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The hippie joints that made the Haight famous may be long gone, but this neighborhood retains a countercultural vibe. Beer connoisseurs should head directly to the Toronado.
You come to one of the city's most popular dive bars for one thing and one thing only: the reasonably priced beers, about four dozen of them on tap. The Toronado opens in the late morning and has a good-size crowd by early afternoon, so show up early to sit at one of the highly coveted tables. Just make sure to bring cash, as they don't accept credit cards.
This dark-wood, low-lit space has a certain swagger that's at once charming and classy. It serves full meals but is also a good choice for cocktails and small plates—the polenta fries, Scotch eggs, and seasonal salads are all winners.
Known for its food as much as its beers, Magnolia is a San Francisco institution, thanks in part to its prime location near the Haight-Ashbury intersection. Come for the smoked trout croquettes, falafel salad, and famed burgers, or just grab any one of the dozen-plus beers on tap, many brewed in-house. The brewpub occupies the site of The Drugstore Cafe, one of the first hippie hangouts in the Haight in the 1960s.
A cross between a Tim Burton film and an Oingo Boingo album, this funky, cavelike bar makes every day Halloween. Noc Noc's bartenders serve up about 20 or so beers on tap, sake (even unfiltered), and unique twists on traditional drinks, like the Snake Bite, a blend of lager and cider. The house DJ plays acid jazz, industrial, and ambient music.
"Laid-back" would be an understatement at this institution, serving the Haight for more than 80 years. Once inside Trax, you won't feel like you're in a gay bar—or in San Francisco—and that's the way the regulars like it. Cheap beer specials draw all types, and though you don't have to don your cruise wear for this place, it's still social.
