Bottom of the Hill

Rolling Stone once called Bottom of the Hill the best place to hear live music in San Francisco, and the venue has spent three decades proving them right. Opened in 1991 in a 1911 Edwardian building at the foot of Potrero Hill, this scrappy club has launched countless careers. The White Stripes, Arcade Fire, Death Cab for Cutie, Green Day, and Elliott Smith all played here before they were famous. The room holds about 300 people, with an antique bar, a kitchen serving hot food late into the night, and a beloved back patio. The owners still book with an ear for what's next, running shows seven nights a week across every genre. The sound system is excellent, the sightlines are good, and the staff treats touring bands like family. It's the heart of SF's indie rock scene.