OASIS

📍 💰 $$

The Verdict

"A SoMa performance venue known for drag shows, comedy, and cabaret. The space is big enough for a real production but small enough to feel personal. Their drag brunches are popular, so book ahead. The bar stays open late after shows."

What you need to know

OASIS opened in 2015 in SoMa as a drag and cabaret venue. It was started by D’Arcy Drollinger, who also stars in many of the productions. The space hosts drag shows, comedy, burlesque, theater, bingo nights, and themed dance parties. It’s the closest thing San Francisco has to a dedicated cabaret theater.

What to Expect

The venue has a full stage, theater lighting, and proper sound. This isn’t a bar that happens to have drag performers. The productions are scripted and rehearsed, with costumes, sets, and original material. Some shows run for weeks or months. Others are one night events.

The weekly calendar is packed. Bingo night, comedy shows, themed parties, and rotating theatrical productions fill most evenings. The crowd is predominantly queer and allied, and the atmosphere is welcoming in a way that feels genuine rather than performative. Expect audience participation at most events.

Visiting

298 Eleventh Street, SoMa. Cover and ticket prices vary by event, typically $15 to $40. Theatrical productions with reserved seating are at the higher end. The venue has a full bar. No kitchen, but food trucks sometimes park outside for events.

The SoMa block is industrial and quiet between events. You’re coming here for the specific show, not to wander the neighborhood.

Getting There

No great transit option. The 12 Folsom bus runs a few blocks away. Civic Center BART is about a 15 minute walk. Rideshare is the most common way people get here. Street parking on the surrounding SoMa blocks is generally available in the evenings.

Skip this if you’re uncomfortable with audience interaction or explicit humor. The shows are R rated and the hosts will talk to you.

More Things to Do Nearby

SOMArts Cultural Center

SoMa

A SoMa cultural center with rotating art exhibitions, performances, and community events. Many shows are free. The main gallery space is large enough for ambitious installations. Check their calendar for opening receptions, which are lively and social.

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts
Yerba Buena Center For The Arts

Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

SoMa

A SoMa arts center with galleries, a theater, and a forum for public programs. Many exhibitions and events are free. The building itself is worth a visit for the architecture. Check their calendar for film screenings and panel discussions alongside the visual art shows.

Alonzo King LINES Ballet

SoMa

One of the most respected contemporary ballet companies in the country. Performances at YBCA and other Bay Area theaters. Tickets $30 to $95. Check the season schedule online. The technique blends classical ballet with global influences.

Museum

SFMOMA

SoMa

Start on the top floor and work down. The free first-floor gallery is good but the real collection is upstairs. Thursday evenings are less crowded.

DNA Lounge

SoMa

SF's legendary SoMa club has two rooms and programs everything from punk to goth to dance nights. Death Guild on Mondays is a city institution. The main room has a balcony with decent views. Lines form early for popular events, so arrive before doors.

Bindlestiff Studio

SoMa

A tiny SoMa black box theater run by and for Filipino American artists. Shows are raw, personal, and unlike anything else in the city. Tickets are usually under $20. The space seats maybe 60 people, so book ahead.