The size of Amoeba overwhelmed me, but positively. This place was easily way bigger than my local record shop, let alone any record shop I've been to in the past. Amoeba offers a VAST collection of vinyls, DVDs, CDs, stickers, and magnets. My partner and I collect vinyls, and we didn't leave disappointed. read more

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I still remember when this location was Park Bowl, but that was (gasp) over thirty years ago when bowling was still a popular social activity. I myself was on a bowling team named the Orient Express, and I wish I still had my red team shirt with the dragon on the back. But I digress as this has been an independent record store since 1997, an offshoot of the Berkeley store on Telegraph. Digital downloads be damned, this shop is focused on physical media...CDs, DVDs, cassette tapes, Blu-rays, and of course, vinyl. Even before picking up spares at Park Bowl, I recall that moment in my youth when I made the monumental decision to switch my record purchases from vinyl to CDs. Nowadays, vinyl is making a comeback among a younger generation looking for a higher quality, more realistic sound quality. I saw these Gen Z audiophiles flipping through the long LP bins in search of the elusive underground classic their stereophonic friends could appreciate and envy. Personally I could find nuggets of my own. Albums like The Very Best of Spike Jones (Photo 10) and The Complete 2,000 Year Old Man (Photo 5) resonated with me. I was happy to see individual LPs consolidated into boxed sets like the Linda Ronstadt retrospective. Beyond the music is the expansive DVD collection of movie titles both classic and obscure. There's also books and collectible merchandise like pop-culture lunch boxes and celebrity prayer candles. I'm not sure I need a candle that deifies Aubrey Plaza, but it's good to know where I can get one. RELATED - Exploring the Haight? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://yelp.to/Mq6DbbrGGJ read more

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Came to visit my second Amoeba Music store, with my first one being at the Amoeba Music in Los Angeles. I really can't compare the two exactly because they each have their own vibe. This San Francisco location at the Haight was pretty chill though and had everything a music lover would expect: a massive selection of used music CDs and vinyls for all genre and eras, clearance CDs, DVDs, and yes, even cassette tapes and VHS tapes as there were plenty around. This location was very organized, everything is in its place as labeled. Staff are also friendly here. They have a fairly nice music related book section and also a big DVD and Blu-Ray section of the store. There's also cool Amoeba SF merchandise right up front. Think parking in the area is pretty packed, but taking the local transit or Uber will get you here just fine. read more

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Iconic music store!!!!! This is a landmark in the music lovers scene for San Francisco. The culture is still alive and well and you can stop by anytime to get some new tunes or just talk about the live music you saw over the weekend. I remember one time I saw Ceremony play and stood between CDs for their in store performance. Cool spot! read more

Amoeba Music - Music & DVDs Near Me - San Francisco, California

Had a great time shopping here. Lots of diverse music genres- main pop, country, kpop, jazz, rock, electro. Prices were good. read more

Amoeba Music - Music & DVDs Near Me - San Francisco, California

Came here the other day and had to come in and check out the meet and greet for Khalid super chill guy and great small convo! Come check out the best record store there's a wide variety of collections and some collectibles too super chill staff come in and check them out read more

Amoeba Music - Music & DVDs Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Haight street in San Francisco and Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley have similar vibes . Berkeley still has traces of the Summer of Love and you can see flower childs still roaming around Telegraph avenue . Haight street is where the Summer of Love began. Berkeley had People's Park and San Francisco has Golden Gate Park. Another commonality is both places have Amoeba records. On a Summer stroll on Haight street this block had a few businesses gone like the McDonalds ( where adults went only for the Happy Meal toys) and the Bowling Alley .The Bowling alley was converted to what is now an Amoeba record store which sells physical copies of music CD and vinyl records from legendary artists of all genres who passed away to new emerging artists. Here you can actually experience and touch music covers and buy to own their piece of art in music. This place also has some interesting merchandise from all types of artists and popular culture from the past and present and DVD and Blue-ray movies. If you didn't download every song on your digital music subscription platforms and the WiFi and the internet connection is down along with the radio signals , how would you listen to music? Go back in time for the back up solution and grab your favorite artist CD at Amoeba and party like it's 1999 but in 2025 when you are off the grid but still keeping it electric. Listened to music in San Francisco all my life since I was born watching DVD concert footage of mic's, guitars and a live bat head on a concert stage getting torn Some artists are still alive while some are gone and some we still mourn but today it's hard to say goodbye and RIP to Ozzy Osbourne read more

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This is one of the oldest record stores that still exists in the Bay Area. My niece collects vinyl records so we came here. I haven't been here in a very long time. There is tons of old and new records you can find. They have other items like vintage tees, mugs, pins and more. The store is huge. You can spend a good three hours in here. The customer service is ok. We got to the register and we were out within minutes. The guy that helped us can use a smile. (But maybe he wasn't having a good day). I think the value is standard. I paid $20 for one of my shirts. I was happy. If you love musics and things associated with it you'd love Amoeba. Parking: it's San Francisco so you know what that means? Hard to find parking unless you park in a garage. We were lucky enough to get a street parking. read more

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I had no idea I was about to walk into one of the coolest stores ever. I was just heading to Whole Foods when I randomly noticed Amoeba Music and decided to check it out. Best decision of the day! The moment I stepped inside, I was hooked. I didn't realize how huge it was until I found myself wandering the aisles for hours, completely absorbed in all the DVDs, CDs, and vinyls. The store is bright, well-organized, and filled with amazing finds. I was especially impressed with the bargain sections. There are great deals in every category and I was so happy to spot some childhood favorites I haven't seen in forever. It reminded me how much I've missed places like this. As someone who loves collecting physical media, this spot brought back all the nostalgia and joy that's hard to find in today's digital age. The staff are friendly and really know their stuff. I chatted with someone who mentioned they're slowly building out the book and video game sections too, which is awesome news. I also love their selection of world music, J-pop, and K-pop. I hope they expand even more and start carrying those rare limited edition albums you can only find in Japan and Korea. A cool promotion the store does is anything with a red tag is part of a buy three, get one free deal, which is perfect for anyone building a collection. They also carry fun gift items like posters, toys, decals, and some pretty cool shirts. This was my first time here but definitely not my last. I'm already making plans to visit their other flagship locations in the state. Amoeba is truly a rare find and I'm so happy I stumbled upon it. Can't wait to come back and dig through the new arrivals all over again! read more

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It's easy to spend an hour or more browsing the aisles and massive collection of new and used music, media, and other collectibles. Great selection and prices! read more

Amoeba Music - Exterior of amoeba records San Francisco - Music & DVDs Near Me - San Francisco, California

One of the top music stores in the country. If you don't find what you want there, it must be overseas The selection; 45's, CD's, cassettes, 8 tracks, and of course tons of vinyl to pick from. Prices are very competitive; ranging from dirt cheap to collectors. Help was everywhere and nowhere at all; someone always checked in while I was buried in vinyl heaven. Would not hesitate to stop there again. read more

I love this place I could spend hours here looking through bins and bins of old vinyl, CDs, posters on every wall, in a wide range of price points; and the staff has great customer service skills... then lunch at Whole Foods across the street and the Panhandle of GGP to chill at afterwards, thinking about my treasures from Amoeba‼ read more

Amoeba Music - Music & DVDs Near Me - San Francisco, California

My friend told me it was bigger than the one in L.A. it's not, but still huge. Vast selection, helpful service, standard value. However, the size, huge selection of music related items and "cool factor" make this a must visit for music lover read more

Amoeba Music - Music & DVDs Near Me - San Francisco, California

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What a great spot to check out small acts and album releases, or enjoy rifling through lots of new and old records! They have a knowledgeable staff and it's a fun atmosphere. Check out other parts of the Haight while you stop by this iconic spot! read more

Amoeba Music - Music & DVDs Near Me - San Francisco, California

Lost 3 hours crate-digging jazz rarities and Grateful Dead bootlegs at Amoeba SF--snagged a $5 OG pressing, staff nailed obscure recs, free Sigur Rós show bonus. Bowling alley bones amplify epic scale; trade-ins sweetened the haul. Essential for any music obsessive! read more

If you ever want to sell your records do not bring them here. Staff member in charge was extremely rude, will not be transparent with pricing, and they will scoff and tell you to get out if you ask why they offer so little for records. read more

I've wanted to visit Amoeba Music for many years, today, I finally got the chance. The storefront is so cool! Upon walking in, I was told that I had to check in my purse, I was not thrilled and it added a dark cloud to the overall experience. The merchandise selection is vast and mostly reasonably priced. I love that there is a Pogues tab/section in the cds. In the poster section (definitely check out the poster selection), I found a signed Robert Crumb print of Louis Armstrong and would've tried to convince myself that I needed it, but I didn't want to go through the hassle of trying to get access to my purse. I guess I should be grateful that I was relieved of my purse when I entered or I would be out $400 for a whim purchase right now. I definitely recommend visiting this store, it's well stocked with cool and some unique merchandise, put your money in your pocket I guess. read more

Music store mecca comes to your mind instantly as you enter ~ the clouds parted and the music angels said ahhhhhh!!! Okayy so clearly my mind was BLOWN away andd of course it was, I mean I haven't seen a music store like this since 100 years ago...bahahaaa!! Well since my teen years andd I was ALL IN!! I searched through different genres of music looking && scored GREAT deals on music for our ride home andd for future eargasm enjoyment ~ yep I was in music heaven!! Scored some GREAT finds, grabbed a t-shirt, magnet andd highly recommend for every music enthusiasts young and old. From vinyl to CDs andd FUN stuff with great staff to help you explore and locate your favorite tune be sure to stop by here at the end of Haight-Ashbury area you're in for a musical treat!! read more

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Huge, well-organized & displayed inventory, makes it easy to locate specific items. This is a huge upgrade from used media merchants (this means you, Rasputin's) that don't bother spending much time & effort on organization. To me (& likely many other potential customers), it would be worth an extra $1 per item to avoid the stamina it takes to browse through the never-ending jumble. Plan on plenty of shopping time here at Amoeba, because of overwhelming options, not underwhelming merchandising. read more

Amoeba Music - Miles of aisles of well-organized & well-labeled audio & video media at Amoeba. - Music & DVDs Near Me - San Francisco, California

First time visiting Amoeba Music and was just wanting to look at the records, HUGEEEE selection of genres and films to choose from. The employees are very knowledgeable and had made the best recommendations for the genre you're into. For being new/unopened records, you're really getting your moneys worth with anything you choose. I will definitely come back again, thank you! read more

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I miss visiting this place each time I came down to Ashbury. They sell T-Shirts, pants, and music dvd's and vinyls. I wonder if they still do. They do backpack checks for security / theft reasons too. They also have those scan detectors things so don't try to steal anything ! (Not a thief but just saying just in case you were planning to.) read more

Amoeba music is a wonderland for music off all kinds for all kinds of people, I really love how this place is on Haight St! I am adding onto my vinyl collections and have been meaning to look for some local Hip Hop. I had been looking specifically My Vinyl Weighs a Ton by DJ Peanut Butter Wolf and I found a sealed copy! YASSS. They have a decent selection of Rock music and even saw a press Jeff Buckley Mojo Pin. Awesome place. Enso forever! Metered parking sucks. Be patient. Used cd's. Book. Stickers. Merch. "You can never leave footprints that last if you are always walking on tiptoe." --Leymah Gbowee read more

Amoeba Music - Chris Manak aka Peanut Butter Wolf is from San Jose , CA. I had been looking for this in San Jose and couldn't find it. :9) - Music & DVDs Near Me - San Francisco, California

West Coast Rap! This place is such a cool record store on the end of the Haight Ashbury District before it turns into Golden Gate Park. This record store is huge. Aisle after aisle after aisle of music - new and used. This place used to be a bowling alley, but they tore out all the alleys and guts that made the place work, and replaced it with kickass music. I'm usually into punk polka, and they had a deeper selection than most record stores that I go to. They have a whole section of music bumper stickers and books. You can't listen to the albums before you get to buy them, they have a pretty ironclad security system, which makes sense. They've so many types of obscure, hard to find albums. My favorite is the special vault section, where they have the rarest albums under lock and key. Kickass. There's a movie place at the front of the store that sells used and new DVDs and movie posters and such. This is by far the coolest, hippest store I've been to in SF. I can't wait to go back! read more

I sold 14 classic dvds. They were in mint shape. Got $14 in cash. I felt ripped off since most of the dvds i bought from Amoeba for $15 each. read more

Such an incredible selection of vinyl and CDs- an amazing store and one of the original (Berkeley was first) music stores in Bay Area. It's a music wonderland. Great staff and prices are so darn reasonable! read more

Wow! Visited for the first time. They have everything you might wish for music wise and beyond. Amazing new and used vinyl, cds, dvds. I found some rare classics jazz records and a box set of The Green Hornet (Bruce Lee). read more

Love shopping at amoeba records for all my vinyl and movies been coming here since I was little still my favorite record store in San Francisco read more

This place is the largest record store in the world. So many artists! My son loves music so this was the perfect place to take him. My only complaint is that the place is super colorful and overwhelming. It did end up making my head hurt in the end. If you can deal with that you should definitely go! l read more

Huge store, great variety of vinyl and good prices. My dog gets a little impatient accompanying me on my vinyl searches (which can last hours), but so glad the folks at Amoeba are dog friendly and feed him treats. read more

Institution in the Bay Area. Great clearance selection. Picked up a great CD for only $1.99. They promote their information desk so people feel encouraged to seek assistance. Hope this place stays around forever. I Heart Amoeba Music. read more

Amoeba Music - Music & DVDs Near Me - San Francisco, California

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A music Mecca in San Francisco! Extra extraordinary service vast collection and their standards for receiving records is very high, so the quality is excellent.. They even came out to my car to help me bring in my records and while they selected only a few, it was a good value for what they gave me Hallelujah Amoeba music read more

Disgustingly rude privileged sales counter employee. (African American with braids, unnecessarily sassy) Brought a stack of vinyls to sell and he rolls his eyes. 5pm. No line or anyone waiting to sell. I say "hi I'd like to possibly sell some vinyls." Employee says "and where did these come from?" I got the tone that he assumed they were stollen? Very weird. Anyways they took about 15 for $8. $8... but Amoeba will resell them for $10 each. Beyond unethical. My other vinyls I don't want I'd rather leave on street or donate to a thrift store for free. Do not sell here! Make a Mercari or Facebook market ad. Instead of supporting a rude business like this. read more

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If you're looking for some cool stuff remember to look up at the walls. I've found some cool stuff on the walls.

Amoeba Music was on our list of places to visit in SF since my brother and I like to explore music shops during our travels. We were spending the day exploring Haight-Ashbury and the surrounding neighborhoods, and made Amoeba our last stop of the day before heading back to our hotel. While I knew virtually nothing about Amoeba before visiting, I was looking forward to checking it out. Amoeba has three locations in California, and mainly sells music - though they also have selections of movies, books and magazines. The formats they sell are vast - vinyls in many sizes, CDs, cassette tapes, DVDs, VHSs, and even Laserdiscs. They also have general Amoeba merch like shirts and caps as well as posters and rare collectors items. Walking in, I was totally floored at the size of the space - the store is huge, and their inventory is almost overwhelming. You can easily spend hours exploring everything they have to offer. Music and movies are separated by format and then by genre. They also have special sections to browse such as a dedicated section for Criterion Collection films. I ended up purchasing a few items - they have a mix of new and used merch, hence their stock and selection are some of the best I've seen in a record store. Checkout was fast, and overall I had an excellent experience at Amoeba. Even if you're not looking for anything specific, take the time to browse and I'm sure you'll find something. read more

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For a place that's pure record store nostalgia for me, my recent visit left much to be desired. Some bro working the door, wearing an SF cap, demanded that I stop and check my empty canvas bag. Having shopped here for over a decade, have a little respect for your customer base! Not every person coming into the store is a tourist unaware of your bag policy, nor do the substantial majority of people have any ill intent to steal. If I would have had a backpack, etc., I would have happily checked it. In essence, I was treated as if I was going to head onto the floor and start loading up my bag with vinyl, before making a quick exit without paying. I gave a blank stare to SF cap bro and responded that the empty canvas bag was to carry my record purchases, rather than the plastic bags they readily offer up. Then, the bro responded with something to the effect of, "after you purchase them?!" Yes, after I purchase them. God forbid I shop here and spend my hard earned money so someone like you can take home a pay check. Will definitely frequent other places before thinking about patronizing this place again. For such an epic selection, my recent experience leaves much to be desired. This place is quickly becoming a tourist trap with unfriendly folks. Thank goodness the cashier was nice and had a sense of humor. read more

We were on the way to Golden Gate Park and Amoeba's retro store front exterior caught our attention so we headed in. Immediately we were greeted by a staff member to store our backpack onto their cubby storage. I was a given an alligator clip with the cubby number. This place is ginormous. I'm sure there are people are spending hours here exploring. Going through tapes, CDs, DVDs, and so on brought so many childhood memories. I recall listening to 90's boybands ( Backstreet Boys, 98 Degrees, Savage Garden, and so on) on cassettes and not needing to rewind when we transitioned to CDs. I did try to find Kate Bush since her song has been playing everywhere thanks to Stranger Things Season 4. It was easy to locate. Things are easy to find thanks to their organization and labels. Definitely a really cool place to browse through. We were on our way for coffee in the morning when there was an unstable individual (most likely intoxicated?) yelling incoherently at no nothing meters away from Amoeba Music on Haight Street and Stanyan Street. Hours later when we entered Amoeba, a different disheveled man was seen cursing at people passing by. Just be careful. read more

Amoeba Music - Store with wide section of music. - Music & DVDs Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Well.... It's Amoeba Music. If you know... you go. If you don't... get there. It's an amazing amount of music you can't find just anywhere. Staff actually knows there stuff and hard to find is fandanlw here. Just go. E joy. read more

It kind of breaks my heart to write this review, but I had an experience here this evening that really bothered me and I really need to get it out. I wanted to stop by tonight to get a gift card and a t-shirt for my brother for his birthday. He has just started collecting vinyl and when I was in college living in San Francisco and just starting to collect records, Amoeba was my Mecca. I spent many joyful hours thumbing through their used vinyl collections, spending money I probably could have put to wiser places on some real cornerstones of my small library of favorite albums (okay, it's moved several places since then and after lugging it from dormitories to apartments and now my home it's not exactly a light load anymore). I went to awesome concerts, bought used DVDs for cheap and had nothing but glowing things to say about this special place in my heart. Until tonight. I'll fully admit, I arrived at 7:06pm and they close at 7. I don't live in the city anymore and getting there is a trek for me these days, but I do work up there sometimes, so I was really trying hard to pop in after work, get my gift card and shirt, and come back later with my brother for a real "time to start your collection" shop. But the closed sign was up, and I was about to walk away when I saw a guy through the glass door. I waved at him and he actually came out! I told him I just wanted a shirt and a gift card and that was it. I get it. The store was closed, I didn't make it in time. Instead of kindly telling me they couldn't help me tonight, that it was store policy not to let me in after close, or they had already counted the till out, or just a "sorry man, I really can't" the guy just curtly says "Store closed at 7. We open at 11 tomorrow" and shuts the door in my face. I've worked in retail service, I don't mind being told no, but this dude made me feel like I was the jerk for trying to shop here. I'm a reasonable person and a previous happy customer, but this guy made me feel like I had just met one of my heroes who then turned around and spat on me. Like the store was entitled to my money and I could come back tomorrow and say thank you for being rude, here's the money I worked for! But they aren't the only place to buy vinyl these days, maybe they aren't the kind of place to create fun memories like the ones I had when I was a young man living in San Francisco. So I don't think I'll be coming by tomorrow when the store opens and we'll find some other place that doesn't treat people this way; so they lost two good customers over this one instance. I'm super sad there's now a shadow over all these good memories I have of this place, and I'm leaving two stars instead of one in the hopes that my experience was a one off and you'll have a better time. read more

Overall, it's the kind of shop that reminds you why physical music still matters. A place where you can slow down, browse at your own pace, and walk out with a piece of music history in your hands. Highly recommended! read more

After yet another visit, I will say that it's always a pleasure to check out the selection at this amazing store so much to choose from extensive CD collections etc big shout out to Dave, who is frequently on the floor filing away CDs, he is very knowledgeable and a very friendly guy. My only complaint is they're a little cheap in terms of buying music they're barely giving a couple bucks for a CD. I understand that not every CD is worth a lot but they seem to be very tight these days with their payments. other than that after coming here for 25 years it's a must stop. read more