The Most Scrumptious Venues & Event Spaces in San Francisco

Ballast Point

★★★★☆ 4 (92) • $$

"Date: Wednesday, June 12th, 2024Time: 6:15pmParty of: 2Meal: Dinner before a concert at ChaseReservations Made: via OpenTable the day before*16oz California Kolsch ($9)*Belgium Pretzel Bites ($15)*Broiled Deviled Eggs ($12)*Spinach Artichoke ($16)*Garlic Parmesan Fries ($12)*16oz Longfin Lager ($9)*Surcharge ($3.65)A girlfriend and I were going to the Janet Jackson concert at 8pm. We figured we should meet up for some food beforehand. I looked around and this was the only place offering reservations at a time that worked with the concert and was after work hours. I would highly recommend making a rez as it was busy when I got here.You scan the QR code on the table and order everything online. You can't request glasses of water or anything, so make sure to remember to ask when your drinks and food are delivered. No one checks on you or anything. I still tipped 20% since I just do that automatically, but there's really no service in the traditional way here if you think about it.The food was fine. Just your typical bar bites. Tho the fries were my fav. Very garlicky and savory. Definitely the best dish. The pretzel bites were too fluffy and chewy in the wrong way. I wanted the texture to resemble a carnival soft pretzel. The cheese was also too thin. The beers were good. I'm not much of a beer drinker if there's liquor around, but it's easy to sip on. They were out of the beer that reminded me of a belgian witbier, so I picked the ones above.Convenient if you want to grab some drinks and food before going to Chase Center where a 16oz beer runs $16. Definitely better on my pocketbook. REVIEW #3454"

Southside Spirit House

★★★★☆ 4 (358) • $$

"Attended a private party in August. Very nice, clean interior and ambiance. The bartenders were quick and generous with their pour. Enough room for a DJ, private concert, dancing and seating for those socializing at the bar or in the lounge area. Our food was catered in, I am not sure of their menu options. Parking is not far and secure."

Foundry & Lux

★★★★☆ 3.7 (290) • $$

"Ambience 5/5I love coming here to work or to have a business meeting! Plenty of parking (can get busy during the day), plenty of outlets/plugs, and it's divided into a cafe, lunch area, and lounge type deal depending on what time of day you come. People pretty much come here and mind their own business or walk in from the surrounding biotech/tech companies for lunch or happy hour. Food 5/5The lattes are yummy and reasonable priced - $5-6. I've also had a sandwich with a side salad and a salad and they're reasonable for the bay :) and quite tasty! Also once tried the wings and fries which were yummy.Service 4/5I enjoy it cause no one really bothers you if you're just working :) if you want food, people are attentive if you're at the lounge.Lunch area and cafe are walk up to purchase Overall, highly recommend! Plenty of EV charger around the area too!"

Sundance The Steakhouse

★★★★☆ 3.9 • $$$

"Came here for NYE dinner with a friend. We both ordered the prime rib. I let the waitress know that I also wanted to order something to-go, but that I would tell her later in the evening. She insisted I tell her now and she'd take care of it, and so I did. We were quickly served bread, and our food followed shortly after. The bread comes with a side of butter and balsamic+oil. The prime rib and the accompanying side dishes were perfectly cooked. The prime rib paired with the au jus was *chef's kiss*. For dessert, I ordered the famous mud pie, while my friend ordered the crème brûlée. The mud pie was okay. I was disappointed there wasn't a thicker crust. It was essentially a large plate of ice cream with whipped cream and fudge. The creme brûlée was also okay. It was made with white chocolate and would've been more well-balanced if it came with more fruit.Now here is the kicker. We get the bill and notice the to-go order was not on it. I tell our waitress and she goes to get it fixed. Well, it turns out she completely forgot to place the order and by then, the kitchen had already closed down. This is why I initially said i would personally let her know about my to-go item later, but she insisted I tell her at the beginning. Aside from a simple apology, there was no other attempt at service recovery. That food was meant to be a NYE meal for someone who now had to ring in the new year on an empty stomach. Not to mention, by that hour, it was impossible for me to find an appropriate alternative elsewhere.The food is good, but the service leaves a lot to be desired. I will not be coming back a second time."

The Winery SF

★★★★☆ 3.9 (165) • $$

"We discovered this little winery after going to the Treasure Island Flea Market and didn't want to get stuck in the long line of cars trying to leave all at once.We did.a tasting and it was all really good. The two guys that helped us were very nice and super informative and even gave us samples of wines we were debating between.This place looked like it was a great wedding venue; Bay right outside the door and a large open space loft with an outside dining/drinking area."

Parklab Gardens

★★★★☆ 4.4 (34) • $$

"We stopped in for lunch one overcast afternoon. A friend from work told me about the place. We got a great draft beer and some amazing food and good prices. Are outside and just took the whole place in. The service and staff at all the different food trucks and other offerings were very friendly and helpful. They have reservable spaces for larger parties. I'd love to rent one with friends before a show at the chase center, which is a very short walk away from it.They also have a mini golf course. I'll have to go back and try it. Next time!This is a recommendation for this place if you are in the area. It's a nice change of pace.Cons -The bathrooms leave a lot to be desired. They were a mess and hardly worked at all. It was the only downside and why I gave 4 stars."

Mayflower Restaurant

★★★☆☆ 2.8 • $$

"I hadn't been here since I was a kid doing yum cha with my family and it's funny to see all my friend's comments about how bad their experiences once were. However, I have to say that for my friend's wedding recently, they were the absolute best in providing an amazing banquet experience.The venue was large to fit nearly 300 guests with a small area for photos and an entire dance floor. Everyone was gathering around for photos with the couple and the staff were very accommodating for all of our needs.As a vegan, I usually get a major short end of the stick when it comes to Chinese restaurants and banquet meals, but I was shocked to have 6 different dishes served to me which was more than I expected. Everything was pretty good too - definitely a lot more inventive than at other Chinese banquets I've attended in recent years. Love the use of tofu and mushrooms to really amp up my offerings.Staff were also extremely friendly and would shoot the s--- with us especially when it came to requests for more water or making space in order for the wine glasses to start getting poured. They took real good care of us, serving my friends individually depending on their dish in the massive ten-course seafood meal.Cheers to the newlyweds and thanks Mayflower for hosting an incredible wedding banquet."

Kalesa

★★★★☆ 3.6 • $$

"Service was excellent. Gigi was very personable and attentive to our needs making sure our drinks were always toped off!! Ambiance was nice. Tables were not too close to each other and noise level was tolerable.Food:1) Crispy Dinuguan - very tasty and pork was not fatty. 5 of 52) Pancit Miki Bihon - flavor was slightly bland 3 of 5. Seemed like it was missing something but could not figure it out3) Pinakbet - kind of soupy and we liked as it was not too salty. 4 of 54) Chicken Inasal - flavor was spot on so 5 of 55) Crispy pata - excellent 5 of 56) lumpia shanghai was slightly over cooked 3 of 57) calamari was also spot on so 5 of 5We know what to order at the next visit and we look forward to having Gigi service us. She is great and we really enjoyed interacting with her!!"

Bearing West

★★★★★ 4.7 (118)

"Perfect all around. We will be back. Excellent food and service. Fish wete perfectly cooked. Thank you for a delightful evening!"

The Brixton

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (927) • $$

"I only came here for one thing only and it was for the martini tower!! It was super cute and such fun little idea. It came with 6 mini glasses of martinis accompanying with blue cheese stuffed olives, seasoned nuts, and potato chips. Came here around 9pm on a Friday and it was super packed but luckily I made reservations in advance which I highly recommend you to do if you plan on coming here. I sat in the back of the restaurant and it was spacious enough for my group of 5. The vibes were a mix of both vibrant and lively. There was music playing and lots of laughter going around the whole atmosphere. A typical night in the city during the weekend. It was my first time trying a dirty martini and I expected it to taste better in my head. That's just a personal preference but I think I'll stick to my regular espresso martinis or old fashions. The service was great, everyone was super friendly however not as attentive as I wished. Overall, great place for a girls night out or even date night!"

Joey the Cat Skeeball Rentals

★★★★★ 4.8 (35)

"I recently attended a company offsite at Joey the Cat and had an absolute blast. And it wasn't just me, everyone I talked to afterwards really enjoyed the event.I wasn't the one who planned it so unfortunately I don't have much insight into the logistics, but we had a selection of beer and wine for drinks as well as a make-your-own-taco bar (I assume it was catered) that was absolutely delicious.The skee ball tournament that they helped organize was so much fun even though I was eliminated in the first round. You're asked to pair up and provide your team names, and after that they run a quick single-elimination tournament where the winning pair gets bragging rights and a trophy they can proudly pose for pictures with :)In addition to skee ball, there are a number of other games including a couple of pinball machines, whack-a-mole, air hockey (my personal fave!), a shooting game, as well as a hoop throwing game. I loved this venue for precisely this reason, as there was always something to do or play. Of course, if all you want to do is hang out with your coworkers and chat, there's plenty of standing space as well as some tables, so you can make yourself comfortable.It's not a huge space, but it was good for the 60 or so people we had. I also really appreciated that there are cubbies near the door for any bags / purses / jackets. The location itself is kind of random; when our Uber pulled up next to a warehouse in the Mission, we initially thought we were in the wrong spot until we spotted the small Joey the Cat logo on the door. But once you're in, you forget about all that and have a great time :)"

The Masonic

★★★☆☆ 3.3 (476)

"I've been to the Masonic a couple times now and both experiences were great shows. We ended up paying $50 for parking at the Masonic ahead of the latest show and there was some confusion with the attendants on how to scan us in- our instructions said to hold our phone near the scanner, but they wanted us to have a QR code- eventually we got in though.The security was efficient and because I had a small bag I had to go through a longer line and have my bag searched, but it didn't take too much extra time.The concessions were pretty basic, but there were drinks and some snacks available. We ended up buying a $6 Plain, Flat, Liquid Death. I will note that a staff member took it from us on our way out because we didn't finish it- I'm not sure if she thought it was a beer or what, but other people left with their half finished drinks so we were a bit confused.On our latest visit we were there for a comedy show and were sat in the second row, the seats were all fold out chairs with no armrests or cup holders. We got very cozy with our neighbors and I found myself leaning into my husband the whole show trying to give the man next to me some space.The audio, lighting and actual show were great though and because we parked on P4 with an exit option to keep going down instead of back up we didn't get stuck in the parking garage for too long.Overall, there are some things that could be improved but both experiences have been good and I would go back again."

Great American Music Hall

★★★★☆ 4.2 (853) • $$

"Saw the Red Room Orchestra at The Great American Music Hall and had a great time!Definitely a bit more of an intimate venue, but I can appreciate how good of a view I got of the stage. On that same note, it can be a bit cramped navigating the place, but it made for a great time."

Cadillac Bar & Grill

★★★★☆ 3.6 (495) • $$

"3.5 stars is spot on. Service is very good, at least for us. Carnitas were excellent, I use these as a marker because sometimes they're super dry. But these were very good. A couple of beers on tap (I wish there were more) and the margaritas look good, but my friend wasn't drinking so I didn't imbibe. It's really unfortunate that this neighborhood has deteriorated so much. The restaurant was kind of empty. I hope they can survive, and I promise to do my part and return when I can. But this whole area now is sad and deserted. ugh"

Bimbo's 365 Club

★★★★☆ 4.1 (500) • $$

"Thanks to my girlfriend who loves live music, I'm getting to experience all the different music venues that the city has to offer, and that's what lead me to experience Bimbo's 365 for the first time. Getting in was a breeze, we got there right before the headliner was going on and there was no line. When you walk in, it feels like you are taking a step into a Time Machine, and transported back to the 40s/50s because this place looks classic and old school in all the fun ways. The bathrooms even had bathroom attendants handing out soap and paper towels, which is a throwback bc I haven't seen that in a long time. We did had drinks prior to the show and that was the play. Regular size cans of high noon were $12.50, which is normal for music venues, but definitely pricy for what it is. For the show, they have a giant GA floor space which wasn't packed and had good views from everywhere. I liked how we had space and didn't feel like we had to be shoulder to shoulder to people. People were respectful and you are so close to the musical act, makes for a very intimate musical experience. If you've never been, definitely worth checking out at least once to experience a taste of old school SF"

Gambit Lounge

★★★★☆ 4.4 (43) • $$

"It's just ok for the price and there are better options nearby. Menu has lots of heavy food like sandwiches, sausages, and fries. But it's $20+, very greasy, and something I could've made better myself in 5 minutes in my kitchen. The vibe is very heavy, dark, and masculine. Kind of like a den. The staff doesn't pay attention and isn't too welcoming. It's just ok."

Rise Pizzeria - Burlingame

★★★★☆ 4 (663) • $$

"Went here for dinner with my friends recently and all the pizzas were so yummy! They were pretty busy on a Thursday night as well but the food came out pretty fast. There was a bunch of options to choose from but we ordered the burrata, Ccalabrese + honey, and funghi pizzas. Definitely devoured those slices of pizza. I recommend coming here if you're craving some wood fired oven pizza with a good ambiance."

Carbon Lounge

★★★☆☆ 3.2 (149) • $$

"Just a warning that I was roofied here Friday night. Of course this can happen anywhere, and I'm not blaming the bar for this whatsoever, but watch your drinks and be careful. I'm generally careful, but the place was extremely packed so I must've missed it. I can't find a manager's email, but if you're seeing this, check camera footage for Friday night between 11pm-1am, so you can avoid letting in people that drug other patron's drinks"

Sweet Connections

★★★★★ 4.6 (235) • $

"We had just finished our lunch reception for a funeral; and some of the siblings and cousins wanted something sweet. Since we were right down the street from where we had lunch, we walked right over to Sweet Connections. They offered so much to choose from. I got a small Kahlua pie ice cream. So good. The others had bingsu, shave ice, and ice cream. There must have been easily over 30 of us flooding the ice cream shop and just two servers, but they got everyone of us served. They served our group with a smile and were very helpful. We must've been there hanging out over two and a half hours but were not asked to leave. I think the owner was one of the two servers. We were taking pictures and she offered to help take our picture. She was so gracious. From outside, I thought it would be small, but to our surprise, it accommodated all 30 of us. It's a great place to get ice cream and to hangout. I would definitely come back with friends and family. And I would absolutely recommend this place. Check them out."

Lost Marbles

★★★★☆ 3.9 (103) • $$

"Unique ambiance, a great hang out place even during the day. There are super large TV where you can watch sports, but the bar still looks cool and doesn't have the sports bar vibe.My gf and I ordered pretzels, churros, and cauliflower fritters. I thought all of them taste great, but might be a little pricey for bar bites.Service was great, the bartender got to us quickly. Our orders came in pretty quickly too. A very random gem in the neighborhood."

HOT JOHNNIE’S SMOKEHOUSE

★★★★★ 4.6 (552) • $$

"Came here for their drag brunch and had a really good time! The place had great energy and the food was solid. It seemed like they had their full menu and then some more brunchy items as well. Since it started later in the day, it was great that they had lunch items and not just eggs and sweets. We got some pastrami nacho fries to share, then I went with the chicken and garlic rice plate. I liked both items, but really loved the crispy chicken for my main. We ordered bottomless mimosas for the group and were shocked when they brought out a bottle per person. Totally get why they did so that we wouldn't have to be asking for more throughout the drag performance, but the bottles did get a little warm as we worked through all 8 of them. The show was super fun! There were 4 different queens all with their own vibe and energy. you have to pre purchase tickets online, which are $8 a piece."

Novela

★★★★☆ 3.9 • $$

"Novela has become a real SF staple after being around for 10+ years, especially impressive since it's one of the few spots downtown that made it through covid still standing. The food and cocktails have stayed consistently solid over the years, and it reliably draws a good, fun crowd--a rarity in this area.Ambience is always on point."

Taksim

★★★★☆ 4.4 (208)

"Food: 4.5/5Service: 5/5Ambience: 5/5We had such a great time at Taksim! We got there pretty late on a Monday night and were a little surprised to find that they close early (8:45 PM), so be awareWe started with the beet salad, shish kebab, and lava bread, and for mains, we ordered the lamb chops and Guvec. For desert we had tea and baklava, which I really liked.My favorites were the shish kebab, lamb chops, and baklava. The Guvec was okay, but I personally enjoyed the other dishes more.The vibe was really cozy, and the staff were super friendly. The bill come out to about ~$100 per person, which is a bit on the pricier side; i would be going back for sure."

Laughing Monk Brewing

★★★★☆ 4.4 (153) • $$

"Had a couple tastey brews here last night.Brother Star Dust is a hazy IPA with lot's of good flavor.And an IPA from row 1, column 2; it was good too.Eclectic music is here! Walked in yesterday around 1pm and there was a full on chamber music with seven member stringed instruments going on. Love it.Warehouse with high ceilings; very good customer service.Only con: no sandwiches or hot food.Could be sketchy at night time."

The Hangar

★★★★☆ 4.3 (16) • $$

"This architectural gem rose from the ashes (giant acreage of dirt, despite the disapproval of naysayers), providing a fancy, gigantic, modern marvel, 6 unique cafe choices. The ground floor has an about 3 stories high wall completely of windows. For special events like sports there's a huge dropdown tv screen. This breakfast & lunch haven for the surrounding office workers is only a 10 minute drive south to SFO. Plenty of free parking, a casual seating area & around the corner space with fancy upholstered chairs with marble (?) topped tables, suitable for meetings, leisurely dining, & you won't get the stink eye from crabby people like me if you're a laptop camper. By noon more people start streaming in. There's even a conference room.Upstairs includes a fine dining restaurant open 4 - 8pm, combo bar/ lounge/ dining/ work area. A gym is available free to badge holders.About the parking lot- wanted to get some steps in so parked in the back row, only to be confused by an actual trench blocking you from walking directly to the side door. I didn't see the cutouts. Since it was my first visit I didn't realize you could also walk around the lot to reach the much more impressive main entrance. I think The Hangar would be an excellent way to wait out a friend's delayed flight. The verdict, destination dining."

Stella

★★★★☆ 4.1 • $$$

"Wow, maybe one of the top five meals I've ever had.I had the petrale , my guests had risotto. Everything was delicious. The topper was they now have the fish market chef who brought along his secret crab garlic cheesy bread recipe. Definitely not inexpensive, but worth every penny"

Cultivar

★★★★☆ 4.3 (276) • $$

"Cute little wine barCute little menuFriendly serviceMostly estate grown wine with a few international ones thrown in. Decor is aesthetically pleasingNo wifiThank you!"

Orbit Room

★★★★☆ 3.7 (494) • $$

"Unreasonably good pizza for a place that is more bar than restaurant. Good beer selection. Great -- and late -- happy hour. Friendly bartenders. What's not to like?"

Par 3 at Poplar Creek

★★★★☆ 4 (201) • $$

"I good variety on the menu to pick from and friendly staff.I would Recommend next time, that the soup comes out before the main course. I was too busy talking to realize it was not available earlier, so when it came with my main dish, my main dish got cold while I finished my soup."

The Devil's Acre

★★★★☆ 4.1 (422) • $$

"We were actually trying to visit a bar across the street but they were closed for a private event. Locals directed across the street to Devil's Acre. We arrived to a mostly empty bar and were able to secure seats at the bar. We always prefer the bar as we can converse with the mixologists.From their home page: "Step inside to sample a time when the difference between a saloon keeper and pharmacist wasn't much, and both were prone to prescribing a variety of alcohol based mixtures that were supposed to "cure what ails you."I can testify that yes indeed a few of their craft cocktails will either cure what ails you, place you in a great mood, or both.These are true craft cocktails so be patient and some will arrive with picture ready garnishes. I stuck with a few bourbon based cocktails and Plus1 opted for their version of a margarita. I did not realize that there is a speakeasy type bar downstairs, next time for sure.Definately haver a cocktail or two at Devli's Acre to cure all that ails you!"

Hawthorn

★★★★☆ 4.3 (447) • $$

"Frequented a lot of clubs in the bay area during the past 4 years and oddly enough never been to Hawthorn. Got a table here for my girlfriend's birthday yesterday. Chadwick was super helpful in accommodating us and my girlfriend and making her feel special. I thought the prices for bottle service were reasonable and loved the group cocktails as well. In addition to the traditional marquee happy birthday sign, Chadwick also provided additional treats like champagne, chocolates and cotton candy. Had our table in the Bonaparte room where they played good House music. Only bummer was the weather last night probably prevented a huge turnout, but what can you do?Will be coming back again one day!"

Putter's Miniature Golf

★★★★★ 4.9 (54)

"My likes: + Dog friendly + Just off of the downtown Walnut Creek area + Inexpensive for the amount of holes you play + An unusual course. Less gimicky (no windmills) but also a harder course to putt than a typical family mini golf course. The game changers are exactly that. Enough to tip the balances of a really disparate scoring. + Picnic tables and benches to potentially host a birthday party. I'm unsure if they have food and drink for order or if BYO. + They are constantly working, wood-shop style, on new holes to play. + Dedicated, not overly busy parking lot. Things to consider: - I didn't see any indoor seating, so consider that if people are temperature-sensitive or don't want to be here. I think it's centrally enough located that someone who doesn't want to play can shop or dine nearby."

The Vault

★★★★★ 4.8 (22)

"From the moment I stepped into The Vault, I was impressed by how beautiful and unique this coworking space is. I might just have to get a desk or office here myself! I've hosted many events at The Vault, and their spaces have the perfect ambiance for both learning and networking. The Library is perfect for a happy hour, while their Lobby is perfect for a small workshop... plus it has a bar area. Special shout-out to staff members Abby and Raquel for providing incredible service and for always being so accommodating to our group. Would definitely recommend this space for all your coworking and event needs!"

SVN West

★★☆☆☆ 2.3 (14)

"If you haven't been to this yet then what are you waiting for. It is such a crazy beautiful way to experience art. This was on a 35 min loop with projectors all around the room and floor. The painting are a collection of his works with added movement and music. They provide you with a seat cushion rental and a free poster. There is a store at the end with very expensive merchandise lol. The tickets were $50 or $40 for non peak days."

SPIN San Francisco

★★★★☆ 3.9 (374) • $$

"If you haven't been able to visit yet, it's about time you took a spin with SPIN! I was the lucky +1 for a corporate event held here and I was impressed! The space was trendy and spacious, perfect for a gathering of the scale we were having. The food was also pretty tasty as well, although I am unclear if this was outside catering or SPIN's own. When the conversation hits a lull with colleagues, there was the option for fun with ping pong, arcade games, and more! My only complaint was I wish there were more seating amenable to eating - it was a little clumsy to try to eat off a bar table. Otherwise, I'd be back here for more ping pong and good times!"