Pickleball Courts at East Cut Crossing

These pickleball courts are basically the only game in town if you live in FiDi or SoMa. They might also be the worst courts in SF. They do get the job done — but the court is not the best quality, and it can be very difficult getting a game in at peak hours. The wait can be terrible sometimes. 2/5 stars. SAFETY: Theft/pickpocketing can be an issue here. Keep your bags close, or have someone watching them at all times. COURTS: There are five courts in total. The court in the second to right is the challenger court (winner stays on). I prefer the courts on the ends — the middle courts are tighter, especially the side closest to the street, where the fence cuts in too far to comfortably return deep serves. The surface can also be a little uneven, so expect the occasional bad bounce off a crack. There is also a slant to all the courts, which is very annoying when someone up-hill mis-hits and it rolls into your court. LIGHTING: There's some lighting, but it's still pretty dim on the courts around dusk. It can get pretty hard to see at night. CROWDS: After 5 p.m. on weekdays, it gets VERY crowded. You'll probably play only 2 games/hour. There’s a regular after-work crowd, and sometimes corporate groups reserve the space. Before 4–5 p.m., though, it’s usually pretty quiet. PLAY: To get on a court, just place your paddle along the court of your choice. Some people put down two paddles on different courts to keep playing continuously and take advantage of the reservation system. This can be very problematic during peak hours. These people should be ashamed of themselves. ATMOSPHERE/ THE PEOPLE: The crowd is generally friendly, with a few exceptions. It is generally a mix of beginners and intermediate players. You’ll occasionally run into some more serious players during peak hours (usually on the challenger court).

Be weary, the courts are on a slope and easy to get injured. Sprained my ankle pretty badly. Certain groups hog the court by putting multiple paddles in the queue in order to cut people and play multiple rounds.

Courts are great for casual play - though be warned, had my backpack stolen from inside the court. Keep careful track of your things!

The worst pickleball courts in San Francisco. Some courts have the curb cutting into them, there’s a dip in the ground at the net, the court surfaces are garbage, the outdoor lights are uneven and get in your eyes, the net posts are jacked up.

Courts are usually empty in the morning. Perfect to squeeze in games before work!