Best-of list · Rooftop Guides
The 10 best rooftop bars in San Francisco for 2026, from Charmaine's and Top of the Mark to Cityscape and Starlite. Where to drink above the bay.
The short answer
10 ranked rooms follow. How we picked is at the end of this guide.
San Francisco builds its rooftops on hotels, trading the hills and fog for skyline and bay views. The 10 below range from Nob Hill sky lounges to SoMa hotel terraces, sorted by view, polish and price.
Charmaine's tops the San Francisco Proper Hotel 120 feet above Market Street, an indoor-outdoor lounge that Condé Nast Traveler and Thrillist both rate among the country's best. The Kelly Wearstler interiors and the fire-pit terrace draw a dressed crowd from 5pm, and cocktails are the focus. Best for a downtown sunset and a fashionable, busy room. Expect a wait without a reservation.
Full listing & hours →Top of the Mark sits 19 floors up the InterContinental Mark Hopkins on Nob Hill, a historic sky lounge open since 1939 with a 360-degree sweep to the Golden Gate. The cocktail list runs classic and the room leans old-school glamour. Best for a special-occasion drink with one of the widest views in the city, away from the SoMa crowds.
Full listing & hours →Cityscape Sky Bar crowns the Hilton Union Square on the 46th floor, the tallest rooftop perch downtown with a full 360 of the bay and the bridges. The room pours locally inspired craft cocktails with small plates, and smaller groups seat first-come. Best for a high-altitude nightcap right above Union Square when the fog stays low.
Starlite, the former Harry Denton's Starlight Room, runs the 21st floor of the Beacon Grand near Union Square, all jewel tones and velvet under an Art Deco bar. Cocktails come from Trick Dog's Scott Baird, with a menu by Michelin chef Johnny Spero. Best for a glamorous, late-leaning night with serious drinks and a 360 view.
The View Lounge tops the Marriott Marquis on the 39th floor, its angular windows framing SoMa, the bay and the bridges. Open daily from 4pm, it pairs crafted cocktails with small plates and a tourist-and-local mix. Best for an easy, central drink with a postcard panorama and no dress-code pressure.
Full listing & hours →620 Jones hides behind wrought-iron gates in Lower Nob Hill, opening onto an 8,000-square-foot rooftop patio strung with fairy lights and palms. It is one of the largest rooftop bars in the city and built for groups, with signature cocktails carrying the menu. Best for a sunny afternoon session with a crowd, tucked off the street.
Rooftop 25 sits atop Twenty Five Lusk in SoMa, an open-air terrace with a casual, upbeat vibe and skyline views. It runs lunch through evening on Friday and Saturday, shorter hours midweek, with cocktails and a relaxed soundtrack. Best for a weekend daytime drink near the ballpark before a Giants game.
Dirty Habit holds the 5th floor of Hotel Zelos in SoMa, a heated outdoor patio paired with a noir-inspired dining room. Bar manager Brian Means leans the list toward rare brown spirits, backed by seasonal shared plates. Best for a cocktail-led night close to Union Square when you want craft over altitude.
Cavaña runs the 17th floor of the LUMA Hotel in Mission Bay, a greenery-and-firepit terrace looking over the water near Oracle Park. The Latin American menu pairs cocktails built on yerba mate and mole with shared plates. Best for a sundowner before a Giants or Valkyries game, with one of the widest Mission Bay views in the city.
Shelby's Rooftop tops the Canopy by Hilton in SoMa, a 4,000-square-foot indoor-outdoor space with sweeping skyline views and a relaxed, classic-cocktail list. It is one of the newer additions to the city's rooftop run. Best for an unfussy drink near Moscone and Yerba Buena without a five-star markup.