First Date Ideas San Francisco
Low-Key First Date Ideas, Alcohol-Free Date Ideas, Coffee Date Ideas, First Date Ideas San Francisco, Fun Date Ideas, Coffee Shops Dates, Daytime Date Ideas SF
Last updated Updated March 13, 2025
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First Date Ideas San Francisco, Fun Things To Do
Dating in San Francisco can be brutal. Many people fail to get past the likes, matching and conversation stages of online dating. If you manage to get a yes to a date, that doesn’t mean the date will show up or appear like their photos. If this is you, let’s get in touch: https://eddie-hernandez.com/dating-services-for-men-women/
As a Bay Area native, photographer, and dating coach, I spend a lot of time navigating the city looking for fun places to take photos, identifying great spots for first dates, and helping individuals expand their hobbies & interests, finding bars/restaurants to meet singles. For my thoughts on coffee dates in general, check out this post!
This is a curated list of first-date spots and first-date ideas in San Francisco. It will be updated regularly, unlike other lists that are outdated. Organized by:
outdoors
wine bars
bars w/ great food
low key restaurants
fancy restaurants w/ cocktails
daytime/coffee date ideas
Paid subscribers also get access to my other curated lists (happy hours, trivia nights, apt guides, where to meet singles, late night food, where to meet vc’s and more).
Related reads:
Bar Trivia List In SF | First Date Ideas In SF | Apartment Guide for SF
Happy Hour List in SF | Date Ideas In SF | Best Places To Meet Singles In SF
Social Clubs San Francisco | Run Clubs Bay Area | Third Spaces San Francisco
Best Wine Bars San Francisco | Bars With Activities/Games
First Date Spots San Francisco; Fun Date Ideas, Coffee Dates
In a survey of users a while back, Hinge came up with some interesting insights about first dates. According to their survey, drinks were the most likely to yield a first date, followed by coffee, lunch and dinner (in descending order). Hinge is one of the more popular apps in SF but definitely not the only option in town.
While coffee dates can be efficient, they can be hard to build any sort of chemistry and in some cases can be viewed as low-effort dates. Like with any good first date idea, it’s important to have a plan and sell your date idea (you can’t expect to get someone more excited about a date than what you convey in your tone, planning).
Know your audience. Some people are busy so coffee dates can be easier to obtain. Lunch dates don’t take up valuable night/weekend nights with friends so these can be solid options to get your foot in the door. Dinner dates are great if you know how to plan for it (typically, bar seats at restaurants that allow for you to get snacks if you are in the mood are great).
If you are not getting second dates that often, might want to read this.
First Date Spots San Francisco
Stoa Bar, Lower Haight
Stoa is a great spot as it is centrally located and offers amazing cocktails (some of my favorites in the city) and great bar bites to share, continue the date. This place is on my list for late-night bites in the city and has outdoor seating as well.