The Saloon, North Beach
25 people recommend, 2 warn against itvia r/AskSF, r/bayarea, r/sanfrancisco27 comments cited below
What people say, in short
Most people recommend The Saloon, a North Beach dive known for its music, including live blues. Several call it a dive, and several say the drinks are cheap. One says it can be loud but calmer if you go early on weekends, and one advises bringing cash. One neighbor who shares a wall says the nightly music is an adjustment and the talk outside after closing is worse, and another says living right beside it would be rough.
Address
The Saloon, 1232 Grant Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133
At a glance
- Price
- Budget
- Best for
- Live music, Budget
- Known for
- Live music
The evidence
Every point below is paraphrased from a real public comment, ordered by how much the community engaged with it. Caveats and negatives are kept in — follow any link to read the original for yourself.
- Caveatu/vulgarlittleflowers in r/AskSF · Apr 2026ambience
Lives beside it; says nightly live music is an adjustment, but loitering outside after close is worse.
- Recommendsu/CAMvsWILD in r/AskSF · Apr 2026ambience
Recommended for live music; loud, so quieter if visited early rather than late on weekends.
- Recommendsu/ComradeCheeseball in r/AskSF · Sep 2025
Lists it third among three recommended bars.
- Recommendsu/consigliere47 in r/AskSF · Jun 2026ambience
Recommends Saloon in North Beach; says it may have a blues guitar playing.
- Recommendsu/monkeybizwak in r/AskSF · Apr 2024
Treats this as the one neighborhood bar in Dogpatch worth counting, based on living there for years.
- Recommendsu/jim9162 in r/AskSF · Feb 2025
Lists it as the opening stop of a third route they use.
- Recommendsu/415Frisco415 in r/AskSF · Apr 2026
Suggests The Saloon in North Beach despite it lacking a pool table.
- Recommendsu/ginja_snaps in r/AskSF · Feb 2024ambience
Praises its music.
Show all 27 cited comments
- Recommendsu/blunts-and-kittens in r/AskSF · Sep 2026price
Calls this long-running old tavern good for cheap drinks and advises bringing cash.
- Caveatu/ZestycloseAd5918 in r/AskSF · Apr 2026ambience
Thinks living directly beside the Saloon would be a difficult setup.
- Recommendsu/4252020-asdf in r/AskSF · Apr 2026ambience
Says the bar fits the gritty dive-bar style the requester is after.
- Recommendsu/jtbuffmire in r/AskSF · Apr 2026
Says it's a personal standout pick in North Beach.
- Recommendsu/docmoonlight in r/AskSF · Jan 2025price
Unsure, but thinks The Saloon may also sell canned beer at a similar low price.
- Recommendsu/x3leggeddawg in r/AskSF · Dec 2023ambience
Says the Saloon has great music and cheap well drinks.
- Recommendsu/raleighs in r/AskSF · Jun 2026
Agrees with the parent's recommendation of Saloon.
- Recommendsu/Crazy_Custard_2081 in r/AskSF · Apr 2026ambience
Calls The Saloon in North Beach a fun dive with blues, and says the area suits bar-hopping.
- Recommendsu/LightFlaky2329 in r/AskSF · Sep 2025
Simply agrees with the parent's list.
- Recommendsu/Haveblue1 in r/bayarea · Apr 2024
Recommends this venue for strong live music.
- Recommendsu/ExoticPainting154 in r/sanfrancisco · Aug 2026
Recalls a North Beach bar called The Saloon as fun during their twenties.
- Recommendsu/TheBiggerWave in r/AskSF · Apr 2026
Says The Saloon is the closest match among the bars listed.
- Recommendsu/mr_pootatohead in r/AskSF · Apr 2026ambience
Describes it as an enjoyable, traditional dive with frequent live blues.
- Recommendsu/DanSt3 in r/Tiki · Mar 2026ambience
Recommends it for its Gold Rush-era feel and live blues; only had beer there.
- Recommendsu/goldcrows in r/sanfrancisco · Nov 2024
Suggests it as a dive option.
- Recommendsu/Bordash in r/AskSF · Dec 2023ambience
Seconds the Saloon recommendation and likes its live music.
- Recommendsu/myironlung42 in r/AskSF · Apr 2026
Says they love The Saloon, though Clooney's fits the vibe better.
- Recommendsu/Scoop_Demise in r/AskSF · Mar 2025
Names it as a bar from their old neighbourhood, suggesting it was a regular spot.
- Recommendsu/mofugly13 in r/AskSF · Jan 2025ambience
Recommends live blues there after dinner at Sodinis.
More maps in San Francisco, United States
Did this page answer your question?
Freshness
Details last checked 14 Nov 2026. Recommendations reflect what people said at the time; confirm current details before you go.