Where I'd take a friend for a really good drink, skipping the hotel lobbies. Neighborhood bars in North Beach, the Mission, Bernal and the Lower Haight, a couple of downtown standouts and one great tiki bar. Picks drawn from Eater SF's cocktail bar m...
Map
Newer North Beach bar with simple, balanced cocktails made with fresh ingredients. Warm room of wood, marble and leather.
Bar April Jean
Russian Hill bar from the team behind Michelin-starred Nisei next door. High-technique cocktails with a Japanese touch. Let the bartenders steer you.
Bar Iris
Old Beat Generation hangout next to City Lights. Grab a seat by an upstairs window with a book from next door and order a classic like an Americano.
Vesuvio Cafe
PCH has some of the best bartenders in the country, and creative drinks to match. Always busy, so go early.
Pacific Cocktail Haven
Up a staircase off Mason Street: mirrored walls, halo lights and plush booths. Retro-futuristic and playful, a fun hideaway right by Union Square.
The Valley Club
Lower Haight bar where co-owner Yanni Kehagiaras keeps the cocktails minimal and perfectly balanced. A great neighborhood drink.
Stoa
Award-winning Mission bar using unusual spirits and local, sometimes foraged, ingredients. Go for the seasonal menu.
True Laurel
Mission bar that feels like a living room during a party. Order a 50/50 martini or just a shot and a beer. Good for meeting people.
Lost Resort
Quiet Bernal Heights bar with a gothic, churchy feel and a back bar full of rare bottles. Run by SF cocktail veterans and still a bit of a secret.
Holy Water
Hayes Valley tiki bar with about 1,400 rums. Great for a date or a drink after a show nearby.
Smuggler's Cove
SoMa speakeasy with cocktails made from unexpected ingredients, a room with edible bubbles on demand and good bar snacks. A fun one to show visitors.
