Where to Watch Football like a True San Francisco Fan

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Part of The Best Bars for Football Season, No Matter Where You Are

Football season is upon us, which means it’s time to stake your claim on a local sports bar to watch the game. San Francisco is home to a ton of different sports bars where you can catch all the action. Options range from dive bars where you can grab a shot of whiskey and a beer before kick-off to high-end cocktail bars where you can score your own touchdown with a draft Jameson Old Fashioned.

Connecticut Yankee

Sports memorabilia (particularly from New England) lines the walls at this San Francisco hot spot for New England fans. In fact, the cozy bar has so much New England paraphernalia that you’d almost think you were catching the game on the team’s home turf. A haven for all things Boston, this Potrero Hill sports bar is the perfect place to sip on a Jameson and ginger while watching the game.

Connecticut Yankee, 100 Connecticut Street, Portero Hill, San Francisco; pourguys.com/connecticut-yankee

SF Athletic Club

“The unofficial sports bar of SF,” the SF Athletic Club is consistently packed with fans on game day — any game day for any team. If you’re looking for fellow fans, this is the place to be. Be sure to arrive early if you want to score a seat close to one of the 28 TVs, and book tables in advance if you plan on hanging out with a group. While you’re there, be sure to have try the Irish Old Fashioned, an on-tap cocktail using Jameson Caskmates Stout.

SF Athletic Club, 1750 Divisadero Street, Pacific Heights, San Francisco; thesfac.com

Northstar Cafe

Buffalo fans crowd into this dive bar on game day, and have been doing so for nearly two decades. Originally opened in 1882, what was once a pre-Prohibition cafe is now the home bar to some of the city’s most devoted fanbases during football season (and also one of the few places you can snag an upstate New York brew in SF). The popular North Beach spot is the perfect place to catch not only the Bills, but also SF and Oakland games. The bar has a six-hour happy hour every weekday from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m., perfect for sipping on Jameson and your favorite beer and watching those earlier East Coast games.

Northstar Cafe, 1560 Powell Street, North Beach, San Francisco

Hazel Southern Bar & Kitchen

To congregate with your fellow Southerners during football season, head to arguably the most popular Southern bar in San Francisco. A little more upscale than your traditional sports bar, Hazel offers high-end cocktails and delicious cuisine alongside televisions where you can catch the game. The bar also offers an outstanding selection of more than 275 different whiskies from around the world. Order a plate of shrimp and grits while you watch a New Orleans game.

Hazel Southern Bar & Kitchen, 446 Market Street, South of Market, San Francisco, hazelsf.com

Wreck Room

Popular with Jersey fans, the Wreck Room offers friendly bartenders and tons of games like Skee-ball, shuffleboard, pool, and darts to keep you occupied if the real game you came to see isn’t going well. The bar offers a ton of space for sipping on a beer and Jameson if you’re traveling with a group of fans and has enough TVs that you should be able to get one on your game of choice, even if it’s not a local favorite.

Wreck Room, 1390 California Street, Nob Hill, San Francisco, thewreckroomsf.com

The Abbey Tavern

Get rowdy with 49ers fans at this authentic Irish spot in the Inner Richmond, which is often home to a number of Seattle fans as well. The dive bar pulls in a huge crowd on game day, and enthusiastic fans can often be heard yelling for their team from down the street.

The Abbey Tavern, 4100 Geary Boulevard, Richmond District, San Francisco abbeytavern-sf.com

Jake’s Steaks

Philadelphia fans will feel right at home at Jake’s Steaks, the self-proclaimed home of the best Philly cheesesteak in San Francisco. Owned by a Philly native, Eagles fans flock to this friendly spot on game day for a little taste of home. Pair your sandwich with a refreshing Jameson and ginger and lime.

Jake’s Steaks, 3301 Buchanan Street, Marina District, San Francisco jakessteaks.net