San Francisco’s first women’s sports bar is officially opening its doors this week. Rikki’s is set to open this Wednesday, June 11, making the city’s first bar dedicated to women’s sports. The new bar is located on Market Street in the Castro, and will welcome sports fans from 3:30 to 10 pm starting on Wednesday, June 11.
The bar is named after Rikki Streicher, who famously operated queer and lesbian bars in San Francisco between the 1960s and 1990s. Streicher was known for creating welcoming spaces for the LGBTQ+ community in SF, and she actively supported women’s sports throughout the years. In 1980, she co-founded the Gay Olympics (later called the Gay Games).
Today, Rikki’s dedicated to celebrating women’s sports. The bar opening is well-timed, with the Bay Area’s new women’s professional basketball team, the Valkyries playing their inaugural season. The team’s debut has been a major success; they were the first women’s sports team to secure over 17,000 season ticket deposits. They also sold out their first four home games at Chase Center.
“There’s no better time to open a women’s sports bar than right now,” said Rikki’s co-founder Sara Yergovich (she/her). “We’ve been holding watch parties with hundreds of people in attendance for over a year, and we now have a permanent home at 2223 Market Street, where every day can be a watch party.”
Rikki’s has a menu of classic California comfort food, like pear grilled cheese and wings, designed to either be shared with friends or eaten as a full meal. Plus, you can expect six signature drinks, all named after iconic women in sports. A full menu of beer, wine, and nonalcoholic drinks will also be available at the bar.
“Rikki’s is bringing Rikki Streicher’s legacy of queer activism and bar ownership into the heart of the Castro,” said Supervisor Rafael Mandelman. “A queer women-owned bar with women’s sports on every screen is exactly what this neighborhood needs, and I’m thrilled they’re opening during Pride Month in San Francisco. See you at Rikki’s!”
Rikki’s is currently open at 2223 Market Street in the Castro. The bar is open from 3:30 to 10 pm. You can learn more about the Rikki’s here.