San Fernando Valley has a secret history of gay bars

gay piano bar san diego

Hillcrt Gay Bar & Rtrant San Diego. All-clive baret piano bar & lounge wh edy, drag shows, and Happy Hour

Contents:

AFTER 58 YEARS, THE CALIPH, SAN DIEGO’S INIC GAY PIANO BAR, TO AN END VIEW SLISHOW PIANIST KENNY ARD TAK HIS PLACE AT THE PIANO ON HIS LAST NIGHT OF PLAYG AT THE CALIPH PIANO BAR ON WEDNDAY NIGHT.  (HAYNE PALMOUR IV / SAN DIEGO UNN-TRIBUNE) CALIPH PATRONS, OM LEFT, JOE CASTELLON, JIM BLAIR, LOLA SIMMONS, AND DENISE ARNON, HAVE FUN HOLDG HANDS, SWAYG SI TO SI, WHILE SGG “SWEET CAROLE”, PLAYED BY PIANIST KENNY ARD, AT THE CALIPH.  (HAYNE PALMOUR IV / SAN DIEGO UNN-TRIBUNE) PIANIST KENNY ARD SGS WHILE PLAYG PIANO AT THE CALIPH.  (HAYNE PALMOUR IV / SAN DIEGO UNN-TRIBUNE) JOE VECCH, RIGHT, AND OTHERS APPLD AFTER A SONG PLAYED BY PIANIST KENNY ARD.  (HAYNE PALMOUR IV / SAN DIEGO UNN-TRIBUNE) DON CHADWICK, LEFT, TORY MARTE, CENTER, AND TODD DONSKEY, TAP S ON A TABLE DURG THE “QUARTER SONG”, WHERE EVERYONE TAPS S DURG THE SONG PLAYED BY PIANIST KENNY ARD.  (HAYNE PALMOUR IV / SAN DIEGO UNN-TRIBUNE) A BAR PATRON TAPS A QUARTER ON THEIR GLASS DURG THE “QUARTER SONG”, WHERE EVERYONE TAPS S DURG THE SONG PLAYED BY PIANIST KENNY ARD.  (HAYNE PALMOUR IV / SAN DIEGO UNN-TRIBUNE) PIANIST KENNY ARD TALKS TO THE CROWD BETWEEN PLAYG SONGS.  (HAYNE PALMOUR IV / SAN DIEGO UNN-TRIBUNE) SEAN OWEN AND CHERYL MCCARTHY EMBRACE AT THE CALIPH.  (HAYNE PALMOUR IV / SAN DIEGO UNN-TRIBUNE) PIANIST KENNY ARD, CENTER, RECEIV APPLSE AFTER PLAYG A SONG.  (HAYNE PALMOUR IV / SAN DIEGO UNN-TRIBUNE) BEFORE LEAVG, GEOFF BUEN, LEFT, AND BRETT GRANFIELD TAKE A PHOTO ONT OF THE CALIPH PIANO BAR.  (HAYNE PALMOUR IV / SAN DIEGO UNN-TRIBUNE) 1/10SHOW SLI INFORMATN AFTER 58 YEARS, THE CALIPH, SAN DIEGO’S INIC GAY PIANO BAR, TO AN END

After last ll on New Year's eve, the Caliph, San Diego's inic gay bar Bankers Hill, will permanently close s doors. * gay piano bar san diego *

After last ll, will shut s doors permanently — endg a historic, nearly 60-year n as one of San Diego’s most inic gay Caliph, wh s Moorish motif mixed wh dis lights, is known for s live piano entertament, karaoke, h poprn and, perhaps most importantly, s old-school neighborhood bar mise marks the end of an era.

“When I bought the place, ” he said, “I always wanted to be all-clive — gay, straight, transgenr, young, old, men, women.

AFTER 58 YEARS, ’S LAST LL FOR THE CALIPH, ONE OF SAN DIEGO’S LONGT-NNG GAY BARS

The Caliph piano bar and lounge Bankers Hill is closg on New Year's Eve, endg a historic, nearly 60-year n as one of San Diego’s most inic gay bars. * gay piano bar san diego *

“Bars like The Caliph have been a place where people the gay muny uld be themselv — a place where you wouldn’t even be looked at twice. ”More than that, though, The Caliph, for nearly six s, bore wns to the evolutn of the gay rights movement — s highs and s opened s doors 1960, seven years after Print Dwight D.

Eisenhower signed Executive Orr 10450, banng homosexuals om beg employed by the feral ernment. “One of the sweett memori I remember is when that fally happened, we had a uple of marriage proposals, ” relled Carey, who said she sang every gay anthem the book that night, om “Love Story” by Taylor Swift to “Defyg Gravy” om the mil “Wicked. ”‘Like losg a fay member’The Caliph’s closure on the heels of other notable gay bars recently shuttg down.

SD GAY GUI: RTRANTS AND BARS

Hillcrt and North Park are two neighborhoods San Diego that attract LGBTQ+ travelers on the hunt for gay iendly entertament, drks and socializg. * gay piano bar san diego *

Bourbon Street, once a btlg nightspot jt a e up the street, shuttered 2015, and so did The Flame, a lbian loss of The Caliph “is really tragic, ” said lol filmmaker Pl Detwiler, who produced the KPBS documentary “San Diego’s Gay Bar History. ” “Unfortunately, this follows the larger trend of gay bars closg across the untry … through the homogenizatn procs of gentrifitn. ”Benjam Nicholls, executive director of the Hillcrt Bs Associatn, said many factors e to play when gay-centric bs shut down, but recent closur reflect how the nightclub scene is changg Hillcrt and nearby neighborhoods like Bankers Hill.

THE 5 BEST SAN DIEGO GAY CLUBS & BARSGAY CLUBS & BARS SAN DIEGO

Top San Diego Gay Clubs & Bars: See reviews and photos of Gay Clubs & Bars San Diego, California on Tripadvisor. * gay piano bar san diego *

It’s about a trend that’s enmic to the gay muny.

“Every time we lose a gay bar — which has happened far too much recent years — we lose a piece of our muny’s fabric, ” he said. “The LGBTQ muny still needs plac to gather and e together bee not all of feel safe non-gay bars.

GAY NIGHTLIFE SAN DIEGO: BARS, CLUBS, & MORE

From Baja Betty's to Flicks and Pecs, here's how to have a gay night out on the town LGBT-iendly San Diego." emprop="scriptn * gay piano bar san diego *

The Caliph is uniquely special — beg one of the last gay piano bars the state — and tly has a neighborhood bar feel. ”RELATEDIt’s last ll for the legendary Red Fox Room’s 59-year lotnNew KPBS documentary is a toast to San Diego’s gay bar historyDocumentary explor hidn history of San Diego’s gay barsTwter:. At the wtern end is Urban MO's Bar & Grill, a "hetero-iendly gay bar" and lol favore.

AFTER 58 YEARS, ’S LAST LL FOR THE CALIPH, ONE OF SAN DIEGO’S LONGT-NNG GAY BARS

After 58 years, 's last ll for The Caliph, one of San Diego's longt-nng gay bars * gay piano bar san diego *

Consired the world's first and only gay-owned brewery, 's a great spot to grab a pizza or two and make iends at a munal table, while enjoyg the many beers on tap.

It was once voted one of the bt gay bars Ameri by Yelp. Wh ep red walls and chanliers, SRO Lounge is a legendary gay bar that livers a glam but laid-back vibe.

SAN DIEGO'S GAY BAR HISTORY

* gay piano bar san diego *

Bee every available gay male town is this r, 400-person pacy, hotspot! Billed as the first and only gay-owned brewery the WORLD.

(619) 298-2233The granddaddy of Hillcrt’s gay bars, has siwalk seatg, hard-wood dance floor, and stiff drks. >Catch a show at Diversnary Theatre: Harmony, Kansas, about a gay farmer who jos a choir, is playg. 9 plac sorted by traveler favorGay Bars • Dance Clubs & DissGay Bars • Dance Clubs & DissWhat travelers are saygDoug MCalgary, Canada579 ntributnsWish we had found Mo’s earlier our trip.

The San Diego gay nightlife scene manag that rare balance between beg remarkably iendly and also rife wh betiful people—'s pretty much a reflectn of this sunny Southern California cy. Gay bars have also been pretty stable here over the years, wh the most popular hangouts gog strong for a uple of s.

SAN DIEGO’S GAY BAR HISTORY: REFLECTNS ON COMMUNY HISTORY AND THE DOCUMENTARY FILM PROCS

Hillcrt and North Park are two neighborhoods San Diego that attract LGBTQ+ travelers on the hunt for gay iendly entertament, drks and socializg. * gay piano bar san diego *

Most gay bars are the trendy Hillcrt neighborhood, jt northeast of Balboa Park and a short drive or b ri om downtown. Flicks: Along a strip of gay-oriented bs, Flicks gay vio bar has long been a hub of schmoozg and socializg. Martis Above Fourth: San Diego's favore gay baret, Martis featur some tremendoly talented performers—not jt piano and sgg, but edy, magic, and more.

Number One Fifth Avenue: A great all-around neighborhood gay bar, balanc an timate ambiance and iendly atmosphere whout the tired, divey feel that sometim domat smaller loung. Park & Rec: Set the space formerly occupied by the popular gay bar Bourbon Street, this is an expansive nightspot and rtrant that still draws plenty of LGBT folks and open-md revelers. SRO Lounge: Known for s great jebox, long history the neighborhood, and a lotn that's much closer to downtown than the gay bars Hillcrt, the SRO has a strong followg among drag queens and their fans, but all kds tend to drop by here, albe not necsarily large numbers.

As a largely gay-iendly cy, San Diego has a good offerg of general mixed night clubs.

THE SRO LOUNGESEE ALL THGS TO DO{"@TYPE":"LOLBS","NAME":"THE SRO LOUNGE","URL":"\","ADDRS":{"@TYPE":"POSTALADDRS","STREETADDRS":"1807 5TH AVE","ADDRSREGN":"CALIFORNIA","ADDRSCOUNTRY":"UNED STAT","POSTALCO":"92101-2712"},"AGGREGATERATG":{"@TYPE":"AGGREGATERATG","RATGVALUE":"5.0","REVIEWCOUNT":2},"IMAGE":"HTTPS:\U002F\\U002FMEDIA\U002FPHOTO-O\U002F11\U002F57\U002F91\U002F78\","@NTEXT":"HTTP:\U002F\"}SEE ALL THGS TO DOTHE SRO LOUNGE52 REVIEWS#108 OF 221 NIGHTLIFE SAN DIEGOBARS & CLUBS • GAY BARSREAD MORECALLWRE A REVIEWABOUTREAD MORESUGGTED DURATN1-2 HOURSSUGGT EDS TO IMPROVE WHAT WE SHOW.IMPROVE THIS LISTGFULL VIEWALL PHOTOS (6)TOP WAYS TO EXPERIENCE NEARBY ATTRACTNSLIKELY TO SELL OUT*SAN DIEGO WHALE WATCHG CISE872REMEND94% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.DOLPH WATCHGOM $85.00 PER ADULTTHE LA JOLLA TOUR9B TOURSOM $199.00 PER ADULTSPECIAL OFFERBROTHELS, B AND BOOZE: A CULARY TOUR OF SAN DIEGO'S QUTNABLE PAST263FOOD & DRKOM $80.00 $76.00 PER ADULTSAN DIEGO ZOO 1-DAY PASS ANY DAY TICKET1,487REMEND91% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.NATURE AND WILDLIFE TOURSOM $69.00 PER ADULTLIKELY TO SELL OUT*SAN DIEGO SEAL TOUR234REMEND90% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.BOAT TOURSOM $49.00 PER ADULTLIKELY TO SELL OUT*SAN DIEGO SIGHTS AND SIPS SUNSET CISE17FOOD & DRKOM $68.06 PER ADULTSAN DIEGO HOP ON HOP OFF TROLLEY TOUR795REMEND92% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.HISTORIL TOURSOM $49.00 PER ADULTTHE SAN DIEGO HIGHLIGHTS TOUR37REMEND97% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.B TOURSOM $219.00 PER ADULTMEXIN STREET FOOD, TIJUANA DAY TRIP OM SAN DIEGO64REMEND92% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.FOOD & DRKOM $129.00 PER ADULTGASLAMP QUARTER DOWNTOWN SAN DIEGO FOOD TOUR60REMEND93% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.FOOD & DRKOM $75.00 PER ADULTSAN DIEGO ZOO SAFARI PARK 1-DAY PASS ANY DAY TICKET85NATURE AND WILDLIFE TOURSOM $69.00 PER ADULTSPECIAL OFFERSAN DIEGO DAY SAILG EXCURSN18REMEND100% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.SAILGOM $119.00 $111.60 PER ADULTINTRO TO MEXI WALKG TOUR: TIJUANA DAY TRIP OM SAN DIEGO161REMEND95% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.HISTORIL TOURSOM $68.00 PER ADULTSAN DIEGO ZOO AND SAFARI PARK 2-VIS PASS TICKET83REMEND96% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.NATURE AND WILDLIFE TOURSOM $118.00 PER ADULTHNTED SAN DIEGO GHOST TOUR270REMEND93% OF TRAVELERS REMEND THIS EXPERIENCE. THIS NUMBER IS BASED ON THE PERCENTAGE OF ALL TRIPADVISOR REVIEWS FOR THIS PRODUCT THAT HAVE A BUBBLE RATG OF 4 OR HIGHER.HISTORIL TOURSOM $58.00 PER ADULTTHE AREA ADDRS1807 5TH AVE, SAN DIEGO, CA 92101-2712FULL VIEWBT NEARBYRTRANTS1,500 WH 3 PAPPALEC4190.4 MI$ • DSERT • ITALIAN • CAFEDONUT BAR6680.5 MI$ • BAKERI • AMERINEXTRAORDARY DSERTS5410.4 MI$$ - $$$ • BAKERI • AMERIN • CAFEBANKERS HILL1920.3 MI$$ - $$$ • AMERIN • BAR • INTERNATNALSALT & STRAW1800.5 MI$ • DSERT • AMERINQUEENSTOWN PUBLIC HOE4440.5 MI$$ - $$$ • AMERIN • BAR • NEW ZEALANDCAMP CUCA9370.5 MI$$ - $$$ • ITALIAN • WE BAR • VEGETARIAN FRIENDLYCOCA 35690.3 MI$ • MEXIN • LAT • VEGETARIAN FRIENDLYBALBOA BAR AND GRILL51229 FT$ • AMERIN • BAR • PUBCIVI 18459910.5 MI$$ - $$$ • ITALIAN • VEGETARIAN FRIENDLY • VEGAN OPTNSSEE ALLATTRACTNS327 WH 6 LUMO VIEWS GALLERY1130 FTART GALLERISAN DIEGO AIR & SPACE MM8660.4 MISPECIALY MMSBALBOA PARK13,0630.8 MIPARKS • GARNSST. JOSEPH CATHEDRAL140.2 MICHURCH & CATHEDRALSUSS MIDWAY MM25,5681.1 MISPECIALY MMSSAN DIEGO ZOO29,1791 MIZOOSOLD GLOBE THEATRE5100.7 MITHEATERSTHE LTLE YOGA STUD30.3 MISPORTS CAMPS & CLICSSAN DIEGO AUTOMOTIVE MM2820.4 MISPECIALY MMSLTLE ITALY2,0540.6 MINEIGHBORHOODSSEE ALLCONTRIBUTEWRE A REVIEWUPLOAD A PHOTOREVIEWSQ&AFILTERSENGLISHMOST RECENTDETAILED REVIEWS: REVIEWS ORR RMED BY SCRIPTIVENS OF ER-INTIFIED THEM SUCH AS CLEANLS, ATMOSPHERE, GENERAL TIPS AND LOTN RMATN.5.02 REVIEWSEXCELLENT2VERY GOOD0AVERAGE0POOR0TERRIBLE0ANTHONY TOKLAHOMA CY, OK55 NTRIBUTNS1A HIGHLIGHT OF OUR VIS TO SAN DIEGOAPR 2018 • COUPLBY LOUNGE BAR WH A POOL TOURNAMENT ALWAYS HAPPENG TOWARDS THE BACK! SIGN UP ON THE LIST AND PLAY!! BAR TENRS ARE NICE AND MAKE GREAT DRKS, AND THE PATRONS ARE SOME OF THE NICT PEOPLE YOU'LL MEET! IT HAS A NICE ATMOSPHERE/DéR. WE ABSOLUTELY LOVED !READ MOREWRTEN APRIL 22, 2018THIS REVIEW IS THE SUBJECTIVE OPN OF A TRIPADVISOR MEMBER AND NOT OF TRIPADVISOR LLC. TRIPADVISOR PERFORMS CHECKS ON REVIEWS AS PART OF OUR DTRY-LEADG TST & SAFETY STANDARDS. READ OUR TRANSPARENCY REPORT TO LEARN MORE.982EDDBOWLG GREEN, OH83 NTRIBUTNS5GREAT SPOT, FRIENDLY FOLKS, VARIED CLIENTELEAPR 2016 • FRIENDSLADI AND GENTLEMEN, AND OTHERS: THIS IS A GAY BAR, MORE OR LS. YET IS ALSO KNOW AS A "TRANNY" BAR. THAT IS, AS MY IEND AND I ENTERED, WE NOTED AT LEAST A DOZEN CROSS DRSERS/TRANSVT/DRAG QUEENS AND VARIATN THEREOF PRENT--ALL IENDLY FOLKS WH VAR REASONS FOR "CROSSG" OM LIVG AS WOMEN ALL THE TIME TO DOG ON A SATURDAY NIGHT FOR KICKS AND GIGGL. SUPER-IENDLY MEN TENDG BAR WH STRONG DRKS AND A GREAT NTUG POOL TOURNEY GOG ON THE BACK. INED, THE "SRO" STANDS FOR "STANDG ROOM ONLY" AND THAT WAS TE--PRETTY PACKED AND WH SLIGHTLY FADG FANCY R AND A NICE BACKBAR. YOU ARE WELE HERE WHERE EVER YOU F THE SCHEME/SCENE OF HUMANY.READ MOREWRTEN MAY 6, 2016THIS REVIEW IS THE SUBJECTIVE OPN OF A TRIPADVISOR MEMBER AND NOT OF TRIPADVISOR LLC. TRIPADVISOR PERFORMS CHECKS ON REVIEWS AS PART OF OUR DTRY-LEADG TST & SAFETY STANDARDS. READ OUR TRANSPARENCY REPORT TO LEARN MORE.NO QUTNS HAVE BEEN ASKED ABOUT THIS EXPERIENCEASK A QUTNALSO POPULAR WH TRAVELERSSEE ALLTIJUANA WALKG TOUR197BAR, CLUB & PUB TOURS • CULTURAL TOURSTHE SHOUT! HOE422PIANO BARSGASLAMPNATNAL COMEDY THEATRE202THEATERS • COMEDY CLUBSNOBLE EXPERIMENT127BARS & CLUBSSAN DIEGO NIGHTLIFE TOURS23BAR, CLUB & PUB TOURSGASLAMPRAISED BY WOLV54BARS & CLUBSLIPS99BARS & CLUBS • THEATRE & PERFORMANCSAN DIEGO CLUB CRAWL154BAR, CLUB & PUB TOURSGASLAMPTHE NOLEN70BARS & CLUBSEAST VILLAGEFALSE IDOL48BARS & CLUBSLTLE ITALYIS THIS YOUR TRIPADVISOR LISTG?OWN OR MANAGE THIS PROPERTY? CLAIM YOUR LISTG FOR EE TO RPOND TO REVIEWS, UPDATE YOUR PROFILE AND MUCH MORE.CLAIM YOUR LISTGTHE SRO LOUNGE (SAN DIEGO) - ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

Through archival photographs, historic footage, and terviews wh bar owners, bartenrs and proment muny members, this documentary provis a glimpse to the rich history of San Diego's gay history and culture. * gay piano bar san diego *

Borr at the southern end of metro San Diego, the sprawlg cy of Tijuana, you'll fd several gay bars one. Rich's: As San Diego's five gay warehoe-style dis, this club offers a good-sized space wh an dtrial, circu-style vibe, and mic supplied by some of Southern California's most illtr DJs.

AFTER 58 YEARS, 'S LAST LL FOR THE CALIPH, ONE OF SAN DIEGO'S LONGT-NNG GAY BARS

The Caliph piano bar and lounge Bankers Hill is closg on New Year's Eve, endg a historic, nearly 60-year n as one of San Diego’s most inic gay bars. * gay piano bar san diego *

The Brass Rail: The longt-nng gay bar San Diego, the Brass Rail serv cred for always fdg new ways to revent self for the current tim.

Overall, San Diego is a welg and open-md cy, but you'll fd the heart of the cy's gay nightlife scene Hillcrt specifilly.

LEGENDARY LONG BEACH GAY PIANO BAR PARADISE TO CLOSE APRIL

After last ll, will close permanently — endg a nearly 60-year n as one of San Diego’s most inic gay Caliph, wh s Moorish motif mixed wh dis lights, is known for s live piano entertament, karaoke, h poprn and, perhaps most importantly, s old-school neighborhood bar mise marks the end of an era. “Bars like the Caliph have been a place where people the gay muny uld be themselv — a place where you wouldn’t even be looked at twice. ”More than that, the Caliph, for nearly six s, bore wns to the evolutn of the gay rights movement — s highs and s opened 1960, seven years after Print Eisenhower signed Executive Orr 10450, banng homosexuals om employment by the feral ernment.

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY HAS A SECRET HISTORY OF GAY BARS

”The Caliph’s closure on the heels of other notable gay bars shuttg down.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* GAY PIANO BAR SAN DIEGO

After 58 years, 's last ll for the Caliph, one of San Diego's longt-nng gay bars - Los Angel Tim .

TOP