With more daylight hours and the occasional afternoon of fabulous weather, the best place to have a beer in late spring is outside. We’ve assembled a list of ten of San Francisco’s best outdoor locations to enjoy a cold one, but feel free to share your own favorites in the comments.
The Ramp – This funky Mission Bay bar and restaurant is a fine place to lounge for the afternoon. Stay till five on the weekends for the music.
855 Terry Francois St
Mon-Fri 11 am - 10 pm
Sat-Sun 9 am - 10 pm
Public House– Two outdoor patios plus direct access to AT&T Park make this a mandatory game day destination. Stellar selection of 24 craft beers on tap plus an extensive collection of bottle offerings.
24 Willie Mays Plaza
Mon-Thu 4 pm - 10 pm
Fri 4 pm - 11 pm
Sat 11 am - 11 pm
Sun 11 am - 9 pm
Hi Dive – This waterfront hangout lives up to its name. Enough west coast craft beers make it a worthwhile destination and you can usually snag a table outside even when the weather is good.
Pier 28, Embarcadero at Bryant
Mon-Wed 11:30 am - 11:30 pm
Thu-Fri 11:30 am - 1 am
Sat 10 am - 1 am
Sun 10 am - 11:30 pm
Waterbar – Spectacular panorama views at the foot of the Bay Bridge. Come here during happy hour for the $3.00 beers and 1$ oysters.
399 Embarcadero South
Mon, Sun 11:30 am - 9:30 pm
Tue-Sat 11:30 am - 10 pm
Pier 23 Restaurant & Bar– Waterfront seating both outside and inside a covered patio gives you plenty options to enjoy the views and the weather. Often has free music on the weekends.
Pier 23 on the Embarcadero
Mon-Fri 11:30 am - 10:00 pm
Sat 10:00 am - 10:00 pm
Sun 10:00 am - 8:00 pm
Crissy Field – San Francisco has an abundance of well manicured parks and Crissy Field is one of our finest: parking, beach access, dog friendly, picnic tables and barbecues, and it’s OK to have open containers of alcohol.
1199 E Beach, Presidio
Note: It’s not always obvious which parks allow alcohol and which don’t. For example, the police have recently citing people who have open containers in Dolores Park. For a complete list of San Francisco parks where you can’t have open containers, see Section 4.01 of the park rules.
Beach Chalet – Patio and lawn seating in a casual park-like setting makes a fitting venue to enjoy the house made ales. Live music Tuesday and Friday evenings.
1000 Great Hwy (Ocean Beach between Upper Great Hwy & Fulton St)
Mon-Thu, Sun 9 am - 10 pm
Fri, Sat 9 am - 11 pm
Zeitgeist – Long communal picnic tables, BBQ, pub grub, and regular late afternoon visitations by the Tamale Lady make this a favorite hotspot in the Mission. Over 60 taps deliver local craft brews as well as a smattering of the more essential German and Belgium styles.
199 Valencia St (at Duboce Ave)
Weekdays, weekends 9:00 am - 2:00 am
Biergarten - If you’re a fan of German beer and food, squeeze into this Hayes Valley favorite as soon as it’s open since this place fills up quickly.
424 Octavia St (between Linden St & Fell St)
Wed-Sun 3 pm - 9 pm
Rooftop Garden at the Fairmont– The hotel’s rooftop garden is a lovely place to have a craft ale, particularly if it’s the Almanac Honey Saison made with honey harvested from the hotel’s own bee hives and served in the adjacent Laurel Court Bar & Lounge.
950 Mason St (between California St & Sacramento St)
Laurel Court Bar & Lounge
Sun-Thu 11:30 am - 11:30 pm
Fri, Sat 11:30 am - 12:30 am
