Bay Area Mardi Gras Hot Spots

Town Hall
342 Howard Street
San Francisco, Ca
(415) 908-3900
Town Hall

Town Hall's Fat Tuesday celebration is a nonstop evening of food, drink and live music that many have dubbed the best Mardi Grad celebration outside the Big Easy. The evening kicks off at 6pm with unlimited buttermilk fried chicken, etouffee, gumbo, oysters, BBQ shrimp, jalapeno cornbread, Abita beer, Hurricanes and Caipirinhas. Featuring live music from D'Amphibians, you can get your face painted and a balloon animal of Harry Connick Jr. (kidding, Harry) with your $60 advance ticket. Buy early, bargain hunters. Tickets at the door are $75.

San Francisco's Fillmore District
1290 Fillmore Street
San Francisco, CA
Mardi Gras San Francisco

San Francisco historic Fillmore District is your ground zero for Mardi Gras West! The 5th Annual Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball and Fundraiser has become a 4-day celebration of music and tradition with kick-off activities on Saturday, March 5th, culminating with annual Masquerade Ball on Fat Tuesday, March 8th. "The Fat Tuesday" Ball features Lloyd Gregory, a DJ, dancing, dinner, beverage, a $300 prize for best costume and a silent auction with all proceeds from Mardi Gras benefiting The Village Project's summer programs for children. Get the party started on Saturday at noon with The Jah Summit Band (Reggae) jugglers, stilt-walkers, and a kiddies carnival, followed by a movie screening of "Flags, Feathers and Lies." Sunday's soiree starts at 3pm with a New Orleans style processional from the John Coltrane Church (1286 Fillmore) going up Fillmore Street to the historic Bop City club. Monday night features a pre-Masquerade jam session and open mic at Rasselas Jazz Club. And finally, the fifth Annual Mardi Gras Masquerade Ball at the West Bay Conference Center is the crown jewel of Fat Tuesday, which also includes live music at the Fillmore plaza, street artists and performers, a final festive processional, and food/drink specials offered by numerous Fillmore Restaurants and clubs. A mere $45.00 covers all events. Whoa.

Ruby Skye
420 Mason Street
San Francisco, CA
(415) 693-0777
Ruby Skye

The Friday and Saturday preceding the actual Fat Tuesday means San Francisco's super-club, Ruby Skye transforms itself into Bourbon Street. Ruby really goes all out for mardi gras. It's kinda their "thing." Park yourself at a "Hurricane Station" and watch acrobats fly through the club, dazzling the raunchy revelers. A $40 weekend pass gets you in both nights. Sure, Ruby Sky is a little more 'Night at the Roxbury' than you might prefer, but it's Mardi Gras baby! Voulez vous coucher avec moi?

Roux Louisiana Kitchen
3055 Olin Avenue
San Jose, CA
(408) 249-8000
Roux Louisiana Kitchen

It's Mardi Gras all year long at San Jose hotspot, Roux. The sultry ambiance of Roux evokes the unique experience of wandering through New Orleans' fabled French Quarter. Guests sip Dixie Beer and Hurricane cocktails while snacking on crawfish or crab cakes at comfortable seating in the lounge, while tables spill out onto the sidewalk that, with a little imagination, feels a bit like Bourbon Street. This year, celebrate Mardi Gras at Roux with delicious drink specials, DJs spinning the latest hits and authentic Louisiana appetizers.

Miss Pearl's Jam House
1 Broadway
Oakland, Ca
(510) 444-7171
Miss Pearl's Jam House

Miss Pearl's Jam House celebrates Mardi Gras Louisiana style. This five day celebration begins Friday, March 4th until Fat Tuesday, March 8th. Come enjoy live music, Southern comfort food, a gumbo throwdown, giveaways, daiquiris, Hurricanes, and other Happy Hour specials. This five day event kicks off at sunset on Friday (3/4) with the David Landon Blues Band till 11pm. Saturday begins with a gumbo throwdown from 1-4pm, followed by Joey Altman & the Back Burner Blues Band hopping on stage to rock you into the night. Happy Hour lasts all weekend long, getting you to Fat Tuesday. Celebrate official Mardi Gras with the Craig Caffall Band for some steamy soul music and all of the free beads your outfit can handle.