Toronado is a classic! Great beer of all varieties. A very fun location. You can bring your own snacks or food inside as well.

I got carded. I'm 53 years old, gray beard and wrinkles. I don't look a day under 50. I said to the bouncer "are you f_ing kidding me." I wasn't flattered - it was a power play, not a flattering comment, and not a legit question by him. This angered the scrawny bouncer. He only let me in after I promised to be nice to the employees and customers. I went there to meet a friend and being a jerk was the furthest thing from my mind. Frankly, the guy was so awful and idiotic (a certain R word comes to mind but I can't use it to describe someone) that I cannot recommend this place to anyone. Some of the employees are on some lame power kick and while they could ALL make more money if they were civil, they are more intent on bullying new customers than on providing good service. I cannot imagine why the owner thinks this is a good business plan unless they have brain damage. About the worst customer service I've had in my entire 53 years. read more

Do not come here if you only want to have 1 beer. There are too many to choose from, in so many different styles and flavor profiles. As a short term visitor, I'm really bummed we couldn't explore more. That being said, we were super happy with a couple of California brews, the Moksa Conflation and the Firestone Walker Krieky Koelship (dark and pink in photos). If you like beer, come. Didn't have the most friendly/welcoming bartender (Sunday afternoon, not super busy) but he could pour properly so whatever. $ only. ID mandatory. read more

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CASH ONLY - Nice spot with good priced beers. The bar is pretty large, so great for any sized party. If you like IPA's, double, triple, you named it, this is the spot! read more

Toronado - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

We have always loved Toronado - a classic American Dive Bar! It's dark, grungy, cash only but has some of the most fantastic beers you will ever find! When we heard it was up for sale, we knew we had to pay it a visit as it holds many happy memories for us! We got here just at opening, sat at the bar and enjoyed some fantastic IPAs! Loved the decor with years woth of history , beer labels and funny sayings , the locals at the bar and the vintage movies playing ! Always a must visit and hoping it stays this way forever! read more

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Every time we come to SF we always stop in at Toronado. It is a cash only spot but worth every dollar. I love the vibe, service, and selection of beers! Definitely a must stop if you love craft beers! I am a sour girly and they always have an awesome selection for a girl like me! Funky Foeder...?!?! Come on read more

Toronado - Funky Foeder by Russian River - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

If you're a beer enthusiast, you'll love Toronado. They have a huge selection of unique, hard-to-find beers, and we were lucky enough to try Pliny the Younger during Beer Week. Don't expect anything fancy (and no dogs allowed), just great beer and a classic dive bar vibe. read more

I love this place and you should too, especially if you're a beer enthusiast. No frills, and don't forget, it's cash only read more

Toronado - Yum - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

The best beer bar hands down. No small pours and cash only, so be ready to throw down the dough, but you will be so happy you did. read more

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It's a staple of a classic San Francisco beer bar. No food. Cash only. Smells of spilt beer and cleaning solution. Can be friendly to surly (both the crowd and/or the staff). But it is an institution. Never change Toronado....never change. read more

THE BIG: Located in Lower Haight. Cash only. This bar is kinda dingy but it has a nice aura around it. Street parking available. THE BLACK AND WHITE: A friend recommended that I come here to try Pliny the Elder when visiting San Francisco. I didn't know that Pliny was such a big topic around SF. Fortunately they had it at Toronado and the wife and I shared a glass of it. It's a nice IPA that has great hops to it. Definitely if you drink a couple, you would be schwasted. They also have a WIDE selection of beers on tap. But I highly suggest trying Pliny the elder and they also had Pliny for president that looked very intriguing. Next Time! THE FINAL BAMBOO: Overall the damage done for a pliny the elder was $8 including tip. Definitely will be back to just chill and grab affordable beers. read more

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I have been going to Toronado for years because they have the best beer selection. But the last two times I've been in most recently, the smell inside has been hard to stomach. I don't know if it's a sewage issue or maybe they just aren't cleaning the tables and floor properly, but it definitely made us leave after one beer. Hoping the owners can address this. It was really, really gross. read more

Can't believe I I've never been here before! Selection is top shelf at really fair prices Love Russian river options Good vibe Cash only fyi!! read more

Toronado - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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This is probably my fifth time here and came on a 4 hour layover for the single reason this place is one of the best. I love how this place has a 3.8 on yelp (it's a sign of the times). Come here with an open mind instead of thinking the people need to serve you with a smile. Perfect place to start, continue or end your night. Expect a local vibe, not one to make you feel special. It's a no nonsense beer bar, cash only, figure out what you want ahead of time and you won't have to worry about a "rude" bartender (as other "fun" reviews have mentioned). These dudes work hard and they have great beer, bottom line. It's pretty much the hub or crossroads for beer in NorCal city scene, lots of good beer up here to be showcased. Every type is here and they continuously rotate what they got. You'll find what you need. If you know you know. read more

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I love this place and so desperately hope they are able to sell to a good buyer!! This place is sort of what Zeitgeist used to be like before it became a tourist destination for tech people. I hope this place stays exclusively beer and cash only! read more

Toronado - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

An institution. A destination. The beer selection is superior. The prices are stellar. The service is efficient. The ambiance is comfy and cozy. read more

Toronado - Pliny the Younger - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

I had an incredible experience here. The doorman was friendly and informed me about cash only. It's a Friday around 5ish and there's one bar seating left. The crowd seemed to be around 30s to 50s and I met some regulars who frequent this bar for many many years. Beer was delicious. The faction Pilsner was delicious. Bartender knew what he was doing and just overall great vibes. Highly recommend checking out this bar ! read more

Local bar, casual, good vibes. Great people behind the bar. Awesome selection of beers. NOTE: Cash only! Come prepared with some $$. Very well organized when hosting events with many people. It might appear that there isn't a lot of seating inside, but if you walk all the way to the back there's a room with tables on the left side. There's also outdoor seating and it's a dog friendly place! If you get hungry, you can order pretzels and sausages from Berliner Berliner next door and eat inside with your beers. I'll be back. Cheers! read more

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What's wonderfully eclectic bar in the best part of SF....The Haight. Grab food from awesome lil restaurant next door.

Cash only but has an atm. This is a dive craft beer bar. One of the best bars in San Francisco. Amazing beer selection with many taps from all over with all really good high quality brews. Bartenders are quick and attentive. It is not fancy or shiny on the inside, it is a place to drink beer and talk. There are some tvs but also plenty of places to sit not in sight of the tv. I love coming here. read more

This beer bar is a gem! In short, it has a dive feel, attentive bar tender, and cash only! The beers are unmatched. They curate a rare and impressive selection. I will definitely be back next time I am in SF. read more

Toronado - Menu - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

I asked one of the dudes if I could sit on the patio until it opened and he said yes so I sit down and his boss comes out and yells at me telling me to get up and that I can't sit there until I order a beer. I said I was going to order a beer and they said we're not open until 11:30 and u can't sit there until then so I'm standing next to the table lol some people have too much of an ego. The funny thing is I was about to have a bunch of friends come meet me. So because he wouldn't let me sit down for 10 minutes before the bar opened he lost out on revenue. Highly recommend looking for new management. He acted like he was CEO of apple when it was his employees fault. Now he missed out on what little money he was going to make that day read more

Grumpy bald guy was the rudest bartender we've ever encountered. Complained to customers about tipping too little, yelling at customers, walking away when asked questions. Beers were ok but find somewhere else to get them - they don't brew anything themselves anyways. Update: we tried to order another beer and he yelled at us too for tipping $3 on a $20 order. We were finishing our beers outside and he made the bouncer come and kick us out, even the bouncer admitted it was silly, could tell he's had to deal with this bartender's antics before read more

Excellent beer, way to long line... friendly people need to bring your extra coins, not a cheap day

Lots of good beer on tap. Good ambience, dive bar vibes. Smells like dirty mop water tho

Fantastic selection of international beer, but unfriendly vibes and the smell of armpit juices will make me think twice about whether it'll be worth it to stop in again. I could have done with a little less attitude from patrons and the bartender who "helped" us. Some of our party of 5 were feeling a little tipsy from day drinking and hadn't been aware that this is not a cocktail bar, but there's a kind way to let patrons know this. However, what redeemed this place was their crazy amazing selection of international beers. It was impressive how many were on tap! There must have been something like 70 beers to choose from, wow. Everybody found something to enjoy, so we ordered and found a seat in the back that would fit all of us. The vibe was much better back here for whatever reason. I would give them another chance even with all the unnecessary unfriendliness going on, but more than likely I might not suggest it to a group. For just me or myself and a friend or my partner, sure. Dog friendly inside too, always a plus. read more

Toronado - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Always something exciting on the List. Indifferent to surly barkeeps. Friendly dive environment. What's not to love? Garage Service!

Avoid this place. Dootman is a friggin butthole; very poor customer skills. If you make it inside. , the bartender did rovde excellent service. Too bad that the guy at the door sucked. read more

This is a solid dive bar with a huge variety of 45-50+ beers on tap, so you're bound to find something you'd like. As a sour beer enthusiast, I'm used to going to a bar and only finding 1-2 sours on tap if I'm lucky or none at all sometimes. So I was pleasantly surprised to find 6-7 sours on tap at Toronado (denoted with "(s)" on the menu). Note that this bar is cash only, so make sure you're prepared when you come. There's also usually rock/metal music playing here, which can make for a fun atmosphere but may also be a bit too loud if you're looking for a more laid back spot to chat/catch up with people. read more

Featured on The Layover with Anthony Bourdain. (if still reading) Come all ye sour beer faithful. The 'S' next to each brew on the substantial overhead list denotes sour beer of which there are plenty. Cash only i.e. service is fast and to the point. Do not come if you're the kind of visitor expecting a gimmick. read more

Toronado - Thank you for serving the cult of sour. - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

Isn't worth the "experience" to be at a "local" pub to skip 'the long lines' @ Santa Rosa/Windsor for w subpar unimpressive "free for all" experience! Pardon me but this is for.... Love Toronado! This is just my take about "experiencing" PTY at an off site pre-keg or otherwise! BS read more

Toronado - Unveiled at 6p sharp lol - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

It's just a fact this is one of the best bars in the world. The beer selection is always filled with world class, hard to find selections. Oftentimes selections literally no one else gets. Since it's cash only prices are a bit lower than the rest of the area as well. Another wonderful aspect is it's a got a dive bar feel, which is a vibe I miss and love, particularly as a frequent consumer of all things craft beer, which skews heavily modern. Every bartender has been great as well, the music is usually on point, and last time I was there they were playing the original Hellraiser and pretty much everyone was actually watching. Definitely an alternative vibe to top it all off. read more

Toronado - the menu of a mexican restaurant - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

This place is a classic favorite with an amazing selection on tap. During SF beer week, it's a place not to be missed! As it's cash only, the prices are great and the environment is quite laid back. I wish this joint was a bit closer to a BART station but it's always worth the walk over! Always love every chance I get to drop by here, and looking forward to the next time I can! read more

If I could give this place a zero I would. Whoever "the bouncer" or bartender was had a shit attitude for no reason. I haven't even walked into the bar. He could have asked me to not sit in the outdoor seating but instead he asked me if I was buying a drink and when I said my friends would he said "no come over here right now and show me your ID" while moving his finger scolding me like I was a fucking child. read more

I did not have a good experience here. The positives were that they have Pliny the Elder and an outdoor seating area The bar tender was rude and literally yelled at us when I was asking to order. The security man didn't have much more hospitality Seems to me like they're just trying to be hardcore. I don't want to come back read more

Keep in mind that I'm not a beer enthusiast. I'm just here for a good time. I like getting lit, plastered, and meeting new people. I went here and I found the place to be dirty (as expected of a dive bar). However, there was a certain ambience and look for everyone around. I kinda felt like I didn't belong here (oddly to say). I'm an asian tech bro who drinks cocktails. I'm not super rugged, but I like to have a good time lmao. The staff were all friendly to me lol. I just felt like the guy who went to a gun range in a button up. read more

Cool dive bar to stop into and kill some time. They serve only beer and few ciders. Apparently they import Belgium beers, make their own beer, and have beers that are packaged like wine bottles (will need wine opener to open your wine beer bottle!) I'm not a fan of beer, but tried some ciders and sour beers to be a good sport. Cider was light, refreshing not too sweet. The sours are definitely an acquired taste. read more

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Bartender there had a real bad attitude and very unprofessional. Would give this place 0 if I could.

Toronado has a history with a matching reputation: best damned dive bar in San Francisco. When you hear a statement like that, it's hard to know whether it's hyperbole or truth: it's only possible to know by visiting. I loved it from the moment I walked in. I got dropped off by a ride-share, but it's also easy to walk here from public transportation just a few blocks away. It's an unassuming entrance; a junky old facade, half a broken door, and dark windows. You walk in and there's a grizzled bouncer checking IDs. A disarming question got a smile. From there I checked out the bathroom; dirty appearing but actually not bad for the place if needed. Every inch of the bar is covered in beer ephemera and signs; it's colorful and old, something fun to look at everywhere. The main room is long with the bar proper along the right wall. A large taplist is in the middle of the room, it's crystal clear what they're pouring and where it's from. The selection is unreal; local hard to get stuff, regional, micro and nano brews from around the bar, far reaching stuff, and even quite a few beers brewed just for Toronado and its patrons. So many complaints about the "rude staff"...I never found one of those. I took an open stool in the middle of the bar and made new friends. The bartender Stu was extremely attentive. Despite the place being busy, he was busy and answered questions about his background as his accent was distinctly not local. It helps to come here and know what you're going to order; don't hem-haw, just saw what you want when you're looked at. When the beer hits the counter, throw your cash down. It's CASH ONLY here; you can tell as there's simply a huge pile of it beside the cash register. This keeps things moving and the beer flowing. Saying "keep the change" also goes a long way here, don't stiff good service especially if you want to be served again. If you exhaust the draft selections, I'm told the entire basement is a bottle cellar; boy I'd love to see that someday! The sheer experience of sitting in the place, talking to people, and drinking great beer is enough to keep me happy. The worst part of the evening was having to leave. There was a chalkboard next to the register, "can list." They had super fresh rare cans from a handful of my favorite breweries, so I had to get these to go as well. For how dirty the place appears, the draught lines and glassware are 'beer clean' which is always a must for me for repeat business. The place got extremely loud and busy as I sat, but it remained fun throughout. Merchandise including special Toronado-only bottles are also available for purchase. For readers that got this far into my review I'll share my favorite story of the evening. I was sitting next to a customer that had been coming since the place opened decades ago. Making friends with the bartender ended up being a good decision. Discussing a beer I was excited to try, the keg kicked and spit all foam. He immediately went downstairs to change it out, poured it through and gave me the first glass of the new keg "on the house." This reason alone, I look forward to my next trip to Toronado. read more

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i try to visit here every chance i get. this is THE OG SF tap room before they became antiseptically minimalist and soulless. they have a range of familiar to obscure (to me) ales and the prices are very fair. they also have at least one cask/hand pump ale---three when i visited (11/10/24)--a real rarity. i recommend Moonlight Brewing Twist of Fate. the ambiance is divey, well-worn and casual. no one is "rude" here, more like no-nonsense. if you're high maintenance and expect a handheld experience then i'd probably go elsewhere. read more