Loooooove this place! Absolutly gorgeous inside! I went here with a group of friends for New Years Eve a couple years ago, and we had such an amazing time! It is so classy and upscale and yet still not "stuffy" at all. Everybody was so nice and charming. I felt so grown up! :)
I cannot imagine ever finding a venue such as this anywhere else nearby. I can't wait to go back!
Wowee, what a classy joint. Bimbo's has retained a vivid glimpse of the gold-gilded good ol' days; a truly special venue to see a show. Â We went to see Junip, an indie/folksie band, and I was really surprised that a venue with such a plush set-up would pack the house with young ragamuffins like us.
Bimbo's is clearly suited for dinner show acts, with tables & chairs in a big U-shape throughout the venue. There is a big empty dance / standing area in the middle, but if you're content to sit back and enjoy the show from the outskirts, you'll be quite content with the set-up here. Arrive early to grab a good seat, and be prepared for the 2-drink minimum (which didn't seem to be enforced when we visited).
There's three bars: one is a separate side room, one to the side of the stage, and one in the back of the room near the main 'dining' area. They also serve a very basic food menu (pizza on paper plates, etc). The bathrooms were some of the nicest I've seen at a concert venue: the 1930s design all cute & pastel, and with a friendly bathroom attendant accepting tips and keeping the place remarkably clean.
Bimbo's oozes class, but not pretension. It's an utterly enjoyable spot to take in some live music, in fairly chill atmosphere. Don't hesitate to snag some tickets if you have the chance!
Fun, nostalgic venue to catch a Rhye concert. Â It's a larger theater and venue with a fairly intimate feel -- reminded me of sitting in Chicago's Second City or the Laugh Factory. Â There's a two drink minimum, seats are first come first serve, and you are close enough to the stage to see the performers. Â It's cash only, which was a bit of an inconvenience, but the drinks are not too pricey. Â There's also food for order, which is a nice benefit. Â Of course, the real reason to go there is to catch the show. Â Even though the sound quality wasn't the best, it was still a great experience.
Review Source:I've been to Bimbo's 365 Club to see a performance of Gad Elmaleh. It took us FOREVER to get in. We thought this was because of people ordering food as they were getting outside but it turns out this wasn't the case. I'm still wondering what was going on.
The show from this French/Marocan stand-up performer (the show was in French) was worth a 6 out of 5 stars. We had such a great time. I'll give Bimbo only a 3 out of 5 stars because we were hungry (we waited in line since 7pm and made it inside by 8pm) and we weren't able to get any food. We were hoping for a waiter to stop by but they were pretty busy and this might not have been our lucky day. I won't mind coming back for another show but I'll make sure to pack some snacks next time :-)
This review is based on the service I received at Bimbo's last night, not the show or the room, and I really hope the management reads it.
The show was sold out and the audience started lining up at 5:00, so there was a mad rush when everyone went it to grab seats. Â Servers started to walk around taking orders, but no one came to our table. We asked 6-8 servers for food and drinks, but each one dodged us saying, "I'm not your server" and refused to help us find who it was. Â Whoever our server was never came to our table. Finally, we were told the kitchen was closed - at 8:15 p.m. for an 8:30 show! Â When I asked to talk to a manager, the server walked away from me saying it was extremely busy and they were understaffed because it was a sold-out show. Â I never did see a manager. The table next to us actually got their food at 9:50, and the show ended five minutes later! I heard the server tell them, "We've been busy. Do you want it or not?" Â Kid you not.
I don't really blame the servers, although they were pretty unhelpful and rude, but fine, they're not in charge. Who I do blame is the management for not planning adequate staffing both in the show room and the kitchen. Â The show sold-out in 8 minutes two months ago, so it's not like they weren't expecting the crowd. Â You lost out on at least 10 people's worth of orders last night, and that's just for the people I was with, and I won't be going back there anytime soon.
**UPDATE: I sent a copy of this review and emailed the management about this. Â The very next day, they emailed me back with a very nice apology and explanation, as well as an offer for free tickets. Â I think this was probably an isolated incident and I do appreciate their handling of the situation.
I worked there in 1963 as a Showgirl in the "Spectacular III" Revue.  Rene DeHaven and Fluff Charleton choreographed it...it was pretty exciting for this wide-eyed, just-turned-20-girl, just off the farm from Anderson California. I tried to act very sophisticated and sexy, (like Marilyn Monroe) ... and somehow won the part at the audition. Here is a little background with a photo from that show.  I look quite  bit different now, will turn 70 in April. ha ha  but you can't take the show out of the showgirl, even if she is out of the show!
Here is the page, hope you enjoy it. Â
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fhappyvalleyamerica.com%2FSusan%27s%2520Song%2520of%2520the%2520Sixties.html&s=3b7b52309b33dc098e91dc108a1c6dda3e81ff18d5f5527687066f453da74210" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://happyvalleyameric…</a>
Love, Susan St.Charles (an original blonde Bimbo)...ha ha
I love this place. Although I have yet to see a show here I can already imagine how awesome it would be. The history of this spot goes back about 50 years and when you look around you can see it and it is awesome. Â The main stage has that 1950's band stand feel. Both bars are classy but at one bar you can hire a stripper to strip downstairs and view it through the fish tank at the bar (Private parties only). The venue is also designed so that the acoustics are amazing wherever you are sitting. Check this place out!
Review Source:An old scalper wearing a fedora at a RHCP concert told me about Bimbo's 365 a couple months ago, and being the judgmental person that I am, I thought the venue sounded outdated and kind of screwy (because it's called "Bimbo's").
Welppppp, I'm a jerk. Â I absolutely loved the venue, and I'm waiting for a chance or reason to come back. Â I "died" when I saw that Pinback was playing here, which is why I finally came. Â Once you walk in, you'll almost forget that you're in whatever decade / century / era you're in... and perhaps even the city if you let your mind wander. Â Dim lighting, velvet, and the colour red all played into Bimbo's vintage vibe. Â Everything from checking tickets to licenses ran smoothly, like they've been operating since 1931 or something ;)
If you come early, you can snag a table, but there will be a two drink minimum. Â I came a bit later, so I ordered drinks from the bar at the back of the main room, which was quick and painless. Â I loved the white suit that the bartender was wearing (the devil's in the details). Â This back area is also a bit elevated so you get a view of the stage, even if you're further away.
Acoustics were good, but I've only seen Pinback at open air concerts, so they probably would have sounded much better indoors anyway. Â You can get pretty close to the band (comparable to The Independent), but not quite as close as you can at Slim's. Â I can't wait to look for another excuse to come again (:
Bimbo's is a classy joint. It has old school flair and it just feels regal. It's almost like stepping into a black and white film (really).
The main showroom is very spacious, with a moderate sized dance floor and a decent stage. There is seating room available both on the lower and upper levels, toward the back of the house.
Drinks are meh. A single beer can run you up to $12 - not my style, but you're paying for the ambiance and the nostalgia of it all. Bartenders were okay. Bar is cash only, but there are ATM's available.
Bimbo's seems like a great place to throw a party. It served as a decent venue (I attended the 2012 Alice in Winterland concert series here).
Be forewarned, parking is tight in North Beach; be wary of street signs! Lots of 2 hour parking in the area UNTIL 8 PM (ridiculous), so make sure you're either in a 24 hour spot or that you won't have to re-situate your car during your event.
I went here on Saturday night to see Pinback and other than Pinkback being amazing, I fell in love with how CLASSY this venue was! I felt like I was walking into a very high class comedy club or conservatory -- loved their lobby and bar! Such a 20's feel to it.
The standing room by the stage wasn't bad at all. I could see perfectly & I think the stage was high enough for everyone to have a clear view. What I loved most was the fact that the seating at the tables in the back was all first-come first-serve. not sure if this was only for the night I went, but it was so refreshing to not have to pay for anything/ not stand in line or deal with all the tables being reserved. As soon as my friends and I got tired, we headed to the back and found a great table to sit at and enjoy the rest of the show.
I'll definitely be back!
Wow, this is a cool place to see a show.
Not your typical "club" in the 700 capacity range at all.
They book decent shows, have very good sound, a nice big stage, several bars and it's all presented in quite a throwback & grandeur hall... very unique especially when they host general admission (open floor) rock band shows.
Seems that they host private events, etc., which sounds like a good idea that maybe more clubs might consider given the survival rate these days for venues this size.
I can easily envision the cabaret shows here during the 50's... the decor is still classic, but updated a bit (art-deco) in some respects as well.
Great experience & fun crowd.
Bimbos is a timeless and classy venue that's spacious yet incredibly intimate. The sound is great and the place is incredibly well run. I was thoroughly impressed with our experience there last Saturday night for Nick Waterhouse and the Allah-Las.
My only word of caution is the drink prices are a bit steep. However, it's not a show stopper and one should expect cheap drinks at an establishment as nice as Bimbo's 365.
Bottom Line: This place is awesome and is one of the top places to see a live show in the city (in my opinion).
This places is OFF THE HOOK! Â GREAT place for any event. Â Weddings, bat/bar mitzvahs, birthdays. Â Yes, came here for our Friends birthday and they had a band playing. Â A few people you might know: Billy Morrison? Â Sebastian Bach?? Â FRED DURST? Â No joke! Â Fred Durst and Sebastian Bach came to rock out. Â Seriously! Â This night was WILD! Â They even brought us on stage to rock out with them. Â It was like a dream that titillated my high school self. Â Totally unexpected but if this place can house some of the greatest rock legends of all time, it is sure to bring the house down for your next event.
Staff was great, food was decent, with decent prices and the whole place has decor that is built in so you just have to do some minimal design work. Â Our waitress Carrie was so great. Â She was very attentive and always had a smile on here face, no matter how crazy it got.
My only complaint would be the drink size in relation to the price. Â $9.50 for a vodka tonic that was in a cup barely fit for 6 oz. Â I wouldn't suggest getting drinks here, and I do take a star off for that since this was the one consistent complaint from about 100 people. Â Other than that, I highly recommend considering this venue for your next event. Â Hire a cool band, bring some cupcakes, cookies and appetizers, have a cash bar and you will seem like a rockstar!
Rock on yelpers!!!
We went to Bimbo's 365 to see Super Diamond. Â (Duran, Duran, Duran opened up
for them). Â This club is so cool! Â There was a coat check in the front. Â There was a cute little bathroom attendant in the bathroom who was giving the ladies who came in motherly advice!
It is definitely right out of the 1930's! Â Red leather, black and white floors, coat check, bathroom attendant, and ushers. Â The club was super clean. Â The only negative was our waitress; she wasn't friendly at all! Â Nonetheless, Super Diamond sounded great and performed for over an hour and a half! Â Can't wait to return!
A group of us saw Tainted Love here and we had a great time. An outstanding venue for seeing any band. It's pretty much all standing room only and while the main room gets pretty packed it wasn't hard to get in and out when either the bar or the bathroom called.
One thing I'd recommend is going to the main bar for your drinks instead of the convenience of the mini-bars they have in the concert room. I couldn't taste the alcohol in my drink (I was about 2 or 3 in at that point) and it didn't burn going down the way I like it. In that aspect the mini-bar doesn't even compare to the rocket-fuel they serve at the main bar. Good job bartenders.
Not sure if this is every night, but be sure to BRING CASH. They only accept cash at the bar, so no credit cards. They do have an ATM on premise, but given the fees they charge I think there is a good reason there is a sexual act with the same acronym...
I felt like I was on the holodeck transported to another time. (I love TNG) Â Earn gala to support social mobility through savings was a great cause. Â CF is a freakin great dancer!
Bathroom attendant lady was a hoot. Â She took good care of me and was very maternal when I went into a coughing fit. Darn cold!!
This is a special place for music. Â To be honest, I wish all my favorite bands would play here over the course of a couple nights because it is so timeless.
It is perfectly maintained with it's deco inspired decor. Â The mermaid fountains, the black and white tile floor and those gorgeous velvet drapes. Â When I come to show here, I know I am in for something good.
The workers are all very nice, it's clean and well kept. Â How can you go wrong? Â It is like stepping back in time to hear amazing music.
Hands down one of the bbest venues in SF! Â And it is in North Beach-perfect date night!
If you don't love this venue, you're some sort of unappreciative bastard. Bimbo's 365 has got a lot going on but it's best when there's a show.
The place is old school, something from an era long gone and one I wonder if I would have even enjoyed it then.
Here's the thing; it's a classic dance hall where bands play now and it's a wonderful venue. If there's a band your tepid on but they're playing at Bimbo's go see the band.
Also don't forget to tip your bathroom attendant(onto the floor).
Breaking two personal rules with this review: (1) Giving one star to an otherwise great spot for a single bad experience, and (2) Writing a "Ben Stiller in Greenberg" style angry letter to an institution that could care less. Well, here's hoping for catharsis, at least.
I used to LOVE this place. I've seen many shows here and it's probably the 2nd most beautiful venue in SF (after Great American, which is more intimate, which is why it wins). Then I had a circumstance last night. Let me preface this by saying that I've worked in a music venue box office (Yoshi's) and as far as I can tell, the reason that a venue hires a box office staff is to DEAL with circumstances. All night long. Things like:
"This person got sick."
"That person is not here yet."
"We're one ticket short."
Of course you get annoyed. Of course your venue has policies. But you realize at the end of the day that the person you're dealing with wants to see a show and have a happy night so unless they're demeaning you or being obnoxious/ungrateful, you go to bat for them and help them make that happen as honestly as possible. That is literally your job.
The story: my friend was supposed to take me to see Flaming Lips last night. He bought two tickets and I bought one off of him. He got sick last night and couldn't go. He tried to reach the box office and the ticket distro beforehand, left messages, all to no avail. I get it; they're busy. My presumption: armed with all his order info, a pic of his ID and credit card, and him on the line, they'll yield.
They don't. There's a policy for this show that there are no issued tickets, everything is via Will Call, and only the ticket buyer can redeem the tickets. Okay. This is to prevent scalping. I assume my circumstances, explained consistently, precludes the suspicion that I'm a scalper. Nope. They insinuate that "they've heard crazier stories" associated with scalping. Really?
I guess there's not much more to say about it. I really tried to appeal to the better natures of several people working the door that night for a good half an hour and they demonstrated a level of stubbornness to make a robot weep. This was tremendously disappointing as this was perhaps my last chance to see a big rock concert--a once-in-a-lifetime performance of my favorite Lips album no less--before I enter the party purgatory of fatherhood in a matter of days. Even after explaining that, an unflappable repeat of their policy was all I got. And they got a $100 tip (2 ticket value) for their insouciance. I'm considering training my daughter in black magic to bestow organ failure on the Bimbo's staff (considering it, but I won't).
What a shame. I'll never patronize Bimbo's again not necessarily on principle but because I'll probably start involuntarily trembling with anger and sadness if I even get near the place. Congratulations; you guys ADHERED TO POLICY and PREVENTED A DUDE FROM GOING TO A ROCK SHOW.
Saw my first gig at Bimbos 365, The English Beat just last Saturday night. Â Getting in is fairly easy and quick, but getting out is a bit of a headache because the coat check system is slow and exit very narrow.
From a safety standpoint, I would not want to be in Bimbos if a fire ever occurred. Â Should such a disaster happen, I'd go the opposite direction of the "entrance" because it would be a trap.
The sound was pretty decent and vantage point pretty could from wherever you view shows.  This  is because it's wider than long.  Some places, suc
Love this venue. Â I really really love this venue...
SITREP
My first event here was seeing CONJURE ONE perform here (with several core members of the group DELERIUM including Rhys Fulber and Kristy Thrisk).
SETUP
It was an interesting set-up with the band stage at the front and a mix of standing room in front and seating arranged in the middle and the back. Â
However, BIMBO's makes this format work kinda like the Warfield, whereas it's a bit more difficult to do this at Great American Music Hall (GAMH) also in SF, or Harlow's in Sacramento because in these places the floor if FLAT and does not amphitheatre-down to permit unobstructed views for the seated patrons.
The acoustics of this venue are outstanding and other occasions have proved to be fantastic for the more specialty shows of the Devilettes, whom I've also seen here when *wowed* by their vaudevillian burlesque sexiness.
If you are looking for a more intimate experience with a band or music-artist that you love, and you notice they are performing HERE, by all means do whatever you can to go. Â It's that good!
THE LOWDOWN
BIMBOS is a great venue to see both music and theatrics within.
Wow, what a cool venue!
For some odd reason, last night's Pinback show was the first time I'd had a chance to catch a live performance at Bimbo's since moving here just about two years ago. Not because I haven't wanted to check it out by any means, but because every time there's a show that on their calendar of events that tickles my fancy, I seem to be out of town or pre-occupied with a previous engagement. However, last night was a different story, as I'd had the date for this particular hoedown circled on my virtual calendar for months.
The space is absolutely charming, and coming from a guy that's never referred to a place as "charming" ever before in my life, you know I mean business. It reminds me a bit of Great American Music Hall, but not quite as large, and the it's much easier to catch a glimpse of the stage from just about anywhere in the auditorium. One of my biggest gripes with GAMH is the fact that it's tough to get a good view of the stage at times, but that wasn't a concern at all here.
The maroon carpeted interior and curtains throughout create an aesthetic that not only adds a cool, old school touch... but it also softens the noise coming from the stage, creating warm acoustics as well. Â But I think one of the things I liked the most was the get up of throwback bartenders draped in lab coats serving up elixirs in the back of the concourse like we were smack dab in the middle of the Woodrow Wilson administration. It almost seems possible that some of the fossils taking orders could have actually been bartenders pre-Prohibition, but that's clearly a wild assessment. But maybe not too wild, either!
After my trek last night, I'll be certain to swoop tickets to any show that seems even mildly appealing just so I have a reason to return!
I had my wedding here this past month and i would absolutely NOT recommend any bride to have her big day here. here's why:
my husband and i chose bimbo's as our wedding venue not only because it's an amazing space, but because we really appreciated the fact that it is a family business and a san francisco legendary venue. we naively expected personal, caring service from its staff. we did not receive this.
planning my wedding here was beyond difficult. the number of restrictions are through the roof: no confetti, no rose petals, no candles, no tape on the walls, no tape on the floors, i could go on and on. these guys won't give you a break on anything. considering the amount of money we paid to hold our event here, they wouldn't budge on a thing.
in addition to the restrictions, working with Ashli and Steve, their event and production managers was a nightmare. Ashli rarely returned phone calls or emails. when i was able to catch her on the phone, she frequently was unable to answer simple questions because she was on her way to "pick up her kids from school". in general, she is gruff and impolite. when i call someone, i like them to ask "how are you?" before they launch into a series of rapid-fire questions. but that's just me.
now, on to steve. ah, delightful steve. this guy needs some major help in people skills. almost every single vendor we hired for our event had a negative experience with steve. he yelled at our photographers and was rude to our coordinators. he was a pain to work with throughout the planning process, complaining and moaning constantly. we came in the day before to have a rehearsal and he was completely unprepared with any of the items i specifically requested be available. instead, he ran around like a chicken with his head cut off saying things like, "this isn't my responsibility" and "I don't know where anything is". wonderful things to hear the day before your wedding.
long story short (too late, i know), we ended up having the wedding of our dreams despite the difficulties we had with bimbo's staff. (i won't even get started on the final bill and how they milked us for every penny in the shadiest way possible.)
if you are someone who appreciates personal service and care, i would not recommend you hold your wedding or any other event here. if you do, make sure to do your research, ask a million questions, and be prepared for bottom barrel customer service. these guys know they have an amazing space and have decided to do the least amount of work possible, because they know they can bank on the space itself being cool.
we had such amazing vendors in all other areas of our wedding, it was really sad that bimbo's became such a disappointment to us. you want to look back on your wedding with only the fondest of memories and the venue is a huge part of those memories. if you're thinking of having your wedding here, i would strongly urge you to look elsewhere. find a place with staff that care about you as a couple and genuinely are interested in you having the best experience possible. you're not going to find that at bimbo's.
This venue is super special in my mind because I got to see a very unique (in my mind) show here. I was googling artists that I liked to see if there were any local shows and I saw that Ben Gibbard (from Death Cab For Cutie) and Jay Farrar (from Sunvolt) were working on a collaboration album and touring together. I caught it just in time because the show was in a few days. Â It completely blew my mind that me and my bf's music intersected in this way.
So the event was to take place at Bimbo's 365, which I had never heard of until then. I was kind of skeptical about getting there since I'm always lost, but directions weren't bad, and parking was close. The venue itself is a great size, roomy enough so you could navigate, but small enough that you feel like it's an intimate venue no matter where you were sitting.
We grabbed a table in the back, and since it could hold 6, we had 4 other people join us. Weird, but they were nice and it made good for some pre-show conversation.
There are a ton of bars it seems, but probably more like 1 big bar, 2 smaller ones. They have waitresses that will bring you drinks if you're sitting at a table, and maybe even food although I didn't see anyone eating. Their drinks are kind of on the pricier side, if my memory serves me right, which it often doesn't.
Anyways, the point of the review is to say that the venue is nice. So don't hesitate to buy those tickets and make an apperance.
Date & Time: Â Saturday June 20, 2009 @ 9pm
Company: Â Michael Met Up w/ Stacy, Lisa-Ann, Ryan, Sara, Justin
Crowd: Â 20-50 Somethings Dressed in 70's Attire as The Cast of Three's Company A lot of Chrissy Snow's, Jack Tripper, Larry and Mr. Furley's. Girls were Also Foxy Brown & Father's in Tommy Bahamas
Vibe: Â Fun
Entertainment: Â Neverland(Michael Jackson Cover Band) & SuperBooty(70's Music)
Decor: Â Moulan Rouge. Â Chandeliers. Â Mirrors. Â Tables for Quatre & Cinq.
Service: Â Hawt Female Servers in Black Bimbo Tees, Minis & Knee-High Boots Â
Imbibe: Â GreyHounds, Manhattans, Whiskey Sours- $7.50
Devour: Â The Bimbo Burger w/ Fries- $11 & Pizza Margherita $10
Cover: Â $22
Finally got myself to Bimbo's for the 1st time, last night to see PETER MURPHY & have to say at 1st blush, I'm a fan
But there are rules you must follow
People were super nice as we're entering & they made sure to tell us there were no pics whatsoever - even on phones or people would be expelled & their memory cards confiscated.....now *that's* serious business.....but they were nice in the way they told us so we were cool w/ it.
Tons of tables, up to the dance floor & I understand sometimes there aren't so many tables & it would have been nice in this case b/c Sis & I stood all the way up front which had its good points & bad
Good - duh - we're w/in reaching distance to Peter!
Bad - sound is distorted w/ too much bass since we were right up against the speakers; plus when Peter was running all around the stage, there were many times when we couldn't see what he was doing & if anyone notices a theme in my reviews, they'll recognize I'm a stickler for *seeing* the artist
One of the bouncers kept coming up to Sis & me throughout the performance to ask if we were placing things on the stage - this is another rule.....no things on the stage.
Well, if you had been more observant, you'd have seen we were nowhere near your precious stage & at no time did we place anything on it so STOP asking us
Also be prepared to wear flimsy flimsy b/c it was hot as blue blazes in there & this wasn't even a sold-out show
Pettiness aside, the show was great, the crowd was really cool & didn't invade our space (i.e., giants didn't step in front but respectfully made sure we could still see) & everyone was enjoying the wonderful Mr Murphy. He was funny, charismatic & a great performer
I'd totally come back & now that I know the rules, I'm ready to investigate more of the venue
I can't believe that in all my concert/show going years here in SF that I have never been to Bimbo's! I've always heard about it, and finally got to go last night to see the Dodo's ( a b-day present from my sweet sweet angel).
First stop; restroom. Looks like they've seen better days, but I love the old powder stations. Best part is the hilarious towel maiden, who also reminds everyone to wipe up their seats after.
Next stop, the bar. All the bartenders are in ship themed jackets, and then I realized the underwater theme! There's a massive statue when you first walk in of a mermaid, and the walls are covered with paintings of topless mermaids. Supreme!
We went inside to meet our friends, who were already saving us some tables. This place is awesome. There's a large area to stand up by the stage, or you can snag a table and hang back with your friends. Everyone was cool and mellow and enjoying conversations amongst their tables without being overly loud. The nice waitresses were attentive and quick to serve us. We ended up staying at the table the whole time, because we were comfy, and had an awesome view of the stage right where we were!
Also, the sound in here is pretty good! The Dodo's sounded great, and we had a lovely evening. I would definitely jump at the opportunity to see another show here!
Cracking Venue. Cast your mind back to those classic black and white movies where the big band plays in the club, the gangsters have their favorite booth, all the tables have the cute little candles flickering through the glass holders. You get the idea... Bugsy Malone. Watch out for the pie guns.
We saw The Cinematic Orchestra here. Sound quality was great. Very nice harmonics in this hall. I would love to see a big band here, no PAs or Mics etc...
They have a full bar and waitress service although it was kinda pricey. Â Food looked ok but we were here for the performance, not the grub. My only major complaint - when the place fills up, if you're sitting in the front 3-4 rows of tables, you cant see the stage because of the people standing in front of you on the dance floor.
Sight of the night:- Crazy tattooed drug girl dive-bombing people in the face and swearing profusely while the band played their semi-famous Grey's Anatomy chilled out tune. Oh, how I miss living in SF...
When reviewing a venue like Bimbo's, I have to reverse my usual rating formula. Typically, I look for reasons why an establishment should be given stars. In Bimbo's case, what could possibly make me pull one off?
Non-acceptance of credit cards in 2008 is absolutely preposterous, but that little detail only takes away .5 stars. So we're rounding up. But then... drinks are expensive as hell. That's a bummer. A real bummer.
The rest of it is pretty cool however. The deep reds, the pin-hole light above the bartenders table on the venue floor, the sound, the ice in the urinals and the overall classy feeling of an obviously very old venue.
Something about Bimbo's makes me wait for the bartender to hand me my drink and say, "Your money is no good here Andrew... drinks on the house".
What's not to love about Bimbo's? Â First off - the name. Â Much better than "Whore's" or "Tramp's" When you walk in you are instantly transported back in time to the 1930's. Black leather, red velvet, waitresses in fishnet stockings...this place is straight up sexy. I've seen many interesting acts at Bimbo's, most notably Coldplay, Robin Williams, Ben Harper, Norah Jones...the list goes on and on.
Most recently I attended the Aimee Mann 2nd Annual Christmas Show. More variety act than straight up concert, the show was a perfect fit for the vibe at Bimbo's. Make sure and call ahead to see if the show you are attending is a seated show - if so you definitely want to get there early to grab a primo seat up front or one of the coveted booths on the side.
Everyone knows Bimbo's as a venue with a funny name that has the best ambiance, great sound, best decor, great layout, big stage with a perfect height, strong drinks....and just a beautiful place overall.
But who knew this would be the place where I only end up at with ex-bfs that I haven't seen for 4 years?
I guess great music and classy atmosphere are sure ingredients for mending the past.
p.s. My only gripe is that they don't book enough shows here....
Definitely one of the most beautiful & classy places in the city to see a show.
Last night was the first night of Tease-O-Rama, and it was a blast. Â Kitten on the Keys is MC-ing both shows this weekend and she is one sexy piano playing funny-girl. Â
So far my favorites are the Devil-Ettes: a 60's go-go troupe with gold flapper style dresses and naughty sparkly horns. Â They kick up their heels to Bardot a Go Go and James Bond style music with really fun fun choreography. Â Oh my!
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myspace.com%2Fthedevilettes&s=282e162b68399c3279f88ccb8f181f36873828c60bd690947ea46de6afe9acb3" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.myspace.com/t…</a>
I also enjoyed The Hot Pink Feathers, 3 curvy kittens with large hot pink feathers that hide their goods til the very end.
The big finish was Catherine D'lish, who I'm hoping will do her famous martini glass number tonight. *
Sadly, I missed the girl in the fishbowl. Â
---------------
edit 10/7
This dude put up a couple of pics:  <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fflickr.com%2Fphotos%2Fdavegolden%2F1506777218%2F&s=8dd0fa459de284f409ff428d0d0f710f4992d76af0bc31f1b2005211b4789ac4" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://flickr.com/photos…</a>
* The martini number was unbelievable. UNBELIEVABLE. Â Indescribable even!! Â
Sexy, slow-moving, every move a tease. Â Exactly what you would think, a sultry girl in a glass of champagne with a sponge. Â She spun around, she splashed the stage, jesus my life was not complete until I saw Catherine D'lish in a goddamn martini glass.
A low snap. Steady. Deep. "click" "click" "click"
A man with a sax comes on stage. He begins.
His saxaphone massages each note with soul. Rich deep lonely soul.
And a curvy woman figure eight hips her way onto the stage. Dressed all in black. Bright red lipstick. The red developing into a crimson sheen, as the light hits her pillowed lips. Her mouth opens. She seduces. Everyone. Â An Amy Winehouse voice, shoulders back, and a diaphram full of sass. She sings Jazz.
And they all lean forward. Their feet tap. And they listen. They lose themselves.
Bimbo's is effortlessly smooth. It's the kind of place that longs for Jazz. It craves it. Blues. Soul. And unpredictable Jazz. Â Bimbo's lends itself so easily to "cool" and "genius" --- that it seems wrong to have anything that falls short of both, grace their stage.
I saw M.Ward here this Sunday. It was a great performance. Mellow, sad, and poignant. Â But there were moments when I looked around me at the epaulet adorned bartenders, the red leather booths, and the wooden tables, and I ached to hear real jazz. Something that would suspend the notion that the superbowl just happened, that a flood just devastated Jakarta (my home of two years), that I had a floor full of laundry at home, and that all I had in my refrigerator was eight tofu dogs.
Bimbo's is hard to explain. It's frozen in time. The bartenders. Â The wall decorations. The alcohol bottles. The furniture. The entrance-way.
It's hard to take all of a venue in. A real space: like Bimbo's, the Fillmore, and the Warfield. You need the music. The people. The energy. Because a music venue is far more than just a space. ......
Especially a venue like Bimbo's.
But...it's understood ---
That
even without a performance and crowd...
Bimbo's is simply spectacular.
(And with walls of half naked big bosomed redheads...how could it be anything short of.)
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