I love Baggy's! I love the real and fun personalities of the staff. I really enjoy the quality of their drinks, and mixture of music they play!! read more

If you're looking for a true dive bar in Oakland, you're either a two-fisted drinker ready for another round or a Yelper ready to write an alcohol-fueled review. This spot should satisfy both personas as its an old-time tavern that's been around since the 1930's. That was the first Great Depression if you didn't know. The place is indeed by Lake Merritt, but who's Baggy? He was a bookie who ended up owning half the bar when the original owner faced mounting gambling debts. What a great story to share over a drink at this bar. I found it when Jamie W. and I were strolling downtown and found Mad Oak overrun with hipsters on a Saturday afternoon. We came here and immediately felt the vintage vibe. Nope, not Cheers despite the presence of regulars at their favorite seats. We found a couple of open spots at the end of the bar, and we ordered a couple of $11 Makers Mark and Gingers (photo: https://bit.ly/3NmOv4V). The bartender was very friendly and even handed out complimentary lemon-glazed Twinkies she made herself (photo: https://bit.ly/3oMzQ8Z). Yep, it's that kinda place. DRINKS - 4 stars...potent mixing here AMBIANCE - 4 stars...this is what you call 'character' SERVICE - 4.5 stars...a bartender with her custom Twinkies TOTAL - 4 stars...Baggy's still got game RELATED - Exploring Oakland? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2ObVcpQ read more

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It's a dive bar. The beer choice is limited but it's still a fun place to hang out for an hour or so. A lot of happy Black customers and that's always appreciated. read more

Excellent service. The crowd is friendly. Cheap drinks and great music. Highly recommended.

Excellent service. The crowd is friendly. Cheap drinks and great music. Highly recommend it.

Went in to this neighborhood bar today and had a great Bloody Mary. Then my friend Gabe ordered "pickle backs" which are shots of whiskey and then you take a sip of pickle juice to cut the strong whiskey flavor. usually it's awesome. The bartender gave us Fireball cinnamon whiskey which was terrible. Then Gabe complained and the bartender gave him another pickle back but used a peanut butter flavored whiskey which is worse because Gabe hates peanut butter! The bartender took his shirt off and screamed "the Oakland A's are dead!" and a few minutes later punched some awful Nazi guy who tried to come in. Gabe died, but nobody really liked him. Great bar! 100% will return and would recommend. If you're in Oakland this is a destination. read more

Solid 3 stars Cool dive bar Bar tender was great friendly and efficient Drinks were ON POINT There is a juke box so my friends and I played all the ratchet songs LOL This bar kinda gives me "CHEERS" vibes Everyone knows everyone They have their own clientele And they definitely KNEW we were not/are not regulars Lol This place is dog friendly We saw a customer in there with his dog (on a leash) Kinda of an older crowd Vibes were cool I won't plan to ever come here but I know I will end up here again if that makes sense LOL TILL NEXT TIME read more

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What a great discovery! This is a friendly neighborhood bar that attracts all slices of life. Great drinks, fun customers and a friendly bartender. A fantastic way to close the weekend. read more

Baggy's by the Lake - Dive Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Baggy's by the lake is such a great time. I have been there since the new ownership and I only have to say the following things: 1. The service is spectacular. Every bartender there has a heavy hand and is friendly/on point. 2. The drinks are superb. Did I mention the heavy hand. Yeah I like to have a cocktail sometimes. But I think that the mixer shouldn't necessarily detract from the booze. Apparently the bartenders have the same theory. 3. Everyone that I have met there has been rad. Granted I don't go during busy nights much. But I have to say that this bar is the bee's knees. 4. The ambiance is everything that one can ask for from a dive bar and more. I find the seating arrangements to be great. The beef jerky that they had was phreaking amazing! The jukebox was awesome for my choice of music, and people all jammed out to what everyone was playing. 5. The owners are super awesome and well accommodating. You should check out all their bars in Oakland. Their bars are all LGBTQ and POC friendly. I appreciate their diversity and inclusiveness. One of the most awesome things about their bars is the respect and inclusiveness to everybody from all walks of life. If I could give 6 stars I would. read more

This bar is so cute! Came here last Saturday night around 7pm to kill some time because my friends and I were on the wait list for Rockin' Crawfish (that restaurant is literally so poppin, I didn't know so many people loved celebrating birthdays there and the wait list is sometimes 1.5 hours). Literally yelped this place and it was within walking distance. It was freaking freezing outside that night and so the vibes of this place were perfect! A bunch of us got hot drinks (hot totties, irish coffees) and they all perfectly hit the spot. Wasn't super crowded around this time, decent number of people sitting around watching a game. Even though the bar is small, the mirrors make it look a lot spacier. There's this little nook that reminds me of a library, with comfy chairs next to a fireplace vibe with some books. Really good vibes all around and really fast service, 10/10 would come again read more

Baggy's by the Lake - Irish coffee (so perfect on a cold night) - Dive Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Una pleasant surprise! clean inside! Doggie friendly! Attentive bartender!Actually not what you might expect! In pulled up... n told bartender "I need somethin to wake me up.... U can jus give me a shot n some redbull".... He looked at me crazy but then came back with the most awesome cocktails with redbull in it! read more

Best bar in Oakland. Such a hometown vibe, the bartenders are great, always has a good group of people. Great prices too which is always a plus. We love baggys read more

EVERYONE was so kind & welcoming. We bought some art. Yes!! You can buy art displayed on the walls. It was an absolutely magic night!!! Big shout out to Cherry, Peter & Smitty for allowing us to buy some of his art rather late which is now safely home in Brisbane Australia. This is a great place for a beverage or 2. It's well worth a visit!!! read more

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As a POC I gave this business the benefit of the doubt. I was a regular before COVID, I was there until they had to close down and ended up in new ownership, owners of Merchants and in the near future, Smitty's Lounge in Oakland. I went to Baggy's as a regular because I felt like it was a safe place for me. Unfortunately, it's not a safe place for females as they allow their regular male "regulars" manhandle female POCs and don't care to ask or inquire about the incident. I left in peace feeling absolutely disgusted that the bartender Justin (who also bartends at Sea Wolf), did not question the perpetrator. Boycotted my bar for a couple of weeks, only to be told by one of the owners (Shari) that she reviewed the tapes and that no fowl was committed by the perpetrator. I have no idea what she was talking about or how she would even know what incident I was so upset about this evening. It breaks my heart that not a single one of the owners would approach me personally but instead just tell me that they reviewed the "tapes," not knowing what I was upset about. I will no longer go to this bar or put my money into it as they don't care about how women are manhandled by their so called regulars and not do anything about it. Believe me I'm not the only one that has a similar complaint. This establishment is NOT a safe place for women or for LGBTQIA. Don't come here unless you want to be assaulted and then told that you were wrong. Goodbye to this place. read more

If you don't make a friend or meet a friend at Baggy's by the Lake, you my friend shouldn't be allowed a drank. And please. Owner(s). Are you reading too? Can we put that on a t-shirt and sell them? Every teacher needs a side-hustle. Wouldn't it make a cute story? Help a teacher. Neighborhood bar. Feel good vibes when friends are friends at Baggy's by the Lake! read more

Baggy's by the Lake - Friends feel loved at Baggy's by the Lake. - Dive Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

No-frills but fairly unglamorous Dive Bar with an informal atmosphere. That's about it!!!

Food and drinks aren't good, overpriced. Not really anything that stands out about this dive bar, it's pretty basic and it seems like the location is what keeps it in business. Rude service, consistently ableist, racist, sexist, and classist treatment of customers management has decided aren't their style, it makes for a very uninviting atmosphere. This business just hurts the neighborhood imo. read more

Truly a fan of dive bars and this bar is one of the better ones. Very dark inside and very funky decorations which I loved. Went here around the holiday season and had a blast. Got super drunk out of their drinks and the bartenders were super nice. The best part is that it is near the lake, therefore it makes it for a good time to go sightseeing on or before going to this bar. read more

#15 As I sat here with several friends last night, I wondered why I have never written a review for Baggy's? I mean, I simply walk over (no DUI capability), meet friends, run into peeps I have not seen in a loooong minute, get cheap drinks that really do the job, great service, nothing fancy--just good drinks and good people. I want to commend Baggy's for not buying into the whole "gentrification" thing going on in our neighborhood. It is ruining everything--and Stephani frowns for that ;( Baggy's, since the first time I ever visited about 8 years ago, has remained the same friendly, hospitable and fun environment. They welcome the same old crowd with the same old peeps working the bar. I love it. And one thing my grams taught me was this, "If it aint broke, don't fix it." *trusts grammy* Baggy's is truly my favorite spot in the Lake Merritt area. We always meet up with friends here and with other people who live in our building that become our friends because we all have the same love for strong, cheap drinks with attitude. The place is small, dark, kind of non-updated--and all of that is the charm. No one is trying to be fancy here or charge 'high rent' for a simple drink. None of the drinks are ruined with "only local" and none of the prices are ruined with "we mash our own ingredients" type of BS. It is just a real bar, with real people and real drinks. Real bar + real drinks = real people Stephani Smiles for Baggy's by the Lake ;) #sidewayssmilewhenileavebaggys read more

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Baggy Pants. Baggy Eyes. Baggy Boobs. I brought none of the above to Baggy's by the Lake. I was rested, the girls were well supported and my jeans were snug as a bug in a rug. The mixed drinks were bleh, the bartender was meh and they ran out of the one beer on tap I wanted to try. I left realizing that I really didn't have a solid opinion about Baggy's. Everything about the place was just blah. Fairly empty, lacking character and stuck in something of a time warp. Wooden captain chairs, leather stools, 2 small televisions hoisted up displaying sports and willy nilly/forgetable art on the walls. Be sure to side note the large tile step/emergency test of the sobriety broadcasting system - in the women's bathroom. It is conveniently located near the Parkway for pre & post movie, beverage consumption. read more

My friend is a local dive aficionado. She's also a beer snob. This means that she knows local watering holes that serve quality beer like nobody's business. It also means that when we go out, I don't pick the place (and I don't mind)! Baggy's is one of her favorite bars to throw back a beer. In fact, it's so local that, as she puts it, "it's nobody's destination." It's not exactly "by the lake," so if you're expecting views of the water you're in for a sad surprise. But it's got what you need - good beer on tap, including local Oakland brews - tables in the back, a few TVs, mirrors and old photos on the wall, and a sticky floor. As an added perk, there's a Vietnamese restaurant next door, and you can bring food in and eat around the table. This is the kind of place where, after a few visits, I bet the bartender might even know your name. read more

I spaced out and accidentally walked too far down the block, coming to my senses literally right in front of Baggy's. I've driven by and always been amused by the name, plus some of my friends have given rave reviews, so when I found myself there after a long day, I realized that a beer sounded good. I'd secured a couple of regular clients and had cause to celebrate, so I headed in. Cute bar and it has a very comfortable and friendly vibe. I found myself talking to some random people right away. I sat down with my beer and caught up on my phone -- admittedly antisocial, but I was a bit fried -- I noticed that everyone there seemed to be just super friendly in general. Lots of regulars, who knew the bartender and the bartender knew their names. It felt very inclusive, though, as apparent strangers would strike up conversations around me. They have an internet jukebox, which I love, because that means so much selection and a lot of randomness. They have an unusual number of darker/stronger/IPA beers; it looked like the lightest beers on draft were PBR and Pilsner Urquell. Anyway, I really liked this bar and would totally come back here. Possible 5-star establishment, but more research must be done to confirm. :) read more

Awful place. Horrible service. I went here and did not enjoy it at all. The bartenders were rude, the drinks weren't good and on top of that I picked up some seriously racist vibes. There was a black couple who were trying to get service and the bartender completely ignored them. To top it all off, apparently they put a sign on the window saying not to feed the homeless. Avoid this place. If you want a good gay bar, there are so many worth supporting. This place feels bigoted. read more

Came here for a friends birthday. Great drinks, great people working in there. Just a great experience and a fun place to go. It was not my first time nor my last time at Baggy's!! read more

We love you Trasko!!! You make the best drinks. I will always come to Baggys on Trasko nights. He is a dedicated bartender and security guard. read more

Baggy's by the Lake - Trasko, we love you! We always come in on your nights!!! Xoxoxo - Dive Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Decent dive bar by lake Merritt. They have weekend happy hour that last until 6p ($5 well,$5beers). Not bad. No food is served here but you can have food delivered or brought in from another spot. Pretty diverse crowd. I say give it a try. read more

Fine for low end. Don't expect a real cocktail. My first cocktail was a top shelf margarita. Tequila, triple sec, lime juice, rocks, no salt. I asked for a 2nd and was told they were too busy for that. Seriously. If your goal is a dive bar then enjoy. They could be so much more. read more

Great happy hour deals. I got a $3 cranberry vodka (well drink). Pretty cool people. Love the decor, even with the holiday decorations still hanging up. Chill. read more

Great local dive bar. The bartenders and bouncer are friendly, drinks are priced well and made well, solid amount of seating. Jukebox!! Zero complaints here read more

Rude waitresses, would not recommend. Felt uncomfortable and unwelcome. Take your business elsewhere.

Being my neighborhood bar I am a bit biased, but I partially wanted to live in this area so I could walk to this bar. Decor is great, music is fun, drinks are made well. Wed. night is VIP night where you can get a punch card for each drink, resulting is a free-bee and being entered in a drawing for a Baggy's shirt! read more

Great prices, chill vibe, friendly people + staff. It's not exactly by the lake, but not too far of a walk. Cozy and lively spot every night of the week read more

Hello Baggy's! Honestly I'm still trying to figure Baggy's out.. I've been in 3 times. The first time their seemed to be a blue hair theme happening. I have to admit, I kinda liked being the "young lady" for the afternoon.. =) My 2nd visit it was just me. Also kind of an off hour though. I had a great chat with the bartender about the idiocy of the Oakland Riots and the Oakland Police Dept (Bart's too of course). I was there for @45 min, had two dry saphire martinis- bruised with a twist. They were perfect. Hard to find a good, really cold martini these days. I'm actually seldom a martini drinker, but with a new bartender I guess it's my way of asking them about their experience. A perfect Manahatan, a dry Martini, and a negroni all tell you a lot about a bartender's skill. (Having been a bartender for a decade I feel I can safely claim this!) So my third visit was a packed happy hour during which my youngest sibling bought his first legal drink! The bartender brought him a cement mixer (to my delight!! For those not in the know it is a mix of lime juice and baileys that turns to the consistency of cement when it mixes in your mouth!! Lol). So I have had 3 seperate, totally awesome experiences at Baggys. But I'm still having trouble determining what the bar is actually all about. So I guess I'll just keep going back till I figure it out!! ;-) read more

It always amazes me when I find new places to go in my 'hood...like the place I would take people when they come to visit me. Which is...nobody. Here's my issue with a lot of bars- their lack of creativity. Undoubtedly some of the bartenders have been bartending for YEARS, and therefore should think up drinks for kicks, slap a price on them, and sell them. Nothing fancy, but something to attract the brain dead like myself. Baggy's did that- with a little list of holiday drinks. Sure, they were a little pricier than beer, but this time a year, warm alcoholic goodness is always a plus. I couldn't decide, so I went with an old favorite of a hot apple pie. For those of you who don't know, a hot apple pie is hot apple cider with Tuaca. I'm a big fan of Tuaca, which I supposedly at one point had the highest consumption in Reno. Probably because of Dirty Tuacas, the recipe which I shared with the bartender- who was frankly fantastic. Sure, the neighborhood is a little sketch, but I had a couple of great bodyguards who walked me too and from my car. This is definitely a place which should be visited again...soon! read more

This review is for Jason. He is the worst bartender I have ever encountered; I have traveled all over the world and bar hopped scores of bars in one weekend alone. My friends have all concurred that he is, as well. The guy has some kind of complex and when he's in a crap mood, is more than happy to take it out on you, or the homeless guy outside. Pretty sure the word douche was invented for him. It's unfortunate, because the bar itself would garner 5 stars - as would all the other bartenders whom I LOVE. And as you'll see, there is not one bar that I have reviewed that is under 4 stars. Because I only go to bars I love. I will continue to go to Baggy's, see who is working, and walk out if it is McDouchenstien. read more

What is Baggy's by the Lake? Not sure yet. It's not amazing. It's not too loud. It's not easy to watch sports in. It's not close to BART. It's not particularly...well anything. It's 2 stars cause there's fewer great things to write about than not great. It was easy to find, but I also know Oakland fairly well. It was close the Parkway Theater, which was really why I was there at all. Jenn N and I drove for Anna G's gig and we met at Baggy's. We got there early, so we really got a chance to soak this place in. I'll say, it was relatively clean. Nothing was sticky, and that's great. The drink prices were average. Two 20" tv's up high, and music coming from somewhere, that was the entertainment. I had to get up and walk just under the TV to see the score - the Sooners KILLED Texas Tech, yo! TV's were small, ok? They ran 2 taps out during the hour we were there---- Saturday night. 1 bartender. Place was pretty dead (I hear Wednesday is a good night.) 20 minutes to change the kegs? Not gonna be there that long, "honey". That's what she called me a few times. This bartender fit this place. She was nice enough. Exciting like the faux brick panels and old western paintings. You know, for all the Oakland cowboys that stroll in to a Lake Merritt bar. Ya, I smiled when I wrote that line. I will say, the patrons were nice. Other than our group, there were only a half dozen people there. One guy offered us his chairs, which was cool of him. The people were cool. Typical for the area, street parking with meters till 6. You can take the bus from Lake Merritt BART if you like. I don't know, I wouldn't go here to just hang out. Gotta be doing something else close by. They need to update pretty much everything for me, and I'm not hard to please...or am I? Well, if you like nothing special in blah place, you're in luck. Probably a good place if you just want to be left alone. read more

This place is unexpectedly cute. I liked my drink, which was strong. This place is cozy in it's own way. I was there with a boyfriend who is now my ex-boyfriend. He had recently made out with a girl who was not me and had blamed hard liquor, promising me he would never, ever drink hard liquor again. He ordered a beer, but the beer was bad. The beer had gone bad. Seriously? That's bad. Then he ordered a mixed drink, saying that I was being a bitch for trying to hold him to his promise when... I mean... the beer was bad! What else was he supposed to drink? I was clearly being unreasonable. He finally gave me the drink to drink and decided to try another kind of beer, which was fine. But then later a saw him taking a shot with the bartender. But I digress. Baggy's is an excellent dive bar. Beware of the beer which may or may not have gone bad. And don't date my ex. He thinks he means well, but he doesn't. read more

Went here for Superbowl Sunday and this place is seriously perfect. Not only was it spiffed up with inflatable football-inspired decor and filled with a *ahem* DIVERSE crowd, oh no no, that would not be good enough for ye old Baggy's. No. You know what Baggy's has for Supberbowl Sunday? A CHILI COOKOFF. Yes. A chili cookoff. Locals brought in a total of 14 chilis, and any patron was invited, nay, ENCOURAGED, to sample each one and judge. And as if that was not enough, other goodies were offered, and by goodies I mean a whole down-home Superbowl spread of hot dogs, potato salad, four different kinds of corn bread, etc etc. There were even some vegan goodies to try! AND raffle tickets for every drink you bought, featuring prizes of bar tabs and t-shirts. Baggy's quite simply has a huge heart. It is a bar that loves to give and to bring the community together. One dixie cup full of chili at a time. This is the kind of thing that elevates a place from "dive" to being one's local. read more

Aside from their cruel joke of a bathroom, which is clearly not designed with those who have been consuming copious amounts of alcohol in mind, Baggy's is the kind of place you can either bring a book and enjoy sitting in the red velvet cake ambiance, or you can wind up grinding drunkenly against the jukebox and singing Fleetwood Mac's "Little Lies" at the top of your lungs. Not that I've done that. read more

Four stars for FREE PINK CUPCAKES! The combination of Jim Beam, free cupcakes, and tastefully displayed cowboy art at Baggy's helped make Valentine's Day 2007 full of magical ponies and love. I just moved to the East Lake Merritt neighborhood in Oakland, and I never imagined that such a cool bar would exist in my scuzzy little hood. I mean, across the street folks are getting blowjobs in the parking lot of Church's Chicken. The dark, wood-paneled walls, comfy couches, and friendly patrons of Baggy's feel like an oasis from the grimy outside. read more