San Francisco has no shortage of historic bars, but this one comes with a rather unexpected backstory. The Treasure Island venue occupies The Administration Building, the former Pan Am Airport Terminal, a striking 1930s building that once welcomed passengers heading across the Pacific by flying boat. Yes, you read that right. Flying boat.
Today, the space has been transformed into an Art Deco-inspired whiskey tasting room, but traces of its glamorous aviation past remain. And if the building looks vaguely familiar, there’s a good reason: it has also had a starring role in a major Hollywood blockbuster.
You could once fly to Asia from here
Pan Am’s famous China Clipper flying boats operated from Treasure Island from the late 1930s into the mid-1940s. Instead of taking off from a runway, the enormous aircraft landed and departed directly from the water in Clipper Cove.
Passengers would make their way from the terminal toward the floating dock to board, beginning what was then an astonishing journey across the Pacific. Treasure Island effectively became San Francisco’s first international airport, with Pan Am operating routes toward destinations including Hong Kong.
The Art Moderne building has a major movie credit, too
The terminal’s distinctive architecture has proved useful for more than impressing whiskey drinkers. Its Streamline Moderne/Art Deco-era design has also made it a natural filming location.
Most famously, the building appeared in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade, where it was transformed into a Berlin airport for the movie.
The late-1930s architecture was apparently convincing enough that you could easily forget Indiana Jones wasn’t actually standing in Europe. Still, the Navy wouldn’t allow the filmmakers to put Nazi banners and insignia on the actual building, so those details were added later with special effects.
The building has also appeared in other productions, including The Parent Trap and Hulk, adding furthering its credits in the second life as a movie location.
A whiskey distillery which preserves the best of SF golden glamour
Today, Gold Bar Whiskey Distillery Tasting Room has reimagined the former terminal as an Art Deco-inspired distillery and tasting room. Just doors down from the Treasure Island Museum, the design draws on the glamour of 1930s travel and jazz lounges.
The venue serves whiskey flights, cocktails and food, while its menu nods to Treasure Island’s international history. There are Pacific-inspired dishes and World’s Fair references alongside more familiar comfort food.
Gold Bar Whiskey Distillery Tasting Room also offers cocktail classes that include a guided whiskey tasting and hands-on cocktail making, while the former Pan Am terminal also hosts An Idiot’s Guide to Wine, a stand-up comedy tasting where a local comedian leads guests through five global wines with plenty of laughs along the way. So whether you’re more interested in whiskey or wine, there’s a rather entertaining way to experience this unusual piece of Treasure Island history.
20 November 2026 18:00 + more dates
Gold Bar Whiskey Distillery Tasting Room
The former terminal venue also regularly hosts makers markets, football screenings, live jazz, sunset DJ sessions, and a plethora of concerts. Wow, there’s no shortage of whiskey, music, and good times.
And, the views aren’t bad, either
The history is the main attraction, but the location helps. From Treasure Island, the tasting room has views toward the Bay Bridge, San Francisco skyline, Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge.
So you can essentially spend an afternoon tracing several different eras of San Francisco in one place: a 1930s World’s Fair, the golden age of Pan Am, Hollywood’s version of pre-war Europe and, finally, the city’s modern craft whiskey scene. What a perfect day trip from San Francisco!
Everything you need to know to visit Gold Bar Whiskey Distillery
📍 Gold Bar Whiskey Distillery Tasting Room, 1 Avenue of the Palms #167, CA 94130, on Treasure Island
🍸 On offer is Gold Bar whiskey, handcrafted cocktails, whiskey flights and more
🏛️ The historic 1930s Art Moderne terminal has been given a glamorous Art Deco-inspired makeover
🥂 Alongside regular drinks and food, Gold Bar Whisky Distillery hosts events including whiskey cocktail classes and An Idiot’s Guide to Wine, a comedy-led wine tasting
🚢 Treasure Island is accessible from San Francisco by car and public transportation, with ferry service also available