The World Famous Turf Club - Hayward

First of all, I would give the Turf Club 5 stars for the very nice patio, the sound system and a lot of the musical entertainment. Being a retired couple on a more or less fixed income, the Turf Club is pricey. The beers cost more than any other place we go to. Now there is a $5 door cover charge on top of the higher prices. I hope the band gets this money, but I wouldn't count on it. We used to stop by and have a beer and listen to a few tunes, but now, with the cover, we don't go any more unless it's a band we really like (no more checking out new bands) and we plan on staying a while. They probably make some money with the cover charge, but I know they lose some, too. I'm sure they're doing okay and they don't miss people like us, but, with the current economy, a lot of people have to be selective about how and where they spend their money.

Absolutely love going to Hayward's world famous turf club on the last Sunday of the month for the GAG drag show! Attending this show has become the highlight of each month. It is such a fun show put on by two exceedingly funny hosts. The show starts at 9:30 and ends around 11:30, with an intermission that allows everyone time to get refills and the performers to have a dressing room change. The show is entertaining, funny, and full of love. I love using it as a way to reconnect with my friends and have fun at the end of every month. I can tell that the performers love what they do and put a lot of thought into each performance. The only critique I have is for the actual bar. When I attended the last GAG show my friend was asked to finish her drink or they would take the glass away.. this was because they ran out of glassware to use to serve other customers. I found it extremely unprofessional to ask someone who paid for their drink to pressure them to finish it quickly so they could have the cup back. The bar should be better prepared for situations such as that.

A very chill place if you want good company, good drink, and friendliest bartender I highly recommend this place!

Why am I not surprised that Hayward has its own tiki bar? Actually the business here is more multi purpose than pina coladas with pink parasols. It's also a live music venue with a garden terrace area and dance floor. Unsurprisingly they feature karaoke and even bill themselves as a gay bar. Honestly the gay part eluded me and Jamie W., and we should know. It didn't have the vibe of a Midnight Sun or an Oasis and Sylvester wasn't playing on the speakers. But we didn't mind as we came for the cocktails. Sitting on the patio platform, we were surprised we were in the midst of a class reunion out on the patio, and the upside was that a big band orchestra was playing some vintage numbers with some impressive instrumental solos. The cocktail selection was solid with slightly different takes on your typical tiki drinks. Jamie ordered the tropically tantalizing Liquid Sunshine which consisted of Malibu coconut rum, pineapple and orange juice topped with soda (photo: [hidden link] . I went for the Spicy Blackberry Mule with Absolut vodka and a blackberry jalapeño mix (photo: [hidden link] . We were loving the swing music so much that we followed up with a couple of Pina Coladas (photo: [hidden link] . There are billiards, dartboards, video games, and big screen TVs, so you could live here you want. OK, maybe not since they close at 1AM. Jamie and I were just happy we could walk (or more accurately, stagger to the Hayward BART station and avoid driving altogether. COCKTAILS 4 stars...tropical libations that soothed our urban souls AMBIANCE 4 stars...lots of space in here and outside as well SERVICE 3.5 stars...the bartender knew what he was doing TOTAL 4 stars...tiki in Hayward is a good thing RELATED Looking for a tiki bar? Here's a collection of places I've tried and reviewed: [hidden link]

I love Turf club! My first time back after a long hiatus and a lot has changed but quality is still great. My friends and I went tonight for Gag, a drag show. It was so much fun! There was a $5 cover to get in. Guys at the door were great and friendly. Love that they have both indoor and outdoor, as well as a dance floor area. It's nice because usually the areas have different vibes which makes it easier to cater to different folks. When we got there, the live band was finishing up/packing up from their live show. We set at a table outside for a close up of the wonderful drag show. While we were there we ordered a few drinks. They are reasonably priced which is awesome but there is no consistency in how they are made, unfortunately. My first drink was strong and delicious and the second one was all juice and soda. I had to an extra shot just to be able to drink it. ALSO, they have food now. We bought tacos on the back patio. They were 2 for 6 which I thought was a great prices, especially at a bar. They were bbq chicken tacos and they were very flavorful, topped with coleslaw and a pineapple slice. Really good, exceeded my expectations. A fun night out!