Downtown San Francisco sees Black Friday crowds NBC Bay Area [Video]

Throughout the day, and well into the evening, the crowds of people in Union Square were pretty consistent this Black Friday — and shoppers noticed too.

“We come to San Francisco about two or three times a year to visit,” said Mindy Fernandez, visiting from Miami. “This is probably one of the best times that we’ve seen since we’ve been here, just as far as the city, the liveliness, the cleanliness.”

Some business owners say they’re also noticing a re-newed buzz around union square.

“The energy is back in San Francisco, people are wanting to go out,” said John Konstin Jr., of John’s Grill. “People are excited to be out again in San Francisco and downtown especially.”

He said reservations through the holiday weekend filled up quickly.  

Plenty of people are also packing into retailers enticed by the traditional deep discounts we’re used to seeing on Black Friday.

A lot …