Friends Bar

This is a fantastic Irish bar in the West Portal area. I was riding my scooter in the area looking…read moreat apartments for rent and to kill time before going to the next area, I decided it best to peruse West Portal as I have about a hr til the next appointment. This is definitely a spot I would frequent regularly if I move into this area, service is great and the vibe is chill.

It's a really nice Irish pub with great drinks and great service. It's a nice place to relax with…read moresome drinks.

Small area in back for a small group.

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Brunch time?

Philosopher's Club

3.9(164 reviews)

1.1 mi•West Portal

Dive bar? Inexpensive drinks?…read more This place is pretty cool if you reside in the area...I don't think I'd go out of my way to go here by any means, but that's not an insult. This is a typical SF dive bar with a pool table. Service was great, ambiance wasn't too bad either. Their patio looks nice too, would be great with a group.

Went there with the girls while waiting for our table up the street for Thai food. I visit to the…read moreMainland couple times a year. While we always love dive bars usually like Li PO, when it was opened Broken Record, this place was dead empty. No vibe. It was Wednesday night. Drinks were mediocre to did I just spend that on this!!!! We tried to talk to the bar dude to ask where else we could go after dinner, since we aren't from around here. He cold shouldered us. Maybe we weren't their type of customers. We ended up walking to this Irish bar after dinner across the street, they told us about bars Riptide, White cap. If you're waiting for Thai food like us, just go to that Irish bar across the street next to the Mexican place. They make really good Irish coffees.

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Karl’s Beacon

4.3(70 reviews)

2.0 mi•Parkside

Great drinks and food! And TVs a plenty to serve your needs. And the bartenders are great too! Plan…read moreto watch your next sporting event here.

Stopped by with my husband a while ago and the Long Island was great but the bartender seemed…read morealmost annoyed and passive aggressive with my husband after they didn't have what he wanted, so he got a water instead. It was almost like he was upset my husband didn't ask for another kind of drink haha! My husband doesn't drink much, he just wanted to come along with me anyways. I downed my drink and we left pretty quick. The inside of the bar was pretty nice, though! Lots of seats and they even have food but the kitchen was closed when we arrived.

Photo 3: Bar

Pork cutlet sandwich

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The Piggy Cheesesteak

Foghorn Taproom

4.0(130 reviews)

2.4 mi•Inner Sunset

This place is legit. Excellent chicken sandwiches and the…read moreloaded fries aren't "light" but they are certainly filling and flavorful. The servers are welcoming and wonderful and on weekdays there are usually a few high tops and outdoor tables available for a quick, comfy bite and drinks. While I'm not drinking these days, I do appreciate the long and ample beer list with local faves recently including a "Chillsner" which is both a convenient moniker and a beautiful dad-joke. Great spot and handy that there are a couple more locations around the city too.

Team Flats. All day,…read moreevery day. I will kick off my flip flops to defend this. At Foghorn, you have the option to go all flats or all drummettes but what makes this a 5 star business? * Open all day for those who eat at odd hours like at 3 pm. * Shout out to Mary Grace for the wonderful hospitality. She was friendly, warm, and attentive, anticipating our needs by providing takeout containers, bags, and even a small bag for our leftover sauces. She also offered my doggies water. * Over a dozen wing flavors: Buffalo, Nashville Hot, BBQ, Dry Spice, Ghost Glaze, Jamaican Jerk, Pineapple Basil, Honey Crunch, General Tso's, and more. Wings come in set of five for $9.50, +$1 if you want all flats or all drummettes. - We ordered Pineapple Basil, Nashville Hot, Jamaican Jerk, and General Tso's ($9.50 x4) - wings were hot, crunchy, and juicy with the pineapple basil (sweet, herbaceous) and nashville hot (a creeper) being the favs. - Don't sleep on the sides! The fries ($6) were golden and crunchy with a light, fluffy interior, and the coleslaw ($5) was fresh and crisp, tossed in a bright, tangy vinaigrette. * Wings Wednesdays (5 pm - 6 pm): 50 cent wings w/ purchase of a drink. Wings come as a set of five with 10 wings max per drink order. * Not a beer drinker? They have low abv cocktails made from low proof vodka, tequila, etc. Not the usual sweet wine, sherry, or vermouth. * TVs to watch the game with hip hop bumping in the background. * Dog-friendly!

0.9 mi•Mission Terrace, Outer Mission, Excelsior

New set up

Mediterranean Wrap, Brussel sprouts

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Recovery Room

4.4(72 reviews)

Great neighborhood bar to stop by when you want to have a drink and hangout! The bartenders are…read moregreat and the food is awesome, there Taco Tuesdays were delicious and i'm assuming its still going on, I just haven't been on a Tuesday in a while. They have Tv's to watch sports or if you just want to decompress, enjoy a beer with your local neighbors, this is the place to be!

The name alone was the reason I wanted to check this place out when it first opened. formerly known…read moreas Pissed Off Pete's and then bought out by the co-owner of the (now closed and conveniently located) Last Stop in Daly City where the Muni 14 Mission bus terminates, Recovery Room is a pet-friendly, laid back dive with a great selection of draft and bottled beers, some cocktails and large flat-screens above the bar area that makes it an ideal spot to catch a game or 3. some memorable personal encounters of mine thru the years include members of the Mongolian national (?) basketball team hanging out and being drunkenly invited by some hella friendly Samoans and Tongans to a biannual picnic at Candlestick Point. there's a back kitchen that dishes out wings, some of the thickest and juiciest burgers around (with plenty of choices for toppings) as well as hot sandwiches that include pastrami and turkey. every once in a while, they'll also feature live music/bands. I think there's even a karaoke night, to boot. though I still miss the Last Stop, Recovery Room has nicely filled in its absence and continues to be one of my favorite bars in this part (Excelsior District) of town.

Inside w/plenty of TV's

Delicious pastrami sandwich.

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Vodka soda

O'Brien's Irish Pub

4.5(129 reviews)

2.3 mi•Parkside

Locally owned & operated

Sports on TV

Great food drinks and service. We come here whenever we are visiting SF to see family. Rebecca…read morealways takes great care of us

Go! The food here is good…read more It's pretty low key place with people just hanging out with friends. Unlike most bars and pubs, they are well lit and spacious. The bathrooms are clean. There's a room where you can host a party/gathering at. Their mushy peas has an interesting texture. I don't normally like peas, but ate about half of the serving. Fish & chips was a good portion. Chips are done nicely. Fish was perfectly fried. Crispy on the outside with tender inside. Bangers and mash came with green beans and mushroom gravy. The dish was quite rich and tasty.

Buffalo Wings

Fried Fish Tacos

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Grilled Salmon

Underdogs Too

4.0(599 reviews)

3.2 mi•Parkside

Great restaurant in this prime location near the beach…read more Food was good and price is fair. Staff is nice and attentive. It's nice they have a pick up/to-go ordering window on the side because sometimes going into a restaurant to pick up your order when it's packed is not fun. So glad their second location is here in the Sunset. There seems to be always a crowd here so that's a good thing. I hope this business thrives. I will be back again soon with my family and friends.

Tried a few of their tacos and cheeseburger burrito to go and would have to say I didn't find…read moreanything special. The hamburger burrito was disappointing, although unique to include fries inside the burrito, the meat didn't taste anything like a cheeseburger to me. The fish taco was decently fried but the fish lacked flavor. The shrimp taco was average and so were the street tacos. The salsa and crunchy tortilla chips weren't bad though!

Cadillac margarita

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The Four Deuces

4.2(113 reviews)

2.5 mi•Parkside

Quality/Quantity - Our local neighborhood bar. Indoor and outdoor seating (smoking)…read more Today it looked like every one went out front to smoke, I did not check to see if the back was closed. My buddy is a regular and knows the team that works here. This has been our go to place when I visit. Beers on tap, full bar, cocktail program, etc. Pool, darts, etc. Events - Bands, live music, etc. Happy hour available. But we always meet late at night as he is just too busy during the day and still has young kids. Atmosphere - Decent size neighborhood bar. Full bar, cocktails, wine, beer, etc. Quiet for a Friday night, which suits me just fine; actually, I prefer it that way. Open 7 days a week from noon till 2am, and we closed the bar, as usual (Yelp hours differ slightly). Events - See their website. Dart league, pool league, etc. Service - Good, not sure if she recognized me as a "regular" or because my buddy who is a regular and showed up later. Always able to open a tab or pay as you go. FYI - Free BBQ on select Sundays and munchies on select nights. Price - $80 + generous tip. Yes, we drink a lot. And could have even drank more. Actually very reasonably priced for SF, considering how many drinks we got today. Just noticed that I can buy pitchers?!?! That might save me a few $$ in the future, lol. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 2013; we have been day one customers. And will still continue to be.

This was the first bars I went to in the Outer Sunset and, years later, it remains one of my…read morefavorites. It cozy with darts, pool, and good, affordable drinks. But the real draw is the amazing community and bartenders. They make it feel like home. We've made great neighborhood friends and the bartenders, Marcus, Margarite, and Betty, have always made us feel so welcome.

5/8/25 FYI. Going to be a good night. Lol.

5/8/25 FYI. Men's room.

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2/20/26 FYI. Henhouse draft

Foghorn Taproom

4.2(229 reviews)

3.3 mi•Inner Richmond

BEST FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH!!!…read more I still remember the first time I had it... I like mine with buffalo sauce instead of the Nashville hot. Fries are hot and crispy, tenders huge, & wings super flavorful! Great service and the ambiance brings all the vibes, especially during football & basketball season. Highly recommend & one of the best spots in Balboa!

A very good hot chicken sandwich

Vegetable Skewers

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Pilsner

The Dubliner

3.9(153 reviews)

1.3 mi•West Portal

This bar is pretty cool, I had just gone from the philosophers club on a Friday night and was…read morelooking for a more lively place with a crowd closer to my age or so. This seemed to be the place, the bartenders were attentive and the drinks weren't overpriced, at least what I had wasn't. 1 of the bartenders did a shot with me which was fun. And this place is right across from the muni station, which is super convenient. This is going to be my go to place when I want to go out nearby.

I was looking for food but they do not serve food . The bartender was really nice he was helpful…read more The place was nice and the decor was really interesting. Lots of pictures and collections.

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Open 7pm during Christmas

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12 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Doug R.

12 years ago

I consider myself a regular to Friends Bar. To all of our friendly neighbors and friends this post does not apply. This is directed to Jay N. I have never met you. As you mentioned in your review you have visited Friends before without incident. Meaning, your previous experiences warranted continued visits. This is good. But, as I read your review of your last visit I became very concerned about your disturbing account of "being followed to the bathroom." Friends Bar is a small neighborhood dive bar. It has one toilet assigned to each sex (Women/Men). They get used often. It is not uncommon for people to knock and verify that the rooms are occupied. It is no wonder that you didn't have the particular privacy that you apparently demand. But to take that to the paranoid level of thinking you were being "followed" is bordering on Narcissism. I, for one, am glad you will not be visiting Friends again, because it is people like you who post a misinterpreted reality that makes all the rest of us so uncomfortable to visit new places. read more

Diego E P P.

3 years ago

This sports bar is legit! It's cozy and welcoming, with a great selection of drinks and specialty cocktails. They've got plenty of entertainment options too - from the internet jukebox to the big screen TVs playing all the sports games. But my favorite part of this spot has to be the smoking patio - it's the perfect place to relax and enjoy some tasty BBQ with friends. All in all, this sports bar is a must-visit. read more

Lucille P.

12 years ago

Definitely a dive bar with pool table and a couch. Good selection of booze and they just need to work on the lady who is bar tending. This place probably been around for years and have a steady of clients. Got my 2 big Daddy on draft and I'm good til Monday yo! read more

Rodo A.

9 years ago

I enjoy coming to Friends because I know it sounds like a cliche but everybody does know your name here. It's a nice neighborhood bar with that neighborhood feel. Stop by relax and enjoy a cold Lagunitas on draft. read more

Valentino R.

12 years ago

Best place to have a drink, make new friends and enjoy great conversation. Great patio outback. Just a great local bar. Will be back again.

John T.

3 years ago

The name says it all, I've only been here a few times but all the regulars are very welcoming. Classic dive bar in the area

Dmitry V.

5 years ago

The place is awesome, with it's fantastic staff and the owners, and a great crowd. It was great to spend a night there!

Ben C.

5 years ago

I love this bar! Very welcoming and Rudy is the best bartender I've ever met! 10/10 would recommend

Ester B.

8 years ago

best place in town to watch the cats and grab a beer

Andrea C.

236

14 years ago

Great place!! Great people! Good prices!!

Patrick S.

Elite 24

1683

13 years ago

Decent little dive bar.

Maurine F.

15 years ago

Love it.

Friends Bar - sportsbars - Updated October 2026

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Grandma's Saloon

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St Marys Pub

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Definitely the best time I've had in San Francisco this far!!…read more I'm a San Joaquin County native born and raised. Visiting the city is always a privilege and adventure. This occasion I was blessed with free Giants tickets so we went. After the game we cruised and the ladies had to use the restroom. So we decided to stop here. Looked like a cool dive. Upon arriving we revieved smiles and greetings from the patrons smoking, we felt comfortable. As I led my two friends in I was greeted by John, the bartender. My friends went to handle business and I ordered my drink and he offered the usual garnish that compliments it. I take it plain tho so I said no. We began talking about the neighborhood then felt part of it. It was around 1130 and you can feel the vibe of guests enjoying the atmosphere. Red leather button top booths reminded me of Cadillacs or an elegant lounge. Before you know it, our rest stop becomes 2 drinks a piece. Asking ourselves, "are u sure you're ready to go?.. ok one more." Definitely a cool spot to accidentally run in to. Thanks John. Post Scriptum.. the music was very San Francisco and they took pride in it. You're a great DJ John! Thanks, we will be back! Also posted on google! enothehero209@gmail.com

One of my favorite dive bars in the city and they are well known for their Bloody Marys. In a span…read moreof an hour, I tried four of their Bloody Marys and I enjoyed all of them but I will rank them as follows: 1. Southwest Bloody Mary: I saw this all over Reddit and it is their best on the menu. The heat is perfect and the chipotle is a good twist. The smokiness was nice 2. Saint Mary Bloody Mary: the classic Bloody Mary and the kick is just right 3. Bloody Maria: tequila with Bloody Mary is not traditional but the tequila gives it a different kind of spice 4. Japanese Mary: I love wasabi but wasabi and tomato is surprisingly really good. I just preferred the other ones better Also, the service and ambiance is really cool here. The bartenders are really nice and welcoming and there's a reason why there are many regulars. I also love that it has the dive bar feel but it's clean! Would come here again for other drinks

Miraloma Club

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Small dive bar in the miraloma park neighborhood, bartender Christine/a. Is insufferable, You cant…read morehave a drink without being berated by her politics . if you disagree with her, she will just accuse you of drinking prior to walking in. It's her signature move. The other bartenders are nice , just don't go when Christine/a is working - she's very adamant about being anti law enforcement and anti veteran , God forbid you have your own opinion or served your country .... I've gone here a few times since moving back to SF & the Miraloma club is the type of place you pop into have a drink and then get out of there. They've had a few issues in the last year of people driving cars through the building(accidents/mishaps) so watch your back! They have a surprisingly decent pool table- The bar is cash only ! ATM is 50/50 (half the time you get your money half the time it doesn't work) Either way It's a good place to grab a quick drink, but I would not refer or recommend anyone to come to this place! Save your money and go to West portal if you are on this side of the city

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