The Lone Star
www.lonestarsaloon.com
Rating: ****
Type: Bear bar
Hours: 9 a.m. - 2 a.m. Sat & Sun, Noon - 2 a.m. M-F
Crowd: 80% gay bears by volume, 10% chasers, 10% uniforms & whatever
Pooltable: Yes, not the best table in SOMA, but players are fun if a bit serious
Best time to go: Sunday beer bust in the afternoon, Saturday nights before 12:30 a.m. We often go on Sunday nights to miss the crowd and chat with Bruce the bartender on duty who is beautiful, smart, and hilarious.

The Lone Star is my favorite SOMA bar, and it's where you'll find Scott and me 50% of the time on a weekend. We are the "fun" couple of the moment, which I find fairly insulting. I like chatting with all of the bears and playing pool, at least the ones that will still talk to me after the balloon hat fiasco, which people still bring up.

The Lone Star is starting to get a reputation for being "clique-y," and it's true that some of those that go there travel in packs and only talk amongst themselves. Make the effort, however, and you'll be rewarded. I've met a ton of people here, and they've all been great for the most part despite my lack of chest/back hair.

The uniform crowd congregates here after events, so there's almost always someone dressed in full leather on the back patio smoking a cigar. I don't get it, but it keeps the mosquitos away.

During the week, it's pretty slow. Tuesday nights are pool tournament nights, so don't go until after 11 p.m. if you want to play pool. The good news is that it's usually free after the tournament is over.

There's a store upstairs which sells great t-shirts, sweatshirts, and various bear-related accountrements. There's an online store if you forget something during your visit (the anvil shirt is my favorite; great design).

The Eagle Tavern (The SF Eagle)
www.sfeagle.com
Rating: ***
Type: Levi/Leather/Whatever
Hours: Noon - 2 a.m. every day
Crowd: 99% gay male of all sizes and ages. Sprinkling of lesbians and straight people. Some bears and uniforms.
Pooltable: Yes, I like this table the best of the SOMA bars

The Eagle is packed (and I mean sardine) on Sunday afternoons for the beer busts, but I hate standing in line and feeling claustrophobic, so we almost never go. For most nights except weekends, the place is fairly empty, which is a shame given the enormous patio.

The crowd changes from night to night. They have live music every Thursday, but I'm more interested in chatting with people, so I avoid it. I've had some super fun nights at The Eagle, mostly because if you start something, they'll play along.

DJs play a very eclectic mix, mostly rock. Don't expect to hear the top 20 dance hits. The club has changed a bit since the owners of the Hole in the Wall took over, although the place has never looked better in my opinion.

The Powerhouse
www.powerhouse-sf.com
Rating: ***
Hours:
Type: Levi/Leather/Whatever
Crowd: 110% gay male of all sizes and ages. Some bears.
Pooltable: Yes, but infrequently used and kind of shabby

The liveliest gay bar in SOMA, with the broadest spectrum of gay men: uniforms, leather, boys, daddies, sluts, twinks, and tourists. They've started playing "art" movies in the back section of the bar, which is very distracting. The back patio is the best place for smoking and watching—and usually gets frisky—but watch where you step.

The Powerhouse hosts the largest number of weekly events: everything from nipple play to wrestling to rope bondage to bootlicking. Check their website for the latest schedule since new events are added frequently.

Nice bartenders, sometimes chatty, usually shirtless. We especially like one of the barbacks and usually only go there to chat with him.

My Place
Rating: **
Type: Levi/Leather/Whatever
Crowd: Unsure
Pooltable: Yes, although it's currently stuck at the entrance to the bar

I'm not sure what to make out of this bar. The history (as I know it) is that the original My Place was on the verge of being shut down for sex in the bar and was sold. It became CIP, which was a straight club for awhile, then went "gay." The new My Place has the atmosphere of the previous club, which isn't nearly as sleazy as the original My Place.

We almost never go here, mostly because there's no one to chat with except the bartender most nights, although the tiny back patio is a nice place to have a quiet smoke on a rainy night.

A tiny, wildly decorated neighborhood bar, and Scott's old hangout. I have a theory that a fair number of crazy people from the halfway house down the street wander in here, but most of the regulars are just that. If chatting with a naked dancing midget will make your night, this is the place to go.

Excellent pool players all around, on par even with the best players in San Jose. If they let you win, count yourself lucky. Hole in the Wall pool players play for fun, so if you're intent on winning you'll find yourself alone.