I had no idea this place had been around for over 10 years. It's kind of tucked away and easy to miss since the entrance doesn't really stand out. That said, once you're inside, it's a great little bar with a lot of character and a really welcoming vibe. We got there shortly after they opened on a Saturday afternoon, and it didn't take long for the place to fill up. We grabbed seats at the bar, and Eric was our bartender... he was fantastic. Super friendly, made everyone feel welcome, and somehow managed to keep the energy up and still give great service even as things got busy. You could tell he loves his job. We had a few beers and ordered the grilled chicken sandwich, chicken tenders, and the parmesan fries. Everything came out hot and tasted great, especially the fries. Definitely planning to come back in the evening next time to experience the full vibe. This feels like one of those spots that really comes alive at night. read more

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We were looking for a sports bar where we could watch the NCAA basketball tournament, specifically the UIUC vs. University of Houston for final four game, and found this place near to my workplace! They offer a lot of beer selelctions from local breweries, with a solid food menu. The ambiance was nice too. read more

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I came here for an Assembly Puzzlery night and it was a blast! I ordered the fried mushrooms and they were very juicy, with good breading. The sauce was a bit too vinegary/smoky for my taste, but my sister enjoyed it. Service is fast, bathrooms were clean, and I love how big the space is. If you stay in the evenings, there are even heat lamps for your comfort. The only points I'm knocking off are for the volume of the music/events (there was a dancing lesson happening upstairs and it was chaotic with the puzzling downstairs). read more

Mad Oak - fried mushrooms - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Mad Oak feels down to earth ya know? You enter to outdoor seating with a variety of picnic tables. People are chillin, casually dressed, enjoying themselves. You make a left and enter the indoor area, and see there's a pop-up restaurant, which might have a variety of fried food or tacos. Inside, the bar can get busy, but the drinks are solid and there's a variety of beers or cocktails to choose from. Mad oak will bring in characters. Most good! Some not. But what bar doesn't have that? One time, the bathroom smelt freshly funked up and I said "damn it smells crazy in here" and a young woman emerged from the bathroom stall and got in my face, hollering like a wingbat, "it's a bathroom! It's supposed to smell like sh*t". I knew she was looking for trouble, wearing nothing but a bra and dodgers jersey. I panicked and told her "it's ok girl I stink too sometimes". That seemed to de escalate the situation, and she nodded at me with a sense of shared understanding. We were sisters in stink. And while she had a point, I never understood why she took responsibility for the smell, or why she wanted to fight me over it. Another character I experienced here was the worst date of my life--and the staff at mad oak made my evening better because at least my drinks were good and they were nice to me. Really I'm writing this review to complain about the date because why would you invite somebody on a date to ignore them to watch the basketball game? Wasn't even making eye contact me, just watching the game. And I was lookin good too! I got up and left his triflin ass there and chatted with the security guard while I waited for my uber, and the security guard was very kind and nice to chat with and the bartenders were very nice as well. Some guys enjoyed people watching me on this bad date, and you can do the same! Pull up a chair, peep your surroundings, and find entertainment in human connection! Just don't take responsibility for any stink--no one has to know ;) read more

This isn't my go-to bar, but it is an old faithful. I've been here a number of times over the years, especially when I lived in downtown Oakland. It's an Indoor/outdoor bar with security who checks your ID at the front right before the large amount of picnic table type seating outside. There's a Photo Booth towards the back and an upstairs outside area as well. It's cold now, but there is plenty of seating. My friend and I opted to sit indoors. Normally they keep the doors open, but now that it's bone chilling cold, the doors were closed. My friend ordered an espresso martini. It wasn't my fave, but the way I like it apparently isn't original. I prefer mine with Bailey's to soften the taste of the coffee. Personal preference. I ordered Date Night which has Hennessy VS I believe and some other delicious flavors. Dangerous! The pink sugared rim and the delicate flavor of this drink is why I stopped after 2. It's too good, kind of like how Long Islands used to be before that one time in college where I put my eyeshadow on and wasn't sure if I had put eyeshadow on the other eye in spite of being in front of a mirror. I hope that paints the picture. I saw Disaronno on the shelf and wanted it with pineapple. The taste was good and familiar, but next time I'll ask for an extra glass of ice. This one should be served really cold, and the cup was already filled and there was already a lot of ice, but this drink itself takes a bit to get really cold how I'd prefer it. Oh, and they have food! We split their loaded fries and chicken wings. The fries should have an option to add meat. I didn't see it on the menu so I didn't ask, but just a suggestion. read more

Mad Oak - Espresso Martini, Disaronno & pineapple, Date Night - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Great atmosphere with lots of beer choices and great cocktails. Servers are friendly and fun. read more

Mad Oak - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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I've walked by this spot so many times and it always looks hopping! Finally had a chance to check it out when my friend and I stopped by for a post work catch up. We came on Thursday evening around 5 pm and it was pretty empty, though it got busier later. There's plenty of seating - patio, indoors, upstairs patio. We decided to sit in their patio as it was a nice and warm day out. They offer food and drink happy hour specials Tue-Fri 4-6 pm. I got the hibiscus lemonade, an order of seasoned fries to share, and the Mad Dog which was happy hour food special for Thursday. All the food was ready quickly. You have to pick it up yourself inside once the buzzer goes off. I loved the hibiscus lemonade! Super refreshing and was something different from the standard lemonade. The food itself was average. Hot dog's a hot dog, and same for fries. I was actually disappointed by the fries as they were "seasoned" but still tasted super bland. There was zero salt on them. The portions were HUGE for the fries though. Next time I'll remember to get just a half order, that would have been plenty for the two of us to share. read more

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Came here Tues night with a group of 5 for trivia night! Friendly atmosphere, outdoor communal bench seating, well stocked bar, and decent food. Missed the happy hour, which seemed like a good deal. Was worried about parking, but was able to find street parking nearby (also noticed a lot across the street.) Trivia was 3 rounds: R1 general knowledge, R2 movie quotes (I guess it's usually music, but 4th Tues of the month is movies...) R3 podcast theme bc it was national podcast day (Who knew that was a thing?) All in all a fun night-Will def be back! read more

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We came to Mad Oak on a Saturday around 1pm. Our small group grew from 4 people to about 20. We played games, laughed, had drinks and food. We ate nachos with birria and without. We also had margaritas, beers and other bites. The large outdoor patio makes this a great place to hang out on a warm afternoon. I intend to come back when they have salsa dancing on a Saturday! Cheers read more

Carlee is a phenomal star. Honestly was shook at the amount of people but super grateful for the consideration! Thanks, Mad Oak!

I've walked by this bar so many times but never really was intrigued to go in as it's hidden but finally stopped by with coworkers after work and was pleasantly impressed. They have a happy hour with great food deals $2.50 fries you can't beat that! I loved the outdoor space it was very chill but also offer indoor seating. They even have an upstairs outdoor space. I would definitely be back to try more drinks and food. Friends enjoyed the mushroom burger and taco if looking for veggie options. read more

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I got espresso martinis, old fashioned, and the tequila soda. Espresso martinis are not strong at all so definitely get that if you don't like alcohol at all. Old fashioned is definitely the way to go if you need something strong. Tequila sodas are pretty good too. If you want food, order before 10pm because I think the kitchen closes at 10? I might be wrong but you can ask the bartender. One of the bartenders kept getting distracted by other customers who came after us and he started serving them drinks instead even though he started to take our order first. He started taking our order and then turned to the new folks and served them a shot, took a shot with one of them, and talked with him for a little over a minute before turning back to us. It was honestly frustrating because we were waiting for a while. If it weren't for this part of our experience, I'd honestly give this place five stars! The other bartenders were women and were wonderful. They took our orders and made our drinks very efficiently. Security was doing his best ensuring customers are safe and sound. One of the batenders checked on a girl in the bathroom which I appreciate deeply. read more

Mad Oak - Old fashioned - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

What an adorable bar/restaurant in downtown Oakland! Street parking and a parking garage very close! This bar gives upscale homey.. day party vibes!!! They have an upstairs patio and lots of outdoor seating downstairs. Downstairs is really cool because the bar can either be open or closed depending on the weather! I had the strawberry margarita that was made with strawberry redbull and tequila! It had a really good tajin rim! I also tried the loaded fries and chicken tenders. (Sorry didn't get pics of those). You order everything at the bar and then you get a buzzer for food and go pick it up at the food pick up area! They were playing good music and the atmosphere was good. Definitely recommend coming here! read more

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We came here on a week night and the place was pretty packed. We went to the counter and ordered our drinks and food. Once the food was ready, we went to pick up the food at a separate part of the venue once our buzzer rang. The drinks we had were good. But the food was just okay. My partner said the burger did not have much flavor, and I can say the same thing about the chicken sandwich. However, the chicken sandwich had a bunch of jalapeños in it, which was not listed on the menu. We were surprised that the fries were soggy as well and not crispy (this is surprising for crinkle cut fries). Overall, the ambiance of this venue is nice -- there is both outside and inside seating, and the lighting is more dim. read more

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Had a few extra hours in Oakland before going to the airport and this is a great spot to go to. This is only 10 minutes from the airport. Came here on a Sunday to watch a few football games and quickly realized the bar does not have the NFL Sunday ticket so only a few games that were on local TV were available to be watched. Ended up having the garlic Parmesan fries which had entirely too much garlic and not enough Parmesan. I will say that the birria quesadilla was fantastic and I would come back just for that alone. Fantastic place to watch sports and have a quick bite to eat. They were having a special event on their second floor rooftop bar later that day, which I thought was a great addition. Would absolutely come back here when in Oakland. read more

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Had a great time at Beats & Brunch on Sunday! The vibes were great, loved the music the DJ did a great job. Service was excellent. The cocktails were really nice and they had a Caribbean cuisine vendor. The bar food looked really good too, will try that next time. Parking on the street was easy for us. I'd visit this spot again. read more

Ok spot. However..this is a sports bar. I'm here for the SC v UConn game and they refuse to add audio to the last quarter of the game. Sad songs!! Esp after I asked!! Not to mention Dawn is up. The carelessness to highlight black excellence is sad!! read more

From Oakland and my first time stepping into Mad Oak! Really Nell?! Anywho The bartender were hella cool (she said Hello when I sat down) and the drinks were This place served finger food and the kitchen closes at midnight. I did not try the food but I will next time. From the outside looking in, if you are looking for slap (Lit rap music or R&B vibes) you would not go inside. I listen to and love all music. I'm open minded so I went inside. Also, this place looking like a loft. There are two side to this lounge/bar. Outside w/a bar upstairs & they played pop music and inside is rap (with a loft, industrial vibe). The vibe setting is very chill (which fits my personality). It gives you and the homies, the home girls or with your boo thang to dance, talk and just chill. Be in your own zone at this place for sure. The bar has a natural feel to it (come as you are). Shake a hand meet a friend and just chill. There is no DJ. The bartender play music on the iPad (I LOVE THAT BTW). Would I go back? Sure, why not. read more

Mad Oak - Doubled up - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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stopped by after the Oakland museum and definitely coming again! great service and happy hour on weekdays 4-6pm. food was tasty and came out pretty quick, and a photo booth for those who love them like me :) read more

Mad Oak - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

We've been coming to Mad Oak this football season because they open on sundays for the games! It's always a nice vibe. The bartender is always super friendly and nice! I forget his name but the one with the pony tail is great! Quick and personable. They have lots of tvs inside, outside and upstairs. There's also fun activities like a Photobooth and a basketball arcade. I'm a big fan of the food too. The Brussels always turn out perfect and you can't go wrong with their garlic fries. Will keep returning for the games! Go niners! read more

Mad Oak - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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We needed a pit stop before going to check out the 8pm showing of the Delores play. We arrived at 7 and placed was already busy. Bouncer checked ID and as we are strolling We look around and we are the only middle aged folks here. No sweat we just came for a drink, quick bite and we out. We were lucky to find 2 bar stools unoccupied in the corner near the slushie machine. We waited about 5 minutes when the awesomeness hip bartender came and truly apologized for the delay. He took our order, repeated back to us and made sure we were good. I didnt catch his name as the place was pretty busy but did include a pic. This is what customer service and hospitality is. read more

Mad Oak - Don't know his name but he's by far the best. - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Cute bar with a large outdoor patio area and good drinks. The boozy slushie I had was a touch too sweet but I did really enjoy the hard kombucha on tap. read more

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The bartenders are the best! The food was okay. Shroomburger and regular burger didn't have much flavor. The Brussel sprouts were the star. Drinks are great also. read more

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I've always liked Mad Oak--it's hard to beat the vibe! There is lots of good beer and outdoor and indoor seating. I got to Mad Oak early to enjoy some tacos before meeting the rest of my group. I had the carnitas street tacos. They came out quickly, and the tortillas were soft, and the meat was falling apart--it was so tender. When I first got there, getting a drink was easy, but by 7 PM, there was a backlog of people, and the wait was about 10 minutes. The drinks were great, though, and the bartenders were friendly. Great place to meet friends and enjoy some food and drinks. read more

Mad Oak - Carnitas tacos - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Bartender messed up my order, told me the replacement drink was "on the house," and then still charged me for it. Check your receipts. Disappointing and untrustworthy. read more

Such a great place for casual trivia and a beer with friends. Went on a Tuesday night and was surprised with how busy it was -- tons of good energy paired with an expansive outdoor patio (don't forget your jacket though, it got cold!) made for a great evening. I'd give it five stars, but the chips and salsa were a bit disappointing -- the salsa came in a little paper sample cup, which was hilariously small for a side meant to serve 4. Otherwise, things were great -- especially the expansive beer and cider menu. We also ordered the nachos, and they were well received by everyone. One last thing to know -- the place cleared out immediately after trivia was over, so expect to pack up and head out by 9:30pm. read more

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Great ambience with indoor and outdoor seats, a vast range of drink options, decent bar food, and friendly staff. We were charged an extra drink by two different bartenders, two different times. Seems common practice so double check receipt before closing tab. read more

The food is good and the space is nice (indoor and out). Just don't forget your drivers license; required for entry.

Joined some friends here for the Wednesday night comedy show and had a great time! There was a good mix of comics who were all pretty entertaining. The space is huge, with great outdoor seating. The space heater on the second floor was super hot, but staff were kind enough to turn it down. There is a great beer selection and a nice cocktail list. My drink, The Ponchorello, was a great mix of sweet and spicy. read more

Mad Oak - The Poncherello - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Love the security, the atmosphere, bar tenders, front street parking, and my drinks. The fries were good, and enormous. But this time I had a bad headache the next day. I had two drinks, and never had this issue before. I don't know how high quality the alcohol is, but I prefer my drinks didn't give me a bad headache the next day. read more

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Came here for a happy hour and it was a great place to hang out! The vibe is cozy for any size. The outdoor area looked fun to be at when the weather's nice. There was a huge selection of drinks and everything was reasonably priced. The service was quick and friendly. Their shots are huge, like two shots per cup. The pours of the beers are to the very rim of the cup. It's connected to a spot with french fries and tenders which were amazing. Maybe because I was buzzed but they went so well with the drinks. If I lived nearby, I'd come by more often with friends! Definitely recommend. read more

I've walked by this spot before, but it took a break between atmospheric rivers for me to stop by. Y'see, when it rains hard, I tend to stick with concrete for my daily walks to avoid trudging through mud and puddles. That's partially why I decided to make a beeline on 12th Street from the Downtown Oakland BART station and make a pitstop here. It's just off Madison which explains the name, Mad Oak. Get it? It's definitely a convivial communal space with a huge tented area with picnic tables to accommodate big groups. There's also a large walk-up rooftop bar with not much of a view but plenty of room to carouse. At the same time, there was plenty of room in the bar itself including high-top tables for two...or in my case, just one. There was a lot of selection listed on the signboards above the bar. There were at least forty beers on tap. I was flummoxed and defaulted to a Happy Hour-priced $7 Makers Mark & Ginger (photo: https://bit.ly/3ll2yMN). I nursed it until I could review the Yelp app to see what other cocktails were popular. That was how I ordered the $12 Hibiscus Margarita which had a nice salty-sweet kick (photo: https://bit.ly/403PRVt). Enjoyed the experience enough that I brought Jamie W. the following weekend. COCKTAILS - 4 stars...I could still walk a straight line...sorta AMBIANCE - 4.5 stars...really appreciated the spaciousness SERVICE - 4 stars...pretty friendly TOTAL - 4 stars...more mellow than Mad RELATED - Exploring Oakland? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2ObVcpQ read more

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Lively pub with a full bar, and pub grub that is actually well-made and delicious (and reasonably priced!). Staff is very friendly and positive, and the joint is conveniently close to Interstate 880 and the Lake Merritt BART station. What's not to like? HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. read more

There's not many bars where I usually go to consistently in the town except Mad Oak. I have been coming here for years! Whether if there's a warriors game on or just catching up with my friends we always end up choosing Mad Oak. The security & bartenders are always super sweet and give great energy as soon as you walk in. The drinks are always on point. The food is cooked well, personally I enjoy the loaded fries the most. Come here if you need somewhere chill to grab drinks with your friends, unless it's the weekend then it will probably be super busy. read more

Mad Oak - Lemon Drop, Cosmopolitan - Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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Great place! Great atmosphere and good people. The wings are bomb. Seems like a place to go 7 days a week! read more

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Went to Mad Oak last night after work to celebrate a work event with about 15 people. You walk in and everyone gets carded, regardless of age. Plenty of space on a Thursday night around 6pm. Even though it was raining, the outdoor covering kept everyone nice and dry. This is a walk-up-to-the-bar-and-get-your-own-drink place. Probably helps keep the costs down of the drinks, which are on average $8-$9 for a beer. You can order food, too. The curly fries and nachos were good; chicken fingers a little on the dry side, but they came with sauce, which made it better. Great bar staff - very friendly and always served with a smile. Will come back another time for sure! read more

Mad Oak is one of the better options for a chill night out with friends. They have two floors offering both indoor and outdoor seating. Each floor has its own bar so you can choose whichever is less busy. I always prefer the outside seating because they fit perfectly for large groups. Also, the string lights, music, and the overall atmosphere is such a perfect vibe. They offer food only up to a certain time of the night. Their food is typical bar food such as tacos and fries which I thought were pretty decent in taste and price. Their drinks are also decently priced, offering cocktails, shots, and beers. Despite being very spacious, Mad Oak can still be very packed, especially Friday and Saturday evenings. The seating arrangement is free-for-all, so if you have a small group, sometimes you might be sharing those large tables with another group. Overall, I highly suggest this place for a night out - it truly is a gem of Oakland. read more

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Everyone is so friendly here! That is the first thing that really shocked us. Totally upbeat and positive like they really want to be at work.... which is rare nowadays. We got some nachos with the beef and it was delicious. Great bar food. They even have decent wine for those of you who like wine. And the Ghost Town West Coast IPA is phenomenal. Anyway if you're going to be stopping in Oakland before your flight or you live here I definitely advise it. And Eric rocks. read more

Ambiance of this is popping ngl. However the service was shitty, the gentleman with the beard who's a bartender was kind of an ***hole. I get that kind of behavior if you were busy but it was definitely not that at all.... We did not even want to order food because our bartender was rude. Kind of made us intimidated because we we weren't YT and I definitely do not throw this lightly. My cousin asked if they had Modelos on the menu and our server being as super condescending as he already said that all the beers were on the wall but how about some recommendations as a "bartender" that are similar? Definitely hire better staff as I heard gray things about your establishment from another bar or even do better. read more

I absolutely loved my time here! When you mix a lil food, some good drinks and that mad oak energy...you're in a complete daze I had the hibiscus margarita and a prickly pear margarita slushy. Between the two, I highly recommend the slushy. It tasted like an adult slurpee! Wish they had it in a big gulp size. It was refreshing on a hot summer night. La Marcha was their pop-up kitchen and it was my least favorite part. It was a short menu so amongst our group we pretty much tasted all of the items. The taste just wasn't quite there...our oxtail tacos had some small pieces of bone in the meat and the Al pastor croquetas just didn't taste like Al pastor (they were out of the ham and cheese). Fortunately, mad oak has a lot of other pop-ups on their line up. Make sure to check their website in advance to explore their pop up kitchen so you know whether to dine else where first or even have something at home so you're not on an empty stomach. :) read more

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