Letter to Editor: Gene’s Bar in San Francisco

South San Francisco, CA  April 8, 2021  by Deborah McGrath

There was a questioned posted from someone in Italy asking about Gene’s Bar in San Francisco, and I’m a year late but here is some information:

Gene’s formerly 5160 Mission Street, near Geneva, Outer Mission/Crocker Amazon

 

I grew up in the Excelsior District. My brothers and sister and I went to grammar school with all of the Balma kids at the now-defunct Corpus Christi Grammar School.

 

Their dad, Gene Balma, ran the only bar I remember seeing my mother frequent regularly. Was Mom fond of the booze? Quite the contrary. Mrs. Cruz was as close to being a teetotaler as you would ever meet. But she went to Gene’s almost every week.

 

For one reason: Gene made The. Best. Roast. Beef. Sandwich. Ever.

 

Seriously. We would park in the lot behind the Bank of America, use the back entrance of the bar, and Mom would have us sit patiently, among the incredible collection of figural liquor bottles that Gene had displayed, while he would cut fresh Sourdough hard rolls, dip them in his secret ingredient au jus, and pile on the thinly-shaved beef. Wrapped in wax paper, we almost couldn’t wait to get them home!

 

Miss you, Mr. Balma! And those sandwiches…

 

The good news? None. It’s currently the office for a Pentecostal church.

Gene’s Bar was located at 5160 Mission Street and is currently serving as a religious office, per google maps 2017

The Cruz family would park in this BofA parking lot and use the back entrance to Gene’s Bar on the right in this google map.
Google –

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The initial letter sent to ESC regarding Gene’s Bar a year ago {Wed, Apr 1, 2020} below.

If anyone has info on Bill Paul aka William Wayne Paul, please let us know.