Dive Bars In San Francisco, California

1. Buddha Lounge

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Buddha Lounge can be found in San Francisco’s legendary Chinatown neighborhood and it is certainly an eclectic place. It can be found with its cool Asian-style facade and neon light “Buddha” sign in front. Buddha Lounge is probably a hallmark for dive bars as it is just the right amount of sketchy and cool. The bar only accepts cash so leave the plastic at home but if you’re short on money, you can play a game of dice with the bartender for a drink. Speaking of the bartender, if you need to use the bathroom, the only way to get in is to be buzzed in by the bartender.

Buddha Lounge

Address: Buddha Lounge 901 Grant Ave San Francisco, CA

Hours: 12PM - 2AM

Website: Buddha Lounge

2. Phone Booth

Phone Booth is aptly named because the place is tiny. Located in the Mission district, this little bar is known to be packed with locals and maybe even a few celebrities like Mark Zuckerberg have been spotted there. The Phone Booth is not a place where you’re going to get anything fancy like an elaborate cocktail. You go, order a beer and that’s it, no frills or extras. If your order has more than two ingredients in it, you’re asking for too much.

Phone Booth

Address: The Phone Booth 1398 S Van Ness Ave San Francisco, CA

Hours: 8AM - 2AM

Website: Phone Booth

3. The Geary Club

The Geary Club is a little taste of old-school San Fransisco. Again, this bar is one of the those in the city that is not about having a million different cocktail options but it is about meeting up with some friends, having a beer and just relaxing and taking it easy. The Geary Club is really a San Fransisco local bar as most people who only know about it are locals. It’s a real “hole-in-the-wall” type of place with no fancy signs out front with a staff that has been behind the bar for as long as it has been open.

The Geary Club

Address: 768 Geary Street, San Fransisco, CA. 94109

Hours 8AM-2AM

Website: The Geary Club

4. Bender's

This easy to miss dive bar is located in the Mission district is one of the area’s most popular punk/metal bars. The bar opened in 2003, the day that Johnny Cash died, and in 2005, they had a fire but have since come back and are more popular than ever. With live music, food, and even a rotating art exhibit, Bender’s is known as the last home of the “freaks and weirdos” where most of the clientele has tons of piercings and tattoos, and are into underground art.

Bender's

Address: 806 S Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA

Hours: 4PM - 2AM

Website: Bender’s

5. HYDE OUT

HYDE OUT is another cash-only bar that is well known to, mostly, people who are locals. The large bar has a certain old-school panache going for it with the 70s and 80s music playing on the jukebox along with furniture that is probably from the same decade. The two-story bar has some great views looking out West so have a beer and catch a sunset.

HYDE OUT

Address: 1068 Hyde St, San Francisco, CA 94109, USA

Hours: 11AM - 2AM

Website: HYDE OUT

6. Bow Bow Cocktail Lounge

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Bow Bow Cocktail Lounge is found in Chinatown, and it is a great place to spend some time having drinks and belting out some tunes. Bow Bow is a simple watering hole kind of bar where the drinks are cheap and patrons can hit the stage and sing some karaoke. The area is small adding to its “hole-in-the-wall” vibe. Bow Bow is the place where businessmen and Chinatown hipsters battle for the limelight.

Bow Bow Cocktail Lounge

Address: 1155 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

Hours: 4AM - 2AM

Website: Bow Bow Cocktail Lounge

7. The Saloon

Take a step back in time and hit up The Saloon and feel like a cowboy. The Saloon has live music every night playing the blues, and since it opened, it has been attracting live blues musicians. The Saloon is also one of San Francisco’s oldest bars, having opened in 1861 and it has been continuously in operation. Many pictures from the 1870s that show The Saloon give the impression that it hasn’t really changed much and it even survived the great earthquake of 1905 with barely a scratch.

The Saloon

Address: 1232 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133, USA

Hours: 12PM - 1:30AM

Website: The Saloon

8. Hi Tide

High Tide is another quintessential dive bar in San Francisco that’s simple and fun. It is a great place to go after work with a few friends and just grab a beer and chit chat. They have a pool table and affordable drinks, so what else could you want? Hi Tide allows you to bring in some outside food if you want and they also have some really funky art on the walls.

High Tide

Address: 600 Geary St, San Francisco, CA 94102, USA

Hours: 12PM - 2AM

Website: Hi Tide

9. Summer Place

Summer Place is the kind of dive bar that lures you in with the name and makes you stay with their delicious drinks. Summer Place is a windowless dive bar and Bush street so perhaps it’s not the most “summery” of bars to go but they do have a jukebox and some strong, affordable and tasty cocktails.

Summer Place

Address: 801 Bush St, San Francisco, CA 94108, USA

Hours: 6PM - 2AM

Website: Summer Place

10. Clooney's Pub

Clooney’s Pub is really more of an “upscale” dive bar if that is even a real thing. Clooney’s Pub starts serving drinks at the crack of dawn so if you’re the type to enjoy your breakfast with a pint, then you found your place to go. The horseshoe-shaped bar is pretty cool and they serve some pretty tasty food as well, we recommend the roast beef.

Clooney's Pub

Address: 1401 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110, USA

Hours: 6AM - 2AM

Website: Clooney’s Pub

Dive into San Francisco

San Francisco has a ton of dive bars, most of which are located pretty close to each other. So go out and find your new watering hole or check out our list and spend a night bar hopping because there are a lot of options out there.