WATCH OUT FOR THE BARTENDERS. They specifically try to short change you ALL the time!!! They always say "my mistake" but they did it multiple times to my party in the same night. They try to prowl on people. Very shady. Do not recommend risking it. They are definitely shady in the way they were trying to manage the situations either. If you come, youll notice that they always think of the drink prices off the top of their head, and the prices fluctuate even if you make the same order multiple times. AVOID read more

For a dive bar, this is pretty good. The drinks are reasonably priced, and they also have free popcorn courtesy of a popcorn machine. Great service too. read more

Seriously had one the worst experiences here last weekend & I didn't even get to buy a drink... The bouncer was clearly racist and made a "fresh off the boat" joke whilst checking our ids. He was adamant that my friend was not 25 and had the audacity to revoke the rest of my groups entry. Which was embarrassing because I was hosting a large group of people from out of state. Way to give them the San Franciscan Hello with a racial remark. By the way, the bouncer is a white guy with dreadlocks... so that explains a lot. Maybe next time I'll be able experience the inside of the bar & buy a drink. Choose wisely on whom you hire. Be professional. You're running a business. read more

This could have been just another average bar if it weren't for three things: 1) The Nudey Game a.k.a. Erotic Photo Hunt (Best Game EVER! If you have never played you better get your ass over here--or one of the many bars in the city with this game--you will not be disappointed, I promise...Also just a tip: always choose the 2 person game even if you are playing with a group of people, you get more chances this way) 2) The Jukebox-which played pretty much every song from the Rock Band video game which meant awesome music and a chance to practice my vocals for my next worldwide tour with Eric and the Eskimos (my current jam is "Suffragette City"...David Bowie is sexy) 3) $2 special on Sam Adams the night we went For these three reasons I will definitely be going back to Kilowatt some time soon...you can find me at the end of the bar, dominating the Nudey Game. read more

The guy with the shoulder length brown hair has the worst service made us the wrong drinks and overcharged us. He's done this before and I let it slide... he's obviously trying to pocket the difference read more

If you took a dive bar and gave it a bunch of Extenze pills to make it "bigger" then you'd get Kilowatt. Two or three beers on tap at a regular dive instantly enlarges to about 40 different brew choices here. The usually empty pool table at any other dive somehow has non-stop male on male action on it and I gotta put my name on a board that already has 7 people in front of me just to get to play? A solid neighborhood bar that's well equipped to handle large and numerous groups. Our group of 5 was comfortable and the refreshing pitcher of Mothership wit was ($14). And No, I'm not ashamed to say that. Man, I need to stop watching these late night infomercials. 3.5 stars. read more

When I first walked up to Kilowatt, there was a huge dog standing in the doorway. I thought to myself "bouncers have dogs now?" Turns out that it's just a dog-friendly bar. They run around all over the place in there. Towards the entrance, you have an assortment of bikers and grungy looking people. The further you walk into the bar, the more hipster people get. Interesting assortment of people, which leads to an interesting assortment of dogs since everyone brings them. It's fun to watch the big pit-bull cross looking thing chase Paris Hilton's Chihuahua around the place. Getting a seat or a table is hard and if you do, hold on for dear life. You get the vultures standing next to you, just waiting for you to make a wrong move. The beer is cheap, which is nice. Pitchers go for around $18 and they have an fantastic selection of them. (Note: drinking Fransiskaner after Indian food makes the beer taste like Bananas). There are some weird people in there. Some guy in the women's bathroom was getting a little too excited watching my friend wash her hands. But all in all, interesting place. read more

Of all the bars that I visited in the Mission District, this one 'felt' the most comfortable. Like every other Mission District bar, they take cash only and have an ATM by the front door. Wide and roomy, Pool tables in back, lots of seating up front, and something I am not used to being from San Diego, there always seemed to be one or two stools open at the bar. Perfect place to grab a beer and groove to the excellent music. The open ambiance and cheerful but busy staff made a great first impression. But then I had to order something... Kilowatt has a zillion different beers advertised on the chalkboard across from the bar. But not all the stuff on the board is actually tapped. So don't get your heart set on the non-descript "Nut Brown", because they wont tell you which brewery its from, nor is it popular enough to be tapped on the weekends. I settled for Guinness, and was a little horrified at the pour and resulting head. Bottom line: These aren't beer people, but they do dive-bar-in-the-cool-mission-district very well. If you are looking for a pleasant standard quality place to bring your friends and aren't too particular about your drink, this is the place =) Cons: - Didn't double pour the Guinness - Stinky wet pee all over the bathroom floor and the toilets by 8:30pm. - Patrons that look like they are fashion victims - might be a pro if i was out with just the girls as some of those guys were hot, but the jury is still out on this ;D Pros: - Plenty of TP in both bathrooms - Dogs!! =D you can bring your best friends of both species - One of the bartenders looks like Reed Rothchild from Boogie nights =D read more

What can I say that hasn't already been said? Kilowatt's laid back atmosphere, strong drinks, pool and darts, makes for a great place to hang out and throw back a few. We came here as the first stop in a long Wednesday night. Only draw back -- I NEVER carry cash. It's something that I've had to get used to being in San Francisco so often these days. The cute bartenders are helpful and I don't think any of us had to wait longer than a few seconds to get drinks at the busy bar. The music wasn't bad, loud enough to hear and sing along, but no to the point where we had to yell to keep up a conversation. read more

So many tattoos, so many beards! This place gets busy! There's some pool tables and darts and a lot of onlookers for those games of skill. Didn't feel that clean here but the Mission's not supposed to be a clean place. My drink was okay. Some people were crazy pumped up here. My favorite thing was the elevated area towards the back so you can look out onto the whole scene, very cool. Cheers to the the guy with the dog tat who got me my vodka and tonic, you're a cool dude! read more

Used to be a favorite, now it's just a memory of what used to turn me on about San Francisco: Hot, young, grungy skaters; pool tables; lots of beer drinkers; great music. Actually, come to think of it, those things still turn me on, it's just that now, I know how to find them without going to Kilowatt. So yeah, an old fave always, always have fun here. Now - I understand the whole house rules with pool, because I'm the first person to call their own slop shots. However, the doubles rule should be reconsidered. Maybe just one table devoted to doubles when warranted? I personally like playing singles better than doubles myself, but just to keep things moving, keep people content. . . ?? Dare I mention the free pool here every Sunday, all day? What the hell! read more

I can't believe how many times I have been to this place without having yet reviewed it. This is one of my favorite Mission bars but probably because I tend not to come here on a Friday or Saturday night. Pool tables, dart boards, the memories of live music, reasonably priced beer, good eclectic juke box and - very suprisingly - no shameful stories out of this place yet. I know, I know...how is no shameful stories a good thing when we are talking about drinking??? I figure there has to be one place in town that I remain well behaved at, and this one seems to be it...Im holding on to that as long as I can! read more

Next to the last stop on our slow, boozy crawl through The Mission. When we walked in, the fun hit us like a slap in the face. I wish we had shown up earlier! Even though it was packed in this large space, I managed to wrangle a table and chairs for our group of 8. We chilled out to some good music, while we watched people playing pool on the main floor and darts in a small, raised alcove in the back of the bar. They have an intense beer selection that could please anyone, and would the cheap prices. Add this place to your list of bars to hit up on 16th Street! read more

We wandered in from off the street looking for a beer and a chat. Since we hadn't been to this bar before we paused, looking up at the menu, curious at the selection. Let me tell you they had much to choose from! I overheard what seemed to be a regular "they have never been to a bar before, look at them, haha." I guess I looked fresh faced and young that night. Thank you :) The bar was semi-crowded and we were forced to the back near a very popular pin-ball machine. I enjoyed "The king" who was in a bean. For some reason this was hilarious to me because it stood out in all its tackiness and I kept looking at it out of the corner of my eye. Overall, great selection and fast bartender who was happy to serve us right away, even in the crowds. read more

We walked into Kilowatt after leaving Zeitgeist full of cheeseburgers, nicely buzzed and seeking shelter from the cold wind. We were greeted with plenty of space and the cutest bull terrier I've ever seen. We picked a booth and ordered and ordered and ordered drinks to our heart's content. Meanwhile, my ears were treated to "Steppin' Stone" from Minor Threat and "Holiday in Cambodia." I'm digging this place like whoa. As I walked to the bathroom I discovered two more of the cutest dogs ever (when I go on vacation, I become obsessed with strangers' dogs and fawn over them because I miss mine). Kate's, Golden Gate Park, Zeitgeist and now this place? This has to be the best day ever! But wait, it gets better still - I discovered the jukebox was full of gems like old Cure and Maiden. I promptly played "Hallowed" to the delight of the entire bar. An hour or so in, we looked up to find the place was packed. And not only had we still not heard the brunt of our awesome songs, crap had been playing for the last 20 minutes. So we decided to head ...somewhere else where we wouldn't have seats but the music would be better. But Kilowatt was the perfect segue from Zeitgeist to Elbo Room. And our adventure continued. read more

The vibe of this bar is pretty different and I must say refreshing. We came here, lookin to score drinks and play some pool. That we did. But it's not that simple, there are things to discuss. First, the scene. I saw the first mods I've seen in a long time. Like, the mods in SLC punk: skinny dudes with cute suites and ties. I can dig it. The two that I saw looked swanky, but confused and like they didn't really have any friends there. Bummer. Next, the pool dudes. Kind of like the dad's of everyone else there, ignoring their annoying drunk kids. They take pool pretty seriously and are fucking good but are light hearted enough not to make you feel stupid. Next, the brahs! Definitely some brodudes chillin in their striped shirts with the sleeves rolled up. They seem nice enough here. Not a lot of mission-core hipsters that I remember (I was pretty blitzed), which can be good or bad depending on what you like and/or who you want to hit on and hang out with. Drinks are pretty standard price, lots of options on the jukebox, and high ceilings (I like this, I'm weird). This is a cool bar. Sorry for judging the patrons so hard, it's all out of love (and having fun people watching and analyzing). Oh, I forgot about the Hawaiin birthday party. WEIRD. read more

This is the first bar I ever came to in San Francisco. I had walked 3 miles, almost passed out from a lack of sugar, had a huge burrito and was then ready to drink. They had football on the tv, good drinks, a pool table and dogs running around. I was in love. If you come on a week night, their happy hour is also awesome. I really enjoy this bar because it is long enough that when someone walks in, all eyes aren't on them. Go in the bar, find your niche and do your thing and forget the rest of the world exists. That's why we drink, right? read more

MOTHERSHIP WIT ON TAP and DOG PORTRAITS. Mothership Wit is one of my favorite easy-to-drink wheat beers, and they have it on tap here! I could drink this all day because it goes down so smooth and has a lot of strong flavor right up front. The bartender was friendly and fast so thumbs up. Don't forget to tip your bartender! This a classic dive so don't mind the sticky floors or tables, but admire the dog portraits! The beer list is chalked up on the wall across the bar (thanks to a tip-off from a regular) so you can see what they have. Very reasonable prices ($4 per pint/$15 per pitcher) for GOOD beer. read more

fun times. Went here on a thursday night, and was pleasantly surprised. not overly crowded, but a good mix of people. hard to go wrong with the music + cheap beer. + darts and some kick ass pinball, dog friendly, and pool tables. tastyness... + 1 for the fact that it was my friends birthday and they gave us a polaroid camera to take pictures with! very rad -1 cause its called kilowatt instead of jigawatt... read more

Finally, a bar friendly to the Montreal Canadiens! Invited by a co-worker who ran into some friendly hockey fans when there last time, we decided to check it out...and we were not disappointed. Multiple Habs fans showed up, some even wearing jerseys! By the time the game started, a fair sized group of people had shown up to watch the game. The bar itself is very unpretentious, and had a very fine selection of beers that could be purchased by the pitcher. There were a multitude of LCD TVs available, though the one above the bar could be a little bigger ;) I'd give it 5 stars but they wouldn't put the sound of the game on. The music selection was pretty good, and they have a couple of pool tables in the back. Note, the bar is very dog friendly, so aside from Hockey I also had the opportunity to watch this woman's chihuahua constantly rail another little dog...not the entertainment I was looking for. One final point, they don't serve food and are very receptive of outsiders bringing their own food (as long as you buy drinks of course0. read more

50 cent pool games. Pinball machines. Dart boards. Comfy chairs and booths. HH M-F 4-7, Sat and Sun 1-7. 17 beers on tap. Three different types of Hef. Dog(s) wander around the bar almost every time I've been there. Cash only, so come prepared. read more

When my heart is set on Zeitgeist but the weather says no, where do I go? Kilowatt. And the reason is proximity, really. I'm not gonna lie. But this place has actually started to grow on me in recent months... It's never obnoxiously crowded, but it's always full enough to stimulate good times. It draws a good mix of people. Even sports fans, and I love it when they have sports on. Because I hate sports bars, but I wholeheartedly confess to loving sports. The service is always good, too. The bartenders are fast and they never mind that I consistently steal olives and cherries from their little thingy on the bar (hey --- it's bold to put it so close to the edge, there...). And this is the one bar in all of SF where I've actually played darts; and I really enjoyed myself while doing so. Before that, I hadn't played darts since the Detroit days. A sign that I'm really hitting my stride with Kilowatt, I suppose... read more

I NEVER run into people I know randomly. Maybe it's because I'm a hermit. Maybe it's because I have no friends and hate people. Okay, that's not really true...I have friends. In any case, walking into this place and seeing a buddy I've been meaning to contact along with having a great beer selection, pool, darts, and a nasty ass restroom. This is the dive bar for me that I will definitely come back to! read more

I swear every time I stop by to have a drink here, they are always playing horrible music...you know, the scream into the mic, can't understand a damn word, kill your mother/father/significant other, blow your eardrums type of music. They have a good selection of beers, which is why I'm giving it 3 stars. Other than that, I think they should rename this place to Kill-o-Lot. read more

What a cool place. Went here on a date. The guy I was with has actually been here a few times and warned about it being a little divey but for me, I love dive bars and this place was definitely right up my alley. The atmosphere is awesome. Totally chill, definitely have tons of seating, plus they have 2 dart boards and 2 pool tables. I have to say that I am impressed with the beer selection. They had Boont beer, which is amazing and for some reason really sparse in the city. They also had Big Daddy, but that one seems to be around the city a little more. I was more excited for Boont. The price is CHEAP too. I love paying under 4 bucks for awesome beer. The only drawback is that it is a cash only bar. They do have an ATM in the bar, but I rarely carry cash. Other than that, go, check it out and have a blast. You are definitely in for a treat! read more

Kilowatt reminds me of The Bitter End, Mission version. I am a fan of dive bars, it's part of my Midwestern heritage. One of the downsides of dive bars though, are the low ceilings and dank environment. Kilowatt surprises with open space and high ceilings. It makes the bar seem a lot larger than it really is. One of my favorite things about dive bars are the games. I like to drink competitively, meaning i like to drink while competing in things like darts, it keeps my attention better than conversation sometimes. The dart boards in the back are well lit and out of the way of the traffic so you don't risk impaling anyone. Dive bars are also known for their cheap beer. Kilowatt does one further by offering a wide variety of cheap beer. Having franziskaner weiss beer on tap will always get you extra points in my book. It was 5 bucks.. my friends got bottles of Bud Light for 3. The atmosphere is relaxed and diverse, a wide variety of people.. all friendly and all enjoying themselves, I as well enjoyed the vibe. Just another thing about the Mission that I love! read more

If you're out drinking in this area you'd be hard pressed to find a better option within a few blocks. With a great selection on the jukebox that covers everything from the Reverend Horton Heat, to Johnny Cash, to the Butthole Surfers you know at the very least you're in for a good soundtrack to your evening. Add to this the decent beer selection and good bar staff and you have the makings for a great night out. read more

Popped in here last night and wow, this place is timeless...it hasn't changed one bit. Used to spend a lot of time shooting pool in here a few years ago and it almost felt a little strange stepping back. Looked at all the pool shooters and it's definitely still shark-infested waters. Saw some players with their own fancy cues (I have a bunch, but who brings a nice cue into a dive bar anyway...coin op cue balls are way too heavy...like a Buick...I save mine for friend's homes and pool halls) The signup boards were both about seven or eight names deep...yikes. Anyway, didn't get on the table this time, but might be back in the near future to play again. Should be fun to see if anyone good is in there. Happy to see that it's still dark inside here too...I've always loved the darkness. read more

A good place to hang out and play darts, or just chat, or to drink yourself into a drunken stupor. Its all up to you. The drinks aren't too expensive, and its pretty low key. We went here on a Saturday, and it wasn't too crowded, although we might have been there too early for the bar crowd. What can I say - we're getting old and lame (we came here on my birthday, so I have to be at least a little bit reflective). read more

My friends came here sometimes but I'm always in no mood to go to the Mission, so one night I came straight here to watch a game (when the Phillies clinched their Division title). I know no one cares but it's a big deal for me :P Anyways, I had a good time here, people were cool and the bartender & bar back were friendly. Oh, what's next?? Hit the pool tables when I'm here again! read more

Kilowatt is a pretty neat place if you come here during down time. Great beer selection and billiard & darts available to play. Things to know: 1) You need cash - Wells Fargo and Bank of America are on 16th and Mission 2) $1 to play pool - they to get the pool table closest to the door - the second one is close to the wall so its sometimes hard to play off of it 3) Bring your food from Patawan and have yourself some dinner and games 4) Happy hour is from 4-7 pm I really enjoy this place bc it has a great mixture of locals and people from outside the mission. Place is a little dark but doesn't hurt the place. I recommend this place if you are in this area! read more

Thank god for Kilowatt. I've lived in the Mission for over four years and I miss how grungy 16th street bars used to be. Slowly the hipsters, bikers, and neighborhood crew has been displaced by a crowd you'd expect to see in the Marina. (Btw, no offense meant to our city's Marina residents. It's a beautiful neighborhood and has some great local businesses, but I don't necessarily want that "scene" everywhere.) Anyway, before I distress too far (too late, right?), I'm thankful that Kilowatt has remained largely the same. It's a large bar with a good mix of booths and stand up tables near the entrance, and opens up to a couple pool tables and an elevated dart board area in the back. The drinks are cheap, the bartenders are nice, and the regulars are generally great conversation. They've got an ample amount of televisions, so while this isn't a "sports bar", you could definitely watch the game there. They've also got a Naked Photo Hunt console at the far end of the bar, which is the BEST group bar game next to Big Buck Hunter. read more

So, I recently went to Safeway to purchase some wine. I have my I.D. at the ready, because you know Safeway pretty much always cards anyone who looks remotely like they are under 40. Well, the checker looks me up and down, and DOES NOT CARD ME. Omigawd, my worst nightmare come true. I'm only 26 - do I really look that old now?? Thank god for the Kilowatt bartender who asked to see my I.D. Bless your sweet heart. That was pretty much the highlight of my time here. Otherwise, Kilowatt is OK. I've spent two evenings here (one on a Saturday, one on a Wednesday), and I'm still not in lurrrrrve with it. I'm not quite sure why. Maybe it's because, as my fabulous friend put it, "Everyone looks so busted in here." Or, maybe it's because we put our name down to play pool, and the stupid guys in there kept trying to put us off from playing our game. When I put up a fight, their excuse was "You have to understand, we play legit pool here." Well what the hell kind of pool do I want to play dumb ass? All was well when we finally played them and took their "legit pool" skills and shoved it where the sun don't shine. 5 stars for Marty though!!! read more

I must have a pool shark vibe about me. Every time I go here, older guys always hit on me and/or try to get me to play a game a pool. Which could be a good thing or a bad thing, depending on who you are. Thought it was simply charming when the delightfully surly bartender snatched the $10 bill out of my hand for my drink. Easy there, sweetness, it's not a penis and you are not working your second job. She just needed a hug, I think. read more

The new BF is trying to get me to go to different types of bars and so I got dragged here. I twas like the Hemlock Tavern but in the Mission and bigger. They show sports on the TV's and have two pool tables and darts. Too many people in black, too many people at all. read more

Definitely a solid Mission bar. So glad that we decided to stop by Kilowatt. Kilowatt is definitely a large bar, with room for pool tables, pinball machines, darts, tables and stools all around. And on NYE, definitely accommodated a good number of people. The vibe is very diverse here - you'll get people from different walks of life enjoying themselves on VERY well priced drinks (always a huge plus). From what I remember, our beers (of which they have a very nice selection) and gin & tonics came out to about $5 each, which really surprised our group. And the bartenders are super nice! Will definitely be making it back to Kilowatt. read more

I've only really gone here during the weeknights, so I had no idea that Killowatt got as packed as last night. Apparently it wasn't even so busy. Who knew? Bartenders are so awesome. Talk about a heavy pour and a great deal. Good smiles, all hugs, you get the picture. It's a great crowd too. So easy to just sit down at the bar and start chatting with the strangers next to you. I will definitely be back! :) read more

Sundays are the time to be here! Such a great crowd with understanding bartenders. The patrons are from all over and have their personal alliances to football teams from all over the country. It is a fun time. Fantastic dive bar. Sunday home. Affordable draught beer! Notes: CASH ONLY. Staff does allow outside food if you purchase drinks from them! There are awesome carryout places nearby. read more

Came here on the same night as when I went to Double Dutch The bar is huge and we came early on a thursday night. The bartender was cool, she just poured a bunch of pints for my few friend and I. The jukebox sucked. I think by now that big ass bar should already have a "internet jukebox" A whole lot of heavy metal, which isnt bad, but it (jukebox) just looked old and ravaged and like no employee updated it at all. It's obviously a dog friendly bar. My beer didnt quite taste the same as other beers ive had from other bars taps, maybe it wasnt fizzy or cold something wasnt right. But im sure I'll be back here sooner or later. read more

I have trouble with crowds, dins, and white belts. Really, if not for these frailties O' mine, I might give it five stars. read more