World Series 2012: Where to Watch in SF

Can’t afford the $400+ it’s going to take to afford standing room only tickets for the 2012 World Series at AT&T Park?

Regardless, there’s plenty of places in San Francisco where you can watch the Giants crush the Tigers get a pretty decent drink special, even if many of the bars in the city are trying to quietly get rid of their happy hours whenever the Giants do well.

Where to Watch the 2012 World Series for FREE
and Drink for Cheap

Free Jumbotron in Civic Center – Game 4 CONFIRMED!
The city is hosting a big World Series game watching party on a jumbotron in front of City Hall starting at 5pm on Sunday, October 28, 2012. The event is free and open to the public, but no alcohol is sold or allowed. In 2010 the screen was not huge, so arrive early for a good seat just in case for 2012. Full Details of Game 4 Broadcast

Game 5 Broadcast? Details are not finalized yet for Monday, but if there is a Game 5 it’s likely there will be a public broadcast and we’ll update the posting as soon as we’ve confirmed it. (FOX TV’s rules are that the city can broadcast a potential clinching game if it’s on the road.) There will be no public broadcast for any potential Game 6 or 7 since those games would take place in San Francisco.

Bar Watching: 2012 World Series Happy Hour Specials
Many bars in San Francisco are expecting huge crowds during the World Series and have decided to stick it to their customers by canceling their normally happy hour deals. Here’s some bars that not keep their happy hour going, but also kick in some extra special World Series beer deals.

Jake’s Steaks – Free Orange Jello Shots
This Philly cheesesteak restaurant which was named “best budget restaurant” by the Guardian is leaving the Phillies behind and backing the Giants all the way. They’ve got three big TVs, plus a surround sound system (so you’ll hear the game even in the bathroom) And for drinking? For the 2012 World Series expect complimentary orange jello shots every time the Giants score. Plus they’re having $3 Coors light and four bottles of bud light for $10
3301 Buchanan St. (off of Lombard) – Marina District

Taverna Aventine – $1 Hot Dogs
Bring the ballpark to the Financial District with $1 hot dogs during the 2012 World Series. (sorry, no $1 bud lights like they had during the NLCS – but they make up for it with quality with $3 drafts of Stella and Anchor Steam. They’ll have the sound up for the games in all their rooms.
582 Washington (near Montgomery) – Financial District

The Independent – 14-Foot Tall Screen
Don’t mess around with regular bar TVs, how about a giant 14-foot tall screen right where the concert stage is at the Independent. Admission is free (there’s a two-drink minimum that’s rarely enforced) but you can bring in your food from anywhere in the neighborhood. Did someone say Little Star???? The Indy is only hosting game watches for Games 2 and 4.
628 Divisadero St. near Hayes – NoPa

Monarch – Free Pizza
Duck into Monarch Bar in SoMa to watch the 108th World Series, your San Francisco Giants versus the Detroit Tigers. They’ve got a game time big-screen, and free pizza as long as you buy a drink. While supplies last of course. Drunk Giants fans are a hungry bunch.  Facebook Event Page
101 6th Street – SoMa

SoMa StrEat Food Park – Food Trucks & $2 Beer
Watch the 2012 World Series on three HDTVs (with the sound on) at the SoMa Streat Food Park with usually 8-10 food trucks plus seating in a heated pavilion. And the venue just opened their new beer garden and will have $13 pitchers of all their draft beers (good stuff like  Lagunitas IPA, Racer 5, Anchor Steam, Prohibition Ale and more) and $2 PBR all night.
428 11th St. (across street from Costco) – SoMa

Greens Sports Bar
23 screens means you’ll have a great view of the game no matter where you stand. The normal happy hour is put on hold as Anheuser-Busch has bought out the bar to have exclusive deals for 2012. For each game expect $3 bud lights, $3 shocktops and buckets of 6 beers for $18.
2239 Polk St. (at Green St.) – Russian Hill

Royal Exchange
This is the Financial District’s version of “The End Up” after the stock market closes and all the analysts & traders need a drink. There are 17 TV screens (including a few pointing outside for the crowd). Drink specials include $3 pints of Bud, Bud Light and Shocktop Belgian White.
301 Sacramento St. (at Front St.) – Financial District

The Irish Times – Party Spills into Street
People spill into the Sacramento Street watching the games at The Irish Times which is surrounded by HDTVs on every wall plus some facing the street. No specific World Series specials for 2012, but they have happy hour until 6pm with $4.50 Trumer, Palm Belgian Ale, Heinkekin and Fire Rock Pale Ale, plus $2.50 bud, bud light and coors light and $5.50 appetizers like nachos and sliders.
500 Sacramento Street (at Sansome St.) – Financial Distirct

Hi-Fi Lounge – $2 Beers & Post-Game Dance Parties on Thursdays
The owners of this party bar in the Marina are massive Giants fans and will have their 3 TVs tuned to the 2012 World Series with $2 Bud Light drafts and $4 wells. And Thursday for Game 2 (10/25) and a potential Game 7 (11/1) will have a massive post-game dance party celebration with 90 cent drinks starting at 8:30pm for just 90 minutes.
2125 Lombard Street  (near Fillmore) – Marina District

Players Arcade Sports Grill
Yes, this is a super touristy bar on Pier 39, but they’ve got 35+ HDTVs, a new waterfront tiki bar and it’s one of the few in SF that has Dave & Busters type arcade games in case the game goes south. During the 2012 World Series. Not yet confirmed for 2012, but back in 2010 they had a deal if you wear a Giants jersey or hat at get a free appetizer for your table as long as you spend $20. We’ll update for 2012 as soon as we know.
Pier 39

Elixir
One of the oldest bars in San Francisco has several HDTVs (not always in perfect sync unfortunately). Guzzle down the Gigantes Caipirinha cocktail (Leblon Cachaca, Cointreau, Lime Juice, Simple Syrup, Dale Degroff’s Allspice Bitters and Valencia Orange) for $7. Don’t worry, pints of Anchor Steam will still be $4 during games as well.
16th St. and Guerrero St. – Mission District

Cassanova Lounge – Free Hot Dogs
The dark and nearly-swanky Mission Dive bar only has a few TVs, but they’ll be showing the 2012 World Series. No promises on the deals, but for several of the playoff games so far they’ve been offering free hot dogs and drink specials like at $5 PBR/Jameson special. Follow their Facebook page for updates
527 Valencia St. – Mission District

Escape From New York – $2.50 Pizza Slices, $2.50 Beer
A great afterwork alternative in the Financial Distict that puts you a block from BART – this busy lunchtime pizza joint stays open late for the 2012 World Series with one giant HDTV and the sound on. From 4-6pm you can get $2.50 pizza slices and $2.50 pints of Trumer Pils, Anchor Steam or Lagunitas IPA. Note: venue may be closed on Sunday for Game 3 – call for latest update 415.421.0700.
333 Bush St. (btwn Kearny and Montgomery) – Financial Distirct

Mas Sake – Free Sake Bomb after Giants Home Run
Want to root on the Giants in the 2012 World Series at a sake bar and sushi restaurant? You’ll be rewarded with a free sake bomb for every Giants home run, as well as $5 rolls (cali, spicy tuna, salmon, etc..) and $4 sake and specialty cocktails.
2300 Lombard St. (nr. Fillmore) – Marina Dist. 

Columbus Cafe – 2 for 1 drinks
There’s no special 2012 World Series drink deals at North Beach’s Columbus Cafe, but their normal happy hour is still in effect and it’s so good we think this is worth an honorable mention. From 4pm to 8pm (M-F) most tap beers are 2 for 1. For every beer you buy you get a chip for one free draft beer that you can use right then, or save for another day. 4 TVs, pool table and a great jukebox.
562 Green St. (at Grant St.) – North Beach

Bottle Cap – $2 beers
Not necessarily a sports bar, but a comfortable place in North Beach to watch the game if you don’t want to be surrounded by drunken louts. They’ve got on large screen TV with the sound on. For lubrication there’s $5 cocktail specials, $4 draft specials (which change but may be Anchor Steam, Trumer Pils, Fat Tire Amber) $4, plus go old school with $2 Schlitz Original Longnecks. They also have happy hour bites at the bar until 7pm – the fried chicken thighs are deeeelish.
1707 Powell @ Union – North Beach

Danny Coyle’s
Irish pub that loves soccer and the Giants equally had 7 giant HDTVs and on big screen TV with surround sound. 2012 World Series drink specials include $8 Giant Bombs (jager & orange soda), $3 Sam Adams, and pitchers of bud light for $12.
668 Haight St. (at Pierce) – Lower Haight

The LookOut
Perched high over the corner of Market and Noe, The LookOut is showing the games on all their TVs and having $7 “Orange October” a concoction with orange soda and vodka in a giant pint glass. There’s also $4 well drinks, $4 glasses of wine, $4 big boy margaritas, $2.50 Bud Lights, shots and food specials.
3600 16th Street (Market at Noe) – Castro 

Blarney Stone
This Richmond District Irish pub has five TVs including a massive projection screen and one of the loudest crowds we’ve come across in any SF bar. Seriously, during Giants games consider bringing ear plugs if the Giants score. For the 2012 World Series there’s $10 pitchers of Miller Lite, $14 pitchers of Blue Moon and $15 buckets of Coors Light. And there’s usually a game-time decision on shot specials usually $4-$5. And if the World Series is anything like the NLCS, sometimes those shot specials are free jager… and if the Giants win the series, except to go home smelling like champagne.  
5626 Geary Blvd. (@ 20th Ave.) – Richmond Distict

Big Caveat – We’ve done our best to confirm all of the drink specials above for 2012, but please note that details can change at the last minute. So if something changed or we got something wrong, let us know so we can update things!

Free Viewing Portals at AT&T Park
AT&T Park does have a free “Knothole Gang” area behind the right field fence for 100 or so people to watch the game for free, but plan on arriving at least 4-5 hours early to make sure you can get rotated in – especially for the World Series. Fans can stand in Right Field for up to three innings and then are rotated out. There’s no guarantee that you’ll get to see the game, but people report that you can bribe the guards to stay a bit longer with a bit of candy.

>> Know of any other good drink specials for the 2012 World Series? Leave us a comment below!

For you serious drinkers, here’s a full list of Bars near AT&T Park
No guarantee that they’ll all be showing the games on TV, but here’s how you can be close to the action
The Public House – 24 Willie Mays Plaza
Mijita Cocina Mexicana – 24 Willie Mays Plaza
Pete’s Tavern – 128 King St.
Pedro’s Cantina – 128 King St.
Nama Sushi – 227 King St.
Java House – Pier 40
Carmen’s Restaurant – Pier 4
Red’s Java House – Pier 30
Hi Dive – Pier 28 ½
Gordon Biersch – 2 Harrison
Delancey Street – 600 Embarcadero
Momo’s – 760 2nd St
Paragon _ 701 2nd St
Ozone – 598 2nd St.
21st Amendment – 563 2nd St.
Ironside – 680 2nd St.
Zeke’s Diamond Bar – 600 3rd St.
O’Neill’s Irish Pub – 747 3rd St.
Spire Restaurant & Bar – 685 3rd St.
3rd Street Grill – 695 3rd St.
Iron Cactus – 683 4th St
Hotel Utah Saloon – 500 4th St.
The Creamery – 685 4th St.
District – 216 Townsend
Tres Agaves – 130 Townsend
The American Grill Cheese Kitchen – 1 South Park St.
Bar Disc (Gallery Lounge) – 510 Brannan