Lakeside Lounge

You should check out The Ruby Room if you like drinking. This might get crowded and close be…read moreprepared for that. Occasionally there are DJ's playing music here. Right next to The Main Library on 14th!

whack and got sick here last weekend…read more Why is it still open? the drinks suck and its not fun.

1.0 mi•Grand Lake, Lower Hills

Had their drink specials written on the mirrors !

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Margarita

The Alley

4.1(484 reviews)

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.

I visited The Alley for their famous piano bar and sing-along. The atmosphere was definitely lively…read moreand the place was packed, but the experience was a bit of a mixed bag. It was pretty frustrating at the start. Starting with the parking situation, couldn't find parking anywhere but what do you expect from San Francisco... When we got inside it was super busy and we couldn't find a place to sit, and no one really stepped in to help us. After wandering around for about 15 minutes, we finally snagged a spot at a long shared table. Luckily, a bench table right next to the piano opened up shortly after and we jumped on it. I ended up facing the opposite direction, so I didn't have much of a view, but at least my sister and girlfriend got a front-row seat to the show! The drinks were just mediocre, and it took about 5-10 minutes for them to arrive. For the price and the wait, I was hoping for something a bit better. Why it's a 3-star review: Despite the rough start, there were three things that really saved the night: The theme is awesome. There is so much detail on the walls; you can tell a lot of work went into the decorations. Our waiter was great. Even though the place was slammed, he checked on us constantly to see how we were doing and if we needed another round. The piano player was the highlight. He really knew how to hype up the crowd and his skills were top-notch. Overall, a cool spot for the history and the music, but the seating and drink wait can be a challenge. Glad the girls got to see the show, as they are more interested in piano bars than I am.

2.5 mi•Temescal, North Oakland

Awesome place

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Facing the piano area

The Avenue

4.0(221 reviews)

Great place to hang out with other people! Also it's right near Mac Arthur Bart which is…read moreinteresting. Haven't been here since 2023, but there might be a way of going back to this bar. I heard about this place in 2010. The drinks are sorta affordable and good.

Bartender decided to be incredibly rude and insulting in response to a simple mixup of leaving my…read moreID at home (despite being obviously of age and having a PDF of my DL accessible to show). Unfortunately discovered it was not in my phone case when sitting down at the bar. Was gruffly told to leave and that I couldn't be in the room, as if I'm a nuisance and with zero humanity. I understand having and following rules around IDs, but you can do so in a way that isn't unwelcoming and rude to guests. I will not be returning, not giving this disrespectful establishment any more of my business. Good luck!

1.8 mi•Dimond District, Lower Hills

Outdoor area at the back of the bar.

Bar ceiling

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Bathroom entry nicely labeled

2101 Club

4.5(35 reviews)

My Bestfriend and I was looking g for something low key and a good vibe. 2101 club exceeded our…read moreexpectations. Very family vibes everyone knew eachother. Plenty of TVs to watch sports. Pool table in the back. The bar backs made great drinks that were inexpensive. They cleaned tables often. There is no food offered but you can bring in your carry out food and enjoy it there. No cover at the door

Come see Tim! This…read morelittle hole in the wall has been around for decades, near the murder dubs. Great service and lots of options. This is definitely a staple of the Fruitvale district. Come shoot some pool! Haven't been here in 25 years. Luckily I was able to park in a spot that was safe. Thanks again Tim

2.3 mi•Temescal, North Oakland

The bar back area

Paloma.

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"My fro helps me grow as a person!" I got the best drink from Tony Duncan bruh!

Tallboy

4.4(172 reviews)

This place is great! The drinks are delicious and very affordable. Service can be a little slow at…read moretimes but that's completely understandable since it's usually packed. Making drinks for a crowd takes time and the staff always does their best. The people who come here are super friendly which adds to the welcoming, cozy vibe of the place. It's the kind of spot where you instantly feel comfortable. If you love a good martini this is definitely a place you should check out.

I'll give it to them, Tallboy is a solid concept with their "tinis & weenies". However, a clever…read moreconcept can carry a place so far. Customer service is a close second to concept. Tallboy's martini menu is well-executed. While I didn't personally try one of the slushies, a friend ordered the espresso martini version and gave it a solid thumbs-up. Unfortunately, the experience falls apart when it comes to food and service. Waiting 30+ minutes for two hot dogs (after paying) is hard to justify. When I checked in with a server, she was curt and dismissive. She was quick to explain there was only one person in the kitchen, with no effort to offer a solution, timeline, or even basic courtesy. I understand staffing issues happen. However, customer service is a close second to concept. How an issue is communicated and addressed is what separates good service from bad. What's more frustrating is that these aren't customer problems to absorb. If the kitchen is understaffed, if tables aren't being cleared in a timely manner at a seat-yourself spot, those are management problems. Guests should not have to choose to leave without the food we paid for. There's a lot of competition out there, and concepts alone aren't enough to bring people back. I genuinely wanted that hot dog. That's probably the most disappointing part of the whole experience. Great drinks, solid ambiance, but the service needs serious attention.

The bat and the awesome bartender!

Cheese in the trap

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Banana hammock

Room 389

4.2(515 reviews)

0.6 mi

Super chill, casual bar with great vibes!…read more Came here on a Monday evening, and the place had a good amount of people hanging out. Loved that there were lots of seating-bar seating, high tops, and cushioned booths in the back. Good music (D'Angelo, Fugees, Tupac...) which was at a perfect volume, so nobody was yelling! The string lights made for a warm, very comfortable vibe. Our martinis were perfectly chilled and delicious. There's a self serve water dispenser next to the bar, which is always nice. No food, so don't come hungry. They have a cute DJ booth, and looks like they have occasional DJ sets that are posted on their IG-Might be fun to check out! Really glad that we stopped by this place, and will definitely be back. Great way to close off a 3 day weekend!

It's been several years since I've visited this bar, and I'm happy to say it still has charming…read morebartenders and satisfying drinks. I tried the Golden Lion, it was small but mighty with a lovely flavor profile. The dj was doing his big one with the records and there was a steady flow of people entering the bar. I think if not for the rain the place would have been packed, and that's crazy for a Sunday evening.

0.8 mi•Lakeshore, Lower Hills

Halloween decor

Nice spot

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Inside

Heart and Dagger Saloon

3.8(409 reviews)

by Heart & Dagger and had a great experience. The service was top notch, especially from Michael,…read morewho made the night even better. Drinks were strong and well-made not watered down at all . They've got a great beer selection with prices ranging from $2-$8, which is hard to beat. Cool bonus that they even sell cigarettes for $14, super convenient. The vibe is chill, and exactly what you want from a local bar. The service and drinks will bring me back :)

After leaving our last place that we were at. We were so full, but we wanted to continue having…read morecocktails. As we know, Oakland can get pretty expensive so we were walking on by and all of a sudden we spotted heart and dagger saloon. This is definitely your run of mill local neighborhood bar. There is so much to look at when you enter. FYI I look over 21 and i still got carded.. so that was nice. The place was pretty packed at the bar, don't expect any Fūfu drinks here! Make sure to grab your drinks and on a great day hit up the patio and definitely people watch. The patio is great. It has so many different tables that you can sit, people were enjoying themselves celebrating birthdays. And just really enjoying an Oakland summer day. This place is definitely reasonably priced cocktails were not that much. The beers on tap were inexpensive. Definitely will be back if we're around the area because the drinks were strong and the price was good.

The bar from one angle

Lots of happy plants outside

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Indoor bar

Space Lounge Oakland

4.9(7 reviews)

1.2 mi•Uptown

Date: 2/22/2025. Time: 4:00 PM. 63°. Sunny…read more I was supposed to be at 1701, but they are not opened yet. Thus, I met my friend next door at Space Lounge for drinks. Usually I don't imbibe. I am not much of drinking the Henny. All their cocktails have exactly that. The only one that looked appealing to me was the expresso martini. The service could be a little more attentive. My friend and I were the only two people in the lounge at the time. We sat and waited for somebody to come by to ask what would I like to drink. It did not happen; thus, my friend had to go the bar and purchase the expresso martini. The expresso martini was smooth and mellow. The only time I had the Henny was years ago at a Chinese wedding banquet. I added some to the shark fin soup, which enhanced the flavor of the soup. Yes, I enjoyed the expresso martini. The atmosphere of the lounge is one of sophistication and upscale. Comfortable seating all around. Nice place to hang out, do some chillaxin' with friends. Rating: 3.5 stars rounded up to 4 stars.

Super chill spot with hella cool people! Wandered in here with a friend while waiting for a concert…read moreat Fox. So we had a few drinks and chatted it up with Rick. He's super knowledgeable AND passionate about his craft, plus an overall fun person to hangout with. We heard that this spot isn't getting much love these days and just wanna say it's totally worth the visit! You get excellent service, people who love what they do, community and also some bomb a** lumpia if you show up when the lumpia ladies are taking orders! Come thru!

Was feeling fancy , they knew what was going on ! Champagne was amazing ! Vibes on vibes baby . Oakland shows the most love

Great hospitality! Drinks were on point

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Wolfhound

4.3(76 reviews)

3.2 mi•North Oakland

This place is so special! The bartenders give Incredible…read moreservice and there is such a friendly vibe from everyone who knows what's up. Every person in the world would be happy to have a wolfhound in their life. I've been to a lot of bars and this one is remarkable.

Great dive bar. Good service, good prices. Cool old school…read morevibe. 1000% better than Merchants

0.8 mi•Lakeshore, Lower Hills

Back room with pool & pinball

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The Cat House

4.4(144 reviews)

Stopped in to try a drink because I'd read that this was one of the best bars in Oakland. I tried…read morean old fashioned and it was pretty good. I enjoyed the open air seating area in the back and the overall vibe was good. I went solo, struck up conversation with strangers, and enjoyed my drink.

Very catty in a good way. Totally fun vibes. Very clever theme. A neighborhood bar with very…read moredelicious drinks. Nice selection of books and chill bartenders with craft. Cozy but spacious inside with a long bar and a bunch of tables. Casual patio outside. Cat stuff on every wall at every level. Go. Drink. Enjoy the Cat House altar of booze and felines behind the bar.