The Mission District has more bars packed into a few walkable blocks than almost anywhere else in San Francisco – dive bars, cocktail dens, beer halls, and everything in between. The hard part isn’t finding a good bar here. It’s figuring out the order to hit them in. This route is built to flow naturally from afternoon to late night, mixing dive bar energy with a few upscale stops, so you get the full Mission experience without doubling back or wasting time. Lace up comfortable shoes – this one’s all on foot.
Before You Start: Route Basics
This crawl runs primarily along Valencia Street between 16th and 24th, with a couple of detours onto Mission Street and 22nd Street for variety. It’s designed to start in the late afternoon and carry you into the night, but you can easily trim it down to four or five stops if you want a shorter night.
Best day to go: Friday or Saturday, starting around 4-5 p.m. Getting there: BART to 16th Street Mission puts you one block from the starting point. Pace yourself: Order a water between rounds – this route has more stops than most crawls, and the Mission rewards a slow, steady night over a rushed one.
Stop 1: Skylark (3089 16th Street)
Start here. Skylark is a Mission institution – a low-key, dimly lit bar with a solid beer list and a laid-back crowd that makes it the perfect low-pressure opener. Grab a beer, get your bearings, and ease into the night before the street gets busier.
Stop 2: Blondies Bar (540 Valencia Street)
A short walk down Valencia gets you to Blondies, known for its long-running martini menu and narrow, moody interior. Order the signature Blondie Martini – gin with a float of orange liqueur – and settle into one of the booths for a bit before moving on. Heads up: it’s cash only.
Stop 3: Fort Point Beer Company (Valencia Street)
Next up is a change of pace. Fort Point’s beer hall vibe – exposed rafters, bold color-blocked walls, and a sidewalk patio – makes it a great spot to grab food if you’re starting to feel the drinks. Pick from a rotating list of beers and split a burger with your crew before continuing.
Stop 4: Beretta (1199 Valencia Street)
Beretta brings a noticeably more upscale energy to the route, with a dark, romantic dining-room feel and a serious cocktail program. This is the stop for a proper tequila or mezcal cocktail – try something built around agave and citrus. It also does double duty as a food stop if you want thin-crust pizza to keep you going.
Stop 5: 20 Spot (Valencia Street)
A wine bar disguised as a record shop hangout, 20 Spot is the palate-cleanser of the route. Trade cocktails for a glass of something unusual – Austrian or Sebastopol wine, depending on what’s pouring – and enjoy the candlelit, vinyl-lined atmosphere before the night picks back up.
Stop 6: Casements (Mission Street)
A short detour to Mission Street brings you to Casements, which looks like a straightforward Irish pub from the outside but opens into a lively bar with a hidden back patio. Grab a whiskey or a local beer and enjoy one of the best-kept-secret patios in the neighborhood.
Stop 7: Latin American Club (22nd Street)
Head toward 22nd Street for Latin American Club, a Mission classic known for strong margaritas and a mural-covered, dimly lit interior that feels like it hasn’t changed in decades – in the best way. This is a great stop to loosen up as the night moves later.
Stop 8: Make-Out Room (22nd Street)
Right around the corner, Make-Out Room brings live music, and DJ sets into the mix. If your crawl is running into the late evening, this is the spot to slow down, grab a drink, and see who’s playing. It’s one of the best venues in the neighborhood for catching a set without planning.
Stop 9: The 500 Club (Guerrero Street)
For the last leg of the night, swing by The 500 Club – a proper Mission dive bar with a glowing neon martini sign out front, cheap drinks, and a jukebox that somehow always has the right song. It’s unpretentious, a little chaotic, and exactly the kind of place a great pub crawl should end at.
Optional Late-Night Add-On: The Chapel or Valencia Room
If you and your crew still have energy left, both The Chapel (777 Valencia) and The Valencia Room (647 Valencia) host live music late into the night. Either is a great way to close out the crawl with a show instead of just one more round.
Tips for a Smooth Crawl
- Eat early and often. Fort Point and Beretta both double as solid food stops – don’t skip them.
- Keep the group small. Six to eight people move through bars far more smoothly than a crowd of fifteen.
- Have a backup plan for weekends. Popular stops like Blondies and Beretta can get a wait on Friday and Saturday nights – build in some buffer time.
- Call a rideshare home. This route covers a lot of ground on foot; don’t feel like you need to walk back to transit at the end of the night.
Final Note
The Mission doesn’t need a gimmick to be one of the best bar-hopping neighborhoods in San Francisco – it just needs a good route. Follow this one from Skylark to The 500 Club, and you’ll hit the dives, the cocktail bars, and the hidden patios that make this stretch of the city worth the walk.
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