Hobson’s Choice

This place is one of my favorite bars in the US. The bowls of liquor laden punch are amazing and just add to the general awesomeness. Service as well as the clientele are super friendly. You will meet people here and have conversations that you just wouldn’t be able to anywhere else.
Share a punch bowl with an old hippie, talk literature with a drunk old professor, take a shot with some tourists — you get it all here.
Absolutely the quintessential definition of what makes a great drinking establishment!

Decent punch bowls if your alcohol standards aren’t too high.
Pleasant bartender.

I love this place. If you’re a rummy like me, they have a great selection from all over the world. Good tunes, food available next door and a great space in the Haight!

Fun bar for casual drinks. Super nice bartenders and cozy place to day drink when it’s rainy out. Good location with nearby shops

What a delightful establishment!
I happened upon it after a bleary-​eyed afternoon shopping at the various vintage/​secondhand stores nearby. Small bowl of House punch was $ 16 and generously portioned for three of us, easy to share among four or five, too, depending how much each of you wants to drink.
Strength-​wise, it’s not going to knock you off your feet the way a scorpion bowl at Smuggler’s Cove would, but a) that’s more expensive anyway, and b) punch generally depends a bit on the person making it, so your mileage may vary.
I don’t always love the fruity drinks, but it’s a novel, fun, and comfortable spot for a drink and there are other options if punch isn’t really your thing.

The atmosphere is merry and light.

My favorite after work, hang out spot. This place is great for catching a drink and socializing. The space is comfortable and they have a cool selection of really strong punch they make in house. If you are going to go for one, try the orange one, it’s the least sweet tasting. I like this place because the hipster ratio is pretty low and the vibe is chill. It’s also right on the corner where 33, 43 and 71 bus stops so you can have a as many drinks as you want and you can still home safe.

Hobson’s is a fun choice in the Haight, perfect for a bit of day-​drinking or even a nightcap. Hobson’s specializes in «Victorian Punch Bowls» which are delicious, sugary-​fruity rum mixtures, perfect for sharing. They offer three varieties, but my personal favorite is the Victorian, which is a blend of three rums (silver, coconut and pineapple) + Cranberry/​Pineapple juice. It reminds me of a naughty pink lemonade in color and flavor.
A small bowl is perfect for two people– at $ 18, it makes it a steal. I’m not quite sure how strong a bowl is– considering that they have three super large bowls of pre-​made punches that they use to serve customers. I suppose it depends on whoever made it. Regardless, you feel like you’re getting a good deal as it’s easy to keep refilling your own glass.
The space itself is spacious in the front, with large windows, perfect for people-​watching. Or, you could find yourself tucked in the back corners or upstairs for something more quiet. That being said, it’s more of a dive bar environment, lest you think its name as a «Victorian Punch Bar» would produce something more quaint. Plus, they have plenty of TVs, meaning those looking for a sports game will probably find it on here.

I love that place ! Really Good music, good drinks (my favorite punch go go), friendly people

Great place to have low price rum during happy hour. Music is a little high to have a talk. Order the pitcher is a high recommend to spend time in there.

Stopped in for a drink last Friday, which was delicious. Felt bad for the bartender when a «local» diva came in with outside food and drink. He asked her politely to dispose of it or leave. At that point she got on her self entitled high horse and pitched a downright hissy fit. He handled the situation with grace, which is more than I would have done. Maybe the princess just doesn’t belong in that part of town. I’m sure her parents must be tired of supporting her and her bad attitude. Kudos to the bar keep for doing a fantastic job and keeping his cool.

I love this bar! anyday anytime. the wheat beer with watermelon on the side is my favorite! they have tv’s, restroom’s, and your choice of window or bar seating.

Great dive bar; classic SF. Decent beer selection, awesome bartenders, if you like punch, thumbs up. Props for being allowed to bring in outside food. We chilled here all night, got guac and chips from the taco place next door, later ordered burgers to be delivered (which were baller). Cool joint for a chill night.

Typical dive bar on haight st with awesome happy hour specials
$ 3 draft beers! You can choose from lagunitas, 21^st, anchor and even more popular brands
Wow!
The sweet bartender even topped my 21^st watermelon beer with a mini slice of watermelon. Refreshing and cheap!
My hour was definitely happy :)

We passed by and saw some cool bowls that people were using to fill their cups with. Is it alcohol? Is it good? We stopped at the front and read their menu and blackboard. How fun! Punch bowls!!! We stood at the front eager to be seated, greeted, and have our orders taken. But with no avail.
After standing there for a couple minutes, We awkwardly walked to the bar because it seemed like he was the only one working. It took him some time after helping some people already sitting at the bar to even notice us. He angrily asked for our IDS and carelessly asked us what we wanted. I felt as if his demeanor changed when he was serving us. It didn’t seem like he was treating other people rudely. However, he wasn’t lively at all. We told him we changed our mind and left utterly disappointed.

Came on a game day and the TV’s were all on and SUPER loud… it was just awful! All I could hear was the most annoying loud screeching of the basketball players shoes. You couldn’t hear or speak to anyone and all the people in there were zombies glued to the TV.
The punch drinks are basically juice. I don’t think they have any alcohol in them and are way too sweet. Stick to the beers!
Prices are good though and so is the happy hour. Nice that you can bring your own food into their bar.
Probably a much nicer spot on non-​game days but we had to leave right away it was just too much for our ears to handle.
Also, bouncer was ID’ing everyone… which I thought was kinda funny. Like people that were clearly 50+ were getting ID’d.

I went here for a quick Thursday Happy Hour and it was a great choice. They had a good rum drinks for 3.50 and 3 beers. A nice place to stop in when strolling through the Haight.
Also the bartender was friendly and conversational.

I am sure that this bar has a valid reputation in the community, but my experience was atrocious. The bartenders (there was a man and a woman) were rude to us from the start. Everybody in my group was respectful and friendly, and yet our requests were received with contempt. I’m not sure if somebody was just having a bad evening, but bickering with your customers is a really poor representation of your business.
We had a couple drinks, but stopped ordering because we no longer wanted to spend money at a bar where we felt unwelcome.
Also, please list that there is pineapple in the «go go» punch on your wall. We intentionally ordered the punch «without pineapple» only to receive a drink that had an overwhelming pineapple flavor. I know it doesn’t seem like a big deal, but paired with bad service, it wasn’t a great experience.

Fairly priced drinks and not too crowded and has a decent number of seats. During the weekends I usually could find some seats and could have a conversation without screaming over the music. I haven’t met all the bar tenders but the ones I have met are good.
I go there with mixed company quite a bit and the female friends don’t feel like they are constantly being stared upon and people there seem to be a bit more down to earth compared to other bars.

LOVE this place!!!
Happen to be in Haight during happy hour? RUN to Hobson’s for a Go Go punch!
The first time I went, I had a margarita. Terrible lol. Then I had one of their punches, and I will never look back.
THe place is cute. Love the little tables by the windows. Bartenders are super nice.
Now every time the old man says we have some errands to run in the city, I make sure to add Hobson’s to the list :)

When you’re on the Haight and want to stop for a cozy drink, this is not a bad choice. I’ve been here twice now, and won’t turn away a Blue Hawaiian. Their Victorian Punch is also decent.
Multiple televisions run on the walls, so whether you want to view sports or Cartoon Network, you’re bound to be hooked somewhere. There is a 2^nd floor, perhaps closed off (because I haven’t seen anyone up there yet), assumedly for parties — might be fun to test out.
One thing: various bartenders will leave different fruits in your cocktails. I think a pineapple slice tastes better than a lemon.