Top Choice Cinema in The Castro
Castro Theatre
Every night at the Castro, crowds roar as the mighty organ rises – and no, that's not a euphemism. Showtime at this 1922 art-deco movie palace is heralded with Wurlitzer organ show tunes, culminating in singalongs t…
Top Choice Jazz in The Haight & Hayes Valley
SFJAZZ Center
Jazz legends and singular talents from Argentina to Yemen are showcased at North America's newest, largest jazz center. Hear fresh takes on classic jazz albums and poets riffing with jazz combos in the downstairs Jo…
Top Choice Live Music in Golden Gate Park & the Avenues
Noise
The more San Francisco changes, the more this incredible indie record store, art gallery and performance space stays the same. Vinyl enthusiasts will want to hang here for days browsing the vast collection, which is…
Top Choice Live Performance in The Haight & Hayes Valley
Booksmith
Throw a stone in SF and you'll probably hit a writer (ouch) or reader (ouch again) headed to/from Booksmith. Literary figures organize Booksmith book signings, raucous poetry readings, extra-short fiction improv, an…
Top Choice Cinema in The Mission, Dogpatch & Potrero Hill
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema
The landmark 1932 New Mission cinema, now restored to its original Timothy Pfleuger–designed art-deco glory, has a new mission: to upgrade dinner-and-a-movie dates. Staff deliver microbrews and tasty fare to plush b…
Top Choice Classical Music in Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
San Francisco Symphony
From the moment conductor Michael Tilson Thomas bounces up on his toes and raises his baton, the audience is on the edge of their seats for another thunderous performance by the Grammy-winning SF Symphony. Don't mis…
Top Choice Live Music in Japantown, Fillmore & Pacific Heights
Fillmore Auditorium
Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Grateful Dead – they all played the Fillmore and the upstairs bar is lined with vintage psychedelic posters to prove it. Bands that sell out stadiums keep rocking this historic, all-ages,…
Top Choice Performing Arts in San Francisco
San Francisco Mime Troupe
Uproarious, original political satire since 1961, combining musical theater, Japanese kabuki, slapstick and Italian commedia dell'arte. Performances are free in Dolores Park every summer.
Top Choice Concert Venue in Hollywood
Hollywood Bowl
Summers in LA just wouldn’t be the same without alfresco melodies under the stars at the Bowl, a huge natural amphitheater in the Hollywood Hills. Its annual season – which usually runs from June to September – incl…
Top Choice Live Music in Los Feliz & Griffith Park
Greek Theatre
The 'Greek' in the 2010 film Get Him to the Greek is this 5900-capacity outdoor amphitheater, tucked into a woodsy Griffith Park hillside. A more intimate version of the Hollywood Bowl, it's much loved for its vibe …