The best bars for singles in San Francisco where you can actually meet people

Mikkeller, the Copenhagen-born craft brew powerhouse, has single-handedly transformed the Tenderloin’s beer scene. The high-ceilinged, exposed brick bar is industrial-cool, decked with playful murals by Keith Shore, and all 40 taps are stocked with excellent ales and lagers (particularly sours), including regular limited-edition collaborations. The 80-seat space is sexy but laid-back, with plenty of room to circulate between the main bar, the front lounge with its open communal tables, and the downstairs cellar room, but the focal point is the 30-seat, four-sided bar ideal for scoping out alluring strangers.

Layer up and head out to the Outer Sunset, where this comfortable, classy bar serves inventive cocktails for a friendly crowd of artists and surfers. Owned and managed by Matt Lopez and Carlos Yturria—both avid surfers themselves—this spot attracts a contingent of laid-back neighborhood regulars. The space is unfussy but thoughtfully designed, from the white cubic tiling to the turquoise bar stools and requisite reclaimed wood. Order one of their rotating spiked slushies and snag a seat near the cozy fireplace.

Finding a comfortable yet energic neighborhood bar is no easy feat in San Francisco — somewhere you can snag a booth, but it still feels lively (and clean.) That's what you'll get in the Hi-Lo Club, located on bustling Polk Street: where Hi-Brow meets the Lo-Brow. The bar is small and filled with locals — it's somewhere you'll want to become a regular. And it's communal enough that it's easy to make friends — or more.

This beloved, decades-old dive embodies all-inclusive San Francisco at its finest, welcoming a colorful cross-section of the city—young and old, gay and straight. The dog-friendly patio is inviting, while inside, you’ll find shuffleboard and pool tables, a trusty old jukebox, and an anything-goes dance floor where bands, DJs, burlesque dancers, and karaoke kings perform nightly. In warmer months, live bands play everything from salsa to bluegrass out back. Between the casually competitive bar games, chatty patio, and ongoing dance parties, the introductions happen naturally.

This old-school San Francisco staple, a metal-blasting beer bar with a biker’s aesthetic, has one of the best day-drinking patios in the city, despite—or maybe because of—its lack of frills. Neighborhood regulars, hipsters, and friendly long-haired riff-raff mingle out back, crowded into rustic picnic tables surrounded by wacky murals. The overworked bartenders may take their time getting to you, but it’s worth it for one of the dive’s legendary Bloody Marys (served all day) or a pitcher of local craft beer from one of their extensive selection of taps.

Ranked one of the best bars in America, ABV is a delicious spot with top-quality cocktails, great wine and beer, a stellar food menu (don't miss the burger!), and a friendly atmosphere. All of these features make it one of the favorite spots for locals to hang out in the Mission. The bar hits the right balance of buzzy enough to maintain lively energy but quiet enough to still talk to someone. Overall, ABV is one of our top recommendations for where to meet someone — and once you get their number, it's another perfect option for a first date. 

Brass Tacks owners Anthony Healy-London, Josh McAdam, and Matt Conway opened their second bar in spring 2016—the polar opposite of their first. Where Brass Tacks is dark, loud, and moody, Anina is bright, airy, and summery with Moroccan tiles, a palm-frond mural, and a sunny, eight-table patio. Spritzes and aperitivos are designed for pre-dinner sipping, while the large punch bowls are meant to be shared (sloppily).

Whether you’ve come to Oasis for a drag show or a dance party, you’ll feel an instant sense of camaraderie walking through the door of this LGBTQ club and event venue. In 1970s Vegas variety-show-style, seating for shows is arranged in pairs and quads around shared tables. The shmoozing and boozing go into overdrive on some Friday and Saturday nights when the intimate space transforms into a sweaty dance floor. You don’t have to be queer to have a blast, but if you hope to bring someone home, it helps.

An iconic, sweaty leather and cruise bar is one of the biggest in the city — it has drag shows, fetish nights, queer pole, underwear parties, and go-go dancers, and is generally the center for raunchy fun in the SoMA neighborhood. You’ll find house music or electronica, cheap drinks, no attitude, and the occasional BDSM demonstration. Nondescript from the outside, inside is a flashy, sexy, old-school gay bar. An out-and-proud pick-up spot.

In the tradition of Suppenkuche and Biergarten, Fort Mason’s newest German beer hall is made for friends, those you know and those you haven’t met yet. Filled with natural light, Radhaus pays homage to this former Army machine shop with quiet industrial touches. An open floor plan set with communal benches and an oversized bar keeps beer-and-pretzel lovers close for shared marveling at panoramic views of the Bay through the restaurant’s wall of windows.

There’s a slightly sinister twist to the Duboce Triangle’s new tiki bar, Last Rites. Set in the hollowed-out innards of a downed plane, the island kitsch—jungle vines and stone idols—is of a Temple of Doom-inspired variety; just ask any one of the fallen masses whose skulls line the top shelf of the bar. The drinks here, in proper tiki form, are strong and sweet, and punch bowls like the Flying Tiger, a high-flying combination of rum, banana liqueur, absinthe, lemon, molasses, and clarified milk, are perfect for sharing with fellow doomed passengers along for the ride.

With its proximity to the ballpark, it’s not surprising to find athletes here. The vibe is friendly, and the new American comfort food is actually very good. There’s a long bar, a communal table, and a cool sophisticated interior that feels fresh and inviting. High ceilings give the space an airy feel but with a rock-and-roll edge. It’s a bar, a restaurant, and somewhere you can watch the game or just relax and meet someone new.