4 listening bars in San Francisco our editors have drunk at, sorted by score. All San Francisco nightlife.
Harlan Records ★ 4.5
soma · 18 Harlan Place, San Francisco, CA 94108
Harlan Records sits in an SF downtown alley off Bush Street, a vintage cocktail bar built around a Thorens turntable, McIntosh amps and JBL speakers on vinyl.
Tip: Stay seated when a side flips; quiet listening is the house rule. The cocktail program rotates with the record selections each week.
Bar Part Time ★ 4.5
the-mission · 496 14th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
Bar Part Time on 14th Street pairs natural wine with vinyl DJ sets in a small Mission room, programming ambient, house and disco selectors a few nights.
Tip: Closed Sunday and Monday. The natural wine list is the room's first identity; the DJ booth runs later, with no cover on most nights.
Kissakeko ★ 4.6
soma · 1327 Mason Street, San Francisco, CA 94108
Kissakeko is a 400-square-foot vinyl-only jazz kissa on Nob Hill, pouring artisanal sake into six to eight seats with no streaming and a selected record.
Tip: Open Monday and Thursday through Saturday; one seating per session. Quiet listening is the unwritten rule; no phones at the bar.
Side A ★ 4.5
the-mission · 2814 19th Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
Side A on 19th Street in SF is the vinyl listening bistro from Parker Brown and Caroline Brown, pairing Californian and Midwestern plates with DJ vinyl sets.
Tip: Reservations recommended for the dining counter; vinyl DJs spin from 19:00. The kitchen runs late, so listening sessions stretch past 22:00.