Bar on Castro, San Francisco, California (closed 2009)

Part of a mild revival the Castro experienced in the early '00s, the Bar on Castro took over a fairly drab neighborhood joint and became an enjoyable, eclectic cocktail lounge following a pleasing makeover. Early in 2009, owner Greg Bronstein closed the place and opened a swish, hip new gay bar over at 198 Church Street, in the old Transfer space - it's called Bar on Church, keeping the older bar's initials, BOC.