I know it’s been a while since I last posted, I apologize, it’s been a hectic few weeks, lots of new projects, travel, etc. That being said, I’m back now! I plan on keeping a more consistent blogging schedule so please stay tuned. Before I started traveling last month I had the chance to stop by one of the most unique nightlife spots in SF, Supperclub. Instead of having tables for bottle service, they have BEDS, yes that’s not a misprint. They also offer dinner service which I have yet to try out. For those narcoleptic clubbers out there (or common food comma/ITIS sufferers), this is definitely the venue for you :).
Positives: Supperclub does a good job of attracting a hot, upscale crowd. They also do a good job of keeping things more intimate, the parties are never too packed. The interior is pretty stunning, but I’ll get into that a bit later, the venue is fairly large and they offer two fully stocked bars. The main room has a lot of space, but the dance floor is not the largest. Beds are situated on each wall, aligned adjacent to each other - making long walls of bedding. In a way, it sort of feels like a giant padded room without the insane suits. The Beds are an excellent way to take in the VIP experience, you can even dance on top of them, although I would not suggest that if you still have full bottles of booze laying right by your side. They also offer an upstairs tier which is a great way to see all of the action below (ladies in dresses/skirts beware - people below can see the goods). The front bar is a bit odd shaped (circular, located in the middle of the room, blocking access to the dance floor….hello fire marshal?), but they have plenty of bar tenders there so average wait time is pretty low. The bar behind the dance floor usually has about two bar tenders and can be a bit more crowded, but that’s to be expected since it’s at the center of all the action.
Negatives: The biggest negative in my opinion is the lack of diversity. I should add a disclaimer here, the events’ diversity heavily depends on that night’s promoter, but usually Supperclub tends to us more of the Asian promo crews in SF - at least on the popular weekend nights. The dance floor does leave a bit more to be desired for, but is decent size, the problem is the staircases and DJ both both take away space that could be used for dancing. They do have a second room off to the side, it’s tiny and great for private parties, but other than that it’s pretty much empty and useless. Good idea, just not the best execution - I’d rope it off and make it feel more exclusive than it really is or something. Speaking of roping things off, one negative about getting VIP bottle service here is the lack of status and prestige. I’ve been clubs all over the world and while it’s uncommon to see a guard in front of every table, I think its pretty standard to have one block access to entire VIP floors/areas/etc. That’s not the case with Supperclub, anyone can go upstairs. Maybe I’m wrong and it’s not supposed to be a VIP level, but if it looks like a duck and talks like a duck…
- Location/Transportation: Located in SoMa, on Harrison, one block over from legendary 18+ nightclub City Nights (otherwise known as Shitty Nights to many of us). This does present a bit of a parking problem as you may have to compete for parking with eager teeny boppers. There are however a few lots and several bus stops nearby. For those coming from across the bridge it’s easy to get to as it’s the first exit off on the SF side. Grade: 3/5
- Line: They do an excellent job of keeping events more intimate, so the lines are never more than 15 people deep in my experience. Wait time is usually less than 30 minutes depending on the time of arrival Grade: 4/5
- Interior: The main room is white on white and everything feels so clean (I know, I know, it’s a sweaty club, not ideal for germaphobes but this is about perception). The beds add a unique and fun experience to clubbing in SF. The other rooms have interesting and ascetically appealing themes as well, I just don’t like how the front bar impedes entrance into the main dance floor room, there’s always bottlenecks. Grade 3/5
- Exterior: The exterior does a pretty good job of bringing the interior experience outside. An all white paint job with a sleek yet subtle sign with mirror front doors. I think it’s pretty well designed. Grade 4/5
- Drinks: Decent priced drinks for a night out in San Francisco - $10 - $12 for most mixed drinks. Hint, try and make friends with the bar tenders, they may hook it up on a drink or two. Grade: 3/5
- Services: This is one of those clubs where you know you’re secure, but not overwhelmed with big goons in black tee shirts and ear pieces all around you (not knocking security guards, I have a lot of good friends that do that work, but lets be honest here). I’ve only experience VIP bottle service here once, but came away a bit unimpressed. The prices are on par with similar SF clubs, but the service was lacking. Example: I was sitting at a friends table…opps, I mean bed, the VIP host came up asking me if I wanted another bottle. I realize a lot of places do this, but this gets people in trouble (future blog post coming regarding this), but never ever ever ask someone who isn’t in charge of the table i.e. the person paying the bill, if they want more bottles. Truly a recipe for disaster, of course I declined, but this exposed a loophole. I could have requested a bottle and bolted, resulting in an extra $250 charge on my friends bill. Grade 3/5
- Sound system: Good balance here, you can be by the front bar and have a conversation without yelling, and be on the dance floor without feeling the need for ear plugs. There are two DJ booths, one for the side room, again, pointless unless there’s a private function in there. The booth on the main room is right next to the dance floor, it actually takes away from the dance space. Speakers do an excellent job of keeping the party going without hating on interactions. Grade 4/5
- Overall: The beds warrant a visit on their own, but besides that I’d say it’s a great venue, but not something I would check out on a regular basis for a lot of the reasons I pointed out above. Once a month is good for me. Grade 24/35
Here’s what the yelpers had to say http://www.yelp.com/biz/supperclub-san-francisco
