair and " blocking" a 3 foot walkway..... he told me "this is going to be a problem" with the biggest attitude. We left and I won't be returning. I used to love this place. Shame..... I'll take my and my friends business elsewhere. read more

I was first living in this neighborhood bar back in the early 70's. Just to be clear and NO offense to anyone... I am not a gay man. I am part of the community. I loved this spot. The last time I was there I was treated with disrecspet. The bartender questioned me about my sexual identity and if I "Knew Where I Was?" That set off a group of younger people to heckle me about being a women and throw drinks on me ... the bartender laughed. I have not been back. I wish them the best. But if they want to allow that treatment of a person. ... it is not my place to relax and have a friendly drink. I wish them the best and will live with my old happy memoris. read more

Absolutely worst service in the Castro and they have a reputation for that! Just look at their yelp reviews...The guy at the door who looked like a 14 year old kid was the rudest of all. It was also dead. Cross the street and go to the bar closest to them, or really any other bar for that matter, and you can expect better service. I have gone here a couple times for a drink and have never been impressed but we had a person in our group that wanted to check it out (even tho I had already advised against it and warned of the notorious bad service) but if you want a true SF experience definitely stop bye to get hazed and then move on to the next bar during your Castro crawl! Do not spend money here, they DO NOT deserve it. I promise you the surrounding bars will give you a much better experience and be more lively!!! read more

I don't know how this place doesn't have 5 stars. I seriously have never had a kinder experience at a bar. This place is fabulous! Love it! read more

Moby Dick - Gay Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Going to Castro on a Wednesday night for bar hopping is such a great way to de-stress after a day of school! Bars all around Castro have happy hour deals and what I love about Moby Dick is that the bartender can really make STRONG but TASTY frozen margaritas! Wish I took a photo for evidence, but me and my girlfriends got 2 for the price of 1 ($7.50) frozen margaritas and were surprised with how strong each one was. It was as if a lime popsicle was blended with the margarita mix and tequila! The bartender added a slice of like on top so it was a great blend! read more

Well what can I say. It was advertised as a gay bar but I entered straight and left straight. Not sure that qualifies as false advert. Honestly it's a nice little joint in the Castro and the staff and other customers were plenty friendly. Beers were poured quick and plenty of seating around the bar to enjoy a pint. read more

first time visitor, i came in with a couple of friends right at opening, john's energy and personality was shining through right away!! im so thankful i got to meet john as he is a perfect example of great customer service!! will be back everytime i come home to the bay area read more

$2 beer on Tuesday. That's on ALL the beers. It's probably one of the best deals in town and they have a pretty decent selection of brews on tap. Less microbrews but perennial favorites from good old local staples like Anchor and Lagunitas to seasonal brews like Sam Adam's Cold Snap, they're all $2 on Tuesday. If you get in here right after work, you'll probably be able to find a quiet spot to catch up with friends over beers but it starts to fill up around 7pm. Friendly bartenders and generally chill crowd. In a neighborhood of buy one get one liquor drink happy hours, it's nice that folks aren't to messy here for brewskis happy hour. Not till later at least. read more

I don't think you can beat Moby Dick's happy hour prices. $2 for draft beer? Ok! The bartender also makes a fantastic slightly dirty martini. Behind the bar a giant fish tank offers a little something extra, and they have a pool table and 3 pinball machines in the back for a little friendly competition. Your classic dive bar - dark and old looking, as if nothing has changed since they first opened the doors. Overall a really fun environment and seemingly an institution in the neighborhood of Castro. As we were leaving they were setting up for a drag show. Beware that you will not get phone service in this bar, at least not if you have Verizon like I do. read more

If you're looking for a welcoming environment, you're better off looking literally anywhere else in the Castro. Went here last night with some friends and was antagonized by the most hostile bartender I've ever met (my guess is they had just had a bad day, but that's still no reason to treat patrons the way they did). I was accused of being too drunk upon entry when there was no reason to believe that, and was told to leave a few minutes later when I was having a conversation with the people I was there with. Literally any other bar in the Castro deserves your patronage more than this place. read more

ger ger wanted to come back. great dive for cheap drinks in the Castro. friendly bar staff, we liked John. no attitudes here.

It is nice to sit down and enjoy the scenery. It was nice to see my old Bartender John, cute and funny as ever. Thanks to Brian who was outside with a great smile and hospitality. read more

Went here with some friends after going to The Cafe' club. Looks like they have specials on drinks every night. My friends got an amazing blended 'sex on the beach.' Crowd was chill. Saw some guys with their shirts off. Pretty hot stuff going on. But yeah nothing much else, just a nice local gay bar. read more

The bar definitely lived up to its name. I have nothing good to say about this place. Went there a few months ago and the bartenders were very rude and impatient when I asked questions. Another bartender was quite rude to my friend too. I would never in a million years step my feet into this bar again. read more

I fail when I walked in. I am a straight female...walking in with another straight female. This...is not a female-type bar. And I think less-so for lesbians. o.O BUT, I didn't feel unwelcome, which is nice. Tuesday night, the bar still has a fair amount of customers. There's no significant seating at the bar, and I moved a chair to the other side...which promptly blocked the part of the bar intended to be clear. Bartender was nice, and said I should just move if it gets busy. I agree...then we see there's seats in the back. Huh. Beers are $2 all night on Tuesdays! Yum...cheap! We went to the back, where you basically hop on a large wooden...deck thing? My language skills fail me. We sit and chat for a bit, and I people-watch. In a bar filled with about...25-30 people, we were the only females. The crowd is obviously in the gay group, but varies. I saw business-types, older drinkers, yuppies, just a mix. I would probably come back for a quick drink on a slow night, but not on one of their busy nights unless I can magically become a gay male. =) read more

Nice PLACE TO END OR START THE NIGHT..NOT SURE WHAT THIS BAR'S "IDENTITY" IS IN TERMS OF BEING A SPORTS BAR, PUB OR WHAT BUT IT WAS A COOL LITTLE SPORT TO GRAB A DRINK. Free CHEX MIX! and 2 for 1 margaritas every day!-whoops cap lock! read more

Moby Dick is a biiiiiig vibe. Tom was absolutely amazing. Thank you for the Green Tea shots! I will absolutely visit again when I come back to enjoy San Fran! read more

Let's just say I leave "reasonably near" moby dick. I enjoy coming here early on a weekday before we head out on our evening. I would say it is rather crowded Fri-Sat night but Sunday seems to be the hottest night. This is also a fav for the sporty gay softball guys. I wish their bathrooms weren't so stinky I could smell them if I open one of our back windows. So for that I must take away a star. The drinks are stiff and they've got a nice aquarium, a great happy hour, pinball, and pool... what more do you need? Oh! If it's Britney's new album, they've got that too! read more

A gay bar called Moby Dick? Ok, that's funny and awesome all at the same time. The place is pretty cool. It's a total hangout bar complete with a dingy dark bathroom and a pool table. I'm all about it! The beautiful and beefy bartender John is awesome. It's just a simple place that has some character and a sense of humor. I really like the big fish tank behind the bar. That surely adds to the underwater theme. All in all Moby Dick is just good. Drink prices are very reasonable but keep in mind that it's CASH ONLY. There is an ATM onsite if one should need it. I like the simplicity of the space. It's a watering hole for sure. Good for shots, beers, drinks, or whatever your flavor might be. I'm a fan. read more

Went here for the first this this weekend with my boyfriend and two other friends. I don't go out too much in the Castro, but was so happy that they introduced us to this place! The bar space is really cool and they have a large aquarium over the bar which is fun. We came in for the 2-for-1 frozen margarita deal which were no joke. The drinks were strong and sweet and delicious, the perfect thing for a beautiful and hot day. Looking forward to coming back for more margs thoughout the summer! read more

I come here every night I go to the Castro . It's really good to start the night. They have the buy one get one free frozen margarita. I really like how this place has a private bathroom in the back. Staff is super nice and the people are really chill. Keep it up ! read more

Cool nautical themed bar in the Castro. Pretty classy and not cheesy at all. Fun crowd, good drinks/beer, and you can play/watch pool or pinball machines. Definitely a fun place to go for a drink, conversation (music isn't too loud), no cover and it's not a club. I'd definitely come back. read more

I'm so bummed that the service has gone downhill, this was my second Sunday in a row going and I found that the service sucked on both occasions, the afternoon bartender didn't seem to care that you are waiting, meanwhile they are talking and having shots with other patrons and on top of that the bathroom had no soap the two back to back Sunday's that I've gone.... Gross!!!! I miss the pre pandemic Moby Dick, used to be one of my favorite bars..... read more

I was at this amazing place at the last day before shelter in place in SF. I really like this historical and atmosphere place, so nice people there, interior, location and drinks of course! read more

Had a great time. The happy hour specials were great, and the bar tenders were super nice. Got two beers, two lemon drop drinks, and two tequila shots, all for 22 bucks. One of the best deals in SF! A must go if you are in the Castro. Plus a cheap way to get lit! read more

I always love to stop by to this place, I remember the first time I came here was 2008 and I really Enjoyed and I used to come here every other weekend now I don't come very often because isn't the same crowed of People but when I do I really like the service and music, frozen Margaritas and draught beer are my favorites, another plus is NO COVER ++ read more

OK so this is part of my on-going saga with my main gays, which has been re-invented by a recent break up. Have you ever noticed how break ups cause you to make decisions like accepting an invitation to Moby Dick's on a Tuesday at 9:30 pm with your hairdresser and his hot boyfriend, who, by the way, have no real interest in you being there and are actually just inviting you bacause you are recently single and they are good loving friends? Well.....this new compulsion has lead me to many a gay bar recently, and I've lived in the Castro for three years and never been to any of them before.... (don't worry, once I am feeling more *myself* I will begin hitting the Mission again with my cab light *on*) Hit this place last week, and while I wanted to despise it, I rather enjoy the name cause, well, like any red blooded female I love the pirates. Which is weird, cause I've never met one, not do I suspect that I ever will, but am consumately sure they are HOT. Sorry, I digress. Had a great time here!!? I know, I know, seemed bizarre cause it was filled with cruising gay men...but it was also filled with locals just looking for a chat and a friend, so while my hairdresser and his delectible BF made out in the corner after shots of Patron, I made friends with a guy named Beckett and we discussed Waiting for Godot, my favorite all time play, until I felt successfully gorgeoous again. Long story short: Don't judge a book by its cover Don't forget that friends are to be found in the most unlikely of places Don't forget to shave and wear cute undies even when you go out in the Castro cause you never know.... ;) The End read more

The bartender here EXPECTED a tip no matter the quality of his service. Sure he poured our drink and gave me change back... And I was thinking about what tip to give. Meanwhile the bartender tapped me on the arm indicating that he EXPECTED a tip. Naturally I took offense A tip is given for good service. Not because a bartender feels entitled. So I didn't give him a tip because I thought he was VERY RUDE. The bartender disagreed. He pointed me out to the bouncer. And had me kicked out because I didn't give him a tip. To be fair he did ask me how much I spent and threw $10.50 at me (didn't cover what I spent ) and then had me kicked out. Won't be going back. Tips are for good service. Apparently that bartender feels otherwise. He earns the name - moby DICK read more

Gay Bar Pub Crawl, Part 3 Ahh. Now this place seemed to click for me. Maybe because it managed to convey friendliness, even with the same amount of raucous revelers around me. Maybe because we were actually able to speak to each other without sacrificing our vocal cords. Or, maybe it's because I liked the double entendre of the word "Dick", and realizing the literary Moby Dick was a sperm whale. "Dick". "Sperm". Ha! At this point I was plastered, and this amused me greatly. Because when I am drunk, in the Castro, at midnight...I have the humor of a twelve-year-old. I still never read the actual book. So basically, if I ever hear "Moby Dick" in the future, to me it will always remind me that that was the bar in San Francisco where I inexplicably switched from vodka to beer. I swear to God, I got 5's on both my AP English Language, and English Literature exams back in the day. I am so cultured. 4 Stars. read more

I have been to Moby Dick many, many times since turning 21 and have always enjoyed myself until the bartender, Michael, ruined the experience. My group, 3 straight ladies and one gay man, entered the bar to have a drink after spending a great afternoon at Dolores Part. My gay friend and I go up to buy drinks, no problem. The other two straight girls go up to purchase drinks and are asked about their sexual preference and told that as straight girls, they should purchase their next drink elsewhere. We all finished our drinks since they were paid for and then started to leave. I did stop by the bar area to get the bartenders name (for my Yelp review) and he wouldn't even look at me. His colleague then asked was wrong and offered to serve us but we declined. He then asked what we wanted and I said "Nothing, unless he wants to apologize". His colleague apologized on his behalf and told us we could file a complaint with the bar (which I will) but the actual bartender who was rude never even turned around to look at us. His behavior was inappropriate and rude. I would never refuse service to someone based on whether they are gay, straight or whatever else. The gay community is such a welcoming community and then this guy acts like a total a-hole and ruined that bar in my eyes. I will never go there again, which should make Michael's day. read more