$1 Hooch for the Cheap and Sleazy Tuesday at The Edge

For those unfamiliar with the Edge, it’s the last bar on the western edge of the Castro. One of the bars recently bought and renovated by the guys that own QBar (as is soon to happen over at the Midnight Sun down the street) it’s mostly known for beer busts and contests involving jockstraps.

It’s hard to describe the aesthetic of the former Edge. What people seem to recall the most is the heavily saturated smell that punched you in the face when you arrived. I could never really place what exactly it was, but based on experience I’m guessing it was a delicate blend of rancid beer that had seeped into the woodwork and the occasional circle jerks one might stumble upon on the way to the bathroom. Another memorable feature was the outcropping over the bar that looked like the cross-section of an impacted colon.

Although the smell still makes ghostly guest appearances from time to time, gone is the shit sculpture, with the backbar now featuring the unfinished wood and metal paneling that’s all the rage these days. They have tried to retain the leather daddy vibe of the place, but they clearly are trying to draw in a fresher crowd as evidenced by the potentially disastrous $1.00 drink special they have every Tuesday. Called Easy @ The Edge, the special runs from 9 p.m. to closing, which makes it a good place to get greased before moving on. However it not only attracts the thrifty, but the amateurs as well, so buyers beware.  It could be a toss up as to whether this bargain saves your life or makes it all the more painful.

The Edge

4149 18th Street (@ Collingwood)

[Castro/ Eureka Valley]

SF