Some things in life are nearly universal — most everyone hates Monday mornings, most everyone loves Friday nights — but if there ever was a beloved time of day that applies to the whole rigmarole we call a work week, it’s happy hour. The inspiration behind thousands of boat names and kitschy wooden plaques, 5 o’clock holds a special place in both the hearts of drinkers and teetotalers. Work is done, enjoy some discount nachos and a couple dollars off a house margarita, you earned it. But whether it’s the setting or the deals, some happy hours are more joyous than others. Here are the best ones in San Francisco.
620 Jones
620 Jones Street, Lower Nob Hill
415.845.2257
As the second most populated city in the United States, it’s fair to say San Francisco is bursting in many categories. One of them is not rooftops, which is the undeniable highlight of 620 Jones. Established in 2010 by the people behind Mighty — now the Great Northern — this spot boasts the biggest rooftop bar (8,000 square feet!) in the city, and it’s a heated one at that. Happy hour goes from 4pm to 6pm on weekdays, but the boozy weekend brunch is also a winner.
Bar Crudo
Happy hour specials include $5 beer and $7 wine as well as a variety of seafood small plates! Try their famous seafood chowder, rock cod tacos, Miyagi oysters, herb and jalapeno marinated mussels, octopus salad, pan seared shishito peppers with Boquerones and manila clams with asparagus all from the happy hour menu.
Blackbird
2124 Market Street, Castro
415.872.5310
Rustic-modern bar with lounge seating for creative cocktails, craft beer, happy hours and pool table.
Happy Hour – Weekdays 5pm – 8pm. Well Cocktails
(1 Liquor + 1 Mixer)
$1 Off
El Techo
2516 Mission Street, Mission
415.550.6970
Located in the heart of the Mission atop sister restaurant Lolinda, El Techo serves Latin American street food and cocktails “del sol” in an unparalleled rooftop location with expansive city views. Seats at the all-alfresco El Techo are highly coveted, and patrons line up early to score a spot. The roof stays open come rain or come shine, thanks to heat lamps and wind screens. Our expansive outdoor rooftop features ample space between tables and semi-private booth seating with impermeable barriers. Join us rain or shine, seven days a week! There aren’t a lot of rooftop restaurants in this city, which any self-respecting San Franciscan will tell you is totally and completely.
Red's Place
672 Jackson Street, Chinatown
Chinatown’s oldest bar, offering beer on draft, by the pitcher and in bottles, in low-key surroundings. Known by locals as the “Cheers” of Chinatown, Red’s Place opened its doors in the early 1960s in a spot that has long been home to family businesses. Historic photos reveal that the building housed a barber shop in the late 1800s, followed by a cigar store and saloon. Though neither the current owners nor patrons can shed light on the bar’s namesake, Red’s has maintained the building’s century-long role as a community gathering spot, billing itself as the oldest bar in Chinatown. When the bar first opened, it was located just around the corner from the Chinese New Year parade route, which once travelled down Grant Street to Broadway. Following the parade, community members set off firecrackers in celebration on Jackson Street in front of Red’s, lighting 300,000 crackers at the parade’s peak. Red’s continues to take part in the annual festivities, including the firecracker show on Jackson. The basement, though inaccessible to patrons, still houses teller booths, alluding to the building’s ties to underground gambling in generations past.
Tonga Room
950 Mason Street, Nob Hill
415.772.5278
Located at the iconic Fairmont San Francisco hotel, Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar has delighted guests with its tropical décor, decadent libations and Polynesian-fusion cuisine since 1945. The bar area features a sleek granite top bar and luxurious “good luck red” leather banquettes. Colorful tribal wall coverings add excitement throughout the restaurant. Tonga Room features The Island Groove Band, which performs top-40 hits from a thatch-covered barge on the “lagoon;” a dance floor built from the remains of the S.S. Forester, a schooner that once traveled between San Francisco and the South Sea Islands; and periodic tropical rainstorms, complete with thunder and lightning. In 1929, Fairmont San Francisco added a new 75-foot indoor swimming pool on its Terrace Level. Known as the “Fairmont Plunge,” the elaborate tile pool attracted local crowds and celebrities such as actress Helen Hayes, actor Ronald Reagan and members of the Water Follies. In 1945, Metro Goldwyn Mayer’s leading set director, Mel Melvin, was hired to transform the Fairmont Plunge into Tonga Room. The pool became a “lagoon” and a floating stage for the orchestra was added to entertain guests each evening. Not surprisingly, Tonga Room was an instant success.
Who’s writing these?
Meet our always-hungry team of foodies who compiled this list.
Please let us know if we’ve missed your favorite eat@localgetaways.com.
