San Francisco - World's Best Bars

Best Bars in

San Francisco

Given its almost absurdly iconic vistas (the Golden Gate Bridge, the trams of Nob Hill…), it is easy to understand why San Francisco is one of the most visited cities in the Western Hemisphere. And as could be expected, its nightlife is also something to behold.

Breezy, picturesque and alternative, San Francisco has plenty to offer in terms of nightlife. The city by the bay has it all, from the wild and adventurous to the hip and quirky.

A good place to start is over in North Beach, a buzzy coastal area with a strong Italian heritage and an electric atmosphere come sundown. Once the stomping grounds of the Beat Generation, its traditional eateries, artisanal coffee shops and retro bars now draw a happy mix of tourists and locals. Before indulging in dinner and drinks, head to the lush Filbert Steps on Telegraph Hill, and enjoy the scenic ascent to the iconic Coit Tower.

Venture further inland and visit Union Square, the city’s central shopping, hotel and theater district, home to many hidden gems helmed by some of San Francisco’s most expert mixologists. From old-school haunts to swanky cocktail dens, from underground piano bars to vertiginous hotel rooftops, there’s something for every taste.

Feeling more adventurous? Continue down to the infamous Tenderloin, a notoriously shady neighborhood that’s been slowly shedding its dangerous reputation as gentrification seeped in. Its colorful streets house a number of underground art spaces, indie stores and live music venues, as well as a mix of chic, trendy and casual dining spots. From authentic dive bars to speakeasy-style cocktail joints, the nightlife is as interesting and diverse as the neighborhood.

Still not sleepy? Then either head up to the always animated Polk Street, and continue bar hopping the night away, or explore warehouse-filled SoMa, a former industrial district that’s now home to some of the best restaurants, bars and nightclubs in the city.

If you want a taste of San Fran’s colourful past and a bit of unconventional fun, try Haight-Ashbury, a charming, well-preserved Victorian sector rooted in hippie history. The cradle of the 1960s countercultural movement draws lively crowds to its quirky vintage boutiques, record stores, book shops and eclectic bars. The perfect spot for an afternoon pick-me-up right on the edge of Golden Gate Park.

Finish your journey in the nearby Mission District, a cheerful, historically latino district brimming with hipster charm. Here, you’ll find everything from old-school taco joints and tattoo parlors to craft cocktail bars and eclectic live music venues. Check out all the vibrant street art spread across the area, take in the skyline views at Dolores Park, and continue enjoying the fine weather in a beer garden before rubbing elbows with locals at a neighborhood dive bar.

Last Bar Reviews

in San Francisco

in London
in New York City
in Paris
in Hong Kong
in Amsterdam
in Chicago
in Sydney
in San Francisco
in Seattle
in Berlin
in Melbourne
in Bangkok
in Los Angeles
in Shanghai
in Tokyo
in Singapore
in Seoul
in Dubai
in Edinburgh
in Copenhagen
in Miami
in Dublin
in Barcelona
in Prague
in Beijing
in Beirut
in Cape Town
in Moscow
in Brisbane
in Zürich
in Toronto
in Vienna
in Hanoi
in Mexico City
in Lisbon
in Bristol
in Warsaw
in New Orleans
in Stockholm
in Perth
in Manchester
in Leeds
in Las Vegas
in Zagreb
in Porto
in Havana
in Boston
in Washington DC
in Brussels
in Kuala Lumpur
in Brighton
in Venice
in Birmingham
in Montreal
in Madrid
in Johannesburg
in San Diego
in Munich
in Frankfurt
in Oslo
in Cardiff
in Tel Aviv
in Buenos Aires
in Helsinki
in Rome
in Liverpool
in Hamburg
in Cologne
in Rio de Janeiro
in Mumbai
in Quebec City
in Budapest
in Vancouver
in Monte Carlo
in Philadelphia
in Portland Oregon
in São Paulo
in Düsseldorf
in Athens
in Bogota
in Ibiza
in Riga
in Vilnius
in Louisville
in Orange County
in Belgrade
in Istanbul
in Glasgow
in Milan
in Cairo
in Cannes
in Lima
in Macau
in New Delhi
in Bali
in Geneva
in Antwerp
in Florence
in Ljubljana
in Marrakesh
in Tallinn
in Queenstown
in Rimini
in Phuket
in Krakow
in Manila
in Dallas
in Busan
in Sofia
in Newcastle
in Oxford
in Kolkata
in Auckland
in Kyoto
in Atlanta
in Ho Chi Minh City
in Gran Canaria
in Delhi
in Bath
in Taipei
in Sheffield
in Santiago
in St Tropez
in Saint Petersburg
in Detroit
in Algarve
in Tenerife
in Yangon
in Vientiane
in Amman
in Bengaluru
in Salzburg
in Adelaide
in Wellington
in Bucharest
in Houston
in Honolulu
in Doha
in Berkeley
in Swansea
in Bangalore
in Chennai
in Limassol
in Belfast
in Aberdeen
in Valencia
in Hiroshima
in Reykjavik
in Seychelles
in Denver
in Larnaca
in Phnom Penh
in St Julian's
in Kyiv
in Dresden
in Goa
in Marseille
in Rotterdam
in Colombo
in Fukuoka
in Palm Beach
in Tucson
in Nashville
in Hvar
in Mykonos
in Hyderabad
in Missouri
in Oulu
in Calgary
in Graz
in Stuttgart
in Nice
in Lyon
in Maldives
in Utrecht
in Kaunas
in Osaka
in Milwaukee
in Caracas
in Austin
in Charleston
in Porto Cervo
in Forte dei Marmi
in Bordeaux
in Bolzano
in Montpellier
in Jerusalem
in Val Thorens
in Basel
in Góra
in Nicosia
in Ghent
in Tampa
in NSW
in Split
in Pune
in Cork
in Cincinnati
in Arona
in Playa Del Carmen
in Nha Trang
in Gothenburg
in Swiss Alps
in Tequila
in Monterrey
in Napier
in Luxembourg City
in Naples
in Bratislava
in Nagasaki
in Perpignan
in Tomislavgrad
in Cochabamba
in British Virgin Islands
in Palm Springs
in Montevideo
in Palm Desert
in Portland Maine
in Birmingham AL
in Phoenix
in Abu Dhabi
in Windhoek
in Ras al-Khaimah
in Cartagena
in Newport Beach
in Menorca
in Biarritz
in Bellevue
in Culebra
in Darlington
in Passo Fundo
in Lefkada
in Blankenberge
in Cluj-Napoca
in Poznań
in Schorndorf
in Bridport
in Providenciales
in Valletta
in Perranporth
in Malibu
in Asunción
in Lausanne
in Ossendrecht
in Emeryville
in Johor Bahru
in Minneapolis
in Baiersbronn
in Bergen
in Rijeka
in Sesimbra
in Comporta
in Boise
in San Juan
in Gurgaon
in Piedmont
in Nitra
in Gatwick Airport
in Boracay
in Bournemouth
in Jakarta
in Gdansk
in Nottingham
in Sopot
in Cambridge
in Byron Bay
in Nairobi
in San Antonio
in Casablanca
in Koh Samui
in Kansas City
in Paphos
in Douglas
in Sacramento
in Beersheba
in Dbayeh
in Qawra
in Rabat
in Wittenberg
in Michigan
in Saint Augustine
in Jersey City
in Danang
in Lviv
in Montbazon
in São Roque
in Saxony
in Goult
in Marina Del Rey
in Costa Del Sol
in Treviglio
in Luang Prabang
in Panama City
in Long Beach
in Faro
in Thessaloniki
in Havar
in Biella
in Lake Como
in Minsk
in Batumi
in Abuja
in Bodrum
Worldwide

See all bars in San Francisco

What's new

Worldwide

in London
in Paris
in New York City
in Los Angeles
in Mexico City
in Singapore
in Amsterdam
in Rome
in Bangkok
in New Orleans
in Newcastle
in Hong Kong
in Seoul
Worldwide

A match made in heaven: the best whiskey cocktail pairings for burgers

Fall cocktails, but make them low-ABV

Tracks on the rocks colombia worlds best bars

Tracks On The Rocks #5 - Colombia

5 spirits crafted by world-class bars you need to try

See all news