The Buc! I like any bar that let's you bring in food from a nearby establishment, particularly foods that end in vowels..tacO, burittO, pizzA. Head to Nick's before it closes for Nick's style-anything gooey yum (but that's for another review). I like bars that take credit cards. This is becoming a rarity this day'n'age in SF. I like any bar that plays east coast sports. I like any bar that alludes to pirates...arrrrrrrrrrr! read more

When you know all the bartenders on a first name basis, does that mean you come too often? Nah! When your good friend has dated most of the bartenders, does that mean that you should stop coming so often? Nah, just dress her up incognito! If you own the t-shirt AND the thong, does that mean that you should just stop while you're ahead? Nah, you earned that thong! ...with your great smile and loyal patronage, that is. This spot is just too good to pass up. The boys behind the bar always hook it up (even when you're with a guy). They always have good music playing AND they have a pool table. How could anyone resist The Buc!? read more

It's really hard to find a cool bar in the city when you're not from the city. Some of the places with hella people seem cool on the outside, but then you go in and they suck. But this place was pretty chill. Just a few people scattered about, drinking and chatting it up. They had a pool table, which we used..and I WON! Yep, I won..and I suck at the game but, apparently, my dude sucks just a bit more than me ;) I liked the bartender and his awesome 80's mix of tunes. I believe it was The Police playing overhead that made me win at pool. He was super cool because I ordered a margarita, and I really like sweet ones.. and the 1st one wasn't sweet at all. So I asked him to sweeten it up on the 2nd round, then he realized he had forgotten an ingredient on my 1st one and comped that one for me. Super sweet! He was the kinda bartender that probably gets laid a lot because he's so nice and he's got this good guy vibe goin for him too. Then the 2nd guy came on shift and he sounded like Seth Rogen and had hella tats so, he was too cool for us. Anyway, cool bar...not too hipstery and annoying or anything. read more

Two words: sausage fest. I swear, the male to female ration has been 5:1 every time I've stopped in. You'd think you were in the Castro except for the sweatpants and lack of grooming. Fun spot though, and always hopping. read more

If you don't think you're too old to have the "what did you major in?" conversation, this is the place to go. Cheap drinks, really friendly bartenders, cheap pool, and they allow dogs. And every single person there lives "just around the corner." Uh huh, sure. And I've yet to see anyone ever buy a thong with a bar's name on it, but I respect the Buc for offering them. read more

Think about it... A dive bar. TV screens playing sports. There's a freaking dog running around inside hanging out with all of us drinking. A very pretty lady behind the bar. That same pretty lady serving you long after you've hit your limit and you start to randomly text people on the East Coast. If that wasn't bad enough I ended up scheduling a coffee date with someone the next day. Yep, too much to drink... Maybe I should have stopped ordering drinks. Yay! I'm a fan. Epic night... read more

This doesn't really qualify as a dive bar, as it's on fucking upper Polk Street. Dive bars aren't populated by FiDi employees with elite degrees, J. Crew wardrobes and nice asses. But that's not to say the crowd isn't diverse -- no, there's upper middle class white people in hooded sweatshirts as well as polos, and even some older middle class white people, perhaps wearing something as outrageous as flannel. Yes, this bar is Boston. The crowd is upper crust, the talk is high-minded, and I have yet to see a person of color inside, unless it's Paul Pierce or Kevin Garnett on the TV screen. Always will the Boston game be on in here, and often will I be up in here, to take advantage of the $2 bottles from 5 to 8 pm. if it were diversity I was after, I'd go somewhere else, like San Francisco. But if I want to crawl comfortably into the shell of my New England upbringing -- to the Bucc!! read more

Bars like these are made by the company your with. Or who you meet. Not sure why the ex picked this place but it turned out to be a fun time. getting drunk, talking to the locales and just making due with the fact that conversation is often a powerful thing, even amongst people you dont know and who you will probably never seen again. The Bucaneer, providing the confluence of many wacky things over booze. read more

Oh Le Buc, I end up here so much it might just be the center of the universe. Friendly crowds, a pool table, and cheap prices can't be all bad! I love that they have Boddington's on tap too! Sometimes it gets too crowded and REALLY hot. I usually take it as a cue to start moving down Polk Street to somewhere else. read more

To celebrate my first official San Francisco weekend, that of many more to come, we decided to stay local and bar hop along the Russian Hill and Polk Street. Let's just say I am glad this was the first place of the evening because: a) drinks were fairly valued b) staff was friendly and service was great c) great vibe d) crowded, but not uncomfortable e) I remember f) Bartenders welcomed me w/ free drinks g) across the street from the apartment which I am staying at. Even if I leave Russian Hill, I will always come back here. read more

One Sunday morning (Pats game) I saw Teague make a Bloody Mary by adding a chest hair. He hadn't slept, having worked the night before. That's a damn good bartender read more

Okay, so I am biased, I met my husband here. Yes we are both Pats fans. We moved here right as football season was beginning a couple of years back and came there to watch a game surrounded by our fellow Massholes. So, this is the best bar in the city. GO PATS! Now to describing this place. It is a Pats fan bar, if you want to see some crazy Massholes, this is the place. They even have an old style Pats helmet on top of one of the TVs. Overall this place is a total dive bar. (One time I went there and the plumbing was broken so they had port-o potties out on the sidewalk.) It serves good beer. ( I have discovered that Boddingtons makes an excellent breakfast beer here) However, don't get a mixed drink, even the screwdrivers are awful. It is also small and can get really crowed, get here early for a big Pats game so you can sit down possibly. All of the customers are super fun and so are the bartenders. This is still one of my favorite places in the city and we will be there regularly on Sundays throughout the Fall. read more

You know you're at a Great Bar when Carla D turns to you, surrounded by hot drunk guys, four beers into the night, and screams - over the dull roar of the jukebox and new year's noisemakers - "I am totally giving this place five stars!" And so it is (a great bar), with cheap, cheap drinks (two kamikazis and a Stella - $12 please), cute boys in leis who live "just around the corner" (high on Ecstasy or Just Really Friendly?), a pool table, chatty out of towners, Russian race car drivers who grab your ass while you shake hands with their girlfriends, sweet bartenders, the number for pizza delivery posted to the cash register, and the promise that the new year holds only good friends and good times. read more

I heart the weeknight Buc. I've made the mistake of going there after 9pm on a weekend and it is just not the same*. I like my seat at the bar. I like not having to vie for the bartenders attention with the hoards. I like the pooches. I like the random conversations with the person sitting next to me while my friends go smoke. I like that beers are $3 during happy hour. I like that they let you bring in dinner. I like that they will let you run a tab. I like that they all know me and look genuinely happy to see me. I like that the cocktails are strong. I like that if I go in there to hang out with my friends and don't want to drink they don't care. I like the music the bartenders play. Did I mention I like the bartenders - best in the town! *This applies during major east coast sporting events as well. read more

Let's be honest Russian Hill, do other bars even exist? A bartender with as many tequila shots as Michael Jackson jokes, $4 Stellas and a half-assed attempt to fully outfit the bar to match the name. Thank God this is my neighborhood. The service is stellar. There is no dance floor. This is a huge plus. I do not want to dance. I want to drink. The jukebox has a spectrum which covers Talking Heads to Stars. This is my favorite bar in the city. I liked Pirate themed Legos when I was a kid. I liked the Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl in college and I like pirate themed dive bars now. Some things never change. read more

There's a pool table. Apparently that's a big deal up here in SF....every place seems to have a friggin pool table, but I've yet to see anyone that's actually any good yet. So, pretty standard divey bar...nothing to write home about except for the bartender, Jill, who was friendly and responsive. Maybe because the place was dead, or perhaps because she's from New England and hasn't figure out how to be a dick face yet. Floor was filthy, so if you're a professional drinker or a lousy pool hustler, find a cleaner bar to connect your face with the floor. Oh yeah, I'm big on clean bathrooms, and these bathrooms were just plain gross. Not that I'd ever actually take the Browns to the Superbowl at a DIVE bar, but come on....raise the cost of your beer by a penny and invest in some friggin 409, you cheapskates. read more

Cheap drinks pool table Would rather go around happy hour because this place gets crowded with a bunch of lame men looking for a victim late at night. vultures! read more

Walked in and walked right out... Visitors from out of town... Saturday Night... Super Crowded that you basically couldn't move left or right or anywhere near the bar... I guess that is a testament to how poppin this place is... read more

A pretty quirky but cool spot. Just checked it out last night with some friends and it felt like I was on the deck of the Black Pearl from Pirates of the Caribbean. The place was surprisingly packed and +1 star for the pool table in the back. Drinks wise: their pear cider was excellent! Everyone was pretty happy with the selection of beers which has been mentioned on many of the other reviews. read more

It seems like I've been spending a lot of time at The Buccaneer lately. I really am on a mission to destroy my liver, but I digress... It's a small, friendly bar, that mixes stiff drinks, and has a great jukebox (Flight of the Conchords...yes!). Love the Buc. read more

Definitely my favorite bar in SF - hands down. And I hate Boston sports. This place has the best jukepox (Talking Heads + Bruce), pool, cheap beers and a chill vibe. Adam is the best bouncer around, all the bartenders are chill, and the price is right. Usually there's a bacon-wrapped hot dog stand outside for when you get kicked out at 1:30 - if not, there's always escape from ny. read more

The Buccaneer - Dive Bars Near Me - San Francisco, California

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Where did you go last night?? Polk Street.... Yeah? Where?? Umm....the Buccaneer (said with a sly smile) Yeah, you KNOW you had a good time if you ended up at the Buccaneer. Who doesn't love a good pirate themed venue? It's small but not uncomfortable, the bartenders are friendly and fun, there's a pool table and more importantly a decent jukebox for me to take over (my favorite hobbie). We ended the night at the Buccaneer for my birthday last year. A friend of mine ended up jumping on top of the bar and convincing the entire Saturday night crowd to seranade me with "Happy Birthday" at last call. What a way to turn 27...I'll never forget it. read more

The Bucaneer is a fantastic dive bar perfect for Thursday nights for just-one-beer-too-many. It's slightly yuppy, of course, as it's perfectly situated in Russian Hill for the younger of it's inhabitants. Let's be clear about our objectives. If you're going to the Bucaneer, you're going to drink and be social; not to grab a drink with a potential date, not for a quiet place to sit down at the bar and tell stories to the bartender. Chances are, you'll get dragged out at 11 pm on a worknight for "just one beer" by your rowdy friends, and end up taking tequila shots and chugging Red Stripe. Suddenly it's 1:30 am and you realize, hey, it's Friday! and have one more drink before taking a taxi the whopping four blocks home. Maybe just a neighborhood yuppy dive bar - but it's my favorite neighborhood yuppy dive bar! read more

Friendly dive bar with great, stiff drinks. Fun place to discover while walking around SF. Bartender, Audie was super cool and easy to chat with. Hope to return next time I'm in SF. read more

Dear Buc, I love you. So many fond, fond memories. I watched Michael Phelps win an Olympic gold with you in 2008. And I rang in 2009 with you on NYE. You are a reliable place. And a fun one indeed. Never do I object visiting you. Love, Laura read more

I went in here looking for some pirates I left with lots of liquid in my stomach and cash in the pocket of my little skirt. I'm diggin on this dive bar in the polk. It's always got a good group of kids hanging around the bar. And many of the varieties of life. read more

Friendly bartenders. Cold Beer. Cheap Prices. My Favorite Bar in San Francisco. This place used to have $3 Boddington's, but they don't anymore. I still love it. Great Jukebox. Everybody needs to have a neighborhood pirate bar. UPDATE: So, I just re-read my review, and its still holds true. Every bit of it....so why the hell am i updating it? I don't think I'm giving the Buc enough credit. The Buc is the emotional center for Polk Street Drinkers ("Who wants a beer? I do I do!"). Its a place you can hang out for a casual drink on a Wednesday night or end up shloshed at on a Saturday night. Its safe haven from B&T crowds spilling over from Rouge. If you come regularly, they will let you run a tab every night, and the bartenders will take care of you. More to come later... read more

I can't believe I have never written a review for my favorite bar in the city. This is the ultimate neighborhood dive bar where everybody knows your name and their always glad you came . . . . But seriously, I go to the Buc at least once a week. The bartenders are incredibly friendly as are most of the patrons, and it's pretty cheap. I have on occasion found myself here alone after a friend insists that he/she must go home. I, however, was schooled in the Midwestern philosophy that when you are enjoying yourself, the fun must continue as long as possible no matter the cost - i.e. lack of sleep, hangover, liver damage, etc. Plus, going here as often as I do, I have developed friendships with some of the other random people who patron the Buc, so there's always someone to entertain you. The only drawbacks would be the bathrooms - one step up from a portapotty and the jukebox, but only because I am sick of hearing the same songs. I don't normally come here on the weekends because it probably gets a little too crowded, but it's the perfect midweek spot. And, they sell Bucaneer panties so you can buy a pair and try to seduce a bartender. Yay for groupies! read more

Love this place especially because they accept dogs, and my dog is always with me when I'm on Polk. But I digress. They offer two beers on tap that I really REALLY like: 1. Franziskaner Heffe 2. Radeberger Pils They both are sold for $5 and you get a big beer! The bartender is very friendly, however not very talkative. He also loves dogs and is the father of the Black Lab puppy "Bullitt". It doesn't matter who the bartender is, they will love on your dog with tons of treats and water for your thirsty mutt. Although every time that I go I have a beer, they do have a full bar FYI. read more

You can tell the beer taps haven't been cleaned in a long time and the glasses aren't very clean either. It is what you expect when you go to a dive bar. Cheap beer, fast service, no frills. My concern was the $3 tip the bartender helped himself to after pouring a couple of drafts. Our group had been tipping well, ordering draft beer with regularity and when I ordered another couple of beers for a friend and I he kept the change. After bringing this to his attention, I was in the wrong. Where I come from $3.50+$3.50=$7.00 and if a $10 is presented to pay the tab then $3 should be returned and a respectable tip will be provided. I'd go back but be very careful with my cash. read more

I'm still bitter that they got rid of the free pool....upped it to 50 cents...to keep the riff raff out I suppose? I remember walking up to the bar for quarters and Tony telling me "Yep, the gravy train's over" Any place that produces (and actually manages to sell) women's thongs with their logo on it is alright in my book. read more

Watched the Pats smoke Pittsburgh here a few weeks ago. Great Mass-hole bar with good beers on tap and enough TVs to watch the game. But beware if your going to watch the game and want to chow down with you pals. First, this place is small and there aren't really any tables (just the bar, a counter that runs the back wall). Second, they don't serve food. You can grab a slice or tacos next door and bring them in. Also, this place gets really packed so get there early. If your not there for the game, don't go during a big Boston game. I also happened to drop in the other night on a Wed. (no game) and it was your typical Wed. night at a dive bar. More dudes than babes, and half-harted game of pool in the back... oh, until Chewbacka (sp?) showed up! Yeah some guy in a Chewy costume came in for a drink, and seeing how it was December and not Halloween Ithought that a bit odd, I mean a Santa outfit sure, but Chewy?!! Whatev. All in all good dive bar. read more

It's always a good time at The Bucc! This bar has all the basics. A decent selection of beer and spirits, a pool table, and a large window that slides open in the front of the bar on nice days. This is a great spot for a drink while watching a game or catching up with friends or if you want to sit in the front of the bar and people watch...not in a stalker-like way....you know what I mean. Laid back, unpretentious, and simply a good time. read more

Alright let's talk numbers: $4 beer specials, $5 cocktail specials, 50c pool table games. And these numbers are sometimes cheaper if you come at the happiest of hours. I've heard stories $2.5 pints served at this establishment. That said, I wouldn't say this is a dive bar. It's more like a sports bar with cheap drinks and a freaking pirate ship vibe. The bar's loyalty sways to Bostonian sports. Although you'll find plenty of allies as a San Franciscan. All this number talk is making me thirsty... ----- Distinguishing factor: A bar with good drinks and a pirate ship with a captain that has a New England accent. read more

Not a bad bar. Good prices for Boddigntons and guiness ($3.50 on special) and there is a pool table in the back ($0.50/game). Not the biggest bar - 50 or more people would start to get crowded. But convenient if you are with just a few friends. read more

Our favorite local neighborhood bar. Downright cheap drinks ($4 pints) and happy hour that runs till 8pm, even on Saturdays. It does get crowded, and the bar attracts the occasional douchebags that like to yell at the top of their lungs but hey, its the Buc read more

oh the Bucc.. I love dropping in here on a week night for drinks. The beers and drinks are very cheap and the crowd tends to be pretty local. I'll share a favorite story of mine: my brother's friend came up from the peninsula to hang out with him at my place. We opened up a bottle of wine finished it and she suggested we open another one. After the second bottle we went over to the bucc to continue the night and shortly after we arrive we lose her. Now the bucc is not big at all, so the most obvious place to look was the bathroom. lo and behold we find her "donating" her dinner to the porcelain gods. after nearly 40 min of us knocking and yelling through the door we get her outside and into a cab to return the full 2.5 blocks back to my place.. that cabbie was not happy at all That sums up the bucc you can go in here thinking you'll have a chill night and it is anyone's guess how the night will end up. It's always an adventure! read more

Ok spot. Stopped in for beer on NYE, not too crowded and they had a pool table. I didn't see anyone busing the tables so there were glasses everywhere. Mgmt might think about posting a "DON'T TOUCH - HOT" sign on the furnace in the middle of the room. I'll come back to check it out again, not sure what pricing was like or if they have any specialty drinks. read more

When it costs $4 for a night of drinking for two people, you know you've found your home. I love you Buc. xoxo Me read more

I didn't really get a drink here (didn't feel like drinking) but the Tuesday night atmosphere was more than welcoming. There were a few other patrons hogging the pool table but otherwise a very pleasant experience. We met a friendly, bearded gentleman who contributed to my enjoyment as well. Will definitely come back for the atmosphere. read more