‘Another Victim of the Times’: Virgil’s Sea Room Closes for Good

Unlike many businesses that staked claim in the city over the past decade, the folks at Virgil’s Sea Room avoided the tired and obnoxious practice of forcefully hammering a square peg into a round hole. Instead of trying to be San Francisco nouveau, they relished being part of the culture as it is.

Since opening night in 2013, Virgil’s solidified itself as a piece of the city’s fabric, a home where people from all communities and walks of life, and four-legged companions, could come together on the patio over a pitcher of margaritas. The bar, located next door to El Rio on Mission Street, was especially welcoming to the LGBTQ community. 

Unfortunately, Virgil’s will be no more. The virus has again raised its ugly head and forced the bar to permanently shutter.

Virgil’s Sea Room on Mission Street in San Francisco, Calif. announced Monday, Feb. 22, 2021 that it is permanently closing due to the lingering pandemic restrictions. (Photo courtesy of Virgil’s Sea Room)

As written Monday on the bar’s Facebook page:

“It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that we announce our closure. We are another victim of the times. After a year of constant loss, not enough help from the feds, and a mental fatigue that can’t quite be described… Virgil’s has made the tough decision to close.”

A GoFundMe account was set up last March to help pay staff after the pandemic shut down all bars in the Bay Area. More than 120 donors pitched in for a total of $7,695, adding messages of support of love for the Virgil’s crew. But alas, the lingering health crisis and restrictions proved too much to shoulder in this climate.   

The good vibes, diverse crowd, friendly bartenders and, most definitely, the margaritas will be sorely missed.