The food is pretty good for the price (I had three tacos for $24, but they were fresh grilled Mahi…read moremahi). And they have at least a couple of nonalcoholic drinks (I had an NA beer). Service was minimal - we got our food, but later we had to chase them down for our bill. Ambiance - we came to hear the Hogan Brothers play on Thursday night out on the rooftop deck. It would be best to make a reservation - some of the seating has couches and gas fireplace style heating, but not all. And it's not in the shade, so wear your sunblock and/or hat, and if it's windy, you'll want a jacket and scarf. If you sit along the side, there are nice views of the Bay.

Service: Ambiance:…read more This rooftop is such a vibe. The view is beautiful, especially as the sun starts going down, and the whole atmosphere just feels relaxed without trying too hard.

Club Mallard can easily become anyone's favorite bar! The venue is two stories and offers a lot of…read morespace for friends to gather. Entering it feels very much like a cabin vibe and you wouldn't think there's more beyond the back patio, but when you head back there, you'll notice a staircase that leads to the second floor. There's several pool tables to place a game at and there's even a rooftop patio to chill at. The drinks are good and the bartenders are super nice. They're great at making recommendations if you don't know what you want - just don't hold up the line! Club Mallard is easily one of my favorite bars in Albany! Check it out if you haven't been before!

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.

Always solid here - inside bar also - pool table - great live music - local dive - good vibe oread more

I'm gonna be very honest with you. The only reason why they're getting three stars is for a…read moreBartendar. I think her name was Alex not sure who told her how to serve drinks but at any rate my first Bartendar (Wu Tang Clan tank top) curly hair with glasses was freaking amazing freakin rocked..full pour definitely worth the money, an extremely hospitable. Atmosphere was exceptional and the vibe was good, but then I went for another round of drinks after getting amazing service and good pours.. and then there was Alex. I didn't even get a full pour when she freehanded then she pulled out the measuring cup (after I observed the micro shot I got told her to make it a double) and she didn't even fill the measuring cup up, kindda was like "whatever"so I literally got (1) drink and paid for a double. I'll be back for sure because my BFF loves karaoke and this is my first time here so first impressions are lasting. The guys at the pop up food were so hospitable and very nice as well. I'll go the other way when I see Alex- yikes!

My after work watering hole, and sometimes during work nudge nudge, wink wink say no more!…read moreGreat selection of tap beers and a full bar. Decent food menu, even have a decent veggie burger. They've got some nice veggie appetizers, cauliflower, fake chicken tender thingies, and a nice pretzel. Probably the best pretzel I've ever had. Pay the little extra for the cheese dip. Me likes the cheese bites. And I love the shishito peppers. Lotsa interesting folks come up in here, and there's some daily regulars, a real mixed bag , fun people. I met a couple people that turned out to be my good friends for the last few years. Attached is a concert hall that has some pretty interesting live music acts and very diverse from hip hop to jazz to funk to rock and roll and that dark sider stuff, heavy metal, etc. They rent the whole joint out if you have a party or they rent sections as well. Great spot for wedding rehearsal dinners, high school reunions, company parties, etc. Stimulating conversation abounds and a lot of laughter bouncing off the walls. A great place to see sporting events, especially the Warriors. Very nice patio as well with big umbrellas and fire pit. There is an odd set up as you have to go to the bar to get your drinks each time you want something. The downside could be long lines as they don't have table service but they bring you stuff. They don't take orders from the table. Some kind of crowd control thing? Or mis management or local rules? At any rate, it is a fun hang out with killer bartenders and servers. Great spot, get over here and enjoy yourself! Time to leave your crib, get off the sofa, turn off Netflix. And remember, social media is not! Let's go, get out and make Berkeley great again! Tip well the service is great!

I was an insane person and went to go see 4 concerts in 1 week, all at different venues and I have…read moreto say that this one is my favorite. I went to see the visual kei, Japanese rock band, JILUKA, here with my boyfriend and we lined up beforehand for VIP. The staff walked out, showed us the rules for the VIP that was printed on a piece of paper and explained it to us too, they walked down the line to scan us in as well. Venue itself is pretty neat. The front part is a bar area with lots of tables and seating and outdoor seating as well. Since it was before the concert, we were able to enjoy some food and drinks from the bar and kitchen. It was also during their Happy Hour too which was great. My boyfriend got a drink (not sure what it was, but it was refreshing and citrus tasting?) and we shared a Bavarian soft pretzel with mustard and we got the white cheddar dipping sauce added on for a nominal fee. One of the best pretzels that I've ever had! Deliciously soft interior, nice chew to the texture of the exterior. Comes out hot, warm and delicious. Great on it's own, but great with the sauces too. Perfect dash of the coarse salts on it. I'd get this again for sure and would like to one day order more from their menu. The live house music area is in the back in a separate room. Restrooms were clean too. Enough space for the bands to sell their merch and do a meet and greet. Wasn't a huge venue and insane turn out, but it fit the crowd and I liked how intimate setting was. I was around 3-4 rows from the front and even with a mosh pit and wall of death, I was able to shift around and see the band more clearly. Easy visibility no matter where I was shifted around. Lighting was pretty good and made it easy to take pictures and video. I think the vocals were a bit more muffled than the rest of the band members playing, but that might just be the set up more than anything. Of all the venues I stopped by for the week, this had the most approachable and friendly staff. Greeted going and as we were leaving too. I didn't overheat at this one either, so the AC was A+!! There's paid parking nearby but if you read the signs and go around, you can get free street parking too. Bring more J-rock/over seas acts here, it was so good!

Just off the corner of Solano and San Pablo, not too far from the 80 freeway exit…read more At the tip of the epicenter of gastronomic delights-Solano Avenue in Albany. I was there the other night with my beer buddy and all around friend with the same first name as I (and that's another story!) for the tribute to the local beloved character that passed recently, Mr. Bailey Pendergrass. A longtime institution in the Berkeley music scene from way back in the day till present. An interesting, kind fellow who still walked around in skinny trousers and a leather jacket- even on very hot days. And a hairdo like no other! He kind of reminded me of a character from Rocky Horror Picture Show or someone who could be played by Johnny Depp in some hip artistic movie. A bit of an eccentric, soft-spoken, amazingly charming man. A joy to sit down and chat with who had strong opinions and a distrust for doctors and their prescribed medication's,etc. I don't go very far back other than six or seven years when I met him at a popular watering hole called the Cornerstone on Shattuck. He would invite me to hang out while he ate his standard hamburger and fries and wash it down with what I remember was cranberry juice. He could never finish the whole burger so he'd take half home but would eat the fries usually, with a little help from me. We would talk about Minneapolis (where I'm from) and Prince of course, and he would share interesting stories. I'd keep him company until the music event would start where he had carte blanche, complementary entry with a plus one at the Cornerstone. I was his plus one and it was fun one night. I'll have to dig up the mixed CDs that he made for me that he presented in a recycled/repurposed "In-n-Out" bag, it was a nice touch. There was a little hand written note as well. The IVY ROOM put on a nice event and many showed up to pay their respect. Some were given a chance to get on the stage and recall memories. However, the crowd never stopped talking, so it was very hard to hear their praises, etc. The bartender was superb, but I'm sorry I didn't catch her name, very kind and approachable and humorous and of course, extremely efficient! It's a nice cozy room with a lot of history and an eclectic group of patrons. I chatted with a couple of extremely friendly kind people. However, I left before the music started as after a long day of work, I started to fade. Thank you Ivy Room for opening up your space to honor Mr. Bailey Pendergrass, and the wonderful people attending this event.

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.

Morgan's Bar is a nice oasis tucked away in Downtown Berkeley, inside the Berkeley City Club…read more We came here for a drink and I ordered a Guinness that turned out to be great. This is a good spot for a catch up with close friends, or a drink before attending a nearby concert or lecture.

A treasure in a little castle by a remarkable architect. I came by to see my friend's art show and…read morereception at 5 pm, but arrived an hour early. Wonderful place to wait with a perfect cocktail.

UPDATE (September 2026): My wife and I had an opportunity to taste one of their margaritas at a…read moreMarg Festival in Oakland. It was pretty tasty indeed.

Simply the place to be, a neighborhood and a LGBTQ+ bar that has been in community for as long as I…read morecan remember. Many ownership changes but the people and the ambiance remains welcoming.

Decided to try this restaurant after reading the Yelp reviews.The place is kind of cool with the…read morekaraoke and pretty good food. People who sang that night were not shy to sing, some of them had no voice but were brave enough to try. As far as food is concerned, I liked the skewers, they were pretty delicious. Service was dry but efficient. The restaurant is big and nicely decorated. I would recommend this restaurant, especially if you're looking for a new experience.

We came here about two months ago to celebrate a family member's birthday. The karaoke was super…read morefun but you're singing in front of everyone at the restaurant lol but luckily not too much people were there. The porridge was really good. It wasn't too salty. The other dishes were really salty, in my opinion. Staff are really nice. Helped us out with the karaoke machine because we can't read Chinese lol