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Drinks Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco

Buena Vista Cafe

A place for a drink in Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco, budget-friendly ($) and worth about 30 minutes. Best time to go: Afternoon.

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Buena Vista Cafe in Fisherman's Wharf, San Francisco
Photo: BriefEdits · CC BY-SA 4.0 · license

Why go

Bar at the cable car turnaround that popularized Irish coffee in the US.

It is one of 10 curated places we feature in San Francisco, alongside 3 places to eat, 2 sights and 1 activity. The closest of our other picks is Pier 39 Sea Lions, 0.6 mi away as the crow flies. At about 30 minutes, it slots neatly between bigger plans.

Type
Drinks · Nightlife
Neighborhood
Fisherman's Wharf
Price
$
Time needed
30 min
Best time
Afternoon

Nearby

Our closest curated picks, including 1 beyond San Francisco. Distances are straight-line, not walking or driving.

  1. 1
    Pier 39 Sea Lions

    Watch hundreds of California sea lions haul out on the K-Dock floats at Fisherman's Wharf.

    Sight · 0.6 mi straight-line
  2. 2
    City Lights Booksellers

    Beat-era bookstore and publisher with a poetry room upstairs.

    Shopping · 1.0 mi straight-line
  3. 3
    Vesuvio Cafe

    Two-floor bohemian bar next to City Lights, a Kerouac-era hangout since 1948.

    Drinks · 1.0 mi straight-line
  4. 4
    Swan Oyster Depot

    Counter-only seafood bar since 1912 serving crab, oysters and Sicilian sashimi.

    Food · 1.1 mi straight-line
  5. 5
    Alcatraz Island

    Ferry to the former federal prison and take the cellhouse audio tour.

    Activity · 1.1 mi straight-line
  6. 6
    Top of the Mark

    Glass-walled lounge on the 19th floor of the InterContinental Mark Hopkins, open since 1939, with 360-degree views.

    Drinks · The Embarcadero & Ferry Building · 1.2 mi straight-line

On these curated routes

Buena Vista Cafe is a stop on our Pacific Coast Highway route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.

More to do in San Francisco

Buena Vista Cafe is our only drinks pick in San Francisco; here is what else we recommend there. See the full San Francisco guide.

When to go

Average daily highs in San Francisco run from 56°F in January to 74°F in September; December is usually the wettest month. For Buena Vista Cafe itself, we suggest: Afternoon.

Modelled monthly averages for San Francisco from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Full San Francisco weather by month.

Getting there

Map links open a live search for Buena Vista Cafe, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.

Address
2765 Hyde St, San Francisco, CA 94109, USA
Coordinates
37.80653, -122.42072
Destination
San Francisco, California
Website
thebuenavista.com

Buena Vista Cafe: quick answers

How much time do you need at Buena Vista Cafe?

Plan on about 30 minutes at Buena Vista Cafe. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.

When is the best time to visit Buena Vista Cafe?

Our pick: Afternoon. Insider tip: Order the Irish coffee; bartenders line up a dozen glasses at a time.

Where is Buena Vista Cafe?

Buena Vista Cafe is at 2765 Hyde St, San Francisco, CA 94109, USA, in Fisherman's Wharf. The Google Maps and Apple Maps links on this page open it for directions.

Which TripsCircle routes include Buena Vista Cafe?

Buena Vista Cafe appears on Pacific Coast Highway, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.

Add Buena Vista Cafe to your crew's plan

Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to San Francisco.

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Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.