What's Closed / What's Open
SF’s “Wooden Nickel” Dive Bar Has Shut Down
Bars, Goodbye, San Francisco, What's Closed / What's Open Thanks to Broke-Ass Stuart for sharing the sad news that The Wooden Nickel in the Mission has closed down permanently after 6+ years in business. In late December the city was hit with one of the largest storms ever recorded which resulted in a massive street flood and The Wooden Nickel more...
Ben & Jerry’s “Free Cone Day” Back After 4 Years
Freebies, What's Closed / What's Open Mmmm… Monday, April 3, 2023 is Free Cone Day at Ben & Jerry’s, and you know what that means… free ice cream for you. It’s the first time Ben & Jerry’s has hosted their free cone day in four years (since 2019). As long as you don’t mind waiting in really long lines, almost more...
SF’s Cherry Blossom Parade is Finally Back After 4 Years
Fairs & Festivals, Festival Updates, San Francisco, What's Closed / What's Open Welcome to the Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival, one of California’s most prominent celebrations of Asian traditions and the biggest on the West coast. Since 1968, the Festival serves to cultivate the continued alliance between Japan and the United States using culture as its bridge. Each year, over 220,000 people attend more...
SF’s “Bay Lights” Are Back On Due to “Glitch”
Artsy Fartsy, Bay Area Favorites, Goodbye, What's Closed / What's Open On March 5th, the Bay Lights officially went “dark” after 10 years – part of a planned shutdown to take 6-months to repair the lights and bring them back brighter and bigger than ever on Labor Day Weekend 2023. But there’s a catch. Actually, a glitch. The Bay Lights actually turned more...
SF’s “Arinell Pizza” on Valencia Just Closed After 33 Years
Goodbye, San Francisco, What's Closed / What's Open Thanks to Mission Local for letting us know that after a back-and-forth battle to stay opening, Arinell Pizza, located at 509 Valencia Street in San Francisco, has finally shut down after 33 years. The final day was this past Saturday, September 10th denoted with a sign on the window that said “Closing. more...
SF’s “Wu Tang Flan” Gets Brick-and-Mortar Spot in 2023
Bay Area Favorites, Eat & Drink, Only in San Francisco, San Francisco, Takeout / Delivery, What's Closed / What's Open Thanks to EaterSF and SF Gate for letting us know that after years of doing pop-ups throughout San Francisco, “Chicano Nuevo,” a Baja-inspired restaurant will finally open up a brick-and-mortar location in Bernal Heights in 2023. Chef and owner Abraham Nuñez, brought his family recipes from Chula Vista to Excelsior trying more...
151-Year-Old San Francisco Art Institute Shuts Down
Goodbye, San Francisco, What's Closed / What's Open The San Francisco Art Institute last Friday announced it is ceasing its degree programs after merger talks between the school and the University of San Francisco did not lead to an acquisition. The school on Chestnut Street on Russian Hill was founded in 1871 and is among the nation’s oldest art more...
“Bastille Day” French Block Party Back in SF for First Time in 8 Years
Fairs & Festivals, Festival Updates, Only in San Francisco, San Francisco, What's Closed / What's Open “Bastille on Belden” Returns for First Time in 8 Years After a long break, San Francisco seems to be trying to claim back the title of “The Paris of the West.” Back in the 90s and 00s, French restaurant Cafe Bastille hosted a rollicking Bastille Day celebration crammed into downtown’s narrow more...
The Exploratorium Hosts First “Free” Day in 3 Years
Museums / Cultural Institutions, San Francisco, What's Closed / What's Open The Exploratorium used to have several “pay what you wish” days each year, but they started to become rare even before the pandemic. This Sunday, the “Community Day” tradition returns for the first time since May 2019 in honor of Mother’s Day/Día de las Madres. Lots of free bilingual activities more...
Hearst Castle to Finally Reopen for First Time in 2 Years
Reopening, Travel, What's Closed / What's Open California State Parks today announced plans to reopen Hearst San Simeon State Historical Monument (Hearst Castle). The world-renowned house museum will reopen to the public on May 11, after being closed for two years following the COVID-19 pandemic and severe rainstorms that damaged the access road to the castle in more...
SF’s 115-Year-Old Mochi Spot “Benkyodo” Closes Forever
Goodbye, Only in San Francisco, San Francisco, What's Closed / What's Open The final day has come for Japantown’s oldest business, Benkyodo Company. The shop, which opened in 1906, makes traditional hand-made Japanese rice cakes, manju and mochi, are closing up after 115 years and going into retirement. From Benkyodo’s website – “After 115 years of business, Benkyodo will be closing our doors on more...
SF’s Pride Parade & Festival Back for 2022 (June 25-26)
Fairs & Festivals, Festival Updates, LGBTQ+, Only in San Francisco, San Francisco, What's Closed / What's Open Thanks to Reggie Aqui from ABC7 for letting us know that San Francisco’s Pride is planning a return for 2022 for both the big Civic Center festival as well as the parade. SF Pride is back. Let’s get sickening (in the good way). https://t.co/5SrLD6deqY — Reggie Aqui He/Him (@reggieaqui) February 16, 2022 After two more...
SF’s Magnolia Brewing Closing Dogpatch Location
Bars, Bay Area Favorites, Goodbye, San Francisco, What's Closed / What's Open Thanks to Eater SF for sharing the sad news that Magnolia Brewing is closing its Dogpatch location, located at 2505 3rd St, San Francisco. The Brewery took to Instagram to announce its departure. They cite COVID as a factor in their decision to close, plus Eater notes that they had been more...
BART Reopens Powell Street Station Restrooms for the First Time in 20 Years
Reopening, San Francisco, Transportation, What's Closed / What's Open On Wednesday, February 2, 2022, at 11am, BART will hold a “ribbon-cutting” event with rolls of toilet paper to mark the reopening of the Powell Street Station restrooms that have been closed for more than 20 years. Restrooms at 10 of BART’s underground stations have been closed since 9/11 because of more...
SF’s Castro Theatre Getting Major Makeover for 100th Birthday
Bay Area Favorites, Only in San Francisco, San Francisco, What's Closed / What's Open Thanks to the SF Chronicle for letting us know that San Francisco’s historic Castro Theatre, originally built in 1922, is about to get a major makeover for its 100th birthday. The 100-year-old movie theater (429 Castro St.) will be shutting down temporarily later this year and then will reopen as a more...
