SF’s Legendary Punk Club “Mabuhay Gardens” Back After 38 Years
San Francisco punk history is making a comeback. After 38 years, the legendary Mabuhay Gardens, formerly known as the Fab Mab and later Fame, has officially reclaimed its iconic name.
Located on Broadway between Montgomery and Kearny, the space has been a lot of things: an Italian men’s club (1919), a Filipino restaurant (1945), a theater hosting Oh Calcutta! (1964), and, of course, the ultimate punk venue from 1976 to 1987. Dead Kennedys, the Ramones, Devo, Patti Smith… you get the idea. Even Dave Chappelle filmed his first HBO special there.
The current owner, Tom Watson, is transforming the building into a 400-capacity multi-purpose event space. It will host live music, comedy, slam poetry, and lectures, co-working, as well as meditation and 4am yoga sessions.
According to the SF Gate, Watson also plans to reopen the Filipino restaurant and revive a free noodles night on Mondays in homage to the venue’s history.
Watson is working to maintain the venue’s punk legacy with guidance from longtime figures in the scene, including Maximum Rocknroll editor V. Vale, Dead Kennedys visual designer Winston Smith, and former bookers from the Edinburgh Castle.
See upcoming events at Mabuhay Gardens at mabuhayvenue.com or on Instagram at @mabuhayvenue
And although we can’t find anything online confirming it, the SF Gate reports the first punk show under the reclaimed Mabuhay Gardens name is scheduled for Nov. 7, 2025 and will feature the Government.
h/t SF Gate
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