Top Lounges & Bars You May Not Know About in San Francisco
Here are my recommendations, my top 10 list of bars & lounges in SF. Note that they are pair featuring a specific and unique feel and theme.
The View Lounge / Top of the Mark
If you’re looking for a classy environment, good drinks, and amazing views, these two locations are for you! The View Lounge is in the FIDI while Top of the Mark is in Nob Hill. Both of these places are located atop hotels, have nearly a 360 degree view of the city, feature unique and specialty cocktails. I highly recommend both of these spots as date options.
Tanga Room / Smugglers Cove
Looking for a little more of an exotic feel? Both these locations are tiki bars hidden in the city and both provide top notch drinks with unique rums and alcohols. The Tanga room features a pool of water in the middle of the restaurant where bands will float and play upbeat music. Smugglers cove is a total of 3 floors and two bars, each their own small hangouts. The menu here is very detailed and consists of just about every tiki-related drink you can think of.
Ziegist / Dear Mom
If you're a biker, hybrid or road biker, these two bars are perfect for you. Both of which are a hipster's dive bar paradise featuring good food and a very mellow atmosphere. Dear Mom attracts a very unique and fun crowd and is a perfect spot for a board game and drinks. Ziegist has mostly outdoor seating and a large selection of beers on tap. Neither location is the ideal "date spot" but both will provide a fun time!
Southern Pacific Brewery / 21st Amendment
Breweries are scatter all around San Francisco but some are easier to access than others. Both of these breweries are located in a relatively easy-to-access area and feature awesome food and beer options. 21st Amendment has a fun dining/brewery feel to it and is located near the SOMA district. Southern Pacific Brewery is located in the Mission district and is hidden inside of a large warehouse surrounded by residential areas. This brewery is widely known for their tasty food and reasonable drink prices. Both locations can get a little loud but both are a treat for a fellow beer snob.
Local Edition / Rickhouse
If just "classy" drinks isn't enough for you, both these places provide classy and stylish cocktails primarily based around whiskey, rye, and bourbon. They each provide a great selection of gentlemen drinks as well an array elegant cocktails. While Rickhouse can get a little loud and has a lack of seating, the drinks, dim lighting, and overall ambiance of the bar will keep you coming back. Local Edition aims to be more of a speakeasy with their dim lighting and jazzy feel. There is more seating and an awesome display of old typewriters lined up along the walls (it used to be the SF Chronicle printing press).
Eastside West / Stock n’ Trade
The Marina is known for its diversity. These are two fun and lively bars located right off of Lombard St and attract the best the Marina has to offer. Eastside West is a fun bar that hosts live music from time to time while Stock n' Trade is a larger space and features a small bocce ball court next to the bar.
Doc’s Clock / Laszlo
Dive much? These bars are two of the Mission's most popular dive bars. Located across from each other on Mission St, Doc's Clock features a long bar and a shuffle board while Laszlo has a shorter bar and fun bar seating.
620 Jones / Bluestem Brasserie
While SF doesn't provide a lot of outdoor weather both these bars feature awesome outdoor seating and are perfect for a formal hangout with some friends or co-workers. These are perfect if you're looking for a fun, casual place to grab a small bite and a good drink on a sunny day.
Swig / Redwood Room
Want a homey and welcoming feel? Both of these bars feature fire places and a familiar touch. While Swig tends to get a younger professional crowd, Redwood Room attracts an older crowd of professionals typically in town for the night. Both feature good and unique cocktails and occasionally host DJs to get the mood set. Sugar Lounge / The Bubble Lounge
Looking for something sweet? Both these lounges feature fun and creative cocktails and a fun lounge environment with hip music. I highly recommend trying Sugar Lounge's dessert menu!
Arthur G. Bahr
Social Instigator for...
Do what you love... and love will find you