Rob’s San Francisco guidebook
Neighborhoods
You’re staying in Nopa, a great neighborhood in its own right as well as a central location for exploring San Francisco. Some neighborhoods & sights like Hayes Valley, Golden Gate Park, the Haight Ashbury, and Alamo Square are only short walks from here. Ubers, Lyfts, and taxis are plentiful so nothing is very far away.
77 locals recommend
North of the Panhandle
You’re staying in Nopa, a great neighborhood in its own right as well as a central location for exploring San Francisco. Some neighborhoods & sights like Hayes Valley, Golden Gate Park, the Haight Ashbury, and Alamo Square are only short walks from here. Ubers, Lyfts, and taxis are plentiful so nothing is very far away.
Food scene
Single origin coffees & fancy lattes by Four Barrel. Try their toast! They’ve got great pizza available on most evenings, too.
281 locals recommend
The Mill
736 Divisadero StSingle origin coffees & fancy lattes by Four Barrel. Try their toast! They’ve got great pizza available on most evenings, too.
Your closest source for caffeine and a good option for the weekends when the Mill’s line goes out the door. Great ambiance & outdoor tables for sunny days. Popular weekday spot to work because of their wifi.
99 locals recommend
Matching Half
1799 McAllister StYour closest source for caffeine and a good option for the weekends when the Mill’s line goes out the door. Great ambiance & outdoor tables for sunny days. Popular weekday spot to work because of their wifi.
The neighborhood’s best casual fine dining spot. Incredible burger & pork chop. Great cocktails and they serve food until 1 am, too. Reservations are hard to come by but if you can get there by 5 pm and put your name on the list they’ll usually be able to get you a table during prime hours.
77 locals recommend
North of the Panhandle
The neighborhood’s best casual fine dining spot. Incredible burger & pork chop. Great cocktails and they serve food until 1 am, too. Reservations are hard to come by but if you can get there by 5 pm and put your name on the list they’ll usually be able to get you a table during prime hours.
Excellent Southern food. Popular brunch spot and only three blocks away.
92 locals recommend
Tony's Market & Liquor
2751 24th StExcellent Southern food. Popular brunch spot and only three blocks away.
Papalote Mexican Grill
1777 Fulton StGood taqueria close by. Try their mole
Another popular Nopa taqueria. Great high-quality ingredients and a fun atmosphere.
187 locals recommend
The Little Chihuahua
292 Divisadero StAnother popular Nopa taqueria. Great high-quality ingredients and a fun atmosphere.
High-quality regional Mexican restaurant that serves dishes you won’t find at taquerias. Totopos con chili, carnitas, and mole are not to be missed.
306 locals recommend
Nopalito
306 Broderick StHigh-quality regional Mexican restaurant that serves dishes you won’t find at taquerias. Totopos con chili, carnitas, and mole are not to be missed.
Ragazza
311 Divisadero StTasty thin-crust Neapolitan pizzas and Italian fare.
Excellent seafood. Catch their dollar oyster happy hour between 5-6:30 Monday-Saturday.
159 locals recommend
Bar Crudo
655 Divisadero StExcellent seafood. Catch their dollar oyster happy hour between 5-6:30 Monday-Saturday.
A popular local "fine casual" chain that serves up delicious salads, pita wraps, fries, and greek yogurt.
196 locals recommend
Souvla
517 Hayes StA popular local "fine casual" chain that serves up delicious salads, pita wraps, fries, and greek yogurt.
Popular Spanish tapas restaurant on Divisadero. Great for grabbing a drinks and small bites.
10 locals recommend
barvale
661 Divisadero StPopular Spanish tapas restaurant on Divisadero. Great for grabbing a drinks and small bites.
Popular craft cocktail bar with a heated outdoor space. Good food options, too. Try a Sun Country and their burger.
46 locals recommend
Horsefeather
528 Divisadero StPopular craft cocktail bar with a heated outdoor space. Good food options, too. Try a Sun Country and their burger.
Barrel Head Brewhouse
1785 Fulton StGastropub where they brew their beer on site.
Casual local bar with lots of seating. Popular late on weekends and they serve Ethiopian food.
30 locals recommend
Club Waziema
543 Divisadero StCasual local bar with lots of seating. Popular late on weekends and they serve Ethiopian food.
Casual bar on divis with lots of local art on the wall. Popular with locals.
52 locals recommend
Mini Bar
837 Divisadero StCasual bar on divis with lots of local art on the wall. Popular with locals.
Cool bar with rotating art installations. Check out Monday Night Motown!
131 locals recommend
Madrone Art Bar
500 Divisadero StCool bar with rotating art installations. Check out Monday Night Motown!
High-end market. Like a smaller version of Whole Foods with local products. Their ice-cream is a can’t-miss. Good deli, too. Grab some snacks and head up to Alamo Square for a picnic.
651 locals recommend
Bi-Rite Market
3639 18th StHigh-end market. Like a smaller version of Whole Foods with local products. Their ice-cream is a can’t-miss. Good deli, too. Grab some snacks and head up to Alamo Square for a picnic.
Ritual and Blue Bottle Coffee Roasters are great cafes and there are several of each throughout the city. Patricia’s Green in nearby Hayes Valley houses both in a garage & shipping container.
295 locals recommend
Ritual Coffee Roasters
1026 Valencia StRitual and Blue Bottle Coffee Roasters are great cafes and there are several of each throughout the city. Patricia’s Green in nearby Hayes Valley houses both in a garage & shipping container.
Excellent coffee in a beautiful setting. They roast their beans on-site. Their flagship location on 7th St is worth checking out but there’s also one closer by on Divisadero St.
378 locals recommend
Sightglass Coffee
270 7th StExcellent coffee in a beautiful setting. They roast their beans on-site. Their flagship location on 7th St is worth checking out but there’s also one closer by on Divisadero St.
Fantastic breakfast & lunch in a beautiful space out by the ocean. Check out charming shops, cafes, and the ocean nearby while waiting for a table.
259 locals recommend
Outerlands
4001 Judah StFantastic breakfast & lunch in a beautiful space out by the ocean. Check out charming shops, cafes, and the ocean nearby while waiting for a table.
Best dim sum in the city. Koi Palace and Asian Pearl are also great south of San Francisco.
64 locals recommend
Hong Kong Lounge
5322 Geary BlvdBest dim sum in the city. Koi Palace and Asian Pearl are also great south of San Francisco.
A cross between Indian & Thai. Try the tea leaf salad and sumusa soup. Save some time and check in for the waitlist on Yelp.
458 locals recommend
Burma Superstar
309 Clement StA cross between Indian & Thai. Try the tea leaf salad and sumusa soup. Save some time and check in for the waitlist on Yelp.
Turtle Tower Restaurant
5716 Geary BlvdBest Pho ga (chicken) in San Francisco.
Great Vietnamese spot in Duboce Triangle area. The Bun Bo Hue (spicy pho), pho dac biet (beef pho), pho chay (vegetarian pho), and imperial rolls are all favorites.
37 locals recommend
Jasmine Garden
708 14th StGreat Vietnamese spot in Duboce Triangle area. The Bun Bo Hue (spicy pho), pho dac biet (beef pho), pho chay (vegetarian pho), and imperial rolls are all favorites.
Pizzeria Delfina
3621 18th StExcellent Neapolitan-style pizza
Creative craft cocktails in the Haight Ashbury. Further down the street, try Maven for cocktails and Toronado’s impressive beer selection.
137 locals recommend
The Alembic
1725 Haight StCreative craft cocktails in the Haight Ashbury. Further down the street, try Maven for cocktails and Toronado’s impressive beer selection.
Toronado
547 Haight StGreat local dive with an impressive beer selection.
SF’s most acclaimed cocktail bar with a rotating menu in a stylish space. There are a lot of other options in the Mission, too.
280 locals recommend
Trick Dog
3010 20th StSF’s most acclaimed cocktail bar with a rotating menu in a stylish space. There are a lot of other options in the Mission, too.
A bar that serves an impressive number of gins and gin-based cocktails. Looks like an establishment from Victorian England.
45 locals recommend
Whitechapel
600 Polk StA bar that serves an impressive number of gins and gin-based cocktails. Looks like an establishment from Victorian England.
A ridiculous experience! A tiki bar designed to look like a giant pirate ship. Try to go when a band is playing on the floating stage and the simulated rain shower is happening.
93 locals recommend
Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar
950 Mason StA ridiculous experience! A tiki bar designed to look like a giant pirate ship. Try to go when a band is playing on the floating stage and the simulated rain shower is happening.
ABV
3174 16th StGood cocktails & food in the Mission.
Zeitgeist
199 Valencia StFun beer garden in the Mission that's popular with locals.
Reclaimed shipping containers repurposed into a modern German Biergarten. Grab a stein on a hot day!
114 locals recommend
Biergarten
424 Octavia StReclaimed shipping containers repurposed into a modern German Biergarten. Grab a stein on a hot day!
Sightseeing
The famous park with the postcard view of Downtown San Francisco and the house from Full House. Great place for people watching on sunny days. Bring a blanket and some snacks & drinks from Bi-Rite!
390 locals recommend
Alamo Square
The famous park with the postcard view of Downtown San Francisco and the house from Full House. Great place for people watching on sunny days. Bring a blanket and some snacks & drinks from Bi-Rite!
A small neighborhood music venue that plays host to lots of high profile artists. Catch a show and grab some late-night food after at Nopa next door. The Fillmore & The Chapel are also great local venues to see a concert.
200 locals recommend
The Independent
628 Divisadero St A small neighborhood music venue that plays host to lots of high profile artists. Catch a show and grab some late-night food after at Nopa next door. The Fillmore & The Chapel are also great local venues to see a concert.
Clarion Alley
Clarion AlleyRotating mural alley in the Mission.
A beautiful hiking trail that starts at a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean and ends at the Golden Gate Bridge.
694 locals recommend
Lands End Trail
Lands End TrailA beautiful hiking trail that starts at a bluff overlooking the Pacific Ocean and ends at the Golden Gate Bridge.
A roller disco housed inside an old church. Fun way to spend a Saturday night.
21 locals recommend
Church Of 8 Wheels
554 Fillmore StA roller disco housed inside an old church. Fun way to spend a Saturday night.
City advice
Getting around
Getting Around
The closest Muni is the #5 on McCallister & Lyon St, which runs along Fulton & Market Streets, taking you to the Pacific Ocean, Civic Center Bart Station, Union Square, Financial District, & Embarcadero. Try and catch the 5R line one street up on McCallister & Baker, which will move faster since it skips less popular stops.
For many locals their primary means of transportation is a bike. With the city’s compact size and numerous bike lanes, riders are able to quickly commute between neighborhoods with ease. There's a bike share kiosk around the corner on Baker & McCallister St.
Book before you go
Airport
Taking a taxi from the San Francisco Airport to this apartment should cost somewhere between $40-60, depending on traffic conditions. Ridesharing companies like Uber & Lyft are more prevalent and cost effective. A Lyft Line or Uber Pool will run you between $20-$30, while a private one will be $30-$40. It’ll take a little more time but the most cost-effective way of getting to SFO and Oakland is through BART. Take the 5 Bus or car down to Mid-Market and go to the Civic Center Station. Fares are about $7 and can take you to SFO and Oakland Airport.