10 Best Piano Bars in San Francisco

Image by Ionas Nicolae from Pixabay

10 Best Piano Bars in San Francisco

A piano bar also known as a piano lounge consists of a piano or electronic keyboard played by a professional musician, located in a cocktail lounge, bar, hotel lobby, office building lobby, restaurant, or on a cruise ship.

Usually, the pianist receives a small salary plus tips in a jar or basket on or near the piano, especially from patrons requesting a song traditionally written on a beverage napkin.

Some piano bars feature a piano surrounded by stools for patrons. Others have a bar surrounding the piano or keyboard.

It may be going gently into that good night, but piano lounge culture does live on in the Bay Area, where there are plenty of lovely spots to sip a Scotch or Champagne cocktail and listen to a ballad or jazzy number.

Billy Joel’s classic hit “Piano Man” is based on his experiences as a piano bar player and is a signature tune in San Francisco piano bars.

Here are the 10 best places in San Francisco to take your tipple as the ivories are tickled.

1.   Martunis

4 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94103, United States

Hours: Open 4PM     Closes 2AM

Phone: +1 415-241-0205

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Image by Facundo Malanchino from Pixabay

Summary: Patrons belt out show tunes and down large speciality martinis at this popular piano bar.

Martuni’s is touted the only true piano bar in the city, a sort of AAA team for cabaret singers who aspire to the more upscale stage.

Located on the border of the Castro District and Civic Center, Martuni’s is as well known for its incredible selection of martinis as its lively and oftentimes rollicking piano bar. Actually, 95% of the patrons order martinis.

Drop in to enjoy popular music standards, jazz, show tunes and everyone’s favourite sing-alongs, with a different music style showcased each night.

First-timers will also instantly notice the lounge’s uber-cool retro look, trendy furniture and friendly atmosphere.

It’s not necessarily a true queer bar but a genuinely mixed environment whose format attracts a large gay following.

It’s not karaoke, as there’s no screen with lyrics or reverb on the microphone and it is essentially a rite of veneration for the Great American Songbook itself.

It was included in Esquire’s Best Bars in America for 2020.

2. Sheba Piano Lounge

1419 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115, United States

Hours: Opens 5PM    Closes 11 PM  Closed on Monday

Phone: +1 415-440-7414

Website

Photo by Darius Soodmand on Unsplash

Summary: Intimate, living-room-like jazz lounge featuring live music, speciality cocktails & Ethiopian eats.

This Ethiopian restaurant is a well-kept secret for the locals.

Located in the heart of San Francisco’s historical live music district, Sheba Piano Lounge is an intimate bar and lounge where you can enjoy live music for seven- a nights-a-week.

At Sheba, you can kick back and bask in the warmth of a fire and friendly surroundings.

One spends divine evenings there, to the sound of Addis Ababa jazz that resounds until late at night. Brother and sister Israel and Net Alemayehu bring in musicians every night.

Monday is an open mic night for both amateurs and professionals to come to accompany the Steve Nelson Trio.

In addition, you can also taste delicious Ethiopian specialities like Anjera or order classic American dishes

3. Pianofight

144 Taylor St, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States

Hours: 6PM to 12AM – Thu to Sat

Phone: +1 415-816-3691

Website

Image by roanokecollege from Wikimedia

Summary: Multipurpose venue for American bites, and cocktails & 2 theatres for sketch comedy & other live acts.

It is a unique bar, owned and operated by Bay Area theatre artists, and hosts a wide variety of shows and events nightly

This place has a bar area, a standing area, tables and a stage for the talent. Towards the rear of this establishment, they have a larger auditorium/entertainment area for additional acts.

A cool place to visit and hang out and look at live entertainment or music in the downtown San Fran area.

Get tickets to Pianofight’s fabulous comedy shows and make your evening stress free by eating at Pianofight before the show.

You are guaranteed a friendly and fun atmosphere with live music.

As its name suggests, this Tenderloin hot spot is a piano bar with two theatres and a stage for cabaret.

PianoFight promises a lively time with musical performances, of course, but also comedy, plays, drag and more. There’s a full menu of cocktails and bar-style eats.

4.  Marin Joe’s Restaurant

1585 Casa Buena Dr, Corte Madera, CA 94925, United States

Hours: Opens 4PM to 10 PM                   Closed Mon & Tue

Phone: +1 415-924-2081

Website

Image by Angie Garett from Wikimedia

Summary: Burgers, steaks & other classic American dishes served in a warm, sleek space with a piano bar.

You’ve seen its iconic neon sign a thousand times as you’ve made your way back toward the Golden Gate Bridge from some weekend excursion.

But Marin Joe’s is more than worth the stop as the only piano bar remaining to nightly showcase North Bay talent.

First opened in 1954, the family-owned lounge has a somewhat haute atmosphere, a modestly priced menu of Italian fare and a lengthy wine list.

But best of all, you can still hear live piano five nights a week.

5. Dueling Pianos at Johnny Foleys

243 O’Farrell St, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States

Hours: Mon – Fri         5 PM to 11:30 PM

              Saturday       11 AM to 1:30 AM

              Sunday           11 AM to 11:30 PM

Phone: +1 415-954-0777

Website

Image by elisfkc from Wikimedia

Summary: Irish bar with pints & hearty pub grub as well as frequent live music & duelling piano shows.

Awesome location and also atmosphere! From the outdoors it appears like another bar, however, as you stroll downstairs to the cellar it opens up to a stage.

The ambience is incredible if you enjoy to sing-a-long to wonderful music, this is most definitely a place you wish to check out!

Johnny Foleys has brought the phenomenon to San Francisco, making the Cellar, the most talked about party spot.

Their entertainers will have you dancing, laughing and singing along to your favourite songs from every era.

Every night is unique as guests request their favourite songs, from Elvis Presley to Lady Gaga!

Duelling Pianos at Johnny Foleys is the place to be, but they do not reserve seats so be there early enough.

6. Bix

Address: 56 Gold St, San Francisco, CA 94133, United States

(A 3-min walk from Transamerica Pyramid)

Hours: Mon – Thu      5:30 PM to 10:30PM

             Fri – Sat         5:00 PM to 11:00 PM

             Sunday           5:00 PM to 10:00 Pm

Phone: +1 415-433-6300

Website

Photo by Kin Li on Unsplash

Summary: Club with a swanky 1930s ambience, live jazz & a dining room serving American-French cuisine.

Step back in time and indulge yourself at this ’30s-style supper club just minutes from the Embarcadero.

Bix is all class, from the white-jacketed bartenders mixing delicious cocktails to the intimate lighting & high ceilings, to the piano player & live jazz.

Overall, the ambience is pure 1930s and 1940s.

The clientele at BIX ranges from San Francisco movers-and-shakers to “savvy travellers”  owner Doug Biederbeck’s term for the many diners in the know from out of town who patronize his establishment.

All of them step from the featureless alley into another world – a world of superb cookery and libations, sparkling service, of stylish nostalgia of polished live jazz.

7.      Ivory & Wine

3248 22nd St, San Francisco, CA 94110, United States

Hours: Mon – Tue      Closed

                  Wed – Thu     4:00 PM to 11:00 PM

                   Fri – Sat          4:00 PM to Midnight

Phone: +1 415-595-1624

Image by Mike Foster from Pixabay

The former Revolution Cafe has reopened as ivory and vine complete with a baby grand piano, delicious Greek menu, and beer/wine.

Ivory & Vine, a new wine bar that promises Greek bites and live music.

Expect plenty of variety in the bottles; owner Christopher L. Nickolopoulos owns another wine bar in Hayes Valley is the founder of wine production company Maritime Wine Trading Collective and produces wine in Napa and Sonoma.

The bar offers outdoor seating and will sell wines, local craft beer and Greek mezze, or appetizers.

They have classical and jazz music from Thursday through Sunday. 

8.      Lion’s Den

57 Wentworth Pl, San Francisco, CA 94108, United States

Hours: Thursday        6:00PM to Midnight

                  Fri –Sat          6:00PM to 11:30 PM

Phone: +1 628-201-4272

Website

Photo by mentatdgt from Pexels

Summary: Historic live music lounge in the heart of Chinatown..

It is a cocktail bar first and foremost, but the plan is for Lion’s Den to eventually become a full-fledged performance venue — a place where the house band might cover Beyonce or Earth, Wind & Fire; where there might be jazz nights or karaoke with a live band.

“The first new Live Music Bar and Lounge in Chinatown since the entertainment restrictions were placed in 1984.

The name Lions Den is a resurrection of a time this same space was a popular club in the ’40s and ’50s, in the ’60s and 70’s known to the older generation as Dragon A Go Go.

Interior decor contributes to that old-time Chinatown feel include gold mirrors at the entrance, velvet wallpaper, vintage bar stools and light fixtures and a very classic-looking bar with dark wood and leather elbow rests.

9.  Mr. Tipple’s Recording Studio

39 Fell St, San Francisco, CA 94102, United States

Hours: Wed – Thu      6:00PM to 11:00PM

                 Fri –  Sat           5:30PM to Midnight

                 Sun – Tue          Closed

Phone: +1 415-384-9365

Summary: Craft Cocktail bar featuring live jazz.

Mr Tipple’s is a great place to kick back after a hard day’s work and escape the tourist traps to enjoy some simple, soulful music.

Serving up live jazz every single night of the week, it’s ideal for your Sunday hang down as much as for your Friday-night excitement.

The spirit of rhythm and blues rules this semi-secret bar and lounge in the Tenderloin named after the eponymous imaginary character Mr. Tipple, a smooth-talking English A&R man.

The groovy live jazz is complemented by inventive craft cocktails.

After a stiff one, sit back and enjoy the music as the band is always jiving.

Ranked the Best Jazz Club in the City, by San Francisco Magazine

10.  Bar Fluxus

18 Harlan Pl, San Francisco, CA 94108, United States

Located in: Hotel Des Arts

Hours: Monday                      Closed

                Tue – Thu       4:00 PM to 2:00 AM

                 Friday             3:30 PM to 2:00AM

                Saturday        4:00PM to 2:00AM

                Sunday           5:00PM to 2:00AM

Phone: +1 415-760-4713

Website

Image by Vflatmajor from Wikimedia

Summary: Lively bar & entertainment spot serving beer, wine & cocktails in comfortable, eclectic quarters.

Bar Fluxus is a new downtown cocktail bar & intimate live entertainment venue committed to adding colour and spark to the San Francisco nightlife scene.

Great bars and great art accentuate creativity, conversation and connection. The music and entertainment program of Bar Fluxus is a varied mix of live and amplified music.

Their calendar includes happenings like literary events, performance art, and puppet shows.

The bar boasts a large stage and a completely “State of the Art” sound system, hosting all styles of bands, DJs and individual acts. 

Most notably is the Bar Fluxus Baby Grand Piano providing a singularly unique centrepiece in their monthly entertainment programming.

San Francisco’s piano-bar scene has been steadily diminishing over the past couple of decades, much to the dismay of lounge and jazz fans all over the City.

But for those whose idea of a great night out is listening to a musician pour his heart out over a beautiful baby grand, there are still options. You just have to know where to look.