Best Bars in SoMa

A library-themed cocktail bar where the drinks take their names from novels and the shelves hold real books. A reliable group room.

The 39th-floor bar at the Marriott Marquis, with floor-to-ceiling windows and one of the widest skyline views downtown.

A rooftop lounge at the Proper Hotel with fire pits and a long city view. Go at sunset and dress for the wind.

The rooftop at 1 Hotel, a greener take on the hotel bar with a seasonal list and a calmer crowd than the View.

A 5th Street cocktail bar and terrace with a kitchen-driven list. Strong for an after-work drink near the shopping core.

A British brasserie bar in the Hotel Zetta, good for a martini and a plate before a show at the nearby theaters.

A Howard Street brewery turning out some of the city's best hop-forward beer. The taproom rewards a slow afternoon.

A brewpub two blocks from the ballpark, packed on game days and roomy the rest of the week. The house beers carry it.

Built into the ballpark wall, the go-to for a Giants game with a wall of screens and a long draft list.

A century-old corner bar across from the old Seals Stadium site, still a proper neighborhood sports room.

A 1908 saloon with a small upstairs stage and a long history of early sets from bands that got big.

A grappa-focused hotel bar with one of the largest grappa lists in the country. A quiet, unusual nightcap.