Nothing screams San Francisco more than overspending on overbuilt public projects that look really really nice but that nevertheless fail to live up to either the price tag or the hype. They recently completely redid Esprit Park, and it has so many elements that are cool and lovely and beautiful and inviting. But it also feels frustratingly half-baked, as in they had too many ideas they wanted to incorporate and not enough space, so rather than ditch bad ideas, they kept every single one of them and just shrank them down. There's a lot that I love. They separated the park into two grassy main areas: the southern one for general grassy-main-area use, and the northern one for an off-leash dog park. Great so far. Then they made this cool figure-eight trail that loops around both grassy areas, and in the center of this figure eight, there are some nice tall (original?) trees and some really well constructed wooden furniture for sitting and standing on. Wow, that sounds great, doesn't it? Yes, it does! But then there are tiny workout stations done in this strange rustic style at different corners of the park. And a tiny playground. And the center of the dog park has fake grass, and that fake grass is surrounded by real grass, but the more time you see people interacting with their dogs in the dog park, the more you realize that it takes up way too much of the park's space, as in a lot of the open area is meant as a buffer zone between the center of the dog park and the streets on three sides. Most people won't let their dogs roam here, because they can easily get into the street. Why not fence in the dog area and allow at least some of the edges of the northern grassy area to be used by humans? But here's the killer. I understand that the old Esprit Park was run down and overgrown and unattractive. I was actually excited that they were redoing it. But it used to have way more trees. Yes, it was a rectangle in the middle of Dogpatch, and it wasn't necessarily an urban forest, but it felt like someone's backyard, and that was interesting. Now, it feels like the backyard of some billionaire who tore out all of the natural trees. Beautiful in many ways, yes, but also not as wild as it could be, especially the very middle and some of the edges along the eastern and northern sides. It's also ridiculous that the permit parking around the park is only one hour, and it runs from eight a.m. to ten p.m., Monday through Saturday. If you want people to visit the park, you might want to give them more than an hour to enjoy it before they have to move their car to a different block. And yes, I've gotten a parking ticket at night in Dogpatch for violating the hourly max, so they do enforce it. It's still a cute park in a perfect location. I'll surely eat early dinners on its picnic tables in the future. read more

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Super nice newly renovated park. There are two fields - one for dogs and one with no dogs, as well as some play/fitness structures and picnic tables. The dog park is not fenced, so make sure your dog has good recall. There are water stations too. I like how there are tons of trees, so there's good shade. Flower beds line the sides, so it's very pretty. A great new park that I always love walking through! read more

Park has been around for a minute but it only just recently received a full on overhaul and renovation. Looks nothing like it did before - looks incredible. Park is split into two halves. One half is marketed as a dog park, however, there are no formal enclosures so only let your dog off leash if you trust it. The other half is a no dog zone, ideal for hanging or picnicking. In the middle of the two halves is a cute play/climbing structures. Came with a small group of friends for a picnic. Super hot and bright day but there are some sections of the park with some tree coverage so we were able to find a nice spot that was half sun, half shade. The newly renovated park seems well maintained and there were no issues while we were picnicking. Throughout the two hours we were there, it never got crowded at all. Only a couple small groups set up their own picnics. Really enjoyed the fact that this wasn't overcrowded or overly stimulating, especially when we were going for a very chill vibe. read more

I brought my 5-yr-old son to this 1+ acre park, and there is not a single play structure or activity designed for kids; and, all the trees are sectioned off by ropes. Instead, there are little tech-bro workout stations around the edges, and a really cool dog park sectioned off in one corner full of designer dogs. We have imagination and creativity, and have a good time anywhere, but the dirty looks we got let us know we weren't really wanted there. I grew up working with my dad in this neighborhood, and while not pretty, the people were great. This park and the apartments across the street, beautifully built on very toxic land, are a great representation of all the ugliness that the facade of Neo San Francisco hides. read more

I went just after the sun had set and spent the better part of 45 min walking around and through the park. The design elements really worked for me, allowing the natural aspects to blend into the urban setting. The lighting especially was very well done, using warm light that automatically adjusted the brightness as one strolled through the grounds. Some areas seemed well suited for small gatherings where food and drinks could be set up and kids could run around while the parents mingled. I wish I lived closer! read more

Pretty cute dog park. The path is well maintained, poop bags stocked, responsible dog owners and of course my little nugget gets overly excited to be here. It's a nice little get away and change of scenery since working from home can be draining. Plus is there's a restaurant across the street that has a pretty bomb crispy chicken sandwich (review to come for Kin Khao). This park is more of a like than a love. I wish that there was a love, but my love lies in donuts. I go here for my pupper cause he loves it. Ugh fine, 4.5 Stars if that even is a thing. read more

A long long long long long time ago, there was an active clothing company called Esprit, headquartered in San Francisco. They also owned an entire city block, turned it into a park for their employees to use. I went to their outlet on Minnesota Street during that time, bought some white pants, only to learn that I like shorts better and those pants weren't fitting for work. Then they went out of business, oh well. So the park fell into the hands of the SF Parks Department, and voila, now you have Esprit Park. The best part about Esprit Park is its location. I don't think there are any other parks in Dogpatch, so this park serves a vital purpose among the warehouses and growing number of residences. One new batch of residences is on the former site of Cafe Cocomo, it was the best Latin dance hall in the City (and we miss it terribly). There are picnic tables under the tall trees, benches, two lawn areas, workout equipment, but NO RESTROOMS. Parking is for either one hour or two or four, depending on where you park. I-280 is one block away with no buildings in the way, so it's not a quiet place. A dog park in Dogpatch? You better believe it. I went by on a late Saturday morning, saw lots of dogs out there. Be aware that there is no part of Esprit Park with a fence, so make sure Spot is well behaved and under voice command. From reading other Yelp reviews, Esprit Park developing into a dog park was unintentional on the City's part, it just happened, and some dogs and dog owners are worse than others. Bottom line: Esprit Park is pretty good, and may or may not be good for you. read more

Great dog park in the neighborhood. Large grassy area, large enough for even the big and fast dogs to run very far and play fetch. Can get muddy sometimes, though (often). There is a dirt path around the large grassy area if you prefer to just walk around the park. This place is pretty popular, so everyday you will see lots of people bring their dogs to play. You definitely meet some regulars here. But be careful, there is often piles of dog poop buried in the grass. The park is not fenced in, but not too much traffic around the park on the weekends and evenings. Some of the reviews are talking about taking children here to play? I wouldn't recommend it. Like I said, there is often dog poop buried in the grass (and often muddy), so unless you're a dog person and/or a dog owner, it's not a good idea to walk around in the grass. Also, this park doesn't have a fenced-in children's area and no jungle gyms, so not sure why people would want to bring children here. Two blocks away at Mariposa, there is a nice playground for children with a jungle gym. This park is well-maintained and pretty nice looking. It's pretty quiet and peaceful for most hours of the day, until the fun dog gathering hours. read more

I for one am tired of this park being called a "dog park" but because of the City's fecklessness of enforcing even the most modest of rules, this park has become a dog park. Forget it if you're a human here and want to throw a frisbee or put down a blanket and enjoy the sun. You'll be greeted by the smell of piss and feces and off-leash dogs sniffing around your lunch. Owner just give your that "aw shucks, isn't my dog ADORABLE" look. I am not anti dog in the least (sometime anti dog owner, maybe), but where can a human get any outdoor peace in this city?! Next up: The City in its infinite wisdom wants to tear up the grass and turn it into yes, ANOTHER dog run complete with artificial turf. By the way, there's a huge new dedicated dog park 150 ft from the Southwest corner of Esprit Park but dog owners don't like it because it smells, maybe due to the turf or because they just don't want to clean up after their own dogs? Finally, be careful if cars because the city has approved permits for every possible construction project to occur simultaneously and the construction folks care as much about a one way street or 30 mph speed limit as they do about finding a trash can or not trampling landscaping. The lack of stop signs on Minnesota and Indiana get you nearly run over at worst and minimally a glare from someone going 45 down their personal freeway when they have to swerve around you while you're using the crosswalk. What should be a park for us all to enjoy is for the selfish few with no respect for the health and safety of their neighbors. read more

What does a kid gotta do to get a swing in Dogpatch? Seriously. There are like 3 parks. They are ALL dog parks. While I respect the fact that dogs far outnumber children in this city, kids are HUMANS and should be entitled to safe and fun outdoor play areas where there is grass. 2 swings in place of ONE of the 5 never-used fitness stations. I mean seriously who the F set up this park? A total moron? I saw a children's birthday the other day in Espirit park...all I kept thinking was of all the dogpoop remnants underneath their feet and hands. Happy Second birthday Tyler! We love you so much we had your day on top of feces! A parent said to me the other day as we watched dogs poop ALL over this place (yes it was picked up but once pooped on, its been pooped on yknow?) "I wonder what the reaction would be if we just left our dirty compostable diapers all over the park" One side is leash on? PAHLEASE. Tell me another tall tale. Love humans first. We love back too! And adults like to get their swing on too- I mean it IS a park after all! read more

I have lived in Esprit Park for three years not and while there are many responsible dog owners, I also find there are an equal number of dog owners who are NOT responsible. We spend a great deal of money cleaning up dog crap as well as trying to keep up the landscaping which is being killed off by dog urine. While I love dogs and have been a dog owner, this issue needs to be addressed and there should be an off leash area in the park. We've had agressive off lead dogs who have confronted people on property and honestly it's a law suit in the making. I'd rather have an off leash area in the park so that it sets the precedent that dogs must remain on leash in the area. It's just better for everyone. read more

Esprit park is awesome! Great place to play with your dog. We love taking our corgi to play ball. Even if the park is not fenced-in, Minnesota and Indiana are very quiet streets so it's safe to have dogs off-leash. Best of all, we live two blocks away... the Dogpatch is very cool! http://blog.junbelen.com/2009/11/13/corgi-in-the-dogpatch/ read more

Clean up after your dogs people! And if you must let your dog run around off-leash, make sure that they are well-behaved enough to not get excited and jump on people who have no interest having dirty doggy-paw-prints on their freshly-washed, pimpin' all-white tracksuit. Seriously... such dogs are almost as annoying as owners who don't pick up their doggy poo. Not that I have anything against dogs or dog owners. It's just that a bit of owner and doggy ettiquette goes a long way. read more

this park was redone last year and is a nice spot to hang with your dog. plenty of other pups around. its not officially off leash but most go off leash and the crowd is easy going. lots of lawn, a few picnic tables. a lot of huge redwoods surround the park and are stunning, they also help tp keep the noisse out from the nearby freeway. no playground though so not an ideal place for kids unless you want to hang with the kids and the dogs. read more

Esprit Park - credit: potrerohillsf.com - Parks Near Me - San Francisco, California

I bring my pooch here everyday! He loves mingling with other pups and checking out the "sights". I usually show up between 6:30 and 7 and there is always a good size gathering of both people and dogs. Jax, my 12lb pug-westie mix, loves hanging with the big dogs, but there is always a good mix of small, medium and large dogs. This is a great place to socialize your dog or just to for them to burn off that extra energy. Come prepared with a ball and some treats to lure your pup back home! I think, technically, dogs are supposed to be on-leash all the time here, but no one seems to follow that rule or mind at all! There's also lots of available parking, if you want to drive here :) read more

I love this hidden gem of a park! It's surrounded by trees, so a little hidden from the masses. Great place to bring your Neighbor Bakehouse goods to for a picnic on a weekend morning. It's SUCH a nice change from the madness of Dolores. The dogs are also really cute! read more

I'm so thankful for this little park. There isn't a whole lot of green space in the Dogpatch, and this little park makes all the difference in making sure that our furry one gets a little rec time. There is plenty of street parking nearby and the other humans and dogs are all friendly and laid back. They have a spate of mature trees as well as a beautiful tulip magnolia tree that blooms every February / March. It's not fair to compare Esprit to somewhere like Golden Gate Park as it's a neighborhood park with a neighborhood feel. read more

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There isn't a lot going on at this park which makes it a good place to let your dog run off leash. It isn't fenced but the park is large and there isn't much traffic around. No running water here so bring some for your pooch. I'm giving this park three stars because it could use a few more upgrades (running water, fenced dog run, maybe some kid stuff) and isn't really near anything but if you're a dog lover it is perfect. read more

Friendly, accessible park with ample street parking. There is a nice set of workout equipment around the perimeter of the park. The middle is perfect for picnics or dogs . read more

This is a great park, but it is not an official dog park. Please recognize that for everyone in the community to enjoy our only neighborhood park in Dogpatch, the North meadow only is an off-leash dog area. SF PArk and Rec wanted to ban all off-leash dogs, but our community wants to welcome everyone. So the Dogpatch Neighborhood Association group made up of dog-owners and non-dog owning community members met and established that the north meadow would be designated for off-leash, despite the SF Park and Rec disagreeing, and the south meadow is for people, children and on-leash dogs. Please keep this in mind when you visit and make it a better park for everyone. There are doggie bags on site, so please remember to clean up after your pet. read more

The Dogpatch Neighborhood Association said they "weren't going to do anything about dogs in Esprit" when the sprinklers were renovated, but when the park reopened, Rec & Parks had no idea there were hundreds of neighbors that needed the park for dogs in Dogpatch. They were never against our being there. I know because I stood out on the street and got 500 signatures on a petition, went to Rec & Parks meetings and task force meetings set up by Sophie Maxwell's office to discuss sharing the park. We had been going there 20 years! Folks here are reviewing Esprit Park, but actually "Friends of Esprit Park" is a group that stood against the much larger group of neighbors who wanted to continue taking their dogs to the park. The group I founded, Dogpatch Dogs, made an agreement with the "Friends of Esprit" and the Dogpatch Neighborhood Association but the Dog Advisory Committee (of Rec & Parks) had disbanded by then. We're cool with that. For well over a year after that, opponents admitted there was 99% compliance with people keeping dogs on one side of the park but the folks that didn't want dogs there never showed up and the other side of the park remained empty. Since they wouldn't allow us to put up any bushes or a fence as a divider, eventually people started taking their dogs into the empty meadow. It's a good thing since HUNDREDS of new dog people moved into the neighborhood with their dogs, many in the building next door, and we need more space than we originally offered to limit ourselves to ... most of us prefer not to be on official dog play area maps since the park is already full with neighbors. Plus new non-dog parks are being created nearby for the folks that never came so hopefully they'll be happy. Dogpatch Dogs has an enormous membership list, much larger than the other neighborhood groups, but we did our best to share. read more

This is 100% a dog park but I like that. It's an awesome place for our dogs to run around and play. Most people are responsible and clean up after their dogs. There are always a few bad apples but almost everyone I've met takes great care of the park and is friendly. People that want to treat it as a park to hang out with their kids should and can hang out there, but recognize its a dog park first and foremost. :) thanks all for being such great community members! Let's continue to be friendly and responsible, :) read more

We visit this park everyday and enjoy both the even tempered dogs and their friendly owners. I have never seen a dog owner not pick up after their dog and many pick up others' dog poop. The social outlet is great for all. read more

First off, it doesn't matter which dog park you go to. There is always going to be irresponsible owners that pop up here and there. Whether you're here at Esprit Park or down in the peninsula at Seal Point or even at Crissy Fields. So someone giving a poor review based on that is just silly. Some old dude, who was blasted out of his mind, was harassing patrons here just this weekend. S*&t happens. Every time I've been here, its been awesome. The dog owners are friendly and so are their dogs. Its not a true dog park so dog owners do have to show some respect to people who go there to play frisbee, to picnic or to lay in the sun to tan. Being that its not a true dog park, there are no fences so be cautious to keep your dog close if he/she tends to wander because I have seen dogs run into the streets. Thankfully, its not a high traffic area. read more

From what I could see as I drove around and around and around and around, it looks very pretty and well maintained. I usually have amazing 'parking karma' but I have attempted to go this park 3 different times, and could not find a parking place. On one occasion, there was a HUGE U-Haul Truck taking up 2.5 - 3 spaces and another big commercial vehicle. Yes, I also drove 2 blocks from park to locate a spot without success. 3 stars for what looks like a great little park for my pooches, and a minus 1 for parking anywhere nearby the park. I'll pass on this one... read more

The park is usually clean and well kept! Lots of kids and dogs. During the middle of the day there aren't many people here which is nice. The only reason I gave it 4 and not 5 stars is more for the dog owners than the park. Lots of people being their dogs here and no one uses leashes so when I bring my "not so friendly" dogo Argentino for a stroll around the park lots of people's dogs will run up to us without the owners even paying attention so I just try to avoid it during high traffic times. read more

This used to be a fantastic spot to take your dogs. As other Yelpers mentioned, it's safe and friendly to off-leash play (and has been that way for years). But as of today, they are cracking down on the leash laws and ticketing anyone who lets their dog play here. I wrote a letter to the SF Recreation and Parks Department requesting an official off-leash area be set aside in Esprit, but it's going to take everyone banding together. Write letters to SF Recreation and Parks Department / 501 Stanyan St / SF, CA 94117 if you want to do something about it, or if you're lazy, just message me to sign my letter. (How's that for a useful Yelp?) read more

great park to throw a football around.. lay out.. walk your dog.. or get a lil workout with the cool bars and exercises that surround the small park i def layed out there this wknd read more

Not the most well kept or comfortable park, but large and important respite in the neighborhood.

Esprit is not an off leash dog park, and I know people who have been cited for not having their dogs on leash, its a $200 ticket. Not worth it, with so many other parks in the city to go to. read more

I love Esprit Park and walk my dogs leashed there every day. The increasing problem I find are off leash dog owners who walk the path surrounding the grassy fields with their dogs way ahead of or way behind them, and also off leash dogs who charge my dogs on the path from the grassy area with their owners generally on cellphones. My dogs are small rescues and do fine if I keep them at a distance from other dogs and can successfully meet other dogs who are also leased, but get overwhelmed easily by off leashed dogs who approach too playfully or even aggressively. There are signs around the park illustrating that a leash is to be used in the park, and dog owners seem to give this no regard. I wish we could have an off leash section of the park and the rest on leash. Thanks to Parks and Recreation for keeping it so tidy! read more

Great dog park for San Francisco. The park has great green space and is very pet friendly. People even donate poop bags and have bottled water for the dogs. read more