San Francisco

The Best Pubs in San Francisco

San Francisco pubs include the heritage Irish pubs on Geary, the dive bars in the Mission, and a serious craft beer scene that has emerged from the Bay Area microbrewery wave.

  1. 01

    Vesuvio

    North Beach · $$

    Heritage Beat Generation bar from 1948. Kerouac, Ginsberg, and Cassady drank here. The walls are covered in literary memorabilia. Open daily.

  2. 02

    Tosca Cafe

    Fisherman s Wharf · $$$

    Heritage Italian-American bar from 1919. The interior is preserved. Open daily.

  3. 03

    The Buena Vista Cafe

    North Beach · $$

    Heritage cafe-pub from 1916, famous for inventing the Irish Coffee in America. Tourist crowded but genuinely heritage. Open daily.

  4. 04

    Specs Twelve Adler Museum Cafe

    Lower Haight · $

    Heritage dive bar full of nautical paraphernalia. Cheap beer, weird crowd, atmospheric. Open daily.

  5. 05

    Toronado

    Haight · $$

    Craft beer specialist with 50 rotating taps. The crowd is committed and the bartenders are knowledgeable. Open daily.

  6. 06

    Magnolia Pub and Brewery

    $$

    Microbrewery and pub with a long history. House brewed beers and good food. Open daily.

  7. 07

    Other categories in San Francisco

  8. 08

    Cocktail Bars

    in San Francisco ›

  9. 09

    Rooftop Bars

    in San Francisco ›

  10. 10

    Date Night

    in San Francisco ›

  11. 11

    After Work

    in San Francisco ›

  12. 12

    Live Music

    in San Francisco ›

  13. 13

    Top 10 Lists for San Francisco

Heritage Beat Generation bar from 1948. Kerouac, Ginsberg, and Cassady drank here. The walls are covered in literary memorabilia. Open daily.

Heritage cafe-pub from 1916, famous for inventing the Irish Coffee in America. Tourist crowded but genuinely heritage. Open daily.

Heritage dive bar full of nautical paraphernalia. Cheap beer, weird crowd, atmospheric. Open daily.

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More of San Francisco

Looking beyond San Francisco? See our guide to the best pubs worldwide, or compare pubs city by city.