Awesome new addition to the area! Food and service was great; looking forward to trying more. Edit: this place is by my work so I've come back multiple times. Each experience with the service has been worse than the last. Staff love to bicker and food loves to never make it to the table. I'm writing this review while waiting half an hour for a burger. Done. Sorry guys. read more

Came to SF on a Sunday with no expectations. Well an expectation that fell through and then the unexpected happened. Came to the Willows in the afternoon and there is plenty of street parking nearby. Plenty enough being that it is San Francisco and usually there is NONE! Back to the Willows, we shared a burger and each had a beer. I loved that they had quite the variety of beer for both my BF and I. After all they do say that opposites attract. The burger was delicious. The beer complimented it. Willows won a piece of my heart that day and I'd return next time I'm in the city. read more

The Willows - Beers for two, sure why not :) - Sports Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

I was excited for a new place to open up since I work so close. But the experience was horrible. The food was ok to say the lease. The service is horrible. I don't think I'd come back. Unfortunate cause its a block away read more

I've only had fries and cider here but I love it. The bartender is always in a good mood and the other customers are always vibing. I'm gonna keep coming. Also it's not like a party bar but a super chill place. Just wanted to mention that! read more

-Pros- Arcade games Pool Table Board Games Split Rooms (one for beer/another for liquor) Good amount of seating Decent drink specials Low key, no where nearly as crowded as other places -Cons- Weak drinks Lack of craft cocktails Overall Thoughts Fun atmosphere with plenty of things to do but not sold on the drinks read more

Great beer selection, Decent prices and The Best burgers in town. That isn't hyperbole, I'm very picky about burgers and these are better than the over priced and over hyped burger at Zuni. If you are a beer lover they have quality craft brews on rotating taps at some of the best prices in town. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, it's a very comfortable place to be. read more

Craft Beers and Cocktails. Board games. Pinball. Put those all together and you've got a recipe for an awesome hangout spot at the Willows! Stepping into the Willows you are greeted almost immediately with a sign listing all their craft beers in their first room. Craft brews from as far reaches as Portland, Maine or as closely hidden as Santa Rosa they have great tasting brews from near and far reaches of the country! My personal favorite is the Allagash Curieux- this bourbon barrel aged ale seems to fit so well with the decor- it just works! The second room is what my friends and I call the fun and games room! Why? Because the room is set up for as stated earlier- fun and games! There are huge tables with ample seats where those who come in for a drink can also grab some of their favorite board games to test their skills with their friends! To top it all off there's a bar in this room just 10 feet from the board games! So you can hang out and share a tasty drink in the front room or you can take it to the second room and test your wit and creativity with Cards against Humanity (my personal favorite game because I do better when I get more drinks from the bar in me; win -win!). Lastly, what could make a night better than some good beer, cocktails, and board games? The delicious food! A must have any time I visit is their infamous Pork Belly "Donuts"/beignets- warm dough and pork never tasted so good while glazed over with maple bourbon syrup! Other favorites include their fried mac and cheese balls and the simple yet savory salt and pepper fries. Before you finish the night off, remember to check out their pinball room since next to the board game room. I'm not sure why, but every time I go, I am compelled to play a round or two... when was the last time most of us can remember play pinball? Exactly. The Willows is definitely a great place to unwind and hangout with your friends over some nice drinks and board game competition-friendly of course! Loser buys the next round! read more

I came in really excited cause I love this bar. I love their wings and pulled pork sandwich. However if it gets busy and I have to wait more than 10 minutes for a drink I have to say service sucks. Hire another bartender at busy hours or even someone that works the cashier geez. Slow service ... ! read more

The Willows - Chicken wings - Sports Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Came here Wednesday night with some co-workers. Got a strange sense of deja-vu - like I've been here before back when it was another bar or restaurant. In any case, this is definitely a strange place. Don't get me wrong - I had a decent time and all. It's just that this place doesn't really have an identity. It's kind of all over the map. On one hand, it's kind of a divey SOMA bar with a pool table. On the other hand, they sell food (burgers, sandwiches, pork belly donuts, etc.). They also have their own craft beer bar in the back, and a small video arcade in the front. This place is literally trying to be everything for everyone. I ordered a Side Car to kick off my evening. It was tasty/strong - and made with their own special cognac. However, when I tried to order a second one, the bartender informed me that they they "ran out of the ingredients." Um... ok. No biggie. I'll have an Old Fashioned then. In any case, the food is actually decent pub grub. I ordered the fried chicken slider and the lamb slider. Warning: although delicious, the sliders are quite small (even for a slider). So I'd recommend ordering at least 3 or 4 if you're really hungry. The burger looked large and scrumptious. The fried mac and cheese balls with dipping sauce was a winner. And even though they sound weird, the pork belly donuts were actually pretty good. Service here is definitely spotty. Don't expect a waiter to come to your table (even though they have a full menu). All food orders need to be placed at the bar. It took us about 20 minutes to figure that one out (but that's our own fault). The bartender (who seemed a bit overwhelmed) typed in our order, and we received our food within 20 minutes. FYI - they do trivia night on Wednesdays at 7pm. There's no cost to play. And the winning team gets $30. Though make sure the other teams aren't cheating. I'm convinced that the team behind us was using their smart phone to look up answers. Oh well. All in all, this place is decent - not great. If I come back, it will def be for trivia night. read more

They're always throwing cool events here. The beer is always tasty and they take credit, so I can't complain. The food is actually pretty good, too. One time, I won a set of Dogfish Head goblets by yelling out, "RICKY LAKE!" That only occurs at the best place ever: The Willows! Next time, I'm going to shout-out "Maury Povich" just to see what ends up happening. Hope I'm not the father! read more

I've been here twice. First before I moved to the bay. Second after I started a new job around the corner. I remember having a burger here my first time but ho-ly shit... this time I've realized the burgers here are bomb. Mushroom burger all the way. So flavorful. So juicy, but not messy. Burger perfection. My only regret is that I didn't order two. read more

Last Saturday at about 10:30pm I witnessed one of the bouncers throw a glass object at a tree on the sidewalk where it shattered. Welcome to the neighborhood! Suggestion: tell your people working the door to have some respect for the surrounding areas. read more

Was at the nearby car dealership and was starving. I did a quick Yelp search for what was around and may have decent food and found The Willows. When I walked in I was a bit...shocked. It looked like a straight up dive bar. But don't let the clientele or trappings fool you; the food was fantastic. I ordered the Mary burger which comes with avocado and bacon. The burger had to be one of the best I have ever eaten. Seriously Ever. The bacon was thick as promised and tasted great. The avocado was fresh and they didn't skimp on it. I also ordered the Greek salad which was fresh and there was obvious attention and intent paid to the salad; it wasn't just a bunch of ingredients thrown haphazardly together. The bartender was very friendly and accommodating. Well worth a drop in for a pint of one of their great beers on tap and a meal. The death metal on the speakers was a bit much though. ;-) read more

I love coming to this bar. Bradford is a great bartender and is always on top of things. I am new to this city and this place makes me feel like I was back home. I always have a great time and love it when he is working. Keep up the good work Bradford. I will keep coming back every week!!! read more

Worst service I've ever had. You have to do everything through the bartender. So you have to compete for his attention and wait while he does shots. He charged me and gave me a number, but never put the order in. After waiting half an hour I asked the bartender about our food. That's when he finally put our order in. Once it arrived the aioli was missing. I told the guy who brought our food and he said that he didn't know. I showed him the menu which says it comes with aioli. He said he didn't know and walked away. Had to talk to bartender again. He did bring the aioli quickly after that. Also, they were out of wings. read more

I come here for JOSH!!!! He is the best bartender ever! Great spot, very welcoming, and a great atmosphere. Also, the garlic fries are pretty tasty. read more

Wanted to find a bar with reasonably priced drinks AND food. Was recommended to The Willows by a friend. Headed over on a Friday Night around 7pm. So it is Friday, so it was quite busy in the main room, but the back more "restaurant" cafeteria style room was pretty spacious. However, a lot of the tables were dirty and food sat on them for awhile after people left. My friend and I sat at the bar and stared at the bartenders for at least 10 minutes while people behind us were being served and people were literally reaching over us to get their drinks before we were served. This happened each drink we ordered. The food was "meh." Their fried chicken sliders at $3.75 were the size of half my hand and were dry, not very satisfying. I also received an eyeroll when I ordered a jack and coke (a pretty normal drink). I would normally give this place 2 stars on service alone but the drinks were a good price. read more

(1) DIY Burger - got to pick two items, came in a delish beef patty, the bun.. omg.. carbs.. soooo good!!! 4 stars! Fries were fatten ... and great! 5 stars for the fries! (2) Pull Pork Burger - Oh man, where do I start! SOOOOO AMAZING! 5 Stars!!! Addicted! (3) Service - homeboy was great! (4) Beer... lots of selection!!! Dog something snake IPA.. yums! 5 stars **OVERALL - Must get Pull Pork Burger + IPA ... yeahhh! 4 stars overall! read more

Every time I visit the Willows I love it more. Two bars, with two different/relaxing rooms. I actually prefer to sit on the craft beer side because it typically seems less crowded, plus I like the little cubby hole booths. Service has always been stellar. Everyone there obviously loves their job. Great selection of food, whether you're ordering small bites or a full meal everything is pretty yummy. I haven't tried brunch yet, but I'm very excited about it. Over all this place is great! I wish it was a little closer to my house! read more

What's not to like about this place? They have arcade games, a pool table, little seating nooks, and taller bar tables, and 2 bar areas with a decent selection of $5-8 beers on tap. I had the jalapeno mac and cheese balls to accompany my beer and it was pretty good...although I think they could've put a little more jalapeno heat into the mix, but hey, that's just the asian in me talking. Apparently they have a sister bar in the Mission called the Sycamore that I need to check out now, but I'm guessing it's the same, relaxed vibe and affordable drinks. I'll be back! read more

Living near by, I've been waiting for something to open up in this space where The Mercury Lounge formerly inhabited. It was about 3 weeks ago when the bf and I walked by and noticed there were some renovations going on - arcade additions, new tables, etc. The other night after leaving Izakaya House we decided to stop by. Immediately walking in, I noticed the bartender from The Sycamore and mentioned it to my bf. There is a larger area along 12th Street, but the entrance is on Folsom, FYI, with a smaller seating area. We walked through to the main room and sat down at the bar. We ended up speaking to Liz and while I was taking a phone call, I came back to find out that Liz and her brother also own The Sycamore - duh! Glad to see another local spot open up that has food and liquor. Hope they do well - please get your hours up on Yelp! read more

Any bar that has a big stash of board games and cards against humanity for me to play, is a winner in my book. Came here with a big group for a birthday and it was a fun spot. Good burgers and fries (veggie and regular) and reasonable drinks. They will make you bounce to different bars (there's 2) to order certain drinks though, which always kind of annoys me. Bonus - Cuddly, woodsy, dark booths in the front for date night. read more

Jacked up Bar Food, 7-Eleven nachos (round chips)* saggy ass french fries- burnt hot dogs with dry bun* Small drinks specials, cash for food* don't expect too much!!! read more

The Willows - Sports Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Whoaaaa the bartender is so damn rude. Came here for a drink and some food at 9pm on Friday, April 15 and wow did the employees seem so angry. The woman bartender was especially rude to us. We ordered some drinks for our part and wow was she incredibley condescending. We understand that since covid, service jobs hard but please don't automatically be rude to your patrons. We were respectful and patient and We weren't demanding or anything along those lines. We also got racist against Asian vibes here. She was incredibly polite to other patrons of other ethnicities but when it came to us (a group of asians)*, she was instantly hostile. Trying not to play the race card but we felt very discriminated against since this bartender was rude to only us. I hope to see improvement with the mannerisms of the employees here. Don't come here if you're Asian. The woman bartender with wavy brown hair will not treat you like a person. read more

How can a great bar can be ruined? Easy - add crappy bartenders. As per San Francisco custom, bartenders here are entitled, arrogant nincompoops not familiar with a concept of customer service whatsoever. But who cares? They all seem to be friends with the management and their main priority is chatting with regulars and their friends. Strangely, this does not apply to food servers. They are surprisingly polite and fast. Go figure, and they don't even get tips as all they do is bring you the food ordered at the bar. Burgers are good here. Another thing: when I say "great bar", I only mean one half of The Willows, the beer tap room. The other part, the so-called pool room, is your typical dive with absolutely nothing worthy of a visit. If I was to review that one, it would receive one star. Why the two completely different rooms are tied into one bar is a mystery to me. read more

Dastardly dashing handsome companion and I stopped in on a Sunday night. Desolate crowd, but I can see how it would be a fun ambiance during the day. Pros: *Kitchen open at 10PM on a Sunday evening. (HUGE PRO). C'mon San Francisco, you're not Kenosha, WI. Why do you shut down so early???? *Addams Family pinball game seemed to be complimentary, or maybe we were just lucky. Cons: *Simpsons pinball machine was busted. Quarter stuck in slot. DOH! 90's kid here, Simpsons vs. Addams Family . . . Simpsons trumps and smokes it off each and every time. *Very small. I would return during the day if I were in the area and if the Simpsons game was operative. read more

Friendly people, great food, good service, fun place to chill and relax, Mushroom kingdom my fave burger, so filling and delicious, Many beers to try My go to cocktail whiskey Arnold Palmer Clean bathrooms Very Important Games to play Try everything here the staff are very friendly and helpful Occasionally there are fun events like art shows and live djs Off the beaten track but worth it ! read more

This place has to be one of my new favorite bars. Speaking as a person who generally does not enjoy the bar/drinking scene, this bar rocked my world. They've got pool, shooting, and pinball games, and the atmosphere is extremely chill and laid back. Yeah, not at all like those FiDi stuffy pinky-up bars at all. What's more amazing is that the bar food they serve here is pretty bombtastic! The pork belly donuts were good, the buffalo wings were good, and my favorite dish of the night were the deep fried mac and cheese. It was definitely done right. I'm not sure if they have sriracha there, but admittedly as sriracha addicts we had our own bottle with us and the Mac and cheese was great with it. This bar also gets credit for taking away my blowjob virginity - finally. I could have chosen no better bar or night to lose it to. The bartender Showa (sorry if I am butchering it) agreed to make some blowjobs for us even though she had not made them before and she even went into the back room to find glasses we could attempt to fit our mouths around. The effort to make my first blowjob great was definitely appreciated. We ended up taking a blowjob shot with two of the bartenders at the end of the night... just because they seemed like cool people. Oh, and they serve this alcoholic ginger beer there that is damn tasty. Overall, the vibes were great, the drinks were great, and the food was great. A night well done and I would definitely come back here again. Cheers! read more

I had this place on my radar for awhile, and we finally made it here on a Friday night a few weeks ago. The servers and bartenders are nice, although one bartender had no idea how to make some very basic drinks. I like that they have different seating areas . Depending on the amount of people you're with, whether you're eating or not, the variety is pretty cool. If you're in a party mood or more a mellow chill mood, there's a seating area that suits it. The hubby and I split a burger and pulled pork sandwich. I liked both, and the fries were pretty awesome. The burger was a little over what we requested, but not enough to send it back. This seems like a fantastic neighborhood place. Good food, great beer selection as well as full bar, arcade games, a pool table, and they have pub trivia nights and beer events. I SO wish it was in my neighborhood! read more

I peeped in from the outside, loved the interior and music. First timer and asked if I order from the bartender or if anybody came to my table. Bartender glared at me for a while before he said from him but he wasn't ready, not sure what he meant - there were other people eating already so I'm guessing the kitchen had been open for a while. Took my order and after paying and realizing I forgot to sign I asked for a pen, he glared once again and just plain condescending the whole time. The food was okay and the lady who brought out our food was delightful. Bartender seemed happy to help everybody but me so I will keep comin back because I'm sure he'd be glad if I didn't. Fun University. (: read more

Great place to hangout with friends. The beer selection is amazing, and apparently they switch out the beers one by one when the keg is done, so there will always be another beer to try. There are two bars and two rooms. The bathroom was clean. Parking was not a problem. Trista was a fabulous hostess and treated us like royalty. I like the game tournaments, art shows, Oktoberfest, board games, and FOOD. The crowd was friendly. I was the oldest person there, but I didn't feel out of place. Check it out, you'll be pleasantly surprised. read more

The Willows has been extremely accommodating and patient with my weekly visits after work on Wednesdays. Coinciding with their trivia nights, every week for the past month has been nothing but a pleasant getaway from the work week. Enjoy a couple beers, listen to their jukebox and play billiards. You can also choose from their great selection of board games and old-school pinball machines! If you're scouting for a quick bite, I recommend the sliders, fries and carne asada fries during happy hour! read more

My wife and I strolled by this joint a few months back and I bookmarked it for future inspection. Inspection day was today, and we arrived with a balanced thirst and appetite. Upon walking in on a lazy Sunday afternoon, the Willows looked like a bar or lounge in the pre-amp hours, lots of dark wood and black leather booths, but with rock music wonderfully blasting on the sound system. We were greeted amiably by the bartenders, sat down and browsed the cocktail and menus. Peering up, we saw the selection of board games and local denizens playing pool and pinball in the periphery. Solid. Onto the food/drink: they have an indulgent selection of gastropub menu items and some interesting cocktail offerings, too. We ordered the fried mac 'n' cheese bites, the Western burger and the Black Bean Patty burger. I'd pass on the mac 'n' cheese bites, they were somewhere in the realm of meh, just tasted liked a breaded version of the Kraft variety. Both burgers were quite good, not epic but solid in taste and freshness. The cocktails were so-so; I had the margarita and it was a bit too sweet and syrupy, not enough kick. The followup, the Lo Siento, with grapefruit juice + tequila was better but nothing to write home about either. So if the food and drink was just slightly above average overall, why the 4 stars you ask? The bartenders, that's why. They were super-friendly and provided great service, even with the chill vibe on a Sunday afternoon. For Missionites, this place is kinda like a spacious Sycamore, both in food quality and atmosphere, and better in service and attitude. Worth checking out for sure. read more

My last meal there was the OMFC burger, which actually blew my mind it was so yummy. I ordered it in part for the ridiculous factor, and then promptly devoured it. I am also a fan of the FU Grandpa cocktail, and the just-announced ban on Google recording devices. Thank you for that. And to anyone who choses to be offended by Cards Against Humanity, I say that you are missing the point & need to consider that it is the very transgression that makes it such an entertaining and fun game to play. read more

We went for the 1st time there on a Sunday evening . We ordered the Cobb salad and a Beet beat salad. The Cobb salad came without bacon at all, the quality of the ingredients also horrible and it had no taste . Then, in my beet salad I found on my fish some hair and the salad was so bad tasting... Ugh I'm definitely not gonna come here again .. The bartender was pretty nice and he gave us the money back on one salad at least ... read more

We LOVE The Willows. It is a great beer bar, dive bar, neighborhood bar. It is anything but pretentious and achieves everything it aims to be. With that said, let's be clear: The Willows sits in the western end of SoMa. It is a bar where you can hang out, play pool, play cards, eat great bar food, drink exquisite beer. It is NOT a pick-up joint. It is NOT a place to come and flaunt your latest app. It is NOT a place to flaunt yourself or your wares. LOVE this bar because the staff is relaxed, yet completely dedicated. There is a craft beer side of the bar with about 12-14 taps and some nice bottles (for in-bar consumption). Excellent tap choices, usually focused on West Coast offerings, but their ability to obtain unusual beers from the East Coast (especially Maine) is impressive. Obviously, one of the owners has a special "in" with several local breweries because this bar occasionally taps a keg that is only available at Willows, or at its sister bar, The Sycamore. They also have macrobrews in bottles for those who drink bad beer (blech ... Why those folks even bother to wake up in the morning, I'll never know). The pub menu is perfect for those who have no guilt about what they will eat while imbibing. On a diet? This isn't the bar menu for you. Are you a hedonist? You have hit the jackpot, buddy, because they grill their sandwich bread in BUTTER before slapping on the meat. The OMFC is a hamburger served inside two grilled cheese sandwiches. Jackpot. Seriously. I haven't spent much time at the non-craft beer side, but I do see they have a full bar and lots of drink specials. That room is much larger, with tables, gaming areas, pool tables and a large standing 'share' table. Let's also be joyous of the fact that this was one of the first bars in SF to ban Google glasses. Keep the glassholes away! Thank you, Willows! I highly recommend this bar to folks who live in SoMa and the Mission. It's very reminiscent of the way SF used to be. And I love that. read more

I don't very frequently write reviews, but I felt like I had an obligation to write this one. Since moving from Boston, the one thing I miss food-wise is a Boston style roast beef sandwich. The Willows has the closest thing I have had to that sandwich outside of Boston. The sandwich has a lightly toasted bun, thinly sliced roast beef, BBQ sauce and mayo. I added pickles just because I think it makes the sandwich. Was it perfect? No - I think the roast beef probably could have been a little less well-done. But, that being said, it was an awesome sandwich. I would come back just for that. I've had the burger (it was also delicious) and the pork belly donuts (pretty good), and they always have good beer on tap and board games if you're into that kind of thing. Overall, a pretty awesome bar. read more

Kickass bartenders and chill atmosphere. Pool table and good grub. Happy hours have been fun.

So happy to see hooks under every seat at the bar and at the high tables! Boasting a full bar and a tasty menu, the Willows is a great spot for a wide audience (some of whom may or may not be your cup of tea), whether you're killing time before a show at Slim's or DNA, or just hanging out. Order everything at either bar, take a number to your seat and they'll bring the food. If I'm ravenous I get the pulled pork sandwich; for a medium appetite, a couple of sliders will do (my top 3: lamb, fish, and fried chicken w/ tomatoes), or the chicken salad (the low-carb version of the sliders). Granted, I found out about this place from their (smaller, beer-only) sister bar, the Sycamore, but I don't think I can call myself too biased if I only got to know them from being a regular customer over the last couple years. Run by good people with good hearts (and good taste in music), and in my book that's pretty great. read more

My boo used to live close by and a couple friends still do, so I've been here for many brunches and after-work dinner and drinks. Service has always been fine to excellent, crispy fries, crispy fried chicken, bomb roasted Brussel sprouts, super fresh salads, decently stuffed drinks, juicy burgers. They change things around a lot so sometimes items fall off the menu or they may or may not have a custom cocktails list up in the bar. Queer friendly, attracting more queer clientele recently it seems. Gender neutral bathrooms = half the wait. :) read more