Toad Hall

Opened in February 2009, Toad Hall is an important addition to the Castro bar scene, its name a homage to the legendary '70s bar of the same name. The bar features a large space with a cool water feature behind the expansive bar. The covered outdoor patio in back is basically an end-run on the city's ban on smoking in public venues, much like the patio at the Mix bar just down the street. Under the same ownership as Badlands, directly across 18th Street, the bar has the same cookie-cutter design, and features a similarly young, tight-jeans and T-shirt crowd. Badlands is hugely successful, so the strategy makes a certain sense but as such doesn't really offer a new bar experience. In fact, on a busy weekend night streams of boys can be seen jaywalking from Badlands to Toad Hall, and back again. The scenario is not without its benefits, however: Faster service and fewer lines to get drinks at the bar can now be expected.