By Deno Gellepes 

Ah, the holiday season. 

In my opinion, Thanksgiving is the best holiday there is. No gifts, no pressure to buy the latest tech, or pretend to like what was gifted to you. No child left behind, no account overdrawn, and no obnoxious Christmas music forced upon you by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Just good food, family and friends plus NFL football and some decent red wine. It’s that simple. 

Christmas, of course, is an amazing holiday too, and one of the things I like most about it is the decor that often adorns homes and local businesses. It brings extra warmth to an otherwise cold weather time of year and makes the traditional holiday drinks taste that much sweeter. 

Some folks are fortunate to have an abundance of great friends and family, and others wish they’d never met their families at all. This is why we have bars! This diversity in personal experiences is what gives local bars their unique appeal – they become refuges for all, places where diverse stories and lives can intersect over cocktails, laughter or simply to just get away from it all. 

One recent Friday afternoon exemplified this perfectly. I set out to grab lunch on Balboa Street only to realize that all the high school kids at nearby Washington High had the same idea. Every restaurant, regardless of size, was overflowing with youthful energy and I was out of luck for a quiet lunch. I’d have to wait them out. So, to kill time, I went somewhere the teenagers could only dream of ­– a bar! 

Hockey Haven, with its distinctive pebbledash façade and a storied 70-year history, was calling out my name. Situated in the Balboa Street corridor, opposite the historic Balboa Theater, it’s more than just a bar; it’s a city landmark.”The Haven” (or “The HoHa,” as many often refer to it) is one of only two bars in the Richmond District to have earned the coveted Legacy Business designation (the other is Plough and the Stars) and has been, in its own words, “keeping it local since 1949.” 

As the story goes, Hockey Haven was established in 1949 by Rene Trudell, a former professional hockey player with the New York Rangers. Following the conclusion of his hockey career, Trudell made his way to San Francisco, where he founded the bar at its current location. He eventually passed the bar on to his wife Hilda. It was sold to Josephine Burns in 1989. After nearly three decades, Burns passed the torch to Erin Massey, a dedicated long-term employee, who purchased it in 2018 and continues its storied legacy today. 

Despite its name, Hockey Haven isn’t strictly for hockey die-hards. It actually embraces all local sports teams and is more of a casual sports bar. For example, I’ve typically seen more Giants and Niner jerseys at the bar than I ever have Sharks jerseys, and frankly, the allure of the bar goes well beyond just sports. 

With nine beers on tap, full bar, TVs in every direction, and a stunning back patio that’s deserving of its own story, it’s no wonder locals celebrate everything from birthdays, memorials, and family reunions here. In the main bar area, you’ll find a pool table, cocktail tables, a revered Wall of Fame and a ton of space to wander and mingle. The kitchen, famous for its Monday Steak Night dinners during football season (only $25!), doesn’t keep a regular menu, but outside food is welcome. 

Owner Erin Massey captures the bar’s charm and mission in her Legacy application with the City. 

“It’s the neighborhood’s ‘third place’ – a place apart from home and work to relax, socialize and decompress,” according to the application. “We have always believed that details matter and our locals should always be treated like family. We never just serve a drink here and walk away. That’s not our style.” 

I can personally attest to this, as one thing that I’ve always admired about neighborhood bars like Hockey Haven, is their welcoming nature. It’s evident in the way regulars engage, comfortably expressing their authentic selves each day at the bar with no judgement or harassment from others. 

Case in point: On my recent visit, as I sipped a perfectly crafted Bloody Mary and enjoyed the homemade smoked turkey soup and cookies kindly offered to me and others by bar staff, Regular #1 was spouting off to the bartender about a past life when he used to rub shoulders with the stars. The bartender, you could tell, had heard this one many times before, and probably wanted to give him the Tony Soprano treatment and simply say, “‘Remember when’ is the lowest form of communication” and shuffle off to the next customer, but those words were never uttered. Instead, she listened intently as if it were the first time she’d heard the man’s stories, because that’s how it goes at The Haven. 

Meanwhile, Regular #2 proudly tells everyone that he’s got the day off from his household because “everyone is super-sick.” Immediately sensing everyone’s awkward silence, and natural unwillingness to now engage with him, he uttered the classic refrain, “Well, I mean, I’m not actually sick. It’s just my wife and kids. I actually feel great!” Everyone casually sipped away and continued staring at their phones and nudging their chairs away from him, but the bartender simply said, “We love you anyway!” and gave him a high-five because that’s how it goes at The Haven. 

Finally, Regular #3 was hard at work on the jukebox. He was good. And by good, I mean this guy could jab you with Curtis Mayfield, follow up with another jab of Buffalo Springfield, bob and weave into “Tracks of my Tears” by Smokey Robinson, and then knock you the hell out with “The Lantern” by the Rolling Stones! Nobody in the history of jukeboxes plays “The Lantern” by the Rolling Stones, and even if they tried, they would never have the courage to play it as the finale of a four-shot combo! I had to shake this guy’s hand, and I did so excitedly and bought him a beer because that’s how it goes at The Haven! 

A few years ago, during the early and confusing stages of the pandemic, this very publication ran a story, where Massey and team described the uphill battle they and so many others were going through to stay in business. She spoke fondly of the community that helped keep the bar afloat during those challenging times, and as somebody who’s had Miller High Lifes on the back patio, Irish Coffees at the bar on Sunday mornings, and everything in between at Hockey Haven, I have no doubt that the same Outer Richmond community will continue to support this establishment for many years to come. In fact, I’d bet the bar stools will still be warm when those high school kids finally turn 21. 

Hockey Haven, 3625 Balboa St. Open Monday to Saturday, noon-2 a.m., and Sunday, 10-2 a.m. 415-752-4413.