Toronado
547 Haight St
San Francisco, California, 94117-3406
United States
(415) 863-2276 | map
toronado.com
Notes:
Reviews: 337
| Ratings: 505
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Reviews by Beervana:
More User Reviews:
slasich from Pennsylvania
4.17/5 rDev -3%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.25
May 18, 2020
4.17/5 rDev -3%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.25
May 18, 2020
Montanabeerz from Montana
4.55/5 rDev +5.8%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.75
Nov 06, 2019
4.55/5 rDev +5.8%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.75
Nov 06, 2019
jophish17 from Georgia
4.33/5 rDev +0.7%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.75
Aug 21, 2019
4.33/5 rDev +0.7%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.75
Aug 21, 2019
RollTide7 from New Jersey
4.86/5 rDev +13%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5
Hands down one of my favorite bars. Rated service a down a bit as they can definitely be a bit surly, particularly if you don't know about beer or if you ask them for advice be prepared to tell them what you like. I've struck up good conversations with the bartenders and other customers on multiple stops in. One of the most reasonable prices for a pint of pliny you will find anywhere besides at Russian River itself. Also have a great selection of other quality brews, I tried moonraker last time I was in there.
Be aware that they also sell beer to go, i bought some plinys to go last time i was in there and the bartender gave me a pint can of alvarado minesweeper for free to try as well.
Mar 13, 2019
4.86/5 rDev +13%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5
Hands down one of my favorite bars. Rated service a down a bit as they can definitely be a bit surly, particularly if you don't know about beer or if you ask them for advice be prepared to tell them what you like. I've struck up good conversations with the bartenders and other customers on multiple stops in. One of the most reasonable prices for a pint of pliny you will find anywhere besides at Russian River itself. Also have a great selection of other quality brews, I tried moonraker last time I was in there.
Be aware that they also sell beer to go, i bought some plinys to go last time i was in there and the bartender gave me a pint can of alvarado minesweeper for free to try as well.
Mar 13, 2019
fehrminator from North Carolina
4.11/5 rDev -4.4%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4.25
Mar 02, 2019
4.11/5 rDev -4.4%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.25 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4.25
Mar 02, 2019
acurtis from New Jersey
4.22/5 rDev -1.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.25
Dec 25, 2018
4.22/5 rDev -1.9%
vibe: 4 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.25
Dec 25, 2018
VoxRationis from New York
5/5 rDev +16.3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
I was in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco and visited Toronado with a couple of friends on their recommendation. They warned me it was a bit of a "dive" bar, but honestly it is nothing of the kind. It is a rare bar that shows a real commitment to providing such a broad range of quality craft beers.
I was really impressed by the several dozens taps available and the additional range of bottled offerings. All served up fairly inexpensively with the friendliness of your local neighborhood bar. The walls, including the bathrooms, are covered with beer memorabilia, as is the entire space behind the bar. The crowd consists almost exclusively of real beer cognoscenti. I struck up a conversation with a couple of fellows for North Carolina and gratefully ordered their recommendation.
This place is a gem. If you are in SF, you should go to HA. If you are in HA, you should go to Toronado.
Oct 16, 2018
5/5 rDev +16.3%
vibe: 5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
I was in the Haight-Ashbury neighborhood of San Francisco and visited Toronado with a couple of friends on their recommendation. They warned me it was a bit of a "dive" bar, but honestly it is nothing of the kind. It is a rare bar that shows a real commitment to providing such a broad range of quality craft beers.
I was really impressed by the several dozens taps available and the additional range of bottled offerings. All served up fairly inexpensively with the friendliness of your local neighborhood bar. The walls, including the bathrooms, are covered with beer memorabilia, as is the entire space behind the bar. The crowd consists almost exclusively of real beer cognoscenti. I struck up a conversation with a couple of fellows for North Carolina and gratefully ordered their recommendation.
This place is a gem. If you are in SF, you should go to HA. If you are in HA, you should go to Toronado.
Oct 16, 2018
VashonGuy from Washington
4.28/5 rDev -0.5%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.75 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5
Sep 04, 2018
4.28/5 rDev -0.5%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.75 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.5
Sep 04, 2018
sweetbrew82 from California
3.94/5 rDev -8.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4.25
Aug 06, 2018
3.94/5 rDev -8.4%
vibe: 3.5 | quality: 4 | service: 3.75 | selection: 4.25
Aug 06, 2018
Thankin_Hank from Texas
4.94/5 rDev +14.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
This place was just GREAT! Bartender was a hippie looking dude who called us “civilized” because he got a decent tip. Gave me stickers for the beer fridge and a magnet. We were after a taste of the Russian River’s ‘Pliny the Elder’ and had a couple of pints after an Anchor Brewing tour and multiple tastings. The best part was the cool people we met. There was so much nostalgia it was really cool. A place I would love to go back to.
May 10, 2018
4.94/5 rDev +14.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
This place was just GREAT! Bartender was a hippie looking dude who called us “civilized” because he got a decent tip. Gave me stickers for the beer fridge and a magnet. We were after a taste of the Russian River’s ‘Pliny the Elder’ and had a couple of pints after an Anchor Brewing tour and multiple tastings. The best part was the cool people we met. There was so much nostalgia it was really cool. A place I would love to go back to.
May 10, 2018
blisscent from Rhode Island
4.48/5 rDev +4.2%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Mar 24, 2018
4.48/5 rDev +4.2%
vibe: 4.75 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4 | selection: 4.5
Mar 24, 2018
gspeer711 from California
4.46/5 rDev +3.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.75
Mar 23, 2018
4.46/5 rDev +3.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 5 | service: 3.5 | selection: 4.75
Mar 23, 2018
Craft_Imperial from Pennsylvania
4.28/5 rDev -0.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.25
Feb 23, 2018
4.28/5 rDev -0.5%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.25 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.25
Feb 23, 2018
Richie_C_Johnson from Minnesota
3.2/5 rDev -25.6%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 3.75 | service: 1 | selection: 4.5
Feb 16, 2018
3.2/5 rDev -25.6%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 3.75 | service: 1 | selection: 4.5
Feb 16, 2018
RMW66 from Australia
4.5/5 rDev +4.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.75
Feb 16, 2018
4.5/5 rDev +4.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.25 | selection: 4.75
Feb 16, 2018
atlbravsrno1 from New Hampshire
4.5/5 rDev +4.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
Jan 14, 2018
4.5/5 rDev +4.7%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
Jan 14, 2018
remingtonsteele1987 from California
4.47/5 rDev +4%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
Best dive bar in San Francisco. Dusty decor everywhere and the place smells of bad breath. Filthy bathrooms with hot water, soap and plenty of paper towels! Always a good thing. Can get some amateurs and yahoo's on the weekends, but overall the clients are great. The bartenders take care of the locals and anyone who appreciates good beer. Don't piss them off though. Can get busy and patience is essential. Beer selection and price are the best in the Bay Area, in my opinion. Beer is always served in a clean glass at the proper temp. A must for beer lovers!
Dec 23, 2017
4.47/5 rDev +4%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.5
Best dive bar in San Francisco. Dusty decor everywhere and the place smells of bad breath. Filthy bathrooms with hot water, soap and plenty of paper towels! Always a good thing. Can get some amateurs and yahoo's on the weekends, but overall the clients are great. The bartenders take care of the locals and anyone who appreciates good beer. Don't piss them off though. Can get busy and patience is essential. Beer selection and price are the best in the Bay Area, in my opinion. Beer is always served in a clean glass at the proper temp. A must for beer lovers!
Dec 23, 2017
Nrod from Argentina
4.1/5 rDev -4.7%
vibe: 3.25 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4 | selection: 5
Aug 23, 2017
4.1/5 rDev -4.7%
vibe: 3.25 | quality: 3.75 | service: 4 | selection: 5
Aug 23, 2017
mrcraft from California
4.43/5 rDev +3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.25
Toronado is a craft beer institution in the Haight-Asbury neighborhood. It's an unique area with Victorian rowhouses, mixed in with eateries and other businesses. Parking can be tough because it's mostly limited street parking. Uber is probably a better means to get here if you're a visitor, like I was. As others have mentioned, it's cash only.
I visited after work, and it was pretty crowded, but the bartender was friendly and I was served quickly. I heard some bad stories but didn't experience any of it. The inside was split into sections. At the main entrance, you find the bar area with tables and chairs. There's then like a connecting area with some tables and space to enjoy your beers and mingle. And, then there's a third space, more open, lighter and maybe a tad quieter.
I went with a co-worker. She doesn't drink beer, so she was a trooper to hang out with me while I enjoyed my tart cherry sour.
Aug 12, 2017
4.43/5 rDev +3%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.25
Toronado is a craft beer institution in the Haight-Asbury neighborhood. It's an unique area with Victorian rowhouses, mixed in with eateries and other businesses. Parking can be tough because it's mostly limited street parking. Uber is probably a better means to get here if you're a visitor, like I was. As others have mentioned, it's cash only.
I visited after work, and it was pretty crowded, but the bartender was friendly and I was served quickly. I heard some bad stories but didn't experience any of it. The inside was split into sections. At the main entrance, you find the bar area with tables and chairs. There's then like a connecting area with some tables and space to enjoy your beers and mingle. And, then there's a third space, more open, lighter and maybe a tad quieter.
I went with a co-worker. She doesn't drink beer, so she was a trooper to hang out with me while I enjoyed my tart cherry sour.
Aug 12, 2017
lpteague from North Carolina
4.88/5 rDev +13.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
In town for business and I had heard that Toronado was the place in San Fran guaranteed to be serving Russian River. I walked from my hotel over to Toronado on Haight and Fillmore, keeping a close eye as I had heard it was easy to miss.
For a world class bar, this place is tiny and unassuming. For me (at 4:15pm on a Tuesday afternoon where I was easily able to find a stool at the bar), this was a good thing. I can imagine if I came at a more peak time it would be really frustrating trying to get a beer.
I had read reviews in advance and was fully prepared with my cash on-hand and was expecting a surly reception from the bartender.
The bartender (a delightful lady) was very pleasant and quick to take my order. She approached me in less than one minute, I ordered the Blind Pig, she poured in within another minute and I had paid and was enjoying my beer just like that. I followed that up with a Pliny the Elder (a requirement IMO) and a Drake's beer that the bartender actually helped me select based on its New England style.
I had a couple of pleasant conversations with guys at the bar that were just like myself - in town for a short period and looking to check one of the world's best beer bars / best beers off their bucket list.
Overall, it was an extremely pleasant experience. Even the music was enjoyable... mellow folk / rock and not the death metal I was expecting.
I don't doubt the horror stories I've read, so I would recommend that if you're planning to visit, try to hit an off-peak time to maximize the experience. Have your cash ready and have a good idea of what you want to start. After an efficient order and a nice tip, good chance the bar tender will help you out with some advice if you need it. Cheers!
Edited to add: I was lucky and hit happy hour - $1 off all pints. Blind Pig for $4 and Pliny for $5? That's insane to an East Coaster like myself. Wish I could have made an entire day of it.
Jul 19, 2017
4.88/5 rDev +13.5%
vibe: 4 | quality: 5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
In town for business and I had heard that Toronado was the place in San Fran guaranteed to be serving Russian River. I walked from my hotel over to Toronado on Haight and Fillmore, keeping a close eye as I had heard it was easy to miss.
For a world class bar, this place is tiny and unassuming. For me (at 4:15pm on a Tuesday afternoon where I was easily able to find a stool at the bar), this was a good thing. I can imagine if I came at a more peak time it would be really frustrating trying to get a beer.
I had read reviews in advance and was fully prepared with my cash on-hand and was expecting a surly reception from the bartender.
The bartender (a delightful lady) was very pleasant and quick to take my order. She approached me in less than one minute, I ordered the Blind Pig, she poured in within another minute and I had paid and was enjoying my beer just like that. I followed that up with a Pliny the Elder (a requirement IMO) and a Drake's beer that the bartender actually helped me select based on its New England style.
I had a couple of pleasant conversations with guys at the bar that were just like myself - in town for a short period and looking to check one of the world's best beer bars / best beers off their bucket list.
Overall, it was an extremely pleasant experience. Even the music was enjoyable... mellow folk / rock and not the death metal I was expecting.
I don't doubt the horror stories I've read, so I would recommend that if you're planning to visit, try to hit an off-peak time to maximize the experience. Have your cash ready and have a good idea of what you want to start. After an efficient order and a nice tip, good chance the bar tender will help you out with some advice if you need it. Cheers!
Edited to add: I was lucky and hit happy hour - $1 off all pints. Blind Pig for $4 and Pliny for $5? That's insane to an East Coaster like myself. Wish I could have made an entire day of it.
Jul 19, 2017
daem3384 from California
4.65/5 rDev +8.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.25 | selection: 5
Jul 06, 2017
4.65/5 rDev +8.1%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.75 | service: 4.25 | selection: 5
Jul 06, 2017
miragetheautobot from Florida
4.54/5 rDev +5.6%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.75
Jun 21, 2017
4.54/5 rDev +5.6%
vibe: 4.25 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 4.75
Jun 21, 2017
Adamplus4000 from Illinois
4.64/5 rDev +7.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5
Jun 21, 2017
4.64/5 rDev +7.9%
vibe: 4.5 | quality: 4.5 | service: 4.5 | selection: 5
Jun 21, 2017
Spoda1983 from Sweden
4.68/5 rDev +8.8%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
Apr 26, 2017
4.68/5 rDev +8.8%
vibe: 3.75 | quality: 4.5 | service: 5 | selection: 5
Apr 26, 2017
Toronado in San Francisco, CA
Place rating:
4.3 out of
5 with
505 ratings
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