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Monday, February 23, 2026

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Best of the Bay 2025: Arts & Nightlife Winners

Best Cinema, Best Live Music Venue, Best Drag Show, Best Strip Club, Best Karaoke, Best Comedy Club, more

48 Hills is proud to host the 51st edition of the Bay Guardian Best of the Bay! Congratulations to all the winners of this years Readers’ Poll, and thank you to the thousands of readers who voted this year. See more winners’ categories hereAnd join us to celebrate the city and independent media on Wednesday, October 22 at our 12th Anniversary 48 Hills Gala and Best of the Bay Winners’ Celebration!

BEST MOVIE THEATER
ROXIE THEATER
www.roxie.com
Runners Up: Balboa Theater, Grand Lake Theater

BEST MUSEUM
SFMOMA
www.sfmoma.org
Runners Up: De Young, Legion of Honor

Best Art Gallery: Rosebud Gallery

BEST ART GALLERY
ROSEBUD GALLERY
www.rosebudgallery.com
Runners Up: Richmond Art Center, Haight Street Arts Center

BEST DANCE COMPANY
DETOUR PRODUCTIONS
www.detour.productions
Runners Up: RAWDANCE, Rang de Bollywood

BEST THEATER COMPANY
LAMPLIGHTERS MUSIC THEATRE
www.lamplighters.org
Runners Up: Kat Robichaud’s Misfit Cabaret, ACT

BEST LIVE MUSIC VENUE
GREAT AMERICAN MUSIC HALL
www.gamh.com
Runners Up: DNA Lounge, Bottom of the Hill

BEST PERFORMANCE VENUE
Z SPACE
www.zspace.org
Runners Up: Eclectic Box, Oasis

Emmylou Harris performs at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. Photo by Estefany Gonzalez

BEST ARTS/MUSIC FESTIVAL
HARDLY STRICTLY BLUEGRASS
www.hardlystrictlybluegrass.com
Runners Up: Oaklash, Portola

BEST NIGHTCLUB
F8
www.feightsf.com
Runners Up: DNA Lounge, Oasis

BEST LGBTQ NIGHTCLUB
OASIS 
www.sfoasis.com
Runners Up: El Rio, The Stud

BEST DANCE PARTY
STRUT SF
www.instagram.com/strut_sf_
Runners Up: Stamina, Non Stop Bhangra

BEST OPEN MIC
THE RIPTIDE
www.riptidesf.com/index.html
Runners Up: Martuni’s, Hotel Utah

BEST KARAOKE
THE MINT
www.themint.net
Runners Up: Kiitos, The Riptide

Best Drag Show: Reparations

BEST DRAG SHOW
REPARATIONS
www.sfoasis.com/reparations
Runners Up: Pillows, Princess

BEST COMEDY VENUE
COBB’S COMEDY CLUB
www.cobbscomedy.com
Runners Up: Bimbo’s 365, The Punchline

BEST STRIP CLUB
THE GOLD CLUB
www.goldclubsf.com
Runners Up: Condor Club, Bad Bitch Burlesque

BEST SEX CLUB
EROS
www.erossf.com
Runners Up: Steamworks, Power Exchange

Marke B.
Marke B.
Marke Bieschke is the publisher and arts and culture editor of 48 Hills. He co-owns the Stud bar in SoMa. Reach him at marke (at) 48hills.org, follow @supermarke on Twitter.

48 Hills welcomes comments in the form of letters to the editor, which you can submit here. We also invite you to join the conversation on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

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