Former Hemlock Tavern Now “Cutting-Edge New Private Event Space”

Hemlock Tavern on the left and The Hemlock on the right

Sigh…I mean, I guess we shouldn’t be surprised when these tings happen anymore, but it’s just such a bummer.

Hemlock Tavern was one of the best dive bars in San Francisco. The drinks were cheap, the crowd was cute, loud up-and-coming bands played in the backroom, and they sold delicious hot peanuts to munch on. In fact, one of my favorite things I’ve ever written about a bar is this piece about the Hemlock from awhile back.

Unfortunately it closed down in 2018 to make way for new high-end housing. We even immortalized it on our t-shirt honoring some of our favorite closed down San Francisco bars:

You can grab yours right here.

Well, the new housing has finally been built after some serious fuckery and it was announced that the space that formerly housed Hemlock Tavern is now a “cutting-edge new private event space in the heart of San Francisco’s vibrant Polk Village neighborhood” called Hemlock.

First off, what the hell is Polk Village? This is some weird realtor bullshit if I’ve ever seen it. If you’re not gonna call it the Tenderloin, call it Polk Gulch. Just because all the gay bars that used to line its streets are gone, doesn’t mean you can erase the area’s name.

Regardless, this new event space couldn’t be further from the very beloved venue that used to be there. Just look at the interior:

Photo via Hemlock

Now, I’m pretty sure that’s just the interior designer’s rendering, and it will look a bit different than pictured, but just look at the stark contrast to the inside of the Hemlock Tavern:

Photo from 7×7

I’ve seen a number of friends lamenting this online, which is completely reasonable. So many people have incredible memories of weird and wild nights spent at Hemlock Tavern. And so many people have just as special memories of a gay bar named The Giraffe that was there before the Hemlock Tavern. Now the building has been replaced, and in its stead is a private venue that doesn’t look like the kind of place Hemlock Tavern devotees would be ever be invited to.

I think the reason this hurts the most is because of the name. Obviously, nobody expected a legendary dive bar to rise up from the ashes. A fancy event space in an upmarket building is expected. But why’d they have to call it The Hemlock? That’s putting salt in the wound. Even if it is located on the corner of Hemlock and Polk, they could’ve leaned into this whole “Polk Village” thing and named it something like the Village Commons.

But then again, that would suggest that common people would be allowed in the front door.