21st Amendment: Its name celebrates the repeal of Prohibition, so it's no surprise that 21st Amendment's brewpub is the opposite of a secret subterranean speakeasy: With its large windows, bright wood accents, and open floor plan, this South Park restaurant and microbrewery couldn't be more forthright about its upscale, beer-loving raison d'être. The taps here serve a variety of microbrew standbys (e.g., IPAs, porters, Belgian-style ales) as well as some beers (like the watermelon wheat ale) aimed at those with quirky and/or adventurous tastes. The menu, meanwhile, consists of fancified sandwiches, burgers, pizzas, steaks, and other staples. None of this comes cheap, alas — beers start at $7, burgers $10, and entrees $15 — but the happy, chatty crowds don't seem to mind. 563 Second St., 369-0900, 21st-amendment.com.
Amnesia: Dark red, hypnotic light helps this tiny bar live up to its name, and its tall stage features everything from '20s-themed nights and garage rock to bebop jazz and experimental electronica. There's no liquor, but intriguing soju cocktails and a well-chosen selection of microbrews are available if your inhibitions need loosening. Whether you're attending a comedy showcase, a literary reading, or a Gypsy dance party, however, make sure to arrive early — Amnesia fills up fast. 853 Valencia, 970-0012, amnesiathebar.com.
Amsterdam Cafe: It may not be flashy, glitzy, moody, or glamorous, but the point is to offer a respite from what the other watering holes in the 'Loin offer in spades. Amsterdam Café serves coffee and teas in addition to beer, wine, and Soju drinks. As if the tap selection weren't sufficient, the two chillers offer an exotic array of ales (the bar boasts that it pours 350 beers from around the country and the world). The wine selection doesn't match its beer brethren, but grape fiends won't leave thirsty. Between the art gallery walls, chill music, cozy seating, and again — that bottle list — there are myriad reasons to come here, kick back, and stay a while. 937 Geary, 409-1111, amsterdamcafesf.com.
Beach Chalet Brewery & Restaurant: The occasional jazz bands that play at the Beach Chalet may try valiantly to compete for attention with the Chalet's menu (full dinner served until 9 p.m.), handcrafted brews, and striking coastal view — but with vistas of the Pacific Ocean as epic as these, the musicians face a losing proposition. This is almost literally the last place on the West Coast to eat comforting yet contemporary New American cuisine (accent on the seafood) and sample some fine microbrews. The seaside theme is reflected in charming mermaid, seashell, and driftwood decorative accents throughout the beautifully restored dining areas. 1000 Great Highway, 386-8439, beachchalet.com.
Biergarten: Okay, so it's not much of a garden — more like a repurposed parking lot. But this outdoor drinking spot in the heart of Hayes Valley adopts some of the same German spirit as its "big sister restaurant" Suppenkuche, pouring extra-large drafts of dark European beer to crowds who sit at long communal tables and soak up the sun. 424 Octavia, biergartensf.com.
Church Key: If you like beer, the Church Key has your number. The seven-page menu offers beers from a rotating selection of brews from around the world, including a number of strong IPAs. If you're not looking to drop big dollars on ale, every night has a different $2 offering. They feature a '50s/'60s R&B DJ on Wednesdays, and custom-made pie pockets every night. It's a small bi-level space with limited seating, so you'll have to jockey for space on the red leather benches on the weekends. 1402 Grant, 963-1713.
Clooney's Pub: Beer taps can't talk, but the lager nozzles at Clooney's would surely have some stories to recount. This stalwart Mission District dive has been serving cold beers and inexpensive well drinks to locals for years — it's seen the neighborhood transform, yet Clooney's remains mostly unchanged. Taking a seat on one of the stools surrounding Clooney's circular bar feels like going back to the Mission as it was in middle of the last century. Some of the regulars might even be the same. 1401 Valencia, 826-4988.
Edinburgh Castle: Although the fire marshal has put the kibosh on live bands, indie DJs still spin many nights at this dark, crowded, multi-tiered Scottish pub. If you're into hip retro Britpop or Mod soul — and love some fish 'n' chips with your stout — this is a good place to start your night. 950 Geary, 885-4074, castlenews.com.
Emperor Norton's Boozeland: The Tenderloin bar from the folks behind Benders is named for a local Gold Rush eccentric and has gilded columns, lots of beer to choose from, a back patio, and pool tables. No food, but in a perfect world, Benders' famous tater tots would be on the menu. 510 Larkin.
Gestalt Haus: With an impressive beer selection of high-end imports and domestic craft brews as well as beers of the "blue collar" variety, the Mission District's Gestalt Haus caters to casual and serious beer drinkers alike. Gestalt has 20 beers on tap, including lagers, pilsners, porters, stouts, German wheat beers, and Belgian ales. It also has several kinds of steins from whence to swill, such as "das boot" reserved for Spaten, its Bavarian lager on tap. You can also find the usual NorCal microbrews. A casual place to lounge and booze, Gestalt's also the spot for a light nosh and nibble on sammies and brats. There are even meat-free Italian and Kielbasa sauages for vegetarians. The friendly bartenders will recommend which beers go best with your pork, chicken, or beef sausage. A comfortable spot with a jukebox, pool table, pinball, and arcade games. 3159 16th St., 655-9935, gestaltsf.com.
Hi Tops: In any other city, a gay sports bar might seem like a contradiction in terms — but here in the heart of the Castro, Hi Tops fits right alongside the gyms and fitness shops that cater to the buff local boys. A kitchen serving fancified versions of classic sports bar grub is also open until 10 p.m. if you want a grilled cheese to go with your ballgame. 2247 Market, 551-2500, hitopssf.com.
Kilowatt: Browsing the old show fliers and photos on the wall of this Mission bar may make you nostalgic for the days when raucous garage bands played on the corner stage — nowadays the Kilowatt is just a regular suds joint, sans live music, but it's a pretty fun one nonetheless. Multiple pool tables, a jukebox stocked with loud old-school rawk, and good happy hour deals on beer make the Kilowatt a fine spot to waste some casual drinking hours on 16th Street. 3166 16th St., 861-2595, barbell.com/kilowatt.
Lucky 13: Punk, country, rockabilly, and heavy metal classics blare from the jukebox of this Castro-adjacent dive that increasingly stands out amid the shiny new bars and restaurants in its neighborhood. Hopefully the Lucky 13 — with its long bar, dark tables, and kitsch-filled recesses — won't succumb to the fancifying trends anytime soon, although even upscale newcomers can appreciate its impressively large microbrew selection and popular happy hour. 2140 Market, 487-1313.
Mikkeller Bar: Denmark's Mikkeller brewing empire came to the Tenderloin in 2013, much to the delight of the Bay Area's beer fans. The minimal, blonde wood dining room and bar — very Scandinavian in look and feel — has 40 taps of rare and respected brews, as well as a menu of upscale gastropub fare like in-house sausages, charcuterie platters, and small plates such as Korean-style wings and fish and potato cakes. 34 Mason, mikkellerbar.com.
The Monk's Kettle: Very few things justify a three-hour wait, but that's the average Sunday night at Monk's Kettle, which gives you a sense of the place's popularity. Yes, this Mission ale-haven is crowded, but not so loud that you can't have a decent conversation without shouting. The menu is heavy reading with descriptions of more than 100 beers in the bottle, 24 on tap, and rare vintage beers in the cellar. Even not-so-rare domestic beers go by a clever moniker: When ordering Grandpa's Suds, do not be surprised to receive Olympia in a can. Chef Adam Dulye crafts comforting California-style cuisine using whatever's in season. The menu changes often, but you can always find a soft pretzel with an ale-infused cheese sauce, and a hearty grass-fed beefburger. Be sure to try the recommended beers paired with each edible item. 3141 16th St., 865-9523, monkskettle.com.
Noc Noc: Walking into this Lower Haight hideout might make you feel like you're at a peyote party with Beetlejuice: Its Tim-Burton-on-a-mescaline-bender decor and singularly surreal, cave-like ambiance make Noc Noc wholly unlike any other bar in San Francisco (or anywhere else, for that matter). Trippy custom-built furniture, walls made of fake stone, ceilings wrapped in sheets of metal, alien lighting fixtures, and electronica bleeping overhead combine to create a mood-altering environment with numerous little niches in which to get lost. Noc Noc doesn't serve liquor — only beer, wine, and sake — but its fantastically demented interior design can give you that far-out feeling even when you're totally sober. 557 Haight, 861-5811, nocnocs.com.
Park Chalet Garden Restaurant: This "garden restaurant" — a sister eatery to the Beach Chalet that's directly behind its sibling on the Great Highway — serves casual dining fare and its own microbrews in a setting that's custom-made for sunny afternoons. When the weather's warm, it's hard to beat the Park Chalet's green grass backyard and its views of the Dutch windmill in adjacent Golden Gate Park. Live jazz and funk bands often set up on the patio to provide music to accompany your microbrew, although if the sound is too loud — or the ocean breeze too chilly — you can always repair to the equally bright interior seating area, where glass ceilings, a stone fireplace, and open arrangement feel almost as natural as the patio itself. Don't skip dessert, particularly the bread pudding. 1000 Great Highway, 386-8439, parkchalet.com.
Rare Barrel: Berkeley's brewery dedicated to sour beer has made big waves in the drinking community. The tasting room here is housed inside the production facility, with its 10 beer taps, is open on Fridays and Saturdays, and also offers sandwiches and salads. 940 Parker, Berkeley, (510) 984-6585, therarebarrel.com.
Rogue Ales Public House: Oregon-based Rogue's local watering hole offers as many as 18 house beers plus a handful of guest taps. This is a prime location for drinking in North Beach if you don't want to feel like you're drinking in North Beach. The vibe is laid-back, although the beer can be spendy, with pints costing a cool $7-$8 (even during happy hour). There's also a full liquor bar where you can try some interesting drinks such as the Bloody Mary with bacon. Rogue serves basic pub grub, too — also with bacon. 673 Union, 362-7880, rogue.com.
Shotwell's: Established in 1891 — though it's gone through numerous permutations since then — this neighborhood bar offers a relaxing atmosphere to get your beer on. Whether you lean toward imports or craft beers, and whether you prefer draft or bottled beer, you'll find the gamut from cheapo pints of Anchor to break-the-bank numbers from rare, remote breweries. There's also some wine, cider, and soft drinks for the hop haters. Make yourself at home among the friendliest subset of the typical Mission crowd, who will be happy to play you a game of 8-ball on the beater billiard table or change the channel to your favorite sporting or even non-sporting event. 3349 20th St., 648-4104, shotwellsbar.com.
Social Kitchen & Brewery: Social Kitchen has revolutionary aims. Not only is it determined to make the food beer-focused, and highlight sustainable and local ingredients, it hopes to attract women and vegetarians, who are often put off by traditional brewpubs. The talented brewmaster likes to tweak expectations with his beers — brewing low-alcohol, food-friendly styles like his kölsch, which drinks like the cava of beers, as well as a peppery, none-too-sweet Belgian golden ale (l'Enfant Terrible), or Duvel dressed up for the Folsom Street Fair. Much of the food falls short of the beer, however. 1326 Ninth Ave., 681-0330, socialbrewsf.com.
Southern Pacific Brewing: Large and airy, the Southern Pacific's warehouse-like taproom is a comfy and bright space in which to try its microbrew selections (plus a few guest beers as well). Don't just fill up on stouts and porters, though — there's also a food menu full of hearty grub to complement the brew. 620 Treat, 891-9775, southernpacificbrewing.com.
Speakeasy Tap Room: The local brewery's 12-tap Hunters Point taproom is speakeasy-themed, naturally. No grub yet, but you're welcome to bring your own, and there are occasional food trucks on Friday night. 1195 Evans, 642-3371. goodbeer.com.
Steep Brew: When asked "What would improve your grocery-shopping experience?" we typically reply, "Sixteen taps of fresh craft beer with a local focus." Evidently, Whole Foods Potrero was listening, and built a café-cum-beer bar into the store with 16 taps and a brief, healthy menu. 450 Rhode Island.
Thirsty Bear Brewing Company: Microbrews and Spanish tapas don't seem like the most intuitive pairing, conceptually, but Thirsty Bear's owner, Ron Silberstein, has made them work for more than a decade. The two-story, industrial pub and restaurant is often thronged, pulling in a regular SF crowd as well as lanyard-wearing business types who drift over from the convention center. It helps that Silberstein's beers are well made, from the lightest of the wheats to the darkest of stouts, and certified organic to boot. The tapas aren't uniformly oustanding, but the tortilla would satisfy a Castilian grandmother, the patatas bravas are always a hit, and the kitchen has a knack for seafood. 661 Howard, 974-0905, thirstybear.com.
Toronado: In the pantheon of beer bars, Toronado occupies the tallest throne. For more than 20 years, the T has been a mecca to beer lovers near and far, offering delightful and often rare draft selections at cheap prices and even cheaper during happy hour. The bottled selection — not so cheap. There are so many beers you'll never be able to drink a pint of every brew you'd like to try. The bar also rotates taps frequently, so don't count on a specific beer being available during a return visit. Newcomers and even regulars discuss how the bartenders have turned "customer service" into an oxymoron, as they are quick to chastise you for lollygagging while ordering or even mispronouncing your order. Toronado is crowded and loud, but it is conveniently located next to Rosamunde, which serves a plethora of perfect sausage pairings to take back inside the bar. 547 Haight, 863-2276, toronado.com.
The Torpedo Room: Chico's Sierra Nevada brewery's first Bay Area taproom is in Berkeley. Fifteen taps offer familiars like Sierra's Pale Ale along with experimental brews, customers can get growlers to go, and there's a short menu of bar snacks. 2031 Fourth St., Berkeley, (510) 647-3439, sierranevada.com.
Zeitgeist: San Francisco's worst-kept secret may be Zeitgeist's huge beer garden, where throngs converge to share crowded picnic tables, smoke in the sun, and drink pitcher after pitcher of cold suds. The beer selection is excellent, as is the Bloody Mary, and you can get burgers and such from the patio's barbecue on the weekends. The punky bartenders are still notoriously — and justifiably — unwilling to tolerate rude yuppie customers, however, so be nice, tip well, and remember to program your favorite Black Flag songs on the jukebox. 199 Valencia, 255-7505, zeitgeistsf.com.
The Willows: Brother and sister team Tim and Liz Ryan have taken a fun approach to their new spot, a spinoff of The Sycamore. Full bar, a beer den with 12 rare selections on tap, American classics for snacking, plus pinball, pool, and video and board games. 1582 Folsom, 529-2039, thewillowssf.com.
Woods Polk Station: The new bar from the owners of Cervaceria de MateVeza has a rotating beer list of house beers and "guest beers," along with authentically Argentine empanadas from El Porteño. Wall-mounted pegboards keep the beer menus handy, and the warm wood and teal interior is a refreshing change from the city's endless parade of industrial-chic. 2255 Polk, woodspolkstation.com.
