By Christina Campodonico
With the San Francisco 49ers facing off against the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl on Sunday, the Bay Area—for the most part—is gearing up to cheer on the Niners in what promises to be an epic rematch between the two teams.
While your couch may be a fine viewing spot for most run-of-the-mill movie fare, this might be one occasion where you’ll want to get out and be with a crowd. In that spirit, we’ve rounded up some of the best spots to watch this year’s Super Bowl around the Bay. From a swirling Taylor Swift roller disco party to an oyster-fueled fête on Polk Street, here are over a dozen ways to party on Super Bowl Sunday—even if you’re not into football or keeping score.
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San Francisco
Swivel between cocktails and a sculpture wall at True Laurel
A swanky cocktail bar is not the usual scene for a raucous football party, but the Mission’s True Laurel is switching things up with its first-ever Super Bowl bash. (Reserve here.)
The upscale bar from Lazy Bear’s David Barzelay will serve American comfort food with a gourmet twist, including its signature dry-aged beef patty melt on slices of griddled pain de mie and twice-baked potatoes. But the real showpiece of the experience is the restaurant’s built-in Isamu Noguchi-inspired sculpture wall, where the big game will be projected.
🗓️ 11 a.m.-10 p.m.
📍 753 Alabama St., Mission
Roller disco with Swifties at Church of 8 Wheels
Some surmise that more young women will tune in this year due to Taylor Swift’s much-followed romance with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce. So we’ll see how many Gen Zs show up at Church of 8 Wheels’ rolling dance party on Sunday. Swift fans of all ages are welcome to swirl around and shake it off while the game (and Usher’s halftime show) are projected on a 20-foot screen.
🗓️ 3-7 p.m.
📍 554 Fillmore St., Alamo Square
🎟️ $15-$25
Join the Chiefs tribe at BuzzWorks
Chiefs fans may be in the minority around here, but there’s one haven where Kansas Citians can assemble undisturbed by Niners devotees. Craft beer and sports bar BuzzWorks announced last week that it would ban 49ers fans from its bar for the Super Bowl and throw a “Chiefs Fans Only” celebration where the “faithful” could congregate. Bar owner Vlad Cood has since said that his words were taken out of context but advised that Niners fans might feel more comfortable at his establishment’s sister bar, Butter, across the street.
🗓️ 11 a.m.
📍 365 11th St., SoMa
🎟️ No cover
Play the classics while you watch at Emporium Arcade Bar
It’ll be a game orgy at Emporium’s bash, where the main attraction will be projected on a 50-foot, high-definition screen. This is the place to go if your crew isn’t filled with football heads. While the game will be blasting, less sporty types can still get into the competitive spirit, playing the bar’s wide assortment of table and arcade games—from Pac-Man to air hockey.
Noon-10 p.m.
📍 616 Divisadero St., NoPa
🎟️ $10; 21+ only
Work out your nerves on a pingpong table at Spin
You can also get into the competitive spirit at pingpong lounge Spin’s Ultimate Super Bowl LVIII Watch Party. The table tennis social club co-founded by actress Susan Sarandon throws a tailgate-themed watch party, including an all-you-can-eat buffet and open bar.
You can follow the game on one of the sleek venue’s large-screen TVs, but if things get too tense, you can always turn your attention to a round of pingpong, which is unlimited the whole day.
🗓️ 2:30-8 p.m.
📍 690 Folsom St., SoMa
🎟️ $74.99+
Drop oysters and bottles at Mayes Oyster House
This popular spot for bivalves and watch parties throws a blowout bash for fans, featuring DJs, $1 oysters and even $250 table service. Whether you are on a limited budget or prepared to live large, 49ers attire is encouraged. Entry is free before 3 p.m.
🗓️ 2-8 p.m.
📍 1233 Polk St., Polk Gulch
Swoon over Usher at Manny’s
The community living room and civic events space Manny’s hosts a “Super Gay” football watch party that’s LGBTQ+-friendly and welcoming to people who don’t know a thing about football. Expect lots of sparkles and glitter at this party for those who only really care about the halftime show. You’ll get to see Usher—and his backup dancers—on a 100-inch screen.
🗓️ 3-8 p.m.
📍 3092 16th Street, Mission
🎟️ Free
Join the official Niners party at Thrive City
If you want to be at the center of the action—without buying a ticket to Vegas—head to Chase Center’s Thrive City, which is hosting the 49ers official watch party on Sunday.
Billed as an “authentic Levi’s Stadium experience,” the event will broadcast the game across the venue’s TVs and rev up fans with chants, scoring songs and swag giveaways. Admission is free, but diehards plan to RSVP via Eventbrite and get there early, as entry is first-come, first-served.
🗓️ 2-7 p.m.
📍1 Warriors Way, Mission Bay
🎟️ Free
Watch the Super Bowl Al Fresco at the Crossing at East Cut
If Thrive City gets too crowded and you’re looking for a similar vibe, head to the Crossing at East Cut, which is also hosting a free outdoor Super Bowl Watch party in its family-friendly beer garden and open-air food court, replete with patio furniture, umbrellas and picnic tables. The Crossing’s Greyhound bar will be the epicenter for watching the epic sports battle between the 49ers and the Chiefs on a giant screen, but if you get a craving, you can grab a taco, gyro or ice cream from the Crossing’s “gourmet grotto” of food kiosks.
🗓️ 2:30-7:30 p.m.
📍 200 Folsom St., East Cut
🎟️ Free
East Bay
Kick back on couches at the Parkway
Of course, you can just watch from the comfort of your own couch—but where’s the fun in that? If you’re looking for comfort and camaraderie, head to Oakland’s “second living room,” the New Parkway, which will project the face-off in a movie theater filled with comfy couches and armchairs—allowing you to cheer communally.
🗓️ 3:30 p.m.
📍 474 24th St., Oakland
🎟️ $16
Take in a cinematic experience at the Lot
Make your Super Bowl viewing experience even more cinematic at the Lot, a high-end movie multiplex with a restaurant, cafe and bar. The luxury theater is not only screening the big game in its state-of-the-art movie house. Your ticket also includes an unlimited barbecue buffet of hamburgers, chicken wings, ribs and all-beef hot dogs. If you’re feeling extra, you can even reserve a table or whole theater for your personal team.
🗓️ 2 p.m.
📍 6000 Bollinger Canyon Road, Suite 2300, San Ramon
🎟️ $70+
Peninsula & South Bay
Get nerdy pre-game at Hiller Aviation Museum
At this family-friendly pre-game event included with admission to the museum, the real football is almost an afterthought. You can learn to fly a drone through football uprights, learn about the aerodynamics of paper footballs, test out football-inspired parachutes and program robots to run plays. The event’s high point happens at noon when a real helicopter will drop hundreds of foam footballs from the sky.
🗓️ 10 a.m.-Noon
📍601 Skyward Road, San Carlos
🎟️ $14-$21
Blend golf, tacos, drinks and football at Tipsy Putt
Let’s give a quiet golf clap for Tipsy Putt’s celebratory Niners party. For $49 bucks—in honor of the 49ers, of course—you can mini-golf all afternoon long while checking in on the score in a private viewing area. Tacos are all-you-can-eat, and drinks are bottomless as well.
🗓️ 3 p.m.
📍 301 West McKinley Ave. #150, Sunnyvale
🎟️ $49