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“Tenderloin Buzz” is a recurring update on changes, tidbits and other news from the Tenderloin. Got news? Send us tips at tips@missionlocal.com.
Fans pose for photos with Palestinian rapper MC Abdul during last year’s Eid festival on April 5, 2025. Photo by Eleni Balakrishnan.
A father and a police officer work to deflate a massive bounce house at the Eid Festival on April 5, 2025. Photo by Eleni Balakrishnan.
On March 28, the Tenderloin will celebrate Eid al-Fitr, the Muslim holiday which marks the end of Ramadan, with a street fair featuring live music, family activities, and food.
The event is presented by District 5 Supervisor Bilal Mahmood’s office, along with several community organizations, including the Chinatown Community Development Center and the Tenderloin Community Benefit District.
Last year, Mission Local reported on the Tenderloin Eid street fair, which drew thousands to the neighborhood. Attendees got to enjoy a live music performance by the young Palestinian rapper MC Abdul, while kids took advantage of the giant bounce house and other free activities.
The event will be free and open to all ages. It will take place on Saturday, March 28 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Golden Gate Ave. between Jones and Larkin streets.
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The storefront of Pakwan’s Tenderloin location. Photo by Béatrice Vallières.
At the Board of Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, Supervisor Mahmood presented a Certificate of Honor to Pakwan, a Pakistani-Indian local restaurant chain, honoring its contributions to the Tenderloin and the broader Muslim community.
Pakwan was founded in 1999 by Khalid Amin and Mohammad Shahbaz and has since become a popular food destination for locals, with three locations in San Francisco— one in the Tenderloin— and two more in the East Bay.
“We really appreciate the support of the community,” said Danial Shahbaz, Mohammad Shabaz’s son, accepting the certificate on Tuesday. “We hope to be here for many, many years.”
The storefront of Fishmandu Sushi on Geary St. Photo by Béatrice Vallières.
On March 9, inspectors with the San Francisco Department of Public Health ordered the temporary closure of Fishmandu Sushi on Geary St. after a routine inspection showed a cockroach infestation.
The restaurant was allowed to reopen to the public on March 11 after a follow-up inspection by the Department of Public Health showed the issues had been resolved, inspection reports show.
An employee of the restaurant who picked up the phone on Thursday told Mission Local that pest control had been sent to address the issue, and confirmed that the restaurant had only been closed for one day.
Mary TallMountain in front of the Cadillac Hotel. Photo courtesy of Mary TallMountain’s estate and the Tenderloin Museum.
On April 2, the Tenderloin Museum will open a new exhibit celebrating longtime Tenderloin resident and Native Alaskan writer Mary TallMountain.
TallMountain, who died in 1994, is best remembered for publishing three poetry collections, and for her work with the Tenderloin Reflection and Education Center’s Women Writers Workshop.
The exhibit will focus on how the writer “made a home for herself in the Tenderloin, how the neighborhood affected her, and how she shaped it in return,” according to the Tenderloin Museum’s website.
The opening reception on April 2 will feature a talk by Kitty Costello, TallMountain’s literary executor. It will also feature a video presentation of Coming Home, a play about the writer’s life.
Horizontal stripes of light blue, white, and light pink — indicative of trans pride — are painted on street light poles in the Transgender District. Photo by JL Odom.
On March 29, celebrate Trans Day of Visibility in the Tenderloin, which is home to the Transgender District.
From 3 to 5 p.m., enjoy live music and drag performances in Boeddeker Park for a family-friendly festival. Guests include DJ Dreams, country singer Niko Storment, and drag performer Per Sia.
The event is free and open to all.
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Tagged: Tenderloin, Tenderloin buzz
Béatrice is a reporting intern covering immigration and the Tenderloin. She studied linguistics at McGill University before turning to journalism and getting a master’s degree from Columbia Journalism School.