June 10, 2025—The debut of Humble Sea Brewing Co.’s latest tap house, on Pier 39 in San Francisco, has landed with some surprises.
Chief among them: Amid peak tourist traffic, the neighborhood vibe Humble Sea started with at its Westside Santa Cruz persists in a new way, as co-founder Frank Scott Kreuger observes.
“Honestly, the biggest surprise has been how many locals are showing up to crush beers with us on the pier,” he says. “We always hoped we’d attract San Francisco’s beer nerds and hometown fans, but we also know Pier 39 can feel like it’s ‘for tourists only.’
“So seeing true beer heads trek out here—even with the crowds—is rad.”
That echoes action at HSB’s beer garden on a different pier, now entering full summer expression.
“It reminds us a lot of our Santa Cruz Wharf location, where we’ve seen a similar vibe: locals mixing with visitors and showing up strong for good beer in a wild spot,” Kreuger says. “That’s what we were betting on, and it’s awesome to see it playing out.”
Up in S.F., shift lead Eli Morin notes some sightseers cross-over to familiar faces, fast.
“We’ve seen a lot of tourists who become short-term regulars,” he says. “They’re like, ‘Alright, cool,’ and make a little home base for a few days in a row.”
Vacationers, post-work professionals and post-Giants-game locals—and at least one Santa Cruz group up for the afternoon ballgame—all populated the tidy inside-outside space on Edible’s Thursday afternoon visit.
It turns out HSB’s award-winning greatest hits and ever-changing new releases continue to translate across venues.
See also the Alameda, Pacifica and Felton outposts, which inform the strategy here.
“If there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s that people love food,” Kreuger says. “Beer is great, but beer and tacos? That’s the move.”
The modest taproom on Pier 39 taproom precludes a kitchen, so Humble Sea approached neighboring Taco Cantina to arrange QR code service delivered to your table.
“It’s like we’re their beer garden and they’re our kitchen,” Kreuger says. “Total win-win.”
Another element at work: Maintaining continuity in product while mixing up what surrounds it.
“We really lean into what makes each spot unique—whether it’s the geography, the architecture, or just the general vibe,” Krueger says, citing the redwoods at the Felton tavern versus this airy spot on the water. “That contrast is intentional. We want each location to offer a totally different experience, so it feels like a little adventure hopping between them…we want folks to feel like they’re collecting the whole set.”
The various ways to approach Humble Sea S.F. personally—whether as a new fan or old head, a vacationer or local, from MoBay or Yay Area—reflects how you can visit logistically speaking.
It’s possible to take the main thoroughfare, and embrace the people watching and lack of spatial awareness on Pier 39.
Or, you can roll with ample elbow room, walking (or biking!) down the almost completely uninhabited perimeter walkway, with harbor views and a direct line at HSB’s newest jewel.
More at humblesea.com.
About the author
Mark C. Anderson, Edible Monterey Bay's managing editor, appears on "Friday Found Treasures" via KRML 94.7 every week, a little after 12pm noon. Reach him via mark@ediblemontereybay.com.
