It’s June, the kids are out for summer, and it looks like the Giants are locked in for another postseason run.
Traditionalists might be inclined to spend this time attending a game in person. But if the median ticket price of $89 is a little rich for your blood, how about a classic burger-and-beer, pre-and-postgame crawl around the ballpark instead of inside it?
Really, since having the Giants in town for another homestand is bound to make your commute that much more hectic, why not lean into the madness and make a day of it? Just interrupt your next meeting, show this article to your employer, and they’ll be legally* bound to give you the time off that you need (*this claim is not legally binding).
Let’s get crawling.
Where to Pre-Game near Oracle Park
Hanging out at China Basin Park with Willie Mac(Wally Gobetz)
It might not ever compare to the glorious lunacy of 3Com Monster Candlestick Park, or the Coliseum (RIP), but science proves that beer tastes best in a parking lot—and according to the good folks at Pac Bell SBC AT&T Oracle, specifically in Lot A (Pier 48, 74 Mission Rock St.). Though booze and charcoal grills may or may not be permitted there these days depending on the latest whims of those in charge, anyone who shows up with a (non-alcoholic) pony keg and pre-cooked brats is bound to make a few friends. China Basin Park (1 China Basin Park), unveiled just last year with lovely views into the stadium from the well-placed Willie McCovey statue, makes for a pleasant pre-game hang as well.
If you find yourself waiting for friends on the Embarcadero with an empty stomach, Red’s Java House (Pier 30) is a time-tested greasy countertop. Predating not only the stadium but that ghastly Embarcadero Freeway, Red’s menu has remained largely unchanged since forever (prices aside), with a focus on simple burgers and hot dogs served on sourdough alongside a bottle o’ carbonated corn syrup or their namesake coffee.
Hi Dive strikes a lovely balance for a pregame tipple.(Colin Moore)
Just next door at “Pier 28 ½,” Hi Dive is another San Francisco classic dating back to 1935, when it was a dockworker’s hangout known as Boondocks. As promised by its name, Hi Dive operates a notch above dive bar status, offering cocktails and bar food basics that aren’t too bad at all, while its $3 PBRs keep the door open to the working class. Quite simply, it’s a treasure whose lovely bay views give the largely diehard clientele something at which to gaze wistfully when the game invariably doesn’t go their way (and where smug, insufferable Dodgers fans aren’t tolerated lightly—and I should know).
Even if that reference to baseball’s greatest rivalry means nothing to you, there’s no reason to keep you from enjoying America’s pastime firsthand. The newest addition to the neighborhood, The Natural (358 Brannan St.) is a friendly little clubhouse where folks of all skill levels can burn off a few calories by booking a spot in the batting cage. If you’re lucky, you might cross paths with the ever-affable owner.
Take some hacks at The Natural prior to gametime. (James Sinclair)
Once you’ve gotten a few swings in, walk a block east to restore some of those burned-off calories at 21st Amendment (563 2nd St.), a brewpub that’s been around since the dawn of the dot-com era. Though their current starting lineup of fruit- and hop-forward beers may not be for everyone, they always have a few interesting one-off brews on deck—and if you can snag a table, it’s a nice place to watch the game for a few hours with a rack of ribs or some fish tacos.
Where to Post-Game Near Oracle Park
The game has concluded, you’ve money to burn, and you’re looking to celebrate? A dose of chaos invariably descends on China Basin once the game lets out, and a handful of venues bear the brunt of the postgame crowd—including classics like MoMo’s (760 2nd St.), which is probably better to visit on an off day during a happy hour that includes 50 percent off on pizzas and $1 oysters. Alternatively, the masses seem to always end up at the Irish-style pub and grill now known as Candlestick Park (747 3rd St.), which appropriately inherited the space formerly known as the Polo Grounds and dressed it up ever-so-slightly in brass and dark wood.
The Stick should do the trick.(Courtesy of Candlestick Park Bar & Grill)
If things get too crowded at The Stick, Woodbury(685 3rd St.) offers a half-ounce more elegance to suit the collared shirt-and-skirt, pickleback-having crowd; Local Tap (600 3rd Street), née Zeke’s, is a perfectly adequate neighborhood spot with ample IPAs on draft and room for both antisocial cranks and the well-heeled, bright-eyed techerati to coexist in peace.
Where you choose to close out your night might depend on which of the above camps you belong to. For those in the latter, Thriller Social Club (508 4th St.) is a confetti-cannon circus of an arcade bar open late on the weekend. Spread over two levels, the party features cocktails on tap and games galore, including skee-ball tournaments and a Hyperpitch machine to test how well you can throw something approximating the size and weight of a baseball.
The confetti-cannon circus of an arcade bar, Thriller Social Club(Courtesy of @thrillersocialclub)
Those grizzled old souls in the former group can turn to the eternally grimy Tempest Bar(431 Natoma St.)for that one last, ill-advised shot of Fernet and a kitchen window turning out late-night, better-than-it-should-be cuisine like fried bologna sandwiches and duck confit tacos.
Greasy food, a couple games, and a truckload of booze: is there a better way to spend a San Francisco summer evening? It’s almost enough to tempt a Dodgers fan to give in and root for the home team. Almost.
