San Francisco has so many exciting venues to choose from, but some events need something different.Â
Explore San Fran’s wine and beer scene, and you’ll discover fantastic alternatives to conventional event spaces. On the Perfect Venue Marketplace, you’ll find it all. There are informal venues that dish out warm hospitality along with their cold brews, and high-end establishments that offer fine dining and fine wines.Â
Here are the best San Francisco breweries, wineries, tasting rooms, and wine cellars for hosting parties and events.
1. The San Francisco Brewing Company
The San Francisco Brewing Company on Polk Street is more than just a brewery. It’s a bar, restaurant, outdoor beer garden, and event venue. Amid the exposed brick walls, chunky wood beams, tiled floors, comfy bar stools, and wood chairs you’ll find the event spaces you need, no matter the size of the crowd. Â
You’ll have space for 90 seated or 150 standing people in the Semi-Private event space. If you don’t need quite that much space, check out the Small Group Semi-Private event space. It has space for 40 seated or 50 standing guests.
When you need a much larger space for business functions, consider an Inside Buyout. It gives you space for 125 seated or 275 standing guests. If that’s not enough space, there’s a Full Buyout option too, which accommodates up to 275 seated or 400 standing guests!
Perhaps you need something small for smaller private parties. The Tasting Room has space for 24 seated or 45 standing guests.Â
Do you have an outdoor event coming up? If you haven’t found the perfect venue yet, this may be it. The Beer Garden is an attractive outdoor event space. It’s a neatly paved area with picnic tables and outdoor lamps for light and warmth at night. It can accommodate up to 150 seated or 300 standing guests.Â
What the San Francisco Brewing Company Venue is Great For
San Francisco breweries are not only good for making great beer. They’re also perfect for having a great time. That’s certainly the case at this venue, with its craft beers, delicious pub food, and appealing event spaces.Â
The San Francisco Brewing Company also offers a selection of interactive games and even a cocktail menu to keep the good times rolling. Â
2. The Winery Collective
San Francisco isn’t just a great party city. It’s also near some of the best California vineyards, and that means it has the best wines to go with that party atmosphere. And your guests will discover them, at the Winery Collective on Jefferson Street.
The tasting room features top wines from the surrounding winemaking regions. But the Winery Collective isn’t just a winery and tasting room. It is also an exciting event venue, with space for 50 seated or 75 standing guests.  Â
What the Winery Collective is Great For
Does your client have a keen interest in California wines? This may be the perfect venue for their private event.Â
They can share their love of Californian wines with their guests, without having to travel to countless vineyards, wineries, wine cellars, and tasting rooms. This venue offers over 50 distinctive wines from small, boutique wineries and a unique event space for sampling them with friends.
3. Southern Pacific Brewing
Something’s brewing at Southern Pacific Brewing on Treat Avenue, but we’re not just talking about their range of craft beers. A lively party scene is brewing here too, with two event spaces available, The Alley and The Mezzanine.
The Alley is a semi-private event space. With its concrete floors and art-lined walls, it has an interesting industrial-chic vibe, suitable for urban casual events. The Alley can seat up to 48 people at communal tables, or accommodate up to 150 standing guests.
Like the Alley, the Mezzanine seats 48, but for reception-style events, it has room for up to 70 standing guests. This is the perfect choice for your events that require more privacy. Located upstairs from the main bar and dining area, it offers private dining with a designated bar and staff.
Both event spaces also offer a private bathroom for the convenience of your event guests.
What the Southern Pacific Brewing Venue is Great For
Like other San Francisco breweries, this venue has some great beer choices. But it also offers an elevated pub lunch and cocktails to turn every crowd into a party. Indoor plants and trees add a touch of softness to an otherwise industrial scene.Â
Are you planning on adding some entertainment at your event? That’s not a problem. There’s a 60″ TV for you to use for a slideshow at your Mezzanine event.
4. The Barrel Room
From the informal spaces, craft brews, and pub fare of San Francisco breweries we move now to the wine cellars of San Fran’s dining establishments. The Barrel Room on Sansome Street deserves a mention, as this is a perfect venue for exclusive dinners with wine tastings.
The Wine Cellar is perfect for small dinner parties and wine-tasting events, with capacity for 14 seated guests. Don’t worry about adding any decor, that’s already taken care of in this high-end cellar. The walls are lined with redwood shelves stacked with bottles of fine wine.
Are you looking for a larger wine-themed dining area? The Wine Room has enough room for 25 seated guests. It’s also ideal for cocktail parties and happy hour events, with a standing capacity of 40 people. Here, too, wine bottles lining the wall provide decor. This space has an attractive custom redwood bar and ceiling.
The Barrel Room also offers two other event spaces: the Main Dining Room and Underground Lounge, for all your upcoming events in San Francisco.
What The Barrel Room Venue is Great For
The Barrel Room is a fine dining establishment. It offers a selection of both cold and hot appetizer platters, entrĂ©e platters, fruit plates, dessert platters, and coursed menus (three and four courses). There is also a four-course wine dinner option.Â
The wide range of dining choices paired with the high-end event spaces makes The Barrel Room the perfect venue for high-end and formal events. If your client is keen on a wine-tasting event, this is a top candidate to consider.
5. The San Francisco Wine SchoolÂ
If you’ve searched through the top San Francisco breweries and wineries and still not found the perfect venue, the San Francisco Wine School may be the one.Â
This venue on Grand Avenue in South San Francisco is an education and event center with a difference. Situated on the top floor of the historic Fraternal Hall, it’s the perfect venue for everything from wine tastings and private dining experiences to engaging team-building events.Â
Guests will love the spacious, airy feel of this 4,000 square-foot space. Its high ceilings, large windows, and views of San Francisco Bay and the San Bruno Mountains create a calm and restful atmosphere.Â
Moveable acoustic walls allow the space to be used as one grand event space or up to three private rooms. The modular furniture allows table seating for 130 and reception-style standing gatherings of up to 400.
What the San Francisco Wine School Venue is Great For
The San Francisco Wine School offers exceptional versatility for your upcoming events. There are many themed packages available to event planners, and also customizable options. Events can be also hosted offsite at your venue of choice. There are even a variety of hybrid and virtual experiences available. Â
Are you planning a wine-tasting event in a client’s home? You’re in luck, they can help with that too. They have custom wine-tasting kits & glassware delivery, available to almost any U.S. state. So, your client can experience a professional wine-tasting event right in their own home.
6. Jettywave Distillery
If the San Francisco breweries you had in mind aren’t available for your event day, or you just haven’t found a favorite yet, consider this unique option. The Jettywave Distillery is in the middle of Princeton Harbor in Half Moon Bay, just a short drive from San Francisco.Â
It’s worth the trip because the distillery offers award-winning small-batch spirits including botanical gin, absinthe, Bourbon, single-malt whiskey, and liqueurs.
But that’s not all this coastal venue offers. They also have event spaces perfect for both private and corporate events. The Jettywave Distillery event space can accommodate up to 200 standing guests, ideal for corporate mixers and standing receptions.Â
You can find the perfect spaces for your smaller upcoming events here, too. The Slab Bar event space has six tables, eight feet of bar seating, and 30 indoor chairs. There's also the Swell Bar, an outdoor space with a full-service bar serving cocktails, wines, and beers.Â
The Bonfire Lounge, another outdoor space, has 14 tables, 60 chairs, and 40 lounge chairs, plus seven standing heaters and 12 firepits. This daytime outdoor seating area is nestled in the herb and fruit garden that provides most of the fresh ingredients for Jettywave’s distillations and mixologies.
What the Jettywave Distillery Venue is Great For
The Slab Bar features a reclaimed cypress trunk tasting bar and reclaimed wooden surfboard decor. That makes it great for your clients with a passion for sustainability.Â
Meanwhile, the Bonfire Lounge is the perfect event space solution when you need an outdoor space on days with a chill in the air. And seated among the venue's fresh herb gardens, guests will enjoy a fragrant experience too.Â
7. DokkaebierÂ
What do Asian culture, folklore, and interesting beers have in common? The answer is, a lot more than you would think. And you’ll soon discover why, at Dokkaebier. This is a brewery, taproom, and event space in neighboring Oakland that specializes in Asian craft beer.Â
The name Dokkaebier is based on the word dokkaebi, the name for mysterious, shape-shifting creatures in Korean folklore. But don’t worry, this venue is free of shapeshifters. All you will find is a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere and a wide selection of experimental brews, ideal for casual events.
Unlike the more conventional San Francisco breweries, this unique Oakland venue offers Asian-inspired brews. They craft their brews with traditional Asian ingredients like bamboo leaves, lemongrass, Szechuan peppercorns, and galangal. Even kimchi cultures play a role in the beer-making process!
This fun, informal event space has room for 50 seated or 100 standing people.
What the Dokkaebier Venue is Great For
Although not a traditional event venue, this may be a suitable space for casual birthday celebrations or after-work gatherings with colleagues. While many San Francisco breweries are suitable for casual gatherings, Dokkabier offers something extra with a taste of Asian culture.Â
They also ship their products throughout California. Keep this in mind when you’re looking for unique beverages for an upcoming event. This will please your clients with Korean heritage, those who love all things Asian, or anyone who likes enjoying new and unique flavor experiences.Â
Tips for Planning a Brewery or Winery Event in San Francisco
San Francisco breweries and wineries are some of the best event spaces to consider when you need the perfect venue for a unique experience. And you’ll find a great selection on the Perfect Venue Marketplace. But first, here are some tips for planning a brewery or winery event.
- Before you book a brewery, winery, or similar venue, check that your client is happy with such a choice. Although these are excellent venues for many types of events, they are perhaps not the best choices for family events with children attending.
- Breweries, wineries, and distilleries are not simply event venues. They are working businesses and may have strict rules about what you may or may not bring in from the outside. Always check their rules on this issue, first.
- Do you need meals or catering for the event? Although many breweries offer food, it is usually limited to casual, pub-style fare and snacks. Specialized catering is not the norm. Wine-tasting rooms are often associated with restaurants that have more elevated food and drink options.Â
- Will the event be filmed or photographed? Breweries have a unique, industrial look, and while that may suit certain event themes, it is not always the most aesthetically pleasing backdrop for videos and photos. Carefully examine the surroundings before you book the venue.
Why You Should Choose a Brewery for a Party
San Francisco breweries offer some of the best beer and the best event spaces for magical birthday and holiday parties. They are also ideal for the more casual end-of-year office parties and team-building sessions. And, of course, they’re the obvious choice for clients who are beer fans.Â
The industrial look provides a unique backdrop on which to build contemporary-styled informal events. San Francisco breweries are also typically very spacious, both indoors and out. So you will have plenty of space for those larger groups.
If you’re unsure whether a venue is a great fit for a private event, check out our complete guide on how to choose private event venues.Â
Why You Should Choose a Winery For an Event
San Francisco wineries offer some of the best event spaces for memorable private events and corporate events. They are the perfect choice for all your clients who are oenophiles — that is, lovers or connoisseurs of wine.Â
Wineries, wine cellars, and tasting rooms can usually accommodate reasonably large-sized gatherings but often have the perfect look for small, intimate gatherings too. They are incredibly versatile, and suited to both formal and semi-formal events.
Regardless of how versatile a winery or wine cellar may be, it should still meet the criteria your event requires. Our guide to the top 10 criteria for the perfect event space will help you decide.Â
Find the Perfect Breweries and Wineries on the Perfect Venue Marketplace
San Francisco breweries make great party venues, as do the wineries, tasting rooms, and wine cellars throughout the city. You’re sure to find the perfect venue on the wine and beer scene for your more unique events. You can find these and other exciting venues on the Perfect Venue Marketplace.Â
Our easy search function allows event planners to find the right venue for every location, and every occasion, in mere minutes. Just enter your event criteria, such as event type, number of guests, and desired location. You’ll instantly find loads of potential venues to browse through and choose from.
