These are San Francisco’s bars to grab a drink

What is it? Wherever Kevin Diedrich is, expect some of the best cocktails in the world—and warm, informed service. Near Union Square since 2016, P.C.H. is one of the most lauded and awarded cocktail bars in SF—and one of best cocktail bars in the world.

Why we love it: I’ve been writing about Diedrich a good 15 years, well before P.C.H. opened. It took longer than it should have for him to win Tales of the Cocktail Spirited Awards’ “Best American Bartender” and his flagship bar, Pacific Cocktail Haven (P.C.H.) to win “Best American Cocktail Bar.” But once they did, it unleashed the James Beard nominations, North America World’s 50 Best Bars listings and numerous accolades. There’s no food here and just one glowing bar with curved banquettes and a front patio—plus a deep spirits collection, a tight team that knows “what’s up” sans attitude and some of the most creative, nuanced, delicious cocktails on a deep menu broken down by spirit and non-alcoholic.

Diedrich and bar manager Francis Stansky, who has been bartending here since day one, moved the team three doors down after a devastating fire in 2021 destroyed their original location (and countless rare spirits), rebuilding their more expansive space while retaining the inclusive, laid-back welcome and palate-honed cocktails Diedrich has long been known for.

Cocktails pull heavily from Asian-Pacific ingredients, celebrating Diedrich’s Filipino heritage and well beyond in signatures like his oft-copied, then-groundbreaking pandan Leeward Negroni, or playful Thrilla in Manila with bourbon, shiso, calamansi and li hing mui.

Time Out tip: There’s no kitchen but you’re welcome to bring food in from neighboring businesses. There can be a wait at the busiest times but lots of flow means seats open up.

Address: 550 Sutter St, San Francisco, 94108
Opening hours: Mon–Sat 5pm–midnight
Expect to pay: Cocktails run $9–$28; no food

What is it? Opened in the Mission District by the two-Michelin-star Lazy Bear team, one of the nation’s best fine dining restaurants, True Laurel is the more casual sibling: hip, relaxed and playful with design inspired by Isamu Noguchi and a bar made from a fallen laurel tree, flanked by a sunny front patio.

Why we love it: From its place in North America’s 50 Best Bars to James Beard nominations, True Laurel has rightly racked up awards and accolades since opening in 2017. But we knew it was superb from day one. Warm service and killer food make TL the “whole package,” as do sustainability practices, for which it won 50 Best’s most sustainable bar in North America.

Aged white cheddar mousse and tomato jam gougeres, loaded baked potatoes and caviar-topped corn pancakes are gourmet but served with unpretentious ease, while the now iconic TL patty melt of dry-aged beef, melty cheese, caramelized onion “special sauce” and pickles on pain de mie is worth going for alone.

Bar director Nicolas Torres and team’s rotating lineup of cocktails is TL’s heart, whether signatures like In the Pines, Under the Palms (toasted coconut-infused rye whiskey, St. George Terroir Gin, vermouth blanc, maraschino liqueur, arak and redwood tips) or seasonal fun like Pea-Casso, vod-quavit (vodka and aquavit), snap peas, cream sherry, citrus and flat tonic. Drinks are complex, seamless, delicious, appealing to cocktail geeks and casual sippers alike. The signature style includes house-fermented ingredients, tinctures and unique spirit infusions like sesame-washed genepy. 

TL continues to host some of the world’s best bars from Singapore to NYC, which often guest-bartend, while TL also pops up in their bars.

Time Out tip: Their rare, eclectic and vintage spirits collection is a draw for spirits lovers and those looking for rarities in everything from brandy to amari.

Address: 753 Alabama St, San Francisco, 94110
Opening hours: Tue, Wed 4–10pm; Thu 4–11pm; Fri 4pm–midnight; Sat 11am–midnight; Sun 11am–10pm
Expect to pay: Cocktails run $14–$18; dishes $10–$27

What is it? Hidden on an upstairs courtyard facing a fountain under towering high-rises, Venetian cicchetti (bar snacks)-inspired Bar Sprezzatura is a cocktail destination and one of the sexiest dining rooms in the city.

Why we love it: I don’t use sexy casually. Bar Sprezzatura’s (affectionately titled Bar Sprz) all-day space transports you to Venice in a glass-walled dining room marked by tan and soft blue velvet seating and Parisian-esque street lamps. From day into night, it’s seductive, alluring and glowing, with service from a gracious team that includes Italian expats like longtime SF bar pioneer Carlo Splendorini, Raymundo Delgado and chef Joseph Offner.

This team keeps it delicious with Offner’s winning cichetti, crudo, pastas, salads and decadence like Stracci & Caviar: Caviar Co. caviar atop stracciatella cheese with pears, asparagus and cured egg yolk. Splendorini, Delgado and team’s cocktails are gorgeous, from creative Negronis and spritzes to elevated classics and house cocktails. In true Venetian form, some of the cocktails come with paired cicchetti. Expect fun like Tutto Fumo, a cocktail of Parmigiano-Reggiano rind-washed Manojo Mezcal with apricot, Calabrian chilies, honey, lemon and frothy egg whites. Also expect thoughtful non-alcoholic cocktails and a deep, regional Italy wine list. 

We especially love the staff’s exuberant spirit and consummate professionalism that imparts soul to this elegant space. 

Time Out tip: Spirits lovers like me lose their mind for classic bottles, and they have a whole selection, from 1960s–1980 amari, to vintage vermouth. For $50, you can get a vintage Negroni made with these historic spirits and sip what it would have tasted like in decades past.

Address: One Maritime Plaza #100, San Francisco, 94111

Opening hours: Mon–Wed 11am–9pm; Thu, Fri 11am–10pm; Sat 4–10pm
Expect to pay: Cocktails run $14–$24; dishes $5–$32

What is it? Perched 17 stories above SoMa, Cavaña is the kind of rooftop bar that lives up to the hype—and the view. With the Bay Bridge sparkling on one side and sunsets spilling behind Twin Peaks on the other, it’s one spectacular bar—with food and drink to actually keep up with the view.

Why we love it: Beyond the skyline and Instagrammable angles, Cavaña is special for its exceptional cocktails and Latin American soul. The space hums with color and rhythm, from leafy patios and firepits to curated playlists. But it’s the tight cocktail menu, led by twin brothers—beverage director Emilio Salehi and bar manager Miguel Salehi—that anchors Cavaña.

Their creations weave through Latin America. Their Caipirinha is the best in (most any) town, taking more than a little inspiration from a classic Ti Punch, but hitting all the notes of Brazil’s national cocktail. Lime peel essence and oils with just a touch of lime juice and sugar let the cachaça shine, smartly served on crushed ice so it’s still grassy and refreshing. The bold Banano wows with layers from Santa Teresa 1796 rum, Havana Club rum, Mr. Black coffee liqueur, banana milk, PX sherry and a cold brew coffee float. Their silky, milk-clarified Kiwi cocktail showcases Lost Explorer mezcal espadin, Singani 63 Bolivian brandy, kiwi, hoja santa, Chareau aloe liqueur and lime: a lesson in layers.

Time Out tip: Chef Edwin Bayone III pays tribute to countries from Mexico to Peru with joy in dishes like in his on-point birria, arepas or pork Milanesa torta. Veggies shine in dishes like queso con calabaza, or burrata with mole-spiced honeynut squash, chicories, pomegranate, pumpkin seed butter and crumbled sweet potato chips.

Address: 100 Channel St 17th Floor, San Francisco, 94158
Opening hours: Sun–Thu 4pm–midnight; Fri, Sat 4pm–1am
Expect to pay: Cocktails run $15–$22, dishes $15–$28

What is it? As the adjoining bar to its Michelin-starred (superb) parent restaurant Nisei, Bar Iris is its own destination for inspired modern Japanese food and culinary, unique cocktails.

Why we love it: The bar is intimate, subtle, sleek and ever-packed, but friendly, unpretentious and a standout restaurant and cocktail bar in its own right. Brilliant Nisei chef-owner David Yoshimura gives Bar Iris its own love with expert-but-more-casual dishes like miso cream cheese-stuffed shishito peppers, shrimp shiso tempura and meticulous handrolls (temaki).

Bar manager Timofei Osipenko wows with a unique 12 cocktail book outlining flavor profiles, balanced with a food lover’s palate and drink geek precision: Think a frothy Kumquat Sour featuring a house kumquat kosho instead of traditional yuzu kosho. The kosho’s lively fermented chili, salt and kumquat peel is shaken with Nikka gin, Iichiko Saiten shochu, Aixa bianco vermouth, Leopold Bros. orange blossom liqueur, lemon and egg white, worthy of brunch yet ushering you brightly into the night.

The Uni cocktail is a spendy, creamy anomaly at $37 given its use of costly sea urchin. Served in a little round ceramic cup, it’s dessert for savory umami lovers. Sauternes wine from Bordeaux plays with slightly bitter-sweet, citrus-laden Alma Quinquina en Rama, yuzu sake, banana, egg yolk and just a touch of Laphroaig Quarter Cask Scotch whisky—a whole egg flip cocktail that goes umami, slightly smoky and hints of the sea. Yes, these are drinks worthy of Iris’ Michelin-starred grand dame next door.

Time Out tip: Iris’s $60 or $65 omakase menu is a steal offering a peek at the Nisei chefs’ skills. You get a starting Nisei bite, tsukemono, omurice, Nisei dessert and choice of oyako-don or kaisen-don rice bowls loaded with chicken or changing seafood.

Address: 2310 Polk St, San Francisco, 94109
Opening hours: Fri, Sat 3pm–midnight; Sun, Wed–Thu 5–11pm
Expect to pay: Average cocktail is $19–$20; dishes $7–$30

What is it? In a neighborhood packed with famed bars like nearby Trick Dog and True Laurel, Lost Resort is the festive, friendly locals spot—tucked away, in keeping with world-class quality of the neighborhood’s restaurants and bars.

Why we love it: Serving cocktails crushable yet “craft-y” enough to appeal to drink lovers with fab bar food, Lost Resort is also a retro-nautical charmer, complete with vintage seafaring paintings, coiled rope, wood-paneled walls and a backyard patio lined with colorful vintage lawn chairs. It’s the brainchild of Brad Burt, Nate Valentine, Jeff Jurow and Britt Miller. The vibe is laid-back but at certain hours it can feel like a convivial house party, packed with friends on the patio, cozy dates and companions indoors.

Friendly bartenders and staff bring out crowd-pleasing dishes like Fresno chili pimento cheese scooped up with Old Bay Saltine crackers, surf and turf (crab and bacon) mac and cheese, fish and chips, cauliflower tacos and coconut fried chicken sandwiches. Alongside draft and canned beers, pet nat, wines and NA sippers, cocktails are balanced and delectable. Their Best F***in’ Daiquiri made with funky Mexican rum is a delight. Ditto their namesake Lost Resort cocktail mixing gin, Chartreuse, lemon and hibiscus. House signatures include the Holy Diver, a tropical, tiki-inspired blend of coffee-infused mezcal, rum, pineapple, lime, coconut milk, orange juice and cinnamon.

Time Out tip: Weekend brunch is likewise a great time, with crab cake Benedict, carnitas hash, breakfast burgers and lemon ricotta pancakes. Cocktails are straightforward but still well-made at brunch, from margaritas and bubbly cocktails, to house Bloody Mary and michelada variations.

Address: 2736 20th St, San Francisco, 94110
Opening hours: Mon–Wed 4pm–midnight; Thu, Fri 4pm–2am; Sat 11am–2am; Sun 11am–midnight
Expect to pay: Drinks (beer to cocktails) run $8–$15; dishes $11–$22

What is it? Officially named Aub Zam Zam but affectionately dubbed Zam Zam by locals, this dingy Arabian Nights charmer has been a Haight-Ashbury dive bar legend since 1941. But not just any dive bar: It’s a gin martini dive.

Why we love it: The storied moments that have happened in this over 80-year-old bar are endless, from being an Anthony Bourdain favorite back in the day to Zam Zam’s legendary, cantankerous owner for nearly 50 years, Bruno, who kicked out anyone ordering a vodka “martini” vs. an original, proper gin martini (here, made with your choice of gin, including local “craft” gins).

Sitting around the curved, half-moon bar under the gaze of an Arabian Nights mural in the red-dominant space, SF’s best jukebox rolls out the likes of Bobby Bland to Willie Nelson effortlessly. I can vividly remember a night here when a twentysomething guy announced he was about to move to NYC. Someone popped Sinatra’s “New York, New York” on the jukebox, while everyone from a seventysomething Haight-Ashbury hippie who had lived in the neighborhood since the Summer of Love days, to my friends visiting from England, were singing lustily together over stiff (still) $10 martinis that can leave you blissfully blurry after just two.

Time Out tip: Zam Zam’s blessed daily, afternoon-into-evening and late-night hours make this an ideal stop for an icy martini post-vintage shopping on Haight Street. or Golden Gate Park strolls, or for those post-midnight rambles. Just a heads up: It remains cash only.

Address: 1633 Haight St, San Francisco, 94117
Opening hours: Mon–Fri 3pm–2am; Sat, Sun 1pm–2am
Expect to pay: $10 cash only for their stiff, beautiful martinis

What is it? Inside SF’s retro-chic hotel the Jay, newcomer Prelude is a soulful surprise of Southern cool with California spirit and innovation. The intimate, velvet-lined bar is a seductive respite all on its own.

Why we love it: Chef Celtin Hendrickson-Jones’s modern Southern cooking with a California core pulls from his Sacramento upbringing with a Southern mom and grandma, growing up on ambrosia salad, fried chicken and deviled eggs. The decor evokes an elegant eucalyptus grove, setting the stage for his imaginative, unforgettable dishes like smoked catfish dumplings in crawfish étouffée or pimento cheese scooped up with fish skin chicharrones.

But the bar—romantic, velvet-lined, under curved windows—is a destination in its own right. Cozy and glowing, it’s a haven for date nights, chill catch-ups or restorative solo sips. Bar director Franco Bilbaeno (formerly of Angler SF, Michael Mina group) channels Southern flavors into inventive cocktails like the P.F.C. Martini of buttermilk-washed vodka, pickle brine and the same vibrant house dry rub they use on Prelude’s crave-worthy dirty rice–stuffed chicken wings. The Country Pie is a Scotch-apple pie riff with pommeau (French apple brandy with apple juice), while the Magnolia Fizz is a roasted banana Ramos Gin Fizz riff with a dreamy texture.

Time Out tip: Five house mocktails shine alongside a tight wine list from head sommelier Morgan Harris (formerly of Saison Hospitality), who champions vintage Champagne and under-the-radar winemakers from California to Alto Adige, Italy.

Address: 333 Battery St, San Francisco, 94111
Opening hours: Tue–Sat 4–9pm
Expect to pay: Cocktails $17–$20; dishes $22–$62

What is it? A Crocker-Amazon spot where orange banquettes, wood paneling, vintage lamps, neon 1970s wall hangings and a 1972 Wurlitzer jukebox set the retro dad’s Midwest basement tone, while a projector and giant screen (donated via Steven Soderbergh’s Singani 63 brand) signal movie and sports nights in the back dining room.

Why we love it: The Halfway Club debuted January 2024 with a nostalgic yet fresh soul. Longtime friends and industry vets Ethan Terry and Greg Quinn opened their dream bar, imbued with their signature all-are-welcome hospitality.

The cocktails—crafted by the duo with decades of drink cred—are tight, unfussy and pleasing. Veer from classic cocktails like an Alaska (gin, Yellow Chartreuse, bitters) to a Prairie Fire Paloma with your choice of tequila or mezcal, the grapefruit and lime amped up with chili tincture. In times past, Terry tributes his precious late pup in Ellie’s Shaggy Dog Shandy—a Scotch, peach, cider and honey highball—exemplifying the kind of heart that goes into the place.

Lounging on the muraled back patio, chatting over a Chicago dog at the bar, or catching a movie in the back, the Halfway Club is the kind of place we all wish was in our neighborhood.

Time Out tip: Wes Rowe of popular Wes Burger consults on the menu, elevating comfort food with whimsy, whether crab rangoon deviled eggs, French onion mac and cheese or Cincinnati-style chili fries. It all goes down beautifully with choice beers, wines and boilermakers.

Address: 1166 Geneva Ave, San Francisco, 94112
Opening hours: Mon–Thu 4–11pm; Fri, Sat 4pm–midnight; Sun 12:30–9pm
Expect to pay: $6–$14 beers, wine and cocktails; dishes $8–$22

What is it? Atop the 21st floor of the Beacon Grand, Starlite is rebirthed, all new yet an homage to the historic Harry Denton’s Starlight Room on the top floor of the 1928 hotel.

Why we love it: The shimmering SF skyline and Bay views from the 21st floor stand with the world’s best hotel bars with a view, tying together SF’s past with today. Gay icon Harry Denton’s parties, drag shows, cocktails and dancing in this space made him a nightlife impresario and fashion legend who helped define the 1970s and ‘80s across SF (and soon after here at Starlite). While it’s not quite the same without him, the stunning space feels like one he would have loved.

Recalling his leopard shoes when I’d run into him in the elevator before he passed away, the new Starlite soothes with velvets, dark green and mustard yellows, shaking it up contrasted with zebra prints, vibrant florals and hints of hot pink. It’s tasteful and memorable. Best of all, the food and drink is better than it’s ever been with elevated bar food from a killer smashburger to a burrata toast that’s far better than it sounds.

Cocktails are by Scott Baird, who cofounded Trick Dog over a decade ago and has created many bar menus since—and runs the fantastic Mendocino County roadhouse, Jimbo’s Win Win. His Starlite menu pays tribute to SF bartenders and storied drinks in a fresh way, including bar pioneer Tony Abou-Ganim, who created the modern classic Cable Car cocktail at Harry Denton’s in the 1990s. Baird’s Cable Car includes “Karl the Fog,” a Muir Woods–inspired, forest-scented “fog” that rolls over the drink when poured tableside.

Time Out tip: Starlite is a multi-purpose and moods kind of bar. Swing by solo or for impress-a-date aperitif hour taking in the sunset, group fun with food or grooving to chill DJs into the night.

Address: 450 Powell St, 21st Floor, San Francisco, 94102
Opening hours: Thu 4pm–1am; Fri, Sat 4pm–2am; Sun 4pm–midnight
Expect to pay: $16–$22 per cocktail (the majority are $18) and $14–$24 per dish.

What is it? What started as a bottle shop with a penchant for vermouth and sherry doubles as one of the city’s most charming low-proof bars—kooky, cozy, magical—with live piano music and eclectic vinyl selection.

Why we love it: Since 2014, Royal Cuckoo Market is a little liquor market selling a thoughtful, small-but-killer selection of bottles from small-batch spirits and cocktail mixers to deep cuts vermouths and sherries. But in 2016, they launched the tiny Horsies Saloon in the market, which has been one of my favorite bars in the world since (and I’ve been to over 15,000 bars globally!).

It’s in the family of offbeat, quirky bars I find hidden around Europe, only seating a few, and packs a big personality into just eight bar stools, a couple tables and offbeat parklet. In keeping with its equally quirky-fab sister, Royal Cuckoo Organ Lounge in Outer Mission, it’s also a haven for live music, with gifted performers pounding away at the (piano) keys.

The glowing space feels like stepping into someone’s wildest vintage home: funky lamps, warm red walls, church pews and vinyl spinning everything from 1960s Chinese pop to classic soul and country. Much of the mismatched art and tchotchkes are horse-themed, including paint-by-numbers art, hence the unofficial bar name. This is an industry, drink geek and music lovers’ haven, not a bar for partiers or scene-seekers, but for those who love kitsch, deep cuts music and fortified wines.

Time Out tip: Come here for the insanely affordable low-proof cocktails, catered toward wine and spirits geeks in the know (a Rancio Sour, anyone? Or Pineau Shirliu of pineau des charentes wine, pomegranate seeds and tajin). But the place is friendly, unpretentious and truly a gift to the city.

Address: 3368 19th St, San Francisco, 94110
Opening hours: Mon–Wed 2–10pm, Thu–Sat 11am–11pm
Expect to pay: $8–$12 for drinks

What is it? Dawn Club is rare in any city: a sleek, expansive downtown jazz club, hidden off an alley by the Palace Hotel, inviting you to dress the part. As someone weaned on old movies as a girl, it evokes the 1940s supperclubs that I dreamed of.

Why we love it: SF’s longtime Future Bars group nailed it (they’re behind legends like Bourbon and Branch, opened in 2006). Dawn Club arises as if out of a Fred and Ginger movie, minus the dance floor. It’s the kind of club where you could imagine Lena Horne crooning or Harry James striking up his band, set to glowing tableside lamps and a massive walk of whiskies and spirits.

A love letter to jazz’s golden age, Dawn Club accomplishes nightly live music, whether jazz trios/quartets or serenader-backed bands. While supper’s off the menu (dine before or after), the spirit feels cinematic, worthy of a date night or a sadly oft-forgotten “night on the town.” Bar seats offer limited stage views but front-row access to the spirits, ideal for whisk(e)y lovers drawn to the global selection.

Cocktails lean pricey ($19–$24), but not when you realize there’s no cover charge, though there is a reservation fee for small groups, which goes to the musicians (but they waive even that between 5 and 7pm nightly). There are more revolutionary cocktails in town but these are well-made and quality, alongside plenty of sparkling wine. Highlights include their Grasshopper redux, layered with crème de menthe, crème de cacao, espresso liqueur, mint cream and a kiss of Abuelita chocolate. Or the Lu Watters Special, a vibrant Scotch and rum highball brightened with apple juice, vermouth and umami bitters.

Time Out tip: Reservations are recommended, especially for a prime seat near the stage, in this rarity for live music, fine spirits and old-world glamour.

Address: 10 Annie St, San Francisco, 94103
Opening hours: Mon, Tue 5pm–midnight; Wed–Fri 5pm–2am; Sat 6pm–2am
Expect to pay: Cocktails run $14–$24; no food menu available

What is it? Kona’s Street Market is more than a cocktail bar: It’s a passport to global flavors, tucked under neon lights in SoMa.

Why we love it: Backed by Andy Chun and award-winning bartender-owner Kevin Diedrich of the greatly lauded Pacific Cocktail Haven (P.C.H.), Kona’s is named after Diedrich’s beloved pup and welcomes in a street market–inspired space filled with film posters, vibrant signage and an international menu of cocktails inspired by ingredients from Southeast Asia to the Caribbean.

Here, you might sip a pandan- and calamansi-laced classic rarity, a gin-based Boracay Old Fashioned, or the crushable Calpico Cat of Nikka Gin, midori, makrut lime, Calpico and soda water. Cocktails are flavor journeys crafted with precision, playfulness and an open-armed hospitality that reflects Diedrich’s signature style. Their 3–6pm happy hour offers some affordable highballs, spritzes, wine, beer and a couple bar snacks like cup of noodles or flavored corn nuts (otherwise, there is no food).

Kona’s quickly earned national acclaim, becoming a 2022 Spirited Awards nominee for Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar in the West. Pull up to the green-tiled bar under a glowing marquee or cozy up with friends along banquettes under twinkling street lights. The bar’s namesake pup, Kona, watches over the scene, his silhouette glowing in neon.

Time Out tip: Over December, their Sippin’ Santa tropical Christmas-themed popup cocktail bar is a magical holiday respite they’ve become known for.

Address: 32 3rd St, San Francisco, CA 94103
Opening Hours: Tue–Thu 4–10pm, Fri 4–11pm
Expect to pay: Cocktails run $12–$18; only snacks rather than dishes

What is it? Vesuvio Café isn’t just a bar—it’s a time capsule of San Francisco’s bohemian soul. Since 1948, this North Beach icon has welcomed the Beat Generation: historic regulars like Allen Ginsberg, Neal Cassady, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Jack Kerouac. The gang’s all here, at least in spirit.

Why we love it: Kerouac famously ditched Henry Miller to drink the night away at Vesuvio, later immortalizing the experience in his book Big Sur and the Oranges of Hieronymus Bosch. Today, the alley beside the bar even bears Kerouac’s name. Inside, Vesuvio feels like stepping into a rickety ship built by eccentric artists. Every inch drips with colorful, chaotic creativity: murals, vintage paintings, a cat statue and Tiffany lamps eclectically muttered across two lively floors.

At the long wooden bar, grab a martini (or my preference, a classic Death in the Afternoon of absinthe and “Champagne,” beloved by Hemingway), then climb to the second-story balcony to watch the carnival below: tourists mingling with locals, embarking on drink-fueling conversations about poetry, politics and everything in between. Recently-added cocktails enhance the historically dive-y, no menu drink selection with delights like an Averna Gimlet, bitter with Averna Amaro, tart with lime juice. Craft cocktail bar? No, but they’ve stepped things up to offer a little something for everyone.

Despite its fame, Vesuvio holds tight to its scrappy, unvarnished charm. The signage of a naked figure sitting on a barrel says it all: This is a place to do you, speak freely, drink with gusto. Thanks to the city’s preservation efforts, Vesuvio and neighboring City Lights Bookstore remain anchors of OG SF: vibrant, rebellious, unapologetically alive.

Time Out tip: There’s no food—only cocktails, conversation and history soaking the walls.

Address: 255 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133
Opening hours: Mon–Thu 11am–1am; Fri, Sat 11am–2am; Sun 11am–1am
Expect to pay: Cocktails run $14–$18; no food menu available

What is it? In a neighborhood better known for dive bars and windblown dunes than mixology, White Cap brings polish without pretense. It’s a 24-seat refuge for locals, surfers and the laid-back residents of SF’s Parkside neighborhood.

Why we love it: A couple blocks from the Pacific Ocean, tiny White Cap was opened by Matt Lopez and SF bartending legend/sherry expert Carlos Yturria (who also co-owns the Treasury and Deep Water Ice). Both surfers, they’ve created a space that blends casual neighborhood charm with drink cred. With reclaimed driftwood walls, teal banquettes and bar stools, fireplace and classic surf footage on screen, it’s relaxed, intimate and just beachy enough.

Seasonal cocktails include thoughtful NA cocktails and highballs ideal for those sunny beach days (think Green Room where Bayab Palm & Pineapple African-grown gin plays with green melon, matcha, lime and tonic). Longtime house favorites like the Surfer on Acid (rum, amaro, pineapple, coconut milk, coffee, velvet falernum, PX sherry, salt) thankfully stay on-menu, alongside rotating creations like Barney, a Cocoa Pebbles-infused rum cocktail with dry vermouth, Palo Cortado sherry and sherry vinegar—all capitalizing on Yturria’s decades of experience with Spain’s mighty sherry category.

Time Out tip: They don’t serve food but do kindly let you bring in food from neighboring gems like Underdogs Too (which serves SF legendary Nick’s Crispy Tacos) and the new French cafe Galinette next door.

Address: 3608 Taraval St, San Francisco, 94116
Opening hours: Mon 4–11pm, Tue–Thu 3–11pm, Fri 3pm–12:30am; Sat 1:30pm–12:30am; Sun 1:30pm–11pm
Expect to pay: Drinks (beer to cocktails) run $8–$15; no food

What is it? A cozy neighborhood eatery and bar since 2014, Causwells offers the proverbial “good things in small packages” under the gaze of 1937 art deco Presidio Theatre.

Why we love it: Chef-owner Adam Rosenblum has been pleasing Marina (and beyond) crowds for over a decade with signature snacks like house ricotta with rosemary honey on lavash crackers (more exciting than it sounds), “1000 Layer” crispy potatoes and Causwells’ signature burger, now in two versions, including a “Fancy Pants” one. Elmer Mejicanos’s thoughtfully elegant yet whimsical cocktails are a huge draw, and their tiny sister Super Mensch, inspired by NJ/NY Jewish delis, is about to open next door.

Mejicanos has long mastered low-proof cocktails. You’ll find them in the mix with boozier fun and shaved ice drinks from the hand-cranked kakigori (Japanese shaved ice) machine on the bar. Hawaii native and bar lead Andrew Ehrenberg runs a tight ship with Mejicanos of cocktails that wow visually and on the palate, belying the humble ease of the space.

While Ehrenberg might make you a Makai (Aviation gin, guava, pear, clarified soy milk, kombu, sea salt air), a “love letter” to his Hawaiian hometown, Mejicanos’s menu ever thrills with fun like an Al Pastor Pineapple Highball of ancho pepper-infused mezcal, green pepper liqueur, clarified lemon, cold-pressed pineapple, seltzer and al pastor spicy salt rim, or Open Sesame, mixing blanco tequila, bianco vermouth, cold pressed poblano peppers, lime, agave, toasted sesame, black salt. Girl Scout menu fun includes Toast-Yay!, a Ramos Gin Fizz twist with Ford’s Gin, salted maple cordial, citrus, cream, seltzer and French toast cookie.

Time Out tip: A sidewalk set-up expands seating options, while Rosenblum’s dishes pair nicely with the creative cocktails and delightful seasonal menus like their Christmas holiday or Girl Scout cookies cocktails.

Address: 2346 Chestnut St, San Francisco, 94123
Opening hours: Tue, Wed 11am–9pm; Thu 11am–10pm; Fri 11am–10:30pm; Sat 10am–10:30pm; Sun 10am–9pm
Expect to pay: Cocktails $16–$18; food $11–$34

What is it? Follow flower-draped fire escapes and orange brick into a tiny alley on Columbus Avenue, just across from City Lights Bookstore. Then enter one of the greatest dive bars in the world since 1968.

Why we love it: Specs’ Twelve Adler Museum Cafe is easy to miss—but impossible to forget. Part nautical dive bar hangout honoring SF’s long seafaring history and part museum oddity collection (think strange treasures like a stuffed mongoose, a petrified marine mammal’s penis or a New Guinea bone calendar), this North Beach legend has drawn in crusty sailors and poets, eclectic locals and tourists for more than half a century—and it shows.

Under walls and ceilings covered with hilarious tchotchkes, a mix of cheap stiff drinks, an all-ages crowd, storytelling locals and longtime bartenders (unionized with benefits and retirement) ensure this is the kind of dive bar that deserves a place in books and movies. Whether a beer or a Negroni, like any great dive, it’s not so much about the drinks but the eccentricities and atmosphere. And Specs has this in spades.

Founded by Richard “Specs” Simmons, known for his glasses and fiercely independent vision, thank God that Specs is now a designated San Francisco legacy business, run by Simmons’s daughter and granddaughter.

Time Out tip: True to North Beach and Specs’ Beats and bohemian roots, the bar hosts nightly live music and readings, from poetry to live jazz and bossa nova.

Address: 12 William Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, 94133
Opening hours: Sun–Wed 4pm–1am, Thu–Sat 4pm–2am
Expect to pay: No menu but average drinks are $8–$12

What is it? A beer hall with SF ethos, Radhaus exudes Bavarian spirit and California sunshine together in a lofty Fort Mason waterfront setting

Why we love it: Radhaus’ expansive, light-filled beer hall—with industrial bones and warm wood accents—offers views of the Bay, boats and Golden Gate Bridge through towering windows. Running parallel to the bar and tables is a 200-foot ponderosa pine beam, flanking a rotating selection of German beers, spanning from crisp pilsners to rich dunkels, and thoughtful wine pours from Austria and Germany.

But it’s the bar’s collection of rare Germanic schnaps and cocktails that sets Radhaus apart from other German greats in town. Try a pour of Reisetbauer schnaps—like earthy carrot or toasty hazelnut—or easy-drinking cocktails like the Lonesome Dove: Napa-made Mommenpop Kumquat Aperitif, tequila, citrus and a float of bitters. Chef Mikel Waters’s modern German menu is a good time from pretzels and bratwurst, to döner kebab and currywurst, tributing Berlin street food.

Equal parts relaxed and festive, Radhaus is built for weekend brunch and happy hours gazing out to the Bay at a table or posted at the bar, schnaps in hand.

Time Out tip: Whether vegetarian or non-alcoholic, this is a German beer hall that has you covered. Signature veggie dishes, like brussels sprouts in alpine fondue and black vinegar, or thoughtful mocktails like Little Blossom, a blend of citrus, spice, ginger, bier nectar and apple cider vinegar, are pleasing options for all, not just those with dietary restrictions.

Address: 2 Marina Blvd, Bldg A, Fort Mason, San Francisco, 94123
Opening hours: Mon noon–8pm, Tue–Thu noon–9pm, Fri noon–10pm, Sat 11am–10pm, Sun 10am–8pm
Expect to pay: $8–$17 for drinks and $12–$28 per dish