There’s nothing better than a cold beer al fresco. Read on to discover San Francisco’s most vibrant beer gardens.
The Bay Area is home to some of the best craft beer in the country, meaning that it’s cultivated an entire generation of beer lovers and aficionados. In fact, San Francisco is the #1 beer city in the US, according to one study. When it comes to breweries, we’re hard to beat, but SF’s beer gardens are also excellent places to kick back and try out a flight or sip on your favorite pils and watch the game.
1. SPARK Social SF
This Mission Bay food truck park, along with its partner Parklab Gardens, is already a local favorite. You’ll find mini golf, dozens of rotating food trucks, fitness classes, tipis and fire pits for rent, and much more. But if you’re just cruising over for a beer (or wine, or sangria, or boba) in the sun, they’ve also got that in spades. Happy hour is 4-7pm Monday-Friday, and 8-9pm on Saturdays.
Empty Streets
Location: 601 Mission Bay Boulevard North
2. Zeitgeist
This edgy spot is great for their all-day happy hour, which is 11:30am to 6pm Monday-Friday. You can bring your laptop and get some work done during the day while sipping a beer, or come in the evening for a fun atmosphere and fresh air on their Covid-compliant patio. Choose from their impressive lineup on 64 taps, or try their famous margaritas and Bloody Marys.
Location: 199 Valencia St
3. Southern Pacific Brewing
This massive pub has plenty of outdoor seating, plus indoor tables in their high-ceilinged warehouse space. They create delicious craft beers with a unique, in-house, 15-barrel system. Keep going back to try as much of their rotating beer selection as possible, and if that’s not enough, you can enjoy their fun cocktail menu and delicious bar food.
Location: 620 Treat Ave
4. Finnegans Wake
This favorite neighborhood bar has been around for decades, and it’s an essential spot if you’re looking for a pick-me-up after brunch in Cole Valley. The patio has a ping pong table and 3 large TVs to watch the day’s biggest sports game. They often host food pop-ups, stand-up comedy shows, live music, and more, so keep an eye on their event schedule.
Location: 937 Cole St
5. Harmonic Brewing Thrive City
You have got to check out Harmonic Brewing’s new taproom and patio, part of Thrive City at Chase Center. They’re promising some memorable afternoons at their brand new spot on the water, which has the capacity to hold hundreds of people. This new location is great for admiring the beauty of the Bay, but you can also watch sports games on their 3 big-screen TVs. The Thrive City Farmer’s Market also occurs on Sundays from 9am-1pm at Chase Center, so you can add live music and fresh produce to the mix.
Location: 7 Warriors Way Suite 206
6. Anchor Brewing Public Taps
Anchor Brewing is famous for kicking off the nation’s craft beer movement with their legendary Anchor Steam beer. This is the first style of beer to originate in the U.S., and its origins go back to 1896. Not only do they create some of our favorite beer in the city, but they also have a spectacular patio space to enjoy it, complete with food trucks and fun events.
Location: 1705 Mariposa St
7. Speakeasy Ales & Lagers
This popular brewery is owned by Oakland businessman and one-time mayoral candidate Ces Butner. The Big Daddy IPA was at one point the best-selling IPA in the city, and it’s still a brewery favorite. Also be sure to try their Prohibition Ale, their very first iconic beer from 1997. Their new patio space has gone through several iterations during the pandemic, and it’s now an expansive space with food trucks, picnic tables, enormous tents, and more.
Location: 1195 Evans Ave, San Francisco, CA
8. Old Devil Moon
Old Devil Moon’s back patio is small and inviting, perfect to sip a crisp lager after a long day. Keep in mind they only have 4 tables on this patio, but there is also indoor seating in their large, high-ceilinged building. This lively tap room in Bernal Heights has over 20 different rotating taps, curated by Advanced and Certified Cicerone servers.
Location: 3472 Mission St
9. Black Hammer Brewing
Right, so Black Hammer’s beer garden is more like a dressed-up parklet, but they’ve done a great job with it! Sip your favorite brew under a canopy of string lights at big wooden picnic tables. The atmosphere is fantastic, and the small-batch brewery still produces big flavors. The innovative brewers at Black Hammer also follow precise procedures so as to make their beer “gluten-removed,” meaning it contains less than 3ppm gluten.
Location: 544 Bryant St
