111 Minna Gallery

I've been here several times for art and film festival related parties over the years. Offers a cool blend of art, music, drinks, and a dancing as the night progressed. It's in a easy to reach location just blocks away from Market Street and BART for those who don't want to drive into into the city and find parking. Plenty of space inside and good overall vibe. It's also just down the street from several high-end hotels if you want to keep the party going overnight.

One of the better Saturday night hang outs in the City. They almost always have a good DJ playing, the mixed drinks are solid and there are always interesting people to meet. I love the concept behind Minna and wish there were similar spots closer to home. Art, music, drinks, and a little dancing (if you're up to it) = a good night. This is a place I could see myself hanging out at, and not even on just on a "club" night. In fact, I'd prefer returning on a weeknight to check out a few of their more laid back events. As far as the venue itself, it was spacious, well ventilated, and not nearly as sardine-packed as most other lounges/bars. Big plus!

111 Minna Gallery This is a great venue and very versatile. I have seen a lot of different things happen in this space and some interesting things develop here! I love how the space is a bit like a black box where you can create the space you want. During the day you can find yourself stepping into a world of art and design, but at night you can see a whole new world. The night turns into a nightclub with chic people and funky DJ’s. The type of people that come here are city socialites and hipsters alike. Some of the most fashionable people in the city come here to serve a good night.

111 Minna is arguably the most eclectic event space in the city. Located in the heart of SOMA's clubland and just a few blocks from BART, the Financial District, the Moscone Center, and a museum district, 111 Minna is perfectly situated to offer a smorgasbord of after-work fun. A sampling of events that I've attended at 111 Minna: -Drinkentrepreneurs: Drinking + Entrepreneurs = excellent networking opportunities -Auctions -Art Shows -DJs spinning all varieties of electronica and drum & bass -Live music performances Most importantly for me, it's a space that offers terrific opportunities to mingle and network after work with professionals, artists, and other types who I wouldn't normally encounter frequenting other establishments. Frequently I find that 111 Minna charges a cover, but the cover is rarely more than $10 and the event is almost always worth the price of admission.

111 Minna has tons of ongoing art and other events, so this place has something different to offer every time. The art exhibits from various artists on the walls can range from amazing to weird to was-this-done-by-a-fourht-grader? High ceilings give the space a great modern vibe, and I have seen everything from standup comedy to live music to photography talks here. How you feel about this place is really tied to what event you see, so it’s hard to give it just one cohesive review. I would suggest checking their endless calendar for something that looks cool and heading over. Or just throwing a dart on the schedule and leaving it to chance, but if you do that and hate the event, don’t give up. There’s always something new tomorrow.

So I say that "You'll really like it" but I think it kind of depends on what you're looking for. For me, music is probably the most important part of a club atmosphere. I could be in a huge ocean-front club, chilling on a plush white leather sofa, and having a miserable time if I don't like the music that's playing. However, I could be in a small, cramped and crowded pub having an amazing time if I can sing-a-long and dance with friends. So, the venue itself is pretty cool, the vibe is less hipstery than I thought, considering it is an art gallery. It's got a pretty wide open dance floor, in fact I think there are two and each room has a DJ but I spent most of my time in the front room. I didn't need to do any more drinking by the time I got there so I couldn't tell you if the drinks are strong or good but other people seemed to be enjoying themselves. It was a "back to the 90s night" and I LOVE 90s music, that stuff is my childhood, so I had a fantastic time and I danced for as long as I could until I realized I was hungry for some late-night pizza. I would have had even more fun if my buzz hadn't been a bit killed by the lady who was collecting cover charge - it was my friends birthday month and on the website it said if you RSVP'd they would let you in for free so when he emailed them they said that he could get in free as well as two of his friends so we all expected to get in free but the lady ended up saying we weren't on the list to get in free and we all had to pay five dollars. My friend was mad (and drunk) so I think he caused a bit of a scene and she started getting upset... It was awkward. I didn't mind paying the 5 dollars since it was less than the normal cover charge which was 10 that night. However, it kinda sucks being lied to about getting in for free so I would double and triple check with them when you RSVP if you're expecting to get in for free.