Best Outdoor Drinking Spot
Zeitgeist
Venue
199 Valencia (at Duboce)
San Francisco, CA
This is the spot to drink beer outside with pals on a warm night or afternoon. A Mission destination, it has a great selection of beers, including some Belgian brews, which are mighty tasty. Bikers' two-wheeled steeds give the exterior a tough look, but the beer garden is mellow and pretty friendly. Porta Pottis along the edge serve the not-so-faint-of-heart. Numerous outdoor benches make it a great place to hang out with friends and/or cool coworkers. It's also a great place for smokers. A grill serves up burgers at reasonable prices, although the wait can sometimes be as long as half an hour. The tamale lady is a crowd favorite, serving up cheap treats that go great with beer. Inside sit pinball machines and a punk-themed jukebox. Some say the service leaves something to be desired, but we've never encountered that. Just don't try to use credit cards, since the place only takes cash.