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Dawn Club

Dawn Club

10 Annie St, San Francisco, CA 94103

Dawn Club is a downtown SF jazz spot tucked off Market near the Palace Hotel, on a short alley that feels a little removed from the main streets. Inside is a single art deco-style room with a small raised stage at one end, table seating through the middle, and a long bar along the side. Lighting is low, sound is focused on the stage, and the room fills up on band nights, especially on Fridays when groups like Fog City Swing are on the schedule.

There is no food menu, so most people either eat nearby beforehand or just treat this as a drinks-and-music stop.

The place runs as a cocktail and whiskey bar with table service in the main room and more casual seating at the bar for walk-ins. Music is rooted in jazz and usually starts around 8 pm, with some nights adding a separate late set around midnight, like trumpet-led sessions from players such as Max Ehrhardt. Reservations get you a table with a clear view of the band, while the bar and a few other spots are held for people dropping in. It is 21+ only, and staff do check IDs at the door.

The current club is in the historic Monadnock Building and takes its name from the original Dawn Club that operated here in the 1930s and 1940s. That earlier version began as a Prohibition-era speakeasy beside the same hotel and became known as a hub for what was called the San Francisco jazz revival, with live broadcasts from the room during the war years. The present space leans on that history in its look and its focus on live local jazz, but functions as a modern, reservation-friendly cocktail bar with nightly music.