This North Beach hangout is a choose-your-own-adventure mashup featuring both an Irish bar and an Indian restaurant, serving everything from chaat to biryanis and curries (a huge plus: it’s very vegetarian-friendly). At the pub, play pool or foosball, grab a pint of Guinness, and watch the game.

Named after San Francisco fire chief Dennis Sullivan, who served during the 1906 earthquake and fires, Chief Sullivan’s (aka Sully’s) is on the newer, handsomer side of the bar spectrum. From the team behind Eddie Rickenbackers and Marina spots House Rules and Campus, Chief Sullivan’s is also warm and welcoming, with dark wood and stained glass. The kitchen boasts a menu of Irish food like corned beef and soda bread, and beers on tap range from the requisite Guinness to more local ales.

Come for the pints, stay for the Irish nachos (potato wedges sub in for tortilla chips) and the lively bar scene. It’s the Financial District so there’s always a strong happy hour crowd, but the nighttime scene lingers into the late hours. There’s also outdoor seating for when the weather’s nice, or when the St. Patrick’s Day melee spills onto the street.

If there’s one thing this world needs, it’s more piano bars. Johnny Foley’s is the Irish pub with the answer to that need, offering the standard Jameson-swilling crowd upstairs, and a downstairs bar with live piano. Wednesday through Sunday stop by for dueling pianos late into the night, complete with covers of Lady Gaga, Elton John, and more.

Since 1975, this laid-back Clement Street staple has been serving perfect pours of Guinness to locals of all backgrounds. Celtic musicians often play here as well, making it a beacon for Irish ex-pats in the neighborhood.

Live music on Fridays and Saturdays, and a lively atmosphere are part of the draw this SoMa bar. Lunch and dinner menus include pulled pork sandwiches, nachos, and even the meatless Impossible Burger, but brunch is the best bet for Irish fare like the classic Irish breakfast of fried eggs, sausage, rashers, black and white pudding, grilled tomato, baked beans, chips, and soda bread.

Built in 1893, this is the oldest bar in the Sunset and one of the oldest in the city. With its collection of board games, darts, backgammon tables, mystery novels, couches, and Tiffany lamps, The Shamrock is a particularly good bar for whiling away a foggy afternoon with friends, and its abundance of TV screens makes it a popular spot to watch the game.

No food is served at this Inner Sunset bar, but they do have a barrel-aged cocktail program, and a large selection of whiskies. Like any good Irish bar, there’s plenty of entertainment here, from trivia to karaoke and DJ nights.

An excellent place to create a hangover, or cure it the next day with brunch, Napper Tandy has a proper selection of Irish delicacies like corned beef quesadillas, Guinness beef stew, and shepherd’s pie.

Residents of Noe Valley, a small village within the larger city of San Francisco, have gathered at the Dubliner for more than 25 years, and it shows. Afternoons are for regulars, who all seem to know one another, but bartenders are friendly to all comers. They haven’t got food, but you’re welcome to bring it in.

A deep dive on Taraval, a stretch that’s retained some of its historically Irish identity, the Shannon Arms is a gathering place for an in-the-know coterie of no-nonsense drinkers. Go if you’re game for “Club S,” but certainly avoid it on College Night unless you are, yourself, in college, and maybe even then.