Fire guts Riptide bar in S.F.’s Outer Sunset

A two-alarm fire broke out at 3633 Taraval St. in San Francisco on August 18, 2015. A two-alarm fire broke out at 3633 Taraval St. in San Francisco on August 18, 2015. Photo: Katherine Alba-Swanson, SFFD Courtesy Photo: Katherine Alba-Swanson, SFFD Courtesy Image 1 of / 13 Caption Close Fire guts Riptide bar in S.F.’s Outer Sunset 1 / 13 Back to Gallery

A two-alarm blaze Tuesday morning tore through a beloved bar in San Francisco’s Outer Sunset, dealing a blow to loyal customers who saw the watering hole as a second home.

The fire at the Riptide bar at 3639 Taraval St., a popular hangout for locals and surfers, broke out around 10:15 a.m. and within 90 minutes it was gutted, fire officials said.

“It was a home. Everyone came here,” said Alisha Liscinsky, general manager of the bar, between 46th and 47th avenues.

The fire, about three blocks north of the San Francisco Zoo, ripped through the bar and also damaged the Great Highway Market next door before it was brought under control around 11:45 a.m., fire officials said.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Fire officials said the blaze caused more than $1 million in damage to the bar and neighboring market.

Standing outside the bar surveying the damage, owners David Quinby and Les James lamented their loss. The men said the bar, which they have owned for around 11 years, was full of antiques and keepsakes, including a wooden sculpture of a Barbary Coast mermaid and an album autographed by Johnny Cash.

“We’ll rebuild. We have to,” said James, adding that local musicians who have played at the bar have offered to organize a benefit to help them rise from the ashes.

The Riptide sustained roughly $600,000 in damage, according to a preliminary estimate by the Fire Department, and the market was facing a similar estimate, but with the majority of the losses coming from damaged merchandise.

Sean Carberry, a 42-year-old regular Riptide customer who lives nearby, said the tavern is an “institution” for the neighborhood.

“The people that go there are like family. All the surfers, artists, musicians — it’s kind of a home away from home for a lot of people. It’s a really, really special place for the neighborhood,” said Carberry, adding that the bar was the first place he’d take visitors to “give them a taste of the neighborhood.”

“The vibe there was always very special, warm and comforting,” he said.

Jean Fontana, 37, manager of the Riptide, said she showed up for work just after 10 a.m. Tuesday and when she opened the door she saw smoke and flames inside. She immediately called 911.

Fontana said that if the bar doesn’t reopen it will be a major loss to local musicians and the community at large, which has benefited from fundraisers thrown for various causes at the establishment.

“That’s how important this bar is to people,” Fontana said. “They’ve done a lot for this community.”

Regular patron J.B. Roth took one look at the damage and said, “I’m devastated.”

“This was the best bar in San Francisco,” Roth said.

The bar, which regularly hosted music and karaoke events, is in a building that opened in 1941.

San Francisco Muni officials reported a delay on the L-Taraval line due to the fire activity. Regular service resumed around 12:15 p.m.

There were no reports of injuries.

Evan Sernoffsky and Hamed Aleaziz are San Francisco Chronicle staff writers. E-mail: esernoffsky@sfchronicle.com, haleaziz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @EvanSernoffsky, @Haleaziz