You can see live music in this city every night of the week, and the room matters as much as the act. Fifteen venues, ranked, from a 1907 hall with frescoed ceilings and six hundred capacity down to the basements where the sound beats anything else at that size.
One note that will date badly, which is the point: Bottom of the Hill is closing in 2026 after thirty five years. Go while you still can.
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1
The Fillmore
The Fillmore on Geary carries the weight of San Francisco's live music legacy in every corner, where artists from every era have stood and the walls practically vibrate with history.
1805 Geary Blvd, San Francisco, CA 94115 Full write-up → -
2
Great American Music Hall
Concert venue on O'Farrell Street since 1972 in a 1907 building. About 600 standing or 470 seated. Frescoed ceilings, balconies on three sides.
859 O'Farrell St, San Francisco, CA 94109 Full write-up → -
3
The Independent
500-capacity indie music venue on Divisadero in NoPa. Touring acts that are about to break or already have.
628 Divisadero St, San Francisco, CA 94117 Full write-up → -
4
The Warfield
2,300-capacity Goldenvoice venue on Market Street, built 1922. Main floor standing, reserved balcony. Rock, hip-hop, and indie touring acts.
982 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94102 Full write-up → -
5
Bimbo’s 365 Club
North Beach nightclub at 1025 Columbus Avenue since 1951. About 600 capacity. Red velvet, wood bar, and a stage close enough to read setlists.
1025 Columbus Ave, San Francisco, CA 94133 Full write-up → -
6
The Chapel
Music venue on Valencia Street in the Mission, open since 2012. About 500 capacity in a 1914 building.
777 Valencia St, San Francisco, CA 94110 Full write-up → -
7
Cafe Du Nord
Basement music venue under Swedish American Hall, around 250 capacity. Indie, electronic, and singer-songwriter shows, often Noise Pop bookings.
2174 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94114 Full write-up → -
8
Rickshaw Stop
Rickshaw Stop near the Panhandle is a concert venue where you can actually see and hear the performer from anywhere in the room.
155 Fell St, San Francisco, CA 94102 Full write-up → -
9
Bottom of the Hill
Live-music club at 17th and Missouri in Potrero Hill, open since 1991. About 250 capacity. Closing after December 31, 2026.
1233 17th St, San Francisco, CA 94107 Full write-up → -
10
Regency Ballroom
1,400-capacity concert hall in a 1909 Masonic Temple at Van Ness and Sutter. Touring rock, hip-hop, electronic, and indie.
1300 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94109 Full write-up → -
11
The Masonic
3,481-capacity concert venue on Nob Hill, run by Live Nation since 2014. The 1958 Masonic auditorium turned music room.
1111 California St, San Francisco, CA 94108 Full write-up → -
12
August Hall
Multi-room venue near Union Square with a 700-capacity live music hall, a cocktail lounge, and a downstairs club called the Fifth Arrow.
420 Mason St, San Francisco, CA 94102 Full write-up → -
13
Swedish American Hall
1907 Swedish American Patriotic League hall near the Castro. Around 200 capacity. Concerts programmed mostly by Noise Pop. Cafe Du Nord in the basement.
2174 Market St, San Francisco, CA 94114 Full write-up → -
14
Boom Boom Room
Blues and soul club at Fillmore and Geary, open since 1997. About 200 capacity, with live music most nights.
1601 Fillmore St, San Francisco, CA 94115 Full write-up → -
15
Bill Graham Civic Auditorium
8,500-capacity 1915 hall across from City Hall, renamed for the late concert promoter in 1992. The big-tour stop in San Francisco.
99 Grove St, San Francisco, CA 94102 Full write-up →
Last checked August 17, 2026
