San Francisco Bar Travel Guide

San Francisco really has no shortage of great cocktail bars. A quick web search will land you with dozens of articles listing the “top bars” to drink at for any given month. And if you’re visiting this beautiful city and want to make sure you hit up all the city’s top libation institutions, I’m sure you’re already doing your research and have 100 tabs open with different articles, jotting down a never-ending list of bars you need to visit. Travel planning can be overwhelming, and what I’ve found is that most articles or recommendations are pretty much just lists. And lists can be tricky to operationalize and weave into your actual travel plans, right? I mean, how do you even decide? You need to figure out where places are, what times they open/close, and then figure out how it fits in with other things you’re going to do. So much planning, it’s overwhelming!

So, this is my attempt to simplify all this for you, dear traveler. 😉 Below you’ll find a San Francisco travel guide for the cocktail enthusiast that maps out your route by region so you no longer need to debate how to squeeze in your must-visit bars into your sightseeing schedule.

Follow this, and I guarantee you’ll get a more-than-hearty taste of what the city has to offer. Skip places if you have no interest in them, add in places you have from your other lists, or even go through it in reverse if you’re taking a different route. And of course, one of the most important things about vacation travel is that you’re still exploring a new city, so it’s definitely still important to explore awesome landmarks, sights, and cultural pockets of the city. Noted! This guide breaks down the crawl by neighborhood/region, allowing you to easily merge this with your other city guides for sightseeing/food/whatever else. You can check out the city’s most famous and interesting neighborhoods, while hitting up all your crucial bar stops! Sounds like my type of vacation! (seriously, my vacations = mark all the bars I want to visit, and fit in sightseeing and food between the bar crawl route) If that sounds familiar, this guide is for you. 🙂

Hope you find this helpful! My aim is to keep this page updated as new bars open up.

Last updated: February 2020

Enough chatter, let’s get this started.

Table of Contents

  1. Bar Recommendations by Itineraries: this is the primary section of this guide and includes my recommended bar-crawl itineraries, along with sight-seeing activities to consider while you’re in each area.
  2. Additional Recommendations: other places that didn’t fit neatly into an itinerary but may be of interest for the booze hound
  3. Appendix: List of all spots mentioned. You can also download a map view of all these spots in Google Maps. Click the ‘follow’ button at the top and you’ll see all these spots marked on your own map.

Note: Throughout this page, items marked with * are my absolute favorites and top recommendations.

Section 1: Itineraries

Below you’ll find 5 itineraries, focused on different areas of the city. These are not in any particular order. Many bars don’t open until the early evening, so it may be a bit difficult to do more than 1 set in the same day. That said, each set notes the suggested timing and Itinerary E is a daytime schedule that can be easily combined with B-D!

ITINERARY A (Full Day) | Mission

The Mission District is one of the most vibrant and culturally-rich neighborhoods in the city. Here you’ll find bright painted murals abound, no shortage of authentic taquerias, and a burgeoning modern restaurant/coffee/bar scene. The neighborhood is historically Hispanic, though with the gentrification of the recent decade influenced by the growing tech sector and an abundance of young professionals, you’ll now witness quite the oscillating scenery between ultra-modern high end bars/restaurants and Mexican bakeries, groceries, and bargain shops.

The Bars

Extra Stops

The Route



  1. Start your day at the famous *Tartine Manufactory, a quintessential modern Californian restaurant with a bakery at heart. In my opinion, this place does indeed live up to all the hype, but the BEST PART is that they now legitimately have one of the most innovative and well executed cocktail menus in the city! The focus on farm fresh ingredients and highlighting these unique flavors in cocktails is executed to perfection. Get here early to avoid the crowds (reservations are only available for dinner), but good thing is that they open at 8am everyday for the perfect way to start your day of exploration!

Cocktail at Tartine Manufactory

  1. Make your way through the Mission and explore the beautiful murals and energetic vibe of the area. The area has deep working class Latino roots, but with the gentrification in the past decade due to the tech boom, it’s now a combination of taquerias and mechanics shops with the most hipster of coffeshops/bars/bakeries/etc. It’s definitely an interesting and fun area to explore. Make sure you take a detour through Clarion Alley, grab a coffee, and enjoy the bustling streets of the Mission district.

Colorful murals in the Mission District

  1. Morning buzz wearing off? Head over to ABV (ABV opens at 2pm). They also serve delicious food (more than just bar bites) if you’re ready for a snack!

ABV

Bon Voyage

  1. To keep all the day-drinking in check, take some time in the late afternoon to stop by nearby Dolores Park. On the weekends, it’s surely filled with people just chillin’ and hanging out in the beautiful San Francisco weather. Nearby you’ll also find Bi-Rite Creamery. With almost 10,000 Yelp reviews averaging 4.5 stars, this ice cream shop will definitely bring some more joy to your day. My absolute favorite flavor here is the Salted Caramel – even if the other flavors are enticing, don’t sleep on this and at least get a taster of it! It doesn’t sound ultra exciting, but damn, it’s life-changing. <3

Dolores Park

  1. Refreshed and ready for more drinks? Make your way down to The Beehive, it’s a beautiful well-lit space, good and enjoyable for an early evening drink.

  1. Getting hungry yet? There are plenty of amazing restaurants in the area. Open up Yelp, and find one that speaks out to ya! If you’re not hungry yet, continue on for a pre-dinner happy hour.

  1. Depending on what time it is now, head on over to either Trick Dog or True Laurel; they’re literally across the street from each other.
    • Trick Dog gets super busy on the weekends and early evenings, so try to get there earlier for a better experience. It was #42 on the World’s 50 Best Bars list (only one from SF) so the hype is definitely there (though to be honest I don’t read too much into these kind of lists). They are shockingly innovative with their menu concepts, but unfortunately all the cocktails I’ve had there just don’t quite do it for me. I may be in the minority here though; either way, it’s definitely worth a stop on any San Francisco trip to judge for yourself!
    • *True Laurel, on the other hand, is probably my ULTIMATE favorite bar in San Francisco (a close tie with PCH – will get to this below). The decor and menu are simple but modern, and the flavors of the cocktails are just out of this world. I consider myself pretty well-versed in cocktail ingredients by now, but almost every drink on their menu will have me looking up at least one ingredient. True Laurel = innovation + flawless execution. PS, order the crispy mushrooms bar bite here; you won’t regret it.

Trick Dog

True Laurel

  1. By now, I’m sure it’s been a long day! Get some rest and prepare for tomorrow! 😉

If you have more time…

Extra Stops

If you’ve got more time or looking for other places to fill the gaps, here are a few more recommendations of bars in the area.

*Last Rites (6pm-2am)

Last Rites is a modern tiki bar – let’s say “tiki noir,” reimagined to mimic a jungle crash site. It feels like the set of Lost, and is one of the most awesomely themed bars I’ve been to! The backbar is made from airplane fuselage (main body of a plane) and the bar seats are actual recycled airplane seats! The drink menu is your classic modern tiki and super fun and well thought out. I absolutely love this place and it’s definitely worth a visit if you’re able to fit it in your schedule!

Last Rites

Overproof (6:30pm-11pm, closed Sun-Tues) | MENU | RESERVATIONS

Overproof is the reservations-only upstairs bar at ABV (from my primary itinerary above). They offer curated innovative cocktails available as cocktail flights in a super intimate setting. Reservations must be made in advance (no more than 4 people), and time slots are more restrictive than most other places, but if you have time to fit this into your itinerary, definitely check it out!

Elixir (3pm-2am, noon on Sun, 10am on Sat) | MENU

Elixir Saloon is the 2nd oldest continually operating bar in San Francisco (the original saloon here opened in 1858!). It got a major facelift in the early 2000s by its most recent owner, H. Joseph Ehrmann, who was a significant influence and early pioneer of the modern cocktail revolution in San Francisco. With H (who is also a passionate spirits educator) as the mastermind here, the drinks are solid (one of his cocktails won the 2018 Cocktail of the Year award!), the business practices are eco-friendly, the spirit selection vast and brilliantly curated. To speak to its accolades, it’s a popular “industry” hangout (where bartenders go for a drink).

ITINERARY B (Evening) | Tenderloin/Civic Center

This list captures some of my absolute favorite bars in the city, though these generally aren’t located in the best areas. Other than Smuggler’s Cove (which lies at the edge of Hayes Valley – a fun busy-ish area to walk around), you’ll want to take a cab to get around to the others in the seedy Tenderloin region west of Union Square. However, these incredible SF institutions are definitely worth the visit!

The Bars

Extra Stops

The Route



  1. Start your evening at *Smuggler’s Cove. It gets SUPER uncomfortably crowded on Friday and Saturday evenings, so if those are the only days the work for you, GET HERE EARLY (preferably right at 5pm when they open). Earlier is always better, as this is a super popular bar destination that is physically limited in space.

Smuggler’s Cove

  1. After Smuggler’s Cove, head on over to *Whitechapel gin bar. It’s pretty much the gin equivalent of a rum tiki bar – no windows, a complete sense of place (London Underground), and endless bottles on gins on the wall. The bar is only a few blocks from Smuggler’s Cove, but it’s not exactly the safest-feeling walk despite being only 10 minutes away (.4 miles). Take note and decide what works for you. They do serve food here at Whitechapel, so if you’re feelin’ hungry, grab some munchies.

Whitechapel

  1. After you’re done with this area, get a cab over to *Bourbon & Branch – you won’t want to walk in this area straight through the Tenderloin. This is one of the sketchiest areas in the city, so please don’t subject yourself to the unease and grab a Lyft/Uber for the short ride. If you’re hungry, time to grab some dinner! San Francisco is just full of (too many) delicious restaurants, so open up Yelp and have at it!
  2. *Bourbon & Branch time. You need a reservation to get into Bourbon & Branch. Depending on the day/time you’re planning to visit and the size of your party, you can get reservations the day before, or may need to get it a couple weeks out. For this itinerary, I’ll assume you chose a moderate time (somewhere between 8-11pm-ish); adjust the itinerary to fit around this.

Bourbon and Branch

  1. If you have extra time before your B&B reservation, head on over across the street to one of the newest and most awesome tiki bars in SF – Zombie Village. If you don’t have time before, then end your night here afterwards!

Zombie Village

If you have more time…

Extra Stops

The Saratoga (5-10:30pm, open until midnight Fri/Sat, 11-3 on Sun) | MENU

The Saratoga

The Saratoga is a cocktail-focused restaurant that focuses on vintage “forgotten” spirits. They’ve got an insane collection of vintage Chartreuse, Bénédictine, and the like, and focus much of their cocktail menu on these spirits. I’d say it’s more of a restaurant than a bar (though you can easily come for drinks at the bar!) and both the cocktails and food are amazing. If you’re looking for fantastic food and cocktails altogether, this is your place!

ITINERARY C (Evening) | Downtown/Union Square

A trip to San Francisco is incomplete without a photo or two in Union Square. Full of shops, tourists, restaurants, this region is one of the most popular San Francisco tourist areas, but is also rich with history lots of locals don’t even know. If you have the time, I HIGHLY recommend checking out the Barbary Coast Trail self-guided audio walking tour – part 1 takes you through the Union Square area; part 2 through Chinatown, and part 3 through North Beach. You just pay, download the file on your phone, and listen to it as you walk. The production value is fantastic, and you will absolutely learn SO much. For this itinerary, part 1 will do and takes about 2 hours to complete your journey. I guarantee this will give you a richer and more satisfying experience than just wandering around the shops in this high-traffic area.

There should be enough around here to keep you busy during the daytime, which is nice since most of the bars in this area don’t open until early evening. If your liver is up for it and you really want to maximize your bar crawl time, you can try to combine this evening itinerary with Itinerary E, which has awesome daytime bar/sight options!

The Bars

Extra Stops

Local Edition (5pm-2am, opens 4:30pm on Fri and 7pm on Sat, closed Sun) | RESERVATIONS

Local Edition is an awesome speakeasy with a newspaper/print theme, sneakily located (ahem, hidden) in the historic hub of San Francisco’s newspaper industry – the Hearst Building. Cocktails are top notch, and it’s another one of those bars that will completely transport you to another era. Since it’s located in the Financial district, it gets busy after work hours on weekdays as a popular happy hour spot. Reservations are accepted, so consider making one to secure a table!

*Pacific Cocktail Haven (PCH) (5pm-2am, opens 4pm Fri/Sat, closes at midnight Sun/Mon) | MENU

PCH is one of my TOP 2 favorite cocktail bars in the city (along with True Laurel mentioned above). It’s a non-pretentious casual yet elegant cocktail bar which serves some of the most amazing and innovative recipes ever. The drinks are PERFECTLY crafted with the most balanced and delicious recipes. You know sometimes when a drink sounds super amazing on paper, but tastes just meh? Well, PCH is not that. You’ll be amazed with every drink, developed and curated by owner and bartender extraordinaire Kevin Diedrich. Just check out the menu!

Tip: Please get the Kung Fu Pandan – it’s one of my all time favorite cocktails, anywhere! The Leeward Negroni with coconut Campari and pandan cordial is also a cult favorite.

PCH during Christmas (Miracle pop-up)

*Pagan Idol (4pm-2am, opens 6pm Sat, closed Sun)

Pagan Idol is an amaaazing tiki bar and honestly probably my favorite tiki bar in the city after Smuggler’s Cove. The vibe here is different; whereas Smuggler’s Cove is more nautical themed, Pagan Idol is a combination of nautical and island-y, with a front room modeled after a ship and a backroom like a tropical oasis (complete with stars in the ceiling). The decor and feel of the place is absolutely breathtaking and transportive. The drinks here are delicious and some of the best garnished around! They also sell their signature tiki mug (as well as a few others) with some of the drinks. This is honestly one of my most frequented bars in San Francisco, and somewhere I always take visiting guests. They often have live music performances as well, so make sure to check their Facebook page for upcoming events.

Pagan Idol

Benjamin Cooper (5pm-2am, opens 6pm on Sat, closed Sun)

Benjamin Cooper is a very small speakeasy-style bar tucked on the 2nd floor up a narrow staircase. It’s one of those bars that you have to look for to find, but that’s half the fun of speakeasies, right? 😉 The drinks here rotate quite often and are innovative and well done. Because the physical space is so small, it can get packed on weekends and busy times. Try to come here during less busy hours for to enjoy the most comfortable experience.

Benjamin Cooper

If you have more time…

Extra Stops

The View Lounge (4pm-midnight) | MENU

The View Lounge is located in the downtown Marriott Marquis hotel. As the name suggests, come here for the VIEW. The bar is located at the top of the hotel, and you’ll get a breath-taking panoramic of the city from up here. Sunset or an evening twilight visit may be ideal; fantastic date night vibes.

Novela (4pm-1am, opens 5pm on weekends, closes 2am Fri/Sat) | MENU

Novela is a library themed bar that has a special focus on unique punch bowls, with a variety of innovative punches available on tap! This is a legitimate artisan cocktail bar; intriguing ingredients, quality craftsmanship, and a welcoming environment to relax with a drink surrounded by books.

ITINERARY D (Afternoon – Evening) | Chinatown/North Beach

The San Francisco Chinatown is the largest outside of Asia, and also the oldest in North America! Many Chinese immigrants came to San Francisco to work in the mines during the Gold Rush in the mid 1850s, and later as cheap labor for the construction of the Transcontinental railroad. They settled and created their own community, fighting lots of racism from other inhabitants. Today, ethnically Chinese people make up over 1/5 of the San Francisco population, the largest minority group.

Bordering Chinatown is North Beach, the “Little Italy” of San Francisco. Here you’ll find lots of Italian restaurants, cafes, some cute little Italian shops and corner stores, and more.

You’ll definitely want to spend some time during your SF trip exploring these two neighboring areas! They’re super walkable and fun and you’ll find a few gem bars in the area as well to keep your thirst quenched after you spend the day climbing the hill-y roads. 😉

If you have the time and want to really enrich your experience exploring the historic Chinatown, you can follow along part 2 of the Barbary Coast Trail self-guided audio walking tour I talked about above. Part 2 will land you right at Comstock Saloon, one of the bars in my itinerary below.

The Bars

The Route



“The center of sin in San Francisco was the diagonally cut block bounded by Broadway, Kearny, and Montgomery Streets – a comparatively small area, but so reeking with depravity that it was known both to the police and to its habitués as the Devil’s Acre.”

– Herbert Asbury, “The Barbary Coast: An Informal History of the San Francisco Underground”

  1. Start your day grabbing some dim sum and walking around the markets of Chinatown. Most of the popular dim sum places (Good Mong Kok, Delicious Dim Sum) are grab-n-go, so order a box of fresh goodies and go enjoy it at nearby Portsmouth Square. Today, this square is a gathering place for the old Chinese community as the “heart of Chinatown,” but historically this was actually the first public square in old San Francisco, established by the first Mexican settlement in what was previously known as Yerba Buena.

Portsmouth Square

  1. Ok, thirsty? Take a quick little optional stop at Li Po. Come here for the amusement and ambience, not for the drinks. This dive is a bit of a SF Chinatown institution, best known for their infamous “Chinese Mai Tai.” It’s been around since the 1930s and has been serving the crazy sugar-laden-yet-potent bastardized “Mai Tai” (full on with some secret Chinese liquor) since 1997. Their website looks like something that hasn’t been updated since the 90s, full on with Flash-powered graphics. ^_^ But if you need a thirst break while exploring Chinatown, duck in here for a good time. If nothing else, you’ll be “in the know” along with the thousands of other tourists who have had this infamous drink here (and many more since they heard Anthony Bourdain stopped here on The Layover: San Francisco). If you’re really not in the mood for a sugar high, try the green Buddha beer here as an alternative.

Li Po

  1. Time for a quick snack. Check out Golden Gate Fortune Cookies, a fun little hole-in-the-wall spot in an alley where you can watch them make fresh fortune cookies (free samples!) right in front of you. You’ll need no more than 5-10 minutes here, but I think it’s just a unique little fun thing to see; after all, I’m sure you’ve also wondered how they get folded with those little fortunes inside. 😉

Unfolded fortune cookie at Golden Gate Fortune Cookies

  1. Wander north a few blocks and you’ll exit Chinatown and find yourself at the edge of North Beach. Here you’ll see Comstock Saloon, one of the oldest continuously operating bars in San Francisco dating back to 1907. The space been through many iterations and personalities, but you’ll still find the spittoon trough (or is it a urinal?) at the base of the bar. I love this place; it’s truly a piece of history and the last operational pub in the historic Barbary Coast, San Francisco’s notorious red light district during the craze and aftermath of the Gold Rush. Their service of classic cocktails is fabulous, along with tasty modernized pub fare if you’re feelin hungry. TIP: They have Happy Hour daily from 4-6pm. Their boilermaker deals can’t be beat! They also have fantastic free live music every evening.

Comstock Saloon

  1. Walk along Columbus Ave and head to Vesuvio Cafe. Vesuvio is literally a piece of history, dating to the 1940s. It was a gathering ground of conversation and camaraderie for the youths of the Beat Generation in the 50s. One look inside and you’ll notice the spirit of this subculture is beautifully preserved through the decor and relics in this historic bar. The Beat Generation arose once the dust of WWII had settled, a cultural movement initiated by the writings of notable literary authors that challenged social norms and values. The “Beatnik” (followers of this subculture) mindset rejected material goods, sought adventure and freedom, and focused on explorations with mind-liberating drugs and disposal of sexual inhibition and other societal constructs. It was in ways a predecessor to the Hippies movement that would evolve in the next decade. Come in, look around, have a drink at the bar, and take it all in. While you’re here, stop by next door at the famous City Lights Bookstore. This unsuspecting shop isn’t just an operational independent bookstore, but is an actual historic landmark for “playing a seminal role in the literary and cultural development of San Francisco and the nation” through its activism during the Beat Generation.

Vesuvio Cafe

  1. From here, you won’t have to go far to get to the next bar. And well, you’re probably thirsty for some fancy craft cocktails now. Head over to The Devil’s Acre. Named after the especially rambunctious area in the rowdy San Francisco Barbary Coast, The Devil’s Acre is an enchanting apothecary themed bar, decorated to feel like a potions shop filled with remedies of all sorts. The history of cocktails and spirits has a strong connection with the medicine world, and this theme runs brilliantly through the thoughtful menu design, decor, and even the staff attire! I think this is a bit of an underrated bar in San Francisco; drinks are top notch, and it’s just one of those places you can feel completely transported to a different time and era.

  1. Finally, just a block away is the last spot on this list: Cold Drinks Bar. Located above the China Live restaurant (note: it’s not the bar *inside* China Live), Cold Drinks Bar is a really cool Scotch-focused bar (something you don’t see very often!) with the ambience and feel of a cocktail bar from Asia. With meticulous attention to detail and an innovative cocktail menu with interesting Asian-influenced ingredients all built around various Scotch whiskies, prices do end up being a bit steep even for San Francisco ($16-20 per drink on average). That said, I really love this place and think it’s worth the splurge for the great experience and drinks! TIP: Try their house Old Fashioned – duck-fat washed single malt whisky, rye, black pepper syrup, and a mélange of bitters (Ango, black lemon, and candy cap mushroom)

ITINERARY E (Daytime) | Embarcadero Route

The Embarcadero is the waterfront road alongside the northeastern shore of San Francisco, dotted by piers 1 through 45. There is a pedestrian path along the entire route, making it a beautiful and easy waterside walk. The piers here were once busy ports for trade, and today still serves some water traffic (you can catch public transport ferries here to North and East Bay, depart to tour Alcatraz, Bay cruises, and more). There’s also restaurants, bars, shops, and the Exploratorium museum to enjoy.

The Bars

The Route



  1. If you’re around on a Saturday, make this itinerary part of your Saturday schedule, as the Farmer’s Market happens Saturday mornings at the Ferry Building. Even if it’s not a Saturday, we’ll start out here in the morning for this itinerary. The Ferry Building is full of tasty shops, artisan goodies, and exquisite delicacies (there’s a specialty mushroom shop, a well stocked wine&spirits shop, Blue Bottle coffee, delicious Humphrey Slocombe ice cream, a couple fresh bakeries, specialty cheese and meat shops, and more!). It’s a foodie’s dream.

  1. After browsing around the Ferry Building, head up the west along the waters to get to Hard Water around Pier 3. This place has one of the largest American whiskey collections in the world; just a glance inside and you’ll surely be impressed. Try out some rare whiskies, grab one of their super well curated flights, or enjoy a cocktail and some small eats.

Hard Water

  1. Continue north/west along the Embarcadero waterfront, stop for lunch at one of the popular waterside restaurants, or just bask in the seaside breeze and take a breath from the the “city”-life watching the dogs, skaters, joggers pass by. Rent an electric scooter parked along the sidewalks (accessible via an app) for a fun way to get around.

  1. Eventually you’ll end up at the famed Pier 39 and Fisherman’s Wharf – aka tourist zone. Nonetheless, it’s fun to see the sea lions on the wharf and just enjoy all the bustle in the area.

Pier 39

  1. From here, walk towards Ghiradelli Square. Now we’re definitely in tourist trap territory, but you must go to The Buena Vista cafe for a classic Irish Coffee – this cafe has been around since the 50s and was the original home of the famed beverage! It is quite the sight to behold watching the bartender whip up a dozen of these at once, and it is legitimately DELICIOUS. Skip getting food or a table here; just order at the bar and enjoy your drink standing to save time.

The Buena Vista

  1. Spend some time around the Ghiradelli Square area soaking up the tourist energy, then head down to the famous Lombard Street a few blocks south. It’s tourist zone here, but still pretty cool to see “the crookedest street in the world.”

Lombard Street

  1. From this area, you can also find bike rental shops if you are interested in the popular activity to bike across the Golden Gate Bridge. The ride is beautifully scenic, safe (bike paths available), moderately easy (slightly challenging in a couple areas but you can just walk it). You can either bike back, or some rental shops allow you to return the bike in Sausalito across the bridge, and you can just take the ferry back to the Embarcadero area (where you started this itinerary).

Biking towards the Golden Gate Bridge

If you have more time…

Extra Stops

The Interval at Long Now (10am-midnight) | MENU

The Interval is an awesome place. Part bar, part coffeeshop, and part museum for the extension of mankind for the next 10,000 years. No big. The site is perfect for daytime drinking with its brightly lit interior, serves up delicious and well-thought out cocktails (or craft brewed coffee!), and houses all the books you’d need to rebuild civilization as well as a prototype for a clock designed to tick and last for the next ten thousand years. What more could you ask for? This is a fascinating place, and you can learn more and view some of the projects and initiatives from the Long Now foundation, an organization founded in 01996 (that’s 1996) to foster long-term thinking and consideration of a civilization that can responsibly outlast the next 10,000 years.

The Interval

Additional Recommendations

In addition to the bar-crawl itineraries above, here are a few other lists that may be helpful for you to plan your booze-filled San Francisco vacation. There are 3 sections here:

  • Liquor Shops: California is one of the best and cheapest places in the country to buy spirits
  • Tiki: San Francisco is one of the most exciting places for the tiki enthusiast
  • Other Spots: some other historic and fantastic places that didn’t fit in anywhere else

Liquor Shops

California fortunately is blessed with a pretty fantastic liquor selection and prices compared to most other places in the country, so if you’re on the lookout for some special bottles, here’s a list of quality liquor stores to help you out! The bold ones are my top choices for spirit shopping around the city to find more special and unique bottles. I’ve also listed a few others that have good selections in case you find yourself around those areas and want to drop in. (ps, see here for some of my booze-packing tips!)

  • *K&L Wines : best prices and selection! My most visited spirits shop! Lots of store picks and exclusive imports as well.
  • *Bitters + Bottles : about 30 min south of the city, but close to the SF airport. Amazing place, huuuge spirits collection, cocktail supplies, and books!
  • *Cask : slightly pricier, but amazingly curated selection; supplies many of SF’s top bars from the futurebars group (Bourbon & Branch, Local Edition, Pagan Idol, etc); also sells professional cocktail supplies
  • The Wine Club : about a block away from K&L; really great prices and good selection
  • Maison Corbeaux : artisan spirits shop with a strong focus on whiskies. Prices are slightly higher than some of my other fav places, but selection is great and they have some exclusive bottle selections
  • D&M Wines : wide selection of brandies (Armagnac, Calvados)
  • The Whisky Shop : more expensive but very large whisky selection
  • Healthy Spirits
  • Plumpjack
  • The Jug Shop
  • Royal Cuckoo Market



Tiki

San Francisco has no shortage of amazing tiki and tiki-inspired bars. If you’re into that scene, here’s a summarized list. All these places sell unique mugs/glassware (a la the classic mid-century tiki bar tradition), so if you collect em or need some extra cool souvenir drinking vehicles, save some luggage space! 😉



Other specialty spots

These last few places unfortunately did not make it into any of my itineraries above, either because location-wise they were a bit distant, or is a bit more niche. Anyway, if any of these pique your interest, these are also fun places to check out!

Tommy’s Mexican Restaurant (12pm-11pm, closed Tues)

This small family-owned restaurant is famous for being the home of the Tommy’s Margarita. This variation of the margarita replaces the orange liqueur for agave syrup to showcase the Tequila, and this spot has become somewhat of a Mecca for bartenders across the world! The margs here are definitely on point (with a vast selection of Tequila options!) and you can often find Julio (the creator and owner of the place) there as well. That said, don’t come here expecting an upscale fancy craft cocktail bar; come for the history, the hospitality, homestyle food, and delicious margaritas!

Mezcalito | MENU

Mezcalito

This place has a huuuge selection of mezcal, as well as other harder-to-find agave spirits such as bacanora, ancestral tequilas, sotol, raicilla, and more. Plenty of flights to choose from, as well as a wide assortment of craft mezcal cocktails.

*St. George Spirits Craft Distillery | RESERVATIONS

St. George Distillery

St. George is pretty much THE original craft distillery in the US, operating since 1982 – waaay before the modern era of craft cocktails and spirits. They are amazing at what they do and still continue to produce some of the best spirits out there! Located in Alameda, it does require a bit of effort to get there (I recommend taking the ferry public transport option from San Francisco ), but there are a few other cool places to hang out in the area for the rest of the day if you make the trek out there (Hangar 1 distillery, Faction Brewing, and a couple wineries).

Anchor Brewing (11-5pm Mon-Thu, 11-6pm Fri-Sun)

Anchor Public Taps

Anchor, known as “America’s original craft brewery,” is a historic San Francisco brewery that’s been making beer since the 1800s. Their newest taproom supplies plenty of delicious beers and the large open space and outdoor area is a fun place to hang out for the afternoon. Tours are available daily if you’re into that, and they also publish their special events calendar and food truck schedule on their site.

APPENDIX: Full List of Bars Mentioned

Itinerary A | Mission

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Itinerary B | Tenderloin/Civic Center

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Itinerary C | Union Square

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Itinerary D | Chinatown/North Beach

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Itinerary E | Embarcadero Route

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Liquor Shops

Tiki

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