Hey everybody! It's hot out! We're getting some of our special San Francisco summertime, typically scheduled for May, early this year, and today and tomorrow I'm guess you are going to want to be enjoying an adult beverage al fresco. So we bring you our top choices for outdoor imbibing — either at spots that are mostly or entirely outdoor, or places that have nice back patios. They're likely all going to be hopping today, so be prepared.

Chambers Eat + Drink
The cozy, den-like interior of this Tenderloin spot at the always hip Phoenix Hotel has one of the best, most L.A.-like outdoor spaces in the city, surrounding an actual swimming pool. The drinks are good, the food is good, and the scene at happy hour can get kind of nuts. But on a day like today, it's right where you want to be in the heart of the city — note they don't open until 5 p.m., though, on weeknights. — Jay Barmann
601 Eddy Street at Larkin

El Techo De Lolinda
This Mission rooftop oasis is a popular spot for after-work margaritas and quesadillas that, thanks to their glass wind guards along the railings, remains comfortable even after night falls. The limited menu doesn't make for much of a dinner — more like drinking snacks — but the hand-made chorizo and platano maduro are both big winners. Pro tip: They take reservations for brunch. -- Eve Batey
2518 Mission Street (at 21st)

Mars Bar
This SoMa spot is good for a convivial lunch or quick dinner, but the real draw is the sunny side patio (complete with legit Tiki bar). We're also fans of the U-shaped bar inside, where regulars and locals make up a refreshing non-scene. Best of all, they have a lengthy Saturday afternoon happy hour (noon-6 p.m.), so you can stake out a spot and make a day of it. -- Eve Batey
798 Brannan (at Seventh Street)

Biergarten
A fenced-in outdoor bar in the middle of Hayes Valley, Biergarten is a fave with Euro expats (my German father-in-law loves this place) and beer-and-brat loving locals alike. From the people who brought us Deutschland-dining standby Suppenküche, their German street cred's legit — and they have pork pretzels to go with your big-ass mug of beer. PORK PRETZELS, you guys. It can get cold at night as the fog rolls in, so bring a blanket if you're planning on making an evening of it (they close at 9 Wed-Saturday, at 7 on Sunday). -- Eve Batey
424 Octavia (between Fell and Linden)

Virgil’s Sea Room
A patio with lovely string lighting, heat lamps, and people sits behind Virgil's, which is next door neighbors to El Rio, and has a nice symbiotic relationship with that bar. As in, during an El Rio day party, it's a great place to escape and still hear the music. Expect cocktails named for local legends, my favorite being the Warren Hellman, and sometimes cute dogs outside. Inside things are dark but warm and there's a solid jukebox. Chat up the bar staff, they're fantastic. — Caleb Pershan
3152 Mission Street between Powers and Fair Avenues

Arlequin Cafe and Wine Merchant
One of the most tranquil oases in the city is the lush, secluded patio in back of Arlequin and Absinthe, off Hayes. Any given day you can grab a glass, or a whole bottle of wine at Arlequin and take it out back to this secluded garden. If the weather's right, it's a pretty perfect date spot. Not to mention the fact that you've got easy access to food too, since the wine bar has a full lunch counter. Try to come here on a sunny Saturday or Sunday, though, and you will likely be hard-pressed to find a seat or free table. —Jay Barmann
384 Hayes Street near Gough

Sparrow Bar & Kitchen
Sparrow's lovely back patio is a great place to linger over breakfast, lunch, or dinner (their menu's here), and with an inventive beer and wine list (sorry, cocktail snobs, no hard booze) you'll want to stake out a spot for a long while. Friends with kids tell me that they're exceptionally child-accomodating, so if you want to slap some sunscreen on junior and bring him along, no worries there! They have a sweet happy hour menu of nibbly things and a brunch without much of a wait (at least, not at publication time), so it's good bet pretty much any time you're in the mood for an outdoor drink-and-dine. -- Eve Batey
1640 Haight Street (between Clayton and Belvedere)

Arguello
The newest oasis on this list is the pretty patio at Traci Des Jardins' six-month-old Presidio Mexican spot, Arguello. There's an awesome array of tequila and mezcal, and some brand new patio furniture to lounge on. Just don't head there late on a Sunday, because they're only open for brunch until 4 p.m., and evening hours are early too — they serve until 9 p.m. But walk-ins are always welcome. — Jay Barmann
50 Moraga Avenue in the Presidio, in the Officer's Club

The Eagle
This classic, even arguably historic example of a SoMa leather bar, opened in the early 1980s and was revived under new owners just a couple years back. It boasts one of the biggest bar patios in the city, complete with a grill area that gets fired up for Sunday beer busts which benefit various gay organizations around the city. On sunny days, the outdoor section will be packed with men of different ages and stripes — though it can tend to be a more seasoned crowd — and it helps that the patio is flanked by bars on two sides, for easy beer access. — Jay Barmann
398 12th Street at Harrison

The Sycamore
This little bar next to Sycamore Alley is near and dear to my heart. One bartender says that it's been called "Nicegeist" — a reference to Zeitgeist, of which the Sycamore is sort of a tiny version. There, a genuinely friendly staff serves a selection of about eight very well chosen craft beers alongside bar food like sliders and those infamous pork belly donuts. The bar's interior is cozy, if in a divey way. Also: board games. Sometimes: mulled wine. Weekends: bottomless mimosa brunch. The real showpiece is outside, a casual patio with two long picnic tables and a bit more seating. Note that it get a bit smoky and tight for space. They don't serve liquor at the Sycamore, but they do have Underberg, a high-proof digestif much like Fernet that comes in a tiny bottle. They'll show you how to drink it — all at once after rolling it around and tapping it on the bar. — Caleb Pershan
2140 Mission Street between 17th and 18th Streets

The Wild Side West
Bernal Heights' The Wild Side West has been a (gay) friendly neighborhood bar since it was founded in 1962 by a lesbian couple in Oakland. It's been in this location since '76, and the magic happens out back. Behind the main bar, there's a patio with a few nooks and crannies for starters, but descend the stairs into what can only be described as a wonderland of berzerk sculptures, lovely gardens, benches and bench swings. — Caleb Pershan
424 Cortland Avenue between Bennington and Andover Streets

Tee Off Bar and Grill
The Outer Richmond's Tee Off has a small outdoor area with a ping pong table and colorful picnic benches that is a winner with locals. It's a good place to hang out, and there's lots of bar food like a huge mac and cheese burger and "Oyster Orgy Fridays." They do pulled pork and put it in a waffle cone, so there's that. It's, okay, slightly grimy, but it's a strong pick for a neighborhood spot. — Caleb Pershan
3129 Clement Street between 32nd and 33rd Avenues

El Rio
The grand, homey patio at El Rio is home to one of the biggest monthly dance parties in town, Hard French, as well as Salsa Sundays several times a month, Swagger Like Us (a queer, hip-hop and house party), and Daytime Realness (a gay monthly dance party on third Sundays in warmer months). as well as a bunch of other stuff. Their Margaritas and Palomas are good and strong, they sell $2 Tecates, and the bartenders are all pretty friendly and cool. But if you're there for one of the big party days, get there early or there will be a horrible line. — Jay Barmann
3158 Mission Street

Photo: Andrew Dalton/SFist