Welcome to my guide on the best pubs in San Fransisco. This grand 'ol city may be more renowned for its restaurants than its pubs, but it definitely has an abundance of the latter. There are some really cool little pubs and bars in this town. They are all over the place, each with specialty drink, local lore or having some type of historical significance.

I am listing some of my favorite pubs first and then look into details on each of these pubs.
• Gold Dust Lounge: 247 Powell St. (415) 397-1695 • Blue Lamp: 561 Geary St. (415) 885-1464 • Owl Tree: 601 Post. St. (415) 776-9344
• Tommy Tequila: 5920 Geary.(415) 387-4747
• Overflo: 998 Sutter St. (415) 928-2234
• Frankie's Bohemian: 862 Divisadero St. (415) 921-4125
• Fiddler's Green: 1333 Columbus. (415) 441 9758
• An Bodhran 668 Haight St. (415) 431-4724 • Bar None: 1980 Union St. (415) 921-0300• Blue Light: 1979 Union St. (415) 922-5510
• Buena Vista: 2765 Hyde St.(415) 474-5044 • Cha Cha Cha's 1801 Haight St. (415) 386-5758• Delaney's: 2241 Chestnut St. (415) 673-9383• Horseshoe Tavern: 2024 Chestnut St. (415) 346-1430
• LaBarca: 2036 Lombard St. (415)Tonga 921-2221•Room: Left950 atMason Albuquerque:St., 2140Fairmont Union.Hotel. (415) 749-6700772-5278
• LeftyTrad'r O'Doul's:Sam's: 3336150 Geary St. (415) 982-8900• Mauna Loa: 3009 Fillmore St.. (415) 563-5137• Martin Macks: 1568 Haight St. (415) 864-0124• Nikik's BBQ: 460 Haight. (415) 621-6508• Mai Saki: 2030 Lombard St. (415) 346-7373Bl. 415-221-0773
• Pier 23: Embarcaero at Pier 23. (415) 362-5125• Royal Oak: 2201 Polk St. (415) 928-2303
• Sam's: 27 Main St., Tiburon. (415) 435-4527• Shanghai Kelly's: 2064 Polk St. (415) 771-3300• Tonga Room: 950 Mason St., Fairmont Hotel. (415) 772-5278• Trad'r Sam's: 6150 Geary Bl. 415-221-0773• Tosca/Specs Cafe: 242 Columbus Ave. (415) 986-9651 • Zam Zam: 1633 Haight St. (415) 861-2545

The coolest, neatest pub in town has to be the Gold Dust Lounge (by Lefty O'Doul's, a piano pub in Union Square). Close by is The Blue Lamp, a dusty dive with live music, pool and great low-key music (Geary and Jones). [MAP]
For the City's Best Bloody Mary, head to the Owl Tree (Taylor and Post). The key ingredient is a pickled string bean. Trust is, it works. If tequila is your thing, the aptly-named Tommy Tequila is the spot. The Overflo (Levenworth and Hyde) is a local Cheers-type pub, the kind of place to go when you want to hang out for a few beers and talk to the bartender. Frankie's Bohemian (Divisadero and California) is a jamming little joint with creative food, such as tostada on a potato pancake.
San Francisco doesn't rock that hard early in the week, but the one place where that does happen is Fiddler's Green. This is where the bartenders and waitresses from the fancy Fisherman's Wharf restaurants go when they get off work. Flight attendants on layover also like it here. There's certainly nothing fancy about the place which, of course, is part of its allure. On weekends, it has two floors of fun.
Talk about tradition. The Buena Vista claims to have introduced Irish Coffee to the U.S. The smell of coffee is evident when walking in the door. It's located at the turnaround of the Hyde Street cable cars a couple of blocks from Fiddler's Green, so it has a mix of tourists and local businessmen. The huge bay window looks out over the cable car's starting point. Make fun of the tourists waiting in long lines for a lift while you sit relaxed place with a cocktail. Saturday afternoons finds the Buena Vista at its best. [MAP]
Finally, for Jimmy Buffett fans, there's a little bit of Margaritaville on the edge of Golden Gate Park. Trad'r Sams doesn't serve cheeseburgers, but it does have a drink called the "P38," served in a bowl fit for a group of four. This is a small place where each table is decorated like a different island. [MAP]
A more famous tropical outpost – even featured in a recent Jimmy Buffett song – is the Tonga Room. It's a Polynesian lounge downtown in the Fairmont Hotel with indoor thunderstorms and a cheap lounge band floating on water. get out before getting hit with a $3 "entertainment cover" at 8). It's a novelty with a so-so $7 buffet (one-drink minimum at an additional $6.50 a pop; go for the Mai Tai), from 5-7 p.m. [MAP]

Pier 23 is the place to be on Sundays – if you're not at Sam's.
If it's Sunday afternoon, there are two excellent options. Pier 23 has a large outdoor patio, live jazz, strong drinks (they even make an Irish Car Bomb) and a lively crowd. Since people know they must work the next day, they leave nothing on the table. Get there before 5 to avoid the line and cover charge. [PIER 23 MAP]
On the other side of the Bay is our Favorite Bar in the Bay Area – Sam's in Tiburon. A large, wooden patio, adjacent to a dock where wealthy sailboat captains cruise in looking for first mates, this is one place that can really get out of control. PubClub once mentioned to the bartender that the drinks are quiet strong. "Hey," he responded without hesitation. "We want people to have a good time here." And have a good time they do! Get the right table and it's the best social scene in the area. Plus, a ferry will drop you off and pick you up practically right at the dock. [SAM'S MAP]