20 TV Shows Set in San Francisco

What are the best TV shows set in San Francisco? From "Full House" to "Monk," this City by the Bay has been the backdrop to more than a dozen TV shows over the years.

My list of 20 San Francisco TV shows includes the locations around SF where they were filmed.

Top attractions, such as the Painted Ladies of Alamo Square, Union Square, and Chinatown, are among the most popular filming sites.

Disclaimer: I receive a small commission from some of the links on this page.

1. A Man on the Inside (2024)

One of the new shows set in San Francisco is a comical detective series starring Ted Danson.

He plays Charles, a retired man who embarks on a new life adventure when he answers an ad to help a private investigator conduct a secret investigation from within a nursing home. 

The exterior of the retirement community is filmed at 1201 California Street in Nob Hill, just a few blocks from where I live!

Between the Giants games and views of the Golden Gate, this is one of the best Netflix shows set in San Francisco. 

2. & 3. Full House (1987 - 1995) & Fuller House (2016 - 2020)

One of the most famous shows filmed in San Francisco is "Full House."

It's a family-friendly San Francisco sitcom that features the Tanners, including the widowed father, Danny Tanner (played by the late Bob Saget) and his daughters, D.J., Stephanie, and Michelle.

Other famous actors in this show include John Stamos, who played Uncle Jesse, and Dave Coulier, who played Uncle Joey.

The opening credits of this show made the Painted Ladies of Alamo Square recognizable around the world. In this scene, you will see the family playing in the park with downtown SF behind them.

This park is just a few blocks away from their house, which is at 1709 Broderick Street. (Although all of the interior shots of the Tanner house were filmed on a lot in Los Angeles.)

Other great locations in this San Francisco TV show from the 90s include the "crookedest street" (Lombard Street), the Golden Gate Bridge, Hyde Street, and the San Francisco Bay.

4. Looking (2014 - 2015)

This series on HBO was the first to feature all gay protagonists—three male friends living in present-day San Francisco.

You'll see typical scenes of SF life, including Chinatown and City Hall, Muni bus rides, nightlife in the Mission District, and quirky Folsom Street, known for its gay scene.

Despite receiving critical acclaim, the show was canceled after two seasons. They filmed "Looking: The Movie" to serve as the series finale, in which Patrick returns to San Francisco for closure.

In the film, you get to live the character's nostalgia for the relationships and places that made the City by the Bay so special for this young video game designer.

5. Monk (2002 - 2009)

Tony Shaloub plays the eccentric Adrian Monk, a mastermind detective dealing with obsessive-compulsive disorder.

To do his job, he travels around San Francisco working as a consultant on cases with the SFPD. Some of the locations include Union Square, Russian Hill, and Nob Hill, where his apartment is located.

Other San Francisco filming locations for this popular and comical San Francisco TV show include the Bay Bridge, North Beach, and the Palace of Fine Arts.

However, a lot of the show was filmed on stage sets in Los Angeles, and surprisingly also in Toronto, Canada. (There is an episode in Season 2 where you can actually see the classic Toronto Star building in the background. Whoops!)

6. MythBusters (2003 - 2018)

This is one of the wildest TV shows filmed in San Francisco, and pretty much anywhere in the world.

The basis is to "bust" every myth possible, which takes a lot of moving around and going places, since Jamie, Adam, and Kari are often blowing things up.

Some SF locations include the Steinhart Aquarium, the San Francisco Zoo, the Fort Mason Center, and—unlike any of the other shows on this list—the SSF Police Department Gun Range.

As mentioned above, they like blowing things up. A decent amount of the shows were filmed around the Bay Area, so it is a great way to expand your knowledge of the region while having fun watching.

7. Nash Bridges (1996 - 2001)

"Nash Bridges" is another detective series set in San Francisco and a popular SF show from the 90s.

Don Johnson plays the main cop and Cheech Marin plays his cheeky partner. They work together to take down bad guys while keeping you laughing simultaneously.

Since this duo has to drive all around town (in a totally awesome 1971 Plymouth Barracuda), you'll see loads of San Francisco filming locations.

You'll see views of the TransAmerica Building, restaurants in Chinatown, North Beach, and one of the most gorgeous hotels in SF, the Fairmont Hotel.

Unlike most others on the list, this show is shot entirely in San Francisco and nowhere else. Interestingly enough, the headquarters for the police station is located on Treasure Island and not in San Francisco!

8. Party of Five (1994 - 2000)

Five siblings try to raise each other after their parents' untimely deaths in this touching family drama, one of my favorite San Francisco TV shows from the 90s.

The main San Francisco location is at their gorgeous house on 2311 Broadway Street.

There are a few more random locations around the city, but most of it was filmed in Los Angeles or Vancouver, Canada.

Surprisingly, if you go to Yelp it even has its own listing! It is sort of fun to read what other people wrote about it.

More Fun Things to See & Do in San Francisco

9. Tales of the City (2019)

This is one of the best Netflix shows set in San Francisco for its depiction of the city's vibrant and complex LGBTQ community.

Starring Laura Linney, Olympia Dukakis, and Elliot Page, this miniseries is roughly based on novels of the same name written by Armistead Maupin, and revolves around a transgender boardinghouse owner haunted by her past.

There are loads of filming locations, including a classic apartment building at 1360 Montgomery Street. I love this one since "Vertigo" was also filmed here!

Another famous location is the Buena Vista restaurant at 2765 Hyde Street. This is a staple of any visit to the city if you want a delicious breakfast, even today!

There are also shots of the Pacific Union Club, Grace Cathedral, and the famous Macondray Lane Steps at 1801 Taylor Street, which are the fictional 28 Barbary Lane steps in the show.

10. That's So Raven (2003 - 2007)

In this San Francisco sitcom, Raven-Symone plays a teenager, Raven Baxter, who can see short glimpses into the future. This causes trouble and hilarious situations for her family and friends.

Her home shown in the credits is located at 461 Ashbury Street in the famous Haight-Ashbury district.

The rest of the show was filmed in a few different locations in SF, but primarily on a studio set in Los Angeles.

11. Zoey's Extraordinary Playlist (2021 - 2022)

This musical comedy TV series set in San Francisco ran for two seasons on NBC.

Zoey is a software engineer who develops the uncanny ability to hear people's innermost thoughts as songs.

You'll see some scenes in Rincon Park, the Ferry Building, the Embarcadero, and North Beach, but a decent amount was filmed in British Columbia.

12. Woke (2020 - 2022)

This Hulu original is a fun show based in San Francisco, especially if you love satire. Keef Knight, an up-and-coming Black cartoonist on the brink of mainstream success, is forced to be "woke" even though that wasn't his plan.

There are loads of San Francisco scenes that you'll recognize, including the cable cars, Golden Gate Park, the Golden Gate Bridge, and more.

Interestingly enough, hardly any of this show was shot in San Francisco, but you wouldn't be able to tell since they have done such an excellent job of setting up the scenes.

Trust me, you will think you are in San Francisco while watching it because I sure did!

13. Falcon Crest (1981 - 1990)

If you're looking for a San Francisco TV show from the 80s, this is a great one, although it was primarily filmed in the Napa wine country and in Los Angeles.

Therefore, there are only certain episodes that focus on San Francisco. These include "Hunter's Moon," "Choices," "The Vigil," "Home Away from Home," "The Expose," and "The Challenge."

This old TV show set in San Francisco reveals the now-demolished Candlestick Park, where the 49ers and SF Giants used to play.

There are shots of the Palace of Fine Arts, the Marina, and the summit of Russian Hill, among others. There is also a fun chase scene through the city in which the police try to pull over Lance.

14. Murder in the First (2014 - 2016)

You will love this show if you are a CSI, NYPD Blue, or NCIS fan. The catch is that this crime-drama series in San Francisco follows one single case over a full season, so it is incredibly in-depth. It aired for three seasons on TNT.

Amidst the drama and the action, you'll see scenes shot in Chinatown and at the National Cemetery in the Presidio, as well as views of Sutro Tower, the Golden Gate Bridge, and downtown SF.

Follow the detectives as they dig into what a Silicon Valley tech whiz has to do with two murders, or the conspiracy behind the death of a fellow officer.

15. Alcatraz (2012)

This San Francisco-based TV show only lasted one season, but it's a fun one. In real life, Alcatraz prison closed in 1963 due to safety concerns... but what if that were just one version of the story?

Imagine every guard and prisoner disappearing from the Rock in 1963 and suddenly reappearing today, with a strange compulsion to find certain objects and continue wreaking havoc on society!

Since there are loads of convicts on the loose, you get the chance to see scenes of places all over SF, in addition to scenes from Alcatraz Island. However, it was primarily shot in Vancouver, Canada.

Great Alcatraz Combo Tours

16. The Streets of San Francisco (1972 - 1977)

Probably the most famous TV show filmed in SF, this classic has the street-smart veteran cop, played by Karl Malden, teamed with the college graduate rookie, played by Micahel Douglas, investigating homicides around the city.

There are shots of the St. Francis Yacht Club, the Sea Cliff estate on 25th Avenue with views of the Golden Gate Bridge behind it, and the Cannery at Fisherman's Wharf from back in the day.

Seeing the City by the Bay as it looked 50 years ago is part of the fun in watching this San Francisco TV show from the 70s.

One of my favorites is a shot of Vermont Street. Why do I mention Vermont Street? Because it is actually the "Crookedest Street in San Francisco," not Lombard Street. The difference is that Vermont Street isn't very attractive, so it is pretty much ignored by everyone.

17. Charmed (1998 - 2006)

"Charmed" is another one of the longer-running TV shows filmed in San Francisco. It ran for eight seasons on the WB from the late 90s to the 2000s.

Three sisters with magical powers team up to protect the magical city that is San Francisco, all while trying to maintain their ordinary lives.

The most famous location is their house, the "Halliwell Manor" at 1329 Prescott Street. Some of the other scenes are set in Golden Gate Park, and also you'll see views of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The show was primarily filmed on set in Los Angeles, but there are some great shots of SF in it also. They did it so well that it is almost hard to see which is a real location and which is set.

18. The Real World (1992)

One of the very first reality TV shows was actually filmed right here in San Francisco.

Each season of "The Real World" features a diverse group of young people who have been chosen to live together in a major city, capturing their spontaneous interactions on camera. 

It was in its 4th season when it came to the City by the Bay.

The gorgeous house the cast stayed in is located at 949 Lombard Street. It is just one block east of one of the famously crooked street.

You'll spot many other places as the cast members go to work, eat at cafes, and travel around the city, and since it's a reality show, you know that all of the scenes are actually filmed in San Francisco, not on a set in Hollywood.

19. The Amazing Race (2002, 2005, 2010, 2018)

"The Amazing Race" is another one of the long-running reality TV shows with episodes filmed in San Francisco.

Four of its season finales have taken place in SF, meaning that the last episode in which the remaining teams cross the finish line after a world-wide scavenger hunt takes place at landmarks you'll recognize.

Season 2 includes the Atkinson-Esher House (a historic house in Russian Hill), the Aquatic Park, and Fort Baker (just on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge).

The "All Stars" Season 11 has the contestants stop at the Old Mint before finishing at the Botanical Gardens. 

Season 16 has scenes at Battery Godfrey in the Presidio, Coit Tower, and the Yoda Fountain at Lucasfilm Headquarters (now the Letterman Digital Arts Center).

One of the places you'll see here, which I've yet to see in any other TV show, is the Tonga Room and Hurricane Bar at the historic Fairmont Hotel.

The Tonga Room is famous for its Pacific Islander-influenced design, including a "tropical storm" that blows through every so often and a pool in the middle with a boat cruising around it! Trust me, it is worth watching this show just to see that. 

Finally, Season 30 features Oracle Park (then AT&T), the Bay Bridge, and the Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory.

20. Million Dollar Listing: San Francisco (2015)

The fourth iteration of this popular reality TV show brought it to San Francisco in 2015, following the lives of three hot-shot real estate agents trying to outsell each other.

At the time, the dramatic rise in young millionaires in San Francisco's tech industry saturated the real estate market and made the city (and the wider Bay Area) the perfect location to capture the intensely competitive and insanely expensive market.

You can imagine how fun it is to explore San Francisco's diversely different properties, especially when the penthouses offer panoramic views and the mansions have private beaches.

You'll get an inside look at historic Victorian homes and wealthy neighborhoods like Bernal Heights.

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