The best beer gardens in the San Francisco Bay Area

This food truck hub feels like a lively backyard party every night of the week. The crowd is diverse—scientists from UCSF’s Mission Bay campus, tech workers from SoMA, Dogpatch artists—while the dishes and brews are abundant. Up to a dozen trucks converge on the light-strung SPARK Social each night, offering everything from pizza and poke to ramen and crepes, plus a rotating selection of beer from California breweries like Mendocino Brewing, Petaluma Hills Brewing, Headlands Brewing Co., and High Water Brewery. It’s a great place for large groups, too, thanks to the affordable pitchers and ample seating. Reserve one of the fire pit areas in advance, or snag a picnic table on the spot.

This parking lot beer garden is a hub for 20-somethings in the center of Hayes Valley. What it lacks in ambiance, Biergarten makes up for in hefty steins of beer, available by the half- or full-liter. You’ll find seven rotating German and Austrian styles on tap, including Stiegel Pils, Franziskaner, HofBräu Oktoberfest, and Weihenstephaner lager. The brews are best paired with traditional fare whipped up by Suppenkuche just down the street; expect hearty staples like bratwurst (plus currywurst and frankfurters), Bavarian cheese plates, and pretzel knot sandwiches. The garden’s long wooden tables fill up fast on sunny days, but the crowds tend to thin out around dusk—grab one of the complementary wool blankets, take another slug of beer, and get cozy.

The staff is surly, the metal is blasting, and the skunky scent of weed wafts through the air. Still, Zeitgeist is one of the best day-drinking patios in the city, despite—or maybe because of—its lack of frills where bikers and hipsters mingle at banquet-style picnic tables surrounded by wacky murals. Everyone’s here for the extensive beer list, of course, which features more than 4 dozen varieties. Luckily, the beer list is divided into types, from pilsners and lagers to saisons and barrel-aged stouts. The selection typically includes a generous smattering of Belgian and German offerings, plus a wide array of beers from local breweries like Lost Coast, Henhouse, Anderson Valley Brewing, Bear Republic, Lagunitas, and Russian River Brewing Company.

Park Chalet is located in a historic building on the outskirts of Golden Gate Park just across the street from Ocean Beach. Make it your business to be here on a sunny day—there’s a beer garden on the expansive lawn with stellar views of the Pacific and a solid selection of food and beer. The food is typical American fare (think burgers and fried appetizers), and we recommend ordering the Brussels sprouts or pulled pork sandwich to savor while you sip.

Almanac Beer Co. is situated in the section of Alameda called "Spirits Alley," a former historic naval air base along the water where several other wineries, breweries, and distilleries have set up shop. Almanac is known for its huge space (which includes an expanded patio area built during the pandemic) and its wide range of brews, including a big selection of sours. The brewery was started in 2011 by Damian Fagan and Jesse Friedman, and after it really took off years later, they opened its current 30,000-square-foot location in a former airplane hangar.

This Presidio-based brewery is instantly recognizable for its colorful cans, and its mini-beer garden should be backed by a giant aluminum wall. Founded in 2014 by brothers Tyler and Justin Catalana, the indie brewery now makes nearly 20 varieties of craft beer, from a smoked altbier with charred manzanita to a tropical fruit-infused IPA. Their Ferry Building kiosk, which opened in early 2016, is its first brick-and-mortar presence in SF. You’ll find six taps with rotating beer picks, plus growlers and chilled six-packs to-go. The handful of long tables can be claimed on a first-come, first-served basis—it’s a scenic spot for people watching or escaping the Ferry Building tourist throngs. In addition to brews, the spot serves hot dogs from Golden Gate Meat Company and Firebrand Bread pretzels.

Located in Uptown Oakland, Drake’s Dealership is an almost-always busy beer garden and restaurant in a historic Dodge Dealership along what was once Auto Row. The open-air beer garden is lined with vines and heat lamps, plenty of seating, and even fire pits to keep an all-around warm vibe. With 32 beers on tap—not to mention a full menu that includes wood-fired pizzas and burgers—there’s also a growler station if you want to bring home some brew.

Jupiter is known for two things: pizza and beer. Founded by John Martin—also the guy behind Triple Rock Brewery—the Berkeley mainstay has been slinging beers since 1992. The spacious back garden is one of the most atmospheric around, lit by string lights and bordered by trumpet vines. There are 12 house beers on tap (which might include a red ale, honey wheat, IPA, and a dry stout), as well as 22 guest taps from purveyors like Laughing Monk, Alvarado Street, Bruery Terreux, and Morgan Territory. Ask about seasonal offerings: Jupiter’s head brewer makes limited-edition small-batch beers on-site. Live bands play on the patio up to six nights a week.

You can't beat the scene at Faction Brewing—and by that, we mean the scenery. Located right on the water in Alameda across the Bay from the city, it’s a bit of a haul to this brewery, but the reward (beyond its well-hopped IPAs) is one of the most superb views of San Francisco’s skyline. Both the outdoor beer garden and indoor warehouse are massive spaces with plenty of seating options, and the brewery usually has a food truck on-site (dogs are welcome, too, which is always a plus).

A former machine shop-turned-brewery, this indoor-outdoor bar covers 10,000 square feet. The patio out front, lined with umbrella-topped communal tables and dotted with heat lamps, is an ideal spot for nursing beer with friends late into the evening. The vibe is low-key and casual, with ‘90s hits on the soundtrack, dogs milling about, and gussied-up comfort food on the menu. (Don’t miss the sage fries.) The real draw is the in-house beer, which spans pale ales and kolsches to porters and IPAs.

Does it still count as a beer garden if you’re sprawled out on sand? This Treasure Island “beer beach” has picnic tables, palm trees, and complimentary beach chairs (you can also BYO chairs if you want to guarantee a good seat). The sandy scene is dog- and kid-friendly, and outside food is welcome even though you can also order Woods’ signature empanadas (and you should). The beer list includes anywhere from four to six varieties like the Smooch, a raspberry blonde ale, to an Astral rye. Take note: the brews are more eclectic than your usual IPAs and lagers, so don’t be surprised if your beer is infused with yerba mate, hibiscus, eucalyptus, or lavender.

This indoor-outdoor beer garden in Uptown Oakland makes sunny use of a converted brake repair shop (which operated for more than a century). House-brewed favorites top the menu, including Two Pitchers' beloved radlers and fruit-infused beers. Try the Weekender, a lager with passion fruit, guava, and citrus; a bubbly rose-style radler called Disco Queen; or Pop Top, a pomegranate-lemonade wheat ale. Dogs and kids are all around—and on Wednesdays, come early, as the trivia crowd is devoted. Plus, you'll find some of the best burgers in the East Bay from Lovely's, which handles the food menu.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Black Hammer Brewing Company (@blackhammerbrewing)

Dubbed an "indoor sausage garden and beer hall," this location of SF-based Black Hammer Brewing Company offers the typical beer hall experience: in-house steins and one-liter German beer mugs; wines from Germany and Austria; and unique guest taps from German brewers you likely won't find anywhere else in the city. (Pro tip: Join Black Hammer's Mug Club and get refills year-round.) 'Wursts have equal star billing here, too, with a choose-your-own-adventure sausage menu that includes more than 40 possible styles. The team notes they may be "the only Burner Brewery in existence today," and you'll find Burning Man culture on display. 

Harmonic Brewing's new location puts them in the heart of Warriors territory, with a new taproom and beer garden at the Chase Center. Known for crushable IPAs, Harmonic is a great spot for a day-drinking date or a cold brew before cheering on Steph Curry. (The taproom is open late during Chase Center events.) Don't miss the rolling views of the San Francisco Bay while enjoying beer garden-friendly bites (we're talking Bavarian pretzels, nachos, empanadas, wings, and chicharrones).