San Francisco Eagle Bar

1. 1889–1900

   Before the 1906 earthquake the corner lot held a two-storey saloon with a grocery store, about 45 by 50 feet, then numbered 346–350 12th Street; a one-storey dwelling faced Harrison Street on the rear lot.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
2. 1906

   Built.

3. 1906

   The present one-storey wood-frame corner building went up; its architect and builder are unknown.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
4. 1913

   The one-storey corner building was a saloon, then numbered 350 12th Street, with a storage shed next door at 348A.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
5. 1950–1975

   From about the 1950s to the mid-1970s the corner building housed Buzz’s Shamrock Inn Tavern; it then stood empty until 1980.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
6. 1982

   The San Francisco Eagle, a leather bar, opened here in 1982 and traded into the early 1990s.

   Damon Scott for the Friends of 1800, Sexing the City: The Development of Sexual Identity Based Subcultures in San Francisco, 1933–1979, historic context statement, San Francisco Planning Department, adopted 2004
7. 1983

   Work began on enlarging the bar with its open-air patio, with the patio trough urinal built at about the same time.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
8. 1983

   A beer bust here raised money for the documentary that became The Times of Harvey Milk, which won the Academy Award for best documentary in 1985.

   SF Planning, landmark designation
9. Feb 1983

   Permit 8301028 $$$ $1,000

   Additions alterations or repairs.

10. 1985

    The Bare Chest Calendar contest moved here from the closed Arena bar and was turned into an AIDS charity fundraiser; it stayed until 1999.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
11. 1985

    Tom of Finland attended an AIDS fundraiser here at which his work was shown, signed and auctioned; he returned in 1988 for a benefit for the Tom of Finland Foundation.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
12. 1986

    The bar held a fundraiser for Pat Norman, the first African-American lesbian to run for the Board of Supervisors, raising $1,500.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
13. Dec 1997

    Filing Permit 9725360 $$$ $6,500

    Alter bar location.

14. 1998

    The bar changed hands and was renamed the Eagle Tavern, the sale requiring that “Eagle” stay in the name.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
15. 1999

    Thursday Night Live, a weekly rock and punk night, replaced the Bare Chest Calendar contests, which moved to the Powerhouse; bands such as Pansy Division played here often.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
16. May 31, 2011

    The Eagle Tavern closed, and much of its interior lighting and artwork was moved to the Hole in the Wall Saloon on Folsom Street.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
17. 2012–2013

    New owners bought the bar and brought the building up to code, with structural and electrical upgrades, removal of the horseshoe bar, an accessible bathroom and entrance, and a new roof, before reopening it as the SF Eagle.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
18. Oct 2012

    Permit 201210051482 $$$ $118,000

    Comply with complaint# 201217661-ada upgrades to main entrance, path of travel & restrooms. new lighting.

19. Dec 2012

    Permit 201212075686 $$$ $5,800

    Repair roof structure and install plywood sheathing. 1)sister new larger lumber to existing rafters. 2)add plywood shear on outside of roof.

20. 2013

    A tall metal flagpole flying the Leather flag was put up on the patio after the flag stopped being displayed at the Castro Muni station.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
21. April 24, 2017

    The San Francisco Eagle was entered on the city’s Legacy Business Registry.

    SF Planning, landmark designation
22. Oct 2020

    Permit 202010217065 $$$ $25,000

    Remodel existing kitchen of existing bar/restaurant to serve expanded menu of food. remove & replace with new grease producing appliances, new hood/exhaust, new roof fan. new walk-in fridge. new ul300 ansul fire protection system under sep permit.

23. Apr 2021

    Issued Permit 202104057921 $$$ $1

    Changing floor ref permit application 201210051482.

24. Aug 2021

    Permit 202108126278 $$$ $1,300

    Installation of new ul300 ansul r102 hood and duct fire suppression system.

25. October 19, 2021

    Designated San Francisco Landmark No. 295, San Francisco Eagle Bar.

    SF Planning, landmark designation

2 nominal $1 street-space or sidewalk permits are omitted from the timeline. 4 expired or cancelled permits are not shown. The Eagle's opening is dated both 1982 and 8 April 1981, with a grand opening on 12–14 May 1981.