Johnny Foley’s

Imagine being in a city renowned for fabulous food and getting stuck in a horrible hotel that doesn’t have a restaurant.
It’s a gamble, and I don’t play dice. Hey, when you lose and blood comes out of bad places — you are the Cool Hand Luke of experimentation.
So this place is a quick block’s stroll and I ask about a gluten free menu. I expect laughter but what I get is a fabulous menu of nothing boring: curry, lamb stew, salmon filet, it’s all normal beautiful Irish food that’s delicious.
So I’ve eaten here three nights in a row. I had the potato skins twice and the lamb stew which is now the standard for totally delicious, what I can only hope for but will never find again.
I had the salmon filet. Solid, fresh clearly these people take fish
was not buried in some disgusting sauce. I have just made quick work of the spinach salad. For once, the dressing does not taste like Pledge or Vinegar but a proper home made citrus dressing and sparingly used. It’s exactly right.
My chicken curry has arrived and I’m giving it my full attention. The ginger and coconut is heavenly.

Excellent veggie stew and fantastic service. The vegetables were perfectly cooked with a nicely flavoured but not overpowered broth. Our waitress Jenny was prompt and very courteous. My only complaint is the limited selection of vegan/​vegetarian options on the menu.

Nice enough pub. Great historical portraits.. $ 8.50 is the most I’ve ever paid for a pint but our waitress, Rosaleen, was a doll. Very helpful, knowledgeable and attentive.

Sorry, can’t do 5 stars which would be maybe deserved because of their (ahem) «policy»
I’m solo at a table for 3. A lovely older couple is at the bar, one seated at the only seat and one standing. I try to swap … And management tries to kick them out because they don’t have a «reservation»
Needless to say I reclaimed my table so they were not kicked out… (Might have helped that I hadn’t paid my tab yet)
KC waitress is first rate best ever! Many good brews on tap.
They have some lessons to be learned on customer service … And I’m glad I had the trump card of an open tab

Johnny Foleys is one of the best restaurants I have ever been to. The atmosphere is electric and the food is phenomenal. I was truly sad to leave at the end of the night. The range in selection
Wonderful they have everything from traditional greasy yummy bar food to delicious healthy salads. The alcohol selection is superb, no one will be left wanting for anything at this family run delightful place. I will return every time I visit sf.

Absolutely awesome! Had the smoked cod and lamb stew. Perfect meals with a appetizer bacon wrapped shrimp

Recommended by the hotel… not a fan. Overpriced beer selection… service was subpar and non attentive. For being right in the heart of Union Square would think this place would try to pack them in with helpful service and attentive staff… nope.
Food was also overpriced and small portion, we got the potato skins and came with 4 of the smallest potato skins I have ever seen. After being on a plane and airport food we had higher hopes and were very disappointed.
Even though this is one of the closer bars to our hotel, we did not return and would not recommend.

We have came here before but only for drinks! We came in yesterday to try the food out and it was delicious! We had the potato skins, chicken sandwich and the lamb stew! Everything tasted great! The service was good too! We will be back!

I enjoyed this place partly because I am comparing it to the horrendous piano bar downstairs (see other review). Johnny Foley’s upstairs on a Saturday night had no cover, affordable drinks, and a great cover band playing super-​fun 80s and 90s music and older classics. After abandoning the sinking ship that was the piano bar, we felt salvaged by the great music and fun atmosphere here. Dont’ waste your money downstairs. That great music you hear when you’re waiting in line for the piano bar is NOT the same as you’ll get downstairs, the music you’re hearing is the upstairs cover band. Go there instead.

The Veggie Stew and Fried Chicken were phenomenal! Last year when I came here with my family I ordered the wings and garlic fries and my brother had the Veggie Stew. I remembered how yummy it was so I had to come back. I wish I lived here so I could have the Veggie Stew at least twice a month!
I asked for more water several times but never got a refill… It would’ve been five stars if the waitress had been a little more attentive.

Awesome bar near Union Square. Old-​timey-​looking taps set the mood at the bar and the bar itself is spacious. Sadly, they stopped serving food at 10 so I could not sample it. They have an awesome Irish whiskey and beer selection though and the bartender was great company.
There was live music on Tuesday night and the atmosphere was lively.
Will update this review with feedback on the food.

Good bar. Admittedly the place is kinda touristy, but if you want a good bar with a fun friendly atmosphere, this is a great place.
Make sure to take a look around at all of the paintings on the walls. There are some fun portraits of mostly famous Irish people. Worth a look.
We saw a band called «Luv Bomb» the other night there. They were fantastic. Worth the time if you like 60’s and 70’s soul music.

Great atmosphere, numerous beers on tap. We ordered the burger and fish and chips. Burger was ordered medium but served well well done. It was dry. Fish and chips were pretty good though. The host was Irish so we liked that. Friendly staff. Neat restaurant. Probably won’t come back or recommend. We ordered the potato skins which were good. This might be a good place to come to for just beers and appetizers.

Expensive, what isn’t in SF. However, good atmosphere and great steak sandwich. Bartenders a bit put off but wait staff very good.

I’ve gone there 3 times this week! Wonderful service, great beers on draft, amazing food and at least 8 tvs for all your sports needs. I tried the prime rib, filet mignon, and fish and chips. I would recommend all of them. I stuck with Guinness and ciders for drinks but they also have a nice little wine list. They make some beautiful cocktails and wonderful desserts from what I could see. Great if you’re traveling alone or for groups.

Barkeep was spot on and the staff overall very friendly. Let me tell ya about the 12 oz prime rib plate, mountain of potatoes and a big serving of greens! Absolutely tender and delicious! Now to see if I have enough room for all my Guinness and Jamie shots!

Stopped by a few days ago for lunch and had such a wonderful time. I work in Union Square and wanted something out of the norm from fast food, so I began walking. I walked and walked and somehow ended up here. I walked inside and was greeted very nicely by the host who brought me to the bar, but it was cozy and away from everyone. The bartender immediately helped me order a drink as well as my food, he was so nice! A few more people sat down and we started chatting like we had known each other for forever, it was a great atmosphere. I ordered the fried chicken sandwich which is not how you expect it to «normally» be. It was fantastic. It had slaw on it which was perfect and made the sandwich absolutely delicious. Will be taking many more walks down here for lunch time :)

We are in town for a play and stumbled across this place. OMG! Fantastic food and a great staff! Get the Lamb Stew!!! Melt in your mouth!!!

There are great drink options here– a little expensive but this is the city so can’t complain too much.
I got the potato skins which are delicious but again expensive.
I’ll only go here once every month, my poor little wallet can’t handle the cost.
I’d rather treat myself somewhere a little more clean and posh.
It’s pretty dark and loud here as well– not the best place to go when you want to chill.

Always have a great experience when we come here! Having grown up in San Francisco, Foley’s is one of the places we come to often. The food is great and prices are expected. If you are looking for $ 3 beers in the city good luck! Last time we ate here I had the prime rib. Cooked perfectly with great mashed potatoes! Arrive early or expect a wait at the bar.

Outstanding service and delicious food. I came here just to get a salad.
My friend and I decided to split the Irish Lamb Stew. It was the best ever.
So tender and flavorful. I highly recommend. Odd thing was our salad was served at the same time as the main meal.
Other than that amazing.

I had been wanting to try this place since my last trip to San Francisco. The inside is awesome, it’s cool to see all those old school portraits of famous Irish people (from back in the day and today). I got to sit in front of a portrait of Oscar Wilde which was cool. I ordered a glass of Murphy’s and a plate of fish & chips. My meal was delicious but if I do come back, I’m just gonna come to drink no food. Why? Because it’s too expensive ;-;
Yeah I know it’s downtown San Francisco but woah, easy on my wallet there. The employees were nice so only thing that stops it from being 5 stars is the price.
TL;DR? : Really good but expensive.

Go for the dueling pianos night because it’s a ridiculously fun time. They play crap music until you tip them. The performers offer a lot of crowd engagement.

The food is relatively expensive and some of the portions for the entrees are not worth the price (i.e. Wild mushroom ravioli). Nonetheless, I visit this place every time I’m in downtown SF.
Fish and chips are very good and large portion. The wild mushroom ravioli is very garlic-​Y and I was still hungry after I finished the plate. The cottage pie is delicious and more filling. Overall, I would recommend this place to catch up with friends over some beers. Service is quite slow when it’s crowded.

This place is old school cool. When you walk in you know your at an Irish Pub. It is very nice and the bar tenders are nice and knowledgeable. Every thing about service was perfect. We enjoyed our time here!
I highly recommend this establishment. We did not eat this trip but I have eaten here before and enjoyed the food.

A place for a pint and a Jameson. A stop I always try to make.
The maze like set up in a bit charming, but breaks up the bar in an odd way.
The food is filler at best, but it’s the atmosphere and the genuine Irish qualities that bring me back each time.

I pass by this place on a daily basis but never go in. There is usually a crowd outside and it looks pretty touristy. I also see that they have the Dueling Pianos her, which is a reason for their popularity.
I came here with coworkers to celebrate her last day on the job. It seemed like a good venue that was large enough to accommodate a large group, and there is no cover.
Likes:
–Plenty of seating and standing area
–Food options if you come early enough
–Pretty decent draft selection
–Live music! The band playing when I went was lively, fun, and got the crowd dancing.
–Dueling Pianos on certain nights
–Central location. Right next to 38 stop and close to Bart/​Muni
Dislikes:
–EXPENSIVE. $ 8 – 9 for draft beer not including Tax! $ 14 for a signature cocktail. Absolutely ridic prices.
–Gets packed quickly.
–Crowd can be hit or miss. It was super touristy and several men kept trying to impress me when I clearly was not impressed by them.
It’s maybe a fun stop if you’re having a night out, but with the prices, I could not imagine going for more than 1 drink here before wanting to move onto the next bar where I can get a drink for half the price.

Solid place to watch football (American) on a Sunday (what I did). 4 games on multiple tvs. Murphys stout by the pint over and over. Typical Irish fare with some west coast twists.
The curry fries were unique and I enjoyed them. Bartenders knew how to pour a proper pint.

A couple of us at here on a Saturday night and the service, food, and atmosphere was great. I would not consider it a pub, however, it is a good Irish restaurant and bar! I had the Dungeness Crab Cakes and my friend had the Irish Stew and Garlic Fries. Both meals were great and with the tip and drinks, we payed about $ 30 a piece. The Irish Coffee was good as well, a slight sprinkle of cinnamon would make it better! Would recommend if you are looking for a nice Irish restaurant and bar.

Expect a wait! When I heard it would be up to an hour I was ready to walk out but then I heard an accent. Irish accents are so sexy. I had to do a u turn and go tot he bar. Packed pretty tightly by the bartenders gave girls prior attention, so we ordered for the guys next to us and they covered the tab! :-)
Great Irish pub and lovely piano bar. One of those places where you feel strange as hell to order wine unless you’re a 21 year old girl. And by the time you down the wine there’s someone offering you an IPA — I mean you’re an adult at a pub do it right.
Food was just a skip past okay (salmon and wild ravoli) but the service, music, décor and ambiance was top notch. Extremely spacious bar but still has that neighbor small vibe. I had re-​watched Far and Away before visiting. So raise your pint and enjoy yourself. Kilkenny, Guinness, Karp and Murphy’s (in that order). Expect to hear some profanity from a few smiling faces.

An Irish Bar in San Francisco! Is that Backstreet Boys playing? Yes, yes it is. When I spent a week in Ireland they played a lot of «american» music, songs that we forget about, generally dislike but will definitely sing along to. The music here was like my Shazam download history from 1990.
Lots of beer on tap here, I love at least one warm beer like a Kilkenny and then I’m off to the cold races. Our Kilkenny pints were very full, and served in real pint glasses.
The food was really expensive and not that great. I had just walked over from Masterchef tryouts and after staring and tasting some really good dishes and this place fell flat on it’s culinary kilt. My fish and chips was three pieces of battered fish served a top a pile of chips, or frozen fries. Barely crisp and mush in the middle I mentioned this to my waitress when she said they made the best fish and chips. The fish was okay, tasted fresh at least. She was very friendly but never offered to bring a fresh batch that was actually cooked.
I’d give it 3 stars, 4 for the beer, 3 for the service and 2 for the food. Hopefully it was just an off day.

Lots of beers on tap and a huge bar to sit at. The bartenders were really friendly and gave us good tips on where to go during our trip to SF. We just stopped in for a beer and didn’t order any food though (the sign outside told us it was time for a pint!)

My friends and I came here one Friday night to check out the dueling pianos. Since this was my first time seeing this, I didn’t know what to expect. At the end of the night, I was very surprised at how much fun I had!
The venue itself is split in two: sports bar on the right and dueling pianos on the left. On this occasion, we only checked out the piano bar (I’ll write an updated review when I check out the sports bar in the future). There was a $ 10 cover up front which I expected for the show. When I arrived at the actual piano bar, it was packed with people! There were no tables for my friends and I so we stood the whole time. The bar itself was fine. On this night, there were two or three bartenders working which made for timely service. They also serve some food which I didn’t try but might do so on a future occasion.
The show featured two pianist (one male and one female) who made the show lively and fun. They made the audience participate and do fun dances on stage making everyone laugh and have a good time. Also, you can make specific song requests if you tip them. When I was there, they mostly sang country songs and contemporary rap music. I liked the show a lot and would come here again with my friends.
This is a great place to spend a night if you’re a fan of all types of music. The vibe is lighthearted with plenty of fun people around you. My only complaint would be the space (especially on Friday) so get there early if you want a table. I would come here again so I’ll see you there!

Mich persönlich hat der Laden nicht umgehauen…
Habe nicht einmal die Menükarte gelesen, denn bei der extremen (!) Geräuschkulisse kann ich kein Essen geniessen. Nachdem wir uns stets angeschrien haben, wurde es nur 1 Bier, das war’s.
Das Lokal ist trotzdem ausgebucht — scheint also beliebt zu sein.

Ready to go…