Twin Peaks Tavern

Yeah, yeah, we know: the Glass Coffin. But that catty-sounding nickname - it was the first gay bar in San Francisco to have plate-glass windows that let passersby see who’s inside, and the patrons skew silver - is one the regulars willingly share. Grand and ornate, Twin Peaks is by extension the best place to sit and watch the increasingly lively Castro street scene. Second only to Buena Vista Cafe as a place to order an Irish coffee and chat with a bartender, it’s also got a semi-secluded mezzanine where you can often smell Hot Cookie’s treats next door.