Powerhouse

Tonight was just not my night, I guess. First of all, the ATM machine at Powerhouse was malfunctioning, so the doorman told me to go next door to Hole in the Wall, "then come back here....." to pay my $5 cover charge for admission on a Sunday night. Hmmmm..... I did exactly as he told me, but I should have stayed next door. What pissed me off the most was that my second drink was taken away by the bar back despite the fact that I was sitting right there at the bar! He did it when I was staring at the porn slideshow on the monitor. When I complained, the bar back replaced it with his own version of a Cape Cod. But, it sucked. Not surprisingly.... he's not the bartender. When I complained to the usual bartender, to whom I'm always in the habit of tipping well, he told me "he's young" and "he's only doing his job", and then gave me an iced water as a consolation! Yikes! What happened tonight at Powerhouse?! I continued ordering drinks until closing because the DJ was great, but bar service tonight sucked!!! I have no enthusiasm about returning to this place.

This place can be fun on a busy night, but beware: they charge a cover every night early. It might be a blast at 1 am, but they will get $10 out of you at 9 pm and you’ll stand around waiting for the hot guys to show up. Drink up elsewhere, arrive late, and you’ll get your money’s worth.

One of Soma's most well known neighborhood dive bars. This bar has so much diversity in terms of events so the atmosphere is always changing depending on the weekend. The drinks are strong, the staff is friendly, the DJs always play great sets and the demographic is friendly and welcoming!

Gay bar , good atmosphere and friendly

Fun place to dance and play. It is a must-visit place.

I am visiting San Francisco for the first time. I am Latino, but I live in Sydney. I asked for a few beers with the bartender. All good. When I was going for my 4th beer, the bartender (I wish I knew his name, he was white, skinny, with big black glasses) told me very loud: ARE YOU GONNA GIVE ME TIPS THIS TIME? BECAUSE YOU HAVEN’T! I felt so embarrassed because I didn’t know it was mandatory, and also, I didn’t know why he was so loud. I didn't say anything, just smiled. He didn’t attend to me and went to attend to the next guests waiting after me in the line, and I told them very screaming again: THIS IS CRISTIAN, THE GUY THAT NEVER GIVES TIPS, SHAME ON HIM! And all the people started to scream SHAME! SHAME! I was shocked and didn’t say anything; I didn't know what to say or do, so I just left that area and I went to the other side of the bar with another bartender. This same guy came to my area and started to tell the other bartender and the other people that I was Cristian and didn’t give tips to him in front of all the people in this other corner of the bar I felt so bad. I didn't know what to do. I tried to explain to him why I didn't do it, but with everything that I said, he was screaming at my words louder than I; he did not want to hear me or “fix” the situation. I just left the bar. I made a mistake; I didn’t give him tips, but I didn’t know that it was mandatory. From I am coming from, we don’t do tips, if we do tips, it’s optional, and we usually don’t tip in bars, mostly dinner, meals, restaurants. Anyway, he wouldn't allow me to explain it. Even though I deserve respect as any person/tourist going to any place, I felt so bad and so exposed after this bartender did this to me. There are some international rules in hospitality in the world that you can’t break, and one of them is to make your guests welcome, treating them with respect and kindness. He just was so rude and violent that he completed ruined my Thursday night in San Francisco. Worst experience ever. Definitely, I won’t go back to that place.

If you know you know. Old school SF gay bar where one can get into all sorts of mischief. Love Thursday night “chonies” night. Tiny Tim always brings it with the funky house vibe.

I had the opportunity to visit the Powerhouse on 5 de Mayo and the place was packed. I still was able to get a drink rather quickly. The vibe is very free and sometimes a bit risqué. If you don’t want to see anything you shouldn’t stay away from the smoking patio. Otherwise the bar has a great feel and I would come back again!

This is actually one of my favorite go-to bars. I highly recommend if you're visiting town but if you show up on the wrong theme night, you may not enjoy it. That's the reason I knocked off one of the five stars. Besides that the staff is fantastic, drinks are cheap, and everybody is in a fun judgment, free, mood. Definitely give it a shot Just make sure you check that website thoroughly for dates and timing.

Even with low expectations it sucked! We like a cruisy gay dive bar and travel the country drinking at them. Powerhouse has the bones to make it fun yet it's sad and boring with shitty tasting drinks. Went on consecutive Saturday nights. Watched countless people come in use the restroom and leave? What ever fountain they're using or possible infected lines, the drinks taste bad; the "coke" is not identifiable as cola? Millennials that only want to smoke, a couple tired drag queens and borderline homeless are the regulars with a clueless DJ.

Awesome gay bar with dancing and great drinks. Totally good vibe, we closed down the night there and made some new friends!

Absolutely everything from the time u r lining up to pay the cover which a bit expensive but worth every penny as there is this burst of energy everywhere inside. I also love the loud booming electric music to make you feel fantastic the crowd is obviously having a good time. The barkeeps are friendly and do a great job. This is not a place for every type although nobody would be turned away Also this is kind of place where u can never be sad

You have to like electronic dance music to enjoy the music. I love the fact that you are as likely to see a 65-year-old gogo boy dancing on the bar as you would a 25 year old. All races, all sexualities, men and women, and you might be sitting at the bar next to an investment banker or next to a homeless person. The PowerHouse is truly a place for everybody, one of the few I've ever had the pleasure of patronizing. In fact it's really the only gay bar I will visit anymore.

Horney, sex positive, and leather welcoming, the Powerhouse is overall an exciting place that caters to a certain showy crowd, a physical type that dress thelselves a particular style, yet as attested by some of the posts seen here, attracts many a complainer who are clueless as to why they are ignored: as the old saying goes, "they're just not into you." The Bay Area boasts scores of bars and venues and gatherings for every type and every taste. I myself don't happen to fit in at many venues that cater to a certain crowd or physical type, but guess what? I move on and am able to find my body positive dark skinned tribe gathering elsewhere. Expecting that everywhere you choose to poke your nose in the door that you will be enthusiastically included is childish.

$5 cover on a Sunday night. I'm new to the neighborhood and would love to make this my hangout but I can't justify paying a cover so I can spend money on beer. Went next door to Hole in the Wall for a similar crowd and didn't get charged to spend money.

After being a regular for a couple of years, if you are not colored you are not welcomed here if you are within your normal weight limit, you will be excluded from all contests. So for all those bigger boys who want to feel body-positive please avoid it. I can't believe that people will literally exclude you from any contest and I am not being a sore loser at all Because I'm above that Just don't be surprised if you sign up for anything and the host is too incompetent to actually to call you up stage and not even allow you to compete. The amount of drugs that would s witnessed, surprise it's still running. I will be surprised if this place doesn't get shut down soon. For all the bears please please go somewhere else. For all the clored who are not white washed please please just not even attempt to go here

This place is not what it used to be. It is pretty boring with few people show up on weekdays and not a huge crowd on weekends. Typical bar scene which is dying slowly in SF. The bar used to be cruise bar - it is not anymore. Do not have high expectations if you think this is cruise bar. It is not

I was refused service for No God Damn Reason! The bartender then had the nerve to yell at me when I left.

This happened last year, but several of my friends have since encouraged me to speak my truth, so this is me speaking out, and I hope this gets taken seriously. I've had some pretty bad racist experiences there. Powerhouse is famous for being a sex positive space, which I very much love and support! Sex positivity is a great way to build community and foster connections. However, one night there was basically an orgy inside, and it was 99% white. Myself and other people of color were also there and very much wanted to be included, but nobody, not one person acknowledged us. They literally only let one black person join, and the rest of us were walking around awkwardly because of how openly off the vibe was. It was like we were legitimately invisible. Nobody talked to us, not even on a platonic way. Even the bartenders didn't care or talk to us. It was a horrible thing to experience in a place that's supposed to be a safe and inclusive space. Haven't been back since. The gay community is supposed to be a safe and inclusive space for all, but if it starts turning into openly segregated sexual spaces in public venues, this means as a community we are backpedaling. I won't go back to Powerhouse, but I hope this message reaches them, I hope it's taken seriously, and I hope this situation doesn't get repeated. Nobody should ever be made to feel how I and others felt on that night.

Very fun and good vibes at the place. Awesome for multiple rooms and ability for different vibes in one venue !

Too loud tonight! You're waking up neighbors. You should limit your microphones and not exceed more noise!

front desk cashier/bouncer at midnight was extremely sexually agressive towards my partner to the point of forcably hugging, groping, touching, and soliciting sex "after he got off his shift". At no point did he ask for consent, and repeatedly harassed him both on the way in and on the way out, blocking his exit from the door and forcably wrapping his arms around him to keep him from leaving. Disgusting behavior, and on the night of the folsom street fair, I'm genuinely shocked someone would show so much disregard for consent on a day meant to celebrate sex positivity and inclusivity. Somebody needs to teach the cashier some manners/consent.

Hidden gem. There's a ton of great places with good music if you're looking for a woman's night out

I've had racist experiences here, couldn't even get a drink unless I had a white twink with me for the bartender to flirt with. And furthermore I've had multiple black gay friends have similar complaints, as well as friends who have experienced blatant and explicit fatphobia and body shaming from the staff and on occasion the drag performers. This is not a safe space unless you're white and skinny, and in this day and age that is alarming; in today's political climate the queer community needs safe spaces now more than ever, but the treatment that nonwhite and non skinny customers receive is a major step back.

Hey, it's an extreme dive bar. Enter at your own risk. Not that it's dangerous, but if you're into going to swanky bars, lounges holding Krug Grande Cuvée or Perrier Jouët in a floral art déco flask poured into a Baccarat or Lalique flute, Power House is definitely too low brow for you. PH continues the decades long tradition of being one of the many leather-levi cruise bars that used to be ubiquitous along Folsom and Harrison South of Market. Also Eagle Bar and the Hole in the Wall may be the last remnants of this proud heritage. Due partly to the dot.com high tech moneyed invasion of San Francisco from Silicon Valley, property values and rents have driven many small establishments out of business as well as the associated ultra gentrification driving many long time residents out of The City. So SoMa is no longer providing low rent for idiosyncratic spaces for like minded people to congregate. Honestly closer to 3 stars, but just for holding the line and continuing to uphold a long held tradition, Power House deserves the 4th star.

Tonight was just not my night, I guess. First of all, the ATM machine at Powerhouse was malfunctioning, so the doorman told me to go next door to Hole in the Wall, "then come back here....." to pay my $5 cover charge for admission on a Sunday night. Hmmmm..... I did exactly as he told me, but I should have stayed next door. What pissed me off the most was that my second drink was taken away by the bar back despite the fact that I was sitting right there at the bar! He did it when I was staring at the porn slideshow on the monitor. When I complained, the bar back replaced it with his own version of a Cape Cod. But, it sucked. Not surprisingly.... he's not the bartender. When I complained to the usual bartender, to whom I'm always in the habit of tipping well, he told me "he's young" and "he's only doing his job", and then gave me an iced water as a consolation! Yikes! What happened tonight at Powerhouse?! I continued ordering drinks until closing because the DJ was great, but bar service tonight sucked!!! I have no enthusiasm about returning to this place.

Great happy hour prices on drinks. Awesome vibe with good music and friendly bartender.

Visiting from Dallas. The bartenders specifically "Brady Bunch" was an amazing bartender 10/10 would return.

Awesome bar for underwear night for some people! I had a terrible experience though as a visitor so the only thing I can do now is make a review. Things I didn't like that may have already been repeated by other multiple reviews: -Lack of ventilation, you would suffocate of the sex + smoke smells. Fantastic if you're into that. -Rude bartenders + hosts -People get hostile real quick like they haven't had sex in a long while, makes sense judging by the demographic and clientele there. -Cover charge is diabolical and lame af. Nothing else to say. Maybe be nice and be better. Go to Castro if you're looking for less sleaze and rudeness. Thanks!

This staffer was very rude. I would suggest any of the other bars in the area especially considering the ridiculous cover charge.

Admittedly I've only been here once, but I plan to go back many more times for a specific event held here every first Sunday of the month. I was invited to PoleSexual by several fellow pole dancers from SF Pole & Dance. I love that the supportive community there is instantly brought wherever the people are. Also I didn't have any drinks (pre-gamed at a friend's) but everyone seemed to be having a great time. I never visit nightclubs or anything that involves dancing because I'm a buzzkill germaphobe, but I didn't get any weird vibes at Powerhouse. Everything seemed neat and clean. The show itself was fantastic and SO worth staying up until midnight to watch. The emcee (Ma) was fabulous and inclusive. All the dancers speak highly of doing PoleSexual at Powerhouse every month, so much that I might consider doing it in the future!

Went to such a fun themed night here called "Bimbos G-String"! The energy in the bar was amazing and everyone was so nice. The bartenders were killing it and they made me some really good margaritas. The place was popping and we all had such a great time!

We stopped by the bar on 7/5/2019. We had read a lot of information about it, and we have heard some positive stuff about the bar. So we put it on our bar hopping list of, "places to go"- we had read about a "back room"- so that definitely got our attention. When we got there first thing you notice is THIS IS A CASH ONLY BAR! We typically don't do cash only places- but we were there so we gave it the benefit of the doubt. Drinks were average- nothing positive or negative. It was like any other bar drink. The place is SMALL and definitely qualifies as a "dive bar". Using the word, "eclectic" would be a stretch for this place. Dark, sleazy, odd mix of people- most seemed to be locals. We were "outsiders" clearly compared to the crowd. The "DARK ROOM" you may read about ISN'T a darkroom but the smoking area- behind the bar. This smoking area AKA "Dark Room" is probably 40 feet long by 20 feet wide. It's long and narrow. It was definitely a "hodgepodge" of people In this area. If you go expecting " steamworks Berkeley" level people- YOU WILL BE DISAPPOINTED. My husband felt the bar staff was less than friendly or personable towards him-probably because we were outsiders and not locals. We like dive bars but this place was definitely across between dive bar, AARP meeting and meth lab. We intended to go to Powerhouse on Sat too- we scratched it for Saturday after this visit. Once was enough- when it comes to bars we have low expectations- this place managed to fall below those low expectations

To the owner/general manager of this establishment. The scene I caused last night, during one of the sleaziest festivals in SF, Up Your Alley, at your bar, Powerhouse was not unprecedented. First, allow me to say I work in the service industry. I got better service by the patrons in the urinals last night, at your bar. Not at the bar, by the bartender, which he is supposed to pour, well, beer, very disappointed. But then again, I got the same great service by the patrons at the fair on the street. Sleazy being of the operative word. Now, the bartender that got served a corona yesterday, sprayed, tossed and drenched by me, well deserved it. Frankly, your bar is not my first choice, as the alley next to it exists...and so do other establishments. I like it, yes, but then I also like the alley right next to it and the other establishments. But, you see, is not about me having choices, no. Is about you choosing your team members. You see, I don't mind the piss smells that comes from, well every corner from your bar. Nor the smell of dick. No, good job at doing that...I give you 10 stars for that! Not sure who is doing your training for this self-entitled little kids that work for you...who happen to think when and who to serve and when and who not to...where are we? New York? At the Cock? No. Bartenders in NY actually can get away with that cockiness...Because they are actually model material. The little cocky kid I served last night...not so much. You see, I was not any drunker than anybody dancing or behaving in a lewd manner. I simply wanted 2 beers. Was ignored 5 times. Which is fine as the bar was happening. But he tried to direct me to go ask another bartender for service? Of course, as you can read, that's not how I am talked to. Courtesy, lack of respect I got from Mr. Corona. I will call him that. I go to your bar to drink beer and be with friends. Not to engage with the service on a sub/dom activity. No, he got that very wrong. The second round which was bought by me...with my money, after I was utterly ignored, snubbed and looked lesser than...even I asked with a friendly demeanor: Can you give me a reason why you are not serving me? More than 3 times, (mind you, had he said, you are wasted, I would have exited without a dramatic departure, after all, there was more booze outside) But no, not only he snubbed me, he did not give me a reason to why he kept on directing me to another bartender. He was being a dick. So, I became a bigger dick. Fittingly enough, I was the bigger dick that drenched your employee. I hope he learned. And if he didn't I wish you more success. Your security...man...he manhandled me the right way...He made me feel like a trashy Britney Spears handled in jail...WOOF! He actually did his job right! 10 more stars! MR. Corona? Boooooooo no stars. Actually MR. Corona: -20 stars. So I give you no stars. Your customer service SUCKS ass. (also fitting). Thank Mr. Corona for that.

Power house is a well put together place by all the raunchy bear/leather fuckers who've made this their man cave sanctuary. It's dark, loud, cheap and cruisey just the perfect elements to a good night and bad decisions. The bathrooms are a real treat for all those that love to take a peek or show off a nice tool. Saturday night happened to be underwear night and these boys were all in it to win it. *2 Dance floors *Back patio *2 Bathrooms *Tiny Coat Check Had a blast coming to this place can't wait for my next visit. any questions on BATH HOUSE or SEX CLUBS check my reviews, like em and ask me anything !

Great little hole in the wall gay bar with underwear night (my favorite) being the choice "go-to" for thursday's night life in SF. The back room/smoking area is a great show and tell zone where all the magic happens as it's "folsom style" remains festive year round.

Powerhouse is probably one of my favorite sleazy San Francisco bars. It's the place you go to by yourself to meet someone (or someone(s)) for the night. The house music is fun and ranges from upbeat house to deep house and the drinks are affordable. The best part about Powerhouse is the welcoming, non-pretentious crowd. It's the kind of acceptance that you will most likely not get in the Castro. Definitely swing by the Powerhouse if you're up for some good old fashioned San Francisco fun :) PS: take a gander inside the backroom but beware, it's not for the faint-at-heart

One of those bars that I would have never found by myself. A friend in San Francisco took me here to demonstrate a contrast between SF Badlands (where we went to a while before). It was a bit sleazy (okay, a LOT sleazy), but he bartenders were friendly and there was a wide mix of customers (old, younger, white, Asian, etc.) to provide ample people-watching. The back patio wasn't my scene at all-but at least I can say "I was there". All and all, an interesting and slightly scary place. I would only go there again with a group, though, since the neighborhood seems dodgy.

i smoke and cant stand the heavy smoke from chain smokers in the backroom!!!! put a fan at the top of the stairs so people smokers and non smokers can breathe !!!!! dph issue

The worst drinks ever so gross! And the smell so bad! How do they get away with charging at the door?! If I could give ZERO stars, I would. #byeFelicia

This is one my favorite bars in SF. Great music, friendly and raunchy atmosphere. You can shake your whammy Fannie all night long without worries. Drink all the strong drinks from the not difficult to look at bartenders. When they have dancers, they have never let me down with their technical abilities to entertain. Check it out and have fun with locals and visitors alike.

It was raining and so I wanted to check out this bar, dark Slizze' and the bar tender was in a pisspot mood....!!??? Y? The bar was very quiet except the loud mouth bartender, this Old Man was unpredictable, a place I wanted to go and have a drink and relax, not with this Old bartender.... sad I think the owner needs to know what is going on in this business. Sad Old man... mad at the world... but why take it to work....!!!??? Why???

I went twice within a week. The first time it was completely dead, but that may have been because it was a Monday night. The second was packed. Packed with mixed crowd. I didn't like the twink go go dancers. This was a Saturday night

I have always liked this bar for many reasons. It has its flaws but I have to defend some of the negative comments that seem to be coming from tourist and bay area suburbanites who do not know the true meaning of a gay SOMA bar. Jose, Travis and Rick are the best and most friendly bartenders. Scott is sweet as pie and loves his patrons. The Powerhouse has some of the most amazing bartenders in SOMA. It is laid back, no pressure, fun and you can go and let your hair down without any apologies. People go and hang out in SOMA instead of the Castro because the Castro is not very welcoming to people 35 or older. People who do not fit the phony image of stuck up, shallow, back stabbing queens who wear clothes that are too tight for them hate the Castro. SOMA welcomes people who do not fall into stereotypical boxes of what a gay man is suppose to look like. Men are just normal guys who are more fun to talk to and become friends with. If you are looking for men of a certain false image then stay ur stuck up ass in the Castro or the burbs (Grant S. of Sunnyvale). SOMA scene is opposite of Castro and before you judge too harsly about who you think is nasty and old and ugly, remember you too will get older with each year passing and who knows what you may look like. So let's not judge too harsly.

At Powerhouse's recent Saturday night event "Hooker" they had a special visitor: ME! I had a feeling things were gonna go terribly "bad" when I arrived with Nick R. and Robert P. and I was already rather loaded from our brief stop-over at Midnight Sun. (Our cab ride was very interesting - where in ten minutes we had established that one of us was a bottom, one of us was a top, and one of us was 50/50...) My initial reason for going to Power-blouse tonight was because a few friends were going - there was some sort of fundraiser for the AIDS Ride. Needless to say, one friend bailed out, the other friend I barely saw, and I did not buy a single benefit jell-o shot. My admission got me a free Jaeger shot. I believe I had a few more. After that I really don't remember much. I think I knocked over several drinks, I think I was making out with some guy who was celebrating his birthday, I think I went into the back room to "smoke".... It really was a blur. I do remember Powerhouse was PACKED wall to wall - not all leather daddies but a cool mix of smokin' hot men. The music was great and you can't beat the risque videos (I think Nick had made note of how at Midnight Sun we watched Mariah videos but at Powerhouse what we saw was quite different). I seem to remember minding my own business when that angel Robert P. appeared out of no where, grabbed my hand and led me through the throng to a waiting cab. Thanks Nick and Robert!! Jaeger is a foul and evil drink and I think my reputation will never be the same. But then Powerhouse is not about your reputation - its about having a blast. And I did!

This place is a neighborhood bar, and man is it skanky. But with that being said, it's got strong drinks and a nice crowd. You may even get lucky and see a one eyed pirate in a diaper gyrating on some big fat guy in the back patio too like I saw on my first time there. I even said "Wow, I can't believe you guys are doing that" and got a wonderful bitchy response that I cannot forget to this day "GO BACK TO CASTRO LITTLE BOY"! Oh and what's up with the 5 dollar cover charge on Saturdays? Nothing like a discounted bathhouse "It's for Charity"! says the door person... (Maybe towards an STD clinic). =-*

I would like to begin this review with a "OH DEAR GOD!" Let me just make a check list of things that a bar should have to make it a great place. Bar stools - check Pool table - check Stage for performances/live bands - check regular patrons - check all your favorite alcohol - check ample room to stand and hang out - check gay porn on the mulitple tvs in the room - check smell of BO and sex - check Half naked men having drinks - check a back room/patio - check signs saying the bathroom is not for hooking up - check drinks so strong that one sip gets you drunk - check It seriously has everything that a perfect bar should have. Oddly enough, you would think that I would feel uncomfortable here, but I really feel at ease here. Maybe its the porn that showing everywhere. There's even porn being shown on the ceiling. I'm not a fan of the back room though. Cigarette smoke will consume your clothes and you'll smell like an ashtray if you even as much as stand out there for a minute. You'll find an array of activities going on back there, but none of which I would like to partake. At least not in public. Do I come here often? No, but every time I do go, I notice something new or i have a new adventure. Happy Hour anyone? =P

This place is beyond disgusting. There's a big difference between musty-manly man-smell and unsanitary. This place is unsanitary. Im surprised the health department has not paid a visit to this place. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for sweaty manly men dancing to Donna Summer, but this place? I don't know where to start. :vomits:

well. I have no excuse for spending an entire Friday night here acting like a complete wasted fucktard and watching back patio blow jobs while trying to talk to the only guys not inserting their penises into something about Britney Spears. No excuse for this whatsoever. But I'm not gonna lie, i enjoyed myself thoroughly and cant make any promises that this wont ever happen again.

Went on a Tuesday and wanted to see what the vibes like on a weekday. It was low key even though they host a Tuesday event. Patrons are friendly and welcoming as usual and I had great conversations with the bartender Stephan who was there for the first half of the evening. Didn't get the name of the other bartenders who worked the later shift since the evening picked up they were also amazing folks.

I was really scared to go in based on the previous reviews. I thought I was going to get pressured into taking off my clothes, thrown on stage, and raped for show. But, I felt like there were enough boundaries in place to keep my voyeur-self feeling comfortable while I was there. Yes, I saw a few peepees and manholes on the TV screens. It reminded me of Berlin. I love how they have TV screens on the ceiling by the bar. I wanted to go to the patio to smoke and see if anyone was trying to transcend, but it was too crowded. There were some seriously attractive men there. It probably depends on the night and if anything special is going on there. I also felt like it was a mixed crowd, which I always appreciate. I would definitely recommend this place to someone who has never been. I consider myself to be a raging prude, and, as long as you know what you are walking in to, this place is pretty fun!

This used to be my neighborhood bar - and I am happy to see that it is still a rocking place to go, even if you are female (you'll be in the minority -- just stay out of that back room, mkay?). All the patrons and staff are super nice -- friendly and I have never had people so considerate of female bathroom usage (guys INSIST that I go to the front of the line for the single toilet - just make sure to hover and shake on busy nights, don't touch anything you can't see). Cheap beer, good music and, um, entertaining videos. Powerhouse peeps have always been nice to me - got no complaints!

It's a cruise leather bar, one of the few left. If Badlands and the Midnight Sun are your normal hangouts, this probably isn't the bar for you. If you like masculine men who know how to cruise offline, you'll like it here. If you've never been and are curious, don't be afraid, it's not THAT serious. Just wear jeans and a T-shirt (or no shirt!) , leave the cologne and the cute bag at home, relax and you'll be fine. The bartenders are great, especially Carlton, Ray, and manager/often MC Scott. I tend to like the weeknight events such as the once monthly Underwear Party, better than weekends, which can be a bit stand and pose.

One of the only remaining gay men's bars on this once rustic street... Now that the googlers and twats have invaded this once artistic swatch of land it's become vapid and lame. Shame on you!! I hope that this bar can remain a safe place from said twats.

It's Friday. Almost immediately on entering Powerhouse, I make eye contact with a svelte, scruffy guy wearing nothing but booty shorts and thigh-high athletic socks. He turns around, bends over, and starts twerking his butt at me. Later, I tell him how much I like his socks, and ask him what he has stored in them. He shows me a small bottle of lube in one sock, and a small bottle of poppers in the other. ... I liked Powerhouse because it was fun to go alone. I felt comfortable checking out hotties without having to hide what I wanted. I wish, though, that the vibe wasn't completely about sex. Aside from booty shorts guy, everyone who approached me went away when I told them I didn't want their sex or drugs. One guy kept finding ways to sit next to me and rub up against me. Was "hello" not in his vocabulary? The staff and management seem so friendly. No one stopped hot mess, fugger guys from dancing on stages if they wanted to, which was nice. (In another club, someone would have told them the space was reserved for go-go boys or some other nonsense.) One staffer showed me where the two bathrooms were -- which are cramped spaces with a urine trough and a door wedged open so everyone can see. I asked him "does the door close?" He came back later when the bathroom was empty and said I could close the door. So sweet. It seems like the majority of people go here to use the smoking patio; it's a long, narrow space that's crowded with guys getting head and taking it up the butt. I guess I could have gotten into that, but the clientele is not what reviewers say. Sure, you have a handful of hot muscle leather daddies. Then you have younger, oh-so-cute scruffies, and a few muscle-bound gym boy types. But for the most part, you have a lot of older men with beer guts wearing dad jeans. That kind of orgy is not my scene.

At this bar anything goes. Which I think is why I like going there because I know I can make a fool of myself and there definitely is going to be someone else making a bigger ass of them self. The bartenders are fucking awesome and the drinks are cheap and good. The crowd is pretty down to earth and a very diverse. I love taking my friends from out of town here to experience something totally different from what they probably will ever experience. I'm not a fan of the back room but whatever its pretty funny. The porn playing just adds to the style of the bar. The best nights I would say to go are underwear night on Thursdays and Sunday nights when the beer is only a dollar. I tell my friends that I go here and they automatically assume I'm a big hoe. Which is not the case. At least at this bar. LOL!

I stopped by Powerhouse at the tail end of a Saturday event I didn't know about, thinking I wanted to do something festive for Dore Alley weekend. The crowd, despite my lack of appropriate attire, was super friendly, and willing to listen to me yammer on about nothing, and the bar staff was accommodating: I was nice and drunk before I knew it. Quick details: Crowd was mixed, younger, older, white, yellow, brown, etc., with expected the older white demographic being the most prevalent. Almost everyone was in event-appropriate attire, which was pretty cool. Music was run-of-the-mill house music and nobody really danced. Cover was $5 and coat check was $1. To my knowledge, nothing particularly dirty happened before 10:30. Would return. The venue seemed promising and I'd be interested in seeing how it is on a regular night.