The Knockout

History

The Knockout opened in 2005 at 3223 Mission Street, on the edge of the Mission and Bernal Heights, after John Segura and his family bought the bar. The 1890s storefront had been shops and then a string of bars, including the Red Barn and, from 2000 to 2005, the Odeon. The Knockout kept a cheap, anything-goes booking policy: punk bands, hip-hop DJs, karaoke, comedy, drag, trivia, and theme nights. Co-owner Fred Schrunk’s group took over operations in 2018 and kept it a live-music dive rather than a craft-cocktail bar.