I always have a great time at this neighborhood pub. So we walk in tonight after dinner at Dragonfly. Bar is crowded, but not so packed that you can't move. "So what is that beer like, 'Death & Taxes'?" I ask the cute bartender. "Dark and bitter" he says with a smile. "Wow, kind of like me!" I say. "That sounds perfect. And...well, I'm pretty sure I can count on it." Bartender chuckles. I'm sure he's heard that a million times, but he still makes me feel like I'm funny. My friend orders a Harvey Wallbanger, and then spills it all over the bar. No one gets mad and another one appears right away. Our men-folk order beer and get locked into something on TV. Mmmm, I like it, just like home but with slightly more alcohol. We play darts. Surprisingly, no one gets hurt. A group of Bag-piping Irishmen come in an play some great tunes, and the entire bar cheers. The almost-half of me that is Scottish feels the lure of the Highlands. We buy raffle tickets. I sit by the sign that says "No Slapping Zone". Can I get one of those for my house? "Add It Up" comes on the Jukebox and our heads bounce as we sing along to every word. It's one of those nights where everything is funny and as we walk out the door full and happy, and disappear into the dense fog, I think, "We should really go to that bar more often". read more

I hesitate to give the MD three stars because I really did have fun here after the after party for B2B. However, it's very likely that my experience and enjoyment were based on my gross intoxication and spectacular partners in crime. MD is a dark little dive bar with musty patrons, a decent jukebox, and plenty of room to dance (oh yes I did) with your sloppy drunk girlfriends, should you be so inclined. Btw- we were the only girls in the bar and the other patrons were the handsy, leering type (not that I can blame them- my friends are pretty hot) but they bought us drinks all night so I'm not complaining. I wouldn't make a special trip over and it's not the kind of place I usually frequent, but it wasn't a bad place to end up after a long day of walking, drinking, and debauchery. read more

Cheers! It's dangerous to live relatively close to a bar especially a sports bar. I love to drink and my friends know it. I might be an alcoholic but at least I'm good at it. It's a bar! It's supposed to be dirty, sticky, and full of drunk people. It's not a library, it's not a beauty salon, it's a bar. You don't wanna come here dress up or you'll be laugh at. That is all. read more

You can find me here on weeknights blowing off some steam. Its my usual watering hole because i dont have to worry about getting scammed on when all im trying to do is unwind and enjoy my drinks in peace. Lots of regulars in here, which adds to its appeal. The bartenders are super friendly and awesome and they usually have good tunes playing on the juke. The crowd is for the most part pretty mellow, although i went for the first time on a weekend, and it was a little more busy than i normally like. I'll stick to my usual days. Im pretty chill and like a laid back bar to drink in. I never worry about getting dolled up to go to the duck so this particular night it felt beyond weird sitting in there drinking my whisky with a dress on. Never. Again. read more

I stopped in randomly yesterday afternoon (on a Sunday.) The Bartender (Elaine) was awesome. I chatted with some of the regulars and had a few shots. This is totally my kind of bar. Stiff drinks, nice bartenders and close to public transportation. Who doesn't love a drunken MUNI ride?? read more

Long Bar. Pool Table. Dart Boart. Old Men. Young Hipsters. Students. Smoke. Booze. The Dive Bar of Inner Sunset. Come one come all....and get trashed. read more

A supposedly English bar that's all about sports. Pool table and dart games are usually in effect -- and that's about it. Shitty jukebox, popcorn and peanuts usually on the floor. Sometimes you'll get snappy bartenders who don't enjoy witty women... and overall, it's a bit of a "men only" establishment. Cheap drinks, and ok if in company of friendly macho boys. read more

My friend and I tried to forget our horrendous lunch with a drink and we stumbled upon the Mucky Duck. Truly we couldn't resist a place with a name that rhymes, so we entered. The bartender was super nice. They had a crazy selection of beers on tap. They have Chimay which I have never seen on tap and rarely see bottles of. I was almost tempted, but I decided on Speakeasy White Lightning. I love white beer and this was a great pint. My friend had a regular Speakeasy pint. Speakeasy is a great local beer brand with a few different varieties. I would highly recommend getting a pint next time you're at a bar that serves it. This is your classic dive bar. Its really small and dark. It's definitely not somewhere you would want to go for an exotic night out. But it was great for a relaxing afternoon beer with good company. read more

I will officially be the first person to yelp this place: The Sucky Duck. If you could take a shitty FM radio station, say something called Lips 109 or 88.7 The Beat, and somehow dump the boredom into a little room; then pack that room with Fashion Bug employees; then, for shits and giggles, fill it with smoke...you would have the Sucky Duck. read more

In terms of how much of a dive is The Mucky Duck... I'd say it's an "Armstand Back Double Somersault Tuck." (the coolest sounding dive I saw when googling :P) What does this mean? Basically any qualities that make a bar a dive bar can be found here. Smoking after 11pm (and trust me, you notice quick), pool in the back, beer, whiskey, old men staring at young women, etc. One of the grossest things... My guy friend walked into the bathroom and one of the older regulars hadn't locked the door and he saw him "flogging the dolphin." Needless to say I made sure to avoid anything this guy touched after that. Otherwise... the bar is fun, pretty decent amount of seating, and I don't know who said there weren't beer specials, but I all I saw were signs everywhere posting different beer specials. None on the night we went except for the "Ladies Discount" (see Jessica L.'s upcoming review for more details on this!). From what I remember... Monday Night- Industry night (for those who work in restaurant/bar) Wednesday Night- I think something like $2 Coronas??? uh... not sure about the rest... Also I liked that the bartenders didn't scoff at the fact that I drank a lot of water. read more

Easily the tastiest popcorn in the entire universe, hands down. Bartenders are generally pretty nice, and the prices arent bad at all. Did I mention the popcorn? read more

Ya know as much as like to complain about bars that have been overrun with Marina yuppies, Mission hipsters, or European wankers, this place could actually use some of them. I'm by no means a snob (OK that's a lie), but this bar does seem to attract some fairly unsophisticated folk. Not thugs, just sort of uninteresting and a little pedestrian. You would sort of expect that in a dive-bar but unlike the dives in the TL where the regulars offer a fascinating window into the world of human dysfunction, the Duck's patrons just seem like people that are way too into sports, trucks, and jet skis. Nikki H. hit the nail on the head in her review where she said "It's the closest you can get to finding San Diego here in San Francisco". And that's not a ringing endorsement is it? In addition to the idiot friendly juke box (Sublime? Really? Is that the best you can do?) there seems to be some indication that the ownership supports our current idiot President and the occupation of Iraq. That's my interpretation and could be wrong but the place seemed friendly to that kind of jingoism and I'm not too keen on supporting it. That being said, I've had at least one fun night here and the staff seem to know what they are doing, particularly the tall red headed guy. They have a pool table and some fairly serious dart players. Seems based on other reviews there are some drink specials to help out the broke people who probably have the most reason to drink so at least they are performing a public service. There's usually a boisterous crowd out in front, particularly during local and high profile sports matches and the energy seems pretty good. I think I'd still rather go to the Fireside Bar but if my choices are limited to the Mucky or Yancy's well then the lesser of two evils gets my vote. And that's Al Gore. read more

Had a decent time here for about an hour and then a douche bag bouncer at the end of the night ruined the feel good time. With multiple patrons left on July 23rd 2011 near closing time this creep started getting verbally abusive when it was completely unwarranted. I mean really we are going to "feel the pain" because we are on his time? Only made me want to kick that punk ass bitch in the teeth, not conducive to peacefully getting people out. A polite you have to go would have sufficed. I mean if he was kidding it might have been funny. I wish i had got the creeps name. He wasn't ridiculously abusive, but enough to piss several of us off (including the owner of a much better local bar). Anytime you have been polite and start getting treated like a piece of shit it ruins whatever goodwill you had towards a place. The bartenders were good, but the bouncer would make me either kick his ass or go somewhere else. Part of what made it more frustrating is when a couple of us commented on what a creep this guy was being we got blown off. The customer is never right here and you can expect to be treated like crap. At least that was the message i got last time i was there. Otherwise a great dive bar. : ) read more

I've worked in the neighborhood for over a year and a half at this point, and only recently began to visit the Mucky Duck. I think what kept me away was the "sports bar" thing, and the fact that I don't want to run into my clients while drinking excessively. I don't know what happened, but one night I ended up in here with a co-worker (probably to wait for the bus in a more enjoyable fashion that shivering on the corner), and it's sort of been our post work boozing spot ever since. Things I like: Popcorn, which they have here, for free, as well as seasonings to liven it up (not that popcorn needs anything else, but sometimes its nice, I guess). Bloody Marys, which they pretend to not mind making for me all night long. There is one bartender here who puts a delicious menagerie of pickled treats in my drink, which is always a bonus. Pear Cider, which is my second choice for when bartenders give me the "I don't want to make that drink" face. It happens. Last on the list is the $1 ladies night discount, which just so happen to be on the weekends during peak drinking hours here. Right on! read more

If you're not a crusty 40+ daytime drunk male, or have a strong aversion to such company this might not be your place. Also if you are afraid of places that look like they might smell like pee, this might not be your place either. Probably wouldn't recommend flying solo if you're young, female, and looking for anything other than a slightly socially depressing evening surrounded by men who may or may not own a toothbrush. However, if you're game for spending a night in a dive bar with marginally enjoyable, yet completely cliche jukebox classics and a decent beer selection, I do recommend dropping in with a few friends, getting sloppy with the local flavor, and trying to piece together how you got home the next day. read more

I love the Duck. Never had a bad time here. Mike the bartender is my favorite-incredibly nice guy who can really beat the shit out of a dude(which I witnessed 2 weeks ago) Ladies get a dollar off their drinks. They always play Giants games and the jukebox is pretty decent. Pool table in the back, dart board in the front. A couple tables line the wall which is absolutely plastered with sport memorbilia. Good place to go with your friends and just hang out. They treat their regulars VERY well. Noah the bouncer is hilarious and will protect you from the creepy older men that hit on you. Unless Noah is the one hitting on you-then you're on your own :) Hilarious to see girls walk in with min dresses and 5 inch pumps...its not that kind of bar. Come in with your jeans and chucks and settle in for a long night! As a side note, no amount of money will get you to the Donkey show. Trust me, Ive tried. read more

New bartender has a real attitude issue. I go in with a group of friends every week to this place and given that I don't really drink but I always go for a water and things have always been fine. Recently, with this new guy, I ask for a water and he rolls his eyes at me. I thought it was rude but let it go. The next time this guy says I'm supposed to get something. Since when? I've never had this issue with any bar since I don't really drink, especially I'm coming in with a group of 20+ people. Again, I let it go because I'm not trying to have an issue with this guy. I come in tonight and this dude starts this up with me. I bring this up asking him what his deal is when I'm coming up with a bunch of people providing this place and he's picking an issue with me. He said this policy starts with me today. I've never heard of this before. I suggest management look into into this guy as I've never had this treatment for any other bar in the city. read more

I have always had an amazing time here. Tonight the mood was ruined by a short asian bouncer with a beard/ in a red shirt and a piercing. When we arrived he was smoking a cigarette under the doorway, and performing a drunken interpretation of a ska dance about the street and bar. We saw no one there and proceeded to enter and then he sprinted up to us when we were half way in. At about 1:40 as me and my friends were in the middle of playing pool, he passively aggressively put the pool sticks away then came up to us , and asked if we were on acid. We politely responded by saying no and asked him to relax. He responded by saying we had 15 minutes to get out before he put a bruise on our faces. We realize he had a long night and the bar was closing, but there is a nicer way of saying " we are closing soon you will have to leave" than threatening your customers. Asked him his name he said Derrick and then some other customers called him Alex. read more

Two mediocre blood marys with straws & nothing else (no celery sticks, olives, lemons) for $17.00 is a RIP OFF! As a long-time immediate resident who invited a friend outside the neighborhood for drinks, this was highly embarrassing & insulting! read more

Every single time I have been here I have memory of walking in, but not out. That's a sign of a good time. Oh, and they have pop-corn! Thanks and looking forward to more drunken nights. read more

Hey. Just arrived in the sunset area. My life was going great, meeting people, getting to know the locals.. Until it was utterly ruined by the depressing fact that i could not take a simple shot with the Monday Night bartender. This is unacceptable. It is a god given right, at least in this great country called Amurica, to take a shot with fellow Amuricans. Management. Please revise your standards. Thank you read more

At 2pm when you decide that it's 5pm somewhere in the world, Mucky Duck is a good place to be. It's your no frills neighborhood sports bar where the bartender eggs you on while you're drinking an Irish car bomb and takes the whole thing away from you to save you embarrassment when the thing curds up cuz you drank it too slow. They have awesome happy hour specials, take credit cards with a reasonable minimum, serve snacks, so when you're on the corner on 9th and Irving, give this place a shot! read more

Nice mellow bar. Serves popcorn and standard drinks. Low key and unpretentious like the Sunset. A bunch of us were having a really nice pool game here until some guy showed up and wouldn't get off the table. Granted he was winning every game, but it's not the best way to endear yourself to people when you're "new in town," dude. Not really the bar's fault, though. read more

I haven't been here since my famous alcohol tour of '03 (aka my 21st birthday), and coming back only this year seems kind of a shame. But none the less, I still love this place... ! It's super chill with a pool table in the back, and the bartender was nice enough to give me and my friend a free sample of beer when we were unsure of what to get. I also love that the bartender emphasized how he doesn't carry a lot of imports, but supports a lot of local brews and keeps those on tap. I thought that was pretty cool. And $2 Tecate sounds good if you're on a budget. All in all, it's a good place to hang out at when you're tired of all those hoopla bars that litter downtown. This is just a no nonsense neighborhood place and that's what makes it a good place to go. It's well lit, too! And it's also the first place I've been in that has a rug... at least I think it had a rug? read more

A dark gloomy bar with a juke box where no one will know your name... well some may know your name, but few will be sober enough to recite it. This is where I come to sulk in the corner and pine over that one that got away. ...or where I come to rage with a bunch of bikers. Pick your poison. read more

The Mucky Duck used to be that *one spot* within every major nightlife scene where the not-so-young-and-beautiful could gather, imbibe, and converse amongst those of their own ilk. During the late 90's, it was the go-to spot in the Inner Sunset for all things shady. Fast forward to 2006. I've been here three times in the last year, and each time it's seemed that the old guard has moved along. Yow...this place was just too young for me. Every face I saw looked like it was within two years of legal drinking age. Two girls in their early twenties to my right were clearly avoiding any kind of eye contact with me. One lone youngster to my left had tattoos and a funky hairdo....he was about as engaging as a post-puberty kid while being lectured by his parents. Decor is standard issue beer-advertising schlock, a smattering of garden-variety NFL stuff, and a tiny bit of fairly weak sports memorabilia. Well placed TV's and LCDs make the place a decent spot to catch a game, but the music is surprisingly old-guard, static, and stale. A single dart board occupies a freakish spot towards the entrance, while a pool table sits towards the rear. The Mucky Duck always seemed to be the Inner Sunset's haven for misfits and outcasts of all ages. As of late, little has changed, save my observation that the collection of misfits seems to have grown younger. Maybe I've hit this place at bad times, but on the three recent occasions where I've darkened the door at the Duck, I've failed to strike up any sustained conversation with the patrons. Twenty-somethings may have a different experience, but I found it cold, lacking character, and middle-aged hostile. I gave it several tries....and I don't see much reason to return. read more

I recently found myself across the country, and exploring San Francisco. Since I've spent my entire life either in the Midwest or on the East coast, I had no idea what to expect. The bartender was nice-- engaging in some decent conversation and helping my friend and I find the right bus to get back to Sausalito. The crowd was a bit rough, with one guy getting kicked out of the bar. Although, I suppose I'd rather have him kicked out than causing a ruckus inside! They have lady's night specials, every night. My drink was only 4 dollars! Overall, it was a great experience and definitely something worth checking out if you're into a more relaxed setting. But! I am giving it only 4 stars, because I believe there's always room for improvement-- and because I didn't get any of this alleged free popcorn. read more

I like this pub. Especially the sassy bartender who says "martinis are like tits, you have to have two." I like that the bartenders are always friendly, and that they make a mean martini. :) (But seriously, though, if your bartender - *not* the above-mentioned sassy one - has a stinking cold, please make her stay at home. She was coughing all over the place, and, I suspect, was the reason I had to call in sick to my own job.) read more

Brett Emily Scott and the doorman (Alex) I think...please forgive me. They are a solid kick ass bar crew. I love them all.....I love that shandy beer has a blood orange/grapefruit blend . read more

I'd only been to the Mucky Duck once before... Where I was pretty much the only chick in the whole joint. Last night there were two other females (including the bartender) besides myself, which still didn't even out the sausage fest... But it is one of THOSE kinds of bars. Anyhow... The Back Of The Bus Podcast is always on the look-out for another establishment that can rock a savage bloody mary and I thought I recalled hearing this place had a good one. SECOND BEST in SF (so far...)!!! The only reason I'm not giving this place 4 stars is the fact that there's a slight vomit odor one picks up when walking through the door. This bar has carpet (WHY would any bar EVER want to have CARPET?!!!) and who knows what drunk people have spilled/dropped on it over the years. All bad. Otherwise, this little dive is pretty rad spot to chill if you find yourself in the Inner Sunset. read more

Walking in here reminds me of accidentally running into the men's room when I'm drunk and really have to pee. Except that I'm sober and really need to drink beer. The beer selection is decent, with plenty of good local brews on tap, and the bartenders have all been downright congenial every time. The company, while reminiscent of a hunting party breaking for the night, is excellent. There's sports on t.v., jukebox and pool in the back and plenty of great conversations to jump in on. It's a chill, low-pressure joint in which to unwind and get your drink on. In some moods I prefer it to Yancy's and Fireside because it's so low-looww-key and friendly. Although there's about a 90% chance of being the only female in there, there's 0% chance of being bar-stalked by a creep. read more

My first time at Mucky Duck on Halloween night and the place was our last stop of bar hopping. Perfect, they had Food!! We were starving and Milanos pizza across the street was closed! I don't know if they have this food spread every night or just because it was halloween. They had reminiscence of hot dogs and chili, spaghetti and pastries. My friend was chowing down on the last of the spaghetti and I was playing it safe having some pastry. Ok besides the free snacks lots of beer!! read more

How could you not like a bar called Mucky Duck? That name alone deserves a star. I've spent a lot of time in the Sunset, but never really noticed this place until my coworker wanted to grab a drink after work on St. Patty's day. They had a lot of different beers on tap for around $4-5/pint. Pretty typical dive bar, but the bartenders and crowd were friendly and fun. I liked the layout of the place even though it's not very big. There are a few tables on the left side against the wall and across from the bar and a pool table in the back as well. The only thing I didn't like about this bar is the fact that it's pretty much cash only because the limit for credit cards is $20. My coworker and I didn't have cash so we ended up starting a tab and then buying chips and nuts just to spend the whole amount because we weren't really looking to get wasted at that time of day. read more

Neighborhood bar. Talk. Enjoy. You will be talked to by the locals that are seemingly comfortably unhinged. I think I am developing a problem with the bar and staff, rather than a problem with the boooze. Frankly, they are so awesome, welcoming, friendly, and cute as the dickens. I am like a chocoholic, but for booze. In this bar. Likely tomorrow. See you. read more

Very solid local neighborhood bar establishment. I live in the area, and I always want to do my drinking here, but my roommates usually end up dragging me (kicking and/or screaming) to Yancy's or Fireside down the street. I still come in by myself for a beer or two from time to time. There is a definite locals vibe I get when I walk through the door. It's not so much a "Who the fuck are you?" as a "Who fucking cares who you are." It's more ignoring than hostile, which is an important distinction. I've never really seen it crazy inside, or packed with ladies for that matter, so I wouldn't go here to pick up chicks or entertain out of town friends. Its one of those places where almost every guy at the bar is sporting a ball cap. Go here alone or with a buddy, quiet enough place to talk or kill time with ESPN, but not enough going on for a date or a pack of drunks, I really like the bartender Mike. He seems to be all over the place talking to regulars, playing pool, vetoing jukebox selections, but at the same time I still got some small talk from him and I never saw the bottom of my glass without a new one on the way. Ok, concrete details: Honest pours. Cheap, but not dirt cheap. Darts, pool, TV's with sports. Good (but not amazing) beer selection. Very good jukebox. read more

Oh, I love the Mucky Duck. It's best during off hours when it's not packed to the gills, and is a fun place for a few drinks and a game of pool. They have a smallish, but good selection of beers on tap. I always like the bartenders here who tend to be young and are always talkative and friendly. On certain nights they have great beer deals whether it's ladies night or cheap Tecate night. When I lived around here this was where I went to drink. They also have a pretty good jukebox. read more

Mucky Duck has a very divey and welcoming atmosphere, and I found that this was one of my favorite bars on a recent vacation to San Francisco. We walked in around 5pm on a Sunday evening after spending many hours walking around Golden Gate Park. We grabbed a table near the bar and checked out the selection before heading over to the bartender to order. They had a decent selection of local/regional draft beers, so we decided to stay and have a few before dinner. The bartender was friendly and prompt with our orders, and the bar seemed pretty lively for a Sunday evening. I could tell there were a fair amount of regulars in this bar, as well as some random stragglers of tourists venturing into the bar for a drink. read more

We were on a mission to eat something and watch the Olympics. Sadly, there was no kitchen but a super friendly guy explained to us that we could get food from next door. The bartender fished out some menus for us and I happily trotted over to place my order while my gal pal got the drinks. If I didn't have errands to run, I'm pretty sure we could have stayed there until closing. Our food came, my pal and I chatted about life, the Olympics, and when the five o'clock news came on and the channel searches turned up nothing else, I was comforted by some friendly strangers. I love places with friendly strangers. I'm done with my errands now, so I'm looking forward to coming back, watching more Olympics, and introducing myself so these friendly people aren't strangers anymore. Oh! And they have a popcorn machine! read more

The Mucky Duck (a.k.a. the Yucky Duck) is the perfect dive bar. And I don't mean dive bar in the ironic hipster way. I mean a REAL dive bar. They have bras hanging from the ceiling, serve white lightning and pbr on tap, have a dart board and a pool table, and, get this, titty memory. yes they actually have a machine where you can play memory, but with boobs. That seals it for me. Despite the guy with the UFC shirt hogging the pool table, I just can't give this place any less. read more

Your classic dive bar that you could find just about anywhere in California, or really America for that matter. It doesn't try to be hipster, lounge-y, Irish, Belgian, niche, classy, brassy, or kitschy. There's plenty of sports on TV, Bud signs, a shit-ton of beers on tap, and bartenders that know how to pour a shot. The best part about it is that it's right here in belly button of San Francisco, the Inner Sunset. read more