The ambiance is super sexy. It's open seating so we chose to sit upstairs overlooking the…read morerestaurant. I love how well-dressed and grown everyone was. It reminded me of being out during the 2010s when downtown was poppin'. Food and drinks did not disappoint: catfish bao (crunchy and flavorful), spare ribs (soft and moist), lamb chops (rich and cooked to perfection). My fave drink was the spicy margarita. We also tried the key pie bread pudding for dessert which was super rich. Took forever to come to us because they got really busy. But honestly, not mad because I am happy for them. Overall the visit was lovely. We hope this business continues in Oakland!

Came here on a Thursday for a happy hour and I was definitely happy! They have a great, vast…read moreselection of appetizers to choose from for good prices! I got one of everything. The drinks they serve too are delicious and affordable! The staff is extremely kind and friendly too. They are great at engaging with you and making recommendations. It's nice to see Oakland uphold a bar with a classier feel to it. I hope Lucy Blue stays successful, and I look forward to returning soon!

This place is so cute inside it's definitely a cool almost speakeasy vibe. Came an hour after they…read moreopened and it was already getting pretty busy on a Thursday night. Service was really prompt and friendly. The food was great we ordered all the classics such as the tater tots and the cucumbers, and we also got the salt and pepper wings, and the special mapo tofu. Portions are great and it's definitely a lot of food to share. There are also extensive cocktails on the menu running at $16-$20 each, which is expected for the creativity and expert craftsmanship of each cocktail. They have a large number of cocktails that are special and seasonal, and then their classics on the bottom. I don't think you can go wrong with anything that you try and I love that they have Asian fusion options for the cocktails and savory and sweet. I got one of the seasonal cocktails that was passionfruit forward and it had a nice tart crisp taste that I really enjoyed.

4.5 Stars. My friends and I have been meaning to try…read moreViridian out. We finally got to check out Viridian out for Oakland Restaurant Week 2025. Technically, we got to try it out the week after, but they extended their menu for the week after. We came that Sunday evening. Parking can be a bit of a hassle because it is indeed Downtown Oakland. Your whole party has to get the Restaurant Week Menu. So we all got their: Aperitif Cocktail - Tomato Beef or Purely Passion (Non Alcoholic) I got the Purely Passion. Good, nothing to write home about. Umami Tots This was really good! Very Crispy. Chili Cucumbers This one was actually really good. Szechuan Salt and Pepper Wings Good, but maybe too crispy? Wings are always good but this one didn't stand out for me. Mango Sorbet (They changed this from the Apple Sorbet that day) My favorite of the whole night. I usually don't like sorbet but this one was soft and easy to eat and has like a creamy like texture? Trying this made me want to try their other dessert item. We also ordered 2 add ons - the Hojicha Miso Tiramisu and the Korean Mapo Tofu. Hojicha Miso Tiramisu was OK. It contained too much alcohol for all of us and was bitter. Disappointing. I liked the Mapo Tofu! I liked that it was Crispy and that it came with rice. Drinks wise, my friends also got to try the Tomato Beef and White Rabbit. I don't really drink alcohol so I just sipped a bit. Tomato Beef was too alcoholic for me, couldn't really taste the tomato or the beef, but I could see what White Rabbit was going for. Overall, I'm really impressed by the food. I usually think Bar Food isn't very good, but this blew me away. Drinks are OK.

We stumbled across this place during a walk and decided to grab some drinks…read more I liked how the place has a speakeasy vibe. Dim lit atmosphere and enjoyable music. I loved the decor. My favorite is the wall of vinyls. There were stools, chairs, sofas, and tables. The staff were friendly and attentive. They have a nice list of refreshments. Definitely a nice place to relax and have drinks.

What a beautiful place to have a drink! I was super happy with my visit to Bar Shiru…read more First of all, the vibes of this spot are completely immaculate. You definitely feel 10 degrees cooler in here. From the dark moody lighting, tons of vinyl on the wall, beautiful people, everything was stunning. Definitely bring your ID since they will check at the door, once you're inside, you definitely feel like you stepped into your older brother's cool friend secret hideaway. Drinks were great and there was so many to choose from. I can't remember the drink I got but it was served up in a cute glass and was delicious. The DJ was fantastic and played a ton of old and new school hits. I think this qualifies as a "listening bar" so cool. Totally great trip to Bar shiru! I will, without a doubt, be back.

I was in Oakland for a concert and wanted to grab a drink after so we decided to check out Town Bar…read moreand Lounge. I have to say this is one of the prettiest bars I've ever been to! The lighting of the bar is amazing. I sat there mesmerized by the colors and organization of the bottles. The disco balls are also beautifully lit and fun to watch. There was a DJ when I went playing amazing music. The bartenders were friendly and attentive. I highly recommend checking out Town Bar!

Cool bar in the old I-Magnum building! Celebrating a friend's 65th birthday! Cute decor, good…read moreDj, lots of good looking gay men everywhere! The drinks were pricey but well put together! Cute bartender serving drinks. I would definitely come back - for a good time if I want to listen to music have fun and not be bothered by men! Happy Birthday Kenny!

The Holiday Pop-up last year (2024) was very festive/fun for a holiday celebration post Zumba class…read moreat the YMCA around the corner. Will be returning again this year with our class for more holiday merriment!

I came here with a group of friends for a night out in the East Bay. We hit up this bar for a round…read moreof slushies after pregame at my friend's apartment. I got the Blue Hawaiian, a yummy classic, and it did not disappoint. Despite the cold front over the Bay Area this weekend, I instantly felt as if I'd teleported to Hawai'i. Service is pretty quick here, but they do have a minimum credit charge of $10. It's pretty easy to reach though if you order a cocktail or slushie.

So many people told me to come by Sobre Mesa, but I'm so busy that when I finally stopped by, it…read morewas well worth the wait. The first thing you notice is the beautiful ambiance of decor there. It felt like I was on vacation in Costa Rica. The house speakers playing Latin and Dominican music def set the tone that this was a place rich in culture. I must say that the server Kimmy as well as Crista the bartender were both bright spots. The food was awesome as well. The steak was served to temperature (med rare) and the dealers choice rum cocktail was phenomenal. What made this dinner visit special was the fact that the chef came from behind the window to check on everyone. Being in hospitality for 30 years, I can say that I know genuine passion when I see it. Not only did this visit make me happy that it is located in my home town of oakland, but to know that top chef talent chef Nelson, took a community shot with everyone at bar made it feel like home. Cheers to Sobre, they got it right!

I was in downtown Oakland for work and we wanted late-night food and drinks to catch up over. She…read morerecommended Sobre Mesa--she'd heard good things. The ambiance was dark, moody, trendy, and romantic. It was pretty busy around 10pm on a weeknight. Service was good. We enjoyed queso de hoja fundido ($18), tater tots, and I enjoyed my Island Paradiso cocktail--contrary to some reviews, I felt that it was a strong drink! Everything was delicious. I would be back if I was in the area!

Me and a group of friends went to Au last night and the food was great, the service was amazing we…read morehad Shaw as our waiter and he provided the day's specials and recommendations. The Bar tender Moira I hope I got that right was also great she definitely knows how to make a good drink. Oh and we got to meet the Chef! He was kind and welcoming we had great conversations with all the staff we interacted with! So I can say over all the food was great the service was amazing and I would definitely recommend them and looks like we may be stopping by again this week to try other items. We had the 3-way combo Fish, Oysters, Prawns and Mac & Cheese and Collards. Photo below is my friends plate because I forgot to take a photo

The food and service was great. I'm definitely going back soon. We were a large group and…read moreeverything was great.

Date: 2/22/2025. Time: 4:00 PM. 63°. Sunny…read more I was supposed to be at 1701, but they are not opened yet. Thus, I met my friend next door at Space Lounge for drinks. Usually I don't imbibe. I am not much of drinking the Henny. All their cocktails have exactly that. The only one that looked appealing to me was the expresso martini. The service could be a little more attentive. My friend and I were the only two people in the lounge at the time. We sat and waited for somebody to come by to ask what would I like to drink. It did not happen; thus, my friend had to go the bar and purchase the expresso martini. The expresso martini was smooth and mellow. The only time I had the Henny was years ago at a Chinese wedding banquet. I added some to the shark fin soup, which enhanced the flavor of the soup. Yes, I enjoyed the expresso martini. The atmosphere of the lounge is one of sophistication and upscale. Comfortable seating all around. Nice place to hang out, do some chillaxin' with friends. Rating: 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.

Super chill spot with hella cool people! Wandered in here with a friend while waiting for a concert…read moreat Fox. So we had a few drinks and chatted it up with Rick. He's super knowledgeable AND passionate about his craft, plus an overall fun person to hangout with. We heard that this spot isn't getting much love these days and just wanna say it's totally worth the visit! You get excellent service, people who love what they do, community and also some bomb a** lumpia if you show up when the lumpia ladies are taking orders! Come thru!

So here's my update on this absolute dumpster fire of an establishment from Friday, March 20…read more I came in, ordered ONE margarita, and within about five minutes, the bartender was physically fighting with a drunk patron and trying to choke them out while the security guard stood there being completely useless. Truly incredible to watch a place be that understaffed, unprofessional, and unsafe all at once. But wait, it gets worse. After I already left a review about being caught in the middle of their little bar brawl, these geniuses charged my card AGAIN for $52.92 after I had already left. For what exactly? The drinks from the drunk people THEY were over-serving before the fight broke out? Because it definitely wasn't mine. Let me be very clear: I walked in. I ordered ONE drink. A margarita. That's it. So somehow I got front row seats to a bartender throwing hands, security doing absolutely nothing, and then got charged like I sponsored the chaos. This place is a joke. Unsafe, sloppy, and apparently so incompetent they can't even charge the right customer after turning the bar into a live-action WWE event. If you enjoy being overcharged, caught in the middle of violence, and watching staff behave worse than the intoxicated customers, this might be your spot. Easy 1 star. Honestly, zero if I could. 3.24.26 I now have to dispute a charge that never should have been on my card in the first place. This place somehow managed to turn an already awful experience into an even bigger mess by fraudulently charging me $52.92 after everything that happened. I am beyond irritated. At this point, if I have to press charges against the bartender for charging my card without authorization, I will absolutely do it. The level of incompetence and unprofessionalism here is unreal. Not only was I subjected to chaos, but now I'm wasting my time cleaning up a problem THEY created

This review is two years old but never too late! First let me start by thanking Sean and Ritchie…read more Sean spent countless email messages with me ironing out the details. I added additional people and it was no problem. I'm a planner and can be pretty intense with insuring things go as planned without hiccups and of course I had a thousand questions and still, Sean's kindness never wavered. I met Ritchie the day of and he was so welcoming, the way we hugged and chatted you'd think we've met before. My kinda people. Ever sense I've been singing their praises. I've sent many people their way. The entire staff that day was great. The bartenders (see the video for the effects). They did not play with those drinks! The food? Muah! Chef's kiss. EVERYONE enjoyed their food. My party end up being about 10 people and we all almost all ordered different things. My steak and chimichurri sauce, eggs and potatoes was to die for. I still daydream about how the temperature of my steak was so perfect. I let folks try my steak, it was so good some ordered their own-aside from their other order lol I'm over due a visit. I pray my next experience is as well as the first.

This place is great! The drinks are delicious and very affordable. Service can be a little slow at…read moretimes but that's completely understandable since it's usually packed. Making drinks for a crowd takes time and the staff always does their best. The people who come here are super friendly which adds to the welcoming, cozy vibe of the place. It's the kind of spot where you instantly feel comfortable. If you love a good martini this is definitely a place you should check out.

I'll give it to them, Tallboy is a solid concept with their "tinis & weenies". However, a clever…read moreconcept can carry a place so far. Customer service is a close second to concept. Tallboy's martini menu is well-executed. While I didn't personally try one of the slushies, a friend ordered the espresso martini version and gave it a solid thumbs-up. Unfortunately, the experience falls apart when it comes to food and service. Waiting 30+ minutes for two hot dogs (after paying) is hard to justify. When I checked in with a server, she was curt and dismissive. She was quick to explain there was only one person in the kitchen, with no effort to offer a solution, timeline, or even basic courtesy. I understand staffing issues happen. However, customer service is a close second to concept. How an issue is communicated and addressed is what separates good service from bad. What's more frustrating is that these aren't customer problems to absorb. If the kitchen is understaffed, if tables aren't being cleared in a timely manner at a seat-yourself spot, those are management problems. Guests should not have to choose to leave without the food we paid for. There's a lot of competition out there, and concepts alone aren't enough to bring people back. I genuinely wanted that hot dog. That's probably the most disappointing part of the whole experience. Great drinks, solid ambiance, but the service needs serious attention.