A New Queer Bar Opens in the Mission’s Former Dear Mom Space

There’s a new home for LGTBQ nightlife in the Mission: Jolene’s, which arrives at 2700 16th Street (at Harrison) this Saturday, December 15 following a ribbon cutting ceremony. The space was previously occupied by the artsy Darger Bar and, before that, the popular dive and bar food destination Dear Mom.

A trio of owners — Jolene Linsangan, Ashleigh Wilson, and Shannon Amitin — is behind the new bar, which promises a “curated a dining and cocktail experience fueled by live music and performance, with deep roots in the underground nightlife scene.”

Jolene’s will host popular queer parties like the relaunch of UHAUL SF, which will become a weekly fixture of the bar. The first UHAUL takes place Friday, December 14, one night before Jolene’s formal opening. Other events, such as queer hip hop party Swagger Like Us, are scheduled, and “nightly entertainment, NorCal bar food, and craft cocktails” are also on the bill.

In a note shared on Instagram, the Jolene’s team thanked local politicos who helped get the bar off the ground: Supervisor Rafael Mandelman, state senator Scott Wiener, and City College Trustee and Virgil’s Sea Room owner Tom Temprano, as well as SF drag icon Juanita More!, who recently took over the kitchen at the bar Jones.

“Every single day queer people go through something in their day to day lives that make them feel uncomfortable,” Linsangan, Wilson, and Amitin write on website for Jolene’s. “Things like, being misgendered, being cat called or having to come out over and over again. Sadly some of these things have become normalized to many. When you walk into our doors you will be safe with us. We understand what you are going through and we accept you. Here, you will be at home.”

• New Mission queer bar Jolene’s opens Saturday in former Darger Bar space [Hoodline]