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Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news, events, offers and partner promotions. The first step to finding love is meeting people, and these San Francisco bars provide chance encounters. A real-life meetup is always the goal, even if online dating sites make the initial sorting phase easier.
Here are our 12 best suggestions of singles bars in San Francisco. Been there, done that? Think again, my friend. 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. 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. It embodies all-inclusive San Francisco at its finest, welcoming a colorful cross-section of the city—young and old, gay and straight. Between the casually competitive bar games, chatty patio and ongoing dance parties, the introductions happen naturally.
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. 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. This island-inspired cocktail lounge has an airy vibe and a sunny patio, to fuel your optimism in seeking a sidekick.
