The best bars in San Francisco include hidden speakeasies, sparkling rooftops, chic wine bars, and rowdy local dives.
I’m a San Francisco local, and I’ve explored every corner of this city’s bar scene. Trust me – I know the spots to check out whether you’re searching for $4 or $25 drinks. This guide will point you to the best places to drink in San Francisco.
Dine at one of San Francisco’s top restaurants, then spend the rest of the night sipping drinks at these bars. Grab your wallet and ID because after reading this list, you may get thirsty. Let’s go!
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33 Best San Francisco Bars
Martuni’s
This lively piano bar right off Market Street serves unique martinis with live music.
📍 Google Maps | Martuni’s Website | 🍽️ Food Not Served | 📞 +1 (415) 241-0205
Attention all martini and music lovers: one of the best bars in San Francisco is a hidden gem called Martuni’s. At Martuni’s, you can sip classic or modern martinis while singing along to Broadway show tunes.
Martuni’s is worth a visit for its excellent selection of cocktails even if you’re not a Broadway fan. This bar makes the best French 75 I’ve had anywhere in the city, and its dirty martini is simply classic.
Martuni’s is not a karaoke bar, so don’t expect to get onstage. However, patrons are encouraged to sing along with the performers. By the 3rd or 4th drink, you’ll be belting out your best Patti LuPone impression, and you won’t want to go home anytime soon.
Horsefeather
Grab eclectic cocktails and small bites at this trendy bar in NoPa.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Horsefeather Website | 🍽️ Food Served | 📞 +1 (415) 817-1939
Horsefeather is the go-to bar on popular Divisadero Street. Horsefeather’s creative cocktails, tasty food menu, and compelling ambiance make it the perfect place to catch up with friends.
Get the California Cooler, a refreshing mix of gin, celery juice, fresh lime, and sparkling cremant. Or, opt for a more tropical concoction with the Daywalker. This includes reposado tequila, mango, smoked chipotle, lemon, and tepache foam.
Zeitgeist
Hang with the locals at this spirited beer garden on the edge of Market Street and the Mission District.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Zeitgeist Website | 🍽️ Food Served | 📞 +1 (415) 255-7505
Zeitgeist is one of the coolest bars in San Francisco and has been since 1977. The crowd is usually full of variety — young and old, quiet and rowdy, newbies and regulars. It’s a great place to meet your neighbors.
Zeitgeist is most well known for its spacious outdoor patio that can seat huge groups. It’s the perfect place to spend an evening indulging in the 64 varieties of craft beer on tap. Zeitgeist even has live music on most Friday nights.
Bar Part Time
This wine bar turned discotheque is favored by the cool kids of the Mission District.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Bar Part Time Website | 🍽️ Food Not Served | 📞 +1 (669) 333-9463
Bar Part Time can be difficult to find. It’s housed in a small yellow building on Guerrero Street, and there’s no large sign with its name. It’s the epitome of a hidden gem.
Step inside Bar Part Time, and you’ll be greeted by a dimly lit interior with intimate booths and a small dance floor. In the corner, the DJ spins records, which people usually dance to as the night goes on.
Bar Part Time only offers wine by the glass or bottle. It has a huge variety of red, white, pink, orange, and natural wines.
The Felix
Sip unique cocktails at a speakeasy-style bar serving up Asian spirits in Union Square.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 The Felix Website | 🍽️ Food Served
Everyone loves a speakeasy, and San Franciscans are no exception. Allow me to introduce The Felix, your new favorite underground bar. It’s located underneath Bodega SF, a popular Vietnamese restaurant.
Once inside, you’ll be treated to delicious cocktails in luxurious velvet booths. The drink menu features unique spirits like Sông Cái Floral, a Vietnamese gin.
Woods Lowside
Relax in this cozy bar with small-batch beer and wine in the Lower Haight.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Woods Website | 🍽️ Food Served | 📞 +1 (415) 548-5734
Woods Lowside is a microbrewery and wine shop snuggled between the cafes and dive bars of Lower Haight. At Woods, you can cozy up in a sage green booth or huddle under heat lamps on the backyard garden patio.
Choose from a variety of Woods brews, such as pilsners, pale ales, and a “fuzzy IPA.” Or opt for a bottle of natural wine from organic and biodynamic vineyards around Northern California. Enjoy your beer and wine with a slice of Joyride Pizza, served in-house.
Make sure to try the “Local Honey,” an herbal ale with notes of lavender, eucalyptus, and honey. It sounds experimental, but it’s worth it.
Madrone Art Bar
This NoPa bar is known for its live music, art exhibitions, and crowded dance floor.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Madrone Art Bar Website | 🍽️ Food Not Served | 📞 +1 (415) 241-0202
Madrone Art Bar has something to offer everyone, seven days a week. Each night features a rotation of live music, DJs, and art events. The bar serves beer, wine, and a variety of specialty cocktails.
The liveliest nights are Friday, Saturday, and Monday nights. Fridays and Saturdays feature DJs and a local crowd that packs the dance floor until 2 am. Head to Madrone on Monday evenings for “Motown Monday,” where the DJ plays classic Motown tunes.
Mr. Tipple’s Recording Studio
Hang out at a swanky jazz bar offering cocktails and dim sum in the heart of Civic Center.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Mr. Tipple’s Website | 🍽️ Food Served | 📞 +1 (415) 384-9365
Mr. Tipple’s Recording Studio is a hole-in-the-wall bar that serves up cocktails and small plates to the tune of live jazz music. The cozy, candlelit tavern hosts a rotating cast of talented musicians.
Book your reservation online to customize your experience. Choose a seat towards the front of the room if you’re there mainly for the music. Choose a seat at one of the tables in the back if you’re there primarily to socialize.
Mr. Tipple’s serves several types of dumplings, potstickers, and bao. The wine and beer selections are limited but reasonably priced. The menu even includes non-alcoholic mocktails and CBD drinks.
Smuggler’s Cove
This pirate-themed tiki bar in Hayes Valley has over 1300 varieties of rum.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Smuggler’s Cove Website | 🍽️ Food Not Served | 📞 +1 (415) 869-1900
Smuggler’s Cove is one of the most unique bars you’ll find in San Francisco. The tiki bar has won a variety of accolades, including a spot on the world’s 50 best bars list.
Smuggler’s Cove has an extensive cocktail list. Almost every drink includes a different variety of rum. There’s always a chance to taste something new with over 1300 varieties of rum to choose from!
Bar Sprezzatura
Plan a date at this elegant cocktail bar and restaurant in the heart of the Financial District.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Bar Sprezzatura Website | 🍽️ Food Served | 📞 +1 (628) 466-0230
Bar Sprezzatura is one of the best bars in San Francisco for a fancy evening. It serves classic cocktails, negronis, spritzes, and wines.
Stylish seating, punchy drinks, and an impressive food menu launch Bar Sprezzatura into the upper echelons of the bar world. Dress to impress, but don’t be afraid to let a little loose.
Dalva
Enjoy a modern bar with creative cocktails in the heart of the Mission District.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Dalva Website | 🍽️ Food Not Served
Dalva has been around for nearly 20 years, but it got a complete makeover after the COVID-19 pandemic. The new Dalva has a warmer, trendier, and more popular vibe.
Dalva’s drinks include specialty cocktails, local brews on tap, and bottles of wine. Dalva is best visited with one or two friends, as most tables are small and intimate. While you’re there, check out The Hideaway, Dalva’s hidden back bar.
Li Po Cocktail Lounge
Order famous Chinese Mai Tais from this classic Chinatown dive.
📍 Google Maps | 🍽️ Food Not Served | 📞 +1 (415) 982-0072
Li Po Cocktail Lounge opened in 1937, making it one of the oldest bars in San Francisco. These days, it’s one of the only original Chinese nightclubs in San Francisco.
Make sure you get the Chinese Mai Tai, the drink that made Li Po famous. The legendary Anthony Bourdain even imbibed a couple of mai tais at Li Po for his TV show, The Layover.
Butter
San Francisco’s best party bar is in the SoMa neighborhood.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Butter Website | 🍽️ Food Not Served | 📞 +1 (415) 863-5964
Butter is the place to be when you want to dance your heart out to music you know and love. Don’t expect a fancy cocktail, but do expect to hear every song from the Black Eyed Peas discography.
Butter’s inexplicable pull on San Francisco’s nightlife crowd can be summed up in two words: Jell-O shots. These $5 vodka-infused jellies are available at the bar.
Butter isn’t a place to begin an evening of drinking, but rather a place you somehow find yourself in after one too many. It’s most fun around 11 pm – 2 am when the dance floor is packed and the Jell-O shots have had plenty of time to chill.
Tupelo
This popular North Beach bar has live music several times a week.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Tupelo Website | 🍽️ Food Served | 📞 +1 (415) 981-9177
Tupelo is one of those bars that you pass by and immediately want to go in. It always promises a fun time, whether you’re casually having a drink or dancing the night away.
Tupelo is located on a popular North Beach strip with other nightlife spots nearby. Its weekly events include jam nights with local musicians, karaoke, live bands, and DJs.
Peacekeeper
This lively neighborhood bar in Lower Nob Hill has two-story seating.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Peacekeeper Website | 🍽️ Food Served | 📞 +1 (415) 504-2502
Peacekeeper is a lively bar with a small signature cocktail menu and local beers on tap. Many of its cocktails feature tequila as their primary spirit. The food offerings are minimal — usually just chips and salsa — but they’re a great snack.
Peacekeeper’s size is one of its best aspects. The bar has two levels of seating, meaning there’s plenty of space no matter how crowded it gets.
O’Keefe’s
This small Irish dive bar in the Richmond District is perfect for budgeters.
📍 Google Maps | 🍽️ Food Not Served | 📞 +1 (415) 751-1449
O’Keefe’s is a friendly, cash-only Irish bar in the Inner Richmond District. The inside is nothing fancy. It consists of a couple of small tables and a jukebox. But this is a perfect place for a drink away from the usual bar crowds.
What O’Keefe’s lacks in ambiance or size it makes up for in $4 beer and a consistently available pool table. These two things are rare in San Francisco, making O’Keefe’s all the more valuable.
Trick Dog
Indulge in hamburgers and hot dogs at this trendy cocktail bar in the Mission.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Trick Dog Website | 🍽️ Food Served | 📞 +1 (415) 471-2999
Trick Dog is not your typical cocktail bar. It serves hot dogs alongside creative drinks. Try the “down dog” — a tantalizing mix of mezcal, papaya, vanilla, harissa, cinnamon, and lemon.
Trick Dog’s true uniqueness lies in its food menu, which includes drool-worthy hot dogs and hamburgers. Make sure to try the Quik Dog Burger, which is a hamburger served on a hot dog bun.
The Page
Meet the locals at this NoPa neighborhood bar with a rustic vibe.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 The Page Website | 🍽️ Food Not Served | 📞 +1 (415) 255-6101
The Page is a perfect neighborhood bar. It’s always busy but never overcrowded. It has indoor and outdoor seating. Sometimes there’s even live jazz in the attached parklet.
Still need convincing? The Page has 23 beers on tap, all of which are reasonably priced. Its cocktails are classic and the wine list includes some notable offerings. Most importantly, it’s a place to go to meet your neighbors, chat with your bartender, and make some new friends.
📚 Related Reading: 21 Best San Francisco Neighborhoods
Monroe SF
This popular Art Deco-style bar in North Beach has $1 drink specials on Fridays.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Monroe SF Website | 🍽️ Food Not Served | 📞 +1 (415) 323-8515
Monroe is a popular bar and club with a line out the door every weekend. Its huge interior and gigantic velvet booths can hold hundreds of people.
Monroe is most well known for its Decades Night every Friday. From 5 pm onwards, DJs play music from each decade, beginning with the 60s and going up to the present day. Drinks start at $1 at 5 pm and become more expensive as the night goes on.
KAIYŌ Rooftop
Dine on Japanese-Peruvian small plates at this rooftop bar next to Oracle Park.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Kaiyo Rooftop Website | 🍽️ Food Served | 📞 +1 (415) 800-8141
KAIYŌ is a rooftop bar located on the 12th floor of the Hyatt Hotel. KAIYŌ is a special place to enjoy a drink with its sweeping views of downtown SF and the Giants Stadium.
KAIYŌ’s drink list includes unique cocktails, wine, and Japanese sake. Get a taste of KAIYŌ’s Peruvian heritage by trying one of its Pisco Sours, Peru’s signature cocktail. Its small plates include traditional Japanese or Peruvian meals, like sushi and ceviche.
Buddy
There are always rotating food and drink options at this trendy wine bar in the Mission.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Buddy Website | 🍽️ Food Served
Buddy is one of San Francisco’s best wine bars. You can get full meals and delicious wines while sitting inside or outside in its chic digs.
Buddy features a rotating food and drink menu, meaning that no two visits will be the same. However, each fresh menu is guaranteed to impress. Enjoy everything from waygu steak to natural wine. Everything at Buddy is superb.
Anina
Bring friends to this breezy bar in Hayes Valley with punch bowls and a heated patio.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Anina Website | 🍽️ Food Not Served
Anina is one of the best cocktail bars for groups. There’s tons of seating, and its heated outdoor patio is perfect for all kinds of weather.
Anina attracts a crowd of young professionals from the youthful Hayes Valley neighborhood. Anina’s spritzes are very refreshing, and its punch bowls are great for sharing.
Moongate Lounge
This upscale cocktail bar in Chinatown serves drinks based on the Chinese lunar calendar.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Moongate Lounge Website | 🍽️ Food Served | 📞 +1 (415) 857-9688
Moongate Lounge is a swanky cocktail bar above the famous restaurant, Mister Jiu’s. You can even order small plates from Mister Jiu’s to complement your cocktails at the Lounge.
Moongate Lounge is a great bar for a special occasion. It has 12 unique cocktails, all themed around the Chinese lunar calendar.
Vesuvio
Experience a historic saloon in North Beach with two levels of bar seating.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Vesuvio Website | 🍽️ Food Not Served | 📞 +1 (415) 362-3370
Vesuvio is one of the most famous bars in San Francisco, thanks to Beat writers like Jack Kerouac. The Kerouac crew spent many fateful nights at this North Beach tavern.
Vesuvio has two levels of seating with views over the city. There’s even an outdoor alleyway where patrons can hang out in large groups. Bring a light jacket if you plan to sit outside because the neighborhood can get windy at night.
The San Francisco Athletic Club
Watch a game at a lively sports bar on Divisadero Street with plenty of TVs.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 SF Athletic Club Website | 🍽️ Food Served | 📞 +1 (415) 923-8989
The San Francisco Athletic Club is the best sports bar in the city. Locals flock to this bustling pub to watch the Giants, Warriors, and 49ers play. A full bar, delicious food menu, and flat-screen TVs above every seat make SF Athletic Club the spot to be.
Be sure to make a table reservation on a game day. Seats usually fill up quickly during popular sports events.
The Beehive
This retro-inspired Mission bar serves up innovative drinks with delicious food options.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 The Beehive Website | 🍽️ Food Served | 📞 +1 (415) 306-8209
The Beehive is a funky cocktail bar that exudes coolness. It aims to channel a “modern Mad Men vibe” with its 60s-inspired decor and classic drink selection. Besides delicious cocktails, The Beehive offers food ranging from small snacks to full meals.
Suppenküche
Order foreign and domestic beer at this German eatery in Hayes Valley.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Suppenküche Website | 🍽️ Food Served | 📞 +1 (415) 252-9289
Suppenküche is an authentic German alehouse with a warm, inviting atmosphere. Order a large beer to have it served in a glass boot. Snack on small plates like soft pretzels and latkes, or full meals like bratwurst and cheesy spätzle.
As with any good German restaurant, Suppenküche’s beer menu is about three times as long as its food menu. Taste the 40 different types of German and domestic beers. Don’t worry if you’ve never heard of certain beers. The bartenders are great at explaining.
El Techo
Hang out at a casual rooftop bar that serves Latin street food in the Mission District.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 El Techo Website | 🍽️ Food Served | 📞 +1 (415) 550-6970
El Techo is a rooftop bar that promises a good time. The lively Latin American eatery serves up delicious street food and strong cocktails.
Most cocktails at El Techo feature mezcal and tequila as their primary spirits. You can get a margarita, paloma, or sangria pitcher that will serve 5-6 people if you’re with a group. El Techo’s snacks include chips and salsa, guacamole, empanadas, and tacos.
Danny Coyle’s
This Irish sports pub in the Lower Haight has a strong soccer presence.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Danny Coyle’s Website | 🍽️ Food Not Served | 📞 +1 (415) 558-8375
Danny Coyle’s is the best spot in San Francisco to watch soccer. It’s the home bar for local supporters of Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.
Danny Coyle’s is also popular with the non-sports crowd. It has a great selection of Irish whiskey, and patrons often enjoy playing a game of pool at the pool table. The bar opens as early as 5 am on match days for the European football leagues. Order an Irish coffee to wake you right up!
El Rio
Check out drag karaoke at this LGBTQ+ hotspot in the Lower Mission with a large outdoor patio.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 El Rio Website | 🍽️ Food Not Served | 📞 +1 (415) 282-3325
El Rio has been around since 1978. It’s not exclusively a gay bar, but El Rio is queer-owned and caters to a large LGBTQ+ crowd.
El Rio’s calendar includes events like drag karaoke and queer dance parties. Its most popular event is Mango, which attracts a primarily lesbian crowd. Visit El Rio for fun dance parties, strong drinks, and a welcoming atmosphere.
The 500 Club
Classic dive bar in the Mission District with famous bloody marys.
📍 Google Maps | 🍽️ Food Served | 📞 +1 (415) 861-2500
The 500 Club is the best dive bar in San Francisco. It’s a local favorite, and it welcomes an eclectic crowd.
People love the 500 Club for its strong bloody marys and its equally strong local vibe. Feeling peckish? You can order delicious sandwiches from Turner’s Kitchen next door.
Céleste
Drink at a brand new wine bar with an intimate space in Cow Hollow.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Céleste Website | 🍽️ Food Served | 📞 +1 (415) 888-0954
Céleste is one of the hottest new San Francisco wine bars. It’s the sister bar to The Felix, and it draws inspiration from The Felix’s underground vibe and cool interior. Visit Céleste for stylish wines and chic food options in a minimalist space.
Elixir
Test your knowledge during weekly trivia nights at this neighborhood watering hole in the Mission.
📍 Google Maps | 🍻 Elixir Website | 🍽️ Food Not Served | 📞 +1 (415) 552-1633
Want to drink and learn some history at the same time? Visit Elixir. Elixir is the second oldest continuously operating bar in San Francisco. It opened in 1858 and has been serving the Mission neighborhood ever since.
Elixir has a no-nonsense bartender and a crowd of regular customers, making it a great place for classic cocktails that won’t disappoint. It’s also one of the best whisky bars in the city.
FAQs About Bars in San Francisco
What areas of San Francisco have the most bars?
The Mission District, North Beach, the Financial District, and Divisadero Street are the areas in San Francisco with the most bars.
What are the best fancy bars in San Francisco?
The best fancy bars in San Francisco are Bar Sprezzatura and Moongate Lounge.
What are some good dive bars in San Francisco?
Some good dive bars in San Francisco are The 500 Club,O’Keefe’s, and Li Po Cocktail Lounge.
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These are the best bars in San Francisco, whether you’re looking for a fancy night out or a dance floor to let loose on. Visited any of these SF bars? Let me know what you think in the comments!
Oh, and make sure to bookmark my San Francisco itinerary if you need some help deciding what to do in this incredible city.
