Zeitgeist

93 ratings since posting on Wednesday, July 7, 2004
in San Francisco
14th and valencia
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(submitted by mark )

Overall Rating

*****

based on 93 ratings
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Jay
Jay
offline 2
*****
It's Miller time
Great place, HUGE ASS patio. - Jay , posted 04/02/12
*oooo
Overrated
Great place to take a date!
But I had to knock this down a bit. I can't in good conscience give this place a high rating. I can name at least 10 bars that are better than this place (which is pretty bad). - Mischiefmaker , posted 04/01/08
***oo
Great place to play pool
Not too crowded, great jukebox, okay atmosphere but pricey drinks!! - Judith , posted 09/21/07
*****
Biergarten!
Great selection of beers available on tap and in pitchers. Also many imports that are hard to find elsewhere in bottles. A great place to go during a nice day and especially on a warm night (which seems to exist now in San Francisco). Pretty relax place, your night usually can't go wrong if you end up here. - eric , posted 12/16/06
*****
uncomparable
I happened to be sitting my the porto potties the other night, and I still had a damn good time. Gotta love a pitcher of fine handcrafted ale out on a smoky patio. Best of it's kind. - Arielle , posted 07/17/06
****o
wow
I met so many fantastic people here... - Alanna , posted 05/04/06
j.
j.
offline 56
****o
What's Not to Love?
You have to love a place whose slogan is Fast. Friendly. Service. Pick one. - j. , posted 05/03/06
*****
The antonym of Fisherman's Wharf is Zeitgeist.
If that's not enough to convince you then do the rest of us a favor and stay the fuck away. - davel , posted 04/15/06
*****
Pitchers, hamburgers, what more do you need?
Definitely one of my favorite watering holes in the upper Mission. Great selection of brews and they make a mean bloody mary. Just don't sit by the porta potties... - Hans , posted 03/13/06
***oo
Dive-Bar-Tastic
I wanted this place to be better than it was. It was cold and a bit wet when I went, so I"m sure the outdoor patio in back would be more welcoming in better weather. They have a good collection of beers on tap, but very limited mixers in case you wanted to step away from the beer. I'll give it another shot, but it wasn't amazing for me. - holly , posted 01/18/06
****o
I like it...
It's a great place to go for drinks when the weather is good. Otherwise I usually freeze outside in the cold and fog. Good bartenders... love the Tamale Lady! - Katrina , posted 01/17/06
*****
this place rocks
especially when it's nice out - Mary , posted 01/05/06
****o
Always a delight
Nice all around...best with a large group of rib-eating bike messengers after critical mass - dabin , posted 11/11/05
***oo
s'ok
Kind of like a college bar - fried stuff & beer. - teamnoir , posted 11/09/05
*****
friendly but not to friendly and they play great music! - michelle , posted 10/03/05
*****
rockin'
Only bar I bring my bike into. - Dylan , posted 10/01/05
*****
Ohhh the greatest
I love Zeiitgeist, best burger in town, great folks, cheep pitchers, famous bloody marys. Gotta love the outdoor seating and best of all...Very Bicycle friendly! - Daniel , posted 09/24/05
*****
great atmosphere, shitty food/service
i love this place , the people the energy it rocks especially the patio area, just stay awya from the grub bub! - Raymond , posted 08/29/05
*****
No Time just space
Nice way to hold time at bay...its nice to know that is sanity in the world...nice crowd, good atmo...and bike friendly. - ryan , posted 08/29/05
*****
Tip of the top
Good food and plenty of room..... outside - Melinda , posted 08/05/05
Unsu...
 
*****
- Unsubscribed , posted 07/30/05
****o
Fun place with eye candy galore!
I love this place. Cheap drinks and good people watching to be had! My only complaint is that it's a bit too crowded. - Addy , posted 07/29/05
****o
Squish in for good service
Good selection of beer, alright food, and totally nice people. A little crowded though. - Puppy , posted 07/03/05
****o
Nice.
Kyuss on the juK-boKs..... thats nice. - !A-Dawg! , posted 05/23/05
****o
friendly and helpful doorman
like most others I love the easy going outdoor patio atmosphere. it's like one of the bars or buddies house that you used to hang out at in college and knock back pitchers of beer.

One night I left my wallet in a cab and the doorman went out of his way to contact the cab company. A couple days later the cab company called me and returned my wallet.
thanks Z! - Keith , posted 05/20/05
*****
honest bartenders
Yeah they serve a decent drink, but one time I was a dumbass and left a wad of cash on the bar and they saved it for me, didn't pocket it or give it away.

Doesn't get better than that. - Blairski , posted 05/03/05
*****
Great bar
Good beer selection. Great burgers. Beer garden. What more do you want? - Death , posted 04/28/05
****o
cool bar
good vibe. - -->Steph , posted 04/25/05
*****
bitchen
Burgers, tequila, pinball, and a cigarette I found on the gravel while in a drunken stupor. Who could ask for anything more? It's like Disneyland. - Varuca , posted 04/14/05
*****
white trash wedding reception here i come
oh! the burgers and oh! the bloody marys. - Minnie , posted 04/12/05
*****
Zeitgeist = punk-rock/biker dive bar extraordinaire.
Check out the burgers; they're brutally good with a pitcher of your favorite beer. They make one mean Bloody Mary, too. - Dougie , posted 04/04/05
*****
Die Zeitgeist Fickin Kicks Ashlow
leave your pretentiousness (is that a word) at the door. bring your bike. get a burger.
try a racer5...don't even think of not tipping ...
take a pack of matches for the road. - stiz , posted 04/01/05
****o
Zeitgeist
Great food, great drinks, wonderful outdoor establishment..... only draw back is that it's getting way too crowded! - Beth , posted 03/24/05
Unsu...
 
*****
Ass, grass or sass, Nobody rides for free
Zietgiest is the The taste, outlook, and spirit characteristic of a period or generation. Being a crazed biker, this place serves up kick ass burgers, cold beer, neo apocalyptic bartenders and total attitude. Thats why i like it. On any given weekend day , you will encounter dykes, bikers, stoners, motorcycle enthusiastics, short people, tall people, alkies,the cool set, graphic designers, mods, tattooed peoples, tekkies, freaks, geeks and shieks, o and one lovely tamale lady named Virginia.
Personally, I like to go there because its a kind of "nobody gives a shit" place. You can meld into the scenery or talk to anyone that will listen. Its kinda of like a dysfunctional home away from home.
Go there and try the burgers..say hello to Derek and Scott in the kitchen remember to tip them well! If you go on a critical mass night , you wont get a drink for atleast 5-10 minutes..
- marquita b , posted 3/21/05 - Unsubscribed , posted 03/21/05
*****
always a fun scene

whenever I go to the Zeitgeist I have fun.
It's a great place to meet different groups of friends
at the same time.
I love the back patio. - Giamma ™ , posted 03/21/05
****o
Beer & Sunshine, can't beat it! - Kyla , posted 03/09/05
****o
Hangovers installed and Serviced

Is the motto. And it's true, they've serviced both varieties for me. Also, any place with pinball is spot on in my book. - joseph , posted 03/08/05
****o
fun in the sun...
and a safe place to park yer bike while you throw back a couple of pints. food is edible, jukebox is stuck in the era of the thirty-something generation and, if you’re lucky, the tamale lady might even make an appearance. - Inspector , posted 03/08/05
*****
surly is preffered
any complaints about poor service obviously miss the point. that's the way I like it, and I wouldn't have it any other way. - Tom , posted 03/07/05
****o
da best
Always end up leaving Zeitgeist blurry eyed and happy. Rad beer selection and great hot cheap food. - daryl , posted 02/23/05
Unsu...
 
*****
Yep.
Best bar around.
Great place for the cocaine set as well.
Don't go there-too many fucking fools already.
That place rocks.
I've done my time there (and my drugs) that's for sure!
Wow... - Unsubscribed , posted 02/20/05
*oooo
Denied!
I arrived there before 1:30 and was told the bar was closed. Other people were allowed to come and go. I told them I was there to meet up with freinds and all I asked was to talk to them. Still I was not allowed entranced. I guess my attire was not dressed down enogh for them. Shit! What I was wearing would get me kicked out of Ruby Skye, I hate Ruby Skye. Every time I've been to Zeitgeist I've never been made to feel welcome, despite my good nature, or my proclivity to tip very well (just ask any of the the bar tenders at Diva's or Sunday night's at Devotion). Of course I guess they don't care much for us tranny lover's there because half the time I've been there it's been with a TS. Oh well I guess even motorcyclists can be just as intolerant as the morrons I thought I had left behind in Oklahoma. Oh well... I won't be back... I'm sure no one really cares. However, I must point out the fact even a less respected sector of our community, motorcyclists (I am one myself -1978 KZ650- all original save the exhuast I might add) can be as elitist as any banker or lawyer or what have you. I would also like to add that I'm generally the quiet guy that sit at the bar and likes to just realx and drink a beer and talk to the whomever feels sociable. Cheers and take care...

Steve. - steve , posted 02/10/05
*****
Enjoy a cheap pitcher and spark a doober on the patio
This place is tits! Nice atmosphere, huge "bveer garden" style patio area. Good selection of cheap brew and they don't care if/what you smoke on the patio. - Dave , posted 02/07/05
☻
offline 5
*****
The BEST place to lose yourself on a Sunny afternoon
who hasn't lost a few days on the patio at the Zeitgeist ? - , posted 01/27/05
*****
hot stuff
one of my favorite sf spots. gotta love outdoor picnic table style bars... - Whitney , posted 01/18/05
*****
Bloody good Mary's
The best Bloody Mary in the City. Hands down. Great Beer Garden. - Pete , posted 01/12/05
*****
Nothing like it - Monica , posted 01/06/05
*****
MMMMMM Bloody Mary's
I love Zeitgeist. I love the outdoor, bloody mary, experience. Must visit soon. - Jules , posted 12/28/04
*****
cOME ON!
You can't get better than the Zeit. I love me some bikers- burgers- beer and bourbon. Bring it on. Many debaucherous birthdays started here. And you can smoke massive amounts of pot in the back. - P-Raw: Faery Supe... , posted 12/20/04
Unsu...
 
*****
Friendly
Don't be shy if there are a bunch of bikes lined up alongside the entrance, this place is very friendly-great food too and queer friendly btw. - Unsubscribed , posted 12/15/04
****o
The Ghost Of Brando...
...I swear that's all that is missing. I was a bit worried that is was going to be like Al Adamson's B movie "Satan's Sadists" but to my delight I made tons of new friends, had yummy food and got semi buzzed-it actually feels more a pub then a bar...Yes, it's my fav 'Biker Pub.' - Super Amanda , posted 12/15/04
*****
The coolest palce to catch a buzz
The original and the greatest-you don't last in the Mission without being top notch. - Custo w/a B , posted 12/15/04
****o
I would like it better
if it twere a lil cleaner, maybe if the porta potties weren't staring at me while I tried to drink...dammit I'm turning into a yuppie - Mystique , posted 11/23/04
****o
Zeitgeist...for weed and wheels.
As a pot headed bicyclist this is a great place to stuff your piehole get stoned and slurp down Racer 5's. - Douglas , posted 11/22/04
Unsu...
 
****o
Ummmmm
They make a good burger and great bloody mary! The crowd tends to change year to year but all are good. The staff is a bit streess but it's expected. Cheers! - Unsubscribed , posted 11/15/04
*****
busiest bar in the city
a few reviews state that the bartenders are slow, but shit dude there's a 4000 sq. ft. beer garden outside and they have one of the smallest service areas of any bar in the city, meaning they can only have two or three people working...one of the endless beer delivery guys said that the only bigger account in the city is Pac Bell park, so give 'em a break. the drinks are huge and stiff (and cheap-especially if you drink well) and the barbeque has even been written up in Gourmet Magazine (no shit). it is a dive, but when it's nice out there's gonna be a line to get in (complete w/ velvet rope) so get there early, grab a pitcher, stake out a picnic table and make some new freinds (yours suck). also, the juke has new bands you havent heard of (yet) and is like 40% local, further explaining why every band in the city get drunk there. fucker. - churchill , posted 11/09/04
*****
a summer fav
Nothing better after a hard days work than sitting in the back yard of Zeitgeist in the sun, drinking a beer, grabbing the killer bar food and hanging with friends or people watching. - Patsy , posted 11/08/04
****o
bike messenger bar/yuppie?
I like Zeitgeist as a happy hour bar or Saturday afternoon retreat. I really do... the large back patio is home to some good to great people watching. I try to wear all-black when I go, and preferably big shoes. Ostensibly home to the bike-messenger/death rocker crowd, it has more yuppies and SF trust fund kids, I suspect. The crowd is a little on the young side; just don't expect a 'real' biker bar, because any real Hell's Angel wouldn't get caught dead in this place. Strictly in the vein of Lucky 13, it's for urban kids who want to act tougher and more down-and-out than they really are. - Dave K. , posted 10/26/04
*****
Best afternoon bar in the city
This bar is incredible started off as a bikers bar and now is one of the most localy atended bars. Huge patio were you can feel free to smoke, drink, or eat some grill food. Staff is great and the people are beautiful. Valencia at duboce - Renzo , posted 10/20/04
*****
Best Beer Garden
Saturday BBQ in Zeitgeist's beer garden is festive, social and relaxing. I highly recommend it. - Sarah , posted 10/20/04
*****
best place to drink, 420 and eat outside
Best outside area, best drinks, best people, bestest bar overall in the city. - radrudegrl , posted 10/19/04
****o
Best Dive Bar
I love this place. Cheap drinks in pint glasses. Cheap bear. Good food on the grill. Excellent mix of dive biker bar meets hipster hang-out. The best thing about the place is the beer garden in the backyard ... the music inside can be overwhelming. If the grill guys seem surly, don't worry -- it's nothing personal. Not the best place on a rainy day, but still one of my faves. - Serrephim , posted 10/19/04
****o
Great very casual hangout
This place is pretty unique in a city of shwanky and themed bars. Here, you can just sit back with friends on their benches outside (if the weather is good) and relax. Since its outdoors, its not too loud even if there are a lot of people. Drinks are affortable too. - Joan , posted 10/18/04
*****
Best Biker Babe Bar
This is a bar and a guesthouse. That means if you have one too many, you can get a room and recover with a good night's rest. But before you get to that state, enjoy the place awhile. They make a mean drink here, and you will fit in easily with the crowd & mellow atmosphere. Don't let the profusion of leather and Harleys intimidate you. You do not have to be a biker to feel at home. An outdoor patio with barbecue and live music are all part of the experience. Best of all, you can wake up in the morning and start all over again. Cash only. - jo_seph , posted 10/18/04
Unsu...
 
****o
food, booze, outdoor seating
Do NOT dress even remotely well to go to this bar. Rough and tumble atmosphere; think bikers meet bike messengers meet punkrockers meet every-day-joes. Drinks are cheap. Food is good. HUGE outdoor patio seating, too. Not at all a 'scene' - just a great place to have drinks with friends and hang out forever. Bring a jacket. - Unsubscribed , posted 10/18/04
*****
Most relaxed hang-out patio in the Mission
Zeitgeists protected outdoor patio has a buzzy, rough-and-ready biker ambience without the grumpiness. Add the extensive collection of draught import & microbrew beers available in pitchers and its a great place to meet up after work on a sunny afternoon. - Laina , posted 10/16/04
****o
Awesome bar, but kind of a "scene"
Zeitgeist is a great bar, especially if you're a rat-biker. The outside area is what makes this bar special. The only problem is that on warm days/nights ot just any Friday or Saturday, it's just insanely crowded, and kind of sceney. - ColonelTCB , posted 10/15/04
*****
Best backyard drinking in the city
Zeitgeist is the epitome of a dive bar, yet it has a selection of great beers, foreign and domestic, on tap. The backyard is full of picnic tables and is one of the best places to hang out on those rare sunny SF days. - Alissa , posted 10/15/04
Unsu...
 
*****
Best Bar
Outdoor picnic tables, freshly barbecued food, butt rock, and bikers. What more could you ask for? Oh, and Black Heart Tattoo is next door. - Unsubscribed , posted 10/15/04
****o
Release your inner biker!
The destination for real and faux road warriors alike, Zeitgeist has been voted San Francisco?s best Biker Bar. In the heart of the Mission, the quintessentially San Franciscan Zeitgiest offers 25 microbrews on tap and a lush beer garden to enjoy them in. The hearty, beer-friendly fare just tastes better ?cos you?re outside and there?s a bullhorn-wielding grill master bellowing your name when your burger is ready. Zeitgiest is a sprawling dive that features a separate pool, pinball and arcade game room and TVs featuring auto and motorcycle racing. Though the house drink is a mystery blue concoction known as the "Dead Elvis," Zeitgiest serves up one of the best Bloody Mary?s in town. Lurk in one the vinyl booths and release your inner Biker with the help of the metal and punk rock juke-box and enough leather to give the Fulsom Street Fair a run for its money. Hangovers installed and serviced. - Maya , posted 10/15/04
*****
Best Beer Garden, warm weather hang out
On a warm SF day, its one of my favorite places to hang out and drink beer, eat tamales from the famous "tamale lady" and listen to eclectic music on the juke box ranging from country to a ton of early 80's punk rock.

If its hot outside, San Francisco does not offer many places to hang and drink out doors. Pier 23, the Ramp, Kellys Mission Rock, and a few other local bars in Potreo, etc. This place has a huge back yard with lots of picnic tables. The crowd is bike messenger/artists and other good people. Because of the picnic table layout, you are always sitting next to someone you don't know and I've met a ton of people there. - david , posted 10/15/04
*oooo
Not so hot.
It's fun to sit out back, but there's other bars to do that. (The Mix, Pilsner, Finnegan's Wake). The bartenders are painfully slow, although semi-friendly. But the cooks, watch out. They're rude and crude at best - they've actually cursed at us for asking how long it would be until they start making food again. (They could have the "come back later" sign up forever at the counter.) If you're hoping to eat, eat somewhere else and don't give that place your business. - Shannon! , posted 06/03/05
***oo
Great on Warm Days but slow service
If you're part of the motorcycle crowd, or just want to look like you are, this is the place for you. The Beergarden outside is fantastic on warm days although there aren't so many of them in SF. Make sure you get two drinks at a time (or a pitcher if you're getting beer) because the bartenders can be shockingly slow. So slow that its actually almost an art form... - Darian , posted 07/29/04
****o
biker bar that accepts all bikes
This is not your daddy's harley bar.

Nortons and Duccattis and rice burners are parked out front as well. It is mad max in the great outdoors. - noreen , posted 07/16/04
***oo
Love the tamales on the patio
Only in SF do you get fresh tamales on the patio outdoors while drinking with your friends. I do have to agree that the staff can be surly and unpleasant to deal with, but the bar does have its charms. - kris , posted 07/08/04
***oo
lots to like, some to hate
The colorful crowd of wacked punks more than makes up for the surly standoffish headbangers staffing the bar and grill. - Matt , posted 07/07/04

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