These San Francisco bars make love likely for singles

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 off their White Cap Artwalk map/menu (with drinks themed to San Francisco landmarks) 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 highbrow meets lowbrow in this rustic-industrial spot. 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.

A queer space that prioritizes its BIPOC and Latine family, holding trans folk as sacred, El Rio is a beloved, decades-old dive. It 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 outdoor patio is inviting, and you’ll find shuffleboard and an anything-goes interior dance floor where bands, DJs, burlesque dancers, trivia and karaoke happen nightly. Between the casually competitive bar games, chatty patio and ongoing dance parties, the introductions happen naturally.

This campy bar and beer garden advertises “Warm beer. Cold women,” so choose accordingly as you scan the room for potential folks to engage in conversation. Founded in 1977, Zeitgeist’s an official historic legacy business known for its Bloody Marys, margaritas and 64 craft beer taps. Happy hour is Monday through Friday from 2 to 6pm, and the merch—some of which features a Playboy bunny, but crafted out of a skull—is pretty sweet.

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 unassuming bar hits the right balance of dark mood lighting and 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.

This island-inspired cocktail lounge has an airy vibe and a sunny patio, to fuel your optimism in seeking a sidekick. You need to try the $78 punchbowls which are epic sized drinks you can share (sloppily), while spritzes and aperitivos—and plenty of zero-proof cocktails—provide lighter options. Anina is “hella dog friendly,” too, according to their website, if you need your bestie to approve your romantic choices.

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, Powerhouse is one of the biggest in the city. It boasts 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 mainly for men.

In the tradition of Suppenkuche and Biergarten, Fort Mason’s Radhaus is a German beer hall made for friends: those you know and those you haven’t met yet. Filled with natural light, it 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 marina and Golden Gate Bridge through the restaurant’s wall of windows.

There’s a slightly sinister vibe to this tiki bar and its tagline “survive a cocktail adventure in a dangerous jungle.” The bar’s narrative is that your plane went down, so you’re sitting in airline seats at the bar or lounging by giant skull statues… it’s definitely an Indiana Jones homage. Drinks are strong and sweet, and punch bowls like the Caldera’s Curse, a high-flying combination of rum, brandy, banana liqueur, guava, cashew orgeat, citrus and sparkling wine, are perfect for sharing with fellow doomed passengers. There’s also an excellent array of non-alcoholic tropical drinks because after all you’ll need to keep your head about you to jerryrig a coconut phone and get rescued.

This “place to be” bar serves exotic cocktails & over 700 types of rum (the largest collection in the U.S., they say). On Gough near City Hall, the Smuggler's Cove interior is a fantasyland of tiki and nautical artifacts designed by local Ignacio “Notch” Gonzalez (you can even buy a souvenir mug of the crate tables). The bar’s fez-wearing Rumbustion Society is devoted to tasting through 300 rums. If you’re looking for someone fun to match with, this might be a great place to start.

This beautiful space (built 1908) boasts handsome wood carved interiors, $1 wing Wednesdays (for the “world famous” jumbo Utah wings), bar nuts roasted in their proprietary spice blend and a robust live music calendar. The ornate backbar was Belgian-made and you can still see the initials FB for the Fredericksburg beer once bottled in SF and served here at the Utah. Upon playing here, John Mayer remarked, “This is a cool room.” Meet your history-loving beer lover here? If things go well, you two can check out the other business in the building, the Utah Inn (a separate entity). We love it that the bar has “hotel” in its name while the hotel doesn’t—just part of the beautiful complexity of San Francisco. Plus, this writer wound up here with her husband the first day they met.