The best dive bars in Polk Gulch
The 9 best dive bars in Polk Gulch, hand-picked from barfly.life's Polk Gulch list. Cheap, dark, and gloriously unbothered. These are the SF rooms where the drinks are strong, the décor is an accident, and nobody's checking your shoes. Stiff pours over small talk.
9 spots in Polk Gulch.
Hyde Out
a warm neighborhood dive (cash only), a well-stocked bar + a jukebox
Route 101
Latea spacious no-frills dive by the Regency Ballroom, pinball, pool, and a jukebox
R Bar
a dark Polk-area sports dive, shots of Fernet, naturally
Jackalope
vintage arcade games, cheap highballs and 90s music
Wreck Room
a big neighborhood saloon, walls of TVs, pool table and old-school arcade games
Kozy Kar
Latewaterbed booths, porn loops on TVs
Shanghai Kelly's
daily happy hour deals, beer-and-a-shot place
Cinch Saloon
Polk Street gay bar from the pre-Castro era, gay-themed art on the walls
The Grubstake
converted railroad dining car welded onto a Polk Street facade — actual streetcar interior, open until 4am — one of SF's most reliable late-night options
Can't pick from 9? That's what the lever is for.
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