Glen Park Station (Bar) — Restaurant in San Francisco

I quit drinking before the judge ordered me to—how is that for initiative? Since that last call, no bar has captured my attention. Nor have I returned to any of the bars I enjoyed around here. I’m from the east coast—a pub near a rail station which draws a crowd free of pretense is proper nurture. Glen Park Station is welcoming, comfortable, fun, and built for a night done right.

There are non-alcoholic brews for those who abstain, shot-and-a-beer specials for $12.00, wine by the glass, and an indoor smoking lounge. A pinball machine which takes dollar bills. Darts. Superior bar stools. Table seating up front. A rear patio. No Apple Pay.The bar has neighboring businesses which serve food. One can find Vietnamese, Thai, and Mexican fare within a block. The bodega sits across from BART, on the same side of Diamond St. A pizza place is in proximity. This area has a low-key dominance about it. A great spot for socializing, a walkable pocket of the city wherein small businesses sling good eats, and you have the option to get hammered.

Parking is available in the public library lot after 6, 7, 8PM during the week. Street parking on the northbound lane of Bosworth between Arlington & Diamond is free in the evenings. I am not sure when the meters stop accepting payment-I pulled up at 7:30PM on a Monday.

To those behind the wheel—be advised—residential streets intersect as sharp turns become sudden hills. At all hours there are pedestrians, cyclists, and coyotes. SFPD often posts a patrol vehicle on Bosworth (south of the Arlington intersection) to eyeball the I-280...

If you don’t fit a very specific clientele: white, cis, and San Francisco-native, there seems to be little tolerance for you at Glen Park Station Bar. I came excited to have a good time, meet new people, and support a local spot, as I just moved to Noe Valley, only to find that friendliness and making connections are frowned upon here if you don’t “look” a certain way. 2 other people that I am close to mentioned the same thing, but you never want to assume that people are prejudiced, so I decided to judge for myself. I wish I had not spent any money in there! Not only was I ignored, but I was also told to "wait" in a cold tone by the bartender who was chatting with their regulars. Yet when my friend, a blonde girl, asked for her drink, she was served right away.

Edited: My husband, a white man, also did not have an issue...

I’ll start out with the positives there is no better owner operator of a bar in the city than Shane! This is a good place to grab a drink or two if you just got off bart after a long day, but not much else.

I would advise anyone coming here not to mix with the regular crowd. The bar is very much a high school type atmosphere where if you’re not with the “incrowd” you get excluded and bullied & gossiped about and have to deal with drama. I would advise anyone coming here not to intermingle with...