Nightlife in San Francisco
San Francisco’s colorful attitude doesn’t disappear when the sun goes down. Each of the city’s unique neighborhoods holds its own when it comes to nightlife, offering visitors everything from cozy jazz clubs and elegant wine bars to full-on dance parties.
Delightful Dives: After a full day of sightseeing on foot, sometimes there’s nothing better than a cold beer in a hidden nook. For intimate bars with low-key atmosphere and reasonable prices, a good place to start is the Mission District. There, you’ll find plenty of small establishments without lines, cover charges or too much attitude. Gestalt Haus on Valencia Street features indoor bike racks so you can drink without worrying that your ride home will be stolen outside. The bar is best known for its German brews on tap and the delicious bratwurst prepared behind the bar, served with high-quality sauerkraut.
Haight Street carries a similarly casual vibe with a bit more rock and roll thrown in. Stop by Mad Dog in the Fog to catch televised soccer games at this Irish pub. The bar also features a weekly trivia night.
Although Polk Street on one end can get fairly ritzy, the strip is also home to many small, reasonably priced bars. Bigfoot Lodge has a silly, woodsy theme. It’s hard to get too pretentious when you’re in a bar that looks like a log cabin.
Enclaves with Atmosphere: There is a middle ground between the dive bar and an ultra-snooty social scene. The key is to search out nighttime spots that offer a unique vibe but are still hidden away enough to stay reasonably priced.
Café Du Nord is on Castro Street, in the social center of the city’s ever-flourishing gay population. The spot is now known for its up-and-coming musical performers, with shows most nights of the week. The former speakeasy now serves food and drinks that are about the same price as your typical boutique restaurant on the street, but with a low-key attitude that will make any visitor feel welcome.
If you’re more into making music than listening to it, then why not head over to an authentic karaoke bar and let loose? While karaoke bars are by no means unique to San Francisco, the city’s Japantown holds several Asian gems that may be quite different than the karaoke experience you’re used to. The area holds both Japanese- and Korean-style karaoke bars with corresponding drinks and food. Many of the Korean spots, like Playground on Buchanan Street, offer private rooms so that only your loved ones will have to endure the sounds of your singing. Soju cocktails and traditional Korean bar foods are brought right to your room.
Just down the street is a very different scene at the Boom Boom Room . The famous blues bar offers live blues, jazz and funk acts and a hopping dance floor six nights a week.
Big Budget Booze: If you’re willing to pay for pricier drinks in exchange for an elegant crowd and cleaner bathrooms, the key is to head for the city’s more upscale neighborhoods.
The first logical stop is the Marina neighborhood. The crowd there is decidedly preppy, with yuppies letting loose after long weeks at the office. Chestnut Street, Fillmore Street and Union Street are the main sources of action –- check out Circa on the corner of Chestnut and Fillmore, which is filled to the brim every weekend with the well-groomed and well-heeled. The crowds get intense, but the bar features some nice banquettes on which to climb up and dance for a few moments before security gets angry. For a calmer atmosphere, check out Nectar Wine Lounge on Steiner Street, a small, stylish spot that offers rare wines and exciting flights.
The epitome of old-school San Francisco class is sipping a lovely cocktail at the Top of the Mark, appropriately named, as it sits at the top of the Mark Hopkins hotel in Nob Hill. Unlike most other San Francisco bars where seats are rare commodities, Top of the Mark won’t serve drinks to those who are standing — perfect for a slightly older crowd or just someone who doesn’t feel like fighting for personal space. The bar offers some of the best views of the city, especially dramatic at night with all of the twinkling lights, as well as a mind-boggling drink menu with a heavy emphasis on martinis.