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A bar with people drinking.
Li-Po in Chinatown is just one of numerous fine dive bars in San Francisco.
Patricia Chang

11 Moody Dive Bars Across San Francisco

Dives are that special egalitarian breed of bar for anyone and everyone

by Paolo Bicchieri and Eater Staff Updated
1 comment / new
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Li-Po in Chinatown is just one of numerous fine dive bars in San Francisco.
| Patricia Chang
by Paolo Bicchieri and Eater Staff Updated
1 comment / new

Say goodbye to crowded sports bars and hello to well drinks and the camaraderie of the neighborhood pub. San Francisco claims countless timeless fixtures for finding a stiff one: the Mission’s 500 Club and Doc’s Clock are winners; the Tenderloin’s Ha-Ra Club is an absolute vibe; and the Outer Richmond’s Trad’r Sam’s is no stranger to a long, weird night or two. But these 11 dive bars are where those lucky enough to be in San Francisco right now ought to head for a moody, lovely respite from the weary world.

Health experts consider dining out to be a high-risk activity for the unvaccinated; it may pose a risk for the vaccinated, especially in areas with substantial COVID transmission.

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Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe

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Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe hides in a little alleyway off of Columbus Avenue and is hosting music and poetry readings again. The decor is virtually unchanged since it opened in 1968, and unionized bartenders receive benefits and retirement, can refuse to make a drink they don't want to, kick anyone out for any reason they deem worthy, and hand out business cards letting men or women know to back off someone they're chatting up.

12 William Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 421-4112
(415) 421-4112
Patricia Chang

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Li Po Cocktail Lounge

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Though Li Po rocketed to fame when the late Anthony Bourdain deigned to grace it with his presence, it's always been a shabby, boozy establishment worthy of a special trip to Chinatown. Make sure you get one of its famous Chinese mai tais, so popular ownership decided to trademark the name.

916 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 982-0072
(415) 982-0072

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Cinch Saloon

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Still here, still queer, the Cinch is a relic of the Polk corridor’s long career as a gay nightlife neighborhood in the years before the community coalesced in the Castro. Day in and day out, the Cinch continues to draw a smattering of hard-drinkers with its gallery of gay-themed art.

1723 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 776-4162
(415) 776-4162
Porsche C./Yelp

Aunt Charlies Lounge

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A beautifully bedraggled, dive-y drag bar in the Tenderloin where experienced, mostly queer drinkers gather for the kind of shows that repel bachelorette parties. Aunt Charlies, established 1987, is a downright institution, and one of San Francisco’s few LGBT joints outside of the Castro. Celebrate it in all its gritty glory.

133 Turk St, San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 441-2922
(415) 441-2922
Aunt Charlies/Facebook

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Emperor Norton's BoozeLand

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This Tenderloin bar is named after an English elbow-rubber in 1800s San Francisco who stylized himself as the Monarch of Montgomery Street. The two-story bar is an ideal destination for low-lighting, pool-playing, shuffle-boarding.

510 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 926-8118
(415) 926-8118

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Ireland's 32

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Paintings of Irish revolutionaries adorn the walls. Every Wednesday one can catch the smokeshow that is karaoke at this Geary Street temple of debauchery. One talented local is known to croon “Tennessee Whiskey,” just to remind the drunk college kids whose bar it is. 

3920 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 386-6173
(415) 386-6173

Sugar Lounge

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An enormous Kraken Rum light-sign-advertisement thing is hung outside the bathrooms. The bartenders are stylish and terrific. The drinks are cheap, a rarity in Hayes Valley. Cool off at this vibey bar after a pricer Patxi’s pizza or cocktails from Anina.

377 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 255-7144
(415) 255-7144

Molotov's

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Low ceilings, close quarters, and PBRs are part of the dive appeal at this Haight bar. Punk on the juke box, a pool table, and stiff drinks are part of the charm (or appealing lack thereof) here. A veritable Lower Haight institution, Molotov’s is buttressed by stalwart comrades Noc Noc and Toronado on the same block.

582 Haight St, San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 558-8019
(415) 558-8019
Local Wiki

Little Shamrock

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This Lincoln Street dive is an undeniable fixture of San Francisco’s cozy bar world. The couch-laden, dart-throwing Shamrock has been in operation for just shy of 130 years. One customer has been coming for so long they have a nameplate at their reserved seat. Grab a snack sized bag of Cheetos and stay a while.

807 Lincoln Way, San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 661-0060
(415) 661-0060

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The Riptide

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The Riptide is the see-and-be-seen Outer Sunset dive bar, and it’s fostered a deep community among locals — so much so that when it burned down some years ago, the whole neighborhood was distraught. Fortunately, it’s back and better than ever, with a Monday night open mic, competitively priced drinks, and a “locals-only, but maybe you, too” attitude.

3639 Taraval, San Francisco, CA 94116
(415) 681-8433
(415) 681-8433

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Speakeasy Ales & Lagers

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Rome’s Kitchen, Divine Desserts, and other small businesses serve their nosh at this Bayview fixture, and the beer flows easy to adoring fans of both the taproom and its parent company, Hunter’s Point Brewery. While the ambiance isn’t dive-y, it’s refreshing to get buzzed in an unpretentious, lax environment on the East side of the city.

1195 Evans Ave, San Francisco, CA 94124
Brian Stechschulte

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Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe

12 William Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA 94133

Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe hides in a little alleyway off of Columbus Avenue and is hosting music and poetry readings again. The decor is virtually unchanged since it opened in 1968, and unionized bartenders receive benefits and retirement, can refuse to make a drink they don't want to, kick anyone out for any reason they deem worthy, and hand out business cards letting men or women know to back off someone they're chatting up.

12 William Saroyan Pl, San Francisco, CA 94133
(415) 421-4112
(415) 421-4112
Patricia Chang

Li Po Cocktail Lounge

916 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108

Though Li Po rocketed to fame when the late Anthony Bourdain deigned to grace it with his presence, it's always been a shabby, boozy establishment worthy of a special trip to Chinatown. Make sure you get one of its famous Chinese mai tais, so popular ownership decided to trademark the name.

916 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94108
(415) 982-0072
(415) 982-0072

Cinch Saloon

1723 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109

Still here, still queer, the Cinch is a relic of the Polk corridor’s long career as a gay nightlife neighborhood in the years before the community coalesced in the Castro. Day in and day out, the Cinch continues to draw a smattering of hard-drinkers with its gallery of gay-themed art.

1723 Polk St, San Francisco, CA 94109
(415) 776-4162
(415) 776-4162
Porsche C./Yelp

Aunt Charlies Lounge

133 Turk St, San Francisco, CA 94102

A beautifully bedraggled, dive-y drag bar in the Tenderloin where experienced, mostly queer drinkers gather for the kind of shows that repel bachelorette parties. Aunt Charlies, established 1987, is a downright institution, and one of San Francisco’s few LGBT joints outside of the Castro. Celebrate it in all its gritty glory.

133 Turk St, San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 441-2922
(415) 441-2922
Aunt Charlies/Facebook

Emperor Norton's BoozeLand

510 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA 94102

This Tenderloin bar is named after an English elbow-rubber in 1800s San Francisco who stylized himself as the Monarch of Montgomery Street. The two-story bar is an ideal destination for low-lighting, pool-playing, shuffle-boarding.

510 Larkin St, San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 926-8118
(415) 926-8118

Ireland's 32

3920 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94118

Paintings of Irish revolutionaries adorn the walls. Every Wednesday one can catch the smokeshow that is karaoke at this Geary Street temple of debauchery. One talented local is known to croon “Tennessee Whiskey,” just to remind the drunk college kids whose bar it is. 

3920 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94118
(415) 386-6173
(415) 386-6173

Sugar Lounge

377 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94102

An enormous Kraken Rum light-sign-advertisement thing is hung outside the bathrooms. The bartenders are stylish and terrific. The drinks are cheap, a rarity in Hayes Valley. Cool off at this vibey bar after a pricer Patxi’s pizza or cocktails from Anina.

377 Hayes St, San Francisco, CA 94102
(415) 255-7144
(415) 255-7144

Molotov's

582 Haight St, San Francisco, CA 94117

Low ceilings, close quarters, and PBRs are part of the dive appeal at this Haight bar. Punk on the juke box, a pool table, and stiff drinks are part of the charm (or appealing lack thereof) here. A veritable Lower Haight institution, Molotov’s is buttressed by stalwart comrades Noc Noc and Toronado on the same block.

582 Haight St, San Francisco, CA 94117
(415) 558-8019
(415) 558-8019
Local Wiki

Little Shamrock

807 Lincoln Way, San Francisco, CA 94122

This Lincoln Street dive is an undeniable fixture of San Francisco’s cozy bar world. The couch-laden, dart-throwing Shamrock has been in operation for just shy of 130 years. One customer has been coming for so long they have a nameplate at their reserved seat. Grab a snack sized bag of Cheetos and stay a while.

807 Lincoln Way, San Francisco, CA 94122
(415) 661-0060
(415) 661-0060

The Riptide

3639 Taraval, San Francisco, CA 94116

The Riptide is the see-and-be-seen Outer Sunset dive bar, and it’s fostered a deep community among locals — so much so that when it burned down some years ago, the whole neighborhood was distraught. Fortunately, it’s back and better than ever, with a Monday night open mic, competitively priced drinks, and a “locals-only, but maybe you, too” attitude.

3639 Taraval, San Francisco, CA 94116
(415) 681-8433
(415) 681-8433

Speakeasy Ales & Lagers

1195 Evans Ave, San Francisco, CA 94124

Rome’s Kitchen, Divine Desserts, and other small businesses serve their nosh at this Bayview fixture, and the beer flows easy to adoring fans of both the taproom and its parent company, Hunter’s Point Brewery. While the ambiance isn’t dive-y, it’s refreshing to get buzzed in an unpretentious, lax environment on the East side of the city.

1195 Evans Ave, San Francisco, CA 94124
Brian Stechschulte

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