Low Brow SF

Our Guide to Dive Bars, Greasy Spoons, and Hidden Local Hangouts

Proving that drag shows and dive bars make the perfect combo, Aunt Charlie’s is a Tenderloin area landmark that draws both locals and visitors most nights of the week. Originally opened as the Queen Mary Pub back in 1979, the bar has a been at the center of the city’s famous LGBTQ+ community for decades. Inside, hot pink neon lighting lends warmth to the dark intimate interior and the bartender always has a nightly drink special ready for you.

It’s pretty much always cocktail time at Doc’s Clocks, an iconic Mission Street dive bar open since 1951. Equipped with shuffleboards, pinball machines, and an old school jukebox with endless selections, this dark but friendly bar is a great place to keep yourself entertained. One of the longest happy hours in the city (4 p.m. to 10 p.m. daily) makes this a happening place with the local after work crowd just about every night of the week.

Located inside an old train car and slinging mouthwatering greasy goodness until late at night, the Grubstake occupies a unique place in San Francisco’s dining scene. It’s located in the Polk Gulch area, home to queer-friendly nightlife and an eclectic mix of immigrants and artists. The restaurant dates back to 1967, when it was an important safe space for San Francisco’s burgeoning LGBTQ+ community. Still one of the best late night eating options in the city, the Grubstake offers diner classics like potato skins and patty melts alongside traditional Portuguese dishes like caldo verde.

Waxing philosophical after a couple of mai tai’s at the legendary Li Po’s Cocktail Lounge in Chinatown is a dive bar experience not to be missed. Named after a seventh century Tang dynasty poet, this cavernous lounge first opened in 1937 and attracts a diverse local crowd. Ask for the liar’s dice from the bartender and test your luck against the eclectic mix of regulars found here.

Known for their oversized martinis and retro tropical vibe, the Lone Palm is a Mission District nightlife staple. First opened in 1940 as a popular watering hole for the neighborhood's Irish residents, the casual yet stylish bar now draws a diverse crowd to its candle-lit tables and long wooden bar. Although the palm tree that used to shade the sidewalk outside is now gone, the bar still manages to feel a bit like Miami in the middle of San Francisco.

Another Divisadero Street favorite, the Madrone Art Bar combines all the camaraderie of a neighborhood dive bar with rotating exhibits by San Francisco visual artists and live music from DJs. Despite the laid-back atmosphere, - or perhaps because of it - the bar has become a central fixture of the Bay Area arts scene and frequently holds fundraising events for a wide variety of different organizations.

Authentic Beijing-style hotpots and other staples of real-deal Mandarin fare await visitors to the Old Islamic Mandarin. Located in the Outer Sunset, this hotspot for those in the know opened in 2001 and has received tons of critical acclaim. They serve the city’s only all halal Northern Chinese cuisine menu, including items like cumin lamb stir fry and Sichuan pepper laden noodles.

With a nice garden patio and more than 30 draft beer selections, the Pilsner Inn is a sports bar that serves the primarily LBTQ+ community of the Castro. Opened in 1980, the friendly neighborhood watering hole always has a game on one of the wide screen televisions and a horde of locals taking in the action. The Pilsner Inn is also a favorite celebration spot for community bowling, softball, and pool leagues.

Classic American diner food meets authentic Mexican eats at Red Café, a San Francisco original that draws the crowds for both breakfast and lunch. A Mission District staple since 1997, Red Café offers everything from mouthwatering chilaquiles topped with fried eggs to oatmeal pancakes topped with strawberries. Located just one block from the 24th Street BART station, Red Café is a hidden treasure just waiting to be discovered.

Located in the Dogpatch neighborhood, the Sea Star is a friendly dive bar to pop in to for some local action. With an octopus statue hanging from the ceiling and a deep blue, almost aquarium-like décor, the maritime themed bar specializes in creative handmade cocktails and craft beers on tap. The historic drinking hole also sports a retro jukebox stocked with hits both old and new.

Opened in 1968 by sheet metal worker and union organizer Richard “Specs” Simmons, this dark drinking cavern became one of the main meeting places of the famous “Beat” movement in San Francisco’s North Beach. With walls lined with artifacts from around the world and a wagon wheel of cheese behind the bar, not much has changed at Specs since its glory days. A living museum to this era, Specs is still a favorite haunt for local writers and artists.

A honkytonk bar might be the last thing you would expect to find in San Francisco. Located just one block from Ocean Beach, the Rip Tide features a variety of local live bands as well as bingo, karaoke, and other kitsch shenanigans that give the place a small-town vibe. Fun and friendly with a roaring fireplace and knotty pine wood walls, the Rip Tide was built in 1941 and is the informal living room for many residents of the laid-back Outer Sunset neighborhood.