Where To Eat & Drink Near Oracle Park

Decking yourself out in orange and black and packing roughly 15 pounds of windbreakers (night games can get arctic) is one of the better ways to spend an evening in San Francisco. The only problem with that plan? Hot dogs in the Giants ballpark cost four times what you’ll pay at a cart a few neighborhoods over, and beer costs more than your ticket. So instead of spending too much on a meal you’ll probably end up dropping on the ground while trying to balance it on your lap, just go somewhere close to the stadium pre- or post-game. These are our favorite dive bars, beer spots, and restaurants near Oracle Park.

THE SPOTS

It’s easy to love Taksim. The upscale Turkish restaurant in SoMa from the Lokma people has a large dining space centered around a wood-fired oven, and is pretty enough for an easy weeknight dinner, or meals with coworkers when snacks at the bar just won’t do. The biggest reason to come here is the food, coupled with friendly service. The menu is a mix of mezes, salads, housemade breads, and large plates—just about everything is what you want to eat over convivial conversation about water signs. The golden branzino is balanced with salty sea beans, the lamb and beef kabob is perfectly cooked, and the plump king shrimp wrapped in finely shredded kadaif are a dream over sweet pomegranate molasses. And the interesting cocktails infuse Mediterranean ingredients like carob molasses and urfa pepper. 

This high-end restaurant in SoMa is reimagining traditional Indian cuisine and mixing in ingredients and cooking styles from around the world with the precision of a lauded scientist. Simply put, Rooh is exciting and inventive, especially their frequently changing small plates. Paneer pinwheels are simultaneously delicate and firm. Rich mawa-stuffed black morel mushrooms are slathered in decadent yakhni sauce. And the avocado-filled puri puffs topped with chilled yogurt mousse crack in your mouth in a satisfying way when you bite into them. The best part is you'll eat it in the presence of a fancy ayurvedic-inspired cocktail, and in a place that's jewel-toned, swank, and filled with velvet chairs.

A massive space in Mission Bay with tons of seating and standing room? Check. Lots of beers on tap, including several that are brewed in-house? Yup. An eclectic menu of snacks, like steamed mussels, chicken wings, flatbreads, and fries with a creamy umami dipping sauce? Well, you know the answer. New Belgium Brewery fits the bill if you’re looking to organize a casual, beer-centric hang before making the short walk over to Oracle Park. Even better, reservations are available.

The instantly recognizable old-school waterfront bar and restaurant on Pier 30 is only a 10-minute walk to Oracle Park. It’s also a great place to drop by when you’re in search of a beer and a burger, especially one on a fluffy sourdough roll. Get your burger (make it a double), head to the back patio, and drink something cold while soaking in the sun and Bay Bridge views.

If you’re looking for a casual, easy, and reliable spot near Oracle Park, Cafe Okawari has your back. The Japanese restaurant on Townsend is one of the best spots in the city for katsu chicken sandwiches and Japanese curry. But the all-day cafe also has plenty of other things you should get into, like spicy tuna bowls, egg salad sandwiches, and soup, plus housemade yuzu sodas and hojicha lattes.

If you're feeling vegetable deficient—or just want an incredible meal that will warm you up better than a space heater—head to House of Tadu. Whenever we go to the casual Ethiopian spot in Mission Bay, we like to order the vegetarian combo with rich misir wot and kik alicha, plus the chicken tibs and kitfo. By the time you finish a meal here, you'll have already slated House of Tadu into your pre-Giants game routine. 

A little further out, Turtle Tower is one of our favorite pho spots in the city thanks in no small part to their beef phở—which we hear gives you immunity from freezing your butt off during super wind-chill game nights. It’s served Hanoi style (without bean sprouts and minimal garnishes), and stars fat, chewy noodles, tripe, and tender beef. Other options to get into include the bánh mì, vermicelli noodles, chao, and rice plates.

The casual Mexican restaurant in SoMa serves really good zapatos, a riceless burrito stuffed with jack cheese and fillings like steak, fries, and pico de gallo. In order words, beeline to Garaje if you want a flavorful, hearty meal that’ll keep you going for more than nine innings. Other things you can order: burgers, tacos, and carne asada fries. They also have a phenomenal beer list, a line that moves relatively quickly, and plenty of small tables for you to sit at while you drink your pint.

We end up at 21st Amendment for a lot of the same reasons that we go to Garaje on a game day (or any day, for that matter)—good beer and solid food. The cubano and the burger are both great, and the brewpub also has things like tacos, pizzas, wings, and onion rings.

The big reason we keep coming back to Little Skillet is their perfectly golden-brown chicken and waffles. But the spacious restaurant that's just three blocks from Oracle Park has a ton of other soul food dishes to get to know, too, like a po’boy spilling over with juicy pulled pork, shrimp and grits, and a fried chicken combo called The Works, which comes with a mini jalapeño corn muffin and a side of your choice. There's also a huge bar and TVs to watch the pregame show before you head out.

The small-batch brewery specializes in ales and lagers with the gluten removed, and what’s on tap tends to change frequently, which is just part of the fun of drinking here. The other is grabbing a pitcher or tasting flight of four ($20) and pulling up to their heated parklet for a pregame drink.

Atwater Tavern is where to go when you want to sit by the water and get some sun before fulfilling your statistically challenging dream of catching a foul ball. It feels a little stranded on the pier, but there are great views of the bay and plenty of patio space (including a rooftop deck). Plus, it's less than a 10-minute walk to Oracle Park. This casual spot has chicken sandwiches and salads you can order while you and your friends discuss how you think the season's going.

Casey’s Pizza in Mission Bay is a casual neighborhood spot that makes great Neapolitan-style pies. Start with the burrata, which comes with crostini and a nice lemony arugula salad, before making your way to the pizza list. They make everything from margherita to pepperoni and arugula to a funghi pizza loaded with mushrooms and fresh thyme.

If you need to be reminded that you live in a place surrounded by water, head to Mission Rock Resort, a sprawling two-story restaurant and bar in Mission Bay. This lively spot takes reservations, but walk-ins are welcome. Find a spot on their ground-floor cafe if you want to avoid the wait. We always rely on Mission Rock Resort for the bay views, full bar, and solid lunch, dinner, and weekend brunch menus.

The waterfront dive bar on Pier 28 ½ is a favorite pre-Giants game hangout spot. It’s also the place to casually drop in for margaritas and beer or fuel up on burgers, BLTs, and fish tacos out on their patio before continuing the short walk down the Embarcadero to the stadium.

Spark Social is essentially one of the best food truck gathering spots in the city, and is located just a 12-minute walk from Oracle Park. Once here, you have options like Al Pastor Papi, El Fuego, Koja Kitchen, and The Sarap Shop, which appear in the park on a rotating schedule. Order whatever you’re in the mood for, pick up, and then eat your food around a firepit, under one of the tents, or at one of the many picnic tables in the open field.

At Woodbury, the drinks are strong and the food is great, especially if you’re looking for a spot to catch up with a friend you haven’t seen in far too long. You could start off with a frozen Irish coffee or head straight for the food—their menu includes everything from fried chicken sandwiches to steak frites and fish tacos.

Giants season or not, Brickhouse makes everything from great salads to an excellent burger. Grab a seat at the bar, dive into a big pile of onion rings, and reminisce on the one time you almost capsized in McCovey Cove. And know that this place also serves breakfast and brunch on weekends.

Walk the two blocks from the stadium and go to Saison for a meal you’ll probably remember for the rest of your life. The Michelin-starred fine dining restaurant does a tasting menu ($298) that emphasizes wood-fired cooking. You might see things like a lobster broth served with grilled lobster tail and a lobster dumpling, or a piece of grilled bread soaked in a sauce made of more bread before being topped with uni.