50 Best Dive Bars in San Francisco

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

“I know where Lucy Borden’s remains are. She was delicious. Barbecue was great, but the menudo was the best!“

“Good food under the towering Bay Bridge- great views 😍“

“Friendly staff who are happy to give reccomendations for the area (both for food, bars etc as well as "cultural" advice).

Reasonably priced.

Nice vibe. Music, but not too loud. Cool rural on the floor you enter in.“

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

“Great bartender & sours. FYI - they don't serve any liquor, just beer & wine

Parking: You will likely have to drive around the neighborhood for a while and walk a few blocks to park which will be time limited.“

“Benders is a classic, one of my favorites. It was a regular stop in the tour of dive bars on a Friday evening and always had an edge on the others because of its size and food offerings to appease both vegetarians and carnivores alike. Bartenders are solid here, quick and efficient and don't waste your time or theirs. If you are a dive bar connoisseur, then Benders is a must try.

May 18, 2014“

“Best place ever. Real humans being real beautiful weirdos. Music sometimes. Eye candy always. Specs’ is one of my favorite places on earth.“

“Great experience!!! Loved it m/“

“Great venue. L, X“

“great place and the prices are even better. The owner is so nice. This is our new go to bar when we come to San Francisco. They rhave happy hour prices all the time. love the drink he made me“

“Great bar/pub to release the steam after a busy day, just letting you taking it easy. Great playlist by the bartender and a charging brick for your dying mobile as a bonus ;) I specifically enjoyed the playlist - just the place you want to be if your nerves require a little bit of soothing. Just step in and you will be magiced ;)“

“Funny I have been living for some time in SF and never stepped inside the Last Call. Luckily I didn't wait until the last call to give this place a try. I love the fact that it's low key, no drama. Great selection of top shelf spirits and many brands which you typically don't get to see in other bars. In addition, very knowledgeable bartenders who know and love their craft. Four thumbs up, oops I see double, two thumbs up.“

“Great bartenders, so welcoming& makes an awesome Old Fashion, makes you feel like a family“

“Great watering hole in the TL, especially if you're early for a show at GAMH. If you go between 2-8pm, there is a lovely Korean bartender who will teach you Korean while you drink. Solid jukebox, clean restroom, and entertaining regulars.“

“By far one of my favorite bars in the area! 🍻“

“You must try the guava cider and fish and chips with the mushy peas! I dont know why I liked the peas so much, but I did. Pascal is a great bartender and makes sure youre taken care of and does it with such warmth. Definitely come here for free games of pool on Mondays and trivia on Tuesdays and Wednesdays!“

“Great spot for locals or if you wanted to stop somewhere close enough to BART if there are delays or you want an easy escape to it. Limited drink selections and staff, but it's the kind of spot that reminds you that you don't really need all that. I had wanted to stop in for a long time before finally making my way in and glad I did.“

“awesome place! I highly recommend!“

“Found out my great grand father owned this bar 70 years ago and came in here early this afternoon and I'm so amazed how amazing the staff and customer were to me and telling me stories about the bar was an amazing experience for my 1st time. Ever I love this bar“

“Good drinks, great atmosphere, best food!!“

“Can’t believe this place is still open!Just stopped by cause the outside light was on. Got 2 Anchor Steam beers on draft. Bartender remembers me after all these years. Beers are only $6 each!Great spot as a low key, neighborhood bar.Stop by for a chill time!“

“I went on a weekend during an event, it was pretty packed. The service was faster in the front than the other bar (they have two). They do have food. More rave vibes I would say. The drag show was alright but it all depends on when you go and who you with. I recommend going with a group of friends because people are pretty clicky.“

“Wild West Bingo on Mondays at 6pm is authentic san francisco bar charm at its best, with an over the top drag queen hosting while patrons play to win free drink tokens and mystery prizes! Flashing lights and disco music gives a Vegas off strip appeal to the whole thing...“

“Not sure if Dan is still the owner but he is a huge Steelers fan- he has a “Terry Bradshaw Sings” LP on display at the bar. This place used to named Pittsburgh’s but after a bit of Covid-era trouble, a name change/reboot was warranted. As far as I can tell it’s still the same nice neighborhood vibe.“

“Watch out for the spicy drinks......they are SPICY!! It was very good. The staff were nice and fast. It's a bar so I don't expect a clean bathroom let's just say it needs a lil help and I was there early. Would go back with a different dj“

“Great old Skool bar. Bartender rocking on Spotify! good times! good drinks! Good peeps!“

“Either an FML type dive or a fun place to meet friends for a drink. No in between. A souped up version of Hockey Haven on Balboa. Solid service; love this place!

Parking: Street parking is available but can be tough in the afternoons.“

“This is !n old divey bar in the upper Haight. It's fun and super friendly. You might come in a stranger but you'll leave with a new group of friends.

This is not a place where you look at what's trending so you can order the same thing and take yet another photo of the same cocktail to post on the web. This is a place where people talk to each tiger, share their stories and become friends.“

“Nikki, what a gem! She knew all of my friend's drinks that are regulars at this bar and I'm the new guy of the crew! Totally amazing, prompt and fun service. She totally makes the place what it is, crowded or not too busy my friends always make a point to come into Crestas for the great service and good vibes.“

“Way to be different lol“

“One of my top bars I go to with my friends when I’m out in the marina. The place has an old-school aesthetic, but it’s always lively and they have a mix of oldies and new music playing. Also note this is more of a party/dive bar not really a fancy type classy bar. They got two bars and a pool table and a basketball hoops in the back. It is a fun place to go with friends and they’re always seems to be a medium sized crowd. Ive taken some of my friends parents in their 60s here on a night out. It’s fairly diverse with people in age groups ranging from 20s to 30s ages. Sometimes the people there in their younger 20s can be a bit stuck up or act a bit insecure which can be a bit annoying, but other than that, the bartenders are awesome and it’s overall a good time.“

“I don't want to tell you about this place, because I don't want it to be too crowded next time I go. This is a neighborhood bar for regulars. We loved it! Tip the bartenders generously, and make a point to be social with the locals if you go invade this space :)“

“November 2024:
First time here after hearing many great things about the bar. The beer on tap selection was very impressive. Many local top breweries were available including a long list from Russian River & Cellarmaker. Also had some hard to find breweries including Sante Adarius, Pure project. I tried a Full Petal IPA from Sante Adarius which was excellent 👍.

They let you bring in food. We had sausages from Berliner Berliner that paired well with the 🍻.

Service was fine. Lots of reviews talk about how the bartenders are rude. I didn't have that experience.

Would definitely come back again.“

“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!“

“Not many bars out there make you feel so welcome that even their regulars welcome you with open arms. This is one of those spots! Incredible owners, amazing selection of beers, and fantastic cocktails made with love.“

“Can’t beat the rustic atmosphere and the bartender was very friendly and informative.“

“Bartenders are all nice. Shirley is great she's my friend anyway so maybe biased. They actually have a lot of Chinese karoake songs too. My friend lives close so we go there kinda often. Always have a blast, and go home wasted after a great night haha“

“Went there with relatives from Ireland. The told me it felt like a pub back home. That is a great compliment. The bartender was also from Ireland and the back and forth banter between the bartender and my guest (Mainly dealt with the different countries they were from) was hilarious. Had great time.“

“My new favorite dive bar in the city. A great blues band was playing the night we went and the atmosphere was fun and full of happiness. Excellent and creative cocktails (the Bee's Knees and the ginger cocktail are very much recommended). Service was exceptional, we'll be definitely coming back! Love this place, A+++

Parking: best to get here via ride share because parking is extremely difficult to find.“

“If you want to sit on a throne in San Fran“

“Great local bar. Been around since 1930's.“

“Great bartender, great service, perfect location. Will be back when we're in S.F. 😊“

“best tacos 🌮🇮🇹🐍🦅 in San Francisco 🚩🏟📍49ers 🏈 maybe 🤷 😂24th street 💘“

“This was my 1st visit to San Francisco on my birthday! Hidive was welcoming, with great staff, good drinks, and a great bar top food menu! Started the day out there with margaritas, and stopped back in for some wings and a nightcap at the end of the day. It was great!“

“Great Juke box, cute bartender and booze! What else can you ask for?“

“Tony is the fantastic bartender“

“No frills, no cliques, best cheaper drinks, 3 generations when I was there last.“

“A local hangout full of characters who are not only friendly and entertaining, but welcoming. The kind of place that evokes the vibe of the TV show Cheers with a much more diverse clientele. Bartender was attentive and poured a great G&T. Classic. Dive. Bar.“

“The Ave is an excellent bar. I love the vibe. Eight of us came here after our CCSF night class semester ended. One of the pupils paid for my first round of drinks. When I heard the bartender talk about Native American tacos $5 each, I knew I had to try it. They were delicious. It was a fried bread type of taco. They came in two versions, a vegetarian version and a beef version. The chef also let me take photos. It was cool to be able to talk to the chef.“