San Francisco Bath House

Much has been written about the San Francisco Bath House since it rose from the ashes of Indigo, which (along with Bar Bodega) had built a reputation as one of the top venues for live gigs in Wellington. Some traditionalists have lamented the passing of one of the city's iconic venues, however most have embraced the facelift which manages to maintain the pub aesthetic and combine it with a much leaner, cleaner club feel.

For starters it is important to note that San Fran (or Bathie) is still predominantly a live venue, which means it is a hard bar to categorise or predict. One night the place is filled with death metal fanatics, head banging away to "Cannibal Corpse" whereas the following it is packed out with comedy enthusiasts enjoying a night of top quality stand up. Therein lies the charm of San Fran - the fact that it can be all things to all people. It doesn't matter what band/group/act is playing, they always seem at home in this spacious and adaptable environment.

Sited halfway up Wellington's iconic Cuba St (just half a block from the end of Cuba Mall), San Fran always attracts an eclectic crowd, whether they are inside making the most of whatever gig is playing or outside on the huge balcony overlooking the street. The best way to judge the crowd that is in attendance is from that night's entertainment, and on the rare occasion when no live gig is scheduled and the place is much quieter it is a chance to chat to the charming (and knowledgable) bar staff. The substantially stocked back bar means theres something for everyone (including the Macs range on tap), and the fact that the huge bar takes up almost half the length of the venure means waiting time is short, even when the place is packed.

The BarFly suggests checking out what gig is playing before heading up to San Fran, but also recommends it as a great place for those really late nights (they rarely close before 5) when the band has packed up and you are left with the interesting and artistic corwd that populate Cuba St to wind down with before heading home.

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