Osento

The aesthetic is not as pleasing as the baths in Kabuki and sometimes I wonder about the cleanliness, but Osento is real and an easy place to recharge.
I like the outside space — the cold plunge and the deck are a nice added bonus. The bodywork here is excellent and adding it to your sauna and soaking makes for a great self-​care afternoon.

I’ve been going to Osento occasionally for the last decade and a half, and generally really enjoy it. Once in a while, there’ll be a loud group of people, but usually it’s a really mellow place and a good value.
The open air courtyard is what can make Osento more desirable for me than Kabuki or Imperial (where I can sometimes feel a little claustrophobic after all the heat). On a clear, cold day in SF, there’s nothing that really beats getting hot and steamy, then laying out naked on the terrace and watching the clouds go by.

I love being relaxed and not feeling that How much is this gonna cost me. I go when I just want to get myself back. You don’t need to say a word just soak. The Hot sauna is great. It is a wonderful thing when you have time for you.
Be well Bidalia

Listen, if you are high-​maintenance, this is not the place for you. If you like watching chicks lay around buck naked, come one, come all. Especially if you like women who do unnecessary stretching to share their special parts with the world. Ridiculous. Beyond all of this, it’s a perfectly lovely place that feels like your old, rich aunt decided to open a spa in her backyard. Indeed, the saunas are wine barrels, literally. And, indeed the hot tub is fantastically small and you have to perfect the glance where you look through people so as not to stare at their bums. It’s cheap-​ish, reasonably relaxing and kind of an adventure. Bring your towels, ladies.

Why does woman owned and woman-​focused = not aesthetically pleasing and not clean? In order to appreciate my womanliness I have to like sitting in murky water and on moldy tile? No thanks…

Osento feels like one of those steamroom scenes from the movies with the mafioso making some shady deal, except with all women and kinda crunchy.
It doesn’t quite feel entirely clean. It’s not gross or anything, but it’s all kind of old and shabby. Kabuki is much nicer, or Kiva down in Santa Cruz.
The people who worked there were not unfriendly, but they were maybe a bit brusque. Just not as hippie-​loving-​spiritual like you might expect from an all-​women naked hot tub «sanctuary» in San Francisco.
Osento’s transgender policy is based on plumbing. That means that if you identify as a woman but happen to possess your original male parts, you’re not welcome. But if you identify as male but were born a woman, then you can come. Their hot tub carries a «no bathing suits allowed» rule.
Osento is conveniently located in the Mission, and sometimes it’s easier to walk to a slightly grubby hot tub than it is to deal with getting your ass down to Japan Town, only on alternate nights, pay a lot, and wait a long wait to go to Kabuki.

I have not been here in a while but I should really find the time to go here as it is really peaceful and reminds me of being up in the mountains with it’s wooden interior. There is a meditation room, massages available, hot baths for a soak and saunas (cute small) and a cold pool.
It feels like a great get-​a-​way especially if you can’t really get away.

An Absolute Classic.
This is a deeply San Francisco experience — communal, unpretentious, joyful and pleasurable. It’s very woman-​centric, and I feel more comfortable with my body here naked than I do other places clothed! There are women of all shapes and sizes and ages and affiliations, all hanging out and being profoundly relaxed. You can chat with everyone, or you can be blissfully silent and people will leave you be. They have everything you’ll need — massage, hot tub, cold plunge, wet sauna, dry sauna, relaxation room, sun deck — and none of the spa frills you don’t. Don’t worry if you are shy — you’ll be comfortable here, and glad that you took the plunge.

Osento is one of the only women-​owned, women-​run, women-​only businesses I’ve ever encountered in my entire life… and the peaceful vibe I get every time I go there makes me feel all warm and fuzzy afterwards!
Osento has an aura of serenity. Soft music plays in the main room where the lockers are, the pepperminty scent of Dr. Brommers soap is everywhere, and the lighting is gentle and soothing. As other reviewers have mentioned, this is a no-​frills spa… it feels more like a bathhouse set up in your friend’s home: small but cozy, not deluxe, but has everything you need to have a relaxing time…
The Top 10 Reasons To Go To Osento:
1. Women-​only space!
2. Open noon to midnight! This makes my night-​owl self very happy :)
3. Dr. Brommers soap makes you feel clean and tingly!
4. Dyke-​friendly!
5. Size-​friendly!
6. Age-​accepting: women 70 years old and older get in for free!
7. Safe and secure: the front door is locked and the front desk employee has to unlock and allow in whoever is at the door… this is a valuable attribute, given that Osento is located in the Mission.
8. Where else in this city can you go outside to sunbathe nude during the day?!
9. Where else in this city can you be nude outdoors under the stars at night?!
10. When you pay for admission to Osento, you are essentially paying for a day pass… so you can come and go as you please throughout the day, take a nap there, etc.
I recommend bringing your own towel, because the ones they have there are pretty tiny, and will cost you a dollar each to rent. Also, be aware that this is a scent-​free space… so leave your aerosol deoderant, hairspray, and perfumes at home!
There is a strict no-​sex policy here, so while I read a couple of reviews where reviewers claimed to have witnessed various sexual acts here, it is NOT that kind of place, and the women who work there would definitely kick out anyone violating that policy… what concerns me is that these reviewers didn’t alert the employees, who aren’t in every room at the same time (although they do walk through every ten minutes or so). There are always bad eggs who think that it’s okay to break the rules at the expense of others, and if no one ever reports them, the problem will continue to exist. So, if you ever see any activity there or anywhere else that is against the rules of the establishment because it violates health standards and makes people uncomfortable, please speak up!
If you’ve never been to Osento, let the woman at the front desk know that, and she’ll be happy to escort you through the premises and show you where everything is. You will be able to do this fully clothed (shoes off), and before commiting to pay/​stay.
The only drawback to Osento is that it is NOT WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE. This is a shame, but I also understand that installing a ramp is probably impossible given the limits of the location (it’s located in an old Victorian).
I’ve been going to Osento for years, love the place, and most of all, vastly appreciate that Summer, the owner has worked so hard to continue to provide this safe women-​only space for her customers! I definitely recommend going here!

The most relaxing place — loved it. Even thought I had to be «gasp» naked, everyone had the most natural response to it and I didn’t feel uncomfortable. I had a massage, it was wonderful. I was in a car accident a couple years ago, so my body needs massage every now and then. The massage was wonderful, she worked the areas, I felt better afterwards.
I wish I would have gone for an hour and half though. I went on a Sunday, there weren’t that many people there, which I was told doesn’t happen that often. Lady at the front desk, was very cool about showing me the place since it was my first time. I napped, used the dry/​wet steam room, cold plunge. Very lovely time — will definitely come back.

I’d just like to point out I live in Brooklyn, NY, and I dream about this place. I come every time I’m within 300 miles of San Francisco, and have to be pried out to get to the airport.
I got to experience a lot of lovely scents, temperatures, and feelings of being calmer than any 14 massage joints in New York. I got to be naked outside and shower with almond scented soap. I didn’t even mind that I was kind of dumb and warped my glasses by wearing them in the sauna. Okay, I minded a little, but it was my fault. Didn’t know about the bio-​women only policy until just recently, which doesn’t please me from an equal rights activist point of view, so I remove a star. But either way. Go if you can.

5 stars for the atmosphere and relaxation and general awesomeness of the place. I came here to kick back after a long long couple of days, and I now feel human again.
1 star for the bio-​women only policy. Lame.

Comfortable, warm environment, super relaxing jacuzzi, steam and dry saunas, cold pool, naked sun bathing, cheap rates and blissful massage… It really doesn’t get better than this ladies.
Add that to the fact that there are ins and outs, so you can show up at noon, relax for a few hours, get hungry, go to sushi, come back and stay another couple of hours. All this at a sliding scale of $ 14-​$ 20! Grab a book, a couple of magazines you’ve been meaning to read and waste away your Sunday in the best possible way.
And if Yoko is working, get the longest massage you can afford!

I got a day pass and hour of massage gift certificate for the holidays last year, and decided to cash it in on a Sunday afternoon. Probably not the best idea. The massage was the best part, and for the first hour or so I spent a lot of time in the hottub, which was really nice because it was myself and only one or two others. The hottub can comfortably fit only four, maybe five.
I decided to try one of the saunas, when I opened the door, I saw four other women in there. If you’ve been there, you know how small those things are. And they wouldn’t make room for me. Now, I don’t normally knowingly shove my bare ass in people’s faces. I tend to think that that sort of behavior is a bit rude, regardless of how comfortable you or I may be with our bodies. These women in the sauna, though, didn’t really give me much of a choice. I guess I’m sorry… even though they were telling me to just «hop in.» After about ten minutes, the sheer body heat drove me into the open air, not to mention the hot rocks burning right next to my bare thigh.
I thought about trying the cold pool, but that shit was FREEZING and it had hair floating all around the surface. When I tried to get back in the hottub, it had been taken over by the young hip tattooed/​pierced crowd. There were about seven of them squished into the tub reading trashy mags/​yelling/​laughing. Now, had I been one of them, my review would probably sound something like «Oh fuck! That shit is fucking fun!» Alas, I am not, as much as I try.
Then I got called in for my massage, thank GOD, which was wonderful. The massage room is beautiful, and my masseuse (I forget her name, older woman with long hair) was great. This was the highlight of my visit.
I probably wouldn’t go back due simply to the crowd I experienced. I’d rather go to Elisa’s on 24^th for an hour of private outdoor hottub. Their private tub areas have their own showers and saunas, and if I feel like listening to someone gossiping about Brangelina, I can call a friend.
I would, however, buy someone else a gift certificate just so that I’m giving Osento some money. The concept of a woman owned and operated bathhouse needs to be kept a reality, even if that reality is less than ideal in my opinion.

here is the thing. if you are not comfortable with nudity, yours or other women’s then this is not the place for you. No one even walks around draped in a towel. they are completely naked. i’d hate for someone to go there and be unprepared and upset by this.
if you are okay with that part, which i am, it isn’t spa like at all. there are some small lockers. massage tables. there’s a hot tub and showers. the bathroom REALLY could be a little bit nicer. The stream room and sauna are great. It’s all in a Victorian house. I find it very relaxing and very affordable. and it’s open late. I definitely recommend going there to unwind, it’s heavenly.

Three stars, ohhh, almost 4. Osento loses points for a bad first impression but gains points since I felt good when I left. Why don’t I just rate the elements separately since some things were great and others just «eh.»
Fresh water: 3 stars
It’s decent, but you pour is straight from the tap, and there is no ice.
Price: 3 stars
$ 12 – 20 sliding, unless you forget your cash. Then it’s $ 15 on your credit card.
Towels: 1 star
Pay $ 1 each and the towels are tiny. Bring your own I’d say. And they told me I should pay for the towel with cash. Weird?
Lockers: 2 stars
$ 1 and very small. But at least it’s something.
Hot tub: 2 stars
I’ve seen nicer hot tubs at public swimming pools. It’s a square room with small blue tiles. In the middle is a square tub with just enough chlorine to make your skin itch. Then again, it IS a community tub.
Saunas: 4.5 stars
This is the best thing there. Only problem is they are pretty small. There are 2 — one steam and one dry — and each couldn’t really fit more than 4 people. The saunas are cozy. No lying down! But they encapsulate you in a comforting way. Reminded me of a rustic alien space ship. Pretty neat I thought!
Cold water dip: 2 stars
It is refreshingly cold, but only one person can comfortably go in at a time because it’s so small. So small in fact that I didn’t feel like I could jump in. I walked in, and so did everyone I saw. Me. I prefer to get it over with with a leap.
Showers: 2 stars
One inside one outside. They are hot at least, but the one outside has no soap near it. The one inside I didn’t mess with. Looked like the kind
of shower you should bring sandals into.
Deck: 3 stars
The deck is really pretty decent. You walk up some stairs and can rest your self on their private, well enclosed wooden deck. So well enclosed in fact that the sun probably can only hit it around noon. That’s the only bad part. Luckily I went on a gorgeous day, and even without the sun I was warm. I think the heat from the sauna below it may even have seeped up a bit.
General atmosphere: 3 stars
I think I might have liked it a little bit better on a week day because at times things were a tad crowded, but overall I liked it. I think this place is probably really great for someone who is into the «community» spa atmosphere. I for one like a little more space between me and my naked neighbors. But I think the place, for what it costs, is worth its price. While I might not go back, I’d still recommend it for some people.

This place is exactly what I expect and want in a neighborhood woman’s spa/​bathhouse. I started going here years ago when i waited tables a block away, and even now I still take the trek across Bay to enjoy their amenities. Nothing fancy, but i find it hard to relax in «fancy». The hot tub is large enough to spare crowding, while their saunas are unfortunately tight. On sunny days i love basking on their sun decks. The price is right at 10 dollars or so, and they have in and outs (We Be Sushi is right next door for lunch or a snack). Osento is a great women’s retreat, to be naked and natural, relax or have good conversation, and all in all have a peaceful Goddess Day.
Update:
I highly recommend Caya for message!

The price cannot be beat… and I’m glad this place exists because I don’t have a tub and sometimes I just want to go and soak somewhere. The downside? This place can be kind of chatty — and the thing I’ve learned from going here is that I don’t really like to meet new people when I’m naked.
I’ll never forget the time a woman broke into song while we were all in the jaccuzzi — a long, warbling song about branches and trees and the heavens or whatever.
Did I mention that I don’t have a tub? Not sure I’d go here so much if I did.

Ditto to what Poe said.
I’ve had a couple great, affordable massages at Osento and for that, I am thankful. I am also thankful for the tranquility and conveninet location. No thanks are in order for the creepy woman who was in the hot tub shoving her crotch as close to the jets as possible. I didn’t care much for that.

Oooooooooooh-​sento. I am like a happy dazed cooked noodle right now. That was the most lovely end to 3 weeks of coffee/​smokey/​no-​sleepy deadline torture. I cried from relief after I wrote that last sublime sentence and then went to Osento. Lounged on the mini sun-​deck, huddled dripping in the dry and wet sauna barrels, cold-​plunged, hot-​tubbed, face-​masked (byofm), napped on a cot, and washed everything clean as a fresh towel with Dr. Bronner’s magic peppermint soap.
Kabuki is still my #1 hot-​water naked pamper zone, but Osento possesses a humble hippie charm with its smaller space and homey plastic water-​guzzle cups. And conversation is allowed. You will not be gonged here! I was never good at meditative silence… Sliding scale starts at $ 12, open till 11pm, and they offer massage, although I’ve never tried it. Bring your own towel unless you like them scrawny.
(I think this was made clear in other posts, but it’s women only. bio-​women, rather, which has caused some to boycott — see Gourmet G.‘s post or Osento’s website)