San Francisco
Most Castro bars only serve eye candy with well drinks – but Eureka! You've found a class-act lounge that pairs Southern cooking with craft cocktails…
Must-see nightlife in Northern California
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
Swagger into this sleek sunken lounge for cocktails that look sharp and pack more heat than Steve McQueen in Bullitt. The soundtrack is '80s and the…
North Beach & Chinatown
Vintage neon points the way to Tony Nik's, keeping North Beach nicely naughty since 1933. This tiny cocktail lounge is co-owned by the original Tony 'Nik'…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
Like California grizzlies to a honeycomb, big guys with bushy beards pack the legendary Lone Star. There's a huge back patio and a competitive pool table,…
San Francisco
Island getaways at this vintage tiki dive will make you forget that Ocean Beach chill. Sailor-strength hot buttered rum will leave you three sheets to the…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
Sunday afternoons, all roads in the gay underground lead to the historic Eagle for all-you-can-drink beer busts ($15) from 3pm to 6pm. Wear leather – or…
The Haight & Hayes Valley
Game on, gamers – this former movie palace is an adult playground with full bar, video games, billiards, air hockey and themed pinball. Beat Dirty Harry…
Japantown, Fillmore & Pacific Heights
Ping-pong buddies Andrew and Bin got thirsty and transformed superhero-style into Boba Guys. This is their dream milk tea made with premium small-batch…
City Beer Store & Tasting Room
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
Sample exceptional local and Belgian microbrews in 6oz to 20oz pours at SF's top beer store. Mix and match a six-pack of stouts or ales to go, or join the…
San Francisco
Mysterious tinctures and housemade bitters make creative cocktails with magnetic powers, drawing Castro regulars and straight-friendly after-work crowds…
San Francisco
Hidden in a converted garage in the Outer Sunset, this little Korean late-night spot has adorable environs in which to throw back pitchers of Hite beer or…
North Coast & Redwoods
One of the first female-owned breweries in California, the ‘brew with a view’ kills it in every category: great beer, amazing community vibe, occasional…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
Get the scoop on the SF cocktail scene at this speakeasy in the basement of the historic Hearst newspaper building. The lighting is so dim you might bump…
San Francisco
The most happening bar on the street, 440 draws bearded, gym-fit 30- and 40-something dudes – especially on furry Sundays and weekend nights, when go-go…
San Francisco
'Servicing the Castro for over 40 years' is no small claim to fame – and Midnight Sun lives up to its motto daily with a steady flow of good vibes and…
Anderson Valley Brewing Company
Along Highway 101
East of the Hwy 128 crossroads, this partially solar-powered brewery crafts award-winning beers in a Bavarian-style brewhouse, and hosts a massive craft…
Santa Cruz
To sip finely roasted artisan espresso or a cup of rich pour-over coffee, join the surfers and hipsters at this high-ceilinged industrial-zen cafe. Single…
North Beach & Chinatown
Blues in a red saloon that's been a dive since 1861 – this is North Beach at its most colorful. Legend has it that when the city caught fire in 1906,…
Russian River Area
Woodfour's solar-powered brewery serves about a dozen housemade beers, light on alcohol and hops, plus several sours (high-acid beer). It also has an…
Oakland
One of the Bay Area's most (in)famous tiki bars, Forbidden Island is a time capsule from the days before the tech boom. This locals' haunt, with its…
Oakland
This dive lives up to the promise of its website – if it's not the darkest bar ever, it's in the running. What lighting does exist is red and moody, which…
The Haight & Hayes Valley
The Hayes Valley shipping-container outpost of the Mission roastery offers creamy single-origin espresso and powerful pour-overs to rival those at Blue…
Berkeley
At this industrial brewery taproom you can sit down on the outdoor patio with a tasting flight of IPAs or a glass of rich Mexican hot-chocolate stout. It…
Along Highway 101
A spacious industrial-chic coffee house that roasts its own beans and has some interesting and delicious menu items such as a café borgia latté with…
Excelsior
The Broken Record feels like it could exist in one of San Francisco’s more gentrified neighborhoods. It’s got a dive-y, punk-rock sensibility, all strong…
Eel River Brewing Company Taproom & Grill
North Coast & Redwoods
Up Hwy 101 from Scotia, there's a great pit stop at Eel River Brewing Company, where a breezy beer garden and excellent burgers ($11 to $15) accompany all…
Mammoth Lakes
You be the judge whether beer is brewed best at high altitude. Boasting the highest West Coast brewery, at 8000ft, Mammoth Brewing Company offers more…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
Are you feeling flinty or flirty? With at least 25 wines available to try by 2oz taste or 5oz pour, as well as flights in the club series, you're bound to…
Northern Mountains
Follow the Trail of Tastes (a tastebud-teasing flight of five beers) while taking in the forest and mountain views at this craft-beer beauty just north of…
Napa
The tour of this very cool distillery is well worth the trip, taking you through the factory to learn about the distillation process, check out the…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
Pick up the golden phone and ask for 'the pawn master.' He might mess with you, but stick to your guns and you'll be invited into a fake store filled with…
Napa
What do you call a brewery smaller than micro? A Napa brewery stepped up to answer that question in 2017 and this nanobrewery produces just 15 gallons of…
Eastern Sierra
Like its refreshing yogurt parfaits, this wine and craft-beer bar and dessert cafe is a pleasing departure from the more ubiquitous Old West–style places…
Eastern Sierra
Rows of picnic tables and a high ceiling give this spot a beer-gardeny feel. Its own beers are mixed in with a rotating selection of artisan brews, and…
Eastern Sierra
One for the coffee connoisseurs, this laid-back locals' hangout serves specialty java. Their aromatic Finca El Socorro is award-winning and has tropical…
Santa Cruz
Named with the Spanish word for hops, Lupulo Craft Beer House is an essential downtown destination for traveling beer fans. Modern decor combines with an…
Central Coast
Paso Robles' first micro-distillery makes crisp botanical brandy (gin) and also whiskey and flavored vodkas. Scores of lemons were being zested when we…
Gold Country
One of those rare brewpubs with both excellent craft beer and food; patrons dig into burgers, sweet-potato fries, ‘adult mac 'n' cheese’ and sweet-and…
Downtown, Civic Center & SoMa
'She was a real gone gal, until she double-crossed me…' Tough-guy martinis at Dashiell Hammett's favorite bar will get you talking like a noir-movie…
Yosemite & the Sierra Nevada
This popular cafe is also an art gallery, nursery and live-music venue all rolled into one, with fair-trade coffee, tasty baked treats and an excellent…
