Kimo’s

I used to come here to watch friend’s band play, which was located upstairs from the bar. My first impression of the place was that it was a gay bar, turns out it used to be. There’s semi-​nude photos of men on the wall, I think they eventually took them down to draw more customers. It was cozy, but super creepy, because of the people who came here. This is a sad reminder that small business can’t really compete with ones that are big and conform. The upstairs was small but fun for small to medium sized crowds.

Just noticed last week that Kimo’s is closed. Can only say I’m surprised it took so many years. I don’t know of anyone who came here for any reason *except* to see a friend’s band play.
The last time I was there, as I was floating (staggering) out the door, I heard «I Wanna Be Adored» on the jukebox. I always intended to go back, based on that one moment, but never did, mostly because whenever I got near the place, I remembered how the whole establishment smelled of piss and stale beer.

oK, walked by Kimo’s Friday night (Mar 9^th), and Kimo’s is closed indefinitely, with butcher paper over the windows. How sad… Doesn’t anybody care? With all the trendy frat bars right down the street, I wouldn’t be surprised if the landlord conspired to get them out so they could get a higher rent tenant in there to start yet another trendy bar.
This section of Polk Street is Definitely gentrifying, but I’m not always a huge fan of the homogeneity and growing lack of quiet, mature drinking establishments for adults. When I do want an energetic atmosphere, I want live music, not a DJ.

I’ve been here a couple of times in the past for shows in their little upstairs area with a stage and small bar. It has generally been a younger, rowdy crowd, but fun nonetheless. I came here on Saturday for some good ol’ fashion day drinking for Santacon and it was super fun! We all took over their upstairs and blasted an assortment of tunes from their ipod connected to their loudspeaker. I’m used to seeing punk style bands here, so Britney Spears was a definite change. They also have nice strong drinks, and a fun overall vibe. Unfortunately this place is closing, so I’ll see my last show here this week… It’s been fun!

Kimo’s is one of the oldest continuously operating gay bars in San Francisco. During the day, and into the early evening, the downstairs bar still draws many gay regulars, especially when Charlie B., the manager, is tending the bar. The crowd gets younger, hipper and more mixed as the evening progresses and the regulars give way to those who’ve come for the live music in the Penthouse Lounge upstairs. Drinks are reasonably priced, especially considering what you’d pay in some trendy place. Service is usually pretty good except when it gets really crowded. The experience at Kimo’s varies depending on when you go: early in the day it’s a quiet place to enjoy a cocktail and get to know the regulars. Later on, it gets crowded and noisy. If you’re open minded about the music you listen to and the people you drink with, Kimo’s can be a lot of fun.

I love a good dive. Haunted many in SF years ago (RIP Odeon, long live The Attic). But a watery coke & jack for $ 8 is a travesty. One and done here, never to return. Skip this dump and visit Lush Lounge if you’re into, like, real drinks. FAIL.

I will always remember NYE 2011 at Kimo’s.
snuck in a bottle of cheap champagne.
tried to feed it to the bouncer. Denied.
got the crowd to chant «bouncer! bouncer!» and tried again.
Still denied.
Got kicked out eventually for being drunk.
and then woke up on January 3^rd.

I’m weighting my review slightly because I think the average rating is unfair for Kimo’s. As others have notes: it’s a dive. It’s not a trendy dive like Waziema or El Rio. (both good bars, also… just different).it’s an actual dive where they don’t give a shit about ambiance or beer selection or much of anything else.
For Bands:
This place got a beyond shitty reputation back in the day for bad sound and double booking nonsense. and I saw some of that… but in the last couple of years I’ve played here a couple times and the sound is pretty good. You can pack the room easy and you sound good. Not BotH or GAMH good, but still pretty solid – for real. So what’s the problem? Also the booker’s nice and friendly and not a douche. Bands should totally book here
Downside is there’s no foot traffic (for bands)…but that’s most places, really.

Anyone who gives this place a bad review is a complete and utter fuckwit and needs to go back to the R bar or the Marina. You people just don’t get it. It’s called a dive bar, you douchebags. Stinky, dodgy, weird people. Like something out of Bukowski. If you aren’t a complete and utter pussy, this place is great for people watching and a fantastic look at S. F’s more raw side. Bad beer selection? What the fuck do you expect? Chimay? Christ, this town has become too yuppie for its own good. Kimos is the last bastion of the old Polk Gulch. But then again, most of you people were in some East Coast suburb back then… Kimos, you guys rock…

Popped by to catch a friend’s cousin’s band play while we were in the neighborhood doing karaōke. Didn’t get a great look at the downstairs, except for a few rather friendly Friday night patrons.
Cover was $ 8, even though we were extremely late, and the show was more than ²⁄₃ of the way over. Oh well, it’s not that bad. Drinks were cheap and stiff, and the bartender (remind me of his name, Tisha K.!) was more than willing to give me a sample of the rum he suggested in lieu of Sailor Jerry. Props, man, that was pretty nice of you.
The venue is just how I like my live music: hot, small, loud, and chaotic. The only thing to sit on, really, were equipment cases which was fine by me because nobody seemed to mind. Beware of the stairs, if you’re clumsy like I am, and drunk like I was, you may take a bit of a terrifying tumble.
Bottom line: You’ll know right away if this is your scene, if so, go here. If not, go away.

Would be one star but for the friendly bartender and minimal but quality beer selection.
Crowd is here is over the top here and not in a good way. Unless you’re looking to re-​create «One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,» you should probably avoid.

I liked this dive bar because it was not crowded on a Friday night. Not saying it was empty but it was not cramped nor packed (there are barflies and regulars too). Not being packed and having two doors gave me the impression it was well ventilated (there’s a main entrance front door at the corner of Polk and Pine streets, and a second door in the back that faces Polk St). The second door is in front of the stairs leading up to the live music venue on the second floor.
A pint of beer was $ 5. There’s a jukebox and it had house music; yes, this is a dive bar! Can see myself returning to grab a quick beer before going somewhere else.
Milestone: the 4,500^th «Useful» vote’s review…

Great play to catch some live music. Good atmosphere, friendly bar tenders, beggars on the corner. Cool bands, social customers, two bars, two floors. Drinks are a bit over priced.
It was the first live music venue I ever attended in SF and I have many more to investigate but I reckon I’ll return now and gain because it is such a lovely spot.

If I could, I would give Kimos 10 stars!
Yeah, yeah… my review is coming a little late, but oh well… I should also point out that my review is for the upstairs with live music as I didn’t spend time downstairs.
Great bands, great sound, great vibe — what more do you want out of a live music venue? I went here for the big opening party in May 2008 (like I said, I’m late on my review — deal with it!). Free sushi and sake from Blowfish Sushi, a belly dance troupe, a killer drag queen show, Small Change Romeos, Mavalour, great drinks (bad hangover the next day!), hysterically funny tranny outside the bathroom downstairs — what more could you want for a great night?
I would give ANYTHING to be in attendance tonight at the Family Tree show. I would also give anything for the owners to open up a location here in Chicago!

This place needs help! Bar tender was cool, but not cool to the point that he hooked us up with a player price on our drinks. We were gonna go upstairs and see what all the comotion going on was until the man at the top of the stairs said «5 dollars». Being a so called musician on the local scene should not be about making money, rather music…

What the hell is this place?
That’s the question my buddy and I kept asking ourselves. The place reeked of pot and incense, and there were a bunch of sketchy almost-​homeless lookin’ people chilling at the end of the bar. Definitely a weird vibe. +1 for having complimentary pretzels, but that only goes so far. Definitely skip this place if you find yourself wandering down Polk looking for a beer.

My thoughts on this place have improved between my first and second visits. See, I was relatively unimpressed when I came here on NYE ’07/​8. But, I’ve just begun working as a legitimate-​ish booker and got a show here. My interaction was with Chad (who books and bar tends) and he is responsible, communicative and an all-​around pleasure to work with. Also, Jason (the sound guy) is spot-​on in what he does and the night went off without any hitches due to his soundboard prowess.
Minus one star because I don’t care what anyone says — the drinks are still far too pricey for a joint like this. A $ 4 tall can of PBR is acceptable, but not fantastic. So it goes.

This review is just about the first flo’, can’t comment on the upstairs.
We were out, bellies full of Thai food and we just wanted a drink. This bar does have booze, so I guess in that aspect Kimo’s was a success.
Said drinks were over priced and weak. I’m talking $ 20 even for two kiddie sized vodka drinks and a Corona. Originally ordered the 2 vodka drinks and he said «$ 15», then Corona bumped it up to $ 20. $ 5 Coronas? Seriously?
The music was all over the place, and whether or not that’s the bar’s fault or some crazy patron on the juke box, the result was the same. First three songs I heard were Mariah Carey, Guns’N’Rose, followed up with Bush. Hmmmm.
The most memorable part of the ambiance was when the wonderful aroma of urinal cake whisked through the bar every time the bathroom door opened. My highly scientific guess is that the wind coming in the side door which was propped open blows right by the bathroom, thus pulling in the bathroom smells directly into the bar crowd. Always awesome when you and your friends all simultaneously make funny smell faces within 5 minutes of being at a bar.
Anyway, I’d pass, just hoof it down Polk a few more blocks and there’s much nicer places to hang if that’s all you’re looking to do.

Not that great of a place. The drinks are weakly made and expensive ($ 5 for well bourbon), and the bar always seems really cold.
HOWEVER, they have daily drink specials and an upstairs venue for shows. AND, it’s close to public trans (the 19, 47, 49, etc).
I’d only go here if my friend’s bands were playing and if we could go to Encore afterwards.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve cried in frustration at various bars in these United States, «Whose dick do I have to suck to get a drink in this joint?»
At Kimo’s, it’s not just a rhetorical question.