The city center can be gnarly for sure, but everywhere else is quite nice. Not sure how you could describe any neighborhood on the West side of the city as a "hellscape" for example.
San Francisco is really 2 different cities rather than 11 counties. West side (where I live) has some minor problems but otherwise offers the best mix of culture, places to eat, parks, and transit. Downtown is rife with problems and if someday it does get cleaned up, it will wonderful since the right density and transit is there.
Get out at Glen Park and and there's a the quaint Glen Park Village.
Get out at Balboa Park and head over a few blocks up Ocean for another neighborhood row of shops.
Or get on Muni Metro and take the KLM to West Portal. Or keep riding to Stonestown and do your shopping at Target, Wholefoods, or TJs, then go see a movie at the Regal.
Hop on the N and ride all the way out to La Playa and get yourself a cup of coffee and a sandwich at Java Beach. Then walk around the Sunset and see just how sleepy the western side is!