Top 5: Best Bars in the San Francisco Mission District

San Francisco’s Mission District is brimming with history and art. Whether visiting the city for the first time or looking for a new weekend hangout, stop by these bars to quench your thirst.

Pacific Brewing Lab © Gary Stevens | Flickr

For beer lovers, the Pacific Brew Lab is a must. This locally owned brewery boasts inventive brews, such as Hibiscus Saison, Squid Ink Black IPA, Chamomile Ale and Lemongrass IPA as well as wine-soaked, oak-aged Brown Ale.

If wine is more your style, stop by 20 Spot, on the ground floor of a historic Victorian building that oozes charm and history. This classy wine bar has a tasty menu that changes daily and a truly unique ambiance.

Dosa © Mike Linksvayer | Flickr

Stop by Dosa for a dinner and drinks combo that will impress any guest. This South Indian restaurant mixes up some of the best cocktails in the Mission — try their South Indian Gin & Tonic, made with their own Blade gin and house-made fig/cardamom tonic water.

For an all-around good time, try Zeitgeist. This popular dive bar-beer garden hybrid is always packed — and for a good reason. Historically a biker’s bar, this SF hangout now attracts a wide range of people; their burgers and Bloody Marys are legendary.

Soda Jerk at The Ice Cream Bar © David Lytle | Flickr

Although not a bar in the traditional sense, this ice cream shop-bar hybrid is sure to please. The Ice Cream Bar combines two of the best things — ice cream and booze — for an adult twist on the old ice cream float. Try the Royal Red Milkshake; if this blend of Duchesse De Bourgogne Flemish Red Ale, Toro Albala Don PX 2010 sherry, morello cherry ice cream and turbinado syrup doesn’t put a smile on your face, nothing will.