Home Destinations USA California San Francisco Entertainment

Nightlife & the Arts in San Francisco

Read our San Francisco nightlife reviews. Or post your own.

San Francisco Nightlife

From ultrasophisticated piano bars] to come-as-you-are dives that reflect the city's gold-rush past, San Francisco has a tremendous variety of evening entertainment. Although you never know exactly where you might stumble upon an elegant cocktail lounge or a hip dance club, knowing some neighborhood generalizations can improve your chance of finding the kind of entertainment you want. Nob Hill is noted for its plush hotel bars and panoramic skyline lounges. North Beach—though it still has a short stretch of strip clubs along Broadway—is mostly known for historic bars that invoke the city's beatnik past and sleek lounges full of locals and visitors alike who stop in before or after dinner at one of the area's many mom-and-pop Italian restaurants. Fisherman's Wharf, although touristy, is great for people-watching and is convenient to many hotels. Tony Union Street and the nearby Marina are where you find singles bars that attract well-dressed and well-to-do crowds in their twenties and thirties. South of Market—or SoMa—is a nightlife hub, with a bevy of popular dance clubs, bars, and supper clubs, as well as a few excellent live-music venues. The gay and lesbian scenes center on the Castro district and along Polk Street. Twentysomethings and alternative types should check out the ever-funky Mission District and Haight Street scenes, although even these two neighborhoods get more upscale cocktail lounges and fewer dive bars every year. More »