Best Cocktail Bars in San Francisco

One of the most inventive cocktail programs in America. The menu changes every six months, themed around a new concept. The bartenders are technically brilliant and have a sense of humor about it.

Rum bar masquerading as a rum museum. Over 550 rums, a three-level ship interior, and 80 cocktails that justify every one of them. The Mai Tai is the best in the country.

Neighborhood craft cocktail bar with a serious low-ABV program alongside the full menu. The snacks are better than the food at most restaurants nearby.

San Francisco's oldest green bar, certified organic and solar-powered. The cocktails are made with house-infused spirits. The backyard patio is a secret the regulars guard.

Alley bar in North Beach that the travel press discovered but hasn't ruined. The bartenders write the cocktail menu and change it seasonally. No bad seats.

Bar inside the Long Now Foundation's Fort Mason library. Books, art, and cocktails tied to concepts of deep time. The most intellectually serious bar in the city.

Subterranean cocktail bar in the Financial District with a prohibition-era aesthetic that doesn't feel forced. The barrel-aged cocktails are the best argument for patience in a bar menu.

Second spot from the Trick Dog team, with a tighter menu and more walk-in availability. Same commitment to craft, slightly more casual atmosphere.

Technically across the Bay Bridge but absolutely worth the BART ride. 8 bartenders make 8 very different cocktails. Perfect for serious cocktail nights.

Long and narrow bar with an exceptional whiskey list and a cocktail menu that favors stirred, spirit-forward drinks. The back booth is the best seat in the Tenderloin.

From the team behind Lazy Bear restaurant. The cocktail menu reads like a tasting menu, not a bar list. Seasonal ingredients, precise technique, no gimmicks.

Chef-driven cocktail program attached to a Michelin-starred restaurant. The non-alcoholic menu is as considered as the cocktail list. Reservations essential.

London Underground-themed gin bar with 750 gins on the list. The gin and tonic program has 40 variations. Order the house G&T on first visit and go from there.

Classic cocktail bar named for the drink, which they make better than almost anyone. The back bar is lit like a painting. No cocktail list, just ask.

Library-themed cocktail bar where every drink takes its name from a novel. The negroni is called The Gatsby. The shelves are real books you can borrow while you drink.

The highest concentration of serious craft cocktail programs west of New York. Home to Trick Dog, ABV, Elixir, and True Laurel.

Intimate cocktail rooms with short menus and bartenders who know their regulars. Smuggler's Cove and Nightbird Bar set the standard.

Historic neighborhood with alley bars and multi-decade institutions. 15 Romolo and The Saloon define the North Beach cocktail scene.

Gritty, authentic bars with exceptional whiskey lists and spirit-forward cocktails. The Gibson and Whitechapel lead the neighborhood.

Financial District brings upscale cocktail programs with prohibition-era aesthetics. SoMa offers eclectic themed bars like Novela.

The Interval brings an intellectual approach to cocktails, tying drinks to concepts of deep time and serious conversation.

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The bars locals actually go to. Off the beaten path, authentic, worth discovering.

Romantic, intimate spaces where the cocktails and conversation both matter.

Where the music matters as much as the drink. Jazz, blues, indie, and more.

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