Sometimes when I get out I get WAY out! The Riptide is so close to the beach that you can hear the friggin' Waves! WHOA! THE PLACE HAS SOME AWESOME DJs! the place is small and quaint. the drinks are standard. the dudes are dull, the babes are better than you would think. I have rocked and sexed tin this club and you could too if you knew what you were doing! read more

Bingo Saturdays are the shizz. Love their drink specials and honestly some of the friendliest staff I have ever met at a bar, and in general. This place can be a real turn off if you're parochial and only drink high-end vodkas and spirits. Lots of a beer on tap. Lots of interesting drink concoctions like coffee flavored vodka and baileys, as a shooter. Absolutely tasty and for only 6 bucks, it sure gives you a kick! I don't know what else to say but this place is just so down to earth and so welcoming that it makes me want to come here everyday so I too, can become a regular. I am by no means a regular to this place, but I will say that my first time here, they treated me as one. They were welcoming, not judgmental, as I was- for sure -the ONLY Asian in this place, and just down right a fun bunch of people. What other place gives you free Jell-O shots during Bingo when the coveted O-69 gets called? What other place have regulars that bring in food for the whole bar to eat? And what other bar at times has bacon flavored popcorn? I give the Riptide 5 stars, for all of the above. read more

This might be the coolest bar in the city (Shhhhh!!! don't tell anyone i said that) Once inside you could be in the midwest for all you know. taxidermy (moosehead that was drooling mistletoe for the holidays), good music, cozy fireplace, cute surfer boys, friendly bartenders (free drink on my birthday). first time i went here i definitely got looks like i was from outta town. i like that. read more

Enough ambiance, funky mix of folks from all over the place, cute chicks and young guys to ogle and be ogled - and a killer long island iced tea. Also, indian food/? pizza place next door. And I thought Outer Sunset don't got no class.! read more

I am conflicted. I really like Riptide. I like that its a dive, that they allow dogs, a good juke box, that they have cheap good beer and friendly bartenders. I really liked Bingo Saturdays, with a good friendly crowd that was there to chill and play with a beer. Then I started noticing more and more people coming to Saturday Bingo, and I thought, ok, that's cool, you know, bigger bingo pot, more energy. Then I noticed that many of the new people were rude, annoying, with drunk ex frat boys and hipsters or hipster wannabes to boot. Honestly, after this last Saturday, I think I'm going to take a break from Riptide. This Saturday reminded me of those annoying bars in the Mission and in the Haight that are super pretentious and where irony is a fashion requirement. I know that this Saturday crowd swell may be good for the Riptide in the short run in terms of income, but they could end up loosing some loyal customers who go there to chill, have a beer, and play the occasional game of bingo. read more

The bar itself is great--good bartenders, pretty decent space, etc. But as for the crowd... well, imagine if all the popular kids from high school realized one day that they were washed up and decided to trade in their Abercrombie for flannel. Fipsters? Brosters? Brewsters? Basically, bros who have decided to pretend to be hipsters (without giving up their baseball caps or bench-presses) going to hit on girls who walked into Forever 21 looking for anything they could get their hands on with black and white horizontal stripes. Which is fine, but my friend and I felt really out of place. It's okay. Earlier in the evening (like, before 11:15, before it got really crowded) it was actually pretty good. Oh, also, watch out for the creepy older men. Really, it's high school with a creepy faculty. read more

I dislike this place but the extra star is for the Shaun White look-a-like jumping off of barstools. All of the guys here were meh and we took off after one drink. Thank you outer sunset for reminding me why rents are so cheap out here. There's nothing to do. read more

Cool little hokey spot way out there in the Outer Sunset. It'll just be packed with locals wearing plaid flannel shirts and blue jeans on any given weekend night. They seem to be pretty chill, when I went there was a group at a table who straight up just brought a bag of Trader Joes chips, dip, and cookies to snack on while they drank and watched the bluegrass band play. The decor and ambiance of this place makes you feel like you're in some Alaskan hunter's watering hole. Totally out of place in a city like SF yet at the same time.. expected. Pretty standard beers on tap, but hey they had Lagunitas IPA so I was happy. I was the only Asian guy in the entire bar when I went, so that was new. read more

I love this place. If you're unfortunate enough to be all the way out here, forget about your misfortune in this warm and cozy bar which pours their drinks stiff to keep you there. read more

Cool bar, dope vibes and Jean is a super nice bartender that's light weight famous! Will definitely be back for Karaoke fun!

After work this comfortable and unassuming bar offers cheap pints, friendly dogs, a happenin' music selection in the juke box, smiling bartenders, and Connect Four. Really, think about it...when was the last time you sat down with a lovely pint of "your favorite beer" (in my case, Anchor Steam), a group of good friends, and Connect Four?! If you can't remember, go to the Riptide. Originally I listed this as a 4 star...adding the fifth because every time I have been there, the bathroom has been very clean! read more

Riptide alongside Brother's Pizza is in the running for the greatest places I visited in San Francisco. This bar, clearly a hangout for local yokels and young dive bar trawlers alike made me feel right at home from the second I stepped in. The tattooed lady running the bar greeted us as we walked in and although it was crowded it made me feel like a welcome friend even though I'd never beent here before. We eventually sidled up to the bar and got our drink orders in and when I handed her my credit card she quickly replied with "You're from LA, huh?" Apparently they don't take credit cards and the LA kids who come up for a visit always slap down the plastic when it comes to gettin plastered. Luckily I had cash on me because I was vacationing and we were shocked when our cocktail and beer added up to a grand total of 12 bucks. That's unheard of in LA! We continued our drinking by ordering up a couple carbombs which were the best value of the trip at $10 for both. Sweet. The locals chatted with us and gave us great suggestions for what to do while we were in town and really made our first night in San Francisco pretty great. read more

My friends and I have had our fair share of nights at this place, but simply because it was in the neighborhood (as in within walking distance). It's an OK place, with OK drinks, and pretty terrible service. They have live music here, not to my taste but to each their own. I do not generally like to give a bad review, but because the service here has sucked on more than one occasion, I had to voice my opinion. There was a particular time that my friends and I waited for 25 minutes to get the bar tenders attention, actually I should say for her to take our order not because it was crowded or busy, but because she was talking to a friend. She acknowledged our presence and continued to chat away. When we finally did order the drinks they were not made right. There is no shame in saying "I am not sure how to make that", but there is something wrong about serving drinks that don't taste right. If you are coming here for a beer I guess it's an alright neighborhood spot, but for anything else I do not recommend it. We have not been here for a while and have no intention of coming back any time soon. read more

Always free Always fun Love the Rip and the Staff Best Bar in the Surfers Sunset read more

This place got me in the New York Times! My roomies and I were there seeing my friend's band play, and check it out: http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/11/17/travel/20101121-SURFACING-5.html. That's me! I love it here. Great place to stop for a drink after sharking some surfers at sunset. Also, this was the last stop of my fake bachelorette party. My memory from that part of the day is fuzzy, but I'm pretty sure I had a great time. read more

Best bet: Go on a "live music" night. Great country and bluegrass bands, fun party crowd (crazy locals, tourists, hippies, young and old). Some folks squeeze up by the band and dance. www.riptidesf.com Cheap drinks, very friendly staff. It is a small, rustic dive bar that gets pretty packed and cozy by 10pm on a music night. If you plan on hanging for most of the night, get there early and grab one of the few tables against the wall. Pizza place next door has HUGE calzones. Stop there first then hit the Riptide. I'm in a local band and this is my favorite place to play. read more

Read about bingo here on Saturday nights and a few friends and I decided to give it a whirl. It is free and starts at 6:00pm. Space can be a bit tight, so arrive early to grab a spot. There are 3 rounds with a few minutes in between. Parking was a breeze! If you're looking to grab a bite to eat near by, you're going to have to look pretty hard if you're not into pizza/pasta/Indian (all in one restaurant). The bar staff is pretty and accommodating if you're new to the joint like we were and aren't quite sure where to situate yourself when there are no tables left. Service seems pretty quick too! Bingo is spirited and the whole bar gets into it. The best part is the jell-o shot when O 69 is called! I'll be back when I'm in the area or need something fun a cheap to do! read more

Ahhhh the old Sand Bar! I used to love this place. I spent a lot of time here between 1999-2002. They had great bartenders and a great local following, young, old and hella old. The Mermen used to play/practice there on Sunday nights. It will always have a deeply special place in my heart and liver! Then it closed down.... I went back when it re-opened only to find that the charm and the locals were gone. In fact some of the locals were asked not to come back. Not cool. They must of been cutting onions in the back because my eyes began tearing up. I guess I just miss the true 'Edge of the Western World' vibe this place once had. read more

Fun, down to earth bar with a super friendly bartender, and some cozy booths, but some really odd and a little off-putting patrons. Felt a bit like One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. read more

This is an amazing neighborhood dive bar. The inside looks like the bastard love child of a Captain's room on a ship and a surf shop. The bartenders are all friendly, and I have never felt harassed by any of the guys in the place. Overall a very relaxed, fun environment with great music. Note: I like to go on Thursday nights (Ladies Night) for the 1/2 off drinks. However, it seems like the bartenders sort of make up the prices as they go, like they're not really sure how much the drink actually costs. One night I paid $3 for a cocktail, and was charged $5 for the same cocktail a few weeks later. For those of us on a budget, it's kind of annoying when you have to spend more than you expected to. A little consistency would be nice. read more

If you live in the area it's nice.. not too expensive and typically a good crowd on weekends. Some nights are crowded, they do have a DJ and live bands. I saw a band with an electric accordina there, that was sweet. Ill give them credit for trying they have posters up in the sunset talking about all the events they are doing. Just not my scene, you cant dance, very loud and a weird set up. But check it out read more

Asian Persuasian, Caucasian, college girl tempations.. A beer and a half and I'm wasted. Thursday nights are poppin' make sure you're updated. Don't talk to tall whiteys who are sedated, might injure the medulla oblangata. Degraded. Once found a hotty, from Calcutta. Lots of mother lovers, I recall one, I think he's name was Danny Glover. Rowdy boys spilled one on my sneaker, I gave them a fee waiver. White on white crime outside, entertaining as ever. A man walks into a bar, maybe never. Wild College days are over. read more

If you like funky beach bars, this is your place. I have a theory that weirdos always hang out by the beach. Now I mean 'weirdo' in the nicest way possible. It is a solid, laid back atmosphere. Not a pub or a sports bar, but a beach bar. You get all walks of life in here- from beach bums to State students to weirdos like me and my friends. The 'Tide is a good divey bar with alot of cool crap on the walls and the coldest beer in town. They have a different event every night of the week. The most popular is "Ladies Night" on Thursdays. Ask any girl that's been there about the free shot at midnight. Looks spectacular! They also have bingo, surf movie night, and open mic night. Live music acts and DJ's occasionally play as well. I've had many good, drunken times at this bar. Too good of a drunken time more often than not. Not much more you can ask for. The owner is often there, and works hard to keep it a good place. He is also a great guy, so go up to him and say hello. Don't go here if you are expecting a douchy marina bar with guys in knit jackets sipping on Cran-tinis. Unless you are a really attractive girl. Then by all means come here. read more

The only redeeming quality this place has is the fireplace, which usually drunk 40 year olds are squawking around. Trashy bars in the Sunset are like aids in Africa. Rampant and full of flies. Sticky awkward tree tables and untrusty bathroom doors. I've walked in on many a huddled over drunk girl, trying to cover up her giblets. The only comfort drunk food they have are old Doritos. Weak. read more

This place reminds me of college, when all was right in the world, being sort of broke and drinking every weekend. Or even some weekdays. Whatever. Don't come to the riptide if you want some sort of scene. Come here to drink and be nice. And you can bring your dog. Monday night open mic has the best guy on piano doing Queen songs, you've gotta check him out. I think I tried to flirt with him in front of my boyfriend. Anyway. Love the jukebox, sometimes they'll even load some free tunes for you if you ask. Most of the bartenders are great, you know, relaxed, nice. There's a bitchy girl or two, but I assume they'll leave eventually and get a job at Delfina or something. Although there's been an influx of lame lately (customer-wise), Riptide will always be special to me! Once again, if you're looking for more than a place with beer where you can hang out with your friends, you should probably look elsewhere. If you want a dive bar, you've found it. read more

One question: Where were all the mullets and curled mustaches? Perhaps my experience was outside of the norm, where I expected to step into a divey drinking hole from the 1880's...or 1980's. Instead I was generally bored, unsatisfied and surrounded by rude people and not (18,19)80's rude! Luckily, once I got past the woman practically grabbing money out of my wallet to give to the DJ, I settled into some pretty cheap drinks and enjoyed the decor. The 'tenders were pretty cool and it sounds like it may be a better experience on regular weeknights. Especially when you're all the way in the Outer Sunset! read more

The Riptide rules! I actually heard some good vocalist on open mic night. I love the live music on the weekends. Who doesn't love ladies night. If you live in the outer sunset and you and you can't handle the trek to the mission or lower haight then I say the Riptide is the place to be. I love the moose head and the wood cut tables too. It's almost like you're in a club house. It reminds me of a bar that I would find in a small town, so It brings me back and makes me feel at home. read more

Thanks to the Riptide there is a fun place to go in the Outer Sunset. Instead of having to venture across town and pay $25 for a cab ride home - you can simply waltz over to this colorful and warm establishment, enjoy some drinks with friends, and walk home. The bar is right at the center, so you can walk to either side for drinks, and the bartenders are friendly and at your service. There is a variety of seating, good music, and friendly neighborhood people to make your time more enjoyable. Not pretentious, very cozy, and oh so Sunset, I think the Riptide is a fabulous place to spend some time with friends. read more

The Riptide - New Years Eve - Pubs Near Me - San Francisco, California

I have never had a bad time at this place. 1. I am going back tonight in order to have another good time 2. tie one on 3. make some random friends all these can be done here without a problem why not 5 you ask, because i am not feeling generous read more

Pretty cool vibe. Cash only. Sell cigarettes. Crowd is locals. What you see is what to get.

I live two blocks away, and it's a shame I don't end up there more often. Get to know your bartenders -- and they will serve you well. Always quick and attentive service, no matter how big the order is! They have bands play there, they throw themed BBQs, usually have a DJ and a fireplace going, and when all else fails, a jukebox with a good selection. Always a hoot! Crowd is anywhere from Rockabilly and Punk kids to Rednecks (where do they come out of?) and plenty of Irish. Definitely a local hangout with a very warm vibe if you get into it. Fridays are the best. So is the Moosehead that periodically smokes Parliaments. read more

Wet Wednesday = Surf Movies and free food brought over from Brother's Pizza, which is right next door. Lady's Night Thursdays = $1 off all drinks for girls. I got my PBR for $1.50 last Thursday, which made me pretty amped. Friday's Happy Hour = free home style food and cheap drinks! It's a good place to get drinks, sit by the fireplace, and eat Brother's Pizza. Definitely my favorite bar in the Sunset!! read more

Free chili and nachos the night I went in on a cold night seeking a martini. So that was super cool. The cheese was the whiz kind too so it was so good yet so bad. Tables are all kinds of glazed wood shaped in one area. Place is right by the beach and it has a fireplace that you can practically sit in. read more

The bartender is a METS fan.. a plus, also great atmosphere and great shows. The only downer was this fratboy sitting behind me grousing about the band asking for a contribution.. what a jerko. read more

I can't count the times I've staggered out of Riptide after a rip-roaring good time and somehow made it onto Muni AND stopped for Seniore's, girlfriends in tow. If you're looking for a fun, neighborhoody divebar to head to on a weeknight, look no further than Riptide. Drinks are strong, staff is friendly, and they usually have *FREE* nachos or hot dogs (eat at your own risk, but I've never had a bad experience) to soak up some of the strong drinks you'll most likely be sappin' on during the queue for Karaoke. Oftentimes there's live music and the spot has a homey kind of feeling to it: a bunch of people who know each other, or you're with someone who knows other people, or you're a stranger and go to bars alone, either way, you will likely be able to find someone who will converse with you. read more

This is the hippest bar in the sunset. Inside the tiny space, large deer horns lord over the dimly lit bar. I arrived on open mic night to find a fifty year old man playing cover tunes on his electric keyboard. This was followed by two guys playing punk covers of Neil Diamond songs. Wow. They have their own brand of Riptide Red Ale. The owners and bartenders are super friendly. The Riptide rocks. Live Music 2 nights a week. read more

The Riptide - Everybody Clap Now - Pubs Near Me - San Francisco, California

Is it kinda creepy to name the bar by the beach where there is a helluva deadly riptide, the same? Maybe a warning, maybe an homage, by the second drink you stop thinking about it. The Riptide has the feel of a locals hangout, with friendly patrons, happy dogs, old cedar furniture accents, and a fireplace. Movie night. DJs some nights. A juke box with a pretty swell variety of cuts. There was a Thursday night about a year ago that included cut up hot dogs in water in a crock pot. Apparently they do free bar food. By 1am it doesn't look too bad with some relish. The bartender didn't know how to make a Mexican Martini (proper noun, not racial slur!), but put together a pretty decent margarita with top shelf tequila on the house when I carried the boot around for the DJ, to encourage tipping. Ah, it felt like home. And reminded me I need to buy some cowboy boots. read more

This bar is exactly what I want when I go to the Sunset in the afternoon for a beer. Good service, awesome wooden tables, great juke box, nice staff, clean bathrooms and four friends having a beer at a table. Only think that would have made it better is the fireplace wasn't on yesterday. read more

I really like the Riptide. 1. I can walk there 2. My dog is perfectly welcome inside 3. The bartenders are super nice and never let my drink stay empty very long. 4. Have a cool fireplace 5. They play surf videos on Weds. and they are usually pretty cool and somewhat obscure videos. It is very easy to drink more than you originally anticipated at the Riptide. Not sure why. For my number reasons above this can turn an otherwise harmless dog walk into a much grander endeavor. Fortunately for me my dog is strong enough to carry me and smart enough to know how to get home. So no matter what happens after my 17th cocktail I know I will arrive safe and sound. If you are in the neighbor hood check them out. It is the best watering hole I have found in the Outer Sunset. read more

Slow night on a weekend night.... I'm not sure if I like or dislike their strange indoor layout of almost two rooms... Bartenders were not very nice, nor friendly... Liked the name, wish it lived up to the beach-bum-name though... read more