Great bookshop in the heart of the Mission, with something for everyone! In addition to their generous selection of English-language fiction and literature, they also feature a fairly extensive Spanish-language section. Each genre features both new and used books, so you can find a good read within your budget; YA + children's books, too! Staff are friendly, allow you to browse as long as you like, & are glad to answer any questions you may have. A large space in the back of the store is also designated for literary and community events. If you are in the area, I highly recommend checking out this bookshop. read more

This place has an really interesting and curated selection of books, zines, and a few other cool unexpected things like records and typewriters. They have some neat art and music events from time to time in a good size space in the back. It's a great place and fun thing to have in the neighborhood. read more

Medicine for Nightmares is all you want in a bookstore. The proprietors are quite knowledgeable, and dedicated to building an artful community. The books are mostly a high brow selection with a lefty intellectual bent. Browsing is a pleasure. Buying some book-friends and cozying up with them will get you through the night. read more

Support Independent Bookstores! They are a valuable resource. This bookstore has been our local favorite ever since Alley Cat Books had the building. The current owners hosted our nephew's High School Spoken Word event, inside the rear gallery/event space. That being said, it is sad to report that the current manager/owners are rude. It's a very passive-aggressive type of rude. They seem to not want to talk to customers. Any eye contact is the evil-eye variety that reads: "what are YOU doing here?" I felt like I'd crashed a party where the hosts were angry at me just for showing up, and trying to get me to leave ASAP. Recently, I was paying at the register, and I attempted a friendly comment on the jazz record they were playing ("Charles Mingus, right? He's the coolest!"). No response; 50-yard stare like I wasn't even there. Gimme your money and leave. Too bad, because it's a great space, good selection of new/used books. But I'd feel gross handing over any more of my hard-earned money. read more

Wonderful evening events calendar and a beautiful collection of books. Youll find contemporary politics, philosophy, poetry, and an unusually strong Spanish language collection. Incredibly sweet people- so generous with the space for all kinds of author readings, chess clubs, writing groups. Lovely people read more

This establishment prides itself as a "community friendly" space yet I, a Latina native San Franciscan was not greeted kindly in this store. They are in a predominately Latino neighborhood yet I felt judged in there. Probably performative activists that work here but I'd rather give my money to a large corp where at least their friendly with me than this independent bookstore. read more

What a vibe upon entering this space ! This is a great local and independent black/brown business that specializes in books that speak to the community that it serves. There is also a performance space and piano with local activities happening all the time. read more

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I've been wanting to check out this independent book store for a while now, and recently also learned that they do live music and other events here as well. During our visit on Christmas eve (yes they are open their regular hours on this day), we got to browse through their selection of books and other items (ie. old typewriters, music records, and miscellaneous prints), as well as view the artwork on the walls of the gallery at the back of the store. There were a lot of great pieces throughout the shop that we got to explore, and pretty diverse collection of new and used books. We ended up purchasing a book by Henry Rollins, a musician and philosopher, and one of my bf's inspirations. They also have a box of books out front that are free to the public. The worker who helped us provided great customer service, and even told us about an art alleyway across the street that may be worth checking out. Of course, that's where we ended up after our visit to Medicine for Nightmares. read more

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The owner is very rude and dismissive!! Unwelcoming environment, especially for this to be for community. Brushed off when trying to talk to the owner. Unsupportive and down right hostile attitude to new and up-incoming authors and customers, if you're looking to sell your books or art here, DONT! read more

I love this indie bookstore. I find something interesting and unique and from voices that don't get enough attention every time I'm here. I'm happy to keep adding to my book collection with items from here. read more

Disappointing experience. The owner/manager was incredibly rude and unprofessional, and that attitude clearly reflects in the staff. No one seemed to want to be there or help. There are plenty of other places that actually value their customers--won't be back. read more

Mask still required. Friendly staff. Has an interesting book selection. I think most of the books I saw were in Spanish. Dogs are allowed. read more

** The following review reflects my experience prior to the shelter-in-place order currently in effect. ** Not only Amazon and the online booksellers but now COVID-19 has clearly hammered the traditional bookstore concept where the idea of tactile perusing and thoughtful reading have been jettisoned in favor of a purely digital experience. I only discovered Alley Cat just weeks before shelter-in-place orders were put in place, and I was pleasantly surprised how spacious it was. You can't tell from the storefront on 24th that there's a huge community space in the back with a local art gallery and presumably room for personal readings. The book selection was quite well and blessedly diverse with an especially large section devoted to the LGBTQ community (photo: https://bit.ly/3emVS8S). I look forward to returning to this indie store when the coast is clear. RELATED - Browsing for bookstores? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2Hteupo read more

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Staff were very rude. Will not be coming back. It is a cute bookstore though! Just get rid of the guy with the curly hair. Horrible attitude. read more

Interesting bookstore with some unusual selections. I like that they require everyone to wear a mask. But I don't like that the proprietor and a friend sit right outside the front door smoking cigarettes. The entire bookstore was inundated with cigarette smoke. read more

Recommend this spot for selling used books! They offered fair prices and took a good variety of books. They're one of the few books stores who are still purchasing during shelter in place/COVID (Dogeared Books is our other spot where we typically sell used books, but they're not buying right now) read more

This gem of a bookshop deserves its spot on 24th and I hope they continue to get good business. Whenever I need to buy a book, I try to make sure I check with them before ordering it online just to make sure they get a chance at the revenue. If they don't have it in stock, they'll order it for you and call when it's arrived! Being bilingual, I highly appreciate their strong selection of books in Spanish. Compared to most stores, they're top notch. The reality is it's probably only 20% of their stock, but that's still way better than most bookstores which would be more likely to carry a fifth the amount (and the exact same stuff that every other store has!). My only critique is that they would really benefit from a searchable inventory for their website (or even for their front desk). Their team is good at generally knowing what's going to be on the shelves and in stock, but it's hard to know sometimes where to look if I want something more obscure or a book that's unknown to the employee. Comforting to step in here and browse the shelves to kill a half hour. It always ends up costing me because I can't resist bringing something home, but hey, I also like supporting them. Go on in! read more

This is a very cute bookstore! Haha. I loved it! Our bookseller was so helpful! I wish I got his name. He told us he loves poetry! Neato! He was very honest on why he choose only 1 book out of the 15 books we brought in to trade which I found very enlightening (our books were outdated 1675 American Law proceedings and how to draw a potato, haha. Jk. I don't blame him). I loved the warm ambience of this bookshop. It feels like you can just sit at the corner and read all day. read more

Medicine for Nightmares - Bookstores Near Me - San Francisco, California

I think independent book stores are great. This is a fantastic example. The art on the walls, however, captured my attention more than the books. I wasn't a huge fan of what was displayed in the gallery when we were there, but the masks on the wall were somewhat mesmerizing. I loved all the different, well marked sections. I spent time with the cooking and music books. It was easy to browse and not get bored. read more

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Great bookstore that hosts community events. Fantastic selection with welcoming vibe.

I've always walked past this bookstore, but never went in. Today I visited first-time & it was such a pleasant surprise!!! - Favorite thing is that they have a collection of illustrated books. Some brands produced books of different historical figures/ celebrities using modern-style illustration. And each book was drawn by a different illustrator! So they come in different styles but of the same theme. I love the collections! - Also very unique about this store, is the gallery space in the back. There are plenty of paintings, artworks hung on the wall, along with tables kids can sit around to read. I find the design very thoughtful and engaging. - Adding to my first point, just with Frida the artist, I found about 4 different illustrated books by different authors, each portrayed Frida uniquely. Great variety & great place to get some creative juice. - Happy discovery, will come back soon. read more

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I'm happy I stumbled upon this place. What a great neighborhood bookstore. It has a warm, artsy atmosphere without being pretentious. I'll be back. read more

This is in my neighborhood- so lucky to have one when they are dying breed. There is a bit of an attitude from people who own/ work here. It's snotty. Every time I go in there it's pretentious- i San Franciscolandia. It's so tiresome to experience this as a S.F. native and older person. I had bought a hard bound book here and left it/ lost it on Muni in my way to work . Wanted to buy a paperback version and I knew it was out. I preferred to purchase it at a local store instead of Amazon- Walmart- target. Asked the woman behind the counter if they had a copy in paperback- this person is always there when I go in. She looked on the computer: " This is not out in paperback yet " she said. which is not true- it is online/ someone I know ordered it. "What you saw that someone else ordered must have been a special release" She didn't offer to order it for me. I could have ordered it through this bookstore instead of a large corporation. I will go out of the neighborhood to city lights - support who supports you and treats you with honesty and respect. read more

The vibe in this store is amazing, from the moment you walk in, the energy just flows. There is a great selection, and the different sections captivate your attention so well. I look forward to checking out some of the live events that they have on weekends. read more

I found this place while browsing the mission district. Their anti-trump sign caught my eye, so I popped in here to check it out. What can I say? I loved the selections! I found some Philip K. Dick books here from The man in the high castle to Divine Invasion. They seemed to have the collection. Lots of fascinating novels, and strange and interesting books! I gravitate to this, as I myself am strange and unusual. This type of store is right up my alley. read more

Medicine for Nightmares - Bookstores Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Extremely overpriced and mediocre used books. Not even a good selection. Staff was very unfriendly. A huge waste of space in what was before a solid bookstore when it was alley cat. read more

Such a marvelous bookstore. Alley Cat hosts one of my favorite reading series, one I have been fortunate enough to be featured in, "Voz Sin Tinta." The staff is friendly and easy to talk to when looking for books. They have a restroom, which is incredibly rare, especially for a bookstore in the Mission. There's plenty of sitting room and it's quiet when they aren't hosting an event. read more

Medicine for Nightmares - Bookstores Near Me - San Francisco, California

Alley Cat books sells new and barely used books. the ambience here resembles Shakespeare books, berkeley, albeit with more room and lighting. one can browse here without bumping into another fellow browser. everything is categorized, sections easy to find. store architecture resembles a former house. store has depth, lots of books available to explore. . finds: howard zinn, "the twentieth century: a people's history"(9) loose leafs: -parking issue can be resolved by checking side streets for free parking. read more

I really like this place. It has a ton of really interesting books, they play great music, and it has an interesting vibe overall. Reminds me of a lot of places that don't exist anymore. But I walked in and it looks like they demand masks. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem, but they couldn't even be bothered to ask us. Instead, they were just rude about it. Not coming back here. read more

Great little bookstore for used and new books. If they don't have something in the store, they are happy to order it for you. Along with books, they also sell a good assortment of unique greeting cards. In the back, there is a children's section with delightful little sticker books of snakes, dinosaurs, fish - you name it, they've got it! I bought a few that I've tucked into my purse as new entertainment for my little one when we're out at a restaurant. There's a large area in the back of the store used for book readings and other events. Love that this store is here and will be coming back often to support it! read more

I love the smell of a bookstore, books, paper notebooks, pencils etc. You get the point. This is such a cute & hip bookstore. The setup is great, easy on the eyes, and the decor is lovely. They have magazines, really interesting ones, in the back! Check this bookstore out! read more

I've picked up a few great reads here that I never would've heard of otherwise had I not dropped in. Helpful, friendly and (based on this photo) witty staff. Thanks! read more

Medicine for Nightmares - Bookstores Near Me - San Francisco, California

What a neat independent bookstore! There's two parts to the store: the actual bookstore and a tiny art gallery with seating at the back of the store. In honor of Frida Khalo's birthday, the gallery was dedicated to images of Khalo. Super creative way to display local talent. As for the bookstore section, Alley Cat has a huge selection ranging from classics to the latest releases. I especially enjoyed the range of books they had in their sociology/feminist/race theory sections. I spent about an hour sitting in the gallery reading Claudia Rankine's "Citizen" and wasn't disturbed by any employees. There's a lot of character to the store which makes it an experience every time you visit. read more

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This review will be short as I didn't spend a tremendous amount of time in the store. That being said, the bookstore was well organized and had a great selection. I was able to find a full five-piece series, and all of the books were in wonderful condition and were at a great price. The clerk at the front of the store was pleasant and fun to interact with; he seemed tickled that I'd found something I liked. I hope this business continues to do well as I love the decoration, the feel, and especially the books they offer. Hope I get to come back soon! read more

Here, it's about the atmosphere and the antiquated ambiance. Behold Michael Roman's Mesoamerican-inspired pop art. Check out the ethnographic masks. This place does a great job of capturing the Mission ethos of a stale, worn and vibrant library effusing years of involvement with the Mission's trove of cultural value. And of course, I like to hang around the magazines and to look at the staff picks. read more

After growing up with Powell's in Portland, I had a lot of trouble being impressed with bookstores that are smaller than a city block and fewer than three stories high. Alley Cat Books is the first bookstore that taught me that one doesn't need an acre of space to be a great bookstore. They have an impressive selection of books and they fit it into a store the size of a regular city shop. I've walked in, skeptical that I'd be able to find a book, and not only did they have a copy, it was at a decent price too! They also have nice themed book displays that I enjoy browsing. Tables of books sometimes sit out on the sidewalk on 24th. In the back of the store is the Alley Cat Gallery, and an open space for things like bilingual poetry readings and drawing classes. read more

Medicine for Nightmares - Bookstores Near Me - San Francisco, California

Lovely shop. Amazing place to spend the day browsing through book after book. The staff are extremely helpful and provide great assistant the moment any one requires. It's a very warm and cozy place yet plenty of space to move between shelves. There's also a good variety of new and used books. Well priced on a majority of the items. Very casual environment, plenty of room to sit in a quiet place, lets you slow down on a busy day. I love supporting any local business, but there's a special place in my heart for book stores! You absolutely should make a visit! read more

Cool little bookstore that has a nice selection of new and used merch. The only thing that prevented a five-star rating is the cashier that made it seem like I was bothering him by making a purchase. I love the homey feel of this bookstore. It's a lot nicer to be in than the big chain bookstores that cater mostly to the latté-loving masses. read more

Medicine for Nightmares - Bookstores Near Me - San Francisco, California

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I loved stumbling into this bookstore! Interesting selection of books and people shopping. I found some amazing notebooks that are thin and have graph paper. They were well priced so I stocked up. I had to wait in line for a few minutes because the person in front of me was talking to the cashier casually. I didn't mind, it added to the experience of shopping in a local neighborhood shop. read more

I love neighborhood book stores. Plus, my daughter and I always find a good read. Favourite place to spend some quality time is always a book store and in this neighborhood Ally Cat Books is that place. read more

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