Haute Top 5: Social Clubs in San Francisco 2017

Ever wonder what the gorgeous brownstone at the top of Nob Hill is home to? The Pacific Union Club, which was founded in 1852. The magnificent structure survived the 1906 earthquake and is now the exclusive clubhouse to the PU. Note that women are not allowed in most spaces in the building and must be invited by their husbands. Other than that little is really known about the super secretive club. One thing is for certain: when we get an invite, we’re not turning it down!

Another old school men’s club, the Bohemian was founded in 1872 and is a regular meeting place for artists, musicians, journalists, entrepreneurs, and businessmen. There is a clubhouse in Union Square and a retreat, known as the Bohemian Grove, in Sonoma County. The club motto is “weaving spiders come not here” and this means that business deals are meant to be left outside. Trevor Traina is rumored to be a member.

Villa Taverna is a relatively new club: it was started in 1958 and is located on a small street, Hotaling Place, in Jackson Square. The club has 460 members including Richard Blum and Dianne Feinstein, Gordon and Ann Getty, and George and Charlotte Shultz. It’s a simple, no frills club that has a great dining room and is only open for lunch during the week. Occasionally there are themed dinners. One of the club’s rules is that it’s strictly for social purposes, which means no business is allowed.

The Olympic Club is an athletic club established in 1860. It has three golf courses, a city clubhouse downtown, and a lakeside clubhouse in Daly City. The Lake, Ocean, and Cliffs golf courses are some of the most beautiful places to play a round in the world—as long as it’s not foggy. The Lake Course hosted the 2012 U.S. Open.

The most recent club to take the San Francisco social scene by storm is the Battery. From tech power couple Xochi and Michael Birch, the private club in Jackson Square has multiple dining experiences, a gym, a hotel, and extensive programing. If you’re into wine tastings, concerts, and interesting talks, this is the club for you. Plus, the rooftop penthouse is one of the best event spaces in the city.