The Bear in San Francisco was a leather-and-denim landmark for the city’s bear community, offering a laid-back, no-pretense atmosphere where brotherhood thrived. Opening its doors in the 1990s, it quickly became a cornerstone of SoMa nightlife, known for its strong pours, pool tables, and a crowd that defined the bear scene long before it went mainstream. Though The Bear eventually closed in the early 2000s, its spirit still lingers in the city’s queer nightlife.
