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- Hours:
Mon-Sun 10 am - 2 am
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
Ying F. said: "One of my favorite causal bars in the haight. Actually, there is nothing super fancy in the haight. Everything here is pretty relax and causal. It's nice for me to break out of the financial/soma/marina yuppy scene once in a while…" read more »
48 reviews for Smitty's Bar
Review Highlights
"Great shuffleboard and four pool tables."
(in 12 reviews)
"Great local dive bar right on the waterfront."
(in 20 reviews)
"Five stars if they got a new shuffleboard table."
(in 15 reviews)
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48 reviews in English
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Review from Gabriel C.
San Francisco, CA
8/25/2011
Great local dive bar right on the waterfront. Some of the friendliest people around, especially the lady bartender. They sell nice smacks and have fun pool tables, foosevall, and shuffleboard tables! Great place to go for a pint
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Review from Rylan C.
7/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
Smitty's is the perfect place in the neighborhood to grab a drink with a lot of familiar places. However, I wish this place felt more like a comfortable pub rather than dive bar.
This is your average bar where you can grab a cold drink and not expect anything fancy. Pluses are that there is a shuffle board, plenty of pool tables, and plenty of TVs to watch the Giants games. -
Review from Brian C.
Sausalito, CA
8/2/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Just a good, basic, neighborhood dive with 4 pool tables and shuffleboard and lots of room. I've been here a few times now with a small group of people and had a good time. Glad to have it nearby home...
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Review from Marc A.
5/2/2010 1 Check-in Here
So this is what a "dive bar" is like in Sausalito.... Ok, I'll take it for what it is and be happy with that. Maybe I just expect less from my dive bars.... I don't know.
Sure you can play pool and spend quarters on the digital juekbox but geez they don't even have a Golden Tee!
Maybe the "bum" outside the doorway selling his paintings has a clue... nope, he just told me to friend him on Facebook if I wanted to know anything. Oh well... -
Review from Jane K.
12/27/2009
A few years ago this review would have been a 1-2 star. I hated the bartenders at Smitty's, mostly because I came in here and had a tendency to cause a bit of a ruckus. Not sure why, but Smitty's was always able to get me riled up. Whether it was drunken houseboat heathens stealing my pool table or stuck up thirtysomething divorcees whining that me and my underage friends were stealing their thunder...we got thrown out of here a few times. It could have just been the underage part but it's more interesting to blame small town scandals.
Recently, a friend and I swung through here after brown bagging two bottles of champagne at the new Trieste (I think it's called A Touch of Rome now) and despite the rain and the holiday weekend, Smitty's was on fire. All the pool tables were full. I tried to negotiate a game of shuffleboard only to recieve blank stares from the older dude sanding his lane. I guess my oversized flannel and skater shoes weren't having their usual persuasive effect on these men. So despite the lack of bar games we sidled up to the bar and enjoyed $7 grey goose sodas (this is especially exciting for me coming from New York where they are twice the price usually).
The bartender was sweet and friendly plus the patrons were actually not too bad looking for suburban folks. Overall, I was impressed and will now put this back on my radar when I'm visiting the folks. And now that my ruckus-causing days are over, I think they're happy to have me. -
Review from Bridget W.
Laguna Beach, CA
10/6/2009 ROTD 3/20/2010
Go, just go.
You won't be disappointed, that is, as long as you are not expecting a fancy lounge where the creme de la creme of Marin citizens are sipping on pricey martinis.
This is a local's joint. Old, rustic, with no nonsense bartenders and enough people watching to last you an evening. My fiancé and I view this as our spot, because when we were dating, this was the only bar in Marin where we could stay for hours, talk all night and chuckle when our favorite, odd local sat down in their usual spot, at their usual time.
This is as unique as Marin gets. A fun local vibe in an otherwise typical town. -
Review from Drue C.
San Francisco, CA
2/12/2007
It may just be the night I went, or the alcohol I consumed prior to arrival, but I swear everyone in this place was on drugs of one sort or another, maybe to help them cope with the big chip on their shoulder.
Sausafuckinlito!!!
Extra star for strong drinks and pool tables. -
Review from Karsten P.
San Francisco, CA
9/30/2008
This is basically the maintenance bar for people living in Sausalito -- both the folks on the hill and the variety of boat-dwellers. Smitty's has a rich history that is worth looking up -- it actually started as a beer and soda pop bottling plant, then became a combination bar and Chinese restaurant in the late 30's.
This must have been a crazy place when Marinship, just across Bridgeway, was cranking out Liberty ships and oil tankers during WW2, what with 20,000 or more workers coming off shift at all hours and thirsty. It still is, but it's a different kind of crazy.
The boat people are a fringy tapestry of salty mariners, old hippies, FiDi bachelors, and au pairs. And although the people on the hill may have more money, a lot of them are kind of on the loco side too. This makes Smitty's a fascinating place to have a beer on pretty much any night of the week. You are likely to have a conversation or two here that will stick with you for a while.
Keep in mind though, that this is their neighborhood place -- it may be a joint, but remember you're a guest. Be respectful and you're likely to have an enjoyable visit. -
Review from Robin G.
Sausalito, CA
7/4/2009
This place was a lot different than I expected based on the previous reviews....
Of course I was there for the 4th of July Parade in Sausalito, and the judging booth is directly outside... and the fact that the Cal Alumni Marching Band marches right on in to Smitty's playing Cal songs.... Perhaps just perhaps this made me real happy.... And Smittys is really cool to Cal... they put ply board on the pool tables so the band could lay down their instruments and in the back they provided free beer to the Bears... I thought it was a nice touch...
Or was it that I was with my three best guy pals in the world.... or maybe it was because everyone was happy to be an American today at Smittys.....
The Bloody Mary I had was just okay.... but it was just okay enough for me to have two of em.... The bartender we had who happened to be one of the owners was funny as hell....
I really enjoyed myself.... You can tell its a nice mix of people who are probably regulars most of the time. A real cross section of Marin. I'd go back again.... I hope to at the very least go back next year for the 4th. I forgot how much fun it was to watch a small town parade and be with like minded people on a very special holiday.
One minor suggestion is "please put hooks under the bar for women to hang their purses and/or men and women to hang their jackets". I am so use to finding hooks that I went on a "feel for one" search and yuck all I found was gum.... Gross!!! (note to self... don't feel. Bend down and look instead) -
Review from red c.
Oakland, CA
8/5/2008
It's a dump and for that I love it.
Here's the thing, someday bars like this are going to disapear, or at least they will in places like Marin, hell they're practically gone now. The only one's left are where the people running it own the building, or they have low rent from years back.
People can't make it in this business anymore, running a half way house for wayward alcholics, which is sad because they'll eventually all be replaced with Starbucks, and yuppies on laptops, in workout clothing, talking too loud on their I-phones about their spinning classes, and their organic food choices (YAWN).
This is a dying breed man, sad to say but it's true.
So if you can stand a little color in your life, if you don't mind sitting next to someone who may not have showered in the last 48 hours, and whose clothing really ISN'T Downey Fresh . . .
I love bars like Smitty's man, they remind me simpler times.
P.S. was back in Smitty's recently one afternoon, there were about 8 guys there total and we were all watching Planet of the Apes, the commentary was classic. -
Review from Jessica L.
San Mateo, CA
6/20/2007
So, went to Smitty's for a small after work happy hour. They have a decent selection of beers at a good price and 4 good pool tables as well as a fancy digital jukebox.
The scene and hometown drunks is what brings this place down BUT if you come with a nice sized group and take over your own area its great plus you can get pizza delivered half price! AWESOME! -
Review from Domo S.
San Francisco, CA
7/4/2011 1 Check-in Here
Yeap... This is Sausalito's version of a dive bar. Good mix of people from all walks of life and solid bar-keepers. Not really my kind of place but I know people who love the vibe.
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Review from Michael B.
Corte Madera, CA
6/20/2008
AHHHHHH, SMITTY'S! The beer is cold, the music is loud, and......wait, there are cougars here?
Hell, who cares....it's Smitty's. I have really been coming here as a regular for 3 years, right after I started working in Sausalito. I play shuffleboard in a league (yes you heard me correctly). You can find us playing on Friday Nights. Unfortunately, "The Hurl" (us) has finished in 2nd place 2 years straight thanks to the still undefeated duo, "Potted Meat"
Damn you Potted Meat, DAMN YOU!
With or without the Shuffleboard Championship trophy, Smitty's is a great place to unwind with some coworkers after a rough week in Sausalito
Only negative....even when slow, it can take 10 minutes to get a drink. Come on, I'm thirsty down here! -
Review from Mollie T.
San Francisco, CA
4/1/2008
I give 1/2 a star for the being in an extra good mood due to beautiful weather last Sunday, and half a star for the entertaining patrons....
My coworkers used to stop by after work for drinks, always had a good time. The diviest of dive bars, which I'm a fan of.
HOWEVER...
They have stumbled across the surliest, unfriendliest bartender EVER.
Me and friend: How are your bloody Mary's?
Asshole Bartender: Spicy, blah blah, etc.
Me and friend: Great! Two, please.
5 minutes later.....
Friendly bar patrons: Hey, I think you forgot these ladies' drinks?
Asshole Bartender: Uh. yeah. OK.
(Bloody Mary's: not too bad, Ask three times for olives)
10 minutes later.....
Me and friend: What's on tap?
Asshole Bartender: I don't know, go down there and look.
Me and friend: Uhh. Ok.
To wrap this up, we didn't tip. Neither did the other patrons. Then the bartender walked outside and called them cheap bastards.
Nice. :~/ -
Review from Dee J.
Oakland, CA
1/18/2008
Dive bar....diiiiiiive bar. This place is the black sheep of Sausalito.
I enjoy the shufflepuck and pool tables....the beers on tap are okay. The cougars and helpless dudes trying to pick up the younger patrons are always good for entertainment.
I have not been here on a night other than Sunday nights, so I'm sure the people I am seeing are Bill W's relatives. If you didn't get the reference...Wikipedia it.
Keep a hand on your beer and the other (if you have another) on your pistola! -
Review from Evan B.
San Francisco, CA
2/11/2009
Pretty fun place!.....one of the only bars in Marin where a middle class wage earning person can enjoy themselves.
The shuffleboard is GREAT! There's lot's of room to move around as well... -
Review from Siamak S.
Santa Monica, CA
9/21/2007
One of the best bars in Marin! A classic at that. Always an eclectic array of people. It's a dive, but a Marin dive, that calls for young and old. A real don't give a sh*t attitude. If you wanna have fun, play pool, darts, shuffle puck, dance or laugh you can do them all at Smitty's. Been goin to Smitty's for years.
Check it out fo sho!!! -
Review from Blue R.
San Francisco, CA
6/21/2009
Since no one mentioned pinball, I will!
There is one game, which is usually shut off during the day. Just flip the switch yourself to turn it back on.
See other reviews for shuffleboard, etc.
I like to come here with my bagel dog from the deli across the street and play a little pinball during the day.
Super nice and generous bartenders. Reasonable prices.
Nice & divey but not gross (the bar. not sure about the bartenders ; )Listed in: Pinball
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Review from Gina M.
San Francisco, CA
10/27/2008
A dank little place to play pool and shuffleboard, haven to the locals and mystery to tourists. I'm glad to have stepped in this place, as its color and history are as vibrant as any you'll find in the bay.
I must be old, so three stars for: music a bit loud, service a bit sloshy, atmosphere not to my typical dive-liking. Overall, good fun.
Beware if you shoot pool: not only are the locals good; you'll have to wait for a table. -
Review from Jay P.
Sausalito, CA
10/17/2007
Anyone who doesn't like Smitty's or rate it highly in the category of Dive Bars isn't entirely clear on the concept.
I found Smitty's in 2006, after moving from the chilly inner Richmond to the warmth of Sausalito. Sausalito rocks, but we do roll up our sidewalks at night.
Smitty's is great for those nights when you don't want to drive over the bridge. Here you have 4 pool tables, a long shuffleboard game, a juke box, the requisite TV showing some form of sports and a bar stocked with the basics.
I'd compare Smitty's to the Bitter End on Clement Street, except the pool tables are better, the crowd friendlier, and no one smokes inside.
This place comes complete with local characters, but they add color and are friendly to boot. Seriously... some yelpers described them like vagrants, but that's a bit overblown. What you have is a mix of yuppies, houseboat dwellers and ancient mariners, and the nautical types just weren't great about applying sunscreen over the years.
If you're looking to quaff something in a martini glass while discussing the latest gallery opening or the Dow Jones Index, head across the street to Sushi Ran. If you'd like a shot and a beer over a game of pool, Smitty's is for you.Listed in: The Places I Go Out
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Review from Tiffany B.
San Francisco, CA
11/4/2008
It is hard to hate a bar that is exactly what it wants to be. This is the place that everyone goes for a night cap on a Wednesday, meeting-up with friends all night on Saturday, and stop by after work on a Monday. It is meant for locals... and you will always find them at Smitty's. The service is what you expect of a sailor-dive: that don't take shit from anyone. The atmosphere is a mixture of 'whatever' and sea-loyalty.
My first time in (as an official Sausalito resident) was met with handshakes and a couple of drinks-on-the-house. A local walked in with her 3 month old baby and proceeded to sit her on the bar saying with a wink, "It's her first time dancing up here" - to which a guy near-by chimed in, "It ain't goin to be the last time".
The drinks are strong, which makes sense because everyone stumbles home. Pool is friendly and the music is usually loud (depending on the bartender)... you'll always meet someone new with a great story at Smitty's. -
Review from trevor l.
San Francisco, CA
5/25/2008
Did that guy just piss himself? Yes.
Don't tell any of those kids at the Deuce that this is the spot. Shuffleboard tournaments and four pool tables.
Marin is pretty bad. -
Review from Jessica d.
Sausalito, CA
11/1/2008
Smitty's is definitely an "oh no, wait. That IS her real face" kind of bar on any given night. It's the kind of place that you could walk in one night and have a blast, only to start a fight the next. You just never know.
Halloween at Smitty's is INSANE. I couldn't bring myself to go in costume, but sort of wish I had because so many people were dressed up. This is the night when the pickled regulars go all out and really bring the heat. Live band, dancing ghouls and witches, lots of beverages sloshing around in the humidity. You could tell that the patrons were really into Halloween and out to hurt themselves in the celebration. Great people watching! -
Review from Edward P.
San Francisco, CA
11/19/2007
Fabulous from what I remember each time.
If you are on the piss this is the place. I managed to drop my blackberry in the loo having a jimmy riddle.
10 out 10 for dive's.
My now wife was taken on a niight out and made a huge mistake in having red wine, I told her I"Il never tell you what to do, but that is a really bad idea". Next morning she groans and says "I been smittied".
Never a bad night. -
Review from Tay M.
Corte Madera, CA
3/13/2011
One of my fave local bars.
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Review from Karen N.
Castro Valley, CA
8/21/2007
Smitty's rates highly in the dive bar category... my rating is based on this comparison/categorization, NOT how Smitty's ranks in the bar universe.
With that said, Smitty's does not disappoint as a dive bar with lots of character... and characters. You probably won't be able to get your $13 Absolut Pear Lemon Drop here, and that's a good thing - this is a beer and whisky joint. There are always a few ancient anchor-out houseboat hippies hanging around, and it's a fun spot, with pool and shuffleboard and plenty of people-watching opportunities. -
Review from Marianne A.
Alameda, CA
11/10/2010
This place probably doesn't WANT five stars but it is one of my favorite places. Unpretentious and gritty. Smitty's rocks.
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Review from Ian C.
Sausalito, CA
11/29/2010
I like this place. A no non-sense bar. A great place to get local Sausalito feel. Not many tourist here. Pool, Shuffleboard, Foos Ball and Beer, what could be better.
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Review from Tom R.
San Francisco, CA
7/6/2010
Went there on fourth of July. Since I live in SF and am used to a multi-cultural bar experience being the norm- my rating may be a little skewed.
I've never in my life felt a more clickier place in the world. I won't spend another dime at the place. The poor bartender lady was overworked- her attitude seemed stressed and she was definitely burnt out.
It was so obvious if you weren't a "local" .....you were going to get looks.
Don't try to talk to randoms- they'll think you are threatening them. I'm just used to a more open feel like in the city- and it's only 10 min away. The locals may need to try to get out of their comfort zone and try a new city. There is life outside sausalito. -
Review from Jamie D.
6/17/2008
don't expect anything more than a place to get your drink on. regulars do just that day in & day out.
fun people watching if you're not the drunk & alone one being watched.
sitting by the dock of the bay, wasting time, so much time, drunk.Listed in: My Neighborhood, Top Restaurants
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Review from Shiho F.
Carmel by the Sea, CA
6/7/2007
I felt like I was in a movie. Downed a couple Corona's with the locals at this dark dingy (in a good way) bar while my friend purchased a boat. Not just any boat... Clea.
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Review from J R.
San Francisco, CA
2/26/2007
Five stars if they got a new shuffleboard table.
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Review from Tom T.
Petaluma, CA
8/17/2010
Great Dive bar. Schooner sized beer and straight cues.
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Review from Christy M.
San Francisco, CA
3/27/2007
Best part of this place is the people watching, it's like every homeless and/or alcoholic person in Marin decided to have their nightly meeting here. A hole in the wall if there ever was one, I wouldn't suggest falling into it, you might pick up a dermatological infection.
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Review from Damon S.
Sausalito, CA
2/25/2008
Poor mans Silver Peso! This is my local bar/hang out and have been coming here for longer than I wish to publish. I have to laugh at the comments about "Cougars" in this place. If you are a "Cougar" and go in here you really need your head examined. Even the occasional Manther is way out of place here. This is a "Dive Bar" and I don't say that in a bad or malicious way. If you look up dive bar on http://urbandictionary... they should have a picture of this place! Can I do that?
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Review from Joel S.
San Diego, CA
1/13/2010
Just your typical dive bar. Busy for a sausalito place. I dont remember how much we paid for drinks lol but the people were nice and they had good music on the juke box.
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Review from M C.
San Francisco, CA
11/29/2009
Aww one of the only hole-in-the- wall bars is Sausalito, but that's a good comment! It is like another world. Everyone is great and one of the female bar tender's is a hoot!
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Review from Mara R.
Mill Valley, CA
3/16/2010
Love me some Shitty's ! considering I was born in Sausalito and everyone at the bar knows me since, well, I was in diapers, I am deff a local. This bar is great because the drinks are pretty cheap and the people are always crazy. My younger brother plays pool there all the time and loves it. My dad comes in for drinks so sometimes it's a family gathering. My bestfriend and I have had many a great night at smittys since ...well since we could drink legally and probably before that. And yes the half priced pizza is great. Sometimes smittys is hit or miss but when its good its good. I do like it better than duece and peso.
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Review from petaluma d.
Petaluma, CA
2/13/2008
as dive bars go... this is as good as it gets!
good beers on tap, pool table darts... what more could you want?
fun place! -
Review from yourmom g.
San Rafael, CA
1/5/2009
Schmitty's as we used to call it is classic. Used to live by here. Great shuffleboard and four pool tables. Not too crowded. Great place to relax after work in marin, have a few beers and play pool with your co-workers. The single's scene for 20 year olds is non existent however. Go to san francisco for that, ;-) Fun st. patty's day party with live band.
