The Tastiest Pubs in San Francisco

Maggie McGarry's

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (358) • $$

"An Irish pub just in time for St. Patricks day. Lots of indoor outdoor seating, in a safe and fun neighborhood with live music. St Patricks Day. Thats a big drinking day. You'll want to go to a place where drinks aren't that expensive - just in case things get out of hand. It falls on a Sunday so you might want to get started early in case you have work the next morning. Lots of indoor and outdoor seating. The parklet outside is spacious and is great if you want some fresh air. Its the smoking zone - although I'm not sure if its officially supposed to be. Don't tell anybody. North Beach is a safe and fun neighborhood. Party lights line the street and it puts people in a very good mood. Police station is just across the street and thats why I'm thinking there really isn't any trouble around here - car break ins included. Live music is great. Adds a little to the ambiance - afterward get some Golden Boy. That hits the spot for the nights you've had too much."

The Napper Tandy

★★★★☆ 4 (433) • $$

"My husband & I had an out of body, ratatouille fireworks going off, earth shattering, mind blowing, eye opening experience with the Guinness Beef Stew & side of French Fries. I was simply expecting a subpar yet satisfying pub experience but we were happily shocked to experience the greatness of this spontaneous find. We will be making this a tradition to come & experience this definition-of-a-pub spot. 10/10 would recommend. also martini was on point (i know contradictory since I should've gotten a beer, however my husband loved his guinness) staff was amazing too!"

Karl’s Beacon

★★★★☆ 4.3 (54) • $$

"I was introduced to Claudio, the owner, by a coworker and he allowed me to host a small friendsgiving in the back of the bar. The location is great with decent parking outside. Everything was very clean and with the pool table in the back, it makes it a very nice place to hang out. He already had a nice playlist so that I didn't have to connect my own phone for music.My guests loved their drinks and kept telling me how nice the place was.If you ever want to host a small shindig for adults, Karl's Beacon is the place :)"

The Bitter End

★★★★☆ 3.8 (462) • $$

"Good cocktail, friendly bartender, relaxed vibe. Didn't try the food but maybe next time."

The Showdown

★★★★☆ 4.4 (100) • $$

"The service and the drinks here are super. My old fashioned was a true old fashion' I'm tired of these fake old fashion cocktails with crushed ice (lol). Make sure you hit up Joe for the best experience. If you fancy, there is also a pool table that is pretty busy. I haven't had the food here but their hangry special for 15$ can't be beat !"

The Pig & Whistle

★★★★☆ 4 (545) • $$

"I've only made two (2) trips to The Pig & Whistle, and I must admit that this pub has a special place in my heart. The Pig is located within a prime spot (for me) in San Francisco. This "fine dining pub" lies on Geary Blvd, one block away from the Target on Masonic Ave. I like the fact that I could run my errands at Target and then get myself a cool brewsky and a set of satisfying fish right next door! The pub does not appear to be filled with hipsters, just local dudes chopping it up with the bartender at the bar, of course. It's a very low-key spot, a feature which I love.I haven't ordered anything else other than a pint of beer and their delicious Fish N' Chips. After dining here (mainly, for their fish), it's safe to say that this dish is a sure bet. The pub delivers a fried fish which is something special. The cod meat is thick and succulent while the batter is frankly, light and crispy. Most fried foods make crispy sounds. But the Pig & Whistle's fried fish make a sound which actually "taste" satisfying. I know that I'm not biting into an oily piece of meat. I also know that the fish is perfectly incorporated within that light, crunchy batter. Since there are no unnecessary clusters of fried dough protruding it tastes as if they got the perfect fried fish down to a science. The chips, however, are basic steak fries. I can forgive the pub for this because the fish is so outstanding you'll probably feel that you'll get your money's worth. On my first visit, I did order Buffalo Wings. I would rank the wings with the steak fries as an "afterthought". Both dishes were honestly, standard bar food.The Pig & Whistle, is a friendly neighborhood pub with surprisingly, excellent fish. The bartender was quite the gentlemen and even gave me a history lesson behind the name, The Pig & Whistle. Also, the parking around the area is moderately easy. I give it a good 4.9....ayeee!!"

The Abbey Tavern

★★★★☆ 3.6 (200) • $

"Solid neighborhood bar. Been here twice with a larger group of people and we've always been able to hang out with no problem in the upstairs area with pool and darts. Cost per game of pool is $1.50, and the bartender will exchange bills for quarters for you. If you're lucky, the bartender's dog, Leia, will be there!A great comfortable, unassuming place for a beer and a game of pool."

Nickies

★★★★☆ 3.9 (449) • $$

"Sigh I hate to leave this review bc I absolutely love going to trivia nights here even though my team always does terrible. I came here with a few friends last week for trivia night and got the worst food poisoning of my life. We ordered chili cheese fries, wings that came with celery and carrots, and fried cauliflower. Everything tasted fine but later that evening, I began to feel queasy and started throwing up from 3am - 10am. The food poisoning has lasted a week and I even had to go to the ER at one point for stomach pain. I initially thought it was the chili cheese fries that got me but apparently everyone ate that. By process of elimination, we think it was actually the carrots and celery, since I ate most of it and the only other person who ate a few felt a bit nauseous. Tldr: I still love the vibes of nickies and trivia is p great. I have come to trivia here a few times and this is my first time dying so hence the 3 stars instead of 1. I'll still come back for trivia but probably just won't order food and will get a beer instead"

The Village Pub

★★★★☆ 4.1 • $$$$

"Hands down, the best Michelin restaurant in the peninsula. We had a reservation for a Sunday night, at 5pm. We were probably the third party to be seated so not bad. It quickly filled up throughout the night, but it wasn't overly packed. I really liked our table, as we sat right in front of the mini kitchen window, w/ a glimpse of one of the chefs grilling the meat every now and then. Service was phenomenal: so many good things to say about our waitress. Friendly, knowledgeable, attentive, patience, respectful - the list can go on and on. Food is exceptional: from appetizer, to entrees, to dessert. Everything was on point. The only thing I would request next time is a little less salt on our food. They went a little extra on our appetizer/entrees so I was extremely thirsty with every bite I took. Nonetheless, the presentation and the actual dish were spectacular. My absolute favorite was the duck breast. I highly, highly recommend that you don't skip out on it. The sear on it was exactly to perfection and the crust. Oh my. You would have to try it to know exactly what I'm talking about.As for the dessert: I was excited to try a chocolate soufflé; however, 1/2 way through I realize that if you're not that much of a fan on chocolate, as much as it sounds appetizing, it's heavy. No way I could've finished it even if I wanted to. There are a couple of other options so we will try out the others next time we're back. Their menu changes but duck will always be on their menu, just w/ minor slight changes. After a weekend in Carmel, I am so glad we ended the night here."

The Black Horse London Pub

★★★★★ 4.6 (357) • $

"If you like having the freedom to turn around, this might not be the bar for you. But if you don't mind being stuck facing one direction for occasional periods, come on by.If I had one request to the management team: can you please serve Schlitz cocktails (a can of schlitz beer with whipped cream and a cherry on top)?"

The Blarney Stone

★★★★☆ 3.9 (255) • $

"Love the Monday open mic. Fun times and it's nice to watch the comics flounder with their material. I enjoy schadenfreud...."

Murphy's Pub

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (431) • $$

"Cool bar. Great atmosphere. Cold drinks. No food anymore. That's the only drawback. But if I wasn't hungry & only wanted a chill bar.....I'd come here. The service was fast and quick!"

Bottle Club Pub

★★★★★ 4.5 (56) • $$

"Great drinks and liquor from around the world! Worthwhile to checkout and to have some fun with friends or co-workers!"

Schroeder's

★★★★☆ 3.6 (563) • $$

"I associated this place with being a bar and serving beer. Little did I know it was also a restaurant. And...they have lunch specials. The place is huge and has an old-fashioned feel. I've been here for lunch a few times, and they have an easy-to-decide menu (mini prix-fixe style). The food is surprisingly delicious. I am looking forward to coming back for dinner to explore the menu in depth. Service was friendly and efficient, two attributes I really appreciate when dining out for lunch."

Behan's Irish Pub

★★★★☆ 3.9 (129) • $$

"Pleasantly surprised about this pub. I am not a pub gal. But they have a very cute patio out back, a long bar inside with extra seating, and a long open window to sit at in the front.This is a cash bar, and they don't do anything fancy. There is an ATM if you don't have cash. They do have upgraded wines (Meiomi Pinot for example) at bottle price only. Maybe $45? It wasn't bad. So there are options for everyone.Super chill. Nice people that go here too."

Old Ship Saloon

★★★★☆ 3.9 (442) • $$

"This place is a gem Friendly staff, super niceOpen lateFood was outstanding Great atmosphere vibe Highly recommend"

The Kezar Pub

★★★★☆ 3.8 (806) • $$

"This is the best kept secret at Kezar Pub: order the Fresh Fruit Bowl. I wanted a break from traditional breakfast fare so I decided to order it. I was skeptical at first, but when this item got to my table my expectations were exceeded. I had a large bowl of fresh fruit right in front of me. There were freshly cut bananas, pineapples, watermelons and grapes. It was delicious! This item came with a small amount of syrup on the side but I found no need for it."

City Pub

★★★★☆ 3.7 (447) • $$

"After we met at seapot for lunch, the next day we went to this city pub for sandwiches. It's quite a nice place for lunch, we sat outside and we came a little early, only one lady setting up the table and stuff. The parking lot is not so bad since we could also park across at the train station. The parking meter only charge $1/hour, you need to know your space number.The server was quite attentive and fast although one was running at the time.All the sandwiches are about $20 with fries or salads. I had the spicy chicken which's quite good. The fries are excellent, very tasty. The zucchini is a must with ranch dressing, everyone loved them.Burgers, quesadilla, steak are all great. The place is right outside so we could talk freely without worrying about bothering someone else LOL.Quite a nice place for lunch although we didn't order any beer since it's a pub and all."

Chug Pub

★★★★☆ 4 (331) • $

"I for one did not expect there to be good food at a bar, but I stand corrected haha. We came here after a concert in the city and this was one of the few places that was open later in the evening. A bar on one side and a few rows of tables on the other, it's a dimly lit but comfortable place to hang out with friends and get some yummy burritos, tacos, wings, fries, & beer. Enjoy."

Cantina at San Benito House

★★★★☆ 4.3 (300) • $$

"Just popped in here while passing thru town with the family. What an amazing surprise! We were greeted at the bar in a friendly manner. He provided some suggestions for food and drink. Walking back past the bar we noticed it opened up to even more seating with heaters and a grass area for families. The drinks and food were delicious. We look forward to trying more menu items next time we are in town."

The Fishbowl Bar & Grill

★★★★☆ 3.5 (260) • $

"If you're looking for a great neighborhood bar with good vibes, fun locals, great booze prices and bar food then look no further than The Fishbowl! This bar has been a part of my repertoire for the past decade and after a recent visit, guess what? Nothing has changed and it makes me happy to know that the good vibes are intact. Oh, if you're a shot & a beer guy like me you'll love the specials they have on a daily basis. Shot of fernet and a miller high life for $9 bucks...yes please! They also have about 10 beers on tap and rotate a seasonal for you beer buffs. Buck Hunter, great American lager and fun people. Sign me up."

Casements

★★★★☆ 4.4 (126) • $$

"Great spot for live music and spontaneous whiskey tastings. The outdoor seating is lovely and it gets loud but not too rowdy. The staff has always been very kind and the drinks are solid."

Edinburgh Castle Pub

★★★★☆ 3.8 (511) • $

"Hubby and I popped in here for some single malt scotches after dinner before we headed to Great American Music Hall.It was fairly empty at 7pm on a Friday night. There is a room in the front that you go through a door that's kind of like the feel of being outside.This place is a quirky dive bar. It is what it is. And we found it to be a very pleasant one. The stools were comfortable, the bar itself was beautiful with the coins and the copper rail.I had an Oban and a Linsmore and my husband had an Aberlour and a Highland Park black label. The bartender brought us a water back without prompting and I thought that was very thoughtful.He left us alone until I signaled we were ready for our second shot. I liked that we were able to just talk and relax.The place smelled fresh for those saying it smelled like piss. I got nothing of the sort. Nor did it smell musty. The bathrooms are small. The water worked for me in the tiny corner sink. The door to the men's room is missing at the moment, but as hubby said, that's kind of what you expect at a dive bar.Would we go back? Yes, we would.I wish I knew more about the history of the place and what the upstairs was for. The sign said it was opened in 1959 or 1951 (hey, brain sometimes remembers things, sometimes it doesn't) It was definitely fun."

Horseshoe Tavern

★★★★☆ 3.9 (296) • $

"Solid "locals" bar in the Marina. Friendly bartenders, cute little parklet, great tunes, and a decent selection of beers on draft. Beers were $7 each, but it's the Marina, so it was expected. There's a really cool mural above the bar, didn't get a picture but that alone is worth a stop to Horseshoe. Showed up at 6pm on a Tuesday night, and didn't have any trouble getting a table."

Dutch Goose

★★★★☆ 3.6 (850) • $$

"Great pub grub at reasonable cost! Menlo Park gem! First time chowing here and must say the pub grub is good and there's something for everyone here. Casual environment, great for sitting with a friend, relaxed environment enjoying some good bar food. It's been here decades, and more decades to come! Burgers, hot diggities dawgs, sammies, salads, crazy spiced egg thingy, pizza and much more! Excellent service, nice peeps serving up grub to citizens in need of some munching. I ordered the BLAT, spicy deviled egg and wings served crispy with no sauce. Everything was great and good quality. However, die hard fans don't get mad at me...I do not like the spicy deviled eggs. I understand it's a menu icon and especially with area locals but my kind of deviled egg is formed not goopy. I love me a good deviled egg but not as they have made. Otherwise, I loved everything. Stop by when you're in the area! Cheers!"

The Plough & Stars

★★★★☆ 3.9 (220) • $

"If it's pint of the black stuff you're after...look no further than The Plough & Stars."

The Mad Dog In The Fog

★★★★☆ 3.6 (526) • $$

"Well visiting San Francisco I popped into the bar for a quick snack and an adult beverage.The staff was very friendly and the bartender very accommodating. The place is very clean. The bathrooms were also clean plus it has a code to avoid people off the street wandering into the women's restroom.We ordered the mini corndogs, chicken tenders, and mozzarella sticks with a side of carrots and celery. The food was delicious and fresh. The bartender also made me one of my favorite adult beverages, Tito's vodka, topped off with water and lemonade. It was very refreshing.This place is popular because they play European soccer on the TVs and it's very popular with the crowd in San Francisco. I will definitely go back and try some of their other food. A table next to me ordered a traditional English breakfast, and it looked delicious.Enjoy!"

Hop Oast Pub & Brewery

★★★★★ 4.7 (43)

"Cute neighborhood pub with great beer and a cozy atmosphere. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable. They have more food than I was expecting as well which mainly includes sausages. I got the beer pickled veggies and the pretzel to snack on. Both were tasty and good pairings for the beer. There are also a good assortment of games available for patrons if you want to play while you drink. I just wish I lived close so this could be my neighborhood spot!"

Mission Bar

★★★★☆ 4 (246) • $

"I honestly loved this place! The music wasn't too loud so my friend and I could easily chat and catch up. We stayed for 4 hours and there were always people around but it wasn't bustling.We each got two drinks and both were tasty and strong. The prices are also unheard of: $10/drink!"

The Peak's Bar Noe Valley

★★★★☆ 4 (107) • $

"Nice little bar with a great local vibe. Nice place to grab a beer and see what's happening in Noe."

Durty Nelly's

★★★★☆ 4.2 (399) • $

"Trivia nights on Wednesdays!!Cozy place, friendly staff, Guinness on tap, and a fireplace in the back. What's not to like?"

Shotwell's

★★★★☆ 4.3 (255) • $

"First time coming out to this place and it was great!Went on a Friday after work and wanted to decompress after a heavy week before the holidays. They have great beers on tap and the vibes are awesome. Jukebox, pool, pinball can all be found here as well. Bar tender made the night awesome TY!"

Gestalt

★★★★☆ 3.9 (528) • $

"This was my first time in Gestalt in a couple years, and it feels better than it's ever been. I hear it's under new ownership and it feels like it's getting the refresh it needed. Great beers on tap, fun folks in here watching the Super Bowl, bartenders handling the crowd well, and a really nice selection of modern pinball tables that seem like they were set up by someone who really knows what they're doing. My partner got the soju margarita and did *not* like it...so maybe stick to the beers. Black Knight, Mars Attacks, Foo Fighters, Dr No, and - a clean bathroom! A buck for three balls, woohoo! And there's a pool table now. Haven't tried the food, but I'll be back."

Newell's Cocktail Lounge

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (56) • $

"This is a great place to go for good drinks at really good prices. They are always open until 2am. They have plenty of open space with lots of seating. They have TV's playing sports. The bartenders are great! (I know this because I am one of them)Good vibes & energy."

The Dubliner

★★★★☆ 3.9 (148) • $

"Awesome Irish bar in West Portal! Always easy get there by train or to park. Festive and decorative for holidays and sporting events. They have a pool table upstairs and the jukebox is always playing music just loud enough so you can still have a conversation at the bar. Drink specials post all the time and Otto behind the bar always makes me feel very welcome. She is fun and friendly and talkative to all that come in. She's even so kind as to offer awesome Irish food treats once in a while. A good place to meet up friends or meet the locals. Love it!"