This place rocks just as much as the sausages next door. There is nothing better than picking out a delicious and unique beer and enjoying a sausage to go with it. I am a big fan of specialty beer places in SF, and was pleasantly surprised when I tried Toronado this weekend for the first time. This is a beer lovers paradise. I was not disappointed with either the on-tap or bottled beer selection. It was very thought out and luckily I was very thirsty... two nights in a row. Some folks call this place a dive bar, but with the specialty and high end beers I don't feel as though it fits into that category. If it were a dive bar then you'd have drank Miller High Life or Coors Light- not a Quadrupole from Belgium or a micro-brew from Timbuktu. I have to give this place 4 stars for one reason and one reason alone... they don't accept credit cards. I hate carrying around cash or having to pull out a whole bunch to order some of Toronado's fancy beers. What year is it anyway? Maybe next time I will bring a checkbook to see if that is a valid form of payment. Add credit card and I will gladly add a STAR! I would love to recommend some beers for you to try but don't want them to be all gone before I can get back there ;) read more

A NIGHT AT THE TORONADO This spot is literally a no frills bar where you come hang with your friends to do none other than drink. However, the list of beers available is so vast that for some - you'll be staring at the list with your eyes glazed. It gets even better when you and your friends have come up with beers from the menu and it's your "round." So you'll go to the bartender, say the names of the beers and he'll tell you, all annoyed, that he's out of those beers ... and it's back to the list you'll go. Or, you could meet up for a drink with a friend you hadn't seen for awhile before you meet up with other friends after. That's what I did! This is what a night like that is like - Round 1 (for me) Me: Sorry I'm late. Him: What took you so long? I can't stay very long, but I'll stay and have a drink with you. Me: How many have you already had? Him: This will be my third. Round 2 Him: Fuck! I have to go! But I'll go after this beer. Round 3 Us - drinking beer like water. Third round beers larger than the first two. Us, talking and talking. Round 4 Him: What is that you're having now? Can I try some of that? [Proceeds to help me drink half of my glass.] At the end of round 4 Me: Let's go out for some air. Him: Sure. We head out. We talk for a bit more. He's talking about what I'm up to next. And then he's suddenly like - yeah, catch ya later! And he bolts off. I'm going - what the hell...!? I reach my friends at a hookah bar. I'm ready to chill out, have fun. And then the hookah bar's feeling warm, and I can't breathe and ... oh shit! The beer finally hits me and - I'm fucked up. Suddenly I know why my friend split. So, kiddies - the moral of the story is - beer is NOT water! And don't meet with a new group of friends after hanging at the Toronado (that is, if you don't want to ruin their night by having them take you back home early. Sorry guys! You're the BEST!). read more

Toronado is not a bar. As I've read in some publications, it is technically an "Alehouse". I know I'm probably splitting hairs here, but lets take a step inside. On entry the place smells like the floor was mopped with beer. Only a few steps in, the enormous beer menu looms above, beckoning you to try any of the excellent varieties. A glance to the right and hopefully your eyes admire the variety of glasses, none of which are for show but used and properly matched to the style of beer you order. The walls are covered in beer signs and memorabilia including the rear of the bar which has walls covered in various tap handles some looking a least a decade old. Yes, you've reached a small sub-division of beer drinker's heaven. Some bars in the Lower Haight are sometimes reviled for their lack of a license to sell hard alcohol but when you've got this many varieties of excellent beer to get through, you soon forget about that shot of Jameson or Gin and Tonic. The selection is unique with Death and Taxes, Lagunitas Sirius and Anchor Old Foghorn all on tap, not to mention a great variety of German beers and favorites from the Northwest region. If you're bored with the beer selection at your favorite bar, give this place a visit and you may come back more than a few times. I don't know why the bartenders are aloof. We could speculate on it eternally. Yes, they can be reiminiscent of Seinfeld's illustrious Soup Nazi (No Lager for You!!!) if you ask the wrong or too many questions. The only advice I can offer is come prepared. If you have a question, try to mention a comparison to another brand so they think you know what you're talking about and always have a back-up in mind. Yeah the space kind of sucks and if you want to sit down get here early but I think the crowds are just a testament about how great it is to be able to go somewhere and actually have a huge array of beers not easily found elsewhere in the City all in one location. My roommate will give me unrelenting hell for giving this place such a high rating given his disdain for the bartnders but gee... just look at all those beers... read more

I had a nice, mellow time here on a Tuesday night, after eating at Indian Oven. I'm not a big beer drinker, but I tried the pomegranite cider, and it went down just fine! My friends who drink beer, however, tried it and thought it to be somewhat reminiscent of cough syrup! Well, everybody's different... The bartender was super nice and quite patient with our indecisive group. I enjoyed the vibe, and the roomy back area was perfect for talking and hanging out. I probably would have gone to the Noc-Noc if it had been completely up to me, but hey, introducing you to a new place is what friends are great for! read more

Loved it. If i lived in SF I would be here lots. So many different beers to choose from. Nice bartender. Interesting crowd. Next door to Mythic Pizza...yummers. read more

This place was pretty cool! The beer selection was kick a***, but since I am not a huge beer drinker I got myself a girlie lambic, but it was pretty delicious which worked for me. The bartenders seemed pretty helpful when it comes to asking what type of beer one should get and the prices were pretty reasonable. It does get super crowded and loud though, which for me isn't a bad thing since the crowd was pretty cool and everyone was kind of different. Since they don't serve food they allow people to go next door to the sausage or pizza joint to get food and bring it in, which is always nice, oh and if I could give it a half a star more I would for the tamale lady that came in! read more

You want beer? Come here. Great selection, decent amount of space, and great drunk-food on either side of this place. at around $5 a pint, the prices are good too! The bathrooms stop this place for getting 5 stars...they are disgusting and the stench does ruin that area of the bar. read more

DON'T come here if you don't like crowded dive bars, surly bartenders and messy bathrooms. DO come here if you love good/rare beer, don't want to spend a ton of money, and want to have a unique experience. And that's pretty much it. Besides the beer. Did I mention the beer? Pliny the elder? Yes. read more

Wow, people seem to expect A LOT from this bar. You go to a bar like Toronado for good beer, you don't go to make friends. Why do you feel that the staff ought to be especially friendly? Do you even know what it's like to serve pint after pint to jerkoff after jerkoff? Drunk people can be very unpleasant, make for unpleasant people that aide in the drunk. Deal with it. I know Paul, he's just misunderstood, he's really nice and Johnny is the rad, of course. Come here, try new beer, have an idea because they don't feel like giving you Hops & Barley 101. Your best bet is to figure out a beer or five for yourself, get a sausage from Rosamunde and enjoy. If Rosamunde is busy they will often just take your order and bang on the wall when it's ready. That's service! read more

Amazing selection of Belgian beers you really can't find anywhere else in the US (with any reasonable effort), on TAP, with reasonable prices considering the market. And it's divey and there is crappy food nearby and they don't care if you bring it in there to eat it. Bonus. read more

Dear Yelp, I like beer, sure. For the most part, I stick to Newcastle. However, the beer selection at Toronado is so immense, I feel like a kid in a bar whenever I go there (given a choice as a child, I'm certain I would take beer over candy any day). Also, because they don't carry Newcastle, I get a chance to try a whole bevy of beers. If you don't mind your friends calling you an alcoholic, I recommend going here during the day. The people are friendlier, there isn't much of a crowd (unless it's burger Tuesday, in which case the place gets packed), and the best bartenders are working. Plus, there's always a dog or two lying around in case you're in need of companionship. If you're curious about a beer, the bartenders seem more than happy to offer a recommendation and even a small sample. If you're hungry, just grab a sausage from next door, they let you bring food into Toronado, and they'll even return the basket for you. What a place, what a place. I give Toronado a fantastic score of 5 out of 5 stars. Love, James read more

Toronado has an excellent selection of beers. The staff can be a little brazen, but they just don't like to take shit. I'm sure it can get pretty irritating to have people ask you for bud light all night when you work with wide an awesome selection of local and imported beers which are delicious and different. I used to live around the corner, and the staff was always VERY nice to me. Gave great customer service, and the occasional comped beer. It does get packed on weekends, so get there a little early to ensure a seat. But as far as dive bars go, it's on of my favorites. read more

This place is awesome! You know you are in an awesome beer bar when you see the following events unfold: Random guy 1: "I haven't seen this beer on tap since I was in Germany!" Random guy 2 "I haven't seen this beer on tap since Nepal '67!" Random guy 3 "Do you have Bud Light on tap?" Random guy 1 and 2 then grab Random guy 3 and beat the shit out of him and kick him out of the bar. While they are outside they decide to grab a sausage from the sausage place next door. OK, I made up Random guy 2 and 3 and the beat down that proceeded. Nevertheless, Toronado is a great beer bar. One of the problems though is they have sooo much beer on tap you will have a hard time choosing which beer you should try! Why does this place only get 4 stars? Mostly cuz the clientele is not so easy on the eyes and you will likely be the best looking person at the bar that night. read more

5 stars for the amazing beer selection, -1 star for the lack of anything else. If you just want to enjoy a good beer, this seems like the spot to me. There aren't any gimmicks, activities, or anything else to speak of -- just a bunch of beers on tap and a few places to sit (most of which are usually occupied). I really like it because it's super laid-back. On weekends it can get busy, though, so be prepared to get aggressive when you want to order drinks. read more

Perfect place for a pint in San Francisco, especially during the day at happy hour prices. Atmosphere is casual, with plenty of quality beer memorabilia on the walls. Nice open access to the street for that perfect Northern California breeze to sweep inside. Selection and prices are hard to beat, ranging from the hard to get West Coast beers to outstanding Belgians. On my visits the beers were served in proper glassware, unlike some other top rated BeerFly places that used the standard 16 oz. pintglass. read more

Good beer selection. (belgium, microbrews) Cheap Beer, average draught price about $4.00 There bottled beer selection is good but a couple dollars too expensive, i don't recommend buying a bottle from this place. For good bottled beer (selection and prices) I recommend going to Monument Liquor (Concord) Trappist (oakland) EJ Phair (Concord) Albatross (Berkeley) When I was at Toronado (Thursday night) they played Rock (60's-today's) and Metal music. (No hip-hop, rap) Comfortably accommodates groups up to 12 people. However seating fills up from 9:30. They allow you to bring in outside food. Chick bartender (brunette between 30-40 years old) is nice. Australian dude bartender is intimidating, he can't hear well, and he says offensiveness comments. I will never make a trip to SF to go to Toronado. I will only return to this bar during the day time or if I am in within a couple of blocks of this place and am craving a good beer. read more

Expansive draft beer selection. They have everything from Russian River Brewing Co's Pliny the Elder to Dogfish Head Palo Santo. I think it's great that they carry a lot of local NorCal beers. Bravo for my humongous Radeberger costing only 4 bucks. It was super crowded when I went - not sure it's really my kind of thing, but if you're looking for something rowdy and a good beer to go along with it, Toronado is a good pick. Doorman was a huge dickhead, although he was ripping a new one for a guy who brought in his own PBR. I have to say, it was pretty hilarious. read more

Toronado has the best rotating selection of beers in the bay area. I used to know the beers were great and took the less-than-friendly bartenders as a necessary evil, but their man Stewart has all the love. He's friendly, personable and efficient. Thank you Stewart! read more

Perfect haven for beer lovers or anyone looking to escape from reality for a bit. Bring cash, Be nice, and Grab some eats over at Rosamundes. Get there by 5ish to grab a seat, and a couple pints before happy hour is over. ($1 off pints) Definitely ask the bartenders for advice on choosing a beer from their amazingly wide selection, these people know beer. I LOVE the Russian River brews. Yes I'll keep coming back for more, even if I do get a big ol' beer belly! TIP WELL and you shall be rewarded :) No joke, they bought us a round!!! read more

Huge-ass beer selection and delicious drunk food next door (that you can even bring inside to sit and eat, genius!) -1 for the bathroom though. It seriously takes courage and breathholding skillz to survive one of those. CASH ONLY. read more

Tons of good beer on tap. A bit small. You can bring in great sausages from Rosamunde's next door, and the tamale lady wanders in sometimes. The bartenders aren't always the nicest, but does it matter that much? The front door is a horse door. This bar will always have a place in my heart. I think this is all you really need to know. read more

This is a beer bar for non-beer drinkers and/or people that have spent a lot of time over seas. The premise is good (lots of foreign beers on tap), and it makes a lot of people pleased. I'm in to trying different beers, but basically, I don't want guff from my bartender. It's just beer. read more

The rudest bar staff possible - we all bad days but taking out your bad feelings by insulting and grandstanding against your customers is a joke. Apparently asking about a particular beer is below the dignity of the bar staff to answer - especially when the place was near empty. Avoid. I will not be returning. read more

I'm writing this review over a year and a half late. Very good beer selection and as every other reviewer needs to point out, yes it's a dive. Something else that has been discussed to death on these reviews is the service; it's not good. Bartender was a dick to me but I got over it because I figured it was just him. I watched him also insult a customer who immediately left. Then my cousin showed up and was promptly insulted as well. It seems that there's something about this that makes the place "cooler" because the regulars know how to interact and not get berated. Think "beer nazi." Maybe it's trying to be anti-SF. Anyway, if poor service is so awesome, go for it. I remember seeing plenty of dogs in there which was pretty cool. I don't know if other reviews mentioned this or not. You can also bring your meal in and eat it there. Good spot. read more

Love it. So many beers!! You can bring in your bratwurst from next door and eat at the bar. Very divey. Cash only. read more

This place is dark, crowded, loud, and a little rough around the edges. If you are in the mood for getting a good round of beers from all over the world though, you have come to the right place. Sure the bartenders can be a little rude, skip over you when you are called on and your mind isn't made up, even talk down to you when the occasional rookie asks for liquor or soft drinks, but once you get the beer of your choice in your hands, all is forgotten. I recommend the Delerium Tremens, the most expensive beer on the menu sure, but also the one that is gonna knock you on your ass the quickest, just ask the guy in the corner passed out with two glasses in his hands. All in all, go here if you want a good selection of beer to throw back. read more

The Toronado on Haight? Freaking kewl place to go for beer! 50 taps or some number? They have 3-4 beers on hand pump! If you love beer and live within 500 miles of the Toronado, then you suck if you don't Beer Pilgrimage to this Beer Mecca! Prepare thee for the snarly beer tender and protector of the gates. As if to timid you are, you are than not worthy of the blessed fermentations contained here-in. read more

So many beers. Like, an overwhelmingly large amount of beers to choose from. This is a good thing. The bar tender was very nice and let me try a few out before I picked my poison. 4 stars because they discontinued my favorite black raspberry mead (I'm so sad), and the bathrooms get pretty raunchy. read more

The hype is right... this place has it going on. They have a great selection of taps and rare brews that should satisfy any beer snob. The vibe inside is eclectic, with some interesting old beer posters, tap publls and you just might meet some new friends and share your opinions on the different brews. read more

Laid back bar. Personally, not a huge fan of beer, but this place has such a wide selection of beers if you are. When I come here I get a pomegranate cider, which is a bit sour, but I enjoy it. Pretty divey and casual bar. Guys are super nice here. They weren't able to fill my friends glass (probably a quarter of the glass short), so they gave her a full other beer, plus the not filled glass for the price of one. Pretty sweet. read more

Don't all beer drinkers have a little bit of beer snob in them? I know I do. I'll take a tall glass of craft beer over Bud or Miller any day-- which is why Toronado rules-- if we're talking on a strictly beer only basis. Ok, so Toronado may have jerk bartenders-- but in all honesty, did you really come to Toronado to hangout with the bartenders? I sure didn't. I came here on the last night in SF with my bf and we were in the neighborhood, thirsty for some beer. It was an unusually slow night there and we were able to grab a table close to the front of the bar. I know that Toronado is a mecca for beer variety but I lamed out and only drank Anchor Steam. Not the best beer on the roster, I'll admit, but it's not bad. Had I not eaten such a large dinner previously, I probably would've stuck around and drank more. Overall, it was a pretty uneventful night there-- not a great place for people-watching, just beer-guzzling. We hung out there for about two rounds and dipped. I would definitely come back here to see what they've added to the rotating list of beers on tap. read more

Do you like beer? Yes? Then you should already know about this place. Toronado has some amazing beers on tap, many of which you've probably never heard of. My suggestion is to check it out and try something new. If the bar isn't crowded (which is rare), the bartenders are happy to help you make a decision. If you'll only have a moment of their attention, check Untappd for some solid recommendations and be prepared when you finally make it to the front of the queue. This place is cash only. They have an ATM at the back of the bar, but there will be a decent fee. It gets pretty crowded at night, but don't let that turn you off. There is typically a steady turnover rate so it doesn't take too long to get a table. And if you are hungry, you can't go wrong with Rosamunde's next door. read more

Excellent beer selection including many California micro-brewers' beers. Rotating List. Friendly crowd and bar staff although make sure you tip well when they are busy. Defintely a Dive Bar atomsphere and they do it well. Good place to catch a game if you can get a seat that has a good view of the small TV. They have authentic Cask Beers and serve the beers in their proper glasses- that means alot. Hopefully next time they'll have an English Ale served up in an Imperial Pint Glass- that was the one thing missing during my visit. read more

Had I never been to Toronado in San Diego, I would probably give this one a four star rating. I love the beer selection but it is only half the size of the San Diego Toronado. What I did like about this bar is that it feels lived in. It has character and history. I like that about bars. I like to feel comfortable in the establishment that I am drinking in. San Francisco Toronado has that feel. Also the regulars were more than welcoming. Bryce, whom I assume is a regular since the bartender called him by name, lives in the area and chatted me up. I asked him for recommendations on other bars and restaurants in the area since my drinking partner Christina had just moved to town. I have mixed reviews about the bartenders. The bartender Johnny was cool. He made sure to keep the beer flowing all the while chatting up the customers. There was a shift change while we were there and two bartenders came on to replace Johnny. The woman was pretty cool but ignored me when I asked to buy a shirt. The guy with the dreads was awful. He did not even acknowledge most of the customers. Truthfully I am really not sure what his job is other than to walk back and forth behind the bar looking bored and annoyed. Thankfully we got there when Johnny was working. We decided to head out and find somewhere else to drink after experiencing these bartenders. Will I go back? Yeah. Will I stick around to drink if the bartender working is a jerk? Hell to the no. There are too many places in the city to spend my money. read more

Brought here by a friend who promised to show me great beer in SF and I was not disappointed. We spent *hours* here. Great beers, updated regularly, served by a bartender who could be mistaken for surly, but actually just expects you to know what you're doing, and is therefore... efficient with his words. No food to speak of *in* the bar, but the sausage shop attached to it is aces, and the owners clearly have an understanding. Try something you haven't had before. Don't tell me you've probably had them all, I've had a lot of beers, too, and I promise you'll still find something new. If it's quiet, talk to the staff, they know everything. read more

"Oh, and you have to go to Toronado. I mean I've never had a good experience there, but it's such a cool bar, and their beer list is exceptional, you have to go. But really, they have shitty bartenders and I've never had a good experience there" With that glowing recommendation from another bartender, we made our way to Toronado on a lazy Sunday afternoon. We were nursing our hangovers the best way possible - with the hair of the dog - and this place fit the bill perfectly for what the doctor ordered. A dark dive with killer beer, when we were there we lucked out and they weren't packed. The bathrooms, while not awesome, weren't nearly as gross as a similar bar would have been in Indiana due to whatever awesome regulation it is that keeps those wonderful toilet seat covers in every bathroom I visited in San Francisco. Be thankful for those, Californians. So yeah, great beer list, cool vibe, not packed, no unnecessary surliness from the bartender (we were also prepared with cash and our order when we approached him) - we had the elusive "good experience". read more

Great bar in Lower Haight, good selection of beer and a fun spot. A little small inside but part of the charm.

Wanted to watch our beloved Worst Team in the MLB last Thursday and after my two male compatriots complained VERY LOUDLY all the way down Haight St. about how much they hate Kezar's, we ended up down on Lower Haight, thinking Mad Dog would be a good option. However, I had forgotten that it was trivia night, so after watching a couple shots of Lincecum looking REALLY stoked (and adorable) in the dugout, we ventured out to find a place where we might sit while drinking our beer and enjoying the game. Now the few times I'd been in Toronado before it had been nice, but kind of crowded. But I realized as we pondered our options that I had never noticed if they had TVs in Toronado. We figured it was worth a try, and we wandered in. It was a bit crowded in the front as usual, and there was a TV above the bar. All of a sudden I remembered there was a back room. We check it out (during which point my two male friends apparently have to stare down some guy who's staring me down - being in bars with boys is AWESOME) and not only is there ample seating in the booths in the little back room, but there is a decent-sized TV mounted on the wall. I hold the booth, my two lovely gentleman grab the beers, and then we settle in and watch more shots of Lincecum looking stoked(dorky/hot.) Beyond these felicitous circumstances, the bar itself is one of *those* beer places that has a "really amazing" selection of international beers. I like me a good beer now and then, especially when it's a GOOD beer and coupled with some sports. It's a small bar with a lot of dark wood and a bit of wear and tear around the edges. I wouldn't call it a dive so much as a "local" in the English tradition. They don't serve their own food like English pubs do, but why not grab a delicious (VEGAN) sausage from Rosamunde next door? Beer : Sausage :: Wine : [nut] Cheese :: Coffee : [vegan] Donut :: Your mom : ___ ANYWAY I was very happy to discover that this pleasant little fancy beer hole has televisions and TWO of them at that. Beer : Sausage :: Me : Tim Lincecum. Now if you'll excuse me.... o_0 read more

The biggest selection of beers on tap I have seen anywhere. Toronado's choices are truly encyclopedic. You want a Hefeweizen - they have 6 different ones on tap, and so on. Service is just OK, long lines to get a drink. Vibe is fine, nothing special. Cash only, so bring some green to get your brews. read more

I don't even like beer for the most part, but I actually had some I could get use to and the atmosphere is great - TVs and jukebox noice! Death + Taxes = the blackest coffee you'll ever have a hangover with Aajit = winey beer or beery wine read more