San Francisco/SoMa

Once home to warehouses and dilapidated Victorian houses, SoMa saw an artistic and club culture revival in the 1980s. By the time of the Internet boom of the 1990s, the "live-work" buildings of this area had become prime real estate, and the artists and musicians who had made it cool could no longer afford the sky-high rentals.
With the burst of the dot.com bubble, SoMa has become somewhat more affordable, but has also lost many of the businesses that made the area attractive during the boom. Some of the best clubs are still in SoMa, but a taxi is recommended for getting around, especially after dark as some areas are still a bit dangerous.

Being at the San Francisco end of the Bay Bridge and the heart of San Francisco's public transit network, there are extensive transit options to this district.

By rail

Caltrain, a commuter rail line between San Jose and San Francisco, terminates at the at 4th & King Streets, just down the street from Oracle Park.
Bordered by Market Street on its northwest side, SoMa is within easy walking distance of all MUNI Metro lines and the several BART lines which run under Market Street. Running on Market Street is the F-Line Streetcar which stops frequently on its route from the Castro to the Ferry Building, then north on the Embarcadero to Fisherman's Wharf.
Additionally, the MUNI Metro T-Third and N-Judah lines emerge from the Market Street subway and travel through the SoMa district, stopping at a few places along the Embarcadero south of Market, including Oracle Park. The N line stops at the Caltrain station, while the T line continues south down 3rd Street into Southeast San Francisco.

By bus

MUNI offers extensive bus service through SoMa, with nearly every street having a bus line of some sort. Routes 10-Townsend, 12-Folsom/Pacific, 30-Stockton, 45-Union/Stockton and 47-Van Ness are the best bets for getting down from the neighborhoods to the north, like Chinatown and Fisherman's Wharf. Routes 1-California, 5-Fulton, 6-Haight/Parnassus, 38-Geary and 7-Haight/Noriega are some of the best for getting in from eastern neighborhoods like The Avenues, while routes 9-San Bruno, 12-Folsom/Pacific, 14-Mission, and 27-Bryant come up from Southern San Francisco through the Mission district.
Nearly all intercity bus service into San Francisco runs into SoMa, including Greyhound, MUNI, and various other Bay Area transit services (AC Transit, samTrans, Golden Gate Transit, and WestCAT). Due to the reconstruction of the Transbay Terminal, all this service is going to the Transbay Temporary Terminal at Main and Howard Streets. Facilities are minimal, with bus bays for Bay Area service on the Howard Street side of the terminal and on the streets surrounding the site, and Greyhound service on the Folsom Street side of the terminal.

By car

The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, which is part of Interstate Highway 80, offers a direct connection from the cities of the East Bay area (such as Oakland) to SoMa. After getting into San Francisco, any of the first three exits (Fremont/Folsom, 5th Street, 8th Street) will lead you into SoMa before I-80 terminates at US-101.
From the south, there are two freeways running into SoMa: I-280 dead ends near the Caltrain Station - stay in the right lanes to get onto 6th Street, or stay in the left lanes to get onto King Street and past the Caltrain Station and Oracle Park. US-101 comes up from the south to merge into I-80, where you can get off onto I-80 and take one of the two eastbound exits into SoMa, or stay on US-101 (stay in the left lanes) and exit at 9th Street or Mission Street before the freeway terminates at Market Street (US-101 continues north as Van Ness Avenue).
SoMa is also well-connected to other San Francisco neighborhoods by surface streets. From the north, The Embarcadero is the best one for getting down from Fisherman's Wharf, while Van Ness Avenue is the best for getting from the Golden Gate area. Between those two are a number of other major thoroughfares, such as Montgomery, Stockton and Hyde Streets, which will also do nicely. From the south and southwest, 3rd Street, Mission Street and Market Street all work well.
Parking here, as anywhere else in San Francisco, can be a challenge, but there a number of parking garages in the district, including a large one at Mission between Fifth and Fourth streets for the Moscone Center. People driving to a Giants game are advised to park at the large parking lot along 3rd Street just south of Oracle Park, just across the canal.

By boat

In addition to the regular ferry service provided to the Ferry Building at the foot of Market Street in the adjacent Financial District, two ferry companies offer special ferry service to Giants home games at Oracle Park: Golden Gate Ferry from Larkspur, and San Francisco Bay Ferry from Alameda, Oakland, and Vallejo.

• Moscone Center

  phone: +1-415-974-4000
  address: 747 Howard St
  Stretching across adjacent two full blocks between Mission, Folsom, 3rd and 4th Streets (with another building across the street at 4th and Howard), Moscone Center is a major convention center and entertainment complex with a variety of attractions. As a convention center, the Moscone Center houses major exhibits and conventions, including a number of major (especially IDG) expos that occur each year, including Apple Computer-related expos such as Macworld and Apple's WWDC, and LinuxWorld. The main entrance to the Moscone Convention Center is on Howard St. (on both side of the street) in between 3rd and 4th Sts., and the Center is divided into Moscone North, between Howard and Mission Sts., and Moscone South, between Howard and Folsom Sts. Moscone North and Moscone South is connected at the lower level underneath Howard St.; Moscone West is not connected to Moscone North or Moscone South.

• Metreon

  phone: +1-415-369-6000
  address: 101 4th St
  This Sony Entertainment-sponsored mall/entertainment complex has some interesting shops (including an entire store devoted to the Sony Playstation), a 15-screen movie theater with an IMAX screen, and a video game parlor/arcade where you can drink and play virtual bowling. A food court on the lower level serves the convention area and is overwhelmed during lunch hours of the major conventions.

• Yerba Buena Center for the Arts

  phone: +1-415-978-2700
  address: 701 Mission St
  An interesting venue for local contemporary artists. Rotating exhibits, performances, and film screenings.

• Yerba Buena Gardens

  phone: +1-415-820-3550
  The Yerba Buena Gardens, above the Moscone Convention Center, provide a nice urban oasis. A large grassy meadow, a memorial to Martin Luther King, Jr., play places for kids, fountains and gardens make this a great place to come, play and relax.

• Children's Creativity Museum

  phone: +1-415-820-3320
  address: 221 4th St
  An arts and technology museum geared towards kids and families, centered on giving visitors a chance to produce animation, video, sound, performance visual arts, and more.

• LeRoy King CarouselOn the premises of the Children's Creativity Museum is this beautiful carousel dating back to 1906, now fully restored and open for rides.

SOMArts Cultural Center

phone: +1-415-863-1414

address: 934 Brannan St

An locally focused contemporary art venue and public garden. Rotating monthly exhibits, performances, and film screenings.

• San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA)

  phone: +1-415-357-4000
  address: 151 3rd St
  A gigantic and innovative art museum with multiple floors of galleries featuring changing exhibitions as well as permanent displays featuring the works of some very famous 20th century artists, including Georgia O'Keeffe, Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, and many others.

• Cartoon Art Museum

  phone: +1-415-227-8666
  address: 655 Mission St
  A unique museum dedicated to cartoon art in all its forms.

• California Historical Society Museum

  phone: +1-415-357-1848
  address: 678 Mission St
  Changing exhibitions showing the history of the state.

• Museum of the African Diaspora

  phone: +1-415-358-7200
  address: 685 Mission St
  A museum dedicated to the diaspora of Africans.

• Contemporary Jewish Museum

  phone: +1-415-655-7800
  address: 736 Mission St
  Dedicated to Jewish history, art, and culture.

• Museum of Performance & Design

  phone: +1-415-741-3531
  address: 893B Folsom St
  The museum is dedicated to celebrating all aspects of the performing arts in San Francisco, from the mid 19th century to the present day. It hosts exhibitions and lectures by leading artists to encourage an appreciation of the diversity of the performing arts.

• South Park

  address: along Park Street between 2nd and 3rd Streets
  This is a charming quiet park in the middle of the hustle and bustle of industrial SoMa. Eat at any of the small restaurants around the edges, they are all pretty good. Not very nice at night since homeless use the park to sleep.

• Treasure IslandAn artificial island half-way between San Francisco and Oakland connected to Yerba Buena Island which the Bay Bridge passes through. The island has excellent views of the San Francisco and Oakland skylines and quirky structures from the international fairground turned-navy base-turned neighborhood. Accessible by Muni bus line 25 from the Transbay Terminal in SoMa. If you travel by car, there is no toll between Treasure Island and the rest of San Francisco.

• Luggage Store Gallery

  phone: +1-415-255-5971
  address: 1007 Market St
  They organize exhibitions, performing arts events, arts education, and public art programs in order to encourage and facilitate the flow of artistic ideas between the different cultural and socio-economic stratums in society. They also host exhibits at the Luggage Store Annex (a.k.a. 509 Cultural Center) at 509 Ellis Street (near Leavenworth St).

• San Francisco Giants - Oracle Park

  phone: +1-415-972-1800
  address: 24 Willie Mays Plaza
  One of the building projects that revitalized this area, the stadium is an imposing brick edifice that has all the necessary modern amenities, such as beer and Wi-Fi. It looks out upon San Francisco Bay, which makes a fine backdrop for those home runs that splash into McCovey Cove. Except for days when there is an afternoon home game, public tours of the ballpark are available at 10:30AM and 12:30PM.

• Golden State Warriors - Chase Center

  address: 1 Warriors Way
  The opening of the 2019 NBA season saw the Golden State Warriors return to San Francisco after playing for nearly 50 years across the Bay in Oakland. The new arena includes all of the amenities expected of a 21st-century arena, plus Bay views.

• City Kayak

  phone: +1-415-357-1010
  address: Pier 40, South Beach Harbor
  Enjoy the many great views of San Francisco from the water. They offer kayak rentals from South Beach Harbor in San Francisco but only kayak trips from Fisherman's Wharf location. A 'trip' comes with a guide.

• Intersection for the Arts

  phone: +1-415-626-2787
  address: 925 Mission St
  An alternative art organization that has premiered works by noted authors such as Dave Eggers and world-class playwrights such as Denis Johnson. The resident theater group, Campo Santo, is very good. The space also has an art gallery.

• Yerba Buena Bowling Center

  phone: +1-415-820-3532
  address: 750 Folsom St
  Bowling alley.

• Yerba Buena Ice Skating Center

  phone: +1-415-820-3532
  address: 750 Folsom St
  The only permanent indoor ice skating rink in San Francisco, and perhaps the most beautiful, with floor-to-ceiling windows giving a superb panoramic view of the surrounding area. Open year-round. Check the Ice Center schedule online for public skating hours.

• Dore AlleyThis street hosts the Up Your Alley Fair, the warm up event for the famous Folsom Street Fair. Held the last Sunday in July, this preview is smaller, wilder, and more local, but no less crowded and just as fun.

• The Folsom Street FairThis annual event, held on the last Sunday in September, features Leather, Bondage, Rubber and other Fetish and BDSM activities. Stretching over a mile you will find wall-to-wall dance clubs, bands, and booths where you can shop for a whip or learn about safe sex. It started out as an underground event to protest the gentrification of SoMa. It is organized by a non-profit to raise funds for many SF area charities. It's the third largest outdoor event in California. With a suggested donation is $5, it's quite a bargain today.

• Alexander Book Co.

  phone: +1-415-495-2992
  address: 50 2nd St
  A large independent bookstore with three floors of thousands of new books.

• General Bead

  phone: +1-415-621-8187
  address: 637 Minna St
  Thousands of beads and bead-based products for any bead and jewelry lover.

• Metreon

  phone: +1-415-369-6000
  address: 135 Fourth St
  Metreon is a restaurant-centric shopping mall offering a recently renovated, modern and unique experience which includes dining, movies and shopping. The space is next to the Target at the intersection of 4th and Mission St in Downtown San Francisco, California.

• Podesta Baldocchi

  phone: +1-415-346-1300
  address: 1 Saint Francis Pl
  A charming and long-standing floral shop.

• Rincon Center

  phone: +1-415-777-4100
  address: 101 Spear St
  This is mostly for dining but there are also many shops here as well.

• Westfield San Francisco Centre

  phone: +1-415-512-6776
  address: 865 Market St
  This massive nine-floor Westfield-owned complex contains around 400 shops and restaurants, including some upscale places. Anchors for the mall include a Bloomingdale's, a Nordstorm, a Bristol Farms grocery, and a movie theater.

In addition to the numerous restaurants listed below, there are also food courts in the Metreon and the San Francisco Shopping Center, both of which are large and offer a variety of restaurants; although in the case of the Metreon, be sure to avoid the food court during lunch hours of any major convention, when the lines for each restaurant will get very long.

Budget

• Dottie's True Blue Cafe

  phone: +1-415-885-2767
  address: 28 6th St
  Top-rated breakfast cafe and a top contender in San Francisco proper. Affordable food with friendly service; comfortable, intimate atmosphere, and excellent food. Arrive early to stand in line with all the other admirers.

• Reds Java House

  phone: +1-415-777-5626
  address: Pier 30
  Have the hamburger, fries and an Anchor Steam combo.

Mid-range

• 21st Amendment

  phone: +1-415-369-0900
  address: 563 2nd St
  Good "California-style microbrew" beers. Classic brew pub-grub - burgers, fish, some salads. The Jerk Chicken is excellent. Full menu and images are online. Great place to have drinks before or after a Giants game.

• Canton Chinese & Dim Sum Restaurant

  phone: +1-415-495-3064
  address: 655 Folsom St
  Large selection of Cantonese dim sum as well as traditional Chinese dishes, including tanks of live seafood. Great place for a banquet.

• Delancey Street Restaurant

  phone: +1-415-512-5179
  address: 600 Embarcadero St
  It's not just a restaurant, it's a training school for the Delancey Street Foundation - an organization that helps people rebuild their lives from scratch. Nice backdrop of the San Francisco Bay and cheap eats to boot.

• Hidive

  phone: +1-415-977-0170
  address: Pier 28
  This is where SoMa residents go for quick meetings and meals. You can also find decent food here to go along with the great waterfront views.

• Manora's Thai Cuisine

  phone: +1-415-861-6224
  address: 1600 Folsom St
  A favorite Thai place among locals, they serve up a great Pad Thai and Thai soups.

• Palomino

  phone: +1-415-512-7400
  address: 345 Spear St
  A nice, classy bar where you can get delicious food, such as thin-crust pizza or calamari.

• South Park Cafe

  phone: +1-415-495-7275
  address: 108 South Park St

• Thirsty Bear Brewing Company

  phone: +1-415-974-0905
  address: 661 Howard St
  Brewpub meets tapas bar. Good beer brewed in-house, from very light lagers through a nice Kozlov Stout. One or two brews on nitrogen. Very good small-plate food with a Mediterranean/Spanish flair. Tuesday is cask-ale night - beer served from traditional wood cask instead of modern steel - while it lasts, which usually isn't very long.

• Tres Agaves

  phone: +1-415-227-0500
  address: 130 Townsend St
  Best margaritas in the city, along with great Mexican food. The food comes with so many sides that one appetizer and one entree is easily enough for 2 people.

Splurge

• Fringale French Bistro

  phone: +1-415-543-0573
  address: 570 4th St

• Yank Sing

  phone: +1-415-781-1111
  address: 101 Spear St
  This is the place for dim sum, and thus you might need to wait 30 minutes (at most) to have a table. You do not need a menu to order your food; the staff lets you choose what you want to eat from carts pushed around from the dining room. The shrimp, dumplings, and duck here are delicious. The setting of the restaurant is also wonderful.

• Market Street Grill

  phone: +1-415-487-4414
  address: 1231 Market St
  Serves up Asian and Italian inspired dishes using fresh American ingredients in an ornately decorated dining room. They also have live piano playing most nights of the week.

• 21st Amendment

  phone: +1-415-369-0900
  See above under Eat.

• 83 Proof

  phone: +1-415-296-8383
  address: 83 1st St
  This narrow lounge sits precariously between a Walgreens and a Wachovia. Friendly bartenders will concoct any type of drink you desire, which makes it great for a quick, after-work drink or late-night cocktails. 83 Proof is also well-suited to group outings with its cozy atmosphere and chill vibe. Along with the DJ, weekend nights can get pretty loud sometimes.

• City Beer Store & Tasting Bar

  phone: +1-415-503-1033
  address: 1168 Folsom St
  Your best bet for beer to go.

• District

  phone: +1-415-896-2120
  address: 216 Townsend St
  Old furniture store converted to the latest wine-bar in SoMa.

• Hotel Utah Saloon

  phone: +1-415-546-6300
  address: 500 4th St
  Popular brewery.

• Jillians

  phone: +1-415-369-6100
  address: 175 4th St
  This upscale sports bar has a huge video wall great for watching sports. There are also 8 well-kept pool tables for something to do. This bar becomes a dance club on Friday and Saturday nights with a strict dress code nice shoes required.

• Press Club

  phone: +1-415-744-5000
  address: 20 Yerba Buena Ln
  This bar focuses on wine, with some of the finest from the nearby Wine Country. Sneak a peek at the wine cellar, and don't be surprised if you're super critical of the next glass of wine you drain outside the Press Club. Be prepared, however, to put a dent in your credit card or wallet by the end of the night.

• Thirsty Bear Brewing Company

  phone: +1-415-974-0905
  address: 661 Howard St
  An upscale brewpub/restaurant and favorite expense-account spot for the trade show crowd from nearby Moscone Center. The cask-conditioned ale is satisfying, but the place can get crowded.

• Tres Agaves

  phone: +1-415-227-0500
  See above under Eat.

Clubs

Many of San Francisco's best dance clubs are in SoMa.

• 1015

  phone: +1-415-431-1200
  address: 1015 Folsom St
  Lines all night outside during the weekend. A twenty-something meat market.

• The Cat Club

  phone: +1-415-703-8964
  address: 1190 Folsom St
  Thursday is 80s night where you're guaranteed to hear at least one Madonna song throughout the night.

• DNA Lounge

  phone: +1-415-626-1409
  address: 375 11th St
  The DNA Lounge is a 2-story club which often caters to the geekier "digerati" crowd. One of the founders is Jamie Zawinski, a former Netscape superstar and Internet nabob. Events feature themed electronica dance nights (Industrial, Techno, Trance, etc.) and live bands.

• The End Up

  phone: +1-415-357-0827
  address: 401 6th St
  An SF institution. Essentially doesn't close on the weekend, and thus where people 'end up'. Great old school SF house music. Unexpected outdoor patio/waterfall space to chill.

• Mezzanine

  phone: +1-415-625-8880
  address: 444 Jessie St
  Where all the shirtless buff gay boys go. Great sound system. If you like cheesy techno and disco diva wailing music, this is the place.

• The Stud

  phone: +1-415-863-6623
  address: 399 9th St
  Fun semi-dingy club. Don't miss Trannyshack, Tuesdays at midnight. Very worth the sleep deprivation at work the next day.

Budget

• Pontiac Hotel

  phone: +1-415-863-7775
  address: 509 Minna St
  Clean and comfortable hotel.

• Civic Center Hotel

  phone: +1-415-861-2373
  address: 20 12th St
  Furnished rooms with a sink in each room (no televisions). Only metered street parking is available at the hotel.

Mid-range

• Best Western Americania

  phone: +1-415-626-0200
  address: 121 7th St
  Chain motel with a few more amenities than the typical Best Western; outdoor swimming pool, internet access, cafe on-site, pet friendly.

• Carriage Inn

  phone: +1-415-552-8600
  address: 140 7th St

• Mosser Hotel

  phone: +1-415-986-4400
  address: 54 4th St
  Nice, clean hotel with small rooms but a great location.

• Pickwick Hotel

  phone: +1-415-421-7500
  address: 85 5th St
  A historic hotel with very nice guestrooms and flexible meeting space.

• Hotel Whitcomb

  phone: +1-415-626-8000
  address: 1231 Market St
  This is a 460 room historic boutique hotel. An elegant, opulent building, it was first used as a temporary city hall after the 1906 earthquake. Italian marble, Austrian chandeliers, and a short walk to the Symphony/Opera and the Asian Art Museum. It also has a piano bar/wine bar.

Splurge

• Courtyard San Francisco Downtown

  phone: +1-415-947-0700
  address: 299 2nd St
  A Marriot with all the amenities that generally come with it.

• Four Seasons Hotel

  phone: +1-415-633-3000
  address: 757 Market St
  Very high-end hotel. Beautiful art collection, and extensive sports club with fitness facilities and spa.

• Harbor Court Hotel

  phone: +1-415-882-1300
  address: 165 Steuart St
  A waterfront boutique hotel on the Embarcadero, across from the San Francisco Ferry Building, with views onto San Francisco Bay.

• Hotel Griffon

  phone: +1-415-495-2100
  address: 155 Steuart St
  A comparatively smaller hotel with small but very comfy rooms and good service.

• InterContinental Hotel

  phone: +1-415-616-6500
  address: 888 Howard St
  A translucent cool-blue tower that doubles as a city landmark.

• Marriott Marquis

  phone: +1-415-896-1600
  address: 55 4th St
  Convention center hotel across the street from the Moscone Center.

• The Palace Hotel

  phone: +1-415-512-1111
  address: 2 New Montgomery St
  Established in 1875, the Palace has 552 guest rooms. In 1945, the official banquet honoring the opening session of the United Nations was held in The Garden Court at The Palace.

• St. Regis Hotel

  phone: +1-415-284-4000
  address: 125 3rd St
  A historic and very upscale hotel with a spa, butler service, and on-site restaurant.

• W Hotel

  address: 181 3rd St
  Another major convention center hotel, with lots of amenities and very nice rooms.

• San Francisco Public Library - Mission Bay Branch

  phone: +1-415-355-2838
  address: 960 4th St