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After hours, the city’s business folk and workers give way to costume-clad partygoers, hippies and hipsters, downtown divas, frat boys, and those who prefer something a little more clothing-optional. Downtown and the Financial District remain pretty serious even after dark, and Nob Hill is staid, though you can't beat views from
After hours, the city’s business folk and workers give way to costume-clad partygoers, hippies and hipsters, downtown divas, frat boys, and those who prefer something a little more clothing-optional. Downtown and the Financial District remain pretty serious even after d
After hours, the city’s business folk and workers give way to costume-clad partygoers, hippies and hipsters, downtown di
After hours, the city’s business folk and workers give way to costume-clad partygoers, hippies and hipsters, downtown divas, frat boys, and those who prefer something a little more clothing-optional. Downtown and the Financial District remain pretty serious even after dark, and Nob Hill is staid, though you can't beat views from penthouse lounges, the most famous being the Top of the Mark (Hopkins). Nearby North Beach is an even better starting point for an evening out.
Always lively, North Beach's options include family-friendly dining spots, historic bars from the city's bohemian past (among them Jack Kerouac's old haunts), and even comedy clubs where stars such as Robin Williams and Jay Leno cut their teeth. In SoMa there are plenty of places to catch a drink before a Giants game and brewpubs to celebrate in afterward. SoMa also hosts some of the hottest dance clubs, along with some saucy gay bars. While Union Square can be a bit trendy, even the swanky establishments have loosened things up in recent years.
Heading west to Hayes Valley, a more sophisticated crowd dabbles in the burgeoning "culinary cocktail movement." Up-and-coming singles gravitate north of here to Cow Hollow and the Marina. Polk Street was the gay mecca before the Castro and still hosts some wild bars, but things get downright outlandish in the Castro district. Indie hipsters of all persuasions populate the Mission and Haight districts by night. Keep in mind, though, that some of the best times San Francisco has to offer are off the beaten path. And a good party can still be found in even the sleepiest of neighborhoods, such as Bernal Heights and Dogpatch.
Recommended Fodor’s Video
The Haight, the Castro, Hayes Valley and Noe Valley
SoMa, Mission Bay, and Dogpatch
Mission District, Bernal Heights, and Potrero Hill
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.
2165 Union St., San Francisco, California, 94123, USA
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.
3199 Fillmore St., San Francisco, California, 94123, USA
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.
2 Marina Blvd., San Francisco, California, 94123, USA
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.
1901 Union St., at Laguna St., San Francisco, California, 94123, USA
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.
2113 Chestnut St., San Francisco, California, 94123, USA
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.
2120 Greenwich St., San Francisco, California, 94123, USA
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.
3138 Fillmore St., between Greenwich and Filbert Sts., San Francisco, California, 94123, USA
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.
3330 Steiner St., between Chestnut and Lombard Sts., San Francisco, California, 94123, USA
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.
1944 Union St., San Francisco, California, 94123, USA
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.
1514 Union St., San Francisco, California, 94123, USA
Even many locals don't realize that the Fort Mason Center is home to one of the city's most impressive and scene-free cocktail bars. As part of the Long Now Foundation, a nonprofit devoted to long-term thinking, the bar serves cocktails that reflect the group's approach, finding innovative ways to serve tried-and-true libations. The Navy Gimlet with clarified lime juice is a modern-day San Francisco classic.
2 Marina Blvd., San Francisco, California, 94123, USA
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