Thirsty Bear

Award winning beers, upscale casual dining

(888) 776-9665

661 Howard St
San Francisco, CA 94105 37.785693 -122.399632

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Neighborhoods: Central East, South Beach

thirstybear.com

Thirsty Bear

Thirsty Bear Brewing Co

What People Are Saying About Thirsty Bear

The Owner

Thirsty Bear

Owner

The idea of brewing fresh, hand-crafted beers with authentic Spanish cuisine is the brainchild of Ron Silberstein, a former attorney turned Brewmaster, turned restauranteur! The Brewery and Restaurant are housed in a beautiful historic brick building directly across the street from the Moscone Center and the Yerba Buena Center for the Performing Arts (including the SFMOMA). Construction on the three-story facility began in December 1995. Ron's came to fruition with the first lusciously smooth pint of beer, poured in September 1996. The restaurant is the first brewpub in the United States…

Read more from the owner

The Editor

Contributor

Citysearch

During the week, this is a popular after-work beer stop for local tech workers, while on weekends, hotel guests, dates and well-dressed 30-somethings come for the satisfying Spanish fare. The exposed brick walls, shining beer vats and steel beams set an industrial tone, although the space feels warm and convivial. Upstairs is an ideal mingling area, where a lone pool table and two dart boards sit near a second bar. Paella and main courses are served, but the reasonably priced tapas are the most popular, complementing the house-made hops. Solid selections include: wilted spinach leaves with…

3 Star Rating: Average

07/09/08

Good food, drinks

by coog78

Nice spot for drinks and a snack. Ceviche was pretty tasty, though the small amount of flatbread was odd. Sangria was surprisingly really good, as we hesitantly ordered it instead of beer. Just wasn't in the mood for beer, but the fact that they brew on spot will ensure I order next time. Friendly waitress as well.

  • Pros: Drinks
5 Star Rating: Highly Recommended

08/02/07

Worth the stop

by John3B

Another great beer destination, close to downtown. IPA and Stout are especially good, and the food is excellent - different from the usual pub fare, but in a good way. Place can get really crowded after work, but we never had a problem finding a seat at the bar, or being seated by the hostess. Friendly, prompt service. Watch out for your credit card receipt though, they still have a machine that prints out your whole number!

  • Pros: Great beer, food and service
  • Cons: Can get crowded and noisy
3 Star Rating: Average

04/16/07

good beer, good scene, eh tapas

by nomadslime

Generally a good happy hour bar. The beer is fresh and always a good pour, but it gets packed pretty easily even when it's not full. This is due to poor traffic layout in what is otherwise a huge space. I'm not big on tapas, but their selection is big, so I can usually find something I like. It's in a good SOMA location for the happy hour crowds, so it's particularly great on Thursday nights. Just don't expect a seat

  • Pros: beer!
  • Cons: space

The Details on Thirsty Bear

The Extras:

The upstairs room can be rented for private parties. Any of the specialty beers can also be had for your own house party--$110 (half keg) or $50 (five-gallon). Call at least one day ahead.

Parking:

There's a pay lot nearby on Third Street (between Folsom and Howard Street).

Category:

Restaurants

Cuisine:

Spanish

As Seen In…

Best of Citysearch

San Francisco

Message from Thirsty Bear

  • Happy hour!
  • Good for groups
  • Large variety of beers

The idea of brewing fresh, hand-crafted beers with authentic Spanish cuisine is the brainchild of Ron Silberstein, a former attorney turned Brewmaster, turned restauranteur!

The Brewery and Restaurant are housed in a beautiful historic brick building directly across the street from the Moscone Center and the Yerba Buena Center for the Performing Arts (including the SFMOMA). Construction on the three-story facility began in December 1995. Ron's came to fruition with the first lusciously smooth pint of beer, poured in September 1996.

The restaurant is the first brewpub in the United States to serve an authentic Spanish Menu. At ThirstyBear, Executive Chef Jessica Gorin incorporates some of the finest specialty ingredients from Spain, including manchego cheese, jamon serrano, chorizo sausage, olive oil, and piquillo peppers.

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