Updated Jan 10, 2012. Got an update? Contact me. Thanks to all of you who have emailed with updates! Not interested? Go home. Before you go out to an open mic, call the venue to confirm that it’s happening; if it’s defunct, let me know!
1st Wednesday of every month: Bliss Bar | 4026 24th St. (between Noe St & Castro St) | sign-up at 7, show 7:30-9:30
2nd Thursday of every month: The Wine Bar | Harbor Village Mall, 270 Capistrano Rd., #22, Half Moon Bay | 650-726-0770 | Contact or 650-726-2842.
2nd Thursday of every month: The Oakland COMEDY Slam & Wide-Open-Mic | with local and travelling stand-up comics | The Oasis Restaurant & Bar, 135 12th St (@ Madison), Oakland | $7 before 8:30 / $10 after | All Ages
3rd Thursday of every month: The Encyclopedia Show: Bay Edition, with Poetry, Live Music and Comedy | The Oasis Restaurant & Bar, 135 12th St (@ Madison), Oakland | $7 before 8:30 / $10 after | All Ages
4th Thursday of every month: The Oakland Poetry Slam & Wide-Open-Mic | The Oasis Restaurant & Bar | The Oasis Restaurant & Bar, 135 12th St (@ Madison), Oakland | $7 before 8:30 / $10 after | All Ages
2nd Friday of every month: Berkeley Fellowship Monthly Open Mic | 1924 Cedar Street, Berkeley | (510) 841-4824 | sign up at 6:30, show at 7 | 10 minutes per performer | Featured artist plays for 25 minutes at 8:30 | Suggested donation is $5-10
3rd Friday of every month: West Coast SongwritersSong Competition | Coffee Catz, 6761 Sebastopol Ave., Sebastopol, tel. (707) 829-6600 | Members' original work professionally judged. Prizes | 6:30pm sign-up, 7:00pm perform. Hosts: Ken Risling & Kate Sholl, (707) 799-4349, . Free to public, $4 to perform. Become a member at event.
1st Saturday of every month: Caffe Trieste | 1667 Market Street, San Francisco | (415) 551-1000 | sign up at 4:30, show at 5.
Sunday Night Mic | 1790 Van Ness Ave (at Clay), San Francisco | 5pm - 8pm. FREE. All ages. Twitter: @SundayNightMic
Swig | Blues/Swing/Soul jam | 561 Geary St, San Francisco | Starts around 9. Host Ed Ivey.
The PLACE for Sustainable Living | 1121 64th Street near San Pablo Ave., Oakland | 8pm - midnight | Jam sessions, poetry, performance of types, shapes, sounds and forms… Free, all ages. 4 input PA system on the premises.
Hotel Utah | 500 4th St. at Bryant, South of Market, San Francisco | 415-546-6300 | Put your name in the hat by 7:30; performance order is picked out of the hat between 7:30-8:00 pm. A popular and well-attended open mic, you will be allowed to play just one song. The roster usually stretches over 40 performers. If your number is higher than 20, you'll probably be playing late (after midnight).
The Riptide | 3639 Taraval @ 47th Avenue, San Francisco | 415-681-TIDE | Solo, duos, small groups… just bring your instrument and sing! Sign-up 8:30, music 9:00. And they have a piano...
50 Mason Social House | 50 Mason Street @ Market, one block west of Powell BART, San Francisco | sign up at 8pm, music at 9 | A large space with good stage and PA system | Host Andrew Freeman and Ed Ivey
Bear's Lair at UC Berkeley | 2475 Bancroft Way @ Telegraph, Berkeley | 510-843-5247 | show 8:00
The Freight & Salvage | site | 1111 Addison Street, Berkeley | signup 7:30 | 510-548-1761 | $4.50 cover charge
Finnegan's Marin | 877 Grant Ave., Novato, CA 94945 | Sign up 7-7:30, show @ 8pm. 2 songs per performer | Attracts performers at all stages of their careers for 4 years!: from seasoned veterans to first-timers. | Host KC Turner
Peri's Silver Dollar Salon | 29 Broadway, Fairfax | 415-721-4086 | Show at 9pm | Host Mike McShea
19 Broadway | 19 Broadway, Fairfax | 415-459-1091 | Show at 9:30pm | Host Derek Smith
Brainwash | 1122 Folsom Street, San Francisco | Tuesday Acoustic Open Mic | Signups are at 6:45 | Every Tuesday, except the last of the month
Jack’s Club | 2545 24th Street (at Utah), San Francisco | 415-641-5371 | Comedians sign up at 7:30, comedy show from 8pm - 9pm (depends on comedian turnout). Sign up at 8:30, music at 9. 3 songs, and the list will recycle if you want to play more).
Red Devil Lounge | 1695 Polk Street |
San Francisco | 415-921-1695 | Doors/sign up at 7, music at 7:15. 2 songs each. Featured performer plays 9-9:30. $2 cover. 21+. You must be present to sign up. Host KCTurner.
Ireland's 32 | 3920 Geary Blvd at 3rd Ave | San Francisco | 415-386-6173 | sign-ups at 8, show at 9.
The Freight & Salvage | site | 1111 Addison Street, Berkeley | sign up at 7:30 | 510-548-1761 | $4.50 cover charge
Starry Plough (almost every week) | 3101 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley | 510-841-2082 | show at 7:30
Eli’s Mile High Club | 3629 Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, Oakland | 510-428-1935 | Host Scott Duncan | Blues jam.
No Name Bar | 757 Bridgeway, Sausalito | 415-332-1392 | Sign up at 7:30, show at 8 | Host Damir
Jasper O'Farrell's | 6957 Sebastopol Avenue, Sebastopol | 707-829-2062 | MC Steve Horton claims that this is the oldest open mic in Sonoma County — 15 years running. Big stage, drums, bass & guitar to use (or players to accompany you, if you like); spoken word or magic acts are welcome and encouraged. | Signup: 8pm, Show: 8.30pm 'til 1am (sometimes later). Terms: 1 - 3 songs, depending on the crowd.
The Creamery | 685 Fourth Street @ Townsend, SoMa, San Francisco | 7-9pm |
We have a simple PA and 4 inputs.
3 songs per act (time permitting).
Creamery serves food, bar (beer & wine), espresso bar.
Rockit Room | 406 Clement Street @ 5th Avenue, San Francisco | Sign up at 7:30, show at 8:15 | 2 songs each (sometimes 3). Featured artist at 9:30 for 30 minutes. Performances are professionally recorded, and the artist is sent the MP3. No cover, awesome drink deals. Host Tris Buckley.
Melt Cafe | 700 Columbus Avenue at Filbert, North Beach, San Francisco | 8-10pm
Triangle Lounge | 3231 Fillmore St. (Lombard and Greenwich), San Francisco | 415-567-4004 | sign up at 8, show at 8:30 pm, usually ends around midnight | Host Erik Alan
The Mayflower Inn | 1533 4th, San Rafael | 415-456-1011 | show 7:30
Max's Cafe | 60 Madera Boulevard, Corte Madera, CA | Sign up @ 7pm; - show @ 7:30pm | all ages, house PA, 2 songs per performer| host KC Turner
Pat's Bar | Wednesday Blues Jam | 1517 Franklin St. at 14th, Oakland | 510-452-3338 | 8 to 12 midnight
Missouri Lounge | 2600 San Pablo Avenue @ Parker, Berkeley | 510-548-2080 | Host Paul Pot | sign up at 7:30 | Founded in 1953, the Missouri is one of the last standing Berkeley dive bars along the San Pablo Avenue corridor. It's got a full bar, pool table, big-ass TV, and fresh coat of paint.
BEC’s Bar & Bistro | 2271 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley | 510-647-1790 | 8pm to closing. Performers receive a free beer if they bring friends =)
Angelica’s Bistro | 863 Main Street, Redwood City | 650-365-322 | 7-10pm
Sacred Grounds Coffee House | 2095 Hayes St @ Cole, San Francisco | sign up @ 6:30, show from 7-10 | Originals & public domain only, no covers!
Southwest corner of 16th & Mission, San Francisco | near the BART entrance — right on the sidewalk | Usually gets going between 9:30-10pm and lasts until midnight. Musicians, MCs, poets, etc. No sign-up sheet, and no time limit. This is a completely democratic and unique outdoor venue. More info at 16thmission.com
Bazaar Cafe | site | 5927 California Street, San Francisco | 415-831-5620 | show at 7
Dallimonti's Restaurant | 1932 Oak Park Blvd., Pleasant Hill | 925-944-5224 | Host: Steve Star | Show at 8:30pm until midnight. Guitars & amps available.
Cafe International | site | 508 Haight Street, San Francisco | 415-552-7390 | sign-ups at 6-7:30; show at 7:30. A feature plays at 9 for 30 minutes, and everyone gets to play 2 songs. No covers.
Nothing. Really!?
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