Borderlands Reviews

Great selection of science fiction and fantasy titles in the heart of Mission

This bookstore is so amazing. Sectioned off in a way in which you can easily find things, there is such an eclectic collection of novels that you can easily find something you and your friends will like. From picture books to The Hobbit to The Buddhist Bible, this place seemingly has it all!

God I loved this bookstore. If you're a SF / Fantasy buff at all you can easily sink hours browsing and talking to the employees about books. A must-visit for me from now on.

Nifty little new and used bookstore specializing in science fiction, fantasy, mystery, and horror.

A great store to look for sci-fi and fantasy books. They also frequently host related events.

A wonderful book store with knowledgeable employees. Worth every penny.

Great little bookshop. All, Sci-fi, horror fantasy. Also sells pulp-fiction covers as post-cards, limited edition and used books.

This place brings back memories of the great Borderlands Books from yesteryear. They have a huge selection of books with new releases right up front. The staff were helpful and gift wrapped our purchase. It was truly enjoyable to browse and shop here and was a nice change from the big box bookstores.

Beautiful book store with a fine selection, mostly science fiction and fantasy. Some great Edward Gorey puzzles and books too. The adjoining cafe is quite nice too.

One of the best specialty bookstores in the country! Caters exclusively to fans of sci-fi/fantasy, horror, and mystery. I stop by every time I visit San Francisco and I never walk away without an armload of books and some incredibly thoughtful recommendations from the knowledgeable and friendly book wizards. Be sure to check the staff recommendations and grab a coffee next door at their sister coffee and pastry shop.

Absolutely lovely place. Their curated selection of staff picks made browsing really fun and introduced some great books.

Easily makes my top three favorite bookstores in major cities list!! I was in there forever! I love all the little corners you can sit and read at. I love all the artwork, poems, and quotes on the walls. There's three stories, be sure to check each one out. Such a humble and charming little bookstore!

Great little shop for sci-fi, fantasy, and horror. Good selection of hard to come by used books.

A great quiet place to read, study or have a quiet conversation...
The staff is super nice and helpful, and they really care.

Such a cool fantasy and sci-fi bookstore. If I hadn't been restricted by luggage space I would have spent a dangerous amount of money there.

Wonderful staff, great selection of horror, scifi, and fantasy. If they don't have what you seek, they will happily order it.

If you don't know what you're in the mood for reading -- they are happy to suggest.

I love this store, one of my favorite CA finds, and their endearing cafe which is now adjoined can't be beat.

Best bookstore in the known universe for science fiction and fantasy! All the people who work there are friendly and widely knowledgeable about books and authors.

My favorite SF bookstore. They have a large used selection as well as new books, so you can pick up vintage gems from classic SF authors like Jack Vance and Cordwainer Smith that are no longer in print.

Best genre bookstore in San Francisco, probably California

If you're into sci-fi or fantasy books, look no further.

I continue to take communion at Borderlands, though not as often as I would like. One day this week I am going to plunk myself down and get a giddy, schoolgirl crush on some unwieldy volume. Then, since I'm an adult now, I'm going to take it home with me ;)

One of the most treasured establishments in the city. The staff is wonderful and there's always interesting events for sponsors. Recommended!

I can give this store no less than five stars, and here's why. Endless miles and miles of books at a small discount as well! Even though it's touristy and huge, it somehow still feels intimate. Even on the weekends, the lines, although long, don't take long to get through. I really love this place, and with so many book retailers going out of business, I truly hope Borderlands Books is here to stay.

Great bookstore with friendly, knowledgeable staff. Specializes in speculative fiction (sci-fi, fantasy, horror) with a large stock, including some used books for sale. Often have author readings/signings from a range of sci-fi and fantasy authors.

Borderlands is a must for science fiction fans. Great selection and the staff is quite knowledgeable and makes good suggestions and recommendations.

Went here to get recommendations for xenoarchaeology themed titles. The staff were very helpful and the woman who helped even gave me another way of thinking about my interest (i.e. mystery/discovery and scientists doing research and fieldwork). They have many author events though I haven't been able to attend any yet.

I love this store. Whenever my husband and I go to the Castro theater for a date, we always make an effort to stop buy and pick out books for each other. Great selection and good prices. There's also a used section where we have often found great books to read.

A staple of the community. They always have great tea selections and an easy working environment. Just be aware that the internet shuts off at 5pm!

Have you ever asked wished there was a geeky bookstore dedicated entirely to science fiction and fantasy? Because they did! Staff reviews and recommendations can be found strewn about the shelves. Now I just need to find my soul mate while browsing here.

Amazing bookstore with a lovely cafe! Must try the spicy hot chocolate

This bookstore is a mecca for science fiction, fantasy, and mystery books. They also have a lovely cafe.

Long standing science fiction and fantasy bookstore loved by local community. The graphic novel selection is not bad. Events and readings make this place a fun writer hangout and resource.

I'm in love .... with Dog Eared books...could spend several hours here. The best prices on new books...better than Amazon!

It was cool.i only saw it from outside,but the selection of books they had on display was intriguing.

The staff here was super helpful, friendly, and even recommended books for me to read if I enjoyed the book I was purchasing there. It's clear by their attitude that the employees really care about the books they sell here. Highly recommend

Favorite bookstore on the planet, easily. Fantastic selection of genre fiction, knowledgeable and super friendly staff that like the same books as you do it's everything one could ask for. Sad they're moving out of their longtime location in the vaguely near future, but the new loc is closer to where I live, which is a definite plus

Great indie bookstore. Mostly sci fi and illustrated guides.

A lovely place to browse, many fantastic books, great helpful staff, bought a book suggested I wouldn't have picked up, and the cafe is a Bonus!

Excellent selection of sci-fi, fantasy, mystery. They even seem to have a book club that meets here, which is kind of cool.

god this is a fantasy lover's actual dream come true!

friends and i stopped by this place a couple times and it's got an absolute s tier selection. i found all the books i wanted in the used section and spend last than $30 for 4 books. got recommended a lot of poc authors as well and they were all in stock!!

also spoke to the cashier for a bit and she was so nice!! got to hear a little about the store's history and the interaction was very genuine. can't wait to come back when i visit sf again.

Excellent catalogue of the classic sci-fi authors and some new to me authors. Excellent spot to stop and rest, particularly during a full day of sightseeing!

The beatnik writers hung out here. What more needs said?

Great poetry room upstairs, large beat writers section. Quirky little nooks and crannies to the place making it a surprise around every corner.

The place has an amazing aura to it. If you're visiting CA this place is a must see.

Nice book store, and the cafe is solid, but they don't offer internet on the weekends.

A good selection of new and used fantasy, mystery, horror and science fiction. With a staff both friendly and helpful!

Well organized shelves with an admirable selection. Friendly staff.

Amazing service. I called to have copies of a magazine sent to me here in Arkansas. They went out of their way to make this happen although their profit will be very small. They could not have been nicer. Terrific customer service!

The best Sci-Fi/Fantasy (and Mystery and Horror) "genre" bookstore in San Francisco -- and arguably in the world.

Favorite bookstore in SF, was sad to see that the half of this place that was a Cafe has been cleared out and put up for lease

One of my happy places. The staff is incredibly friendly and I'm always able to find numerous books that are on my list and some that weren't.

The single best bookstore in San Francisco for Sci Fi and Horror.

Awesome place with awesome people working there. Complete bookstore for the sci-fi, fantasy and horror aficionado.

Best sci-fi and mystery and horror book store in town!

Amazing book store. Wonderful selection of books by an amazingly diverse range of authors and friendly, knowledge staff. You can't ask for better.

A great, local bookstore specializing in scifi, mystery and horror.

this place doesn't have a huge selection of books and comicbooks but they seem to pick their entire selection with care. There seem to be a lot of collectables and a lot of valuable issues in this store. They also hold events for readings. Every time I've gone into the store I've felt a little overwhelmed, but the people working there are friendly and nice to chat with.

Best sci-fi bookstore in the city, moving to the Height soon.

They know everything about their stock, and if they don't have something, they'll give you titles to look up online. They all know their stuff, and they have a wonderful variety of speculative fiction. One of the few good standalone bookstores left!

My favorite bookstore in San Francisco! Awesome selection of Sci-fi and fantasy and lots in between. The cafe side is cash only, but otherwise the place is wonderful.

Amazing store with a great staff and the best collection for sci-fi and fantasy

Cute book store... if you get lucky to get a table at the coffee shop

Excellent independent bookstore focused on science fiction and fantasy, with some mystery as well. Large section of sci-fi, much larger than typical bookstore sci-fi sections, and with a wider variety of authors and publishers. If you're into sci-fi, this is not to be missed. Has an attached coffee shop.

An excellent bookstore specialising in sci fi, fantasy, and horror. Knowledgeable staff and great "staff picks." They have built a community of readers and writers. A wonderful bookstore.

Go downstairs to see their room full of discounted books. There's so many to choose from and I always leave with 10 new finds! I highly recommend it.

The best bookstore in the Bay Area! Knowledgeable and friendly staff, great selection, and a literary gem!

Great book selection with knowledgeable staff. If you are looking for a gift and only know the genre, the staff can help you find something exciting for you to give. The attached cafe makes a great Mexican mocha too.

Nice selection of new and used books with annexed coffee shop with tasty bagels. I didn't try the coffee though.

Astounding and amazing in size and scope, but sometimes frustratingly uneven, this is where I come when I want to browse for a book or wander across something unexpected. If I want to FIND a book, like a specific book, I'll go to B&N first and Borderlands Books second. A must visit for book nerds. A minor madhouse during Christmastime.

Staff was friendly and very quick with assisting with our every need!

The staff is friendly and have always made good recommendations.

This is a small bookstore and it doesn't take long to browse the shelves. However, it is a potent space. It's exactly what an indie bookstore should be: filled with a mix of new and older titles as well as new and used books, staffed by people who care about SF/F books and reading, full of hand-picked suggestions, just big enough that you can wander around and get sucked into reading a book without feeling like someone is always looking at you.

I'm so glad this store didn't go away. It's amazing how the community pulled together to save it. It's worth saving and keeping.

Amazing spot for fantasy and scifi books! Found a couple of great used books for great prices!