Church of Scientology of San Francisco

I really liked this place but then I remembered that they kidnap people and steal all their money and secretly record all their members and turned Tom Cruise gay so I was like… nah.
⁰⁄₁₀ would not bang.

Absolutely beautiful interior. Very friendly staff and very well established.

STAY FAR AWAY!
I worked here for 10 years and it destroyed my sanity and now they’ve separated my family from me.

Nice people here. I really enjoyed being there and learning more about Dianetics and Scientology. I’m not sure why some are so afraid of a self help organization like these folks but I am getting very interested. They truly are just good people. Even if you don’t join as I have not, it is so helpful to learn what their goals are and how to help yourself and improve my life.
My girl and I are impressed !

Came here yesterday for an 8PM appointment with my BF. Everyone we met was very polite, friendly, and positive. I stayed in the first floor entry area and was shown around by Bill. I did not take a formal tour, but was shown around to the informational materials and was free to browse on my own.
The area is large and has several TVs with control pads set to show videos about particular topics, such as L. Ron Hubbard’s life, the way to happiness (a set of tenets that are similar to the 10 commandments), the IAS, human rights, volunteer ministers, and what scientology is all about. The space was clean and organized, with comfortable seating and employees/​volunteers nearby if you had any questions or needed help.
I did not do any personality/​IQ/​etc testing during my visit, but it is available on a walk-​in basis if you are interested. I stuck to the videos and kept to myself for the most part. Some of the videos were filmed in a PSA like format, but most were short and informative, so the information was helpful but not enough to overwhelm. While the videos were for the most part very positive, some did not actually give me the answers I was looking for– for example, one in the education section, talked about one of the secular parts of scientology that aims to train teachers and students on techniques and practices to improve learning, information retention, and reading, etc. but the video didn’t really get into what the techniques were or give any examples– it mostly stuck to talking about the great results. The video did, however, serve it’s purpose to intrigue me and get me to want to know more. I am hoping a location closer to my home, like the one in Santa Clara, will have the same videos and helpful staff so that I can continue looking into this further.
The architecture here is pretty impressive. Would love to spend more time exploring the building and getting a formal tour to see more, will have to save that for another visit.

Stopped in because I’d never been to a Scientology establishment before, and also because I needed a quick rest from my walking around town all day.
The staff was really nice and polite, and they gave me a quick rundown of the video and print materials that I could look at. Gave some a quick spin, and it was interesting to see. It’s a nice space inside, so I have nothing bad to say.
Stop by if you want to broaden your knowledge. Come with an open mind.

When I entered this place some years ago, I knew I was suffering from Something That was Bothering me and Stopping me from Expanding in my life and I was feeling really bad.
The first step was the personality test. It was pretty accurate, then I did several Courses here, As the direct result of their help, I’m a successful business man and Have a great family, And I’m very happy.
In Fact, if I did not go in there that day and Take responsibility for me… I would be dead by now!

Been a Scientologist for 25 years and I still love it. Seen it help my friends and feel like I am a better happier person. Really like the people on Montgomery. It amazes me all the 1 stars, seem like they are all written by the same person. Apparently Unilocal is where you get to vote on something you klnow nothing about.

I’ve actually been inside the building unlike 50% of the people who left reviews, most don’t even sound like they have been down the street.
It’s a very nice building. The people inside are very nice too. I did a course there once and I learned quite a bit from it.

I am not a member of the church, at least not yet, but I am now more interested for certain. I saw the «signs» and the masks and the angry shouting of people outside of the church and decided to go inside to see for myself. Inside people were pleasant, outside people where shouting and yelling as well as playing very loud music to disturb people inside. They were such cowards that they wore masks to hide their faces.
I went in for an introduction and saw some introductory films in a small theater, and I was amazed how one person could write so much. I eventually took a course for $ 45 called Problems of Work. I am on chapter 5 of 8 chapters, and the book is really helping me to relax and «chill» about life somehow by thinking about a few things that I had not yet thought about. I feel less stress overall after getting only half way through the book. Yearly membership at the church for those who want to be members (not mandatory at all) together with all of their introductory courses is certainly a LOT cheaper than the «10% tithe» my parents used to pay to their Christian church every year. And for that money I have had hours of help while studying the book to look up words that I don’t understand (I started and stopped and restarted three times to read this book). That has already helped me with my classes in college. I do not understand how they pay for the building and for all of the staff working there, but I feel I am getting a lot for the money I spent there. When classes get too expensive, then I can leave in peace without getting mad or yelling or shaking signs or playing loud music or wearing a mask to do so.
People writing 1-​star reviews below appear to have stated inaccurate information because they did not look for themselves before forming opinions. I decided to look for myself and to make up my mind after genuinely wanting to know for myself. I am glad that I did.

They’re not too pushy and let you admire the amazing architecture, while being informative about the building’s history.
This place was the site of the very first Bank Of America in the world, and teh ornate architecture (both old and new) is totally worth the visit.

This place is insane. If anyone needs to see an example of a cult, walk by this place when they start in the morning.
i walk by the building every morning on my way to work and they all congregate out from in their white dress shirts, ALL smoking cigs and talking about their scifi beliefs. Pretty creppy

I too expected less religious bigotry and prejudice from «foodies» on Unilocal!The critics are usually very young with their own introverted problems. The critics that do go in are dishonest and lie about their names and phone numbers, and are closed-​minded to a frightening degree. And a lot of them give smart-​ass remarks or mark one-​star because it’s popular to do so. Sad, really. Same characters that are drunk at San Francisco LoveEvolution and got the Castro Halloween party closed down. Nice guys.
I found the personality test very helpful, helped center into what I need to handle in my life. Any introductory courses are not mandatory but are a good idea to take. They’re very cheap as compared to college courses, about $ 100 a class, flexible schedules and good instructors.
The free film was interesting too. I did not know Hubbard wrote so many other books than science fiction: adventure, romance, westerns and others in the 1930s and 1940s. Even Stephen King thought Hubbard’s «Fear» was the height of horror for its time.
If you’re open-​minded enough and not a believer in the media-​fueled nonsense about aliens and such, check it out. If you would like to know more about their effective drug treatment programs and literacy programs for youth, then check it out.

Wow… talk about creepy!
I’ve been harrassed by these cultists so many times. Seriously, Scientology, no one likes you. Go away.

I haven’t walked into the building but I have been repeatedly and aggressively solicited by their helpless brainwashed victims standing at the corner of Montgomery at Columbus.
A big fuck-​off to Scientology, Tom Cruise, and their whole money-​grubbing celebrity-​endorsing tax-​exempt pyramid scheme.

i was… maybe… a wee bit wastie roaming though north beach one night. i decided in my brilliant state to take a tour CoS! just after i signed in under my fake alias, (which i will not reveal for safety purposes) i received a call which i took outside. moments later my gfs, also maybe a wee bit wastie, came running outside. they were screaming «WE NEED TO GET THE F*** OUTTA HERE!» i have no idea what happened inside, nor do i really care.
since then, i’ve never really had the desire to go back. i mean sci-​fi is cool to read and all; but believing the shit is real is another. great for those who follow, but i’ll stick to something more realistic…

Walked in once – with no intention of joining – and asked if I could see the «free introductory film» (I was trying to kill some time on a dull Thursday night). I wanted to know how long it was, and they said that the length of the movie «depends.» Shortly thereafter, I gave some bullsh*t excuse to leave and then skedaddled out of there. If you like not being swindled and/​or brainwashed, then please keep away.

I’m a tolerant guy. No, really. The dogmatic eccentricities of Scientology don’t bother me. Xenu (Xena?)? Cool. Sea org? Great place (oh, i thought you said Sea WORLD). Aliens? Fun folks. Tom Cruise? The closet is a horrible place.
But what I don’t understand is WHY ARE THEY ALWAYS IN FRONT OF THE DSW SHOE WAREHOUSE ON POWELL STREET!!! ARE THEY TARGETING PEOPLE WHO BUY SHOES FROM THREE SEASONS AGO!!!

NO STARS!!!
Every day I walk by and every day the same people offer me a pamphlet or to «come in and see the museum» or some such garbage. you would think that after all this time they would leave me alone. maybe their inner alien is just pushing pushing pushing them to spread the word. i don’t know… maybe MY inner alien is a little on the slow side because i’m a happy well adjusted individual and i am NOT a scientologist.
Maybe their inner aliens are doing a little dance and singing «we’re in the money» because they are always outside chain smoking like cigarettes are running out, and looking cracky as shit. scary scary scary.

When it comes to persistence, they’re the Jehovah Witnesses of the new millennium.