The Most Flavorful Beer Bar in San Francisco

Sole Ristorante Italiano

★★★★☆ 4.3 (716) • $$

"I've eaten here twice. The first time was well over a year ago and spontaneously. It was a warm Friday afternoon for dinner. They sat us in the back which was nicely set up. The service was very kind and attentive. I appreciated how they were welcoming to my young child despite it being a white linen table. They showed no fear of a child ordering pasta with marinara! Haha The second more recent time we ate here was planned although I forgot to make a reservation. Still, no problem. They took our party of four and offered us a seat outside immediately or inside with a 30-45 minute wait. We took the outside despite the cold. They had heaters nearby although they did let us know the one directly next to us wasn't working. It was during winter holiday time so they were a little busy but the service was still very kind. They apologized for the waits but we understood. The bread came out and was warm and yummy. When our food came out, everyone was pleased with their orders. We'll plan to come here again."

Garden Deli Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.4 (682) • $$

"This is a great place to stop by to pick up lunch before you hit the beach. The sandwiches are to die for using high quality ingredients. Everything from the bread to all of the fixings were really good. I highly recommend if you're looking for a good place to stop by for lunch or grab takeout."

Kogi Gogi BBQ

★★★★☆ 3.8 (890) • $$$

"Wanted a simple KBBQ on the southern side of the park and found this spot which is in a busy part of the inner sunset. Wasn't too expensive so we came by on a Saturday night and waited about 15 minutes in line to be seated, which isn't bad.FOOD:AYCE KBBQ. Pretty standard stuff. Solid Kalbi, with standard pork belly, brisket, and beef tongue. They have all your standard stuff with solid sauces - plus they have ssamjjiang which not all places have. Solid banchan as well. Overall a solid offering for a decent AYCE price.Steamed egg. A hybrid of steamed egg that they finished with HOT oil, which basically made it a fried scrambled egg on top, which was good, but not really what I wanted when I ordered the steamed egg, but definitely a cool offering - just have to know what you're getting into.Overall a good spot to just get some simple KBBQ at a decent price without the frills. Not the best quality, but without the wait and at this price, I might make this a more regular spot for me when I'm just trying to casually get some KBBQ. Service is solid so I'll likely be back."

Hôtel Biron

★★★★☆ 4.2 (601) • $$

"If you fancy an intimate wine bar to converse quietly w/friends or charm your date in a relaxed setting, this is THE PERFECT SPOT.I'm weary they'll be packing them in once word gets out that they've opened back up post-pandemic. But alas, they "are" OPEN again (YAY!) and we need to celebrate and support gems like this. Note: menu, hrs, etc subject to change but current as of 05:01/22FYI: It is NOT a hotel. It is a wine bar/art gallery tucked away in an alley in SF's Hayes ValleyMENU: https://hotelbironwinebar.com/menuWINE: Order by the glass (generous pours!) or bottle from a well-curated, rotating selection of (red, white, sparkling) wines. They offer sake and artisan beer too. FLIGHTS: A trio of wine flights, vermouth flights, sake flights (changes)FOOD: limited, typical wine bar fare: cheese and charcuterie, crackers, chips, nutsAMBIANCE: This is the big draw for me. Speakeasy vibe, intimate, relaxed, rustic interior w/red brick walls, warm and inviting, romantic, dim lighting, candlelight, cozy, quiet, artsy, low-key, unpretentious. Cool background music eases you into a relaxed mood but is not loud, so you're not competing w/it and shouting to be heard. Equipped w/2 comfy couches, short/tall bistro chairs and tables, a cute tiny bar w/stools, and a revolving exhibition of local art that lines the walls.PERFECT FOR: Date night (so romantic!), after-work drinks, girls night out (for quiet convos), small groups (please stay away if you're the loud, rowdy set because a big part of the charm here is that it's relatively quiet compared to other bars/lounges) SERVICE: Attentive, fast, friendly (KJ is fabulous and very knowledgeable about the wine, so she'll help you make the right drink choice to mark the end of your eve.)HOURS: Open late EVERY single night 5pm-1am (nocturnal urbanites rejoice)! A quiet SF wine bar that's open late every night should be on the endangered biz list. So many sml businesses like this count on regular clientele to keep the doors open, so show your support by dropping by! Sun-Tues are slower and less-busy, so those nights are esp great for sml groups. First date? Then maybe the busier Thur-Frid nights (or an event night) may ease those first-date jitters. HAPPY- HOUR: 5-6pm daily ($7 vino!) EVENTS: They host cool, curated events like brand releases, art openings, etc. Check out their FB or IG page so you don't miss out! LOCATION: Remember, it's not a hotel. It's tucked in an alley right behind the popular Zuni Cafe. If ubering, go to Zuni Cafe and just walk behind it into Rose St alley until you come to a nondescript door that grants entry into this little gem. If taking Muni, get off on VanNess station (BART - get off at Civic Center) and just walk a few minutes West on Market St 'til you see Zuni Cafe and go right into Rose St. alley. CAPACITY: About 40 people max seating capacity. So hurry before hipsters get hold of this spot and you no longer get a table! I honestly can't believe it's been under the radar for this long. Mixed feelings abt sharing this review because I hate that it might get too crowded once people are smitten by its charm. I ADORE this lovely little wine bar and you will too! It's a welcome respite from a long day of working. Highly recommend."

Richmond Republic Draught House

★★★★☆ 4 (473) • $$

"This cozy pub in Inner Richmond is a gem! They offer an amazing selection of craft beers, especially IPAs, which we love. They often have tap takeover events, so there's always something new to try.The food is superior to average bar food. I've tried every burger on the menu, and they're all phenomenal--each one comes with your choice of a fresh side salad or perfectly crispy tater tots. The Philly cheesesteak is another favorite, with just the right amount of spice and flavor. Fair pricing as well - a night out that won't break the bank.One of the biggest highlights? Their breakfast burritos. As SoCal natives from OC/LA, we have high standards for a good breakfast burrito, and this is hands-down the best we've had in the city. It's so authentic and delicious that we never remember to snap a picture!The atmosphere here is warm and welcoming, thanks to the super friendly servers who now feel like familiar friends. We come here weekly (sometimes twice!), and it's become our "third place"--like the neighborhood pubs you'd find in England. Perfect for catching a game too, with lots of good seating options.If you're looking for great beer, even better food, and a welcoming vibe, this is the spot."

The Grill House

★★★★☆ 3.9 (417) • $$

"Local watering hole. As someone who frequents this location almost weekly I can say I have nothing bad to say.The staff are so friendly and attentive. The food is great and I love the daily specials which mixes things up. They source most of their food locally in the Bay Area.For anyone wanting a good solid meal with great service I highly recommend. They do have TVs all around playing different sports and have a bar section. Kid friendly and outside seating for those bringing pets. My favorites are their deviled eggs, apple chicken salad, pot roast and pretty much any burger with garlic fries!"

Sutter Pub & Restaurant

★★★★☆ 3.6 (415) • $$

"Steps away from our hotel on a cold rainy night. The two female servers were prompt and the food came out fast and piping hot. I will definitely be back for some tasty eats."

Tapsilog Cantina

★★★★☆ 3.9 (334) • $$

"Great service-great food! Wish they had this in Sacramento. Was just in the area visiting family and was craving Filipino food and early enough for Tapsilog. Had their sisig silog and it was the bomb. Kuya (behind the counter) I think is the owner is super nice. Place reminded me of a "beer house" in Manila. Plenty of seating, outdoor seating as well. Parking in the back and street available."

Cafe La Boheme

★★★★☆ 3.7 (337) • $$

"Good Coffee Turkish espresso had a re-energize my charge thanks amazing strong fast Service and Friendly"

Bamboo Restaurant

★★★☆☆ 3 (500) • $$

"Our neighborhood GEM for Chinese delivery! Hot, Fresh & Yummy. Ginger garlic lamb is so tender, Spicy chicken with fresh basil was delectable and love their noodle dishes too. It's a great place, great chefs, great service."

Woods Cervecería

★★★★☆ 4.1 (234) • $$

"Quaint vibe with a deep funky bass line. I came in serenades by 80s times from the cure, to Bikini Kill to Joy Division. A Pilsner accompanied the DJ/bartender's excellent choice of tunes. Excellent service. Sitting along the great window and having a mushroom empanada rounded out the evening. Turning a lugubrious day into light and laughter."

Foghorn Taproom

★★★★☆ 4.2 (201) • $$

"Ordered the loaded Nashville fries, hot, to go via door dash and they were delicious. All in all I wish the chicken and fries were a little crispier, maybe the sauce should've been on the side but it was great and just what I wanted. Will come back and order some more!"

Pinsa Rossa

★★★★★ 4.5 (175)

"Pinsa Rossa was so good! We came here on a whim on a weekend night and it was such a good choice. There's a plethora of Italian restaurants nearby, but I have to say that this place definitely stands out. Food: We ended up getting the truffle cheeks pizza, fancy margherita, and crispy Brussels sprouts. They were all so good, so flavorful, and had unique flavors. The crispy Brussels sprouts really shocked me considering I didn't realize that it was going to be that flavorful. I would 100% come again just for the Brussels sprouts. The truffle cheeks obviously had a strong taste of truffle, and it got too much for me at times. But because we had the marg pizza, the contrast of flavors and the freshness of the margherita to the richness of the truffle cheeks made for a good combo. Service: very nice servers. The restaurant is a bit small so it's a little easier to flag someone down. It did take a while for them to give us the check though. They also have a happy hour/lunch special which makes it a few dollars cheaper, so I'll forsure have to check it out then. Highly recommend! 4.7/5."

Silver Cloud Restaurant and Karaoke Bar

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (359) • $$

"Came in here after the Renegade Fair at Fort Mason, and we stumbled upon the most unassuming, delicious chicken wings.We were stopping for a quick drink but saw they had mango habanero so we had to give it a try. When they came to the table, I had really low hopes, but after one bite, I was hooked the sauce is mixed with mayo and has a really good kick. The habanero was noticeable in all the good ways. Talking with the chef, he mentioned that they make their wing sauces in house so we got another order of wings with the buffalo sauce. Easily one of the best Buffalo sauce I've had in a while. More to towards the vinegary side which I love. My only suggestion for the wings, wish they were a tad bit crispier. Not bad for $11 an order.On Wednesdays they do $1 wings, so definitely will be back to try that out! Other than that a great place to watch sports, reasonably priced drinks, and karaoke at nights. One of the best bars with food in the Marina for sure."

K Soul Chicken

★★★★☆ 4.4 (169) • $$

"As a Korean who's constantly disappointed by Korean food in the states, this was the first time I actually felt transported back home. The ddukbokki flavor is spot on, just like how my mom makes them. The rice cakes that come with every chicken order are such a fun touch too. I ordered through Uber Eats and was surprised to find the chicken still crispy. I personally liked the garlic seasoning over the yangnyeom."

TaishoSF

★★★★★ 4.7 (101) • $$

"In a city where happy hour is increasingly expensive, Taisho offers an affordable happy hour with a good variety of food options! My friend and I went on a Tuesday evening and there were a few other groups but it didn't fill up, so it was nice to still be able to hold a conversation without shouting. We ordered the Taisho fries, kalua pork nachos, and katsu curry, along with a pint of Sapporo each. I do wish there were more drink options on the HH menu, but the food options made up for it. We were shocked that even the entrees only cost $6 at most, and the portions were decent too. While the food wasn't anything outstanding, it was definitely solid and I'm glad nothing was too salty (especially the fries and nachos). There was a good amount of pork in the nachos too, and for my fellow cilantro haters, take comfort in knowing the pico de gallo didn't have any - phew! I do wish the katsu curry had a bit more curry though, as the ratio to meat seemed a bit off, but I enjoyed how crispy the katsu was. Taisho fries were solid too, though it's hard to go wrong with potato! Our server checked on us pretty regularly, though honestly it would've been fine if she left us alone a tad more LOL introvert problems. The one thing was that the tables were super sticky - not sure if just ours or if they're all like that. Overall, this is a great affordable happy hour spot and I would def come back!"

Yama Sushi Restaurant

★★★☆☆ 2.8 (278) • $$

"I ordered delivery from Yama for a few years. It was always quite good, and I frequently ordered sashimi. One day, I ordered some sashimi that arrived covered with pearly sludge. The sludgy sashimi was stinky. It was quite simply, not correct. I got in touch with Yama to request a refund for the sashimi (not the rest of the order, which was fine - just the smelly sashimi in the slime sauce). Unfortunately, they questioned me at length about this, and not in a good way; they suggested that I didn't know how to tell when a raw fish had gone bad. I ate sashimi a minimum of once a week, and have eaten other foods by mouth in the decades I've been alive. so I have had plenty of lived experience behind my decision not to eat something that set off warning alarms in three out of my five senses. The way I was treated that day led me to stop ordering from Yama after that. I was sad about that, but IMO you can't take any chances with raw fish; I think most people feel like they prefer/need a high level of trust in their raw fish purveyor, and I didn't have that anymore at Yama."

Tekka House

★★★★☆ 3.8 (140) • $$

"I love the casual, colorful ambiance at Tekka House. Parking on the street was easy and service was pleasant and efficient. But the food was just so-so. The pork gyoza were beautiful and crispy, but the filling was just okay. I am a big agedashi tofu fan, but didn't enjoy theirs. The crispy coating on the chunks of tofu turned quite gelatinous in the broth. Hamachi was okay, a bit mushy. So, we filled up, but it was not inexpensive and not great."

Shovels Bar & Grill

★★★★★ 4.5 (88) • $$

"I will always choose a good vibe over manufactured ambiance. Plenty of bars go out of their way to come off as fancy, pretentious, swanky. *yawn* Shovels is definitely not luxurious, but that's what makes it amazing. The drinks are exceptional and food impressively good. I stopped by on a Thursday afternoon and they took a handful of phones in food orders while I was there, which speaks to the quality of their offerings. Really enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere and will definitely be back."

State of Mind Public House and Pizzeria

★★★★☆ 4.2 (98) • $$

"I LOVE State of Mind!!! Great for the whole family. Fun vibe, friendly employees. Love the variety of pizza combinations, appetizers and they have the best seasonal salads too!!!! This has become one of my favorite places for dinner out in the Bay Area."

Must Be Dumpling

★★★★☆ 4.3 (78)

"Great little spot! Derek is our favorite person. We have been trying to stop in and finally made it. Very clean. Nice seating. Good music. Service is 5 star. The food came out steamy hot and quick! Everything was very delicious. The green beans were excellent. We were very happy and it was nice to see Derek!"

Sarita’s Grill & Beer

★★★★★ 4.9 (46)

"One of my choices to go to is which my friend decided. Went here for the first time. Love the place. A lot better than the restaurant that it used to be.Love their menu selections. Reasonable price. Was not sure of their pupusas and I have to say they are very good. Not messy and not greasy. Impressed and went in the afternoon. Would like to come back here again."

Kombu

★★★★★ 4.9 (31)

"This place was amazing!! We went for a late dinner one night and it was a great experience. Everything was very clean, I really loved the tableware and cutlery. The set up was also very nice, modern and new with a great design. Quick and wonderful service. We ordered the toro and uni hand rolls, both delicious and a very good price! The dragon and lion king roll were also very good. It was the service and attention to detail that made this place so great! Definitely found our go-to spot for a sushi craving."

Curry Pizza House San Mateo

★★★★★ 4.9 (26)

"Came here with friends on a week night and they were doing a special at the time. We were able to try multiple pizza flavors. Half and half on large (only) pizzas. We tried:MEAT: CHICKEN TIKKA & BUTTER CHICKEN VEGGIE: MALAI PANEER & ALOO GHOBIThe chicken pizza was good but actually I enjoyed the vegetarian pizza more! My favorite of the four flavors was the Malai Paneer, which had a slightly sweet flavor. The Aloo Ghobi was tasty but a bit spicy for my liking. I would definitely come back again for their Malai Paneer. Large size was quite large, was pretty full after eating 3 large slices. I wish I took a picture but Service was great. Explained the menu when we had questions. Very casual dining area. Not too large, with a few tables. I would be curious see how it tastes if I got it for take-out bc having the pizza fresh is usually preferred."

Foghorn Taproom

★★★★☆ 4.3 (11)

"We discovered Foghorn Taproom on Balboa during beer week a few years ago. Since they opened on Divis, we've ordered takeout from them several times. The Nashville hot tenders and the hot honey wings are amazing. The quality of their chicken is extremely high. If you want chicken and beer, they do it perfectly."

Golden Gate Tap Room

★★★☆☆ 3.4 • $$

"Love it. Seriously can't tell there is a bar up there. Got I.D ed before going to the elevator. It's very big. Best place to watch and enjoy sports game. Everyone is friendly and you can enjoy your time here. While the games are on commercial, there are a bunch of arcade games around the whole facility. The upstarts is usually open when there are big games. I have to say when I went back for SantaCon it was pretty great. Not even a block away from the square."

Izakaya Mai

★★★★☆ 3.8 • $$

"Good spot that's open late, good vibe inside with beer tower on the menu lol.The food was good, with lots of variety to choose from on the menu. Quite an expansive menu! For the indecisive, it can be difficult to make a decision.Roll combo A was great. California roll was good, Oregon (salmon) and Miami (tuna) were both good as well. No complaints. The combo comes with miso soup and salad.The beer tower was an excellent choice for a big party, pours for many. Cheers!Service was warm."

Absinthe Brasserie & Bar

★★★★☆ 3.9 • $$$

"Growing up in Calgary I feel like I really took it for granted how often I saw French onion soup on menus. Living in the US, I realized it's a special item that you can only really find it at French restaurants (and the frozen food aisle of Trader Joes lmao). Needless to say, I was eyeing the FOS as soon as we picked this spot for brunch. Overall chic French bistro vibes. Sorta upscale feeling but still fairly lively.The French onion soup was true to the original. It was perfectly cheesy and I was struggling to cut the cheese pull with every spoonful. Underneath was a rich broth with lots of onions. It was the perfect consistency and flavour (not too salty, and not too watery).The salade lyonnaise was quite light, with a strong aroma of olive oil. The ratio of mushroom + shredded duck + pancetta toppings to the salad was pretty good. Each bite was exciting with the combination of all the toppings coming together."