Bars & Clubs, Bars & Pubs, Pubs, Brew Pubs, Dive Bars, Neighborhood Bars, Taverns, Restaurants
21 & Over, After Work, Draft Beer, Happy Hour, Notable Beer List, Happy Hour
Toronado, a well known Pub in San Francisco has been serving beers for over 22 years. Located on 547 Haight Street, Toronado is the place for beer lovers with over 50 on tap and 100 bottled daily. Every year, Toronado is awarded "Best Beer Selection" in San Francisco by multiple recognized critics. At Toronado, Happy Hour is everyday from 11:30am to 6pm. Toronado is by far the place to be if you are looking for Bars & Pubs with the largest beer selection in the entire San Francisco Bay Area. Come in and find out for yourself...
Toronado is renowned for their beer selection and is a must visit for beer lovers. The bar staff is knowledgeable and helpful, though not gregarious. If you want a bartender that will listen to your problems, go elsewhere. At Toronado, you talk to the bartender about two things: Which beer you want and how many.
If you are unfamiliar with the beer selection and are willing to experiment, Toronado's staff can help point you in the right direction. Bud and Coors Light drinkers should stay away.
Don't forget to get a sausage from Rosamunde Sausage Grill next door to accompany your beer.
Posted 08/18/08 | Report Abuse
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Completely left us disillusioned with Haight Ashbury! We couldn't have been more disappointed with the WORST bartender I've ever met. It is one thing to be a rude bartender when people are waving money at you, whistling and snapping fingers. BUT when a girl just stands at the bar, waiting patiently and gets passed up not once, not twice but 5 times! it's just too much. There was only one female bartender and there were about 30 people at 5 pm. on a Tuesday, but the attitude was deliberate and we left after one beer. The groovy bar back with dreads came by and apologized twice for her neglect, and it wasn't until my boyfriend pulled me away pointing out that I had been standing there for 20 minutes that we left.
This is H&A's Beer-Nazi!
FIND ANOTHER BAR for great beer- they don't hold a patent- you'd be better off waiting for a delivery straight from the brewery.
Posted 08/18/08 | Report Abuse
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Best Belgian Beer Bar on the West Coast
by Anonymous
Sorry pretty folks, to get your hands on a selection of the finest and rarest Belgian (and some other Europeans and specialty domestics) beers, you've got to get to the Lower Haight.
The beers may be highbrow, but plan to dress down. The jukebox is pretty much exclusively heavy metal and the regulars and tenders seem to have a propensity for either piercing and/or the working man look.
Most of the tenders really know their beer and are helpful in finding something for you as long as it's not too busy.
Note: They tolerate yuppies (as they'd think I am), but do not bring an attitude in here regardless of how many buddies you have with you.
PROS: Great Beer
CONS: Heavy on the Metal / Anti Vibe
Posted 10/05/05 | Report Abuse
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Better fit the profile or the bartender won't accept you
by trestessa
Wow! I have never been treated with so much disrespect in my life. I feel like the bartender had some sort of personal vendetta against me. I don't think I exactly fit the profile of a typical customer or something like that. I am a bartender in another city and would never treat a customer like this.
Pros: great beer selection
Cons: the bartender
Posted 09/04/09
Best selection of beers on tab!
by allentomdude
Perhaps the best place to get beer anywhere! The beer selection is outstanding, with a very large selection of Belgium beers.
As a bonus, you can grab a sausage next door at Rosemunde, and bring it to Toronado!
Pros: Awesome belgium beers
Cons: Too may hipsters
Posted 06/10/09
I heart Toronado
by ilovespammy
I heart Toronado.
I heart the bartender - she's so fun.
I heart the pomegranate cider.
I heart the cider is $4.50.
I heart the cool beer selection.
I heart that you can bring your Rosamunde here.
I heart Toronado.
Posted 05/09/09
The Best Beer Bar I've Ever Been To - and I've been to many
by adamjam
The first time I walked into this place was about 10 years ago. From the minute I walked in I actually considered moving from Marin into the city.
The place is perfect for a true beer lover. Porters, stouts, ale, hefs - not just selection, but a well thought out selection. The staff knows their sh(t, and I have learned a lot about beer just from being there.
Long live the Toronado!!!!
Pros: Selection and Staff Knowledge
Cons: I moved out of SF :-(
Posted 04/27/09
Great Place to Stop for a Pint
by therealmccrea
What's not to love? Incredible selection of beers on tap, including some hand-pumped craft beers you won't find anywhere else. Gritty atmosphere. Lower Haight neighborhood. Lots of restaurants nearby (and you can bring food in). One of my favorite pubs in the world.
Pros: Great selection, including hand-pumped craft beers
Posted 11/18/08
Outstanding
by diverdown4u
The best brewpub in San Francisco, Hands Down! All those beers you can't find, and a few you never heard of.
Pros: Many Microbrews and Seasonals that can not be found anywhere else.
Cons: Overcrowded during peak hours, and hard to get service.
Posted 11/05/07
So they have a lot of beer, so what?
by roxxy
As the other reviewer, I was lured here by the idea of a place where beer is king. I do love my beer. And they have loads of it... all different kinds, which is why I'm giving the place 2 stars instead of just 1. The actual bar is just nasty, with barely any room to stand. If you can find a place to sit, consider that you've just won the lottery. Also, I'm a hole-in-the-wall bar kind of girl, but this is just too much. When the guy on either side of you smells like they haven't been on the receiving end of a soap bar in at least a week, and they're not together, you know what kind of crowd comes here.
Pros: Beer Selection, Location
Cons: Atmosphere, Service, Price
Posted 10/16/07
Pretty revolting bar
by godlovesugly
I was lured to Toronado by the rumors of phenomenal beer, but instead found myself in a sleazy bar engulfed by the stench of man musk and beer-stained floors. There?s no doubt that the beer menu here is superb but it?s hard to imagine that being the only reason one would decide to go out. Don?t waste your time here. The service was awful, the bar scene was filled with a bunch of creeps, and the tiny place was filthy. If you?re looking for a laid-back scene, try some place like Zeitgeist where you can at least hang out in the open and avoid choking on body odor.
Pros: They serve beer.
Cons: Very dirty, Negative atmosphere, Slow service
Posted 06/04/07
The Brotherhood of Beer
by stentorian
Let's be up front about Toronado. It's not pretty. It's crowded. It's noisy. There's a certain seedy element. However, to paraphrase an old movie line, it's a place for people who want to drink beer and drink it right. The beer selection, both on tap and bottled, is first rate. While Toronado does not boast the selection of the Peculier Pub in New York or the Brickskellar in D.C., the quality of beers available is superior. Especially impressive is the variety of Belgians and California locals. There is also a Belgian bottled beer menu. The prices are reasonable and, during happy hour, great. And while we're being up front, after the first beer the gin mill atmosphere seems perfect. Ultimately the drinkers here drink here because they care about the taste of their beer. Why would you want to drink with anyone else?
Pros: Quality beer selection
Cons: crowded
Posted 01/17/07
Good brews
by johnpeterpeckham
pretty cool place. great brews and friendly service. went there the other night with a friend that introduced me to a beer called chimay. it was great and good for you, not really. i would definetly be going back.
Pros: good beer, good service
Cons: small area
Posted 12/09/06
World renowned watering hole
by ifyouaskme
Anyone who knows and appreciates beer should check this mecca out. The selection is staggering, diverse, and delicious. People from all parts flock to this establishment as a sort of religious pilgrimage of libation. The juke box rocks and the bartenders are cool but a few have a good amount of snark. Next door is a delicious sausage grill which serves awesome burgers on tuesday. Many people bring their food into the bar to enjoy a pint with the meal. As long as you clean up after yourself it's cool. The happy hour is cheap and it's a great place to meet up with friends.
Pros: unbelievable selection
Cons: smelly bathrooms
Posted 11/01/06
Beer!
by blasfemmereally
Toronado has almost every beer you would ever want on tap. I love this place! It's very casual & laid back. It's kind of dark, but not in a creepy way, in a nice bit of privacy way. The bartenders are very nice & the beer (do they serve other drinks?) is reasonably priced. I highly recommend this place if you're looking to impress a beer-lover or just want a cool place to kick back & hang out with friends. I was there on a weekend & it was kind of crowded but we were able to get a table within 10 minutes.
Pros: so many beers on tap!, reasonably priced, friendly staff
Posted 03/27/04
Awesome beer selection
by flerve
Tons of great beers and tons of bad beers on tap. a great place for beer lovers. they have a full line of anchor beers and tons of belgian and other imports. music is too loud and service is so-so.
Posted 08/05/03
A must for beer lovers
by knows_all
This place has the best beer selection in town... hands down. A must for beer connoisseurs. Only place in the US that I have seen Kwak on tap. I was hestitant to post a review because the place is busy as is and I would rather not have too many more people find my favorite bar (for relaxing) in the city.
Cool bartenders too!
Only con is that you have to buy food next door and bring it over... which does give you a chance to stretch your legs after drinking potent Belgium beer.
Pros: Great Beer!, Good prices., Good service.
Cons: Parking.
Posted 01/22/03
If you like beer, this is your place.
by slappyjack
Beer, beer and more beer. That's all they carry (even in sodas, you get root beer.) The staff is a gruff but lovable bunch of folks than know more about beer than you're going to wanna learn. Just remember to behave yourself; this is a place where people go to hang and drink beer for enjoyment, not to get obliterated.
Pros: good beer, good jukebox, good people
Cons: LOUD MUSIC, VERY LOUD MUSIC, slightly dirty
Posted 09/20/02
