Great place to come for a drink or a $5 shot!…read more Service was great. Ambience emasculate. Come have a party here for free -that means NO COVER

Coming from a conference, we needed to unwind. My friend recommended this place so we decide to…read morecheck this out AMBIANCE: Parking: Welcome to Downtown Oakland! There's a parking lot and some metered parking. Walking around, the parking wasn't too competitive. Seating: Bar seating moreover, for maybe about 10 people or so. Vibes: Welcome to Downtown Oakland! It is a grit and grind place with a lot of culture and things to do - food, museums, shopping, and community events on the occasion. The place itself is pretty spacious, there seems to be a lot of space for an eventful time from jamming good music or karaoke. FOOD: Malibu & Pinepple Rum (Recommend) A simple drink that's smooth and sweet. Get a cherry for that additional sweet flavor to it. CUSTOMER SERVICE: I believe our server was Mel and he was dope! TL; DR OVERALL: 4.5 Stars. Great! A pretty proximal place from the Marriott Hotel. Prices were reasonable, drink selections were wide, and the energy was good. When in Oakland and need some good Hip-Hop & R&B music, this is a great spot! TIPS: * Tuesdays and Thursdays are karaoke nights.

We had been hearing about the karaoke competition since last year and finally got the chance to…read morecheck it out tonight for the f i n a l s. We drove in on an extremely rainy day because we couldn't miss witnessing this event and the place was packed to the brim with just enough room to still move around. We grabbed some delicious beer and watched all the teams perform for three rounds. We enjoyed the enthusiasm, the energy, the talented singing, dance moves and chemistry the teams were giving as they belted each songs. Confetti poppers and sashes were utilized and made the night all the more snazzy. The stage is a bit small and snug. Overall, a fun time and perhaps we will join in on the next season~

I always loved going to the karaoke shows here. The karaoke league competition tonight (Monday,…read moreMarch 30, 2026) was amazing! And the talent was topnotch! The bartenders were also amazing. For as busy as it was tonight, they did an outstanding job! What made this potentially 5-star review downgraded to a 3-star review was because of my interaction with the KJ here tonight, right after the karaoke league competition. When the karaoke queue was finally open to the public after the competition, I signed up for just one song, and I looked at the KaraFun queue and saw my song at 8th (#8) in the rotation. I looked at the queue again a minute later, and my song was suddenly at #10. I looked again a few seconds later, and my song was suddenly at #14. And then, a few seconds later, it was at #16. I went up to the KJ to ask him what was going on, and he said that he's just making a living, and if people tip him, they get moved up on the queue. Being a KJ myself and being part of a KJ team in the Bay Area, we do accept tips at our shows, but we don't move people up even after getting tipped. We get tipped by merit, by giving our singers their rockstar moment. Tips just come with the show and everyone's hard work. So, at this Legionnaire Saloon tonight, I felt disrespected. Before I found out I was being moved down from the queue, I was planning on tipping the KJ between $10 to $20 just for one song... just because KJs gotta support each other. I would have even waited my turn (at #8 on the queue), because it's just the right thing to do. But after this disrespect, and after the KJ even offered to move me up to #3, I just told him I was leaving, and I walk out. The damage has been done, and I wanted nothing to do with this show. I'll still come back here for drinks, but I will not come back when this KJ is working. 3 Stars. From a potential 5 stars. My two centavos.

I really like the atmosphere at Sobre Mesa. Whoever did the interior decor really knew what they…read morewere doing, because the place is just beautiful to be in, with rich colours and visual textures. The staff are super sweet and hard-working, and many of them are covered in tattoos. You're likely to be bowled over by how gorgeous all the customers are too. Every time I've been in, I've been shocked by the beauty of everyone in sight, in this gorgeous place. And I haven't even gotten to talking about the food yet, which is delicious. I've loved everything I've tried, and as someone who sadly can't have gluten, there's still plenty to enjoy here. Great cocktails, too. I should add: the food and drink are as beautiful to look at as their surroundings. This place is a bit of a fever dream of general awesomeness. Every time I come in here I feel lucky to be in Oakland.

I visited here on Wednesday evening for a double date. It was a little slow at first for the…read moreservice, they did not have a lot of staff. However, this seems to be the place to go for a double date. The table next to us was also on a double date. The drinks were decent, some in our group had mixed opinions about the drinks. The tapas were really good! Everyone really liked them. They also liked their main meal.

This review is for Thursday night (salsa night)…read more Seems like this place just reopened a couple of months ago. Came here on a Thursday night to support some of my friends that are salsa instructors here. The place is bigger than what it seems. Parking can be a pain if it gets too busy. Drinks are reasonably priced (coke and rum was $5). Live salsa band on Thursday nights! Cover charge is $10. TVs were available at the bar in case you need to know the score to some game you might be missing. Salsa lessons start at 8:15 and go for about an hour and then let the Party begin (whoop whoop!) I'll be coming here more often to support my friends. Small crowd but the vibe was good. People are here to have a great time. Get your dress shoes ready and dance the night away!

finally found Shadow open. place is huge. HH 4-6, drinks only , beers $3, wells $5…read more food menu mostly fried items and burger (9), no more steaks. drink: lagunista ipa(3) -pretty good -no drafts here -only dozen beers available, a few micros. on draught: -was informed they open for lunch also. -food and drink menu average at best. -never tried to go to evening events. 2.5 stars.

Cafe Van Kleef is just the right amount of funky and eclectic mixed with a splash of dive-bar charm…read moreand a garnish of chaos and art. I love places with personality, and this one totally delivered. Go just to enjoy the little Ali Baba cavern of curiosities that it is, you won't regret it. Also, if you're citrus-obsessed like me, they serve fresh grapefruit juice in all its forms and variations and the drinks are delicious!

Cheap grapefruit flavored drinks with a good amount of alcohol, a huge slice of grapefruit, and…read morepermission to be as loud as I want? sign me up the only thing that could be better about this bar is that I wish it was bigger LOL it can get really crowded on weekend nights. Also kind of a harder spot to get an uber pick up from. Lots of personality and maybe one step up from a divey vibe! great for citrus fans

My first visit here was to see one of my favorite local bands, The Helltones, who were playing last…read moreafter two other bands. The Golden Bull is just one long room, with a bar in front. Having arrived early (natch), I sat at the bar and made easy conversation with the bartender and a photojournalist who sat next to me. She made a very nice vodka martini, knowing that it should never be shaken. The place never filled up. It seemed that half the attendees were members of the other band or their friends. The other guy I talked to turned out to be the bass player for the penultimate group. The sound was good, and it was easy to go back and forth to get a beer or whatever. I liked the casual and friendly vibe. I didn't know anyone, and felt welcomed.

This is my favorite bar - great staff good music /reasonably priced and a good atmosphere .read more

The Alley is a popular dive bar and nightclub in Carlsbad known for its lively, atmosphere,…read moreaffordable drinks and diverse crowd. It features DJs, a packed dance floor, and events like karaoke and live bands, attracting locals and visitors looking for a fun, no-frills night out with a wide range of music. Had no idea what to expect but had a blast. You just dance the night away with people you don't know. What a vibe.

LOVE The Alley. So last week after Michael & I went to the Grand Lake Tuesday $6 Disclosure Day…read more4pm show, & as usual, the spirits were calling us over. To supply a cushion to rest our booze on we ordered a snack of hand cut thick potato wedges aka fries. Well not to be too critical they were what we ordered..hand cut potatos & they were fried....however these had to be the least crunchy/crispy & most mushy/soft..."you call these FRIES??" ever. We ate some to do the job for which they were intended...absorb ETOH...after loaded with ketchup & I do mean loaded as the squeeze top came off when Michael squeezed..Oops! Bartender guy apologized for that & then later (& fries unfinished) after letting him know how subpar they were @ $12.00!! for maybe 2 potatoes worth of stuff ...he gave us a decent break on their cost... 50% off ADVICE!...get the 1/2 lb. burger for a couple of bucks more we still love you Alley but consider a change for those spuds

Don't know if we enjoyed this place because of the seeming endless amount of booty shorts in the…read moreplace or the perfectly crafted cocktails...either way 7of10....

Disclaimer --Ordered via Doordash…read more Food was mediocre but let's start with the PROS: Jerk Chicken - flavorful and juicy Plantains - standard Beef patty - not bad, but I've most definitely had better. Escoviched Fish - again, not bad--but not memorable CONS: Mac & Cheese - so stiff, no flavor. Oddly tasted mustard in there. Peas & rice - where are the peas? It was all rice. Flavor was light. Overall the food lacked the level of spice & flavor I expect from Jamaican food.