Over the hills and through the fog, to Grandma's Saloon we go. Delightfully unpretentious, this is a joint where you can sit a spell and talk with friends without having to shout over awful music or deal with sweating, aggro jerks all up in your business. This place has Jagermeister on tap and a small selection of unfussy beer, all reasonably priced. The bartenders are sweethearts, even when pretending to be crabby. The only thing I have to complain about is that they changed the jukebox to a new digital one, which makes me miss all of the excellent Grandma's mix CDs (how can you complain about a jukebox that had Rod Stewart's "Young Turks" on it? Do you even NEED anything else?).
There is nothing exceedingly amazing about this place, but it is so cozy and modest that is has come to take a place in my heart as my favorite bar in SF.
Grandma's Saloon is an old time drinking hole in the wall,. decor is average, nothing fancy. no fancy drinks, no happy hour that i could see.
just four drafts: sierra, hef, and ?
pour: gin & tonic (4)
-buzzed after one drink, pretty strong.
-nice pour, nice taste with lime
on draught:
-friendly bartener(owner?) and partrons
-got some lotto tics too.
-typical average bar with good people within.
As a foreign construction worker, I love the attentive service of the gorgeous and dazzling Noreen. Â On her worst day she serves a heaping pile of passionate beauty with every drink. Â Her words are poetry, her eyes are a song and her service is amazingly adequate.
If you like dive bars, take the plunge at Grandma's.
Do not go to this bar. Â The owner is pretty much a terrible individual. Â Noreen spends her time worshiping at the heels of every Irish guy who walks into the bar. Â It takes forever to get a drink because she is too busy flirting with foreign construction workers and gossiping. Â The evening bartender, KT, smokes inside the bar, which is a clear violation of the law. Â Another evening bartender Danielle is the only reason why this place gets a star. Â She is great.
Review Source:This is a top of the line dive bar. The bartender is super sweet (Karen) and even though my friends and I looked younger than 25 she didn't even ID check us. I think she was just happy and surprised to see customers, haha.
The pool table is in AWESOME condition [Really why this review has 5 stars]. The pool sticks are in awesome condition, as is the table.
Glad I live 4 blocks from here - will be back!
i love love love this place! went here as a "first date" with my boyfriend and we had a GREAT time playing pool and having a couple beers. it's a total locals dive bar and i might be a little biased because it was the first date location but the dimly lit, cozy atmosphere is very relaxing. its not one of those super crowded over priced bars which can be fun at times yet annoying. the bartender, karen...quickly learned our names and the drinks we like which makes your experience here even nicer.
Review Source:This place has become to local go to bar. Usually it's the same regulars that come in all the time, but occasionally some randoms will show up. Great place to chill at if you are just looking to grab a few drinks and watch the game.
Also, fantastically well kept pool table. Hands down one of the best pool tables I've played on in the sunset area.
I only came here once after work a couple weeks ago. I don't recall any happy hour specials but I didn't ask. The prices were cheap enough anyway and my drink was strong. At that early hour, 6:30ish, seating at the bar was full and most of the people seemed to be depressed. Only one woman was there with her boyfriend. I sat by myself across the room near the pool table and eventually played a game with somebody. I'd give this place a few more tries, maybe go later at night.
Review Source:It doesn't give me any pleasure to hate on this place, but that's the only direction I can see this review going.
This place is dullsville. Its the kind of establishment that reminds me that I will never be an alcoholic, because I will never need a beer bad enough to come here.
I'm not going to pick it apart, everyone else has already said it -- It's depressing. Maybe someone out there gets a kick out of the old timey feel of this hole in the wall, but it's not me.
Here's a tip - don't expect to be coddled at Grandma's. Â Not unless you go there every goddamn weekend. Â Then, you're like family. Â
The beer is good, the service is great, and the pool is pretty pool-y. Â It's an institution on Taraval and it will remain this way. Â Newbies, just know that it takes a while to get used to Grandma's, but when you do, you're home.
HORRIBLE BAR! Don't ever dare step foot in here. I came in for my bf's bday at midnight just to get a couple drinks, and right away the nasty rude lady (Karen- i know that bc her name was posted big and clear) seemed really awkward....she asked how we were doing and my bf said he was tired...and she replied by asking if we were gonna ask how she was doing...uhhhh, wtf why does that matter? then right after, she muttered to herself "I guess not" and asked for our id's. Not only did she not wish my bf happy bday, she slided our cards thru this dumbass hundred year old id scanner and later told me my id did not scan and told us to leave. Seriously I have never had that happen to me before..this place is a piece of shit. After that horrible encounter, my bf and I decided to go to parkside tavern down the street and we got our drinks without even getting carded!
Review Source:I recently started playing pool in the Tavern League, with Grandma's as our home bar. We're there, on average, every other week. I also tend to head there once in a while for a drink and some play. Â
The people hanging out on an average night tend to be better pool players than at other bars in the area. Maybe it's due to there being enough room to play around the table that you don't smack into walls or other players. Maybe it's that the felt is in ok shape and the table is about as good as it gets without going to a dedicated pool hall. Â In any case, if you're in the mood for a dive bar with some good quality play, check it out. Leagues are Tuesday and Wednesday nights starting around 6, so go other times for an open table and signup.
A good dive bar in the Outer Sunset/Parkside. It's cash only, which lends itself to the kind of place Grandma's is. It's usually quiet, with a couple old timers at the bar and some folks playing pool. It's much low key than Shannon Arms up the street and can be a lot more enjoyable. Just a good place to grab a beer and hang out if you're in the area.
Review Source:Great place that I just rediscovered last Friday.  Karen, the bartender that night, has been there  23 years, and  is just  was so nice, but you can tell she can be tough when she needs too.  Not a singles scene,. just a cool place to hang out with friends, and  shoot some pool if wanted.  Also if you enjoy sweet  drinks, have Karen make you a White Russian (or like me, 4, one too many, lol.) .  It is one of her favorite drinks apparently, so  she knows how to make it!  Also much love for the Anchor Steam Beer sign in front.
Review Source:Well.... This place serves a very good purpose. Hear me out.
I'm a bartender. I work in an INSANELY busy place and I have to deal with swarms of barely 21 year olds and it really gets to me some nights.
This place is the exact opposite. So after my shifts I often come here (its around the corner from me) to chill out when I'm not game for the Riptide frenzy.
My favorite bartender is Dirk, hes always great to talk to and we bitch about our jobs and the lame customers. I know people don't want to hear bartenders talking crap, but there's no one here to hear so its ok! I enjoy chatting with the regulars too, their pool tournament is pretty cool actually. A lot of the bars in the area participate apparently.
I don't know how the drinks are, I pretty much only drink beer here, dive bars are not always the best places to get mixed drinks.... So I guess this place isn't amazing, but when you need a place to unwind and for everyone to ignore you its perfect. And that's what I need.
Also I have no idea how they stay in business, must be some sort of front.
no frills, no hassles. Â This is a dive bar where you can go to hang out, shoot pool, BS and relax. Â The staff is cool with you if you're cool with them, but come in with an attitude and you'll get it back double. Â You WILL be ID'd if you look under 30, period. Â DO not come here and expect a singles bar scene. Â Do come if you want to have a chill evening and a couple cocktails with friends.
Review Source:This place is a hoot!!! Â It's a definite dive, no b.s. kinda place!! I come here once every couple of years if I'm in the area...and last weekend I was, having dinner at the Gold Mirror and having a few rounds at the Shannon Arms.
Grandma's is never crowded! Ever! Wait, I take that back, it was crowded right before the millenium...I walked past this place enroute to a party and couldnt believe there were actually crowds of people both in and out of the bar!!! Â Sometimes you look at the folks in here and wonder if they ever get out much...and the answer is, most probably don't and when they do, they come here!!
Here's what's great about it:
- Â As mentioned above, it's never croweded! If you want to head to a bar for some serious rounds of drinks and just breeze in and get a couple of seats, this is the place
- The drinks are cheap and S T R O N G!!! Nuff said
- Â They have one pool table and it's very well maintained and you can usually get in a game upon arrival or after a very short wait!
- Â Parking is pretty easy and/or this place is right on the L Taraval Line
- The bartenders are pretty cool! Â If you're some drunken idiot or Frat boy type that goes in and makes an ass out of yourself, yeah, you'll get stared down or 86'd...if you're cool, they're cool. Â So be cool, k?
The not so great:
- Â It's sad and empty...how do they stay in business? This is why I come by, literally, once every 18-24 months.
- Â The juke box IS the worst ever!!! Â It's always been bad, still is, probably always will...both in content and from an audio quality perspective. Â Just don't...
- Â This is not the place that will "lift your mood"...you know how some bars...you get there, feelin' kinda crappy but after a few rounds, the music and booze and energy of the room convinces you that you're hot and bad ass and everything's gonna be ok? Um..well that won't happen here...if you come in glum...you will stay glum and leave drunk and glum-mer! Â (like Nicolas Cage's character in "Leaving Las Vegas") only less sexy!
It's like looking into the future.
A scary, bleak, all too real future. Â Grandma's Saloon is a dark and dreary place. Â This is were I would spend my finally days when faced the the brink of extinction. Â This is the bar you would go to if a comet was heading straight to earth was gonna smash right through the Golden Gate Bridge, you know, like the movies always say it will happen.
This is were drinking souls go to die.
This is a seriously "bright bar." The neon lights are on full blast when you get inside. No red lighting to hide those blemishes or drunken cheeks. They have pool table, and the night I was there, a gracious and friendly bartender. This is definitely a place for regulars and the drinks are nice and cheap. I do wish they kept the juke box going as it was a little stagnant inside.
Review Source:I've heard people talk about this bar like it's something out of a Charles Bukowski book. Â It's not that bad, I kinda liked it. Â Decent beer selection, friendly bartender, and it was comfortable, if a little bit dark in here. Â I'll take this place over Shannon Arms any day of the week.
Review Source:I live up the block from here but never really had a reason to go before, but it was our bud's 21st birthday so as of 12:01 we jaunted into this place to buy him a beer. Â I almost laughed when she busted out the ID scanner; I think I've only had mine scanned once before at a nightclub or something. Â And okay, I know that they're just doing their job and being legal and yadda yadda yadda, but just as we were patting our friend on the back and exclaiming that he was the birthday boy, she stated that my nearly-30 year old pal's license was expired and he would thus have to leave the bar. Â The mood just pretty much dropped after that. Â I mean, Â I can understand wanting to avoid serving minors but...the man has a receding hairline, for goodnessakes (p.s. I never said that). Â
She begrudgingly allowed him to buy the birthday boy a beer before leaving. Â We followed him out pretty soon after. The end.
(Actually, our night ended at the Shannon Arms, where we enjoyed ourselves 20x more than we did in our 10 uncomfortable minutes here.)
This place is definitely not for partying.
A big group of us came in here last night and the old lady bartender HATED us as soon as we walked in.
First off, she wouldn't take 3 of our ID's because they were bent and "could have been tampered with" haha and then they called the cops on us saying there was a fight, which was completely FALSE! way to lie to the cops, grandma!
just go to the riptide.. they're always cool.
I used to live around the corner so I stopped in here a couple times. The main thing I remember is the bumper sticker proudly displaying "Jane Fonda Traitor Bitch" or something to that effect. I guess if you're a vet or have strong feelings about the war you're entitled to have a problem with someone that met with the "enemy" in that conflict. The problem being that we were actually the bad guys in that war. It doesn't mean that the VC were good. But we bombed and killed 2 million people that had never actually threatened or attacked the U.S. Kind of like Iraq, but with black pajamas. Anyway, I guess there needs to be a bar in the city for sociopath warmongers  to drink in so that they stay out of  the nicer establishments so let them have Grandma's. Mrs. Fonda and I will conspire to bring about a global communist state somewhere else.
Review Source:CLASSY DIVE.
SUCH A DIVE.
AWESOME DIVE.
PERFECT DIVE.
HOLE IN THE WALL DIVE.
Have I mentioned it's such a dive?
As the name suggest, the bartender was a grandma who checked our IDs 3 times with different device.
It's a jewel because you can only find something like this in the middle of no where in fucking ohio (no offense, i'm just a little bitter cuz used to be stuck there for years)
I live about 3 blocks away from Grandmas and I've been 3 or 4 times.
I am a big fan of Dive bars, and this place is about as dive-y as they come. Little decoration, quiet music, no dance floor, 1 cruddy pool table, 1 cruddy video game.
That being said, it's a great place to hang out with some friends. They do seem to card everyone everytime, so good luck with the under age thing. Occasionaly after midnight they hand out Altoids tins and you can smoke inside, which is completely awesome.
My 4 stars are conditional upon the fact that you are looking specifically for a dive bar. Oh, and it's cash only, which I despise.
Came in here on a Thursday night spent scouring the outer Sunset for dive bars with two friends. Â This place is a dive. Â The bartender had to slide my ID through the machine to verify that I was indeed 26, I guess this place has a policy of carding those who look younger than the average age of 54. Â I think it was grandpa who was passed out in his chair next to the pool table. Â The best part was that there was also a younger asian guy who was passed out with his head in his arms and a lit cigarette in one of his hands. Â The only redeeming feature of this bar is the old-school video game machine that has pacman, frogger, 1942, arkanoid, galaga, and others.
Review Source:I think it was here, I watched the colts have a great season before they got their asses kicked in the 2006 playoffs. Â I lived in the sunset for six months or so, and this bar was flanked with a video rental place and a liquor store. Â That was my life for a while.
Some of the sweetest bartenders I have ever met... Â But I was never served by grandma. Â I can't even remember what I drank here...
I feel I need to defend Grandma's here since so many aspersions have been cast in its direction.
It's a neighborhood bar, the parkside/sunset neighborhood, and its primary patronage is not in the 20-30 something age. Â But it is truly a cross-section of that part of town.
They have a good, but not great jukebox. Â But their pool table is always in great shape as are the pool cues, which is a major attraction. Â The regular players are pretty serious and they have the Sunset league there on Thursdays.
The bartenders, especially K.P., are very good. Â
Politically, it can be conservative, and it is one of those places that is easier to get to know after a few times back. Â It's a real local's local, in that sense. Â And that is what its charm is.
This place is like solitary confinement for bad drinkers. There's only one window that's filled with a neon beer sign (not that the view on Taraval is especially inspiring) and the walls are bare brick. Don't come here if you want to meet dynamic and interesting people or even if you want to hold an intelligent conversation but there's a pool table and Ms. Pac Man (the only video game that can be played while simultaneously drinking. I'm convinced that the tabletop version was inspired by an alcoholic. Bravo old man, bravo.)
I used to live a few blocks away and came here for my birthday one year not because it's a destination but only because we were half drunk already. After a few games of Ms. Pac Man I was ready to move on to pool and was matched up with an older woman wearing a pool glove. I was thinking to myself, "Man, this chick is serious. I'm gonna get my ass handed to me." Sure enough she started cleaning up on me and before I knew it I was one ball away from being sent back to Ms. Pac Man. In a moment of drunken clarity I cleared the table and left the one gloved woman with a look of disbelief and contempt. We both knew that that luck and alcohol had played a major role in this stunning upset but I didn't care, it was MY birthday. I was feeling so good about myself I proceeded to make a really inappropriate advance on my friend. We're still friends and she's never brought it up again (thank god) but I still cringe at the memory of it.
In summary, Grandma's is the diviest. I'll always know it as the site of great glory and great shame. Thanks Grandma.
I don't really associate my grandma with sexiness, so it makes sense that this place is pretty much the opposite of sex. Â It's not fun, there are no girls, and there's no chance of me trying it again.
You can use the "it is what it is" excuse, but there are plenty of better dive bars in the area where the regulars won't try to fight you after you beat them in pool.
The second star is for the cheap drinks and the novelty - you won't find a more depressing place in the city.
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