There's no better way to get to know a city than through a bar crawl to some of its best and most unique drinkeries. You'll meet all kinds of people and see different sides of the city, all while taking in some of the finest drinks the town has to offer. Drink your way from South Beach, across the Financial District, through Chinatown, and end in North Beach, experiencing the different sides and tastes of San Francisco with this ultimate guide to the San Francisco's bar scene.
Pro tip: One of Roadtrippers' favorite travel hacks is to use delivery.com to get the city's best food, drink, and even groceries delivered right to your door. Before you go out, have delivery.com deliver you some pre-game booze. It'll save you time and energy, so you can rest up before hitting the town. Once you're nice and buzzed, set off on the route!
The brewery: 21st Amendment Brewery
What to drink: Hell or High Watermelon
Kick off your boozefest at this awesome brewpub. They serve up some pretty good food, but the highlight is, of course, the beer. Even if you've had the pleasure of enjoying a can of their famous Hell or High Watermelon, there's something distinctly better about enjoying it from a tap -- plus it comes with a little watermelon wedge! Then again, you can't really go wrong with any of their beers... and they always seem to have a good variety of stuff on tap. They have a nice patio, and it's also a popular spot to watch a game, if the Giants or 49ers happen to be playing while you're there.
The swanky bar: Novela Bar
What to drink: Hemingway's Code Hero Punch
You can get a nice cocktail at one of any number of bars in San Francisco... but you can't get a bowl filled with a nice cocktail at every bar. Novela serves up several different kinds of punch (meant for a group of people, of course) in old-timey bowls that come with ladles and cups. The ambiance is likewise pretty swanky, so you'll feel super classy as you knock back a few of those little cups of punch and peruse the menu, where every drink is created and named for a literary character. Be forewarned: the Hemingway's Code Hero Punch is made with three kinds of whiskey!
The bourbon bar: Rickhouse
What to drink: An old fashioned
Now that you're nice and liquored up from the punch, it's time to head over to this cozy, antique-looking, speakeasy-inspired bar for some more whiskey! Even if it starts to get crowded (which it might, since it's consistently ranked as one of the best whiskey bars in the country) the vibe remains chill and relaxed. Must be all the scotch and bourbon they keep flowing.
The funky dive bar: Tunnel Top Lounge and Bar
What to drink: Watermelon gimlet
Like the name implies, this funky dive-y drinkery is located... well, on top of a tunnel. They've got live music and DJs upstairs and a quieter space downstairs, so no matter what mood you're in, you'll have a good time. If you're hesitant to order a cocktail at a dive bar, don't be; their mixologists know what they're doing, and even if you don't like it, their cocktails are only $7 a pop. Good thing the drinks are so cheap, since the place is cash only.
The not-hipster-y dive bar: Specs' Twelve Adler Museum Cafe
What to drink: Anchor Steam
This place manages to be eccentric and artsy without being pretentious. It's hard to mistake a bar for pretentious when they'll serve you a block of cheese and saltines as a (much appreciated) snack. The decor is beyond fascinating... like their name suggests, it really is almost part museum. And the people-watching is top-notch. Plus, the location is sort of hidden, so walking from the alley into this magnificently decorated dive makes you feel like you're in on some sort of secret.
Pro tip: This bar is totally cool with you bringing food in. Order your meal for the night from hundreds of nearby San Francisco restaurants using delivery.com to soak everything up!
The Chinatown dive bar: Buddha Lounge
What to drink: Buddha beer!
This Chinatown bar is, without a doubt, unlike anything you'll ever find anywhere else. The buddha beer is essentially a Heineken, but it comes in a bottle shaped like buddha. And if you're actually in the mood for another mixed drink, go for the Mai Tai, and soak it all up with some free popcorn. Like most good dives, it's cash only. Oh, and if the bartender asks to play Liars' Dice with you... totally do it. Just be prepared to deal with the consequences of losing!
The famous, historic bar: Vesuvio Cafe
What to drink: Absinthe
The list of geniuses who went for a drink here is reason enough to stop by: beatnik legends like Jack Kerouac, Allen Ginsberg, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Neal Cassaday, and various other creative minds like Bob Dylan, Francis Ford Coppola, and Dylan Thomas. They serve absinthe just in case you're in search of a little creative brilliance, like the famous writers who drank here before.
The karaoke bar: Bow Bow Cocktail Lounge
What to drink: A shot of Patron
After a visit here, you'll see why it's been awarded spots on a few different lists of the worst bar in America -- and you won't care. The owner and bartender is known as Mama Candy, and her poison of choice is always a shot of Patron. You'll need it, since you can't come here and not sing at least one song! The crowd is always good-natured, the booze is always flowing, and you'll get plenty of peanuts and pistachios to snack on while you enjoy the rest of the karaoke performances.
The (sort of) Irish pub: Kennedy's Irish Pub & India Curry House
What to drink: Guinness
Few establishments can boast that they are simultaneously the best Irish pub in the city and the best Indian restaurant. Wind down your eventful evening with some pool, darts or foosball and a beer... and you can soak everything up with an order of curry fries (see? Irish food and Indian food do go really well together). Besides, when else will you be able to visit an Irish pub that serves curry? Or is it a curry house that serves booze? Either way, it somehow works!
Pro tip: Did you make a mess on your night out? No sweat! Delivery.com even does laundry service!
To travel like a local and see who delivers to you no matter where you are, check out delivery.com!
Header via Flickr/Davide D'Amico
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