San Francisco is a town of drinkers. Going out four nights a week won’t even turn a head. There’s a definite culture around the town’s bars- not one of exclusion (though some transplants do take great joy in mocking anyone who’s been in SF a shorter time than them. As a native, I give you my permission to punch them in their stupid nose) but there are a few pointers that might be of some use.
Bartenders can come off as pissy. (Toronado is infamous for this, though I think it’s grossly overstated.) Don’t take it personally; they’re probably hung over. Just be reasonably polite, don’t wave cash or yell at them, and all will be good. If there’s a bigass board with a list of beers staring you in the face, read it, then order. And unless you’re genuinely getting bad service, tip a dollar a drink. Yes, even on that twenty-five cent PBR. Yes, even if you’re never ever coming back to the Bay Area.
Also, we have a lot of bars. Not bar-n-grills, not restaurants with bars, not tapas bars, but fucking bars. There’s beer, there’s wine, there’s liquor, and there’s mixers. Not a scrap of food on the premises. This means two things. First, don’t assume your four-year old son or your 20 year old niece are allowed in (even if the place does have food). San Franciscans swear a lot, so it’s better this way for everyone. Also, you may need to plan to grab a bite to eat before you go drinkin’. Places without kitchens don’t mind if you bring food in, so it’s perfectly acceptable to grab a burrito and eat it at the bar. Hell, you can even get food delivered if you want. Keep in mind that bars without kitchens tend to be small, so you’ll want to keep it simple- you (usually) won’t have room for a full spread of naan, rice, and tikka masala, but a falafel wrap will be fine. And don’t assume the bar has silverware.
No, you cannot smoke indoors in San Francisco bars. But you can put a coaster over your glass and go outside, and it should remain unmolested.
San Francisco is a stubbornly cash-only town, at least at the afore-mentioned bar-only bars. Not everywhere, but certainly more than most other places. 99% of them will have an ATM on-site, and the rest of them will have an ATM within a few dozen feet of the front door. Keep this in mind; you might wanna get cash back at a Walgreens or Rite-Aid to avoid ATM fees.
One last thing- Anchor Steam and Sierra Nevada Pale Ale are damn near everywhere. I’d be genuinely surprised to find any bar that doesn’t have at least one, and almost all of them have both. They’re so ubiquitous that ordering “Anchor” or “Sierra” will get you these beers. So if you want Anchor Liberty or Sierra Nevada Celebration, be specific.
As for beer stores, I’m including the absolute best ones in SF, but honestly, most corner stores (liquor stores/bodegas) have a pretty good selection. The one on my corner is especially tiny, but it always has bombers of Stone and Ninkasi, plenty of craft six-packs, and seasonal selections like AVBC’s Summer Solstice. Not that I want to discourage you from checking out City Beer Store, but if you just want to head back to the hotel with a nightcap, any beacon of neon on the corner should be just fine.
