How many bars and pubs are there in San Francisco's busiest areas?
We counted 276 bars and pubs within 1 km of the centres of 10 San Francisco areas. Union Square is the most crowded at 27.1 per km²; Inner Sunset is the least, at 1.6.
Mapped
276
in 10 areas
Busiest area
27.1/km²
Union Square
Average rating
4.4★
places with 10+ reviews
Last scanned
13 October
2026
Bars and pubs by area, most crowded first
Measured within 1 km of the centre: LOW under 5, MODERATE 5–15, HIGH 15–40, INTENSE over 40 places per km².
| Area | Within 1 km | Per km² | Avg rating | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Union Square4.4★ average | 8527.1/km² | 27.1 | 4.4★ | HIGH |
| North Beach4.4★ average | 4113.1/km² | 13.1 | 4.4★ | MODERATE |
| Mission District4.4★ average | 3410.8/km² | 10.8 | 4.4★ | MODERATE |
| Hayes Valley4.4★ average | 309.5/km² | 9.5 | 4.4★ | MODERATE |
| Castro4.3★ average | 247.6/km² | 7.6 | 4.3★ | MODERATE |
| Marina4.3★ average | 185.7/km² | 5.7 | 4.3★ | MODERATE |
| Fillmore4.2★ average | 154.8/km² | 4.8 | 4.2★ | LOW |
| Inner Richmond4.6★ average | 134.1/km² | 4.1 | 4.6★ | LOW |
| Haight-Ashbury4.5★ average | 113.5/km² | 3.5 | 4.5★ | LOW |
| Inner Sunset4.5★ average | 51.6/km² | 1.6 | 4.5★ | LOW |
Where is it least crowded?
- Inner SunsetLOW
5 bars and pubs within 1 km (1.6 per km²), averaging 4.5★.
11 bars and pubs within 1 km (3.5 per km²), averaging 4.5★.
13 bars and pubs within 1 km (4.1 per km²), averaging 4.6★.
Fewer bars and pubs is not the same as more demand. Look at foot traffic and rents before you read a quiet area as an opening.
How they are rated
All 276 bars and pubs in the 10 areas, by rating. Places with fewer than 10 reviews are counted apart.
- 4.5 and up120 (43%)
- 4.0 to 4.4133 (48%)
- 3.5 to 3.915 (5%)
- Below 3.51 (0%)
- Under 10 reviews7 (3%)
Chains seen most
No brand has two outlets inside any one area circle: these areas are mostly independents.
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Questions
Is San Francisco saturated with bars and pubs?
It depends on the street. Within 1 km of the 10 area centres we mapped, density runs from 1.6 per km² in Inner Sunset to 27.1 per km² in Union Square. 1 of the 10 areas counts as high or intense competition (over 15 per km²). Check the exact address you have in mind before you commit.
Which San Francisco area has the most bars and pubs?
Union Square, with 85 within 1 km of its centre (27.1 per km²). Next come North Beach (41) and Mission District (34).
What is the average rating of bars and pubs in San Francisco?
4.4 out of 5, across the 269 bars and pubs with at least 10 reviews in the areas we mapped. The highest area average is Inner Richmond (4.6), the lowest Fillmore (4.2).
How was this counted?
We scanned a 1 km circle around the centre of each area on 13 October 2026 and counted every bar on the map inside it. Places missing from the map or opened since are not counted, so treat the numbers as a floor. Circles of neighbouring areas can overlap, so a place near two centres is counted in both, and the figures are not a total for the whole of San Francisco.