50 Best Pubs in San Francisco

“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.“

“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!“

“Favourite neighbourhood bar!“

“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.“

“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“

“This is our 1st time to San Francisco from from Washington and were able to watch the Seahawks game among all the other games with a great crowd of football fans! Food and service was amazing especially during such a crowded busy time!!! Thank you!!!“

“Airport food is not one that I would really associate with being above average. But I would have to give bourbon pub a very good review. Primarily their staff is always friendly and very efficient. They truly seem to enjoy their work because they’re always smiling and seem to get along well with each other. I have only used them for breakfast, but it’s very good. Job well done!“

“Quirky little pub in a nice neighborhood. We stumbled upon it by chance and felt at home right away 👍😀 Unforgettable atmosphere and wonderful people, including the owner, staff and patrons! 🥳🍻👍😀“

“Fab bar with a great range of booze and really friendly and helpful staff. Took the time to discuss UK vs USA measures and jiggers with me - fascinating!“

“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.“

“Our regular stop when in San Francisco....and our favorite St. Patrick's Day loca....“

“It was my first time going in there, and the service was awesome even though they had a big football game thing going on they made sure I was comfortable for my to go order. I ordered the better in simpler and they made it just the way I liked it and substituted the things that I didn’t like without any hesitation, I will be going back there“

“A good neighbourhood bar with great bartenders. Can play pool and darts and pinball and even trivia on Tuesdays. They always are caring for their space. Recently they upgraded their outside patio area and got a new pinball machine. Just a great cosy place to drink and bring your own food to hangout!“

“Irish is spoken here. Join in discussions, stay away from politics, mind yourself, and they always take care of you. Misbehaving will not be tolerated and they don’t care if your great grandparents ran a chinky takeaway in Cork City.“

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

“The grilled salmon is spectacular!“

“You’re experiencing Europe in a whole new way right here! The food is great, with flavors that transport you across the Atlantic. They have an impressive selection of beers, both draft and bottled, so there’s something for everyone. The staff is fantastic – friendly, attentive, and really make you feel at home. A must-visit spot if you’re looking for that European vibe!“

“I think either the oldest or 2nd oldest bar in SF (maybe in California?). Great bar. A true classic.“

“Ton of really cool history to this place. It’s not very busy these days- never bounced back from Covid, sadly. Def grungy. But boy do I want this place to thrive again so badly. Still has events frequently (live music, etc.). Pool table and darts too.“

“Oh My Goodness. What a fabulous place. We ordered food which was so tasty and so plentiful. Service was excellent. Please, please come and search for this place if visiting San Fran, you won't regret it. Oh.. and try the garlic fries ?... they're amazing.“

“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.“

“A great experience… staff are amazing and welcoming ..“

“Dropped in for the 1st time on a Friday evening ahead of dinner and enjoyed the experience. Bro and i only ordered beers, but the food looked good too. Tap selection was exceptional 5-stars with Russian River, Bottlelogic, Barebottle, Armistice, and many other top-notch CA choices. Bar area is on the cozy size side, but the atmosphere service and brews on tap make for a neighborhood bar i would love to visit regularly and wish i had nearby.“

“Such a cool and chill spot.“

“They don’t serve craft beer here anymore. So now it’s basically a just a spacious and mellow cafe. That isn’t a bad thing, but it doesn’t have the same vibes these days. The coffee is so so, but there’s generally space to spread out and chill. Plus you can grab groceries and whatever upstairs.“

“I had a total blast! Very retro vibe. Amazing people.“

“This place is not what I was expecting. Chug Pub has got awesome 49ers memorabilia on the walls, as a 9ers fan I can really appreciate this. This would be a great bar to go and watch 49ers games at. The bartender was super friendly he bought a round of tequila and there were three of us. Not sure why he did this but it worked because we came back later and drank some more! The food is some of the best Mexican food I have ever had and I am not exaggerating. We ordered the nachos with tinga, if you dont know what tinga is its mexican bbq and it is a must try. The chips in the nachos were some the best I have ever had, I love my chips on the well done side almost burnt and thats how these chips came. I loved it! When we came back later I ordered a California burrito and it was hands down the best California burrito I have ever had. I live an hour away and I plan on going back on a Sunday to have some drinks, eat amazing Mexican food and watch some 49er games. The bathrooms arent the best but everything else makes up for it.“

“Great service, great food , great music.“

“Great "hole in the wall' bar! Stopped by after the Giants game and tried the suds and a few Moscow Mules. The bartender Emily was super friendly and had all the right games on the screens! We'll be back!“

“Excellent, spacious location in the San Francisco Fi-Di, with professional and friendly staff! Make sure to order the salt and vinegar chips!“

“great time meeting up family at the spot ,loved the food by izzy and Javi all the way from Chicago to the bay ❤💪🤞“

“GREAT live music venue with awesome staff and patrons.“

“THE place to watch Arsenal in San Francisco! 21+ please.“

“Small but cozy pub with very attentive staff. Went for the live music, stayed for the drinks and good times. ?

No tickets but there is an entry fee at the door once the music begins. You can check the website to see a calendar of events and times.

Definitely visiting again.“

“Best pub in SF! Shout out to my favorite Canucks fan 🤙🍻“

“Great neighborhood bar. Excellent place to see the Dodgers loose !“

“lovely bartenders, strong drinks, dog friendly, great ambience, ample seating. clearly a place regulars love and newcomers are welcome in. don't take your drinks outside the door, that is a dumb move that I did. high recommend drinking the drinks inside of the bar though.“

“First brewery of the day and what an excellent neighborhood brew pub sitting on the corner of Bryant St and Cesar Chavez St. A lot to choose from so we went high ABV with the Hazed & Confused Double Hazy IPA at 9%. We both enjoyed it.“

“The Nags Head is a welcoming neighborhood bar where the bartender puts in the effort to learn your name and get to know you. When I went, most people at this establishment were on a first name basis. It was so refreshing to see a strong sense of community despite being in the city. The bar primarily offers beer and ciders, but the bartender can make you any cocktail if they have the ingredients, and the drinks are very affordable.“

“It’s the best neighborhood diner in the South end of the city. The food is always fresh and tasty. The owner’s, Sean and Andrea put a lot of love into what they do and it shows. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️“

“Lovely roaring fireplace. Friendly staff“

“Great time!!! It was the last leg of a good 0l fashioned 5stop PUB CRAWL!!? in cow hallow. we were staying in the area at a hotel and decided to go impromptu on a Friday afternoon into the evening. All our stops were really good, butttt these guys were awesome!!! Great staff,great vibes, just the highlight of the day!!! I even bought a ? t-shirt for my wife!!!“

“Delicious! Highly recommend pickle pickle mayo dog“

“Great Halloween. Bananas all over the place. Too many people acting like bananas though. Wish I had a picture. I'm sure I've got one somewhere around here...Where all my pictures of people going bananas?!?!?“

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

“Loved hanging out there. Now my son will be too! Go Gators“

“The 'Shoe is the best bar in the Marina hands down. Brooke is a Rockstar behind the bar ⭐⭐⭐“

“A well located hotel with everything you would need for a short stay in San Francisco. Good size, clean and comfortable room. Efficient check in and check out process. Games room and cafe on site but we did not use. Only negative was the noise coming from the street outside especially the street cleaning at 4am.“