The Factory Bar is one of those places that just feels right the moment you walk in…read more From the outside, it has that clean industrial look, but once you step inside, the space opens up into something warm and layered. Exposed beams lined with old Richmond street signs, vintage photos, leather chairs, soft lighting. It feels thoughtful without feeling staged. You can tell someone cares about the details. The drink program is strong across the board. Good beer selection, a nice mix of wine, and a full bar for cocktails and spirits. What really impressed me, though, was the quality of the cocktails. They are balanced, well-crafted, and made by bartenders who clearly know what they're doing. Some of the best cocktails I've had at any bar, not just locally. The staff is friendly and genuinely helpful. You never feel rushed or overlooked. It feels like a neighborhood place that also happens to take its drinks seriously. And the patio is a standout. String lights woven through the trees, heaters for cooler nights, tucked-away seating that feels almost like someone's backyard gathering spot. It's intimate and relaxed, the kind of space where conversations stretch on longer than you planned. This is not a flashy club and it's not a pretentious cocktail lounge. It's a well-run, character-filled bar that brings people together. Richmond is lucky to have it. Five stars, easily.

Looking for a super cool bar in the Richmond area? The Factory Bar is full of Richmond pride,…read morelocated off San Pablo Ave. Upon walking in, your greeted by security carding patrons (it's been a while since I've been carded, haha) and you can begin noticing the nodes to Richmond in art, decor, collectibles, and sips. It was a beautiful weekend evening and we sat in a room adjacent to the main bar in super comfy lounge chairs. This room is where karaoke and other events take place. There's great ventilation, and it's just quite honestly a great space to chill with friends, and also observe all the fun Richmond memorabilia. We also sat in the outdoor space, a super nice garden area that is well-kept and a great option to enjoy on these beautiful sunny days. I had a watermelon margarita and it was so fresh & tasty, I thought it was already summer! Friendly staff and environment filled with regulars and newcomers alike. They seem to have food trucks regularly, and we ordered food to-go from the Brazilian truck outside. Deliciously unique! There's also a few spots nearby you can bring food in from (an ice cream/waffle shop next door and Tacos El Tucan too). We took a ride share, but street parking is available. Looking forward to coming on an event night to catch the local vibes.

Nice atmosphere. Everyone was friendly and it's interesting to watch people play pool and also to…read morelisten to some local music.

It was a Saturday night. The bar was pretty busy because there was a Tibetan event that evening…read moresomewhere. People came to bar after the event. This was my second visit to the Bar. I had two IPA in timeframe of 2 and half hours. Things were okay until I bought a food (chatpate) from the food truck just outside at the door of the Bar. I took the food inside (it's allowed). I had couple of spoons and I needed to go to Bathroom. I asked for paper napkins and covered the food so that they won't throw it ( that's what I learned the American culture is, at least california). I came back from the bathroom within few minutes, my food was gone. I asked a lady bartender about it and she said she doesn't know and I suppose not to keep food like that. I told her I asked for the paper napkins and covered it to protect it. she went paper napkins doesn't protect food'. I am like that's what I learned is an American culture. She left. I of course wasn't happy but I was still okay wanted to order my final beer. And this guy came. I was normal and since I thought he is a cool guy I could talk to him. I said ' I would like to order another beer and I have a small complaint to make'. He got pissed off immediately and goes 'I don't listen your complaint now, I can't' very rudely. Then he still had time to keep waking around and giving me his eyes and trying to intimidate me. And he said I was too drunk to make a complaint lmao. That was too much to handle for me. I told him I also work on costumer service and this is not the way you treat your costumer. And called security in me?? That was too over react of him and pissd me off totally. I simply told him he is and a**h*le and his IS a complete jerk. Doesn't deserve at all to be in costumer service profession. The security guy didn't find any possible threat so he left. OH! And I asked his name because I didn't wanna blame the whole business for his poor work ethics. He denied to say and thought I would take his picture so that people would know and he called security again. No one said sorry once for my food lost, not a word 'sorry' for a costumer's inconvenience. PS: my first time experience was pretty smooth. He wasn't the bar tender. There was another lady, I had 5-7 (I don't remember) IPAs and tipped her 30-100% every drink I bought. Working in a costumer service and relying on tips I understand how important it is for workers like us. And the Bar is owned by a Nepali-American and being a member of same community I always try to support the business own by community people. Having plenty of great options in El Cerito, East Bay Area, I had to choose this one, stupid me !

The Hotsy has provided me with years of great memories, laughter, and good times. It is one of…read morethose places that has more character and charm than many bars twice its size. The menu changes regularly, which keeps things interesting, but one thing that never changes is the consistently excellent service. One of my favorite things about this spot is how dog-friendly it is. The owner's dog is practically the co-owner of the bar and is often lounging around, adding even more personality to the experience. If you are lucky enough to meet him, just know the dog has standards. The dog only accepts meat, so do not bother offering him the tortilla from your taco. Trust me, you will be judged. Another major perk is that they allow outside food. Conveniently, there is a taco truck right next door serving some of the best carnitas tacos around, making it easy to pair great food with great drinks. Also, keep an eye on the TVs. They always seem to be playing some delightfully over-the-top late-night movie programming that inevitably sparks random conversations and plenty of laughter among the crowd. Overall, this is a fantastic neighborhood bar with a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere and a ton of personality. It can get crowded, so try to grab a spot early if you can. You'll notice plenty of regulars who come back again and again, and to me, that is always one of the best signs that a place is doing something right.

DON'T LET OTHERS SWAY YOU THIS IS DEFINITLY A STRIP CLUB!…read more These other reviews are gaslighting me! I came in and bought some women several drinks and got NOTHING for it, JUST LIKE A REAL STRIP CLUB! Some even offered to take me to VIP and said I'd only be able to look but no touching! The nice thing about this STRIP CLUB is that the rules are so lax you can EAT THE TACO! Name another STRIP CLUB in America that allows that??? Drink prices are reasonable though.

I'm giving this place 1 star, because I just got a fraud alert from my bank…read more. Mel o Sees is the ONLY PLACE I used my card yesterday, so the alert had to come from them.. The owner is the bartender, (who j tipped cash, by the way), and I think he running a scam.. I would give this place 0 stars if I could

Walked in because I heard music and wanted a sip before I complete my day. Door man was pleasant,…read moreand that's where the customer service ended. I stood at the bar listening to TWO bartenders chat up "regulars" a minimum of 4/5 minutes before anyone recognized me. It took so long the door man had to assure me "they would be with me shortly" The bar might have had 10ppl sitting at the bar and only me standing. It was far from busy. After getting my drink, I sat and watched the staff engage with their friends while work seemed to be a bother. A friend walked in and I offered to buy him a drink, I once again stood at this not busy bar with 2 bartenders for what seemed like a very long time before anyone took my order. Once the elder bartender took my order she proceeded to make my drink, then let my drink stand while she made 2 other drinks, delivered them, before delivering mine. Super rude. Maybe I'll be back one day, maybe not. There's way too many options to deal with bad basic customer service.

The food and service is great! They have a bug menu and the atmosphere is relaxing. I highly…read morerecommend to try this place!

Excellent food and great service. Marlene and Karina were on top of everything. We'll be back for…read moremore!

Our second bar of the night! Stopped by Club Mallard after Blue Rabbit Bar for something more…read morespacious so our group could all be together. This was very nice; it was very spacious and offers outdoor patio with tiki vibes! Our group was able to snag the outdoor patio upstairs! Other people were free to also hang out in the patio too, but because we got there early and our group was big, we were able to put the tables together and it really just felt like we were the only ones there; very intimate. There is a pool table and a bar on the second floor, so you don't have to go back downstairs. The staff were very friendly and helpful. They provided great customer service and came by to our table to pick up empty glasses. There was an incident that happened where a man was taking pictures of people in the bar and he came outside to the patio and started taking photos of our group, which we felt very uncomfortable about. We alerted staff and they were able to handle the situation and came back to check on us. They don't serve food here, but they do allow you to bring food from other places! That was very convenient because we were already comfortable and didn't want to leave to go somewhere else. Tacos El Autlense is a 5 min walk away and it's one of my fave places to get tacos; that's where we got our food at! I literally had it the night before too hahaha, but I wasn't complaining! This place was so cute; the music, the ambiance, the service... a whole vibe!!! I would definitely come back.

Sexy cabin themed bar for the win!…read more Relaxed and fun spot with lots of spaces to explore. Pool, the bar and a bamboo themed patio on the ground floor, and then an upstairs too for a more intimate vibe. Drinks seem above average quality, but I just stuck with Guinness (poured quite well). Street parking.

Came here to celebrate a friend's birthday and it was a great choice. Overall the food was good and…read moreportions were good. We each got a handroll set and it was enough with the 4 rolls along with an appetizer for 3 of us to feel full. The SHUNGIKU KAKIAGE appetizer was delicious. Very nice with light batter and flavor. We enjoyed this a lot. Each roll was fresh and had a good amount of meat in it. The home made soy sauce was also delicious and had very interesting umami flavor. Our waitress was friendly and it wasn't very busy but for some reason she didn't notice to fill our water jug for a while. She was very good at clearing dishes. Parking wasn't too bad on a weekday night on the street but street parking is only 2 hours.

Service was a bit scrambled. The restaurant only had a few tables occupied but the staff seemed…read morepreoccupied. They took awhile to give us the menu and they forgot to provide soy sauce with the first set of hand roll. They were surprised I don't have soy sauce at the table already when I asked.. well I was too. Foodwise.. everything was pretty good. I love the uni handroll at the end. The overall experience could've been better though. Will have to see if I end up returning.

This is my go-to spot for Taco Tuesday, it never disappoints. Starting around 4:30 PM, they offer…read morean all-you-can-eat taco deal for about $18, which is a steal for the area. The tacos are traditional street-style, small tortillas, simple, and packed with flavor, and there are usually 4-6 different meat options to choose from, so you can mix it up each round. Fair warning, there's often a line, especially when it first starts, but it moves pretty quickly. The system works well, you can order four tacos at a time, so you're never stuck waiting too long before your next round. And don't skip the agua fresca, it's always super refreshing and pairs well with the tacos. Inside, there's a large main dining area plus a more private back room separated by a doorway, which is nice if you're with a group. There's also outdoor seating with heat lamps, so it's comfortable even on cooler evenings. We actually hosted our baby shower here and got set up in the back room, it worked out perfectly. There was plenty of space for people to move around, mingle, and just hang out without feeling cramped. It ended up being a fun, relaxed setting for a celebration.

I first ate here a couple of years ago after moving to El Cerrito and remembered the food being…read morejust okay--nothing that made me eager to come back. I recently stopped in again, this time just for an horchata, and unfortunately it was a disappointment. Out of the 10 horchatas I've had in the past couple of months, this was easily the worst. It tasted like watered-down cinnamon water, with very little of the creamy, rich flavor you'd expect. BB Hopefully this was just an off day, but based on my experiences, this isn't a place I'd go out of my way to revisit.