Stopped by after Oakland First Friday. It was busy. Nowhere to sit, and not much room to stand either. We ubered to First Friday and walked here, so I'm not sure how parking is. The bar itself, is nice. It's 2 stories, but the 2nd floor is a very small space with a few couches, small standing/dancing area with a DJ. Nowhere to sit so we went back downstairs. Stood around. Got bumped into a lot. The drinks were pretty good at decent prices. $9 for a moscow mule, not bad. It was busy, so it took about 15 minutes each round, waiting at the bar to order drinks. There's an "express lane" if you're just getting beer/wine. I thought that was a cool concept, however, that line was pretty long so not sure how fast it moves. Overall, Drexl is pretty cool and I'd come back again, but would definitely try to score an area with seats. read more

Drexl Bar - view of lower level bar from upstairs - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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TL;DR: avoid the buff bartender. he needs less time in the gym and more time in therapy. Walked into this bar because I needed the Wifi to work. Pull out your phone and it'll say "Drexl Free Wifi" as a connection option. Sit down, order a spicy cocktail and try to connect to the internet so I can work at this bar which clearly showcases its Wifi. (Evident by the name "Drexl Free Wifi") Discover that the Wifi isn't working. I ask the bartender if maybe he can reset the router really quickly. He says he doesn't know how. He's a grown man. Anyway, no wifi, no reason for me to be at THIS bar when if i wanted to get drunk, I could drink ANYWHERE. I chose this bar because the Wifi. Full stop. So, i tell the bartender that I won't be staying here, because whats the point if i can't work? MIND YOU I NEVER TOUCHED THE DRINK. He proceeds to try to guilt trip me into paying for the drink and his body language was less than cordial. Telling me how hard it was for him to make this drink and it was sitting there a whole 5 minutes, boo hoo. He proceeds to 86 me for life, FOR THIS ONE DRINK, and puts his camera phone in my face to record the experience. If i didnt know he was trying to humiliate me, I would have been humiliated. What blows my mind is his little smirk when he saw how uncomfortable I was with having his camera in my face... almost like he got off on making other people feel small. Later that night I spent over $100 at Cafe Van Kleef and Make Westing: two vastly superior establishments. Moral of the story: 86ing someone over one drink when your wifi isn't working is really bad for business. read more

Wow, not sure why this bar has a low rating. This place is dope! It has a chill vibe and doesn't get overly crowded. The staff are all very friendly. There's an upstairs with some tables and a single skee-ball machine. On weekends, the music is old school hip-hop and maybe some soft rock. While any bar is pretty casual, this cocktail bar is a little more grown & sexy, but don't feel pressured to dress to the T, it's not THAT kind of place. It looks like a bar all the new techies would go to (if that's your thing or not). Their cocktails are pretty and taste good. They have tvs so they do play Warrior games here. I don't think they have food service here though. Although there's no dance floor, don't let that stop you from dancing in the middle of the bar, totally acceptable. I like this place to start off my night. It's a little more intimate than other bars like Mad Oak, Drakes, etc. read more

If your looking for a bar with great cheap drinks (both price and selection) then Drexl is the place to go. Its fairly spacious (upstairs and downstairs) and can get really crowded on Fridays. I tried to reserve a space for a small/medium get together but was unsuccessful via email. I get that running a business can be busy at times but communication sometimes makes or breaks businesses... When we arrived that night the space i wanted to reserve was completely empty, we were able to fit most of our guest upstairs so i guess it all worked out for the best! (Im glad we came early because the crowed turned up real quick!) The bartenders were nice and social, the drinks were cheap and the venue reminded me of a chill bar/lounge in SF. One of the staff pretended to take a shot with my group (even tho i knew it was water in his glass) but way to be social with your guest! Minus one star for the miscommunication but i will definitely be back since my party had a great time IN OAKLAND with no issues, just great memories! Go check them out.. Hidden gem in OAK! read more

Drexl Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

This place likes its rating is exactly what I think this should be rated, 3.5 stars. Like my posts in the past, anytime I am on the fence on my ratings I round up. I came here for a friend's birthday on a Saturday at 9pm. We arrived early closer to 8:45pm, parking wasn't too difficult at this time. There is a good amount two blocks away from Broadway on Harrison St. Around the parking there was parking a plenty, although there isn't too much light around that area and there was a lot of construction when we went. Once getting to the bar we found it not being too crowded - not surprising for this time. There wasn't even a bouncer yet, just two bartenders and about 10 people around the bar tops. Nice. Around 10ish someone comes to check ID and things start to really happen. More people come in, but there is still a good amount of space for everyone. This place is on the more modern side, dark, yet well lit for a bar. There a few bar tops to sit and a long bar to hangout at. On the first floor there are three couches along with some tables to sit. Upstairs there is even more seating. Everything is open seating. Onto the nitty gritty. The drinks. Wasn't impressed. Considering everything they put on the menu I thought their mixology would be a lot better. Drinks were not made well, maybe that's just how they make drinks. I got something like the eye of the tiger - similar to the Manhattan - but it was not good. My wife got something a little tangy, it was better but still not great. The glasses are oddly shaped, especially for the whiskey tasting. It was $21 for three flights and the glasses are large, which makes the amount of whiskey poured appear to be quiet small. It's probably around a shot, but it sure looked like a sip. Overall this place was nice to go to. It was never packed. Drinks could be better. read more

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Loved the vibe in this bar. Very laid back, off the main foot traffic path. Great service, reasonably priced drinks, and good ambiance.

Very good drink selection, creative bartenders also informative. Service is good. Good vibes, there's usually always a pretty good DJ. Upstairs and downstairs seating. I believe they set up tables outside too depending on weather. read more

Nice bar and good drinks. I just hate that they need to hold a credit card. Never liked that. Do like the style and look. Will come back. read more

Drexl Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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Went out with friends from work a while back. I liked this place for a casual get together. Nice sitting area upstairs to chill with friends. I would go back for sure. read more

Drexl Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Met a friend for drinks at this bar and was not disappointed. The bartender Khalil was amazing and even made a specialized drink for me. It was THE BOMB! Nice vibe and ambience overall. read more

Drexl Bar - a glass filled with a drink - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Came recently on a Monday night. I love that they are open on Mondays! Friendly bar staff, spacious seating and even a back patio. Definitely enjoyed the experience. read more

I always meet interesting people here, and the cocktails and barstaff are excellent. Plus, who can resist a place with a skeeball machine? So glad I live close enough to drop in here rather often. read more

Drexl Bar - The Drexl Daisy. Delicious. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Drinks are over priced and and customer service is even worse. Save your money and spend it at better places near by.

Drexl Bar isn't a dive bar, far from it. Hipster ambience in the mode of Make Westing (hearsay there's a Skeeball machine on the 2nd level.. (no food thou). offerings: artisan cocktails, named hard spirits, wines, 8ish microbrews (not the usual. much better) HH: 4-7, $1 off drinks brew: Schofferhofer Grapefruit Hefeweisen (5) imported -just 2.5%, very grapefruity, not a lot of buzz, fab taste -great for a hot day, better than lemonade, not so sweet. -brew came in big thick glass, looked like 16 oz. on draught: -lots of room, not many seats -printed beer menu has unusual script, mistook 6 for a 4. always forget to bring reading glasses (as usual) .to bars and eateries. -flatscreens around for amusement. -fast, friendly, service -draft beer handles are blank, names of microbrews on menu. read more

Drexl is a great bar, chill vibe, decent beers & prices. You know what slightly bothers me? Their pours aren't the sizes they claim to be, and in fact, it's the glass sizes that are too small. My buddy ordered a 16oz can. When he poured it into the supposed 17oz glasses they serve tap beers in, it didn't all fit. This was a cider, so it wasn't a matter of carbonation or head. Would be 5 stars if their glasses were accurate. read more

On a Saturday night the area is dead, I'm talking scary dead. I wouldn't think a bar would be located here. Hubs said its busy during the week with people visiting the waterhole before heading home. The place is nice. Dimly lit with a bunch of candles. It's quiet on the lower level. I heard the loft area, it was more lively with a party going on. Large bar area and a few tables on the side. The bartenders were great. The one that served us was telling the story about applejack. I had the orchard sour ($12) which had the applejack in it that prompted the history lesson. Bathroom was clean and that was the men's. After waiting awhile for the women's I took a deep breath and turned the men's room door handle expecting the worst but was pleasantly surprised. read more

Drexl Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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Great cocktails, fabulous service, cool vibe. The outdoor patio with heat lamps and rugs provides a cozy scene. Dog friendly. Bring in your own food. read more

Leaving Drexl's right now and couldn't wait to write this review. Everything was going relatively well until the RUDE female bartender poured us cheap drinks and tried to pass it off as the premium drinks we ordered. To make things worse, she passed the blame on to us and had us kicked out when we called her out on it! Having helped run a family business myself, this is NOT the way to run a business: slow service, continue to employ rude bartenders (as other Yelpers have mentioned), and serve poor quality drinks to make a higher profit margin. I will not support such a business and regret spending money here at all. Please do not waste your time or money. There are plenty of other cute bars in Oakland to enjoy. read more

Who wouldn't love a bar where the bartenders can make a drink that you are imagining? Not just that, describe a feeling - like how it feels after rain in a meadow, and they will make a drink for you based on that... fancy huh? Reallly good place, with good bartenders and great beer!! I am going back for the pacman machine they have upstairs!! Up top read more

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I just recently discover this small strip of watering holes on 19th Street and decided to stop in at Drexl. The parking was easy at 4:30PM and was one of the few patrons to arrive. Marguerite, the bartender, was pleasant and greeted us with a smile. She shared us a taste of a new spirit of a limited cask, which was a nice gesture. The store filled up right after 5:00PM and was at least three rows deep. My pal and I where ready to check out and wow... a $50 bar tab for a beer and three cocktails! Those who know me know I'm not cheap, but I'll pass on to another place across the street. read more

Drexl Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

I use to come to this location before I was even working in Oakland. My mom works for Kaiser and sometimes I would come out here to meet her for lunch. Sometimes at the burger joint that Drexl now holds. For the past few months, I would walk by here and noticed that they were building something else. Yesterday, on my commute home, I saw a sandwich board displaying the grand opening of Drexl. As much as I wanted to check it out, I kept walking. Tonight was a different story. I met up with Amy J. at Umami Burger with my friend, Daniel. I had been craving Umami and Amy hadn't been yet so it worked out nicely. After having a nice dinner there, I mentioned Drexl and we walked there. About a 2 1/2 blocks away. It wasn't too packed and we didn't have to wait long to order our drinks. For the first round, I ordered the On A Boat (rum, lime, maraschino, grapefruit beer). It was good and on the tangy side. And I believe Amy ordered the Clyde (gin, bianco vermouth, centian, fing sherry, cardamom). It also tasted good and had a bit of a savory aftertaste. Once I finished my cocktail, I had Daniel order a Schofferhofer Grapefruit Hefeweizen, to mainly share, but he came back with two. I really only wanted to try it, but I took a sip from my glass and was so surprised. It was so good! One of the best beers I have had. It was on the sweet side, but not too sweet and not too citrusy. Amy was sharing with me and she really enjoyed it as well! You must try it out even if you aren't much of a beer drinker. The atmosphere of Drexl is pretty chill. It's spacious and has ample seating. They have Skeeball and Ms. Pac-Man on the cheap. A nice addition to Oakland. read more

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I usually go here if I'm meeting up with folks midweek and don't want to get too crazy but want a good brew. It's very similar to Make Westing but easier to find parking, less crowded and frankly, better drinks and service. Get the grapefruit hef. It's AMAZING. They have a well stocked bar and swanky ambiance. Bartenders are really friendly and if you describe to them what you want are usually spot on with creating something to your liking (they were amazing introducing me to some really nice whiskeys). On weekends when it gets a little more packed the beer and wine "fastrak" area is actually pretty helpful. And of course, the crowd pleasers: Skee-ball and Ms. Pac Man (hella fun). They really are a nice touch and add a fun feel to a place that could easily become too hip-professional. Plenty of space for seating upstairs of downstairs is full. This is my current go to bar, I love this place. read more

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This is a cozy place and gets busy by 5pm and is within walking distance from my work. The front serves hot dogs, jam sandwiches, and few selection of small bites. Drinks are $1 off during happy hours. Upstair feels like a college lounge with PAC-Man machines and skid balls. I ordered a hot dog with two glasses of wine. The hot dog had interesting compliments of earthy beans with mushrooms mixed with some tasty seasoning herbs which made the hot dog more interesting. My colleague had a jam grilled sandwich with an interesting fillings aside from jam. She could not tell what that was, but only knew it was favorable. We were there on a business mixer, but would go back after hours for different choices of drinks and food. read more

Doing some exploring with some industry restauranteurs doing four bars and ending with Cafe Chez Panisse, Oakland and Berkeley , this bar was in the heart of downtown Oakland good location for professionals to stop by just after work buy definition this is a bar lots of whisky and Scotches to choose from the bartender was good best drink Part time Model ! Consensus everybody liked the place read more

Drexl Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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$1 off drinks before 7pm. Happy hour deal. They have skee ball and old school video games here as well as decent pours. I had a fancy looking drink which was quite good I think Vanessa S remembers the name of it. The bar is open with a lot of space so it's a good spot to hide upstairs. Oh and the grapefruit infused hefeweizen is quite tasty and I'm not much of a beer drinker. It tastes like a punch which could be dangerous. This is a good place to check out especially since it's new so the crowd wasn't quite overwhelming yet. Cocktails are about $10 a pop. Bartenders seemed friendly. I guess this place used to be a burger joint before they turned it into a bar. Street parking is a piece of cake if you are here at a decent time. read more

Friendly vibes, the kind of place you can chat with with the staff at the bar or find a quiet corner for a date or catch up with friends. Open late, reasonably priced, great drinks and an Oakland staple. One of my go-to places. read more

Great little bar tucked away in Downtown Oakland. Love the interiors, the lighting, the trendy skee-ball area upstairs that has a bunch of couches and seating to lounge around in. The music selection is eclectic, kind of random but also kind of awesome. Right away they gave me a good impression because the door man was NICE! He greeted us very warmly, and wished us a good time inside. Door men are usually such rough people that I was so taken aback by that. The bartenders are quick to acknowledge that they see you and they will assist you momentarily. Crafty cocktails are available on the menu, but I would nottttttt recommend the "On the Boat". The combination of grapefruit hefeweizen and rum was a bit much for me. But other than that, a very nice place when you're looking to have a drink in a comfortable, not overly crowded, not overly pretentious spot. And the bathrooms were spotless! read more

Drexl Bar - View from the 2nd floor. Awesome lights - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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This place is a disaster.The drinks are ok but the ambiance and the bartenders are the worst . The bartenders are rude and dismissive, including the owner Alex . They completely ignored their customers and always look annoyed even after purchasing a few drinks .I've heard they have racists tendencies as well and I'm not surprised at all. read more

This is very much a 2010 San Francisco bar/lounge which, like so many San Franciscans, has been oh-so-expeditiously "relocated" to greener pastures. Great vibe, amazing music/DJ, love the skee-ball and the PacMan (although it shouldn't be used as JUST a table, it's kinda a classic), and a great ratio. Perfect way to start the better half of the night before going to dance nearby (several options but one in particular) around 10/11 pm. read more

Came here at 1am.. Had good drinks, fun vibes . Fun bartenders. Had too much fun here, albeit it was brief because closing time!

Drexl Bar makes craft cocktails. One of our favorite bartenders, Brian, left Sidebar and came to Drexl Bar, but I heard he's leaving (or left) to Maui! Good for him, but I hope someone that stayed behind can make an Old Fashioned as good as he can. Beautiful inside. Bartenders are well versed in keeping stray customers out of your seat if you step away to use the loo. read more

Fantastic bar with cocktails that are worth checking out. Bartenders are easy going and great company. We showed up early on a Saturday and Khalil hooked us up nicely. My wife ordered the 'Shortstop from Jalisco' and the 'Magnolias and Machetes'. I ordered the 'Roughneck Philosophy' and the 'Strange Arithmetic'. Based on these alone... I can't wait to come back for more! COME HERE!! read more

"Secret" bar hidden in a less populated area of Downtown Oakland. TL;DR: Drinks 5/5 - good variety of cocktails and beers Price 4/5 - missed happy hour, so it was a little on the pricey end; pricier if you end up playing skee ball for most of the night Service 4.5/5 - a little aloof but then again, which bartender isn't on a Friday night? Ambiance 5/5 - difficult to pin down the style/theme/mood they're going for here, but it's a mystery in a really good way. Whoever thought of adding an arcade element to a bar was an absolute genius. I brought my boyfriend here because he's an self-proclaimed skee ball champ, and Drexl has a pretty cool skee ball machine upstairs in the lounge. The machine conveniently accepts both card and cash - yes you do have to pay $1 each turn - and it's pretty well kept. Drexl definitely seems like a fun place to be since they even have official skee ball tournaments during the weekday. The drinks are pretty good and about an "appropriate" price for a cocktail. They have a good selection of beers as well. One that my friend (and other reviewers) raved about was the Grapefruit Hefeweizen, which apparently "tasted like really good juice". I can't remember the name of the drink that I ordered, but it was a very citrus-driven, refreshing cocktail. The price wasn't too steep, given its location and the general ambiance it has. Drexl has an open layout with a good number and variety of seating options. The bar itself is a good size and has a very rustic/artsy feel with the distressed wood and collection of unlabeled apothecary bottles on top. The wall behind the bar has bottles shelved behind wiring, adding a lot of character. The loft/mezzanine is a little small, with a corner being taken up by the skee ball machine. It has really comfy lounge chairs, cushy stools, and a pac man machine. Finally, their bathrooms are actually clean!!!! read more

Drexl Bar - View from the mezzanine/lounge area. The lounge can also be reserved for private parties. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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I had a hood encounter with a bartender. My coworker simply ordered a drink that the bartender misinterpreted. My coworker corrected the bartender, and then the bartender just pours the drink on to the floor while saying "I ain't serving you sh!t". It was mad random and unfortunate. We were stunned and confused. Maybe he was having a bad day BUT you can miss me with that. Nothing more more to elaborate on. Sadly, we had about 20 people in our group, and after this hoodlum employee encounter, we vacated. The ambiance is cool, very urban and dark. With a side of bad vibes all from an employee that needs a dose of act rite :) read more

Stopped by Drexl by complete accident. We arrived to our area of destination early and parked right near Drexl and notice a real hip and cool looking spot. My partner looked up the place and we decided to stop by to have a cocktail before meeting with friends for dinner. Wow, I really love the interior setting from the decor, the high view of selection of liquor displayed as if you were in a liquor library and got a nice sneak preview of a section of that library. The signs on the wall are very fitting to the bar. The dark and moody lighting is really intriguing with setting a cool speakeasy type of setting. I know some don't like how dim it is (really hard if you're trying to photograph your drink without flash and it'll come out super grainy or just pitch black) but, I love it. We sat at the bar and had no problems getting served. We were given two menu and enough time to browse it and order. I ordered an Old Fashion and the lady ordered the Blackberry Friday. I asked for Buffalo Trace as my bourbon of choice which, they didn't have. The bartender said he has 4 roses and it'll be much better than Buffalo Trace. I loved every sip of my Old Fashion that he made. It was done perfectly simple without any B.S. filler. No muddled nasty maraschino cherries and oranges just a simple bourbon, sugar, bitters, an orange peel and a lemon peel. Simple, standard, perfect and great tasting. The Blackberry Friday was a unique concoction but, tasted pretty good. A bit tart but, refreshing. Our bartender saw me photographing the drink and stirred it around for us and said it'll make for a better pretty picture. These mixologists are super friendly at Drexl and very attentive to us, they for sure do know how to make a good classic cocktail. Theres 2 floors to this place and feels roomy despite it's compact size. I'd definitely will be returning again read more

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ALL GOOD VIBES. Great cocktail and drink selection. The mixologists definitely know what they are doing and can also make great suggestions. This place is never too crowded so you can always find a seat at the bar or in one of their comfy lounge couches or chairs. The place is overall pretty dark, but all for the mood lighting of course. If you venture up the stairs you will find a skeeball machine which you can pay a dollar to play games! This is a great first date kind of spot, if you run out of things to talk about with the bartender you can head upstairs and bet on a couple games. read more

Walked past the bar and decided to check it out. Really loved the ambiance inside. Very laid back bar with plenty of seats and tables. Moderate noise level, which made it great for catching up with a friend. I think I may have just missed the happy hour crowd, which was perfect. I didn't miss the happy hours prices ($9 craft cocktails) which go till 7:00 pm. :) The cocktails were good, but not great. I think I have high expectations now in the Bourbon & Branch mixology era. Overall a great bar, and I would definitely recommend it! read more

Drexl Bar - Beautiful cocktails and ambiance. #nofilter - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Been coming here for years. I live and work in the neighborhood, and enjoy the ambiance, drink selection, and bartenders... well, some of them. I was here with a large group for game 4 of the western conference finals (Rockets at Warriors). The bartenders had a playlist going, but there were a bunch of other people watching the game as well. A member of our group asked if it would be cool to listen to the second half of the game instead of music. She agreed. When the second half came around, the playlist was still on. We followed up to ask if it was still cool to turn the volume up (game was getting good), and the bartenders told us that they'd decided amongst themselves that they didn't want to anymore. We reminded them of our previous conversation, and were more or less told tough luck. Our group of 10+ finished our drinks, closed tabs, and relocated. We'd watched a few games here previously, and they were always cool about turning the volume up when the games got exciting in the second half. I totally understand when bars don't want to have a sports vibe, just don't tell your customers you'll do it if you have no intention of doing so. I'm sociable, have a bunch of friends who like to drink and be merry. Sadly, we won't be coming back to Drexl. read more

Came here for drinks after work with friends. Cocktails are named after movie puns and were tasty. I ordered the Be Cool Honey Bunny which was really good. The place is trendy on downtown Oakland. Seats aren't so comfortable but they look good. It has a couple of booths and seating upstairs. The seats look good but aren't comfortable. It's conveniently located near BART in uptown so I might be back but other places have happy hour rates which I prefer around 5pn. Why pay full price when I can have a similar cocktail at a deal?! read more

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I visited this bar three times over the holidays. I love the fact that it can be way more casual than it's vibe suggests. With a lot of people out of town for the holidays, you could tell that this was a local fave, where the bartenders know a lot of the customers and regulars hang outside together to smoke. I tried five different drinks over my visits, and they were all good, but hands down my favorite was the Business Time. Booze, acidic fruit and spicy bitters which elevated this drink to star status. At each visit, I was with different friends who had different drinks than I did, and they all loved the Business Time the best as well. I was sad to see the last time I went that they had rotated the drink menu and it was no longer an option. Hopefully they bring it back; it would be the perfect Oakland summer night drink. This place is also known for its bartenders being able to come up with a new drink based off of a vague request. My friend tried this and she got an amazing drink made with whiskey and gin that was truly delicious as well. Maybe only slightly less of a star than the Business Time. Those spicy bitters man..... read more