San Francisco’s O’Keeffe’s Bar keeps its neighborhood charm through decades of change

By Loureen Ayyoub

In the ever-changing landscape of San Francisco, one thing has remained constant in the city’s Inner Richmond neighborhood: the unshakable Irish spirit at O’Keeffe’s Bar.

The no-frills pub on Balboa Street, recently named one of the city’s legacy businesses, has been open since 1972. For decades, it has survived on something rare in the modern city: loyalty, affordability, and the steady hand of its longtime owner, Annie O’Keeffe.

“It’s all my Irish ho-bos,” O’Keeffe joked. “Haha. No. All the patriots. They’re very good. Very nice.”

O’Keeffe runs the bar with an old-school approach, one that has kept regulars coming back for decades. The drinks are strong, the prices are low, and the payment method? Cash only.

“The machine is over there. If they need to cash a check, go over there and cash it,” she said, pointing toward the nearby ATM.

That straightforward mindset is something she shared with her late husband, Tim O’Keeffe, with whom she co-owned the bar. Together, they built a space that has become a cornerstone for locals and a touchstone for Irish culture in the neighborhood.

Outside, a leprechaun drawing on the bar’s signage advertises “stiff drinks,” and inside, Annie delivers. She is quick with the pour and even quicker at the register.

A big reason for that? Steady and low prices.

“Well, I think the price is right,” O’Keefe said. “It’s only four dollars for a beer. And five dollars for a mixed drink. So they like the price.”

While many San Francisco bars have gone digital, introducing mobile payments and automated systems, Annie has stuck to her roots and to her regulars.

She keeps the business lean, employing just a small group of trusted staff, and maintains a cash-only policy to avoid rising fees and complexity.

Though Annie says she sometimes misses Ireland, it’s clear that O’Keeffe’s has become more than just a business; it’s her community.

“This woman. Annie O’Keeffe. I have taken her with me seven times to the race tracks!” one longtime customer exclaimed, raising a glass.

“They’re all like family,” Annie said. “But don’t step on Annie’s toes!”

At O’Keeffe’s, family is a loose term, extended to anyone who respects the rules, enjoys a good drink, and pays in cold cash.