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Empire Jiu Jitsu
5 ★★★★★ 94 Google reviews · BJJ gym in San Francisco, California
Affiliated academy — reviews and the gym's own info point to a recognized BJJ lineage or affiliation (think Gracie Barra, 10th Planet, Renzo Gracie, Alliance, Atos or Checkmat). If lineage matters to you, ask which affiliation the academy belongs to and under whom the head instructor earned their black belt.
Plan your first class
- Free trial or intro class most gyms welcome new members with a free trial or intro class — check their site or give them a call to book your first session
- Beginner-friendly all levels welcome, including total beginners — you don't need to be fit or have any experience to start
- Private lessons private, one-on-one coaching available — a focused way to start or to work around a busy schedule; ask about availability and rates
- No-gi no-gi grappling classes — training in a rashguard and shorts, with faster scrambles and a natural bridge to MMA
- Competition team a competition team for members who want to test themselves at tournaments
- Today see hours ·
- Website & schedule empirebjj.com — book classes and see the live schedule
- Phone +1 415-658-7520
Hours
| Monday | 7 am–9 pm |
| Tuesday | 7 am–9 pm |
| Wednesday | 7 am–9 pm |
| Thursday | 7 am–9 pm |
| Friday | 7 am–9 pm |
| Saturday | 10 am–2 pm |
| Sunday | 10 am–2 pm |
The classes they run
“Gi(beginners and advanced), No-Gi, and wrestling are all offered.”
“I was a complete beginner to martial arts, nervous to start and I felt the perfect balance of being pushed and welcomed on the very first day.”
Other martial arts here
“Gi(beginners and advanced), No-Gi, and wrestling are all offered.”
What members say
“Jake and John are excellent instructors, and really know how to break the moves down and explain them to you step by step.”
“I was a complete beginner to martial arts, nervous to start and I felt the perfect balance of being pushed and welcomed on the very first day.”
“The community was so welcoming and friendly, and I love getting to train and roll with other women.”
“I joined Empire as a purple belt, and I noticed a dramatic improvement in my technique in training and performance in competition.”
“I joined Empire as a purple belt, and I noticed a dramatic improvement in my technique in training and performance in competition.”
“No bowing to deceased Gracie’s who’s portraits adorn the walls.”
From the reviews
No bowing to deceased Gracie’s who’s portraits adorn the walls. No calling upper belts sensei. If you got your blue belt from Renner’s online Gracie Jiu Jitsu University… you should probably not wear it here. The head instructor is the real deal and his game runs deep…but the students who train here are also 11/10.
I've been practicing BJJ for five years and was looking for a good gym to join after I moved to SF. The community was so welcoming and friendly, and I love getting to train and roll with other women. The instruction is thoughtful, detail oriented, and builds on basic principles of movement.
Empire is a great gym to train at. I've been doing jiu-jitsu for about 7 years in a few different places/cities. Empire has very high level instruction, great training partners, and a big space. Would recommend to anyone at any level.
This review is long overdue. I’ve been training at Empire for four years now, and the level of Jiu Jitsu I’ve learned from Jake is second to none. His approach to class structure, situational training, and consistently challenging rounds will push you to become a true practitioner.
New to BJJ? Start at Empire Jiu Jitsu
Empire Jiu Jitsu comes up as a beginner-friendly gym, going by their listing and members’ reviews. If you've never rolled or set foot on a mat, that's exactly who a good beginners program is for. A few things worth knowing before your first week. First, you don't need to be fit or flexible to start — you get in shape by training, not before it, and coaches scale the intensity to you. Second, you won't be thrown into hard rolling — reputable gyms build fundamentals (positions, escapes, and basic submissions) for weeks, live rolling eases in gradually, and tapping early keeps every roll safe. Third, all levels really are welcome — ask about a dedicated beginners or fundamentals class time so your first session is alongside others who are also starting out, and leave your ego at the door. Most gyms are happy to let you watch or try a class first, so reach out before you commit.
Your first BJJ class at Empire Jiu Jitsu
Nervous about walking into a BJJ gym for the first time? Almost everyone is, and good coaches expect beginners to come through the door. Here's what to know. What to expect: a typical first class is a warm-up, then drilling basic positions and escapes with a partner — not hard sparring. Rest whenever you need to; no one will bat an eye. What to wear: athletic wear you can move in (or a gi if you have one); you'll train barefoot on the mats. What to bring: water and a mouthguard if you have one — many gyms lend a loaner gi for a first class, so it's worth asking when you call. As you keep training you'll add your own gi (or a rashguard and shorts for no-gi) and a mouthguard. Live rolling eases in gradually, once your fundamentals are solid. Arrive 10–15 minutes early to sign a waiver and meet the coach. It gets easier fast — most people feel far more at home by their third class.
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🥋 Free trial / intro class — check their site