Went here for a friend's show one night a while back. It was a great little venue downstairs, not over crowded, and just the right amount of people. The drinks were strong, as I def remember stumbling out of there and up those steep steps (how I remember, I do not know). Anywho, the sounds system was OK, overall a great layout and place ot see some local and bigger bands

Cafe du Nord is a great smaller venue with excellent sound. The artists they book have an impressive ability to draw crowds on any night of the week, so the house was packed on a Monday night for Matt and Kim. Shows seem to run around $10 at the door, and may sell out before the show starts depending upon the act. They tend to start a little late, but hey, this is San Francisco...I've learned to expect nothing less.

Low ceilings complete with metal-bladed ceiling fans make crowdsurfing potentially deadly, but that didn't stop a few people (and Matt himself) from trying. A rowdy, high-energy crowd is a bonus for me when I catch a show, and the 15 beers on tap (priced $3-$5 with a $20 credit card minimum) certainly delivered. No encore and people cleared out quickly afterwards, so it was easy to chat with the band.

The ambiance of the bar area at Cafe du Nord reminded my friend and I a bit of a speakeasy, with steep stairs descending into a basement complete with a solid, well-worn bar and dark carved wood pillars holding up mirror-backed shelves containing hundreds of liquor bottles. Food smelled quite good, but I opted to drink my dinner instead (because everyone knows that's a brilliant idea :P). The concert floor is directly adjacent, but you can still hear each other over the music in the bar area if you're not that interested in the opening act.

Definitely check out your favorite bands if they play at Cafe du Nord. You won't be disappointed.

Though it was always too smokey when I lived nearby, I still went to see great unknown talent at this terrific venue anyway.  Now that there's oxygen in the rooms,  it must be about perfect.

My favorite live music venue in San Francisco, next to the Fillmore. Cool underground, speakeasy feel, plush coaches, pool table, good food, and most importantly, fantastic bands in an intimate setting. I try and get to this place a couple times a month.

My favorite place to see live bands in the city. Love the cotton club decor. I've seen a lot of bands break here.