I live in the neighborhood, so I've had the displeasure of watching this turn from one of the best cafes & neighborhood meeting places around into the single worst, most unpleasant "cafe" I've ever been to. I put "cafe" in quotes now because, first, cafe food is usually affordable. $12 for an omelette, $12 for a tuna melt, $10 for a salad, almost $20 for a cheeseburger with fries & cup of coffee... the prices here are laughable, very far from affordable. You're not going to get out of here for less than $17 for breakfast, before tip. I know everyone in this neighborhood didn't turn rich overnight, but the owner of this place seems to think so. And the food is all starch and cheap ingredients, nothing at all that justifies the sky-high prices. I used to reliably eat here 5+ nights a week, now I'd eat here maybe once every few weeks, MAYBE, if it wasn't for the second reason: Second, because this isn't a cafe. It's a sports bar, a very obnoxious sports bar full of loud, abrasive, drunk jocks nursing cheap beers with nothing better to do with their lives than sit around a public place screaming at the top of their lungs at a TV, which itself is cranked so loud that you can't even hear yourself think. Is this still a civilized society? Do we still live in a civilization? You wouldn't know it from the baboons sitting around screeching their heads off inside this place. The biggest idiots in San Francisco all seem to have heard about the super-cheap beer special and made this their new home. Tonight I had the most unpleasant, overpriced dining experience I've had in years here, and walked out with a splitting headache from all the screaming jock drunks. Never again. This is the worst cafe in town, hands down. Maybe the worst cafe anywhere. Just awful. [Updating my review in January 2017, because I just want to point out, I have no idea how this got the single-'$' 'Under $10' mark on their Yelp page, but that's completely dishonest. Prices now have skyrocketed even higher than when I wrote this review, and the food has gotten cheaper-tasting and starchier, including the vastly overpriced "Dinner specials" that start at nearly $17 and usually contain sides of cheapo root vegetables. Total rip-off joint, almost twice the cost of many other nearby cafes, and easily $3 more than other cafes and businesses within a block of this place. And on top of it, the wifi isn't reliable - nothing like ordering a sandwich and coffee for $18-$20 and then discovering the wifi doesn't even work. Also, since my review, they've felt the need to add a second large-screen TV to this tiny place, always showing sports, further ruining the cafe vibe and attracting annoying sports-bar clientele. I think with Abir closed down and the two closest other cafes not offering wifi, they realized they had no real competition, so now instead of being the cool neighborhood meeting place they used to so clearly try to be, they just want to price-gouge and turn a quick buck. On the plus side, the counter help remains uniformly friendly, if that counts for anything. There's a pretty good crew working in there right now.] read more

I use to work near the Bean Bag and it was the office standard for lunch... even though it was close which gave it huge points it is also very GOOD!!! I think I tired just about everything on the menu and was never disappointed. The crepes are to die for... I miss the grilled Portabella sandwich. The service is/was always polite. You order at the counter and then they bring your food to you. I didn't think their coffee was bad... but I am not an expert on coffee since for me to drink it I have to add sweet n low and 1/2 and 1/2 so really how good can my tastes buds be when it comes to coffee. Enjoy... it is a funky, clean, great little place with a wonderful selection of food to enjoy! Even the burgers are good. read more

Stopped by last night for the second meeting of the YBSWKC (Yelp Bitter Single Woman's Knitting Club) though I'm really not bitter and only pseudo-single. Actually none of the gals seemed particularly bitter so maybe the B should stand for Beautiful, or Brilliant, or Bootylicious instead. Anyhow, in terms of the Bean Bag, while I didn't order any food last night, I have eaten here a few times after concerts at the Independent across the street. Their crepes are tasty and the prices reasonable. I normally go for the chicken pesto. There's a laid back feel to this place - somewhere you'd go to catch up with friends over coffee. The same goes for meeting up with friends over a few skeins of yarn and some circular needles. Cool place. Check it out! read more

Bean Bag is a very cozy coffeehouse with 3 distinct environments -- the front (sunny, South-facing) and side (shady) seating areas are off the street just enough... right inside the door is what you might call an indoor porch, it's bright and open with about 3 or 4 2-tops... my ideal spot is at one of these, plug available for laptop action, etc. And yes, as nearly ever review notes, they've got Big Daddy IPA for $1.50 or a cup of coffee for $1.15. But they also have excellent food. The omelets are choice and come with a delicious cupcake-like hashbrown mound... I've also had a good chicken salad there and on another occasion, a chicken sandwich -- the french fries are notable for having a sort of Belgian way about them -- They almost remind me of the fries you get in a big cone of white paper in Amsterdam, which I'm certain I did have at some time and was not strictly hallucinating. It's a great crowd -- generally about half working and half socializing... and fortunately I haven't seen anybody get out of control abusing the benefits of inexpensive beer. There you go, Bean Bag -- I mean everyone of these 5 stars -- in the couple months that I've been living here in SF this has become my GOTO place for telecommuting and weekend work-from-home shifts. Don't go changin! read more

Dear Yelp, I've been going to Bean Bag a lot recently. You just can't beat that happy hour, and they make a decent burger with good fries. So why not a better score? The girls working at Bean Bag seemingly can not bring themselves to pour beer properly. Sure, it's a not a bar, but we all know why people go to this place. I realize I'm paying under two bucks for a beer, but that's no excuse for giving me a quarter cup of foam. It's not rocket science, just tip the glass while you're pouring it. Also, one night a couple friends of mine got asked to leave rather rudely because another customer complained about their BO. The place was practically empty, but I guess it's easier to be a dick than to just move to a different table. I was sitting right next to them and they didn't even smell that bad. Whatever, it made for an hilarious story, one I'll probably tell my grandkids. So yeah, bad staff, but like I said, you can't beat that happy hour. I give Bean Bag Coffee House a fantastic score of 3 out of 5 stars. Love, James read more

Very disappointed. The smoothies didn't taste like anything taste buds were highly disappointed. Plain bagel with only cream cheese took 30 minutes. Buttt the bagel is pretty good. And my friend ordered a bagel and we waited 45 minutes and then we asked them and they said they sold out. read more

Bean Bag Cafe - Tooty fruity smoothie - Burgers Near Me - San Francisco, California

I used to work right near this place and visited this established religiously -- especially being a vegetarian, as this cafe provides excellent choices! I agree with all of the previous reviews about cheapness and utter goodness and the nice relaxing indie/snobby coffee shop feel. However, I ate here once on my birthday when I was severly hungover and couldn't stomach the food long enough to make it through the rest of the day of work. I tried taking the bus home but had to get off as I could not hold back the vomit quickly burning my esophagus.... I was the girl throwing up and down on Haight street last year. Sorry. Most painful -- the excellent potato medley (came with the falafel wrap!) I had earlier at Bean Bag ripped my insides to shreds. read more

Love this place! Not only is happy hour 3-10, $2 pints, but the food is great too! I recommend the portobello mushroom sandwich- delicious! Also, seating outside, which is great on a nice, sunny day:) read more

This is honestly one of my favorite places for tacos. It kind of caught me by surprise.

Busy place on a sunday, for good reason. Great variety of breakfast food and coffee. Friendly staff. Has a bathroom. Not a bad way to start an SF day. read more

Bean Bag Cafe - Lox bagel sandwich on lock with a 'nana and dirty chai. - Burgers Near Me - San Francisco, California

The waitresses here appear to wanna get laid pretty badly. Hahah. Like...bad! The boy walks by this street all the time. He knows what I like, orders for me, pays for me, in fact, the reason we're here is me. We sit outside, he pulls my chair, even takes my legs and rests them on his lap, plays with my hair... We have a beer, then our sandwich comes. She serves it to him even after he kept asking me in front of the waitress if the ingredients were ok with me. He gets up, goes back inside, and gets me napkins and ketchup for my fries. At that moment, waitress offers him a ride...(LOL). Not a bad sandwich. But then again , I'm sure she made it trying to use her cooking skills to impress someone else. Really weird. Come here if you want to watch someone hit on your companion/date/husband/boyfriend. read more

Not sure why this place is so high rated! Obviously the chef doesn't know how to cook simple eggs Benedict (it was overcooked) - we also got a crepe with bananas, Nutella and ice cream. It was served with all our orders and the ice cream came half melted. The crepe was so hard and way too stuff! Also my toasts came with hair!!! And the smile of the waitress was totally optional. read more

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The food is good. The staff are pleasant. The clientele is hit or miss. The crowd has become increasingly grungy, especially with the draw of super cheap beer at happy hour. Derelict dirtbags smoking cigarettes right next to you when you are trying to eat is not pleasant. But you might be so lucky. Last Saturday, my wife and two kids and I are having eggs and hashbrowns at the tables outside, and this dude vomits in the gutter right in front of us, twice. Big night out I guess. Granted, that is an extreme example, but the potential for a freak show is there. If you don't like to shower, or wear underpants, this is your place. read more

For selfish reasons, I hardly want to further publicize the price of their draught beers. But seriously, do you KNOW how cheap they are!? Lagunitas, Stella, IPA, and more... under $2! No wonder I can't get a seat in this place. read more

I'm sorry, but 1 star for you Bean Bag. I have been here a few times and have tried their infamous fried calamari -- BUT my last visit here last week left me a bit hairy (literally). On a somewhat sunny day, my friend and I decided to grab a quick bite. After staring at the menu for a few minutes, I settled for an omelette. You can't go wrong with some eggs and cheese, with a few things in between, right? WRONG! My plate of eggs had not one but TWO pieces of hair: one blonde, one black. In disgust, I sent the dish back to the cashier, offered to make another plate but I said, "Thanks, but no thanks." NEVER again. read more

Automatic 3 stars for free wifi. Ginger lemonade. Lavender lemonade. Sweet crepes for $3.75 which would totally be $7+ at Crepevine, Crepes on Cole or Squat and Gobble. Big block rice krispies treats. read more

Hey Bean Bag! You kick ass! Breakfast, Lunch or Dinner, you are always there with high quality grub for insanely reasonable prices. Great coffee, great steak fries, and cheap cheap (did I mention cheap?) beer for happy hour! Where else can you get a burger, fries and a beer for under $10?!!? That's just crazy talk! Friendly staff and a super-relaxed neighborhood feel, free wi-fi and tons of great people watching. Dang, I miss hanging out in NOPA... ...mostly b/c I don't get to see you anymore! read more

Enjoyed a lunch here on my cousin's recommendation and thoroughly enjoyed it. Reading all the other reviews, sure, there's a hipster vibe, but when in San Francisco... do as the hipsters do? Er... maybe not, but, the atmosphere was pleasant enough in the Bean Bag that I wouldn't complain. The two dollar beers were a major selling point (Stella, Lagunitas IPA, Deschutes, etc.), but the burgers and sandwiches provided great complimentary action. I had a cheeseburger with mushrooms and a generous side of fries. The burger was juicy, cooked to perfection, and I had absolutely no complaints. Nice and friendly service, tasty eats... Bean Bag, I approve. read more

This place is so neat I'm reviewing it *even before leaving the place.* Cheap beer... for the win. That is all. I thought I heard wrong: "Uhh a Stella for the lady, and a Lagunitas Pale for me..." "That'll be $3.83" "Uh.. I got two beers, you know?" "yes, $3.83 please" *gonk* Awesome. read more

Ok, I need to come in for lunch more often because I am loving their garden burgers with a side salad! I know there doesn't seem to be anything particularly spectacular about veggie burgers and salad but it was such a refreshing meal! Everything tasted fresh and crisp and I was sad when I finished everything on my plate. Love Bean Bag! read more

The food was good but the customer service was terrible. We waited 45 to get our food with no heads up as to how long we will have to wait. They brought one member of our parties food 30 minutes before the rest of us. No apologies. They didn't even know how many burritos we ordered. Manager didn't even apologize, he kept making excuses that covid is the reason why we didn't get our food together read more

At 1:30 in the afternoon I told myself I would pack up my books and attempt a major study sesh at Bean Bag. Took me a good 40 minutes to pack up. Once I double checked to make sure I had everything I set off. Halfway to the bus stop realized had left calculator back home. Fan-flippin' fantastic. Having never been to this cafe before, I sauntered in and was dismayed to find the place chock full of inhabitants. Ordered a latte and sat myself down next to a middle aged man and his newspaper. Literally right next to this man, and I think I made him nervous. The latte was passable. After trying it, I realized I should have gone with a crepe or a smoothie instead, as this is what pretty much everyone on here recommends. Damn. I sat there for a good hour and actually got some reading done in between people watching. No one really all that memorable showed up. An Italian man sat at the table across from me and started sipping at his chowder and staring at me, which forced me to keep my head down and the people watching commenced. So major study sesh = 1 hour in my case. Wow, I've got some obvious dedication to my studies. read more

Boy, how I miss having a decent source of coffee and pasta so close by. The Bean Bag was directly below my bedroom at the corner of Hayes and Divisadero--can't get any closer than having them as your downstairs neighbor. We were practically kissin' cousins... The daily routine: 1. Wake up from the noise made by Bean Bag folks opening for business. 2. Take a shower, get dressed. 3. Go downstairs, grab a Large coffee to go. If I wasn't too late for work, add a toasted cream cheese bagel. The owner and employees are always friendly and the Bean Bag offers a much wider selection of brews than most coffehouses. They also have a good selection of fairly inexpensive pasta dishes as well, my favorite being the Portabella Pasta with sun dried tomatoes (note: they're really generous with their portion of portabello mushrooms). I noted the mixed reviews of the cheese toast that accompanies their entrees and would have to place myself in the Pro Cheese Toast camp. It's good stuff. I'm not much of a breakfast person (just a big ol' coffee, thank you) but their French toast is pretty decent. Bagels, for some reason, can be inconsistently toasted. They have outdoor seating and weekend brunch can be extremely crowded. So to summarize, Bean Bag is a great neighborhood coffeehouse that also serves decent food. The cheap beers and recent expansion of their interior (a tiny expansion, but it's still an improvement) are pluses that should be noted as well. read more

The four stars are for the (almost always) friendly staff, the yummy food (cheese toast with your pasta? yes please!), the free and speedy wifi, the sunny ante room, and the suspiciously low priced afternoon beers! I just can't give a fifth star to a cafe with a big TV which doesn't actually play television, but rather advertisements interspersed with horoscopes. I'd love to know how and why that happened. Just charge 50c more per beer and throw the TV in the dumpster. Bizzare. But I love this place a lot. It's really more like 4.5. I mean, I go here all the time, so it must be great.... read more

I love this place for several reasons. 1. I can't rave more about their buttermilk pancakes 2. Awesome prices for Happy Hour Beer!! 3. Burgers are not bad if you're in the hood. 4. low key, no drama, you can get coffee, smoothies, even crepes! This is a great neighborhood find. I must say, after coming back from an all inclusive resort for about a week, you really don't want to cook. So having awesome cafes in the hood makes us so spoiled. Just a hop skip and away. Note: they do serve dinner on Sundays now. read more

I love the food and casual ambience here. I have tried the Sonoma sandwich, pancakes and their lattes (both hot and cold) and must say wasn't disappointed with any of the orders. It's a lovely place to study or work with free wifi. The only problem is to get a parking nearby. read more

Bean Bag Cafe - Burgers Near Me - San Francisco, California

A coffee shop must have good coffee. Or change it's name. If the coffee is crap, it should compensate in every other way. That's all I'll say. read more

Great neighborhood spot. I love going down the street and grabbing dinner here with my friends on a low-key night. The food is scrumptious and the price is right (most meals are $7-$10). The beer is super cheap (under$2) and the staff is welcoming and friendly. **TIP**Tables can be hard to come by, so swoop on some real estate before ordering. read more

food: food stars (* * * *) I've only tried a few things, but everything has been straightforward and decently delicious. They have a smattering of nearly everything (burgers, crepes, etc). I usually go for a cheap $1.75 beer and then decide it's time for actual sustenance, usually of the carbohydrate variety. environment/service: four stars (* * * *) They have a nice range of outdoor and indoors seating options, though the indoor seating is quite limited and often cramped. The service is hit-or-miss. Sometimes the people are friendly, other times they can be boorish and unwelcoming--though I've never had anyone be outright nasty. value: four stars (* * * *) Its prices all around are comparable to other restaurants. Its prices for beer are extraordinarily cheap, around the $1.50-1.75 range. average of food: four stars environment/service: four stars value: four stars ================ averaged grand total: four stars estimated price per person (excluding drink): $8-11 would i recommend it to others? Yes. would i return? Yes. read more

3 stars for being a place to get great bar food 'n' coffee. +1 star because someone there has taught the staff how to make *really* good fries. Go there for the fries people, not joking around. read more

Once upon a time, when life was just gettin' goin' in San Francisco, my friends and I would meet at Bean Bag every Wednesday for beers, ciggarettes, life-catch-ups and people watching. My only complaint about Bean Bag is that there aren't 100 more tables outside (best seat in the house). If you're lucky enough to snag a seat al fresco, with a friend and a $1.50 beer, you're sure to have a really lovely evening (afternoon or morning, hell!)! read more

$1.75 microbrew for a broke-ass girl with hipster friends? no complaints there. Also don't mind the incredibly hot nerdy literary types that come in here to discuss pretentious literary theories, and sexy dudes on bikes. And... the giant rice krispie treats. read more

First time to Bean Bag. It was a quick stop to warm up after the mighty winds started blowing. Jumped in ordered the hot chocolate and defrosted! I really thought the place was cute. Small but not cramped. I loved that the waitresses all had on cute vintage dresses! The service was great and the hot chocolate did not disappoint. My fellow friends enjoyed a cheeseburger and fries. Both were happy. Next time I am in SF I will stop by this nice little spot! p.s. The bathrooms were just redone when I was there and they were not scary to enter at all! Big bonus points on that one! read more

$1.50 beers on tap!?!?! Greatest idea ever. This place is going off almost every night until closing time at 10pm. It's a great place to go on a weeknight to hang out with friends and get a good buzz on (especially if you have to get up early the next morning.) It can give off a nice relaxed bar atmosphere but you don't feel pathetic going out to drink at 7 at night because it also still feels like a comfortable neighborhood coffee house. During the day it is a great place to study and/or hang out. There is a lot of good light and it is relatively quiet. The atmosphere is very relaxed and comfortable. I have never had a problem with the food. It always tastes great. I wouldn't call myself a food critic but I eat food almost every day so I think I have a little expertise when it comes knowing when a dish pleases my palette. The fried tofu is delicious and the hambugers actually surprised me as well. The coffee kinda sucks but they do have a pretty large selection. I guess that isn't very helpful... a wide selection of coffee isn't a plus if it all kinda sucks... Sometimes the nighttime workers do seem to hate their life and can sometimes be a little rude, but that has never really bothered me too much. It is rare when I even notice it and it isn't any worse than most other small coffee shops or neighborhood bars. They aren't into stupid chit chat (which is good because neither am I). Most of the time they are really fast and helpful. All in all I give it 4 stars. I love this place. I am leaving out one star because there is room for improvement. read more

Study and work heaven! This place is the perfect world away from the office and the apartment. 1. Free wi-fi. 2. Lots of tables. 3. Lots of outlets. 4. Open late! 5. Great service. Five stars for sure. :) read more

When I am visiting in the western addition. My pal edweird and I tend to come here for our coffee needs. Since my pal has anxiety he tends to drink decaf. Abir makes the decaf espresso and not just decaf coffee. The beer specials can't be beat. The staff is friendly and I must agree with Greta about the place needing a facelift. The happy hour is the way to go. read more

Solid breakfast/brunch/lunch/snack place. The menu is high quality and has a ton of variety to fill your stomach with. The range of offerings is ideal for the morning and early afternoon. I love the: - lox special with an everything bagel - a phenom deal under $7 for a bagel-wich stuffed with fresh lox, bean sprouts, capers, onions, and cream cheese - Vienna crepe - the mushroom and provolone cheese filling is divine - side of french fries - well-crisped yet thick; very substantial, and a great thing to snack on if you are working away or cruising on the free wi-fi - free Wi-Fi! - Emerald smoothie (Kiwi, banana, yogurt, and I think pineapple juice) Service is very fast, and the cafe is a good place to get some work done with ample surfaces and wi-fi. read more

I love the Bean Bag - mostly because of the incredible friendliness of the staff. The owner is so incredibly nice first thing in the morning, which puts me in a good mood straight off. They have an amazing array of acoutrements for the coffee including several varieties of soy milk and brown sugar and honey. The best thing of all is the coffee sleeve recycling bin - LOVE THAT!! The food is pretty good too. Love the Bean Bag! Oh, and did I mention that they have dirt cheap tap beer, like $1.25 or something. And outdoor seating! And solarium-ish seating. No bean bags to sit on though. read more

Went there last night before a show at the Independent. We had planned to go to Little Star but it was packed and their hostess had a salty attitude that didn't inspire our group to hang out and have a few beers. We asked the will call ticket dude at the Indie what he recommended and he pointed to Bean Bag. Having never eaten there I was a little skeptical. Isn't this place a coffee house? What are we going to eat for dinner, a bagel and cream cheese? I was totally wrong the FOOD WAS AMAZING!! We started with the fried calamari. IT WAS PERFECT!! Lightly fried with fresh clean oil, the calamari was super fresh, tender, and tasty. Served with a light Thai like red pepper dipping sauce it was finger licking good. And, the portions for the price were incredibly generous. We were all surprised, there were smiles all around, and things were off to an unexpected good start. After having a hard time choosing from their full, well balanced, and nicely priced menu I settled on the seafood pasta Aliotti, figuring that the calamari was fresh and well prepared so the rest of the sea food might also be a good call. I was right on with this guess as my pasta dinner was outstanding! Large shrimp, more perfect calamari, a very tasty mix of cheese, and greens. IT WAS SO GOOD that I didn't spend enough time considering what made it so good but instead just enjoyed. Again, it was an incredibly nice surprise that was made of so much sweeter knowing how much of a good value my meal was. Even though they ran out of a few of our beer choices our waitress was super nice, efficient, and attentive. The biggest surprise came when we got the bill for dinner. Looking over the charges we were shocked to find that the BEERS ARE $1.29!!!!!!!!!! NICE! Why go anywhere else before a show?? The great food, kind beer prices, nice vibe, and convenient location when seeing a show at the Independent, were all reasons to check this place out!! I will be going back to this place often, even when it's not a show night. This would have been a 5 star review but they did run out of many of their beer selections. read more

It's a really close neighborhood spot for me, so I get lots of use out of it. You cannot beat the happy hour at Bean Bag. It's like $1.50 for Stella and Speakeasy. The food isn't amazing, but isn't terrible by any means. I like breakfast at bean bag. Bean Bag is a great spot for people watching, outdoor sitting, early drinking, sitting inside gazing out the open windows, curl up in a corner with a book/magazine, or just morning coffee ritual. read more