Ace Cafe

The Armory Club, A New Bar From Kink.com, Revealed

— By Kevin Montgomery (@kevinmonty) |

After Kink.com evicted the beloved Ace Cafe a year ago by jacking up the rent, described as “a real dickish sitch” at the time, they slowly got to work renovating the spot.  Rumors that the porn factory is converting the old biker bar into a cocktail lounge appears to be true: they dropped the plywood surrounding the building a few days ago to reveal a sleek slate-covered exterior and other amenities unknown to the old Ace Cafe, like windows.

Our friend Stephanie, who swung in yesterday and chatted with a construction worker, tells us it'll be called “The Armory Club,” is pretty damn dark inside, and doesn't look a whole lot like the old place.  The onsite worker didn't know exactly when it would be opened, but he seemed to think it would be soon.

Unfortunately, there were no stripper poles, chains, or dildo chandeliers found inside.

Previously on Uptown Almanac: 

Ace Cafe Gets Booted By Kink.com

— By Kevin Montgomery (@kevinmonty) |

I know this is somewhat old news, but feel free to read on anyway.  After leaving Broke-Ass Stuart's party last night, I figured I'd swing into Ace Cafe for a Dirty Hippie on dutch crunch with a healthy side of onion rings and cold beer.  Imagine my horror as I walked up to a locked gate on the door of one of the Mission's best bar n' grills and a renovation permit application notice slapped up on the window.

From a friend with a grip of knowledge of the local bar scene:

Kink owns the spot and raised the rent to some exorbitant figure. They tried to negotiate, but no go. Heard it was a real dickish sitch. And it's probably just going to be another porn set.

I loved that place too.  Those blue cheese fries and Elvira pinball will definitely be missed.

Some cursory googling backs this claim up and suggests the owners have been looking for a new location for the past few months.  The permits on the side of the building don't specify if the space will remain a bar or become a private porn set; regardless, I doubt anyone will be eating a mean helping of garlic and cheese fries at 14th and Mission anytime soon.

[Photo via Mapjack]