Castro Country Club

i love the castro contry club thank god for a place clubhouse for gay, lebsian, bi-​sexual, transexual, transgender, queer, pansexual, questioning folks. they serve peet’s coffee and have 12-​step meetings of all sorts here for allmost anything you can think of, they have sober places at sf pride and folsom street fair.
they have wifi too and have food, remodeled a few years ago looks better than before the remodel.

Last time I set foot in the Castro Country Club for a meeting or coffee. Some tired queen behind the counter told me «restrooms for customers only» Great way to foster a sense of community.

I rarely get to SF anymore, but I always know that when I am there, there is at least 1 place I can go to relax a bit, and maybe find some recovery. The CSCC has been through a lot of changes over the years. There used to be more lounge space and less traffic through the place. But in order to keep the doors open money needs to be found. CSCC has evolved into what it is and no doubt will continue to evolve or it will cease to exist. Personally I liked it as a membership club best, but the way it is now serves many more people and allows it to be more or less self supporting. Go CSCC!

Great place to grab a cup of coffee or a snack, hang with good peeps and maybe hit a meeting or fellowship somewhere. Met many friends here this way over the years…
The CCC has a special place in my heart and I bet you will experience the same.

Gorgeous place perfect for the Gay Community in SF in Recovery. Keep wearing black it works!
There is a Coffee shop & a lovely back garden Area that is ever so pleasant — The Country Club also offers 12 Step Support Groups as well which are very supportive indeed.

I appreciate the country club. There are a lot of motivated people in here and they are willing to support you. I found my sponsor here and he always has time for me. I truly have much gratitude for this place. The large back patio is relaxing, pretty, and comfortable to just chill or work on assignments. I recommend this place to people. Yes, the majority of people that come here seem to be gay but that shouldn’t discourage anyone from coming here to get and maintain some solid life principles and skills. There is a lot of power in these rooms.
Parking may take some time, so get there early if you are attending a personal, private, or public meeting.

They re modeled. The construction went on for a few months I am so happy it’s back! The café is beautiful and remodel is modern and cozy. The snacks and coffee are great! I like my coffee strong and so glad I can do my homework again, there are places to sit.

If there’s one thing this place isn’t it’s a country club!
That said, this place has been a place of great importance for a lot of people for a lot of years. It’s a coffee shop for people wanting (or needing) a good cup of coffee in the morning or afternoon; it’s often been a relatively quiet and peaceful place for those looking for somewhere to readd or get some work don; and perhaps on a personal level, moost importantly it’s been both a place to hang out and a refuge to to both those in recovery from addictions and those who’re simply looking for an alternative to the bars that fdominate the heart of the Castro.
Go there on any given day and you can find a friendly and helpful volunteer behind the (coffee) bar ready to serve you a bevverage and/​or answer any questions you may have. People may be seen reading, chatting, or playing cards with friends. Those in recovery programs can find meeting schedules and literatiure either available for free or for sale at cost. The club itself also plays host to a number of recovery meetings for different recovery pograms and events every day.
Another thing I really appreciate about the Castro Country Club is the friendly vibe I get when I enter. I personally no longer drink or use substances. Even when I did, I had a hard time socializing or feeling comfortab, e in bars. I found them not condusive to actually meeting anyone. The first time I entered the Country Club I noticed a rather relaxed and fun vibe. I often sensed that people socializing in bars d so with a front of sorts. Like… they’re social, but they have to kind of amp it up a bit in that setting. People seem to be able to be their natural selves at the Country Club. Going there as someone who was newly sober I found that really comforting. I still feel that way today.
Overall, I can say I’m a fan of the Country Club for what it is, and what it aims to be. If you’re in the Castro and you’re looking to go hang out somewhere other than a bar, and a place where you can just chill the Castro Country Club may just be the place for you!

Friendly service, great coffee, wonderful cause. Not a fancy joint, but the staff was genuinely welcoming and friendly, so we felt right at home.
I accidentally heard someone congratulate someone for bring thirty days sober, and it just warmed my heart. I almost bought another cup of coffee just on principle. (But it was almost midnight.)
We found parking nearby, but it’s a gamble. Better to plan to do some walking.

When I come here, it’s like coming home… there’s like-​minded people gathering for a common solution… sobriety, fellowship and love. The bonus is that they serve Peet’s coffee, wonderful treats from a local cookie company and provide service with a big smile! I love the Castro Country Club… it’s my home away from home.

What’s not to love about the Country Club, especially because it’s around the corner from me!

This place rocks. It’s not easy creating a sober social space in the heart of the party. The place is entirely run by volunteers and they do a great job. Everything is reasonably priced and delicious. They have meetings all the time, they are open 7 days a week, and there are always sober people to hang out with. They have free wifi and plenty of room to hang out and do some work, or just surf the net while enjoying a nice beverage. The patio is also a great place to hang out, meet cool people, and get away from the traffic on 18^th street. They have a regular drag show at a low cost, and during big events like Halloween, Pink Saturday, Castro Street Fair, etc. the Castro Country Club is a great place to just chill.

Castro Country Club is a San Francisco institution. I’m there hanging every Sunday getting my Peet’s coffee! They have a fantastic outdoor area both front and back and the people watching is THEE best in SF. Support LGBTQ sober living. UBeautiful people are superb

For anyone newly sober (especially in the LGBT community), this is an excellent place to spend the day hanging out to feel safe and avoid the temptation of going back to the «old and unhealthy way of living». Even during the times when a recovery meeting is not happening, there are plenty of people to talk to about recovery, life, music, movies. whatever!
It is even great for those sober people moving to San Francisco to use as a starting point to build a great new support group… not to mention it is a great place for visitors to SF to go for a fantastic experience!

We’ve got a library, post office, recreation center, a couple of small parks, a great new Mollie Stone’s, a shortage of parking, Cliff’s Variety, some wonderful boutiques and The Castro Country Club. It’s a 28 year veteran of service to the community almost exactly at ground zero, and thousands of people, mostly LGBT, have utilized this free community space to learn how to stay clean and sober and be of service to themselves, the whole community and their fellows in recovery.
The Country Club is open daily from 7:00 AM to 11:00 PM, features a Peet’s Coffee bar, sodas, teas, and snacks served by some of the dozens of volunteers getting sober and giving back. Free Wi-​Fi is available to all who purchase, volunteer or contribute in some way or another. Like any REAL community center, it’s a place loaded with useful (to someone) information on resources, opportunities and services to all of us sharing this positive, purposeful and thriving center. Every day, dozens of people of every ethnicity, age, ability, ideology, education, from all over the glove gather and provide positive energy to the whole community.
There are two meeting rooms, a small room for table/​card games, a gorgeous garden patio, the driveway where many gather and enjoy fresh air in umbrella topped wrought iron tables and chairs, and the infamous Steps of the Castro Country Club where thousands have sat and watched the passing parade of diverse humanity that stirs the soul and enriches the spirit. This is a community center in the best and broadest sense of the words.

For me the mission of the club says it all — We are a clean & sober gathering place for all people and a home for the queer recovery community. We endeavor to be a space where all can seek wisdom, serenity, courage and joy.
As a non-​profit recovery place in the Castro, the Club is a great alternative to the bars, if you want to experience life without drugs and alcohol.
The café is open to the public and serves Peet’s coffee, which I happen to really like, other beverages, bagels, cookies and pastry. Space in the three areas with tables and chairs and couches is also used for 12-​step meetings throughout the day. If you are looking for a space to hang out with your laptop to work all day, you might want to try another establishment in the neighborhood. One of my favorite things about the Club is the back patio which has three covered tables as well as few built-​in benches. It is full of plant life and often has flowers blooming which make it a tranquil oasis in the busy Castro neighborhood.
Being a recovering alcoholic and addict, of course I feel extremely comfortable at the Club. The fact that it is just a few steps from where I live and it serves good coffee is like having a piece of chocolate cake covered in buttercream frosting without it actually containing any calories.

It’s… different. I had to get out of the house and get some animation done on my laptop, didn’t care where. I looked up free wifi, late hours, and my hood. This place came up so I went.
I was thinking house + couches + people hanging out. That’s one of the things I missed when I moved here. (SF is so fast paced/​high rent with a lack of relaxed social space… cafes are the closest thing and they mostly suck for late hours.)
Obviously it’s meant to support people with mental/​addiction issues to get away from bars. A fine idea. It’s in the Castro too. I’m ok with being around certain crowds.
The space didn’t exactly meet hopes for the comfy/​social aspect. It’s institutional. At the front door was a meeting room (for A.A., etc.) in use at the moment. Down the hall, another small meeting room open for use– but the lighting, folding chairs and yucky paint weren’t welcoming. Then a narrow café space with decent coffee and snacks and a volunteer spinning some groovy 70’s disco tunes… that’s more like it… but no room for chairs. In back, a small common room.
The small room had 1 table, 3 people, and a public computer labeled «NO cruising for sex.» I asked if there was a good space to work.
Computer guy: «got $ 20?»
Me: «no»
Computer guy: «Got an hour?»
Me: «I’m just here for regular work.»
He went back to making out with his friend. I set up at the lone table across from a laptop guy– a sorta-​tweaker pounding keys and playing World of Warcraft, next to a mop bucket wafting cleanser near my coffee. Bleh… but at least I’m getting work done. In spite of the guy pounding keys, shaking the table, and rocking out– actually seat dancing to really loud heaphones trance music.
Server guy shouted back to computer guy:
«Hey I just saw a tweaker out front throw a hair dryer on the ground and pee on it. What did that hair dryer ever do to him?»
Computer guy: «At least it wasn’t plugged in.»
–some entertainment with your drink!
Don’t think I’ll be back. 1 or 2 stars for me, but 4 or 5 for it’s purpose for some people, I guess.

The Short: Good coffee, helping your neighbourhood, nice people
The long:
I’m told the actual purpose for this place is to host N/​A, AA, and all types of support groups. They recently started a Peet’s coffee (and snacks) inside the country club. They have great hours, and it’s an actual peets with high quality coffee and snacks. I just went in there today, and it was clean, well staffed, and 100% of the profits go toward helping the people the use the club.
I can’t think of a better cup of coffee in the Castro.

Thank GOD for the Castro Country Club. The CCC, as many of locals refer to it as, is a vital resource in the recovery community as well as the LGBTQ community and the community at large.
The club is a multi use space, offering meeting rooms for 12 step programs, a full service Peet’s Coffee Bar, a gardened back patio, art gallery exhibit space, wifi, and computer usage.
Thank you CCC!

Something I learned a long time ago: When you put sober people into a bar-​like situation, they almost always behave like they did back when there was beer in the mug instead of coffee. This is a bar for sober people.
Strike One: When I went there, I committed the cardinal sin of sitting in some regular’s seat. The guy was verbally abuse to me, staff just laughed it off.
Strike Two: This establishment is owned by Baker Places, a social services agency that claims to help gay, lesbian, transgendered and people with AIDS through the recovery process from drugs and alcohol. They’re straight up poverty pimps and their treatment approach is highly questionable. By supporting the Castro Country Club, you are supporting some seriously shady and suspect, bordering on medical malpractice, treatment services.
Strike Three: There is none. I may be dumb, but I’m not three-​times-​a-​sucker dumb. This place is almost on its last legs in 2011, and I’m glad. No matter how many times this review gets flagged, that fact will never change. :)