The Riptide

Address
3636 Taraval St
San Francisco, CA 94116 United States Get Directions
Phone 415-681-8433
Website https://riptidesf.com/index.html
Vibe: Coastal Honky-Tonk | Rustic Lodge | Outer Sunset Secret
Perched just one block from the Pacific Ocean, The Riptide is San Francisco’s best little honky-tonk by the beach. Built in 1941, it captures the warmth of a small-town lodge in the heart of the Outer Sunset, with high ceilings, original knotty pine walls, and a massive brick fireplace. It’s a natural refuge for surfers, neighborhood locals, and music lovers looking to escape the coastal fog.
Live Music & Atmosphere  
Deeply rooted in American roots music, The Riptide is a go-to destination for bluegrass, honky-tonk, blues, and country, while still welcoming everything from acoustic folk and rock to hip-hop, punk, and DJ nights. The room’s rustic casual aesthetic — sand dollars from the nearby beach displayed above the fireplace and a low, carpeted stage at the same level as the bar — keeps things unpretentious and close-knit. On foggy nights, it can feel like the last cozy outpost at the edge of the western world.
Signature Events  
Monday Night Open Mic is a long-standing neighborhood tradition, drawing musicians of all levels into a high-quality, good-spirited showcase. Wet Wednesdays are a weekly surf-culture staple, pairing reggae sets and surf movies with guest DJs. Weekends often feature local favorites like Joe Goldmark and The Seducers or the Lee Vilensky Trio, turning the space into a full-on honky-tonk party.
Drinks & Happy Hour  
Behind the bar, the emphasis is on solid classic cocktails and a curated beer list that suits both regulars and first-timers. Happy Hour still feels like a neighborhood reunion, with familiar faces, easy conversation, and bartenders who remember your usual. It’s the kind of place where a quick stop for one drink often turns into a long evening by the fire.
About The Riptide Community  
More than just a bar, The Riptide is a symbol of Outer Sunset resilience. After a devastating fire in 2015, the community literally helped rebuild the venue from the studs up. Owners David Quinby and Les James — both musicians — have cultivated a room where high-quality sound and production coexist with a quirky, welcoming dive-bar spirit. Whether you’re there for the wood-burning fireplace, the “cowboy tip boot” in front of the band, or the feeling that everyone is somehow connected, you’re stepping into living neighborhood history.
Details That Define the Room
• Built in 1941, with knotty pine walls, high ceilings, rustic brick details, and a roaring fireplace that feels like a small-town lodge by the sea.
• Signature roots-music programming spanning bluegrass, country, honky-tonk, blues, and more, plus eclectic folk, punk, and DJ nights.
• Weekly staples like Monday Night Open Mic and Wet Wednesdays that anchor the local music and surf communities.
• Classic cocktails and a curated beer list, with Happy Hour that still feels like a true neighborhood gathering.
• A community-rebuilt Outer Sunset institution where Tahoe by the sea lodge vibes meet laid-back, coastal honky-tonk energy.
Categories: Sunset

Events at this venue

Today

  • The Tides & Tunes Sessions

    The Tides & Tunes Sessions
    The Riptide 3636 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA, United States

    The Tides & Tunes Sessions is a monthly concert series hosted by Charlie Kaupp at The Riptide in San Francisco every fourth Sunday of the month from 7:30-10pm. The series is intended to showcase a new pair of musical acts each month. Acts span all genres and styles, but are focused on solo, duos, and...

    Free

  • Open Mic by Charlie Kaupp

    Open Mic by Charlie Kaupp
    The Riptide 3636 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA, United States

    Best of The Bay Award Winning Charlie Kaupp's Riptide Open Mic! The Riptide Open Mic is a long-running, award-winning weekly event held at The Riptide, a popular honky-tonk dive bar in the Outer Sunset neighborhood of San Francisco. Sign ups start at 7pm. Music starts at 8. Bring your instrument or borrow ours. Piano available....

    Free

  • Open Mic by Charlie Kaupp

    Open Mic by Charlie Kaupp
    The Riptide 3636 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA, United States

    Best of The Bay Award Winning Charlie Kaupp's Riptide Open Mic! The Riptide Open Mic is a long-running, award-winning weekly event held at The Riptide, a popular honky-tonk dive bar in the Outer Sunset neighborhood of San Francisco. Sign ups start at 7pm. Music starts at 8. Bring your instrument or borrow ours. Piano available....

    Free

  • Open Mic by Charlie Kaupp

    Open Mic by Charlie Kaupp
    The Riptide 3636 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA, United States

    Best of The Bay Award Winning Charlie Kaupp's Riptide Open Mic! The Riptide Open Mic is a long-running, award-winning weekly event held at The Riptide, a popular honky-tonk dive bar in the Outer Sunset neighborhood of San Francisco. Sign ups start at 7pm. Music starts at 8. Bring your instrument or borrow ours. Piano available....

    Free

  • Open Mic by Charlie Kaupp

    Open Mic by Charlie Kaupp
    The Riptide 3636 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA, United States

    Best of The Bay Award Winning Charlie Kaupp's Riptide Open Mic! The Riptide Open Mic is a long-running, award-winning weekly event held at The Riptide, a popular honky-tonk dive bar in the Outer Sunset neighborhood of San Francisco. Sign ups start at 7pm. Music starts at 8. Bring your instrument or borrow ours. Piano available....

    Free

  • Mateo Peligroso

    Mateo Peligroso
    The Riptide 3636 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA, United States

    Mateo Peligroso brings 7‑string funk guitar and bass to The Riptide on September 20 at 7:30 pm, locking into deep grooves that put the rhythm section front and center. A self-described rhythm section specialist, he plays a custom instrument from the Hybrid Guitars Co., letting him cover bass and guitar roles at the same time—perfect...

    Free

  • Open Mic by Charlie Kaupp

    Open Mic by Charlie Kaupp
    The Riptide 3636 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA, United States

    Best of The Bay Award Winning Charlie Kaupp's Riptide Open Mic! The Riptide Open Mic is a long-running, award-winning weekly event held at The Riptide, a popular honky-tonk dive bar in the Outer Sunset neighborhood of San Francisco. Sign ups start at 7pm. Music starts at 8. Bring your instrument or borrow ours. Piano available....

    Free

  • The Tides & Tunes Sessions

    The Tides & Tunes Sessions
    The Riptide 3636 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA, United States

    The Tides & Tunes Sessions is a monthly concert series hosted by Charlie Kaupp at The Riptide in San Francisco every fourth Sunday of the month from 7:30-10pm. The series is intended to showcase a new pair of musical acts each month. Acts span all genres and styles, but are focused on solo, duos, and...

    Free

  • Open Mic by Charlie Kaupp

    Open Mic by Charlie Kaupp
    The Riptide 3636 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA, United States

    Best of The Bay Award Winning Charlie Kaupp's Riptide Open Mic! The Riptide Open Mic is a long-running, award-winning weekly event held at The Riptide, a popular honky-tonk dive bar in the Outer Sunset neighborhood of San Francisco. Sign ups start at 7pm. Music starts at 8. Bring your instrument or borrow ours. Piano available....

    Free

  • Open Mic by Charlie Kaupp

    Open Mic by Charlie Kaupp
    The Riptide 3636 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA, United States

    Best of The Bay Award Winning Charlie Kaupp's Riptide Open Mic! The Riptide Open Mic is a long-running, award-winning weekly event held at The Riptide, a popular honky-tonk dive bar in the Outer Sunset neighborhood of San Francisco. Sign ups start at 7pm. Music starts at 8. Bring your instrument or borrow ours. Piano available....

    Free

  • Open Mic by Charlie Kaupp

    Open Mic by Charlie Kaupp
    The Riptide 3636 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA, United States

    Best of The Bay Award Winning Charlie Kaupp's Riptide Open Mic! The Riptide Open Mic is a long-running, award-winning weekly event held at The Riptide, a popular honky-tonk dive bar in the Outer Sunset neighborhood of San Francisco. Sign ups start at 7pm. Music starts at 8. Bring your instrument or borrow ours. Piano available....

    Free

  • Open Mic by Charlie Kaupp

    Open Mic by Charlie Kaupp
    The Riptide 3636 Taraval St, San Francisco, CA, United States

    Best of The Bay Award Winning Charlie Kaupp's Riptide Open Mic! The Riptide Open Mic is a long-running, award-winning weekly event held at The Riptide, a popular honky-tonk dive bar in the Outer Sunset neighborhood of San Francisco. Sign ups start at 7pm. Music starts at 8. Bring your instrument or borrow ours. Piano available....

    Free
Event details are subject to change. Please confirm dates, times and cover charges directly with the venue before attending.