Located at the highest point of downtown San Francisco, on fog-free days the Top of the Mark has views of the financial district, Chinatown, North Beach, The San Francisco Bay, and of Grace Cathedral and Huntington Park.

The hotel was dedicated in 1926, and the penthouse suite was rented exclusively to Daniel C. Jackling, reputedly at US$1,250 (equivalent to $22,000 in 2023) per month,[2] until he moved to his house in Woodside in 1936.

[4] Marjorie Trumbull won fame in the 1940s for her radio interviews of celebrities broadcast on KSFO and conducted from the Top of the Mark.

[5][6] During World War II, when San Francisco was a major transit point for troops going to the Pacific Theater, servicemen traditionally had a farewell drink before shipping out while watching the sun set over the Golden Gate Bridge.

[11][12] The bar remains popular today, featuring dancing and live music most days of the week.