Reviews & Ratings for Zeitgeist

06/19/10

BEST Outdoor Venue in SF

by Mel723 at Citysearch

If Zeitgeist is defined as: "the defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time", this bar must be from a time when stiff drinks and smoking cigs went hand-in-hand, and when bars understood that when one has a good buzz going, one wants greasy food. I love, love, LOVE Zeitgeist. The food is the best around, when it comes to BBQ (thumbs up for grilled cheese and veggie burgers for us non-meat eaters), and the beer selection is phenomenal. I'm not one for bloody marys, but I have a friend who swears by them here. Zeitgeist is the first place I think of heading to on those rare occasions when the sun pokes out in SF. The only prevalent aspect of this place that is a negative, is all of the hipsters that are perched along the benches at all times of the day. That said, this would only reduce my rating by half a star, if possible, because this joint is the bees knees!

• Pros: smoking, outdoor patio, food, beer selection, bloody marys
• Cons: hipsters

05/01/10

"Happy Time" Smoking

by Casi C , Citysearch Contributor at Citysearch

The first time I went to Zeitgeist was a week within moving to SF. I think I gave the place a better review than I should have. In truth it was packed with scenesters (a word I learned here in SF) who were rude, and hipsters who hated all those scenesters and were just rude cause they wanted them to get the hell out!

The second time I went was on a Friday night. So all those scenesters in their little dresses had headed home. Now the place was free to be what it really is! The diviest dive bar that has ever lived. I only mean that in a good way! The place was packed with nice people, who were willing to laugh with you and share their table. Yea, the laughter may have been caused by the massive amount of "happy time" smoking that was going on, but if it makes people happier and nicer than have at it! Great time with great people.

• Pros: Friday Nights
• Cons: Sunny Saturdays

08/16/09

great patio for warm nights

by royhobbs at Citysearch

none

• Pros: patio, beer, tamale lady
• Cons: none

11/20/08

Outdoor seating and huge beer list

by SFFoodDude at Citysearch

What more do you need? Tamales? Oh wait, she comes here every hour or so. This place is nirvana. I also love the beer selection, and the bloodies here are top notch. The only thing I could do without is the smoke of the grill and the stink of the portapottys but that is part of the ambience.

• Pros: Outdoor seating
• Cons: portapotties, surly service

11/19/08

Awesomest bar in the city

by allentomdude at Citysearch

The beer garden in the back is my favorite place to down a pitcher. There's never a wait to use the bathroom because there's a row of port-o-lets right there in the patio. You also don't need to worry about your bicycle, because you can just bring your ride in with you. The Tamale Lady is usually there selling her delicious pork tamales, which go perfectly with the beer.

One thing to watch out is that they kick everyone out at 1:45am sharp. They'll literally grab you and toss you out onto the sidewalk.

• Pros: Bike parking and port-o-lets
• Cons: smelly hipsters

A massive, sun soaked beer garden, a huge supply of quality brew and biker bar 'tude make this Mission bar a classic.

by Patrick Heig at Citysearch

Stepping into Zeitgeist, you can imagine what a dime-a-dozen dive it would be--a few pinball machines, a pool table, signs like "The place for warm beer and cold women," and "Hangovers installed and serviced" above the bar--without its glorious beer garden. A quarter-acre of sun baked picnic tables, the dappled shade of a willow tree, and rock music blasting while everyone from bike messengers with neck-tats to bond-traders with Bluetooths order round after round. There are over 30 Euro and micro varieties on tap, served by the glass or by the pitcher, and the with plenty of 'tude (especially towards the Bluetoothified) but that's part of the charm of this all-city, outdoor-drinking classic. There's also a full bar; try the famous bloody marys, appropriately spicy and anchored with green beans and olives, good for both curing hangovers and causing them.

06/20/08

Zeitgeist

by cptnspooky at Citysearch

Great Burgers - great patio - the only thing i dont dig about ZG is they have an issue with folks taking pictures back there that they defend rather rdiculously - whats the deal with that?

• Pros: Great beers, great prices, great people
• Cons: cant take a picture of my peeps

06/10/08

Zeit-great!

by saira1123 at Citysearch

I love this place the atmosphere is always fun and lively. I always have a great time here, the staff is fun, the crowd is low-key and the atmosphere is a tad grimy but welcoming. There are benches scattered outside for strangers to sit together and find some common ground. The pitchers of beer are cheap and if you get tired to being out in the cold, go inside for a game of pool and some food. What could be better?

• Pros: Drinks and place
• Cons: only two bathrooms in the entire bar!

03/20/08

Warm Beer, Cold Women, Stay Away.

by vsgoliath at Citysearch

Warm Beer

Cold Women

Stay Away

Zeitgeist used to be a great hangout for bikers and bicyclists, but these days, once the sun hits the beer garden, it's packed with young urban professionals who complain about having to sit on a keg. I usually don't flame existing posts, but c'mon "pammierae" you say it's not a biker bar, then complain that it's dirty. What kind of biker bars do you hang out in. Oh, I just saw, you're a Harley rider. I still love the place and come 4:30 AM on Easter morning, I'll be hanging out there eating doughnuts and drinking coffee getting ready for the ride up Mt. Tam, but I've got to give it one star to help keep away the hordes.

01/03/08

A BIKER BAR???????? PLEASE!!

by pammierae at Citysearch

We had to check this bar out being that we ride(harleys) and apprecaite good music and people. This bar is not what I consider a biker bar, however the people were very friendly, but if you are looking for a biker bar this is not the place to go. We saw a multitude of bikes there (the non motorized sort), but no real BIKES. Maybe the bikers don't ride down here in January, in Oregon we ride all year around. This bar was also dirty with empty kegs sitting around all over (I guess they were supposed to be stools) but it was substandard.