Trigger

i miss this place. hope the new owners do something nice with the space.
in 2012 they had an open tequila bar on cinco de mayo. everything one might expect from that, did happen that night, and it was epic.

This place was awesome when it first opened, but you cant have an LA style gay club in the heart of the castro.
Trigger has closed.

I’ve never gotten to write a review for trigger, so I’m going to now Haha… I’d have to say, this is my kick it spot on Tuesday’s if I wanted to let lose. I’ve been going here for a long time. I’ve made tons of memories here and not once I had a dull moment.
Jason is the manager here and I’d have to say, he’s the sweetest! He took care of me so well when I had my event held here. He also created a drink for me that’ll get me goin on the dance floor… Called IVY his own creation and of course, named after me :) I can’t forget my favorite bartenders. You won’t be disappointed when u see them! They’re friendly, hot & entertaining!
Love this place even though it can get really packed at times.
This is the place to go if u want a night with your girls or a weekend out with your boys.

CLOSED. LIQUOR LICENSE SOLD.
Sorry bachelorettes turn around at Church Street and head downtown. Maybe go exploit another group who wants your business.
Further proof that this business model does not work. This is not the 1990’s

Tuesday nights are lesbian nights here in SF. Trigger and Q Bar are the places that are crackin’. Definitely a good spot with well-​attended bar tenders. They have pretty good music here with top 40 and good DJs of the scene. Drinks are super cheap. $ 4 drinks in SF? That’s a steal.
Pretty chicks and cheap drinks = Trouble! Especially, when you have work in the morning at 9am. Def check out this spot if you’re new to the Bay! You won’t be disappointed.

Tuesday nights here at Trigger. She said parties. Ladies night. no cover. This is the only night of the week I have come to Trigger but its always a great time! It is totally worth being a zombie at work the next day!
They play a mix of top 40, House and mix in some other random music. Whatever they are playing, It’s always a good mix, good beats and fun to dance to.
I recommend coming on Tuesdays nights for the beautiful ladies and the great atmosphere.

Here on Saturday with friends for my buddies birthday and he accidentally sat in the VIP section, he was asked to leave but before he could get out one of the dancer felt it was his place to physically remove him… when he was perfectly capable leaving without force.
He grab my buddy and when my buddy pushed him off the dancer threw a punch. An altercation occurred and the dancer had him removed from the club. First, the club was dead, the VIP section unoccupied, and on top of if all the bartenders were nasty, rude, and had no clue what the meaning of customer service was when we attempted to get answers about why our buddy was mistreated.
Oh, and the bar manager on duty was the worst of them all, a total joke who couldn’t explain why the dancer would go to such lengths. Where was the protocol? The standards? This business claims to be trendy, I say NOT. More like trashy.
Really?
The only people we didn’t have a problem with were the bouncers, even the bouncers didn’t understand what happened to our friend. It seems to me no one knows at this establishment how to run a proper business. I was disgusted and appalled at the actions displayed by those at the club that night.
I intend to share my disgust with others about this location when asked where to go. I recommend that if you care for a fun time without drama you should keep away from this club. And, if you do happen to stumble in beware the VIP section and the dancers they are the worse. Keep Away ! #1 place NOT to spend your night or cash!!! Go to Churchill down the street, so much more better!

When I think of a club that you can always have a good time at, Trigger is the first place that comes to mind. I’m straight but going to a gay club every once in awhile is fun! Plus, there’s no creepers and everyone is just having a good time.
My most recent visit was for a jello-​shot fundraiser. A friend of a friend’s soccer team was raising money and what better way than to charge $ 1 for jello-​shots? Genius (however, I’m still not sure how I feel about margarita jello-shots…my stomach is still deciding)! We got there earlier to avoid the cover, which is $ 5 after a certain time. It was just starting to get busy.
The music is awesome! The DJ played top 40, house, dance, mash-​ups, electronic… you name it! Everyone was having a great time and it’s definitely a good spot in the Castro to get your dance on. Bartenders are fast and make a strong drink (plus, they’re not bad on the eyes, either ;)) — drinks are reasonably priced.
My ONLY complaint about Trigger are the bathrooms. I wish I were a guy so I could pee anywhere I want and not have to worry about if there are toilet seat covers and sitting on pee-​covered toilet seats. Just an FYI there are NO toilet seat covers in the women’s stalls and NO lock so imagine me in there trying to hold the door as I’m doing my business… not the business, Trigger, not the business!
Aside from the bathroom situation, Trigger is a solid spot in the Castro and you are guaranteed to have a great time!

I’m straight, but this place is fun even for me! (Maybe because all the guys are gay and there are no creepers around lol.) Actually there was one creeper guy that did try to hit on me. I told him «uhhh excuse me? You’re at a gay bar. Wrong scene dude»
Ok I didn’t really say that. But I was thinking it.
Nights to come here:
Tuesday — if you’re lesbian
Thursdays — for $ 1 well drinks! Holy Smoly!
Fridays — lots of house music!
Sundays — Sunday Funday! Come here after «The Café»!
Note: On weekends there is a guestlist that’s free before 11PM and it’s $ 5 after.
Hot bartenders. Sexy dancers. Cheap drinks. Good music. Great vibe. YEAH MAN COOL!

Oh Trigger. I want to like this place, but just can’t.
I went last night on a Thursday and there was a $ 3 cover charge! Are you kidding me? On a Thursday night in February? I could understand paying on a weekday in the Summer, but I payed it anyway because it was a friends Birthday. I could understand the charge if the drinks inside were a) good or b) decently priced. I payed $ 8 for a lemon drop. I could get the same drink for cheaper at another bar.
I was reluctant to go here in the first place because my phone and wallet had been stolen here during Pride. I went outside to let the bouncer know and they said «tough luck.» I decided to speak with the police just so I could get a police report for my insurance company. I tried to go back in to reconnect with with my friends again and they wouldn’t let me in! They were mad that I talked to the cops. I told them my stuff was in there and I didn’t have a cell phone (for obvious reasons) to get my friend to bring it out. So I waited over an hour outside the club.
The bottom line is this. The Castro is not West Hollywood. You can find great deals around the Castro and a better vibe at other clubs. The type of crowd in each club is pretty persistent in each bar/​club.

I had a great time here. It was poppin!
My phone was also poppin — out of my purse into some thief’s hand. Along with my ID. When I told the bouncer, in tears, he smiled condescendingly at me and said «Awww.» I wanted to slap him. Then my friends circled the bar three times while constantly calling it, while Find my iPhone was telling me the thief had already turned it off. After seeing me in tears, at least the bathroom guy asked if I was okay. Afterwards, my friend left her contact information but they never called her back.
I also sent them an e-​mail, to which they never responded. What kind of decent business doesn’t even have a direct line?! It was fun here, but all I’ll remember is how little they actually care about you once you’re inside. Thanks, Trigger. Time to buy my 3^rd iPhone 4 in 6 months.
Trigger has more of a ghetto-​fab vibe. If this is not your scene, head down the street to Q-​Bar — it’s smaller, but they play more remixed pop/​electronic dance songs and they don’t charge cover!

I love it here… service is great, washrooms are clean (ish) and the music is super fun. Last night I came for a friend’s birthday party — he booked the mezzanine area (with bar) and the service was fabulous. The birthday boy (and guests) had a great time.
BUT
The Go-​Go Dancers’ ‘greenroom’ (rest area) is up in the mezzanine — that wasn’t the issue. The issue was that one of the male Go-​Go Dancers was very persistent with one particular young lady at our party. As in touched & flirted with her every time he came up for his break. She played along at first, thinking he was gay, but when he asked her to go back to the staff/​greenroom area with him… she put the pieces together and it got very uncomfortable. He tried to get her to go back with him for THREE breaks. We finally reported him to our server.
We noticed during his last ‘dance’ of the night, he pulled a woman up on the podium and was touching her breasts and dry humping her in his tidy whities (disguised as a dance move). The girlie probably thought he was gay also…

Sometimes I wish I was a boy…
I could pee anywhere.
I could shower and be ready in less than 10 minutes.
Wrinkles add character (less money spent on botox).
Ummm, ok, maybe not because I LOVE being a girly girl but being at Trigger made me wish I was a boy for one night at least…
Me: «Oh, he’s cute!!!»
My Friend: «Honey, he’s gay.»
Me: «Ohhhh, what about him?»
My friend’s bf: «Honey, he’s VERY gay.»
Me *chooses the most thuggish one*: «Ohhh, HIM… the guy in the jersey, cap and Asian tats; he’s SO cute!»
*Friend goes up to Asian thug*
My friend: «Honey, I talked to him and he’s FLAMING gay!»
Me *throws hands up in the air*: «F*ck it, LET’S DRINK!»
Ok, I know the chances of finding a straight guy in a gay club is very slim but hey, can’t say I didn’t try.
On Friday, 10.7.11, I came to Trigger with my friend and his bf. It was my first gay club experience and it was one of the most AWESOME nights I’ve ever had despite not being able to find a «verifiable» straight guy.
Trigger is open every day with different themes (e.g. Monday is «80’s Night», Tuesday is «Ladies Night», Thursdays is «Hip Hop Night», etc). They have go-​go (male and female) dancers on Friday and Saturday nights which may I add are SMOKIN’ HOT!
Trigger is two-​levels. It’s definitely one of the nicer clubs in SF with its industrial-​chic ambiance and décor. The grand crystal chandelier and plushy old English furnishings gives it that touch of elegance while the center dance cages gives it that touch of naughtiness. LED lights and fog machine adds to the «night club» effect. There’s also a front outdoor patio for smoking.
P R O S:
*Guestlist which closes at 11 PM, otherwise there’s a $ 5 cover.
*NO dresscode.
*Super friendly and hot bartenders.
*Music was CRACKIN’! The DJ was spinning Top 40s, Mash-​ups, Hip House and House. I’m glad gays love Britney so much!
*Fun, upbeat, and good-​looking crowd: Unlike straight clubs, everyone was very social, easy going, and just out to have a good time. LOVE IT!
*If you’re a girl, NO creepers or anyone trying to molest you on the dance floor.
*Open seating available that wasn’t designated only for bottle service.
C O N S
*Pricing for drinks is a tad pricey (~$ 10) for the weekend considering they have $ 1 well drinks on Thursdays.
*Parking in the area is difficult (not really their fault though).
HOT bartenders and go-​go dancers.
AWESOME crowd and music.
NO drama.
So, what are you waiting for? Load up that baby and…

I know little to nothing about the Castro bar scene — I just follow where the boys lead. But I got the feeling that Trigger was ‘that’ bar/​club that everyone says they hate but somehow end up there anyway… everyone expressed passionately how much they didn’t want to go there, but somehow once we got in there on a Saturday night hips got shaking pretty immediately, and so did everyone else’s thanks to the encouragement of the hardbodied male go-​go dancer on the bar wearing tiny red briefs.
This is a full-​fledged dance club, and if you’re not in the mood for a dance party, move to the next place. I actually enjoyed the music there as I do love me a good old fashioned dance party once in a while, though it was so packed that it took forever to find just a little space to move. The drinks were just fine as well — nothing special really, but it seems like the type of place where you don’t waste time with fancy cocktails or craft beers. They did get me the drinks surprisingly quickly, though!
So while there’s nothing so new about a club like Trigger, it’s actually a surprisingly rare sight in a city like SF where so many people seem too cool too dance. Viva la dance party!

Drinks are reasonable ($ 7), music can be hit or miss, hot go-​go dancers, cute bartender, a decent amount of dancing space, and a cool crowd.
My most recent trip was to celebrate a couple of my friends’ birthdays. It was a good time all around. Good music mixes and cool laser/​fog effects. Bathrooms are also clean and well taken care of by the attendant.
Doesn’t get crowded ’til 11ish, but that’s typical anywhere.
After closing, security is pretty nice but persistent about shooing us away from the front of the club and down the street.

Came here on Friday night $ 5 cover. There was no line and we got here late. It was pretty packed. The bathrooms were pretty modern looking and there was a worker manning the doors. Mine had no lock so I guess he was there to make sure one person per stall.
We weren’t here long maybe an hour or so, but I was impressed by the spaciousness and the lights were pretty awesome. They have another room for smoking, and a raised area where me and my friends were dancing.
It was one of my first time at a gay bar and I came with straight friends and something tells me I wasn’t the only one. the décor was nice and we all had fun. The music was pretty good and the crowd was fun.

*Saturday night, $ 5 Cover
*Strong drinks. Had to ask the bartender to add more tonic water in my drink…
*HOT (but probablyyyyy gay) male Go-​Go dancers
*Uni-​sex, cool ultra-​modern bathroom
*Really attractive security guards
*MUSIC WAS AMAZING! Song-​after-​song of really cool mixes that you don’t ever hear at straight bars. LOOOOVED IT! Props for playing Afrojack & Laidback Luke!
*Sick lights
Came here for my birthday and I had quite a night. First time at a gay bar and my friends and I had a blast. Came here with a large group… majority of which were actually straight guys. They were good sports though and surprisingly had a ball! Somehow shirts came off… slash were ripped off. My straight guy friends were tottttttally loving the attention LOL! No homo. ;)

–Lighting set-​up very reminiscent of Vegas clubs.
–HOT (unavailable to me) guys. Waaaaah, gay men are usually the cutest.
–Decent priced drinks.
–Goooood music!!! Not the normal house music you find in other gay clubs.

My wife wanted to go dancing one Friday when I really wasn’t in the mood. However, I wanted to spend some time with her and figured that if she just wants to dance, I’ll go with her, have a seat and watch her.
The place that we first went to actually didn’t have a DJ that night and wasn’t really doing anything, so we asked where the action was. We were told to head to Trigger.
A bit of a walk later, we were in this happenin’ club with just the kind of music that my wife likes to dance to. I was pooped, but I found a place to park my rear and my wife let herself go. This is an awesome place with two levels, a bunch of dancers both male and female, and great service. They really treated us well here.
We’ve been to a few places around the city like DNA, The Glass Kat, and we like them, but Trigger was just really cool and friendly. If you’re looking for a club where you can really shake it (like my wife did), and get thorough, friendly service, head over to Trigger.

A friend and I dropped into Trigger on a Tuesday night to chill out with beers before meeting up with a wandering birthday party.
The first thing to catch my attention was the décor; the spot is sleek. A large crystal chandelier. A cage above the bar. Ottomans aplenty, couches, and at least one egg chair that I can remember. An enclosed smoking «patio». A glamorous-​looking, exclusively small VIP (?) section upstairs. A unisex restroom with frosted glass everything, bright lights, and high tech hand driers…
The dance area (s) flank the central four-​sided bar, one in an open space by the deejay and some shadowy booths, the other loomed over by a projection screen displaying music videos…
Being a Tuesday, it was expectedly slow, but the music mix and classic videos were fun and kinetic (eighties throwback and uptempo remixes); music you didn’t know you knew all the words to till you catch yourself singing along… good times!
I’ll have to check this place out again on a busier night! I’m sure it’s live!
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Spent the last half hour of the night getting water and watching over our lovely and loved birthday girl. You can really appreciate how clean a restroom is in half an hour.