Party places in San Francisco

Parties are one of the best parts of life. They’re a great opportunity to catch up with friends and family, celebrate special occasions, and just get together with people you love. But sometimes it can be hard to find a place that’s perfect for your party needs. That’s where we come in!

When you’re looking for a good time, there are plenty of places to go. Here are some of our favorite party spots!

A bar – If you want to get drunk and put on some serious dance moves, a bar is the place for you. But it’s not just about drinking: bars are also space for meeting new people, having fun with your friends, and making memories.

A pool hall – If you’re looking to get competitive or just hang out with your buddies, a pool hall is the place for you. You can play games like billiards or snooker, enjoy drinks and food at the bar, and even watch sports on TV if that’s your thing!

A club – Clubs are great because they’re open late (or all night long!) and offer a lot of different activities like dancing, karaoke nights, live music performances from local bands/singers/musicians… basically anything goes at clubs! You could even see yourself getting into trouble here if you’re feeling adventurous enough… maybe even meet someone special?

There are a number of places in your city that are great for parties. Some places are filled with fun activities for the kids and others have great food and drinks.

Are you looking for a place to have your party? Look no further! Here’s a list of some of the best party places in San Francisco:

Bars, Pubs, and Dives

San Francisco is home to every type of bar imaginable, from European-inspired wine bars to a Tenderloin gay bar known for its cheap drinks and drag shows. Good neighborhoods to go bar-hopping (and each with its own distinct vibe) include the Mission, the Marina, North Beach, and Hayes Valley.

• Toronado: Choose between more than 40 beers on tap at this Lower Haight spot.
• The Beer Hall: Situated between Hayes Valley and Mid-Market, The Beer Hall offers a rotating selection of brews, wine, and cider on tap, plus more than 200 bottles you can drink on-site or purchase to-go.
• Dubliner: With 25 beers on tap and a full bar, this long-running sports bar in Noe Valley boasts large-screen TVs and cozy wood décor.
• The Plough & Stars: Located on Clement Street, this Irish bar hosts live music Tuesday through Sunday at 9 p.m., with genres spanning bluegrass, country, rock, traditional Irish music, and more. On Mondays, The Plough & Stars offers an all-day happy hour. Note that you’ll have to pay a cover charge on Friday and Saturday nights.
• Zeitgeist: At this popular bar in the Mission, the bloody marys and the outdoor picnic tables reign supreme. You can often enjoy live music here; check the calendar to see who’s playing during your visit.
• Twin Peaks Tavern: An iconic gay bar and the first such place to have huge glass windows—beckoning the whole world to see inside.
• Blush!: Inspired by European wine bars, Blush! features around 40 wines by the glass, Belgian beers, artisan French cheeses, and Italian and Spanish charcuterie. Events throughout the month include Tarot readings, queer comedy nights, and live music.
• The Detour: Named after a Market Street gay bar that closed in the early aughts, the arcade bar formerly known as Brewcade serves up local beers, creative cocktails, a menu of Pan Pacific-inspired street food, and, of course, a selection of arcade games, pinball machines, and board games.

Cocktail Lounges

Whether it’s a speakeasy-style space or a classy hotel lounge, cocktail bars and lounges abound throughout the city.

• Smuggler’s Cove: A cocktail-forward tiki bar that’s ushered in a whole new city- (and country-) wide Polynesian-themed era.
• Bourbon & Branch: Tucked away in a nondescript corner spot just east of Union Square, Bourbon & Branch is considered SF’s first modern-day speakeasy.
• Trick Dog: For the ultimate in creative imbibing, don’t miss Trick Dog. One of the city’s most innovative libation spaces, each cocktail here is paired with a classic poem.
• Charmaine’s: Located at the four-star San Francisco Proper Hotel, this rooftop bar is the place to on a clear night.
• Gibson: Hotel Bijou’s on-site restaurant crafts innovative cocktails in a stylish, Art Deco space. If you’re feeling indulgent, try the $90 chef’s choice tasting menu.
• Moongate Lounge: Nestled above the Michelin-starred Mister Jiu’s, Moongate Lounge dishes out six signature cocktails and six seasonal cocktails “inspired by the Chinese Lunar Calendar and the fruits, flowers, spices, and spirits of the seasons.”
• Top of the Mark: A legendary top-floor venue in Nob Hill, this former penthouse suite has been serving signature cocktails—with a side of 360-degree SF views—for more than 80 years.
• The Alembic: The menu at this craft cocktail bar and restaurant in the Haight features signature drinks made with unique ingredients such as green tea dust, pandan jelly, and red wine gastrique.
• Comstock Saloon: Open since 2009, this North Beach locale is housed in a 115-year-old space and features antiquities from owners’ past, including an 18-foot mahogany bar top from the 1890s. Come for handcrafted cocktails and live jazz every night of the week.

Clubs and Dance Clubs

Depending on what you’re up for, you can spend a night grooving to the tunes of a seven-piece jazz band or working your salsa moves. Here are the best places to go dancing in San Francisco.

• Club Deluxe: Ths always-fun club in the Haight hosts live bands—mostly jazz, blues, and brass—seven nights a week.
• Milk Bar: Down the street from Club Deluxe, Milk Bar is a fun place to dance to live music and DJ spins. Check the calendar for comedy nights.
• El Rio in the Mission: Located in the Mission, this LGBTQ+ bar is known for disco nights, 2000s dance parties, and Salsa Sundays every fourth Sunday of the month.
• Cat Club: With two dance floors, two full bars, and VIP booths, SOMA’a long-running 1984 dance party at the Cat Club has been drawing in crowds for decades.
• The EndUp: An aptly named nightclub that entertains all the way through to sunrise.
• Black Cat: This popular multi-level club features live jazz every night of the week.
• Madrone Art Bar: Come to NOPA’s Madrone Art Bar for Mowtown Mondays and Prince & Michael Jackson tribute nights.
• Oasis: A popular club for drag shows, cabaret performances, and full-out dance-a-thons.
• The Cafe: This Castro nightclub caters to all walks with a newly remodeled nightclub interior and a decidedly younger crowd. 

Late-Night Restaurants

San Francisco may not have New Jersey’s array of 24-hour diners, but for a city that goes to sleep relatively early (this is for you, New Yorkers!), there are still a good number of spots where you can get a meal well into the night, and even a few places that stay open around the clock.

• Pinecrest Diner: If it’s a greasy spoon you’re after, swing by Pinecrest Diner for classic diner fare.
• Orphan Andy’s: Open since the 70s, this 24-hour diner in the Castro serves up burgers, pancakes, and milkshakes.
• Nopa: along Divisadero Corridor
• The Monk’s Kettle: This New American restaurant dishes out upscale versions of all your favorite comfort foods, including Mission-spiced fried chicken thighs and burgers topped with onion jam, gruyere, and aioli. It’s open until midnight every day of the week.
• ABV: An excellent stop for after-hour gourmet meals, ABV offers an eclectic menu featuring everything from nopales tacos to asparagus toast paired with a cured duck egg.
• Grubstake Diner: Nestled in a converted train car, Grubstake Diner has been serving hungry customers burgers, patty melts, and other diner fare since 1937.
• Golden Boy Pizza: A North Beach pizzeria that sells square pizza by the slice until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays.
• Taqueria Cancun: If you’re craving a burrito after a night of drinking, Taqueria Cancun is open until 1 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and until 11 p.m. every other night of the week.
• El Farolito: With several locations in SF, El Farolito is the perfect place to grab chile relleno, tacos, and Mission-style burritos well into the wee hours of the morning.
• Bob’s Donut & Pastry Shop: If you’ve been partying at the bars on Polk Street, there’s no better place than a 24-hour institution where sticky buns, chocolate bars, and raised glazed donuts are all the rage.