50 Best Bars in San Francisco

“Came here with some coworkers for a team bonding dinner and it was fantastic--definitely didn't expect to love Liholiho as much as I did. Their cocktail selection was great and it seemed that they had their own takes on just about any kind of drink you'd normally get.

It's best to order family style so you can have everything/as much as possible. The highlights for us were the fried chicken (the cornbread was the real dark horse), fried rice (homemade spam is so good), duck mousse on banana bread, chips and dip, mom's butter mochi (kind of reminds me of filipino cassava cake) and the baked hawaii.

The ambiance is nice but definitely loud as it's always packed so don't come here thinking you're in for a quiet romantic night. That said, the lively atmosphere and sharing plates really make it perfect for a group!“

“I must say i had high hopes but the meal was tasteless but my friends had too much salt. I wanted to like it. Wont return, wont recommend. ☹“

“Wow, Buddy is truly such a gem. If you ever want a delicious meal full of flavors and textures, you gotta go to Buddy!
We sat outside to enjoy the warm San Francisco weather. It was right on the sidewalk with no parklet, but it was fine.
Here’s what we ordered:
- Corn Fritters - pretty tasty, great crunch, while still moist. Pretty corny-tasting, but well-balanced with the creme fraiche and the saltiness of the smoked trout roe.
- Carrots - wonderful crunch and even more delicious seeds and tahini sauce. A must have!
- Smoked whitefish tonnato - strange flavors and texture at first, but it grew on me. Not sure if the crackers added much, but the dish by itself was a fun combo!
- Fried chicken sammy - perfect crunch (sensing a theme?) and wonderful flavor. The bread was buttery and garlicky, and the chicken was moist.
Our waitperson was super attentive and our food was perfectly spaced out time-wise - we had a small table, and they brought out just enough food at any one time to make sure we had room to eat. IMO, deserving of a Michelin!“

“Tommy's has the most amazing food and family friendly atmosphere. Not to mention the BEST margaritas around town. Stop by and visit this amazing place“

“Was there to celebrate these two nuptials. The food was OUT OF THIS WORLD !!!!! That bread …..that bread …..DAYUM!!!!! Thank you for an amazing experience“

“I had originally given them a one star review. Was contacted by Chris the owner with an apology for a reservation they canceled. They asked us for a second chance and we gave it them. They totally made good and we had a very pleasant evening.“

“Every drink is handled with care.“

“Awesome neighborhood bar. Sam and Nathan are wonderful hosts and bartenders drinks are excellent and well balanced. Came here for the first time during their Christmas themed tiki drinks. Really glad I returned during regular operations. It has a mellow vibe, bartenders are easy to talk to and have great recommendations. Hard to say Dubai and Plum Highballs are my fav.“

“Best stop on our SFO trip so far.

We were lucky enough to snag bar seating in the lower bar and had front row seats to watch Bartender Timmy work his magic! Christopher suggested my new favorite drink (Undead gentlemen) and both Timmy and Chris added fun banter to our evening.

The menu is extensive and no worries if you're not a rum drinker, they do have options, but try a rum one anyway.

Seating is limited but we didn't wait long to get a spot.

They are a bar only - no food unless you count the pineapple in one of the drinks. Many good options on Hayes though.“

“Awesome Tiki Bar and a must visit if your into Tiki or themed bars“

“Amazing staff. Lovely owners out of this work drinks and mock tails and the plants !!!!“

“Lark has some of the BEST food in San Francisco hands down!!! Chef Coskun is absolutely brilliant at what he does, and on top of it, is an EXTREMELY nice guy!! If you have a chance to eat at Lark, I highly recommend the meatballs and for dessert, the salted caramel gelato! Off the charts!

Parking: Great parking all around the Castro neighborhood.

Wheelchair accessibility: 100% wheelchair accessible!“

“Cold beer on a warm night, absolutely buzzing.“

“Love Casements and Gillian is great to work with. We held our merchant mixer on the back patio. There was some chill live music playing and staff was attentive and fast. They have a good selection of mocktails and bites. Thank you!

Vegetarian options: They had a great veg pot pie too.“

“Always something going including celebrity too. Awesome place!“

“Last night my friends had a table at a nearby (not to be named) bar that would not let me bring my backpack in.

So I go to bamboo hut and ask if they’ll hold it.

They at first say no (I don’t blame them, I wasn’t buying anything and it was a busy Friday night)

Out of desperation I offered to pay them $100 to hold it

The woman goes to talk to the manager / owner, who comes up and says they’ll hold it.

Then they refused my money. Both of them.

It was a kind, simple interaction that really made the night of a stranger (me).

This review is the least I can do; these are good people“

“I wish I lived like 5 blocks closer because if it were only 15 minutes from me, instead of 20, I'd be here all the time. First off, it has a chill vibe and a unique decor. There's tons of space but also like a mini corner good for groups. Its dog friendly inside as well.

I've tried several cocktails with my favorite being a green-michelada they had which was awesome if you're into that. Tasted like a cocktail and a refreshing salsa together but it hit the spot. The Desert Queen, Jetset and the Peacekeeper are also good cocktails.

I highly recommend you stop by!“

“Lively environment and customers. Really fun!“

“Spent a great evening a the Mad Dog in the Fog. Good food. Good trivia. Great people. Thanks to Killian for making our night sensational. Best Irish pub in San Fran.“

“Awesome neighborhood bar spot to watch sports or just hang out with friends. Everyone is pretty nice and the staff is always on point. Prices are probably one of the most reasonable you will find in SF. You can get yourself a bucket of beers and play pool, darts or shuffle board. It’s also nice to sit with a drink and watch the cable cars go by.“

“I love a good Irish / neighborhood bar. It's more upmarket than other Irish bars in SF given the neighborhood. The beers are on point, and the tv's will certainly grab your attention if you come here alone. Friendly bartenders and the place is filled with locals.“

“Great spot! Good bartenders, friendly crowd and laid back vibe. Dog friendly as one would expect. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“I have to say this place is a lot better than it probably needs to be. Really spacious and fun place for pre-theater, symphony, opera or ballet dining. They also have a late night happy hour for after the show drinks or dining. Nice touch!“

“Amazing food and loved the atmosphere“

“My favorite bar in SF! I come here nearly every year on my birthday to celebrate another trip around the sun. I know that by removing the pool and foosball table from the lower level helped free up some space inside, but I miss playing a round. They have the friendliest bartenders in the city. I hope that the Page never changes, carpeted floors and all!!!“

“What a great find! We arrived early and were seated in the window seat. The perfect perch to watch the Happy Hour action. Plenty of young singles, couples, families and a few of us on the older side - a comfortable spot for all ages to hang out. Our waiter was terrific. He was thoughtful and professional - serving many tables. We liked the wine and beer selection. The Brussel sprouts were to die for, and the tacos and enchiladas were delicious. We were glad to find this casual spot in the Marina District.“

“Beautiful and yummy neighborhood spot. Their cocktail called Dímelo is my absolute favorite. Smooth with the perfect balance of sweet & sour, plus a delicious kick. Service is always friendly and welcoming. Both the chic inside and the sidewalk patio have a nice variety of cozy seating options (booths, tables, window-side high-tops, etc.). Every dish I've ever tried here has been delicious as well. My tops: The meatloaf with a side of super creamy mashed potatoes + seasoned broccolini, and their very unique veggie burger (made of chickpeas, with such a wonderfully crispy crunch to it). I crave their veggie burger, meatloaf, and Dímelo cocktail quite frequently—they're that good!! I also love coming here for drinks while we wait for a table to open up at Saru just down the street. (Saru is waitlist only, no reservations, and the wait can sometimes be around an hour.) Perfect night out if you're looking for uniquely delicious food & drinks in a calm, unpretentiously elegant and romantic setting. Great for groups, couples, friends, and family alike.“

“Great drinks and space both outdoors and indoors.“

“Friendly crew. Verifying Covid vaccine status to enter. Clean bathrooms and nice outside space.“

“Awesome location, enjoy the view SFO skyline, good food & drinks...“

“A bar! No food, no frills, just lots of beers, great drinks, and a great patio!“

“The food and the wine experience was amazing. The Somm gave us excellent wine recommendations and was a delight to chat with. The recommendations from the server for food were on point and we had a great time with the meal. Definitely recommend this place for a date night or celebration.“

“Joe is great. After our Uber drive dropped us in the wrong place, Joe would tell us how to get there, he took us there. It was only at the end of the block, but meant the world to us. He wouldn’t accept a tip, so went back to have a beer after dinner. He remembered our name. He is the true meaning of customer service and I’ve told all of my friends to go see him at the Showdown. Thanks again, Joe“

“Great place for a beer before a show at The Independent“

“Great bar with awesome service and atmosphere“

“Great old bar remodeled in the past few years. The bartender has been there nearly 30 years and is beloved on the block. Do yourself a favor and descend into the bathroom... A great place to lay like a rock on the bottom of the river and let the current flow over you.“

“Great location in the Marina District. Street is accessible, but relatively quiet.

Great indoor seating with classic decor and a good patio.

Good food, good drinks, will come back soon for a bloody mary or bellini.“

“Lavay Smith sings there on Sunday evenings“

“Fast and efficient service. Really creative and tasty cocktails for everyone. Also can create any cocktail your heart desires. Great ambiance at night, good music, tasty snacks.

Edit: Changing to 4 stars because 2 cocktails comes to $45 with tax and tip… and that just feels very expensive.“

“awesome. especially in the daylight!“

“Great bar. Great and friendly staff. Tons of fun. My wife and I visited the night of Warriors NBA title game on our 43rd anniversary. We saw the last one minute of historic game because the Manager,Dan, waived us into the bar and invited us into the bar. A moment we will not forget. Thank you Dan.“

“Amazing culinary experience!“

“I came by when i saw they have raw shrimp (& crab) and got to try it! I was expecting to not feel great after but I am suprised at how well the shrimps were seasoned with the sauce and it's texture !! Definitely a try if you're up for something new ! The atmosphere of the place was great too and lively! There was a dj corner playing some nice songs! And the service was very nice, offering complimentary rice and seaweed aside to the dish I ordered !“

“Excellent food and customer service. I made a reservations for two people and accidentally made it for the same day when I meant to make it for the upcoming Saturday. I know ILCHA has a last minute cancellation policy that includes a charge but when I called to move the reservation (and increase it to four people) they graciously said "we'll fix that for you". Fortunately they were able to move and increase the reservation but warned me that we would only have the table for two hours. Our server was very friendly (lots of smiles!) and the food was delicious. We especially liked the soy marinated raw crab and only wished it came with more rice :) The second favorite was the corn cheese tater tots but we also loved the fried chicken so much that initially we ordered a half portion then another half portion after we finished (had we known beforehand how delicious it was we would have just ordered the whole chicken and saved ourselves a few dollars). At the end, we were scrambling to finish because two hours flew by so quickly so we're looking forward to coming back and have a leisurely meal.

Parking: We had 5:30pm reservations so there was lots of parking on Lombard Street. Meters are expensive but free after 6pm (make reservations for 6pm!)“

“awesome drinks! great rye and drinks“

“What an intimate special dinning experience !“

“July 2024:
Celebrated a birthday lunch here. Lunch menu had a lot of nice options. I chose the half sandwich and soup ? option. My tuna sandwich was very tasty. I liked the bread that they used. The seeds provided a nice flavor. Soup was rich and blended. A small side salad was also delicious ?.

For dessert, I split the chocolate tiramisu. It was excellent ? ?.

The service was very friendly and attentive. I would come back again for more delicious food.“

“We love Perbacco! My friends and I always meet there for dinner when we're in San Francisco- it's perfect! Food, service & ambience are always excellent! Perbacco is a favorite of many...make a reservation- it fills up quickly!“

“Truly authentic Calabrese style Italian cuisine takes us back to Nonna’s kitchen“

“Great spot for music. Classic SF waterfront dive bar with great food“