The entrance is at 45 McAllister Street, not the 1100 Market Street address on your phone. First-timers circle the block twice before finding the unmarked hotel door that leads to Charmaine's, the rooftop bar perched 120 feet above Mid-Market on top of the San Francisco Proper Hotel. The flatiron building gives you sweeping views down Market Street toward the downtown skyline, with City Hall's dome lit up after dark and fire pits scattered across the outdoor terrace.
Karpo shows you what's actually open right now on Market Street, with live hours for rooftop bars across the city and walking times from wherever you are.
It's a proper hotel rooftop—low theatrical lighting, European terrace aesthetic, lush greenery around intimate tables for two to four—not a party deck with bottle service. The crowd skews hotel guests and date nights, not bachelor parties. Cocktails run $15-20, the Proper Margarita made with Lalo Blanco and Fino sherry is the signature drink, and you can add California white sturgeon caviar to deviled eggs for $10 per egg if you're feeling flush.
The reservation fee and minimum spend
Friday and Saturday evenings require a $10 non-refundable reservation fee per person. It doesn't apply to your bill—it's a cover charge to book a table. Walk-ins are accepted based on availability, but fire pits and outdoor seating fill first, so you're gambling on weather and timing. The trick: arrive early on Saturday or Sunday afternoon at 4:00 PM when doors open to secure the best seating before evening crowds show up, though the reservation fee still applies to Saturday evening reservations.
There's also a $50 per person food and beverage minimum for parties of three or more on Friday and Saturday evenings. Couples are exempt—the minimum only kicks in at three people. Hotel guests are exempt from both the reservation fee and the minimum spend, which makes booking a room at the Proper worth considering if you're planning an extended visit or want to avoid the weekend surcharges altogether.
What opens when
Monday through Thursday, Charmaine's opens at 5:00 PM and closes at 11:00 PM. Friday it's 5:00 PM to midnight. Saturday shifts earlier—4:00 PM to midnight—and Sunday runs 4:00 PM to 11:00 PM. Some online listings show inconsistent weekday hours, but the official schedule confirms no earlier openings during the week.
The earlier Saturday and Sunday start times matter if you want to skip the reservation fee or grab outdoor seating before the fire pits are claimed. Sunset in summer means golden hour light across the skyline around 7:30 PM, which is also when the weekend crowd thickens and the $10 fee starts to feel justified.
What to order
The Proper Margarita is the drink to start with—Lalo Blanco tequila, Fino sherry, agave and lime, balanced and not too sweet. The Proper Paloma with tequila or mezcal, basil, grapefruit and salted agave is another signature option. Beer drinkers can get a $10 Tierra Madre Mexican lager, which is the only thing on the menu under $15.
Food runs from $15 Proper Fries to $70 for 15 grams of California white sturgeon caviar. The $30 half-dozen Market oysters are a solid middle option, and you can order $25 vodka oyster shooters with Grey Goose and add caviar for $10 more as an elevated bar snack. The $28 Maine lobster roll and $26 toasted fennel prime rib sliders are both filling enough to split. The $48 prime bavette steak tips are the most expensive non-caviar dish, and the $21 zucchini planks are the vegetable option that actually tastes like something.
Why this block works
Mid-Market is not a rooftop bar neighbourhood—it's a transitional stretch between Civic Center and SoMa that still feels rough around the edges after dark. Charmaine's is the polished exception, a hotel amenity that happens to be open to the public. The location gives you City Hall views that you can't get from Mission or Union Square rooftops, and the 120-foot elevation is high enough to feel removed from the street below without being so high you lose the architecture.
The fire pits make it work in fog and wind, which is most evenings. The indoor-outdoor layout means you're not trapped outside if the weather turns, and the bar counter inside is available for solo drinkers or walk-ins who don't want to wait for a table. It's not casual—this is a $20 cocktail spot with a dress code that's never posted but always enforced—but it's also not trying to be a nightclub.
Getting there and getting in
The address is 1100 Market Street, but the entrance is around the corner at 45 McAllister. Walk-ins work on weeknights, but reservations are recommended for weekends via OpenTable or by calling (415) 735-7777. The $10 reservation fee and $50 minimum only apply Friday and Saturday evenings, so Thursday is the move if you want the weekend vibe without the weekend costs.
Parking at the hotel is $47 per day with a six-hour limit, or $79 overnight. Don't drive. The Civic Center BART station is two blocks away on Market Street, and rideshare drops work best on McAllister. Charmaine's operates Monday through Sunday with the hours listed above, currently open as of 2026 as the rooftop bar at San Francisco Proper Hotel.
Please drink responsibly. Must be of legal drinking age.
Tags: #charmainesrooftop #midmarketsanfrancisco #sfproperhotel #rooftopbarssf #marketstreet #cityhallviews #firepitseason #propermargarita #weekenddrinks #sanfranciscorooftops #datenight #civiccentersf #sfcocktails #hotelbar #sfnightlife
All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Ask Karpo first
Ask Karpo whether Charmaine's is open tonight and what the wait looks like for walk-ins versus reservations. Check live routes from your location to the 45 McAllister entrance, not the Market Street address. Karpo can also show you other rooftop bars nearby if the $10 Friday/Saturday fee or $50 minimum spend changes your plans.
