Beers for cheers: best bars for sports in San Francisco

One of the area's most established saloons, Union Square Sports Bar promises 27 TVs, nine satellites, and a range of draft and bottled beers. It also boasts a wealth of sports memorabilia that confirms its long existence. If you tire of televised games, try your hand at pool, pinball, or video games. There's also a great jukebox if you crave some tunes. Conveniently located near area shopping, restaurants and hotels of Union Square, which means that those in the party who don't want to belly up to a bar and watch three-hour football games have plenty of other options nearby.

Tucked away on Polk Street and adorned with ball caps and other memorabilia, this small sports bar is a favorite with locals. It's a great place any time, but at happy hour (Monday through Friday, from 4 pm till 7 pm), you can relax with the after-work crowd and take advantage of reduced drink prices. Microbrews and draft beers are popular, and a popular sandwich menu is offered. (Patrons are also invited to have take-out delivered to their tables from local eateries, and Greens conveniently keeps menus on-hand.) Lots of sports competition can be caught on 25 TVs and two large-screen models. Satellite and high-definition reception ensure that the action is crystal-clear.

Conducive to nights of rowdy cheering and rooting for your favorite team, Bus Stop is a true sports lover's haven. It's been around for a century, and its longevity can certainly be attributed, in part, to dynamic crowds and ever-present drinks. Stake out a table near the octagonal windows upfront, or join a friendly game at one of the pool tables. Great, affordable cocktails are even better amid the sports memorabilia. During happy hour, drink prices are even further reduced. Located in the vibrant, up-and-coming Cow Hollow neighborhood, the location also offers shopping, a diversity of restaurants and some engaging nightlife options.

Nominally an Irish pub, this casual establishment serves a number of entertainment needs. DJs spin music to dance by, live bands play, and pool, darts, and video games are there for the masses to enjoy. You'll also find a dozen international brews on tap, and happy hour (weekdays from 4 pm till 7 pm) makes drink prices even more affordable. Even so, sports reign on a variety of TVs, including two big-screens and three HDTV plasma screens. The breadth of programming means you can catch everything from Nascar to horse-racing, along with hurling, Aussie rules rugby, soccer, golf, boxing, and more. Although there's no cover, certain televised sports events may incur charges from $10 to $20. Casual and often rowdy.

A short walk from AT&T Park, Local Tap SF (formerly Zeke's) just seems right for sports and beer. It's also a fantastic place to catch the game on one of 16 TVs, whether your passion is football, hockey, baseball, basketball, or more. Local Taps's food menu is a riot of pub fare, including great burgers and appetizers. Dartboards, pool tables, bar dice, and cribbage boards add to the fun, especially when televised games drag. Folks are incredibly friendly too, which is always a plus. Smart casual dress. If there's a Giants home game going on, be prepared for a fairly packed bar and service that makes take awhile.

Given its colorful name, there's little doubt that this place serves up a good time. The Brit-style pub offers heaping helpings of beer, soccer, and other sports, and once in a while, it presents live musical acts. One of the place's biggest draws, though, is the twice-weekly trivia quiz, which pits folks against each other for fun and prizes. Pub food comprises the menu, and additional perks include a great social scene, happy hour deals, and much-loved weekend breakfast, British-style. And with its location on lower Haight Street, after you've enjoyed your game, you'll be in prime position to roll out the door and get the real games of the night started.

Put down your iPhone and pick up a Guinness and try "friending" someone the old fashioned way: buy them a beer. If you decide to do this at Johnny Foley's, the payback will be a night of revelry you won't soon forget. Besides wall to wall people ready to have fun, the bar also offers traditional Irish fare like bangers and mash, as well as live music on most nights. And their TVs always have the biggest games of the night, so it's a great spot for sports fans. Located right off of Union Square in the heart of downtown.

Yancy's is near the Mucky Duck, another sports bar in the 9th and Irving area, but Yancy's is roomier. When there's not too much fog, the shutters and windows of Yancy's are flung open and allow for great people-watching if the game gets slow. Besides the sports bar requisite of TVs everywhere you turn, Yancy's is also popular with locals, just in case you want to get the nitty-gritty on the San Francisco sports scene straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak. Lots of options once the game is finished, from hopping on the N-Judah line right outside the door for a trip to Ocean Beach to a casual stroll through Golden Gate Park, just a block away.

Billing itself as "a friendly pub," this neighborhood hangout does indeed have a relaxed, "come as you are" ambiance. It boasts nine large-screen TVs, pool tables, dartboards, a terrific jukebox, sports memorabilia, and a great bar staff. When the game's on, it's especially pleasant, and you'll want to kick back with a draft beer (among the selections: Death & Taxes Dark Beer, Mucky Duck Pale Ale, and Stella Artois) and root alongside other sociable fans. The place also serves a kicking Bloody Mary. The one drawback is that the Duck can be fairly smoky, but if you're cool with that, it's cool with you.

Fifteen televisions and great satellite reception ensure that there's always a game or match on the tube at this neighborhood sports bar. Regulars thrill to everything from football to rugby, and brief distraction is afforded by pool tables and dartboards. If you're hungry, the menu consists of basic bar food like hamburgers and wings. Plus, Kezar offers a variety of draft beers to wash everything down. On weekends, a hearty Sunday brunch regularly pulls in patrons. The location can't be beat, either. If you're ready to celebrate your team's victory, you're at the end of Haight Street and can start a slow pub crawl from upper to lower Haight.