The Castro is not known for swank hangouts that serve inventive cocktails. The neighborhood's watering holes are more famous for things like the cage dancers at Trigger, the underdressed twinks at Badlands, or the scruffy guys on the prowl at Moby Dick. But 2009 saw the emergence of Blackbird, a bar resembling a Pacific Heights joint that just happens to be crammed full of gays. The crowd is a little more mixed than your average Castro bar — let's say it's about 75 percent queer — and if you want a meat market, then you might want to look elsewhere. If, however, you're a 'mo looking for a tastefully lit, gay(ish) joint where you can drink a Red Wine Crush (Cabernet, brandy, triple sec, and orange juice) with no cage dancers in sight, then Blackbird might just become your new favorite place to commune with your people.