50 Best Cocktail Bars in San Francisco

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

“We stopped in here while in the area and were pleasantly surprised we had never made the stop before! I'm a dog person so anything with a Dog theme and I'm in, but this place didn't stop there. They have an impressive drink menu with a few things I'd never seen, and they also have these delicious NA waters (?) that I wish I could remember the name of.

They also have a great food menu and the service was very good. I'll be back and you should stop by too!“

“Great environment, lively, and tasty food!“

“Get there early if you want a seat. Their Whiskey Sour is absolutely perfect And they have actual food if you like that kind of stuff🍸🍹“

“Amazing food!! Great service !! Old fashioned Portuguese food. The owner is such a classic as he treats all his guests like family!!“

“Best dining experience I’ve had since I moved here. Great food, great service, great atmosphere. My new favorite restaurant 💚💚💚“

“Brilliant flavor combinations and beautiful presentation. The gaeng bumbai aubergine has the the right amount of heat without being overpowering.“

“Amazing food and wine, great view“

“Had the best time at True Laurel!! We went because of them being ranked one of the Top 50 bars in the US, and after my time spent here I can completely understand why.

When we arrived a little less than an hour after they opened, they already had a packed house. We sat at the bar and were greeted by Jason. He exceeded all expectations with his knowledge of every cocktail, spirit, and origins of the drinks as a whole. Giving us a whole story behind every question we asked made us feel like we weren’t at a bar, but a class on the drinks they were serving.

I was a bit car sick when we got out of the Uber, so I wasn’t in a rush to drink and asked for a soda. Their version of a soda that they made in house was a phenomenal combination of flavors which tastes like a tart, less carbonated kombucha.

Besides that, the drinks were of course amazing. I am forgetting what everyone else had, but I had their Pea-casso. Such an interesting drink, and I say that with all the good things in mind. It tasted like a pickle-back cocktail, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

The star of the show were the mushrooms. I have been craving them ever since. They were perfectly deep fried, had the most amazing sauce, and were seasoned so beautifully.

Accidentally made this review longer than I thought, so long story short this is a MUST go. Thank you Jason for all of your hard work and dedication to serving us. We can’t wait to be back.“

“Went here on New Year’s Eve! They had loads of Christmas themed items which was adorable. The interior was beautifully decorated with lights and their music selection included Doja Cat. The staff were attentive and made very yummy drinks!“

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

“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.“

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

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

“The food was phenomenal. We started with Chrome (an old fashioned twist) and Leila. Kids had Rose mint and Hassan tower; the cocktails. The cocktails were great and the mocktails were not loaded with sugar. All very flavorful. We started with Josey bread, butter, honey and za'atar as snack and then mouth melting smaller plate of Kefta. We had 3 entrees: lamb shank which was mouth melting, lemon whole beanzino which was the best fish my family had and chicken roulade. In dessert we had all 3: the out of world date cake, the yuzu custard which was on tart side and chocolate chip cookies. The server Gariba was phenomenal. We had great conversation, with all of us. Her suggestions were top notch. She made our experience a five star from every aspect.“

“Always creative, delicious & seasonal, the level of excellence at Sorella is worth more than they charge. Consistently superb, with wines that perfectly complement the food and inventive harmonious cocktails that add novel delicious tastes to your experience. Sorella is a neighborhood gem, a date night delight, and a regular place to feel pampered.“

“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.“

“Really good pizzas! Loved the crusts and the sauce.“

“The pork chops are above world-class!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️ I'll be back.“

“The Morris , let me try to capture all the good things that are going on here. So we gave this place a try on a Thursday evening and it's certainly surprising how busy this little place is. The place is rather narrow and the ceiling is rather low. Congratulations to the decorator for making the place feel inviting and warm. I love the open kitchen at the entrance, it gives you a good glance at the various dishes and your nostrils will be on high alert absorbing the various smells.
The staff is super attentive friendly and has a fantastic memory as they remember which guest ordered which wine and brought the correct bottle for refill without having to ask.

The food. we really enjoyed the appetizers. The pork cracklings were yummy and rather light great for sharing and best with a cocktail.
For me the best dish was the brocolini with squid. The combo of the charred, the lime juice ...out of this world.

For the main we tried 1/2 of the smoked duck. Now let me tell you it's good but.. it's so rich in smoked flavor that after a few bites I was completely with the flavors and we had a hard time finishing the serving. My recommendation 1/2 a duck for 4 would be the right serving size otherwise your taste buds will go on strike

Great experience overall definitely worth a follow up visit.“

“Holy moly, this place was great! The food is tasty & beautifully served. The service was great & Hannah made terrific suggestions. Really well done!“

“Excellent espresso coffee, friendly service and a lovely brunch menu. I look forward to returning sometime for dinner. The chef’s were prepping a range of fresh looking ingredients and the smells emanating from the kitchen were beautiful!“

“Love this place so much! Ina, Nick the whole fam and staff are the best! Know you are family and are taken care of when you walk in the doors of the korner store! The food is delicious! There’s a drink for everyone and for whatever mood you are in! Strong,sweet and even non alcoholic offerings! The music is great and they have great event nights - from kpop nights, game nights and even learn and practice your dj skills nights! It’s a great late night addition to the Excelsior and worth checkin out!

Kid-friendliness: Able to dine with kids before the evening crowd arrives“

“Lavay Smith sings there on Sunday evenings“

“Had a great time, around a few drinks with friends. It is unfortunate that the beer garden area backs on a dilapidated lot. The thin wall is not enough to contain the rather unpleasant smell of what seems to be used as a public urinal and smoking point.“

“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! 👍🏿“

“awesome food , great service definitely recommended“

“Great place great food. Love it“

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

“Stumbled into this pub after a show in the theatre district and experienced a rush akin to what the first prospector must have felt finding golden nuggets in the Sacramento Valley - EUREKA! We have struck gold!!

Bottle Club Pub really IS gold — killer cocktails, mouthwatering food, suave atmosphere, and reasonable prices. It’s almost too good to be true.

The rotating liquor shelf is the star feature of this lounge, and it’s incredibly mesmerizing to watch it spin around as the red lighting dances on the bottles. It was fun to watch each new group notice it the first time it moved for them — it seems a pretty ubiquitous experience that everyone enjoys watching it.

The decor is kitschy Americana but in a classic, timeless way — very Norman Rockwell-esque. It gives off a masculine atmosphere with a warm, sensual vibe.

The cocktails were excellent and sit around $15 (affordable by SF standards, for sure). The TL crush was bright and fruity, while the Plum Daisy was surprisingly robust. Plenty of options for cocktails as well as draft beer and a small selection of wine.

The real standout however was the food — the fish and chips were PHENOMENAL. They were incredibly crispy and dusted with a type of chicken salt that added a unique layer of umami. The fries were lightly battered (which I loved) and the tartar sauce had fresh dill in it.

The Nashville Chicken sandwich was about as authentic as you can find in the Bay — it was dripping in that classic Nashville sauce and had just the right amount of spice.

The service was excellent and friendly. They initially mistook my fish and chips order for a burger, but when they brought out the wrong dish they quickly made it right and we didn’t have to wait long at all for the right order.

Can’t wait to come back and try more things on their menu. We’ll be showing this hidden gem to all our friends for as long as they keep that cool rotating liquor shelf maintained!“

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

“Feels like a hole in the wall cocktail bar, super cozy on the inside. Definitely recommend getting Pear Pressure, it’s fragrant and refreshing. The Linda Linda is spirit forward but also delicious.

A great place to stop before dinner“

“Both bartenders in Friday night were extremely excellent. Matt was great with patron interactions and I unfortunately forget the name of the other bartender on shift, but he made an excellent drink reccomendation that was an instant favourite.“

“It was late night order and I’ve never had a burger dog before but wanted to try since frisco fried out them on the scene back in the day. Ordered my door dash and couldn’t wait. As soon as they arrive I could smell the goodness so I take my pics and dive in.Burger Dog: Hefty on the meat, felt like it was more beef than an actual burger and I wanna say easier to eat. Only change I would add bacon and that’s my bad. Very good burger dog!Bacon Hot Dog: Butterflied Beef Dog with crispy bacon! Another hit.Very simple menu options but they hit it out the park. Would definitely double back to this spot to try them fresh.

Parking: It’s on 20th street so not impossible but keep your eyes open spots get taken fast

Kid-friendliness: Burgers, Hot Dogs, Fries I think so….

Wheelchair accessibility: It’s in San Francisco it has to be accessible“

“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.“

“Nice bar and really like the roof fan“

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

“Why wouldn’t you kick it here????“

“If you’re into tiki, this place is a must. If you’re not, it’s still going to be a very good time. Drinks are strong and expertly crafted. I love Smuggler’s Cove’s cocktail book but don’t always have all the necessary ingredients at home, so was glad to be able to experience the recipes where they can be properly executed.“

“Very unique atmosphere! Great food and drinks!“

“First time there, food is tasty.“

“Delicious martinins, funa nd creative bartenders (with a great recommendation for a hatch green chile martini), and a great vibe. Loved the built-in jukebox in the wall!

Kid-friendliness: Do not bring kids here. This is a bar.“

“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 really never have enjoyed tasting menus….but Tiya’s tasting menu fully changed my opinion on them. 4/6 dishes were things I probably wouldn’t have ordered on a regular menu so getting to try these dishes was a treat. We supplemented the tasting menu with the chicken gushtaba and the shrimp. They were both so good but the gushtaba was outstanding….Think a chicken meatball in fondue.
Everything was a flavor bomb and I would definitely come back“

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

“My husband and I enjoyed our dinner very much! He had the Paparadele and I had the beet salad and pizza. They were both delicious! We definitely will be going back!🍷“

“Loved the decor and the vibe，great place to hang out with friends.The food was absolutely delicious! The flavors were spot on.If you're in the area, this place is a must-try!“

“Buena comida 🥘 y muy buen ambiente Gracias 🤩 🙌🏻“

“Wonderful Bar tender Alec and staff 😄. Loved it!“

“Every drink is handled with care.“