11 Best Nightlife in The Marina and the Presidio, San Francisco

Whether you’re in the mood for a Paso Robles Grenache Blanc or an Oregon Pinot Noir, you'll find it at this narrow, sleek locals’ favorite. The kitchen isn’t much more than a stovetop but does some pretty impressive work beyond cheese and charcuterie. Take advantage of the ability to order half pours and sample more wines.

Here you'll spy young (thirtysomething) and upwardly mobile former frat boys and sorority girls sipping on powerful espresso martinis and munching on tasty burgers served sandwich-style on a baguette—considered by some to be the best in town. Classic cocktails are proper and stiff, bartenders always have something witty to say, and the wine list is one of the neighborhood's best.

In addition to teaching workshops on improvisation, this group based in a renovated warehouse stages performances such as "Guilty Pleasures: Improvised Soaps" and "Spontaneous Broadway." As is always the case for improv, the quality varies, but it's reliably fun. Tickets can be purchased in advance or at the door and have a suggested price range of $5 to $50 depending on what each patron feels comfortable paying.

Popular with frat boys and stockbrokers alike, this Marina/Cow Hollow favorite has 18 screens and two pool tables. If you want to meet the local diehards, this is the place. It's also one of the few spots in this neighborhood where you'll feel comfortable dressed down. Order food from neighboring restaurants; the bar provides menus.

Part cluttered shop, part cozy bar, Chestnut Street’s marquee wine destination is a longtime favorite for grabbing a glass or three. Featured wines come from some of the state’s most highly regarded vintners of all sizes and celebrity standings. The neighborhood has many wine bars, but this is where the locals go when the focus is on the wine itself.

While the Marina and Cow Hollow are filled with bars, this throwback record album–themed charmer is surprisingly the only (non-restaurant-affiliated) craft cocktail bar in the area. The sharply designed space has a clubby meets groovy feel with tufted leather banquettes and Summer of Love floral wallpaper. Cocktails are ambitious and exciting but, like the bar's atmosphere, completely free of pretension.

Don a pair of Diesel jeans and a Michael Kors sweater and sip cosmos or cabernet with the Marina's bon vivants. This is the premier spot in the "Triangle" (short for Bermuda Triangle, named for all of the singles who disappear in the bars clustered at Greenwich and Fillmore streets). Although there's a small dance floor where some folks bump and grind to high-energy DJ-spun dance tracks, the majority of the clientele usually vies for the plush seats near the central open fireplace, flirts at the bar, or huddles for romantic tête-à-têtes in the back. The singles scene can be overwhelming on weekends.

This small, classy, storefront lounge has reasonable tasting flights (around $20) and decent food that looks more impressive than it tastes. No complaints about the wine choices, though, which are consistently excellent. Warm lighting accents modern furnishings, including a signature beehive-shape wine display. On weekends the decibel level rises considerably and space is at a premium.

One of San Francisco's oldest singles bars still packs 'em in, but it's also a favorite restaurant for all ages. You can dine on great hamburgers (and a stellar Reuben) as well as more substantial fare to pair with local beers and simple cocktails, while gabbing about the 49ers with the well-scrubbed, khaki-clad, baseball-cap-wearing patrons.

Barely seven stools fit in San Francisco’s smallest bar. There are just as many bottled beers (served from a bathtub!) as seats, and be sure to bring some cash since credit cards aren't accepted. It's as bare-bones as it gets, but there's sports on TV, a fun dice game, and most important, a neighborhood camaraderie that is increasingly hard to find.