Gold Dust Lounge

Had a horrible experience here last night. I used to frequent this place back when it was on Powell Street, when I go to Pier 39 I usually have my daughter but tonight I didn’t so I was excited I could partake in an Irish Coffee. So they werent really crowded and me and my boyfriend went in and a tall slim, animated acting Asian man came over and took our order and seemed to have an attitude that we just ordered one drink, well my boyfriend didnt want one sooooooo, and hes like oh only one. Then when he comes back with the change he throws it at us and walks away. No dialogue, didnt place it down, didnt say anything, just threw it. So we look at each other surprised and agree that it was rude. I worked in the service industry for a while and would never behave like that. So we go over and ask him about throwing the money, 1^st he denies it, then says Go Cry About it. ERRRRRRRR STOP! Did you seriously just say that? So the Asian man and my boyfriend are exchanging words, and then the female manager, a little latin/​white chick comes over and I explain what just happened. I expected some sort of smoothing the situation over but instead she co signs with what he said and said oh he just works like that. You cant be serious. No professionalism or customer service what so ever! Me and her further exchange words and she starts hitting the bar telling me to get out. Ok bitch I can slam my hand on the bar too, big fucking deal. Mind you both of them escalated things first. So security comes over and hes the only cool, respectful one. So we didnt disrespect him back and stepped out. Then this chick comes behind me with someone holding her back like she was going to do something, CUE LAUGHTER hahahahahaha #girlbye I reallllllllllllllly wish you would! That was a managers behavior??? Never ever ever ever would I return. I supported the fight the two gentleman owners were having with having to move from Powell as well, and their struggle documented in the newspapers and the news, but they need new employees. What a joke! If any higher ups would like to contact me, feel free!!!

Felt like a local bar, which is not what you’d expect so close to the wharf. Loved the vibe… I was reminded of Vegas lounges. The food and drinks were delicious.

Bartender Michelle provided a fun experience on our last visit here. Irish coffees much better than at the Buena Vista, and at half the price.

Just having an Irish coffee at the bar. Good music, nice décor, great drink! Didn’t give us price on the posted sign outside but otherwise it’s great.

Really different from what I expected. Right when I walked in, I felt like I was transported to Vegas minus the slot machines. Not the modern Vegas casinos either like the older ones I used to go to with my family when I was younger, like the Stardust Casino.
It had a little bit of stench, a bit of an older crowd, but music was bumping and it was a pretty fun time. Ran into some magicians so they were entertaining a group while we were there as well. I don’t know what the price point was for the drinks because I didn’t buy but the Kentucky Mule (I know random when were in SF) but that was great. The bartender was awesome and lively so aside from the old-​school décor and funny smell it was pretty fun.

I like trendy, hipster places as much as the next girl, but sometimes you just want to go old school. When you walk into The Gold Dust Lounge, you immediately feel like you’ve stepped back in time. My mother was a bartender as I was growing up and I spent a lot of my formative years in bars with this same vibe. When you first walk in you notice that it’s dimly lit and is a long thin room. There is a bar on one side and on the other a tufted cushioned wall hosts a row of tables.
We sauntered up to the bar and had a seat. Almost immediately our bartender plopped down a couple of coasters and asked what we would like. I ordered a citrus cosmo (I know — it goes against the whole vibe of the place), luckily my husband was more in tune with the feel and ordered the SF209 martini. All of the drinks were excellent. They are supposed to be known for their Irish Coffee, but we weren’t in the mood for that.
All in all it was a nice place to just stop in for a couple of drinks and enjoy the retro vibe.

Great atmosphere! Tourist or not, fun place to hang & have some cocktails. The staff is really fun too!

Very different atmosphere. Was an older crowd and had a bit of a stench. Mixed drinks weren’t strong enough. Music was very loud and everyone was grooving tho!

The place was nearly decorated and had music and people dancing, which are always good things. Husband and I are in our twenties and found it to be catered more to older folks.

Great dive bar in the middle of Touristville USA! Had a blast there yesterday! Great drink specials, you MUST try the oyster shooters with vodka! So fresh and oyster is huge. I will definitely come back next time I’m in San Francisco. Bartenders were great and funny, too!

We honestly stopped in here because we were in desperate need of a restroom and decided to make it a twofer with some noontime cocktails. My $ 5 champagne went down nice. Our bartender was a nice Irish man with some good stories to tell. The place was totally dead when we were in here but we had a nice time.

Stopped in just for a Lil sip, n received some serious awesome service!!! Glass of Cab vino n some few beers later along with some very delicious fresh smooth oyster shooters, Lil music man play in some 70’s n it’s the spot!!! #sb50

This place is so unique. We can came here for the first time for an after-​wedding party. My expectations were appropriately set – bar with cheap drinks in the center of tourist land, so we weren’t surprised by what we found.
All in all, there was plenty of room for our group and the bartender was never terribly far away. I stuck to beer, so I can’t speak to the quality of the drinks.
One oddity: there was intermittent karaōke at the front of the bar that started and stopped frequently. It was a bit jarring, but hey, you do you.
The good: cheap drinks.
The bad: the menus are glued to the tops of tables for safe keeping. And the kitchen closes sometime before 11 PM.

Love this place. It’s a cheap, hidden gem in a tourist-​ridden neighborhood.
I «hosted» my wedding afterparty here («hey, everybody, let’s meet at the Gold Dust!») since it was near both my hotel and wedding venue. I’d had someone call ahead a few days prior to make sure it would be okay for us to come with a group of indeterminate size, and Patrick was happy to accommodate.
I’m glad we called ahead, not because it was busy but because it wasn’t. Aside from a few stray couples, our group of 20 – 30 had the bar to ourselves and closed it down. The music wasn’t quite my thing, but I wasn’t really paying attention.
Only bummer is my husband’s coat got taken (likely on accident by whomever owns the women’s version of the same, which was still at the bar when we called a few days later) and it happened on not only his wedding night, but while pouring rain. It could very well be someone from our group, but there was also a wildly drunk other patron who got kicked out who I suspect might’ve grabbed it.
It was also a little weird that these stray catering boxes were just sitting there in this open area that we would have liked to stand in– it sort of bisected our group into two areas. When I first got there I figured they would be moved soon, but they were there all night.
I’ve also been to this place on a regular night. If there’s live music there’s usually a bigger crowd, but it’s also huge enough that you can often find a quiet corner if you need it. Lots of odd characters in the neighborhood walking in and out or hanging out near the entrance, but that’s not new to San Francisco.

Charged for a drink that sucks tasted like pure sugar, just had one sip and returned it cause it tasted awful but still charged me for it when i barely didnt even touch it. Needed better customer service skill ADRIANA! Still tipped her 20percent on top of her bad attitude.

Popped into Gold Dust Lounge on a quiet Thursday afternoon not knowing what to expect. While it is a bit kitschy and touristy, it’s also a decent bar with a small selection of raw seafood, apps and more. A decent selection of beers and cocktails round out the offerings.
Wandering around the space is pretty cool. Cherubs painted on the ceiling, old-​school throw-​back seating along with antique chandeliers make it a funky little space. But boil it down to the basics and it’s a reasonably priced bar with good service. Which is plenty good in SF and even better in a tourist area like Fisherman’s Wharf. Worth a pit-​stop for sure.

Greatest bar in America! Now there are oyster shooters! So delicious! Thank you Patrick!

I’ve learned that sometimes, the best getaways are actually inside the tourist traps. Yes, you read that correctly! Thing is, you still do not need to participate as a shopaholic for a moment, avoiding the crowds by heading to such gems as The Gold Dust Lounge, reminiscent about anything Vegas except the slots.
Living full up to the name, the walls, seating, ceiling, you name it has appearance of being «dusted» in gold. Low-​lighting, live music and the bay right outside as tourists keep walking by create a temporary, separative «barrier» from the rest of the world that feels almost comforting.
One sunny afternoon, we delighted in the following food and drinks:
–Shrimp Cocktail
–Mimosas (2)
–Shocktop Pint
–House Irish Coffee
–Guinness Pint (2)
–Malibu Mai Tai (2)
It’s not very often we come ’round this bend of the bay, but when we do, this spot is on the bucket list.

I wasn’t sure what too expect with the move of this bar being at the wharf but it turned out pretty good.
It seems like it turned out too be great for it.
This bar has become quite a wharf fave.
The drink prices aren’t bad either especially for being in the hot tourist spot.
Hey they have a groupon for liquor also.
There liquor is pretty crafty.
The coffee isn’t bad either.
I like that they have a lot of outlets for charging your phone.
Hey man AManda Rocks does karaōke here too and that definitely rocks!
Every Wednesday you can find her here.
She’s gotta great song list.
One time I was dancing and I almost fell on somebody here, goodtimes.

Honestly this was probably one of the worst bars/​lounges I’ve ever been to. I ordered a shock top on draft, whatever I got… wasn’t a shock top!!!
My friends ordered a mimosa and Bloody Mary since it was on happy hour. My friend said the Bloody Mary tasted like Tabasco and vodka. My other friend said the mimosa (that didn’t even come with orange juice) was room temperature and worse then cooks!
Not to mention when we got our drinks the last serving is completely spilled all our drinks on my friends brand new purse.
Super disappointed, don’t waste your time.

This is my favorite bar in the area. I was a big fan of their original location.
Key words: Irish coffee
A million times better (and considerably cheaper) than the BV.
Also, this is genus… they have outlets all along the underside of the bar and outlets at ever table. You can plug your phone in to charge and get liquored up at the same time.

Gold dust is not a destination… But an institution.
Gold dust has a rich history in SF (
) and I remember cramming into GD when it was on Powell street to listen to the live band and have a few beers while rubbing asses with Russian tourists. Ah, the good ol’ days.
I was a tad bummed to see Gold Dust pushed out of its old digs by its greedy landlord only to be replaced by an express (people shop at express!?) only to be moved to fisherman’s wharf. I thought it’d never survive and id never return because I loathe the wharf and slow-​walking tourists; I couldn’t have been more wrong.
The charm of gold dust isn’t just a ghost of its past that lurks on powell, instead it was just transferred to the wharf (sandwiched between a t-​shirt shop and a McDonalds… go figure).
The Gold Dust, with its old-​world charm, has stood true to its form but in a larger body. The wharf location is about 5x bigger and still smells the same… which is odd but comforting. The drinks aren’t inflated to reflect the tourist trap that it is in and the bartenders are as charming as ever. It also has its live band, which is free to watch but tips are enccouraged.
I can’t elaborate on any cocktails or stand-​out performances by a well-​dressed bartender, just that it’s a mellow bar with a rich history in SF. Screw Lombard street or «the view»…this is the real site to see.
Tip: they have a beer + shot special that is fantastic… No matter what neighborhood you’re in. a shot of Jameson and a rolling rock for $ 6.
Say no mas,

What an awesome bar right in the middle of Fisherman’s Warf. The bartender was really friendly and took great care of us. We met some friendly locals and had good conversation about Kaepernick and the Niners. That is always a bonus in my book. They are famous for being the longest bar in San Francisco and they aren’t joking. You can barely see from one end to the other. The red décor makes it cozy and gives it that old Western feel to it. We didn’t eat anything so I can’t attest to the food but the service and atmosphere makes this place a definite place that I will come back to next time I stay in SF.

This lounge was in the right place at the right time for me one evening. I’m really glad I stopped in because I really enjoyed myself. There are tables, plenty of tables, but I always prefer to sit at the bar whenever possible. I sat in between a few patrons and wound up drinking and talking to these people for over an hour. I love places like this where people actually talk to each other at the bar. It makes the whole experience so enjoyable. I liked it so much I found myself in this lounge a few nights during my visit to San Francisco. I’ll definitely be back next time I’m in town and maybe next time I can catch some live music I know they have here some nights.

Cool vibe :) very relaxed! Nice bar tender, perfect for happy hour mimosas. On the wharf, can’t beat it. Good Irish coffees also

This place is one of my most favorite recent discoveries! Gold Dust Lounge is a crazy little throwback bar tucked away within the hustle and bustle of oh-​so-​touristy Fisherman’s Wharf. As a local I typically avoid the wharf region, but this place truly gives me a reason to venture north to the wharf.
Gold Dust Lounge takes you back to 1960’s Vegas. Why does something like this exist in such a touristy neighborhood? I have no clue. Perhaps that’s the charm of it? It’s kitschy, red-​velvety, gaudy, and just plain glorious! My group indulged in the cheap champagne, but Gold Dust Lounge is certainly a stocked full bar.
Apparently this place has quite the history! Back in the day it was the favorite watering hole of Herb Caen, SF’s most famous columnist. Story also has it that Janis Joplin frolicked here too!
Come here for the cheap drinks, stay for the uniqueness. I’ll be back for sure!

Plush velvety interiors that give a rich, relaxing environment to enjoy your drink.
Tried their Irish coffee — same kick for less money!
TVs for your sports entertainment. Friendly enough staff.

If you don’t already know, look up the history of SF’s famous Gold Dust Lounge and you might (like me) find it a little sad that they were forced to move. It has only been in its new locale for a little over a year — and it’s still pretty neat as they tried to move as much of the old stuff to the new spot as possible — but it’s unfortunately now in the EXTRA touristy Wharf area.
During the day the GDL is still a nice place to step in, escape the hordes of tourists (most don’t seem to realize it’s open during the day), grab a nice cold one or classic cocktail on the cheap, charge your cell phone employing the plugs at the bar… enjoy the frescos of beautiful cherubs and voluptuous naked ladies and take retreat in their nice and cool and clean bathrooms.