Cugini Restaurant

You are driving down San Pablo Avenue in Albany, not going anywhere in particular -- San Pablo is…read morethe kind of road you take when the freeway feels like too much commitment, four lanes of auto body shops and taquerias and nail salons stretching from Richmond to Oakland, the East Bay's long commercial backbone -- and somewhere around Solano Avenue you see a sign that says Club Mallard. You take your foot off the gas. Club Mallard. You need to know. The interior is dark and warm and full of dead birds. Mounted, taxidermied, presiding over the room with the glassy authority of creatures who didn't expect to end up in a bar in Albany but have made their peace with it. The effect is somewhere between hunting lodge and natural history museum after hours, and it shouldn't work on San Pablo Avenue but it does, completely, the way any sufficiently committed aesthetic decision will eventually override its context. I've been once. Midweek happy hour. This is the most honest way to evaluate a bar -- no weekend crowd to inflate the energy, no event to justify the turnout, just the place and whoever shows up on a Tuesday because they want to be there. The happy hour is good. The bartender was gregarious and present and seemed to actually like the job, which sounds like a low bar until you've spent enough time on the other side of it. The regulars were friendly in the East Bay way, which is to say they talked to us without needing anything from us, offered opinions on what to drink, and went back to their conversations. There's an outdoor space for when you want sky. I've driven past since and seen it packed. I was glad. You root for a place like Club Mallard the way you root for any small enterprise that decided to be something specific in a landscape of sameness, and then just held the line.

I've been coming here since about 2019. Not sure how I stumbled upon it, but it was with friends…read moreand it's been our go to bar ever since. It also happens to be somewhat of a meeting point when I'm in Oakland and another friend is in Berkeley. When I was in downtown Oakland it was only 14 minutes away. What a time. I like this bar because the drinks are good, it's affordable, all ages come here and the vibe is nice. There is a pool table downstairs and about two or three upstairs along with a mini bar. The fire place is currently keeping the bar cozy downstairs. So, I've liked Cosmopolitans for some time now and Mallard's has a Mandarin Cosmo. It is so good - it reminds me of an Orange Hi-C.

Chic!?

The place has a unique motif! A tiki Cabin in the woods!?

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Best Friends

4.6(34 reviews)

0.7 mi

Great service. Varied wine selection. Nice vibe. And our dog dug the hell out of it. We'll be back!read more

I love the vibe here. It's very open, warm and bright. A nice contrast to the busy traffic on…read moreSolano and San Pablo. I'm not a wine expert. I like it and I drink it. If you're a wine expert, my guess is you'll enjoy the unique selection. The staff is friendly and knowledgeable.

Fins & feathers pop-up - hodo yuba mille feuille, leeks, red onions, seasonal greens

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Geisha Dragon ...

Schmidt's Pub

4.4(238 reviews)

0.2 mi•Berkeley Hills

•$

A must-visit place for anyone living in the area (4/5 Green Stars)…read moreBring cash! That's the first rule of Schmidt's Pub. Maybe it's the only rule! I've been coming here a bit more regularly, lately - more visits in the last year compared to the previous decade, in fact. Now I wonder what I was waiting for. According to the East Bay Express, Schmidt's Pub is "basically your living room, but better" - that does sum it up, except that very few of us have living rooms anything like this, with a cozy fireplace surrounded by comfy armchairs and rustic tables beside sunny windows. Not many of us have living rooms with Old Speckled Hen on tap, or populated with an entertaining parade of quirky folk and friendly dogs. If the people and dogs are not entertaining enough then pick up a copy of Calvin and Hobbes or A History of Clay Pipes (okay, I made that one up) and have a little retreat with a pint. 4/5 Green Stars for social and environmental impact, based on these factors: * Beer on tap (transported in reusable kegs) has a much lower footprint compared to bottles or cans. * Allows you to bring your own food, which is good for folk like vegans who are often more comfortable with BYO. * The snacks available at the counter could be a bit more Berkeley (or Albany)! They were mostly from big corps - Lays chips (PepsiCo) and chocolate bars from Mars. Would be nice to see a more imaginative/ethical selection. * A great community space with an inclusive atmosphere. Schmidt's is home to many groups (e.g., knitting) and provides a second family for many, some who send postcards from their trips! * Finally, we shouldn't underestimate the importance of having a place to slow down, reflect and connect with each other a little. In that respect, Schmidt's Pub is worth its weight in gold.

Met here for a date, and it is so cozy! It was a wonderful spot to grab a drink when everything…read moreelse is shut for the evening. Parking was easy. The indoor seating by the fire was perfect for a cold evening, and the outdoor seating is great for those hot nights.

02.2023 fieldwork blueberry parfait

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Hotsy Totsy Club

4.1(414 reviews)

0.9 mi

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.

The Hotsy Totsy club was recently featured on Fox News as a strip club - not true. This is…read morehilarious because it is nothing of the sort. It is a nearly 100-year-old dive bar. The drinks here are poured relatively strong. They have an amazing selection of vodkas and whiskeys. But you'll have no problem finding the tequila that you like as well. For those that don't drink, they have several different juices that you can mix in a variety of ways to make your own mocktail. Parking here is ridiculously easy. The parking is relatively safe. If you park more than a block away, you're good walking to your car late at night. The service here is excellent. The bartenders are quirky and have great sense of humor.

Interior of the building

Inside the bar

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Lively scene. It gradually got more crowded as the night went on.

Ivy Room

4.1(98 reviews)

Ivy Room is happening Planet Booty is having Booty Camp for…read more4 nights Lani owner, is very wise

I continue to love the Ivy room. Bartenders make the best drinks and they aren't overpriced…read more Doorman is always really accommodating and friendly, and the bands are fantastic.

The huge selection at the bar

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Match Point Brewing

4.9(44 reviews)

Great spot to watch a game and try some unusual brews. The burger place next door is accessible…read morethrough a sliding door an makes an an excellent burger to bring back to Matchpoint.

Interesting place to explore Asian-American influenced beers. Owner friendly. Good service. Bar…read morevibe. Sports on TV.

Get your late night dim sum fix here right at the bar.

How tennis players settle the tab at Match Point Brewing

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Grand Slam Flight

Ocean View Brew Works

4.5(93 reviews)

"The Cutest Beer Garden in Northern California?"…read more I had no idea what to expect, but I was pleasantly surprised by this little brewery. This is a small, incredibly cute little brewery and beer garden right on San Pablo boulevard. They have a lot of nice indoor seats, as well as a large patio outside. The friendly bartender says they sometimes have live music. Today, I got a Pilsner pint for $9. Just what the doctor ordered! Check out your cute little brewery, as well as their outside seating area. There is not really an ocean view. That was the original name of this town. Thanks for adding such a wonderful feature to this town.

Thoroughly meh. Beer was fine, not great. All signs say 16oz but they serve in 12oz glasses. We're…read morenot fooled, and won't be back.

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Beer menu

Lama Bar

3.7(20 reviews)

1.1 mi

This is a fun little happening bar across from El Cerrito plaza. Live music!!! Easy parking. And…read moregreat drinks. So far Ive tried the Lama in Love (delicately tangy and lightly sweet) and the Asian Lychee Martini (fresh!! And so good).This is a recent find for me, even though I've lived in the area for years!! They have a jam night tonight, Sunday. If you wanna show off your musician skills this is a good place to do it. I may have to come through with my tambourine next time!!! Recommended for a good local place to relax before starting the work week.

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

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Patio area

Solano Junction

4.4(207 reviews)

0.1 mi•Berkeley Hills

The food is delicious. Can't beat the breakfast menu. So tasty and satisfying. The service is…read moreexcellent. All is good. The owner is on site. So friendly and accommodating. A true five star rating.

Tasty, friendly, and laid back…read more I went for breakfast and am so glad I did. I sat at the bar and was taken care of by Deepa and she was great. Kept my drink full, was the perfect amount of attentive, and friendly. I had the pancake combo and it was delicious. The chicken apple sausage was interesting but tasty. I'd get it again. The restaurant was not super big which made it very cozy and welcoming. The next time I'm in the area, I know where I'm eating.

Interior w/ bar

Organic tea blend

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Mimosa flight

Fieldwork Brewing Co.

4.3(722 reviews)

1.1 mi

Love how many beer options they have here -- great variety and generous pours. It's really fun to…read moretry different styles, and I definitely found a few I liked that I'd never had before. The pizza was surprisingly good. The kale pizza stood out with lots of garlicky pesto on top. The Fireball was spicier than expected -- the shishito peppers actually gave off quite a bit of heat. The dough is fluffy and the cheesy crust was excellent. Really liked trying Detroit-style pizza for the first time, and it paired well with the drinks. The space itself is very nice -- people come here to work, relax, or just grab a drink and a snack. It's family-friendly and they also have games, which made it fun to hang out and play a few rounds with friends after finishing our food and drinks.

There are a lot of pros going for Fieldwork: - huge space…read morewith lots of tables - clean bathrooms - you can bring your own food!!! - lots of drink options - relatively easy street parking, depending on time of day However, the cons: - nonalcoholic drinks were meh - the soft pretzel is DROWNED in salt. I am a soft pretzel girl (in body texture and in food preference) and this is a crime against humanity. They're singlehandedly flipping the oceans to freshwater.