El Rio, at 3158 Mission St., on Saturday, April 3, 2021, in San Francisco.
Yalonda M. James/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images
Up until this year, the bathrooms at Mission District dive bar El Rio were to be dreaded, not celebrated (read: very long lines). But in March, the 45-year-old LGBTQ bar unveiled a stylish renovation, complete with three new toilets — and now, they’re getting some recognition.
El Rio is a finalist for the 2023 America’s Best Restroom contest, sponsored by Ohio-based restroom supplies company Cintas, as first spotted by the San Francisco Standard. This is the 22nd year of the contest. In the press release announcing the 10 finalists this year, Cintas praised El Rio’s “two new dazzling restrooms: one ADA accessible and an adjacent two-stall stunner.”
The restrooms were designed by Maryam Rostami and Kate Thorson at TEF Design, funded in part by donors through a GoFundMe campaign.
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“Evoking a futuristic Tokyo-bound subway, they feature brightly colored and patterned tile and paint, backlit mirrors — including a full-length version with multiple lighting options — and sleek and modern sinks and fixtures,” said the press release.
The new restrooms at El Rio were unveiled earlier this year (Mikiko Kikuyama Photography/Courtesy of El Rio).
The new restrooms at El Rio were unveiled earlier this year (Mikiko Kikuyama Photography/Courtesy of El Rio).
“The idea was, if we were going to do it, let’s make them beautiful,” El Rio owner Lynne Angel told SFGATE over email. “Maryam and Kate ensured that happened from plans to completion. The Cintas nomination is icing on the cake. If others like our new bathrooms as much as we do then that’s fantastic. We can’t help it! They look great!”
El Rio’s competitors for the best restroom title include the sleek stalls at the Baltimore/Washington International Airport and an Alice in Wonderland-themed restaurant bathroom in Greenville, South Carolina. Last year’s winner was the spacious, modern restrooms at the Tampa International Airport. The 2023 finalists were released on July 11, and the public has through Aug. 11 to vote for their favorite.
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This story was updated at 1:50 p.m. on Aug. 1 to include comment from El Rio as well as photos of the restrooms.
