.Best Dive Bar Renovation

The Hotsy Totsy Club

January ushered in not just a new year, but a whole new era for a
certain freestanding hut of a dive bar on San Pablo Avenue. The
seventy-year-old Hotsy Totsy Club, whose most appealing feature for
decades was its name, has undergone a sea change — yet preserves
the integrity of the former club’s shuffleboard table. A couple of
velvet paintings from the old club have also been retained, but the
updates include a polished zinc ceiling, groovy cement bar, free wi-fi,
and — at last! — a fully functioning neon sign. The jukebox
spins an eclectic collection of retro disks at no charge, and the TV
behind the bar shows “transgressive” adult cinema, which, on a recent
night, featured battling lesbian ninjas. More importantly, the drinks
are up to par, with an enticing list of house specials like “Carjack,”
“Bitter Rivers,” and “San Pablo Soda.” The new owners are reaching out
to build community with monthly events such as cocktail-mixing
workshops and a gay/bi Girl’s Night Out, as well as ska dance parties
on Sunday nights. No food is served, but Friday and Saturday nights a
taco truck parks outside, even closer than the Taco Bell down the
block.

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