The Knockout

Family-owned since 2005, this Outer Mission dive bar has become a cornerstone of San Francisco's punk scene with an anything-goes ethos that draws everything from garage bands to hip-hop DJs, drag shows to Simpsons trivia. The 132-capacity room at Mission and Fair has hosted early shows from the Black Lips, King Khan and BBQ Show, and Jay Reatard, while nurturing countless local acts. Co-owner John Segura, who cut his teeth at the Elbo Room in the 90s, built the venue with his family before Fred Schrunk (who runs neighboring Thrillhouse Records) joined as co-owner in 2018. The calendar might be the city's most diverse, often featuring two events nightly, from Motown Monday and Teenage Dance Craze to Booty Basement hip-hop nights. The gritty, graffiti-covered space has seen drummers crowd-surf with their kits and, yes, a motorcycle drive through the bar. Seven nights a week, the Knockout keeps the danger in live music.