Latest news with #Rikki's
San Francisco Chronicle
7 days ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
My favorite new S.F. bar is unlike anything else in the city
While conceptually I'm a Valkyries fan, I must admit that I have yet to attend a game at Chase Center, and I cannot name a single player under duress. I'm pretty sure the coach is Japanese American? That's all I've got. But the Valkyries-Aces game was a highlight of my July, not necessarily because of the game itself (a nailbiter, we lost 104-102), but because of where I was watching. Rikki's, San Francisco's first bar dedicated to women's sports, opened in June, and it's one of the most special spots in the city. Rikki's warns on its website that game days can get packed and so, rule follower that I am, my party showed up more than an hour before the 1 p.m. tip off to secure a table. Within 10 minutes, new arrivals were jostling for the last remaining seats. The crowd was heavily kitted out in purple and black Valkyries swag with a smattering of 'Everyone Watches Women's Sports' T-shirts sprinkled throughout. At one point during the first quarter, I started noticing pops of baby pink punctuating the sea of lavender. An entire queer softball team had arrived, names like 'Morgasm' and 'Masc Dana' emblazoned on the back of their jerseys. 'Hearthrob,' stay away from my friends. While there were definitely male sports fans in attendance (including a solo patron valiantly trying to watch the Sweden-Germany women's Euro Cup game while the rest of the bar cheered on the Valkyries), the crowd leaned heavily female and, I would wager, heavily LGBTQ. I've patronized my fair share of lesbian bars, but it's rare that I've encountered the type of intergenerational camaraderie on display at Rikki's, a bar that is not explicitly a queer bar. On my visit, a long central table was occupied by a dozen or so gay elders — and not in the sense that I've been called a 'gay elder' by Gen Z coworkers (ouch). There were walkers present. Several of Rikki's regulars are former employees or patrons of Maud's or Amelia's, the two lesbian bars owned by Rikki Streicher in the Haight-Ashbury and Mission District respectively in the '60s, '70s and '80s. I can imagine that, if you're a gay woman in your 70s, a dimly lit queer bar with loud music and pole dancing nights might not be your first choice for a local hangout. But a bar right on Market Street, easily accessed by public transportation, open during the day with women's sports always on? That's a recipe for a more age diverse community. In the bathroom, a handwritten sign affixed to the toilet read 'Please be gentle, I'm not so young!' Underneath it, someone had graffitied, 'Neither am I — I am 73!' And the food? …Did I mention how great the camaraderie is? The food is not the reason to come to Rikki's, although I'll say on my visit, the kitchen was absolutely slammed and was probably not turning out its finest work. It's standard bar fare, burgers and hot chicken sandwiches, with some thoughtful vegetarian options mixed in. I'll give them another shot at a calmer time — I will definitely be back. Rikki's. 2223 Market St., San Francisco.
San Francisco Chronicle
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Queer love scores big as Netflix and Pride take over San Francisco's new women's sports bar
What better place to watch a reality show that turns queer dating into a sporting event than at San Francisco's newest women's sports bar? In one of the most unique events at Frameline's 49th San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, Netflix took over Rikki's in the Castro District to the Season 2 premiere of 'The Ultimatum: Queer Love.' The sold-out event on Tuesday, June 24, drew 160 fans of the series. The dating show centers six lesbian and nonbinary couples who face an ultimatum: get married or break up. During the breakup period, they date others on the show. At Rikki's, there were free drinks and sliders, and the conversation flowed. 'We were big fans of Kyle and Bridget,' enthused Violet Daar, who was in a group of six who sat near the bar. 'Very hot!' Alex Ebrahimi, who was part of Daar's group, added that while she was happy with the show because 'It represents diverse voices,' she thought 'there could be more gender and body type diversity.' Meanwhile Kate Whitney, who sat at a table watching with three friends, observed, 'I hope that we get to see people really find themselves and find love.' Claire Markham, who sat in Whitney's group, added, 'If they're going on a reality show to solve their relationship issues, they're probably not going to end up together, but it's going to be entertaining.' The first seven of 10 episodes of the second season of 'The Ultimatum: Queer Love' began streaming on Netflix on Wednesday, June 25. The final three will drop Wednesday, July 2. To mark the occasion, Netflix flew in one of the stars of Season 1, Lexi Goldberg, to host the event. 'Hopefully, Season 2 steps it up and makes me look less messy than I did on Season 1,' Goldberg told the crowd to laughter. Afterward, Goldberg, who lives in Miami, told the Chronicle that she was surprised by the show's popularity, noting that she has been approached by fans from all walks of life. 'Something about our cast really resonated with audiences where, be it straight people, gay people and queer people in general, they were like, 'Holy sh—. The problems that they have and their relationship I relate to. And it doesn't matter whether they're lesbians or bisexual or nonbinary or whatever. It's like relationship problems are linear and they exist across whoever you're dating.' Savannah Schulze, who was in the group with Whitney and Markham, added that the setting made it especially memorable. 'There are very few queer shows in general, but even less for lesbians or for queer women,' Schulze said. 'So the fact that a women's bar is hosting this space in the Castro during Pride Month for queer women to watch and get their own visibility on a TV screen is not something that we get really ever.' Rikki's opened for business on June 11, and owners Sara Yergovich and Danielle Thoe said business has been exceeding expectations, especially during Golden State Valkyries WNBA games. But for the Frameline/Netflix event, they were more than happy to shut off sports for one night. 'There's a lot of really serious and important work that comes out through Frameline,' said Yergovich of the nonprofit that operates the festival. 'I think this is one of the more fun, whimsical kinds of things to go watch and laugh and have a good time. I think it's really important to have some fun during Pride, as well as kind of reflecting on the work that still needs to be done.' Among the attendees were Film SF Executive Director Manijeh Fata, film director Alice Wu and, of course, Frameline Executive Director Allegra Madsen, who said she has found the festival 'cathartic' after the Supreme Court's decision to uphold a Tennessee law that prohibits certain medical treatments for transgender minors, a 'gut punch,' as Madsen put it, that came down hours before the festival opened on Wednesday, June 18. '(Tonight) was a nice night to celebrate some of the positive things that are happening in San Francisco,' Madsen said. 'We have the (WNBA's) Valkyries now, we have a brand new lesbian sports bar, so let's all get together. … Having silly good times with one another, that's how you build community. Going through hard times, but also creating space for the good times.' Asked which couple on 'The Ultimatum' was her favorite, Madsen smiled. 'It's too early to tell, so if I have to do my fantasy league tonight, I'm not ready to put money anywhere, but talk to me next week and I might be able to fill you in.'
Eater
09-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
Say Hello to San Francisco's First Women's Sports Bar
San Francisco's first women's sports bar opens Wednesday, June 11, on Market Street. Rikki's throws open its doors to a city ready for lots of women's basketball; the Golden State Valkyries' inaugural season is underway to huge fanfare. Co-founders Danielle Thoe and Sara Yergovich told the San Francisco Chronicle the name honors Rikki Streicher, a gay San Francisco athlete who opened two now-closed queer women's bars in San Francisco, Maud's and Amelia's. This opening makes the bar the first in the Bay Area dedicated exclusively to women's sports. Fifteen TVs stretch across the space; pop-up Rikki's parties around the city have brought in some 150 fans per event. There's a full liquor license available, and local beers, including the aptly named Local Brewing Co. on tap, with food available for hungry sports fans, as well. Rikki's is open Tuesday through Sunday from 3:30 p.m. until 10 p.m. on weekdays and until midnight on Friday and Saturday. Sacramento sells tacos to fight fascism NorCal Resist coordinated a demonstration on Sunday, June 8, in defiance of the federal government's invasion of Los Angeles's immigrant communities. To keep the momentum going, the group will work with Radio Xicanismo for a Tacos & Corridos event on Saturday, July 26, at 2 p.m. Guests will get three tacos with rice and beans for $30 at the Latino Center of Art and Culture. Tickets are on sale now. Another Divisadero Street restaurant suffers from a fire In an unlucky streak for the vibrant business corridor, Banh Mi Viet closed due to a fire. It broke out around 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 4, and no one was injured. This makes another shutdown on Divisadero Street in recent years; Ethiopian restaurant Oasis Cafe and adjoining Kava Lounge have been closed since a major fire in 2022, as did Phuket on the other end of the strip. Mainstay Berkeley restaurant closes for good The team behind the beloved El Patio in Berkeley let fans know via Instagram of the restaurant's impending finale: The last day of service will be Friday, July 4. There was no reason given for the closure. More than that, the post says the catering and events arm of the business is still operational. Sign up for our newsletter.
San Francisco Chronicle
08-06-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
San Francisco's first women's sports bar, Rikki's, to open in the Castro on June 11
San Francisco is finally set to welcome its first women's sports bar next week. Rikki's will officially open its doors on June 11, co-founders Danielle Thoe and Sara Yergovich told the Chronicle. The bar and restaurant, located at 2223 Market Streeet, will operate six days a week from mid-afternoon until 10:00 p.m. on all weeknights except Mondays and midnight on weekends. Rikki's is the latest tenant at the location after five other restaurants have closed there since 2012. Thoe and Yergovich met playing soccer together for the San Francisco Spikes, an LGBTQ+ soccer club. They bonded over their frustrations in finding bars that would play NWSL and WNBA games. They went from joking about opening a women's sports bar to seriously investigating the possibility. The duo signed a lease in November after announcing they were fundraising to open the bar last August. 'It's kind of a relief, honestly, it feels like this is a moment that we've been waiting for,' Thoe said. 'Seeing the expressions on people's faces when they see the pictures on the walls, and they walk around the space and see all women's sports everywhere, it feels overwhelming.' The bar's name honors Rikki Streicher, who was one of the co-founders of the Gay Games Federation in 1982 and two queer women's bars in San Francisco, Maud's and Amelia's, which sponsored several recreation sports leagues and teams in San Francisco. She died in 1994 at 72. Inside, Rikki's is a vibrant tribute to the history of women's sports. Interior designer Wendy Trotter created walls cascaded by colorful outlines of basketball courts, soccer fields and softball diamonds. A framed Bay FC jersey autographed by every member of the 2025 team hangs next to a San Francisco Falcons ultimate frisbee jersey. A lounge area by the bar displays vintage magazine covers and photographs of women's sports icons, while the back wall is dedicated to Streicher, showcasing images of her former rec league teams. There are 15 televisions across the bar. Originally hoping to open by mid-May, the new bar owners were delayed by what Thoe called 'city hiccups.' 'Demolition was a challenge, because the original construction was really well done, so some of the demolition took a little bit longer than we thought,' Thoe said. 'Then getting inspections scheduled was a challenge, it took a little longer than we had hoped, but it all got done in the end. In the months leading up to the opening, Thoe and Yergovich hosted Valkyries and Bay FC watch parties at other San Francisco venues, drawing around 150 fans per event, according to Yergovich. She is hopeful that having a dedicated space showing every game will increase their patrons. Thoe, who works in real estate, and Yergovich, who is in marketing, fundraised over the past year. Through WeFunder, a crowdfunding website, they raised $425,000 in addition to collecting $390,000 in private investments. Rikki's is the latest addition to a growing number of women's sports bars opening across the country. In 2025, six women's sports bars have already opened in Phoenix, Omaha, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Austin and Houston. At least eight more (Kansas City, Seattle, Atlanta, San Diego, Des Moines, Columbus and two in New York) are expected by year's end. The Sports Bra, the first women's sports bar to open in Portland in 2022, recently announced it would expand with franchises in Boston, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Las Vegas. Yergovich said the founders of these bars stay connected in a group chat, sharing everything from licensing tips for streaming games to marketing strategies. Many women's sports events are on newer streaming platforms such as Amazon Prime, Peacock and league-specific services like WNBA League Pass, which pose challenges for public venues. Unlike just purchasing a cable package, the bar owners have to contact the leagues to get permission to publicly air games spread across multiple streaming partners. For Thoe and Yergovich, that only reinforced their feeling of a need for Rikki's. After months of work to get to an opening day, the hard part begins: keeping a bar and restaurant open. 'Diving into this world has felt like a risk,' Yergovich said. 'Seeing how excited people are just makes me know that everything's for the right reasons, and it's all gonna work out.'
Axios
03-06-2025
- Business
- Axios
Rikki's to open in San Francisco amid women's sports bar boom
Bars dedicated to women's sports are having a moment — including in San Francisco. Why it matters: With viewership and attendance for women's sports soaring — including with the debut of the city's first WNBA team — fans are building new hubs that are about more than simply watching games. Driving the news: Six women's sports bars have opened nationally this year, with as many as 17 on the way in various stages of funding and construction. At least eight have announced plans to open by the end of this year. Others have indicated 2026 or haven't specified a timeline. Zoom in: Rikki's, San Francisco's first bar dedicated to playing all women's sports, is expected to open in mid-June in the Castro. The bar is named after Rikki Streicher, a community leader who owned several lesbian bars in San Francisco for many decades — including the historic Maud's, the city's first, which operated for 23 years and inspired a documentary after it closed in 1989. Streicher's bars served as cultural beacons that were especially meaningful in a time when lesbians were often unable to openly express their sexuality and women were legally prohibited from bartending. What they're saying: Rikki's aims to honor the late gay rights activist's legacy by serving as an inclusive space to find community and convene to cheer on women's sports, its co-founder Sara Yergovich told Axios. "People are so excited — the response has been phenomenal," she said. "It's the perfect time with the Bay FC, the Valkyries and this increased professional-level interest in women's sports in San Francisco. It felt like all the stars were aligning." Zoom out: Beyond San Francisco, The Sports Bra in Portland opened in April 2022, followed by Rough and Tumble Pub in Seattle and Whiskey Girl Tavern in Chicago later that year. By the end of 2024, three more had opened: A Bar of Their Own in Minneapolis; Watch Me! Sports Bar in Long Beach, California; and The 99ers Sports Bar in Denver. What to expect: The fun and camaraderie of team sports with an atmosphere that's welcoming to everyone, including non-traditional sports fans and the LGBTQ+ community. The bottom line:"They've become centers of social, economic and political power in the communities where they exist," said Kaitlyn Laabs, who is making a documentary about women's sports bars called "Untapped."
