There are few musicians today quite like Janis Joplin. While modern artists such as Taylor Swift attract mass audiences, the cultural landscape that defined Joplin’s era was very different.
Scholars writing for Cambridge University Press have noted that music in the 1960s and 1970s (especially rock) was deeply linked to identity, activism, and social change. These motives are not often seen in today’s global music culture.
During that era, rock musicians frequently gathered at restaurants near major entertainment districts, including Los Angeles’ Sunset Strip and London’s Mayfair, especially while touring or recording. The food and music industries were deeply intertwined, with restaurants often serving as informal cultural hubs.
“Food, transportation, and the entertainment industry are all indelible parts of the fabric of the urban setting. They underpin cities such as Nashville, Dallas, New York City, and Austin for being leading host sites of country music events,” according to a 2023 study published in the journal Urban Informatics by Springer Nature.
Restaurants tied to rock culture, such as Hard Rock Cafe, often feature a variety of music memorabilia as part of their identity. This has led diners to become cultural and community landmarks.
Today, however, both the hospitality industry and many historic music-adjacent establishments face mounting challenges. Rising rents, higher labor and food costs, and shifts in consumer behavior have made survival increasingly difficult.
That reality has now claimed one of the most legendary venues associated with rock’s counterculture era.
Trident, a historic waterfront restaurant in Sausalito, Calif., often frequented by icons such as Janis Joplin, the Rolling Stones, and Jerry Garcia, has permanently closed after 127 years in operation.
TheTrident, a landmark San Francisco-area restaurant that served stars such as Janis Joplin and the Rolling Stones, closes forever.
spatuletail/Shutterstock.com
Legendary San Francisco-area restaurant, The Trident, closes after 127 years
The Trident, a Sausalito waterfront staple and 1960s counterculture destination for musicians including Janis Joplin, permanently closed on New Year’s Eve 2025, reported the San Francisco Chronicle.
The legendary restaurant’s history dates back to 1898, when the Bay Area was the site of the San Francisco Yacht Club. It is located on the Sausalito Waterfront at 558 Bridgeway, Sausalito, California.
The eatery underwent several changes throughout its more than century-long history.
After decades of serving as the yacht club’s venue for events and galas, the building turned into a jazz club, writes SFGate.
A key moment for The Trident was its change of ownership, when it was acquired by the famed folk band the Kingston Trio. In the 1960s, as the counterculture movement grew in San Francisco, the restaurant was symbolically renamed The Trident.
Why is The Trident restaurant closing?
Bob Freeman, owner of the restaurant and the building, was trying to sell the property, but the sale fell through. As costs grew and sales faded, Freeman was left with no choice but to close the place for good.
“Since the pandemic… Sausalito has semi-kicked back, but it hasn’t come back the way it was. We don’t see as many tourists as we used to,” Freeman told The San Francisco Chronicle. “It used to be bustling with people.”
The City of Sausalito owns the land where The Trident’s parking is based, which is probably one of the reasons sales failed, according to Freeman. The restaurant struggled and started falling behind on rent.
“It is with heavy heart that we announce the permanent closure of The Trident,” reads the Jan. 2, 2026, post on its website.
“To the generations of guests who have graced our tables, to the vibrant community of Sausalito that embraced us, and to the talented and dedicated employees who were the heart and soul of the restaurant, we offer our deepest and most sincere gratitude. ‘Thank you’ feels inadequate for the decades of shared meals, laughter and memories.”
In the post, the restaurant also explains that it was close to finalizing the deal that could have saved it, but that it failed due to a “breakdown in negotiations with the City of Sausalito and a challenging operating environment.”
The Trident’s signature cocktail amazed Keith Richards and became a sensation
Many music icons of that time, and occasionally movie stars like Clint Eastwood, visited The Trident. Janis Joplin reportedly came so often that she had her own regular table.
During one visit from the Rolling Stones, Trident bartender Bobby Lazoff made his signature cocktail and served it to Keith Richards.
“The Stones were really hard to handle, so Bill [Graham] made arrangements to bring them into The Trident for a secure, intimate party. Keith Richards walked up to the bar and asked for a margarita, and I said, ‘Hey, have you ever tried this drink?’ And he went ‘Alcohol? I’ll try it.’ So I poured him the tequila sunrise, and you could sort of see the light go on in his head,” Lazoff said on The Trident’s website.
Related: Banana Republic, Tommy Bahama, other retailers exit popular mall
The then-bartender explained that the Rolling Stones picked it up and took it across the country, calling their tour the “cocaine and tequila sunrise tour.” Later, the Eagles released the song “Just Another Tequila Sunrise,” Lazoff added.
Keith Richards credited Lazoff for inventing the modern version of the Tequila Sunrise cocktail in his autobiography “Life,” and National Geographic also documented the story.
“There’s a lot of ancient history,” Freeman told The San Francisco Chronicle. “We tried to keep that alive.”
In the post-pandemic era, sales slid. A higher minimum wage taking effect in 2026, along with many other costs, added to the strain.
“Every other expense is up and sales are down and those two don’t work out together,” Freeman said. “It is a sad chapter for Sausalito.”
Trident restaurant historic timeline
- 1898: Building established as part of the San Francisco Yacht Club on the Sausalito waterfront (558 Bridgeway, Sausalito, CA).
- Early 1900s-1950s: Hosted yacht club events, galas, and social gatherings.
- 1960s: Acquired by the Kingston Trio, renamed The Trident, becoming a hub for 1960s counterculture and musicians.
- 1960s-1970s: Frequently visited by icons including Janis Joplin, the Rolling Stones, and Jerry Garcia. Bartender Bobby Lazoff invents the modern Tequila Sunrise cocktail, popularized by Keith Richards.
- 1970s-2000s: Operated as a music-adjacent, historic restaurant and cultural landmark on the Sausalito waterfront.
- Post-pandemic era: Visitor numbers decline; rising costs and lease challenges begin to affect operations.
- 2026, permanent closure announced: Failed property sale, rising costs, and challenging operating environment cited as challenges.
Many other historic bars, restaurants that lasted decades have closed
I previously wrote about Hawaii’s oldest bar, Smith’s Union Bar, which closed after 97 years. The bar had a significant history and was known as the “official watering hole of the USS Arizona.” The USS Arizona sank during the Japanese attack on the naval base at Pearl Harbor, Oahu island, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941.
At the time, Smith’s was the hottest bar in town, and was frequented by celebrities including old-time boxers such as Carl “Bo Bo” Olsen.
The bar’s historic significance was not enough to survive challenging economic times.
I also recently wrote about an iconic steakhouse in San Ramon, California, The Brass Door, that closed for good on Christmas Eve after failing to secure a lease.
It is quite depressing seeing and writing about so many legendary places that managed to survive decades or even a century of various challenges. During that period, these hospitality establishments had to weather several recessions, periods of high inflation, ownership changes, major labor-market shifts, changing food trends, the Covid pandemic, and technology revolutions.
When a business manages to survive all these tests, it is a testament to its value, high-quality service, and loyal customer base. Unfortunately, many iconic restaurants and cafes have recently surrendered for good.
It remains unknown what will happen to The Trident location after the closure.