Arguably one of the best beer selections in the Bay Area. They update their menu daily, so there's always a new beer to try.
You have to make a reservation to get into this 1920's bar AND know the right password to get in! The old-time bar has no sign outside so you better pay attention or you'll miss it.
SF: A real biker bar with heart. It’s the last bastion of the pre dot-com rebel/artist. Park benches on a dirt lot; it's like drinking in a junkyard and is one of SF's most loved hangouts. -IFC Staff
Bet you never thought a crazy kitschy den of all things tiki could actually serve high-fructose-corn-syrup-free, all-natural drinks. This one can, and the cocktails hold up to the best in town.
The back bar is whiskey-centric here, but the bartenders are open-minded enough to mix up anything you want. The designer did a solid job, making the bar feel like the belly of a WWII war ship.
Classy and intimate spot in the most random part of the Mission. Great selection of whisky, superb happy hour, and get the agedashi tofu with a side of rice.
Awesome picnic tables out front, cheap good beer and amazing sage fries with the best dipping sauce.
...enjoy this upscale elegant bar. Awesome interior with ever-changing digital artwork displayed on various screens! Classy atmosphere... let's not forget some of the finest cocktails in the city! Read more.
Places like this will make you want to live in Mission. Come for 4-7 happy hour and get 4$ beer to unwind or catch up with some friends
This downtown spot from the Bar Agricole team has food (including gorgeous charcuterie) all day, with a cognac-focused cocktail list by Thad Vogler. Try the cognac Old Fashioned!
Great (and cheap) beer, a jukebox, and couches! What can possibly go wrong? Oh yeah, everybody else loves this place too! Make sure you arrive early or you may not be able to get a couch.
Specialties: Trick Dog, a hamburger served in a hot dog bun; kale salad; charcuterie board; thrice-cooked fries. Read more.
Who doesn't love a cheese plate with a side bottle of Pinot? Pro tip: ask about the secret wine club.
Go to Amelie during happy hour from 5:30-7PM to people watch and drink their $10 flight--3 generous pours of any wine on the menu. Read more.
Incredible ambience, wine and food. The Stoller Pinot Noir is great, fiancee enjoyed the Lucifer beer and the Napoli pizzetta and cheese plate were great. No complaints here.
This is my all time favorite dive bar! Candy is an awesome bartender and the people you meet while singing karaoke-priceless :) Have been so much our picture is on the wall.
Go with a group of friends. Take turns buying a bowl of Victorian Punch to share. Take the drunkest of the group home in a shopping cart. Read more.
The tapas-style small plates, the large selection of organic wines and the many vegetarian food pairings seal the deal on this sophisticated-but-comfy spot. Read more.
If you're looking for AMAZING Mexican food & a wicked Tequila Bar... crazy, loud and fast paced - this place rocks.
Congratulations, you've found one of Esquire's Best Bars in America. Tosca’s is a monument to chrome and red leatherette and burnished wood. Good drinks, too.
The culmination of the hyper-fresh, hyper-local cocktail movement. They grow some of their garnishes on site & contract with local farms & artisanal spirits makers. Expect awesome. Read more.
This new bar in a century-old building recalls the wild Barbary Coast red-light district. The bar's signature drink is the city's famous Pisco Punch, made with South American brandy. Read more.
Obviously you pay more to sip a great whiskey at their location but they do have amazing service and an incredible collection.
Fig & Thistle has great ambiance and generous pours. Ask the bartender for a recommendation; they'll help you find something you like.
One of the coziest spots in town is the bar/restaurant at the Phoenix Hotel. This is a great place to escape the cold on any late fall or winter evening. The grits with tomato aioli are recommended. Read more.
A cocktail bar from the team behind Range on Valencia. No kitchen, but there are 9 different types of jerky to eat.
Club Deluxe brings in local talent event night of the week, serves up wood-fired pizza and slings solid cocktails. It's an intimate space that's great for dates, but don't tell too many people. Read more.
Sit at the bar and order a flight. Well-priced flights of small-batch whiskeys or single-ounce pours make it possible to explore many of these rare gems without serious damage to your wallet. Read more.
Best quality beer selection in the city. Step over the crackies to get here, it's worth it (and only a half block off market).
People rave about the handmade pretzel and endless craft beers, but our love affair is with the lamb burger.
Beers are available in 5-ounce tasters if you want to taste your way through the lineup, and you can also take a growler of your favorite beer home. Read more.
Head to The Interval, the Long Now Foundation's cocktail bar, that just might be the best new bar in SF this year. Some favorites: Death in Gulf Stream or The Mother-In-Law. Read more.
Beautiful interior. Ask for a recommendation from savvy bar tenders. Or, trust me and try The Claridge Cocktail.
Big selection of beers and the fried pickles are the best. They make their own sausages too. Be sure to order the curry fries!
A genuine Tiki room/Polynesian restaurant at the Fairmont Hotel. Has a swimming pool turned bar & a rain/thunder show! Seen on Travel Channel’s The Layover with Anthony Bourdain.
This spots got top-notch cocktails from the Bon Vivants team, with a wickedly interesting menu that changes every six months, as well as some terrific food. Try the Kale Salad and Scotch Egg! Read more.
Community, crowd-sourced angle to it for beer geeks — they'll be inviting home brewers to create beers of different types, and compete with each other for a spot on their taps. Read more.
Drinks are cheap and usually generously poured. The outdoor space includes so much greenery you'll think you’ve absconded to the countryside. Plus the calendar is full of live music. Read more.
classy; movies projected on walls. Dim lighting, candles. upscale cocktails & single-malts. loud music and cacophonic levels of conversation keep it lively. DJs spin most nights after 9.
Amazing cocktails, a lot of creativity being shown here. Very classy atmosphere, extremely professional/knowledgeable staff. Great spot!
Great local spot for food and wine. Good style, but not fancy. Well priced. The pear, blue cheese pizza and the brussel sprouts are two of my favorites!is
Order a couple ounces of the house favorite Spicy Beef Candy—or for vegetarians, the shiitake jerky with sake and balsamic—and pair it with a shot and a beer or one of the kickass cocktails. Read more.
Former Kimpton higher-ups Jacques Bezuidenhout and Ken Luciano are behind the creative drinks, with combos like cumin-infused vodka and passionfruit, or Irish whiskey and a strawberry-chamomile shrub. Read more.
Royal Cuckoo is a gem in the Mission with live organ player, vinyl spinning and delicious drinks from the bar. Enjoy chips instead of pretzels with your drink from time to time and have a great time.
SFGate: "The Plough and Stars, which has live Celtic music most nights and a Celtic jam Sunday afternoons, along with pool tables, beer on tap and a laid back atmosphere"
"Built in 1941, an ocean-side honky-tonk with a small-town lodge vibe and a wild history. Massive stone fireplace, Connect 4 and musical acts. Perfect place to warm up after an Ocean Beach adventure."
