50 Best Cocktail Bars in San Francisco

“Amazing food and wine, great view“

“3.5/4 A dark ambiance bar known for creative, themed, and seasonal menus. The cocktails were fun and playful but taste wise, they were just ok. The decor leans casual and relaxed - good for both friend groups and dates. Honestly I don't remember too much bc I was busy canoodling so safe to say it was dark enough, vibey enough and I had great company:'). A fun place, not too packed on Sat past midnight, would recommend.“

“The food in this restaurant is delicious, I hope you have time to try it.“

“Great night at Casements during SF Carnaval’s Fat Tuesday Season Kickoff! Free live music, fantastic vibes, friendly staff and Pliny the Younger on tap. Our Finnish friend (a serious beer lover) called it the “holy grail of beers” and has been dreaming of trying it his whole life.“

“Arrived solo while waiting for a mate and was instantly looked after by the lovely bartender & manager—genuinely great chat and brilliant drink recs. The “punch special” is chaos in a glass (a mix of whatever’s going—but cheap and fun if you’re brave). Music was random, the pool table was lively, and people were even sending drinks to strangers, which gave the whole place a buzzy, friendly feel. It’s the perfect mix of dive bar energy with proper service and solid drinks. Not polished, not trying to be—just effortlessly cool. Definitely worth a visit, and I’d happily go back.“

“Great environment, lively, and tasty food!“

“Beautiful and intimately small location to hear some great jazz music! The musicians were all very into the music, bumping along with each other and having a great time making some great music. The food was great as well, definitely recommend the bao! The cocktails were all very diverse, something really for anyone's taste, and were really quite tasty. There is a 90 min limit at a table before they move you to a bar, which makes sense. I also loved how the smaller location and unique entrance made the location feel welcoming but secluded. Would definitely visit again!“

“Bring on the funny 😁 happy anniversary Lisa good times great atmosphere!!!“

“Really cool local bar…..the first time I ever tried Flor de Caña was from here…..all the proofs! Nice crowd, service, atmosphere, good drinks, vibe & bar bites! 👍🏿“

“We applaud all those who help PCH become Miracle @ PCH, it’s amazing!“

“Lavay Smith sings there on Sunday evenings“

“We walked in on NYE without a reservation and they graciously found us a spot in the bar area. Service was on point and staff were festively dressed! I love a crafty cocktail but most are too sweet. I had the Smokey mezcal cocktail 🍹. Perfection. Appetizers were delish as well. Perfect way to start our NYE celebrations.“

“5 Super vibey bar - perfect for dates imo. The drinks are interesting - they keep half their menu seasonal and constantly changing. That being said, while the drinks are good, Cold Drinks is prob still better in terms of nuance. This place is def more vibey than Cold Drinks tho - fun aura and is very lively (without being too loud to hear each other). Overall, excellent date spot and plenty of good bars around in case you need to wait. Definitely make a res on the weekend because you will wait for over an hour or not get in. Good set up for canoodling.“

“One of the best tasting pizza I’ve tasted I highly recommend this place.“

“Tiki Bar with a definite 50’s vibe. Love the rum selection!“

“The atmosphere was great, but the real standout was the bartender Dmitry. Friendly, attentive, and clearly passionate about their craft — every drink was perfectly balanced and served with genuine care. He made the whole experience more enjoyable with great conversation and thoughtful recommendations. Easily the best service experiences I’ve had in SF.“

“Such a fantastic spot! I originally wanted to stop by The Rabbit Hole to try the beers on tap from Sugoi Brewing (which we're both fantastic by the way), but was blown away by the entire experience. The vibe, the staff, the food, and the prices all exceeded my expectations. We can't wait to come back and try some other dishes. Also, perfect date spot!“

“Hands down the best cocktails in SF and def one of the best in America.

Love the beautifully curated menu and what it had to offer. Heavily influenced by Japanese ingredients hence offering a very unique menu of its own.

Cocktails were extremely well balanced with flavours, aroma and umami. A sip of The friend of a friend of a friend was no different to eating a bag of toasted chips with its long lingering smoked aroma. Insanely good.

Will definitely go back for the Japanese bites or even the Kaisei don.“

“Nice bar and really like the roof fan“

“Awesome karaoke bar in Chinatown, SF! Definitely a Chinatown feel with the dim red lights & decor. There's a huge karaoke book to choose a song to sing. If the bar is full, they'd likely limit you to 1 song at a time so others get a chance. Space is small so it can get crowded. Loved the energy & atmosphere.“

“The seafood here is absolutely superb in both flavour and service, with exceptionally fresh ingredients. It ranks among the finest seafood I've ever tasted😃😋“

“The Lore Speakeasy Alice & Wonderland Escape Room experience was Absolutely Incredible!!! Lots of puzzles that were difficult but not impossible. Our host was funny and super responsive throughout the room. The drinks were good. We had such a fun time and I highly recommend to anyone even remotely interested. Afterwards we stayed for drinks and bites and these were delicious as well.“

“So I was lucky enough to give this place a try during a closed event hosted by the Seoul sisters and the Hoo Lee Gans. Pretty cool vibe and atmosphere when you walk in. Extensive drink list and pretty skilled bartenders tend to your thirsty soul while the home cooked Korean style street food dishes caress your belly. As it was a closed event , the food was a buffet style, help yourself and gubble it up style. Regardless the food was spot on. I really enjoyed the onion pancake. This dish is as simple as it looks it is actually rather tricky to make. The popcorn chicken was tender, the kimchi zesty yet firm and tender.
I suggest you give it a try and work yourself through their menu.“

“Historical significance with Jack Kerouac and very cool looking. Great location.“

“Fantastic concept, fantastic cocktails“

“Novela is such a great spot. The library-themed decor is super cozy and gives the bar a really intimate, laid-back vibe—perfect for a chill drink that can easily turn into a longer night. It feels stylish without trying too hard.

The drinks are amazing, especially the punch-on-tap flight. Fun flavors, generous pours, and definitely worth sharing. Easily one of my favorite bars in SF and a place I’d always come back to.“

“The ambience doesn't feel a lot like a speakeasy but the drinks are totally worth it!
We tried the jinzuh from holiday menu, hot & sour, cold chrysanthemum tea and monkey king.
All were beautiful but my fav was the hot & sour“

“Delicious drinks with amazing service. Michael was able to create a fantastic cocktail for my spouse. Between Michael and the cocktails, there is no reason to go anywhere else.“

“Sorella is one of our favorite restaurants in SF. We're moving out in March, so we had to come back to it one last time, and, as with all the other times we have been there, it did not disappoint. 5 star service 5 star food and drinks 5 star setting What more could you ask? Shoutout to Jocyln for bringing us an extra treat at the end of the night and for being a great waitress. :) Timo“

“Super friendly bartender (Esau, what a great dude) made our visit to „For the Record“ very special. We tried a bunch of his cocktails and they were all incredibe, then were invited to a round of shots (even though I almost broke a glass twice haha). Will definitely recommend this place to other people. Super chill music too, and they have live acts too. Thanks Esau!“

“Very Cool Spot but had not Been Inside in like 35 + Years !! It was a Very Different Bar and if i remember correctly Super Creepy !! These guys Did a Great Job with the Remodel and i will Go Back and Check it out Further / i didn't Drink or Eat anything as it was a Political Action and Tenants Rights Meeting.“

“H a wonderful evening at Holbrook House with friends. Great food and amazing cocktails. We tried the martini cart and the champagne cart (for dessert). Katie and Adriana gave us perfect service and Marco gave good champagne advice. They made the experience feel elegant but so warm and easy. We cannot wait to come back. It felt like old school San Francisco; upscale, but for the people. Highly recommend this place.“

“The food was delicious, especially the veggie dumplings and the vegetable dragon roll. And our server was incredibly nice! Also, the cute fish cup they served us in was for sale, so of course I had to buy it. Overall a great gem in the city.“

“Why wouldn’t you kick it here????“

“A must stop when in the area. Nothing fancy, dive bar feel, but always a good time.“

“discovered this spot recently! think it's an older crowd (i might be wrong though, only been here once). either way, still great vibes. pretty small place but you won't feel suffocated!

- drinks: it's ok, need to give another try
- music: 9/10
- vibes: 10/10“

“Overall a great spot to chill w/ friends or on your own!! 👍 My BF & I have visited quite a number of times, and we love this place!“

“We had a wonderful time here. Even though we were in a hurry, everything came out quickly and was delicious. We ordered the eggplant baba ghanoush, which was incredibly flavorful and served with warm, fresh pita bread. The steak skewers were another highlight—so tender and perfectly cooked. The service was great, and the staff were attentive. The atmosphere was beautiful and festive, making the experience even better.
If I could suggest anything to management, it would be to add a few more specialty non-alcoholic drinks, some hot beverage options, and a wider selection of desserts. Overall, though, we really enjoyed our visit and would happily return.“

“Tony is the fantastic bartender“

“The restaurant was very loud, and it was very difficult to hear our server, not to mention each other.! The food was excellent - we shared several vegetarian dishes that we enjoyed, however, the one non vegetarian dish we had (the octopus) was pungent and tough. Unfortunately, our server didn't check back with us to ensure we were satisfied with our selections. Even so, our experience was overall good, but with more attentive service, it could have been great.“

“Great cocktails and service, not a massive venue so would be perfect to have a cocktail party“

“One great cocktail, one not as much. Can't remember the name but collins glass was very refreshing while the smaller one (smoked mezcal) was very smoky to the point where it was harsh. Went there around midnight, it was pretty damn hot in the bar.“

“The Food is good the service was great and the entrainment was awesome“

“Great views, great staff, great food, and great drinks. Loved the decor and atmosphere. Would recommend and will return. Enjoyed the DJ, my favorite drinks were the Love Cats and Mr. Jinks. We shared several plates and the pork belly skewers, the pretzels (the mustard and pimento stuff was delish) and the asparagus salad were all amazing.“

“I have been twice and so far everything has been delicious. I need to go back a few more times to try everything on the menu. Don't forget to save room for dessert. The cocktails are fantastic.“

“Great atmosphere, great service, great music mix, and live sports!“

“Terrific spot in Union Square, bordering Tenderloin. The bartenders are skilled and creative. We hosted an event here and it went swimmingly. Phillip, the head of ops, was outstanding to work with. Super responsive, suggested Kokio for catering and even grabbed it for our group.“

“Marcus & Aliah are two of the best. I frequented here for several months in 2023. This is a good bar for meeting people, with good music and cocktails. Juan, the owner, is sometimes here and very hospitable. The bartenders know the house cocktails, which are batched and quite good. There is a DJ playing on most weekend nights. They have recently had renovations which turned out quite well.“

“Thank you, Le Petit Paris 75, for welcoming the Richard Crook trio to your delightful club. Always a friendly atmosphere, amazing cocktails, and awesome music line ups!“

“I googled “swankiest spot in the city” and this popped up. I figured, I got paid this week, what the heck, sure! I made my way upstairs and secured a booth seat, instantly greeted by some lustful tunes and silky mood lighting. The cocktails are absolutely divine! They didn’t even ask me to leave when I clearly had one too many. Can’t a woman crank that soulja boy on the dance floor anymore?! Huge fan of this establishment and the gorgeous staff (hello muscles!), will be returning with more members from my dance team.“