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San Francisco's 10 Best Dive Bars with Food

Where to eat and drink without breaking the bank.

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Seemingly every new restaurant in SF is looking to snag the booze-'n-bites crowd, but with $10 craft cocktails and $12 deviled eggs as their main offering, they're far from affordable. So in honor of Cocktail Week's Dive Bar Power Hour, we salute the few legitimate dives serving food that remain in SF, by offering a map of where you can find the 10 best. Whether you seek a simple burger or something as fancy as roasted bone marrow or butternut-squash pizza, these laid-back standbys won't break the bank.

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Eater maps are curated by editors and aim to reflect a diversity of neighborhoods, cuisines, and prices. Learn more about our editorial process.

Tempest

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Known for ardent Giants fans, cheap PBR and shot specials, and having a continual posse of cigarette smokers out front, the Tempest also excels in the culinary arena. Next-door Box Kitchen turns out a great burger, garlic fries, and chicken and waffles, and stays open until 1 am.

Thee Parkside

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Catch a live punk show, down a few Olympias, and go to town on a fried chicken sandwich or some carnitas-topped tater tots at this fun Potrero dive.

Jay 'n Bee Club

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Mission locals who bypass this longstanding dive are missing out on some pretty darn good thin-crust pizza, served by a fun and sassy staff. They're also dog-friendly and have a pool table and outdoor area.

Broken Record

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Long known for its virtuosity in the dive-bar eats arena, the Broken Record currently plays host to Hood Grub, which dishes up kale salad, tater-tot poutine, and chocolate pot de creme. Weekend brunch features chorizo breakfast burritos and beer-battered, Nutella-stuffed French toast.

Pissed Off Pete's

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A duo of chefs took over the kitchen at this Excelsior favorite earlier this year, turning out mushroom strudel, butternut squash pizza, and Cincinnati-style chili mac. They even make their own pastrami and chicharrones.

500 Club

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While 500 Club doesn't technically have food on-premises, neighboring Clare's Deli might as well be their kitchen, since they'll deliver food to your barstool. Meatball grinders, Caesar salad, and the signature "500 Club" (a.k.a. a club sandwich) await.

Toronado

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Rosamunde's other locations may have taken up the mantle of providing beer to go with their housemade sausages, but at the original, the best place to dine is still at the Toronado, the next-door craft beer palace. Order your sausage, load it up with sauerkraut or chili, then enjoy it over a cold one.

Tee Off Bar

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Intended as a post-links spot for Presidio golfers, the Tee Off has forged a solid reputation exclusively for its gut-busting bar food, like a Fieri-approved mac and cheese, pulled-pork sandwich, and nightly specials (this is definitely the only dive in town where you can order a steak).

Zeitgeist

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The menu at Zeitgeist is rather streamlined: burgers, veggie burgers, hashbrowns, maybe grilled cheese. But they do what they do pretty darn well, and there's nothing quite like a sunny Saturday on the patio with a pitcher or a Bloody, a bunch of friends, and the rest of San Francisco (and its cigarette smoke).

Louie's Bar

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A favorite among both post-work happy hour types and post-shift industry types, Louie's was recently taken over by the Tempest and Box crew. It now has a wide assortment of food, including pastrami gyros, avocado tacos, beet salad, and a fried pork chop sandwich, until 1 am. And yes, you can still get a cheap shot and beer combo.

Tempest

Known for ardent Giants fans, cheap PBR and shot specials, and having a continual posse of cigarette smokers out front, the Tempest also excels in the culinary arena. Next-door Box Kitchen turns out a great burger, garlic fries, and chicken and waffles, and stays open until 1 am.

Thee Parkside

Catch a live punk show, down a few Olympias, and go to town on a fried chicken sandwich or some carnitas-topped tater tots at this fun Potrero dive.

Jay 'n Bee Club

Mission locals who bypass this longstanding dive are missing out on some pretty darn good thin-crust pizza, served by a fun and sassy staff. They're also dog-friendly and have a pool table and outdoor area.

Broken Record

Long known for its virtuosity in the dive-bar eats arena, the Broken Record currently plays host to Hood Grub, which dishes up kale salad, tater-tot poutine, and chocolate pot de creme. Weekend brunch features chorizo breakfast burritos and beer-battered, Nutella-stuffed French toast.

Pissed Off Pete's

A duo of chefs took over the kitchen at this Excelsior favorite earlier this year, turning out mushroom strudel, butternut squash pizza, and Cincinnati-style chili mac. They even make their own pastrami and chicharrones.

500 Club

While 500 Club doesn't technically have food on-premises, neighboring Clare's Deli might as well be their kitchen, since they'll deliver food to your barstool. Meatball grinders, Caesar salad, and the signature "500 Club" (a.k.a. a club sandwich) await.

Toronado

Rosamunde's other locations may have taken up the mantle of providing beer to go with their housemade sausages, but at the original, the best place to dine is still at the Toronado, the next-door craft beer palace. Order your sausage, load it up with sauerkraut or chili, then enjoy it over a cold one.

Tee Off Bar

Intended as a post-links spot for Presidio golfers, the Tee Off has forged a solid reputation exclusively for its gut-busting bar food, like a Fieri-approved mac and cheese, pulled-pork sandwich, and nightly specials (this is definitely the only dive in town where you can order a steak).

Zeitgeist

The menu at Zeitgeist is rather streamlined: burgers, veggie burgers, hashbrowns, maybe grilled cheese. But they do what they do pretty darn well, and there's nothing quite like a sunny Saturday on the patio with a pitcher or a Bloody, a bunch of friends, and the rest of San Francisco (and its cigarette smoke).

Louie's Bar

A favorite among both post-work happy hour types and post-shift industry types, Louie's was recently taken over by the Tempest and Box crew. It now has a wide assortment of food, including pastrami gyros, avocado tacos, beet salad, and a fried pork chop sandwich, until 1 am. And yes, you can still get a cheap shot and beer combo.

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