With the fall sports season upon us, it’s time settle down and figure out where you’re going to be watching Monday night football. Since cookie-cutter chain bars & restaurants are about as popular as big box stores in this notoriously fickle town, we’ve compiled a small list of some alternative watering holes where you can catch the game. Our selections each have something unique to offer, something that sets them apart from your average sports bar, which true to form, makes each of them decidedly ‘San Franciscan’. No, our list isn’t very scientific and admittedly we may have left a few out. But rest assured, we’ll be revisiting and updating this list down the road.
Best ‘non-sports bar’ sports bar: Elixir – Ever want to catch the game, but you’re terrified of high fives and cult-like chanting? Well Elixir may be the place for you. One of the oldest, continually operating bars in San Francisco, this neighborhood tavern at 16th and Guerrero has been serving up libations since around 1858. More of an old time saloon than a sports bar, it does boast a couple of TVs and the game is usually on. Plus, being in the Mission, you can be sure it caters to a pretty diverse crowd, from local fans and tourists, to the occasional Mission hipster. Elixir - 3200 16th street.
Best ‘watch every possible game in the country, all at the same time’ sports bar: Kezar Pub – With so many TVs in two generously sized rooms, you’ll have no trouble catching your favorite team, while they play your favorite sport, at almost any time of the day. Check their website for the daily TV schedule, so you’ll know when to show up for game time. Bonus category – this bar also wins for ‘best buffalo wings’ in the city. Hands down. Kezar Pub - 770 Stanyon Street.
Best ‘pour your own draft beer while watching the game’ sports bar: Mad Dog in the Fog – Having recently undergone some pretty ambitious renovations, this on-time English style pub has morphed into a truly upscale sports bar. Complete with revamped seating and walls heavily laden with shiny new flat screens, it’s hard to think of this as anything but a sports bar. But, in a city known for innovation, this bar wins as the most innovative to date. Positioned by the window they’ve constructed a table with its very own built-in self-serve beer taps. Yes brew guzzling connoisseurs, all you need is a credit card and enough friends to fill the table, and your days of sidling up to the bar are over. Mad Dog in the Fog - 530 Haight Street.
Best ‘Oregon Ducks’ sports bar: R Bar – Situated among some of San Francisco’s most popular watering holes, this Polk Gulch favorite has a little something for everyone. If you don’t like the Ducks, however, you’d better tread elsewhere. The owners are renowned Oregon Ducks fans, and the bar has made a name for itself as THE place to catch the mighty ones to the north. Rest assured, if things get a little too rowdy you can just step outside, head around the corner, and relax at the Hemlock. R Bar - 1176 Sutter Street.
Best ‘all things devoted to Pittsburg’ sports bar: Giordano Bros. – In the heart of San Francisco’s north beach, a stone’s throw from neighborhood icons Vesuvio and City Lights, sits the unassuming shrine to all things Pittsburg; Giordano Bros. Easy to miss, this sports bar-meets gastro-pub is a tribute to the classic Pittsburg-style all-in-one sandwich, made famous by the original Primanti Bros. of Pittsburg fame. The sandwich concept is as genius as it is simple: select your meat and cheese, add expertly cooked fries and slaw, cram it all between a roll, and enjoy. That’s right, the fries are in the sandwich. Oh, did we mention you could also catch the Steelers? Now with a second location on 16th Street at Valencia (at the former Ti Couz location), Giordano Bros is quickly becoming a contender for a new category; ‘Best Sports Bars in the coolest neighborhoods’. They’ve already got North Beach and the Mission; an expansion to Polk Street and maybe SoMa should seal the deal. Giordano Bros. - 303 Columbus Ave. & 3108 16th St.
Which sports bars are your favorties? We want to hear from you! Leave a comment below with your favorites and we'll check them out.
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