North Light isn't just a bar; it's a spiritual enclave, a sangha with a bookshelf, and somehow also queer as hell in the best possible way. Noah made me a Trinidad Sour that was sharp, strange, and perfect. The burger is genuinely one of the best I've had, and Stevie with the tots sealed the deal. Cozy, smart, soulful, delicious--this place feels like Oakland taking good care of itself. read more

North Light - Noah the mixologist genius on a Thursday with a #trinidadsour - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Easy to make a rezzo and street parking in the neighborhood can be ample depending on the time you. Might want to take a car share if you don't want to be bothered with parking. Host was nice, but service took a little bit. Drinks are tasty and refreshing, especially the pretty in pink. Tots took forever but were the perfect accompaniment to my beyond burger which was delicious. The patio in the back is intimate but can get loud, however, it's probably the best seat in the house. read more

North Light - Pretty in pink and tots - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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My friend recommended this place to me solely because of the espresso martini. It did not disappoint. This cute bar with a hidden patio is known for their craft cocktails and I understand why! It's such a cute vibe inside, very tasteful and chic - a great gals night out. We ordered some not-super-memorable dishes like the tator tots and a basil pasta. I'd return for the drinks! read more

North Light - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

A+ staff, ambiance, decor, vibes, bookshelf. We had a great Tues evening on the patio. The food is underwhelming, IMHO.

I came here on girls night out and my only regret is that I did not make a reservation!! 4 stars because I need to come back and try the food maybe on a date night but this place gets busy!! Service is great, waiters are very attentive but be warned as the night progresses you might find yourself trying to flag them down. Cute back patio, as well as cozy interior. Wine/cocktail bar that needs to be on your list! I'll be back for the happy hour for two menu we want to try the burger and beer here read more

North Light - Espresso martini, Mai tai, specialty drink - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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Fantastic drinks and one of our local faves. Every cocktail I've had here has been balanced, interesting, and delicious. Even the sweeter "fru fru" cocktails come off thoughtful, layered, and complex. ---- Food ---- Didn't try the food -- this review is all drinks. ---- Drinks ---- The best part about their drinks is that every one seems to be created with intentionality. Every drink we had seemed balanced and thoughtfully crafted. Standouts: Channel Orange: Smooth and delightful. Tastes like a complex, elevated orange creamsicle. Mr. Toad's Wild Ride: Delicious aloe cocktail. It was crisp and refreshing with pleasant notes of aloe, bell pepper, and aloe. Grapefruit Old Fashioned: I'm an old-fashioned fan and this was a pleasant twist on it. The grapefruit added a different, pleasant nuance to it. Hot Toddy: We've found Hot Toddies generally hard to do well, but they got this one right. It was deep, spiced, and comforting -- not too heavy and not too light. They rotate the menu often. Every cocktail I've had has looked as good as it tasted, with balanced flavor, thoughtful flavor nuances, and tasteful presentation. No gimmicky drinks here. ---- Environment ---- Space is a bit tight. The indoor tables near the door can feel a little awkward, and the back patio depends on who you're seated next to. Last time, we were outside and had a very loud group next to us which affected our experience. Still, the vibe inside is warm, stylish, and not too loud. Fantastic location in the heart of Temescal. Right by Cholita Linda, Pizzaiolo, Burma Superstar -- some fantastic restaurants. It's easy and reliable to grab dinner nearby and stop here after for some tasty drinks and good vibes. ---- Service ---- Always warm and welcoming. Hosts and servers actually know the menu and give honest, helpful recs. ---- Cost ---- Drinks aren't cheap, but they're definitely worth it. You're paying for balance and craft. ---- Overall ---- This place hits the sweet spot of thoughtful cocktails and good energy. Tight seating is the only downside, but the drinks make up for it. You can count it as a pleasant experience every time. read more

North Light - Mr. Toad's Wild Ride: Unique, delicious, refreshing aloe drink - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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We stopped into north light for some pre-dinner cocktails and it was great! They had a fun range of unique drinks that were both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. They have an adorable outdoor patio and a shot gun style bar inside. Our server was friendly and helpful! Although we didn't get any food, it smelled and looked amazing. We will definitely be back in the future. read more

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No wait and was seated in the back which had a bunch of tables. Got the Hawaiian punch which is labor intensive and it was so smooth and strong. Highly recommend. The umami tots has the same type of takoyaki sauces with bonito flakes and furikake flakes. My friend liked her hot today. Ambiance was cozy in the front part of the restaurant and spacious in the back. Would come again. read more

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A great bar with good bites. North light has been going strong for five or six years now. They took over from one of my favorite places in the neighborhood Marc 49. I can't believe I haven't written a review yet. It's pretty hip that they sell books and records. Psst...they may put crack in the umami fries. They're really that good. Get them with bacon. Our waiter suggested it to us and now I'm suggesting it to you. Umami fries with bacon, trust me on this one. To go with the fries and other beyond-bar-food bar food, they make craft cocktails and serve beer and wine too. Really good vibes around the whole place. Some indoor seating looking out at Telegraph . But it's pretty darn popular so they don't always have space up front. Luckily there's a back patio that has good vibes too. No books but lots of space, and heaters when they need them. read more

Great service. Friendly staff. Cool cafe vibes. Food was good. Very solid smash burger. Me and my partner did the cheap date special which was two burgers two curley fries and two beers. Really great value. read more

North Light - Smash burger - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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Went in on a random Tuesday night, service was quick and the vibe is cozy with a dimly lit restaurant bar and vinyls spinning. Came in for the cheap date which includes two beers, two smash burgers, and two fries, all for $30. Reasonable pricing and the food was great. read more

North Light - Cheap Dinner Date - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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First time here Street parking only Walked in and front area looked really small and kinda cramped Bar counter can seat about 8 people at the most Bar is well stocked There is a back patio that is more open and has a lot more seating available as well as heat lamps Service was ok Kinda slow Another party was getting their order taken before us and as the waitress was done taking their order I had to kindly reminder her that we were ready to order as well We ordered tater tots and shared a hamburger Food is OK Presentation of the drink I ordered was amazing drink itself tasted ok Snow crash $16 Prices are reasonable Over all this is a decent place for drinks and food read more

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cuteeee ambiance and what are they doing in that espresso martini because it's the smoothest one i've ever drank. the rest of our drinks got a heavy handed pour and that i am thankful for. great place to be silly and enjoy the really well crafted vibes. read more

North Light - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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Great spot to hold a book club catch up! The food and drinks are great! Yummy espresso martini & the vibes?! Yes please! read more

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We love coming to North Light for their tasty drinks and snacks! You have to try their Umami Tots, they are incredible and so delicious. We tried the parklet for the first time and it was ok, the back patio is definitely a better location and where you want to be if you choose outdoors. The staff is always great and super friendly, if you haven't been yet you are missing out! read more

North Light - Umami Tots - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Watch your receipt here! I've been here twice (been meaning to post this review). The first time I came, I was excited to do so: a bar with a nicely curated book selection and a great atmosphere to sit, read, have a cocktail. I wasn't bothered with the limited food menu items as that wasn't my main reason for visiting. As mentioned, I just wanted to chill with a drink and read. The food - insanely average. Drink options - the same, insanely average. Atmosphere - good vibe. The bad part is that they randomly place items NOT ORDERED on your bill! This happened TWICE on two different occasions, it's a pattern not a mistake. The first time I went, after receiving my bill, there was a random item (grilled cheese) that I didn't order. I only had a single glass of wine while sitting in their back patio. I didn't initially notice this until after I had given my credit card to be charged. I informed the waiter. He then concurred it was an error, but he only created a new corrected bill and charged me again. I had to demand a credit for the previous erroneous bill that wasn't "voided". On my second visit, during happy hour with a friend, the same thing happened AGAIN! We were both charged for items not ordered, we ordered a few appetizers each and a glass of wine each. (This time I paid attention to the bill for accuracy before giving my credit card to be charged!). It was pointed out to the bar manager and he correctly gave us a correct bill removing the unordered food items (a cheeseburger mysteriously appeared). Seems like a pattern of presenting with an incorrect bill. Just be sure to look at your bill for accuracy. Seems like another reviewer mentioned this as well when an item he specifically didn't order came up. read more

North Light - Book selection - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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came here on a whim with a friend on friday night. this place is so cute and feels like a bar you would find in a corner of NYC. we were greeted promoted even though the inside was packed. they offered to take our drink order while we waited for an open table. they have a vinyl player setup for the music vibe and dark moody lighting. it definitely gets noisy here so not ideal if you're trying to have a serious convo or intimate dinner but a perfect vibe for fun night out. the drinks were delicious and the bartenders were so friendly. i had the snowcrasher and it was 10/10! read more

North Light - drinks - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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I love this place so much, they have a great selection of books for you to bowler or buy. The drinks are perfectly exquisite like no others in town. Great ambience and great vibes. Just a lot of love for this please and great service! So good read more

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My third books-and-booze stop, following Clio's and Book Society. North Light is a much more typical bar, but very bright, with a fantastic cocktail menu, and yummy food. I was there alone on a Tuesday night, after one of the owners of Book Society recommended it. B.S. closed at 9, while North Light was open until a typical later bar hour. I was planning on only ordering one drink, but several sounded so good, I got a Furtive Glance and a New Boo. I washed it down with some pumpkin Ginger soup, out of this world. There are curated books shelves, with local author tags (Michael Chabon, Ayelet Waldman, Michael Pollan), but I wasn't sure if they were invited to select the books or not. Seems like it. read more

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Have been going here pretty consistently for almost 2 years now and I have 0 complaints. Food is delicious, drinks are awesome, and the staff is friendly. They make the best burger I've ever had read more

This is one of my go to spots in the area. The bar staff is really kind and I love their espresso martinis, especially because it's made with oat milk. They have a back patio and in the front they have vinyl and books for sale. read more

Espresso martini top notch. Cesar salad extraordinary. Service fantastic. Vibes are the chefs kiss of it all. Sitting on the covered heated patio in pouring rain enjoying a girl dinner is second to none. read more

We dropped by unexpectedly on a Saturday evening without reservations. It was a little chilly since we got seated on the side with no heaters, but we were appreciative of the team for accommodating us considering the fact we didn't have reservations. We tried their hot cocktails to keep warm and they were absolutely delicious (though very sweet - I love it but just an FYI if that's not your thing). Service was a little slow but understandable considering how many patrons there were relative to the staff. The team was super nice otherwise. The only reason I'm not giving 5 stars is because of the music. The restaurant next door was blasting their music (and it was great music) and North Light was also playing their music (also great music ). The problem was that the music between the two was clashing and it was straight cacophony. Instead of a nice, chic and chill atmosphere, it was just Insanely loud and annoying noise, which is a bummer because the ambiance is really so nice otherwise. I know this seems silly, but it really was so intolerable and the reason we didn't stay longer and order more. I acknowledge that there likely isn't really an easy solution, however, we may avoid the outdoor seating next time as a result. Highly recommend otherwise! read more

Amazing service!! Everyone that my group spoke to had great energy and were very accommodating! Food came out pretty quick - the beet poke and unami tots were amazing! Also got a burger and some pasta which were average but good! In terms of drinks we all got the cucumber mint gimlet which was so good! Heard they make a mean espresso martini as well so I'll have to make it back over for one sometime soon! Overall great date night spot for friend dates or with your significant other :) Dogs welcome on the patio which is a plus!! read more

The food and drinks were delicious I just wish they served fries instead of tater tots; they remind me of middle school lunches.

Cute place. They have a bunch of bookshelves with books inside and an enclosed outdoor patio with heat lamps. I've tried the food before and it's better than most bar food. Today I had the sangria fresca. It's delicious. Hated the music though lol. read more

North Light - Sangria Fresca - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

The best bar in east bay, period. The coolest vibe, the best music, the kindest servers, perfectly strong yet balanced cocktails -- everything here is perfection. I've been coming here for 7 years until I recently moved away and this is the place I miss most from the Bay. Highly, highly recommend. Also dog friendly. read more

North Light - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Perfect date night spot! The lady and I pulled up for food n drinks on a Friday night and the vibe was excellent. We sat at a table but they also have counter seats and a back patio that we'll have to check out next time. Wait staff took our orders quickly and the music selection was nice! They're known for their espresso martini which is what I got and it lived up to the hype fasho! I then got a mezcal cocktail afterwards which was even better in my opinion (I love mezcal cocktails!). For food, my girlfriend loved her chicken salad and my burger was alright but wouldn't order again... but the tater totes though, bomb! Definitely will be back, especially for their awesome drink menu! Good spot to take a date or go with friends. read more

North Light - Espresso martini (delicious) - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Great tunes and ambience. Staff was friendly and welcoming. Great chilled red for a warm night

Fun spot. Dropped in for a drink and a snack. Sat outside on the patio. It has a retractable roof in case the sun gets up bright or to keep the elements out, pretty cool. Enjoyed two cocktails made with rum. And had tater tots for snack. Service was friendly and attentive. Cute inside with bar and bookshelves. We enjoyed our time here. read more

North Light - Cocktails - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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The cocktails are delicious and interesting. You can't go wrong. Also get the umami tots. They are too good.

Came here with a group of friends. The patio is cozy, cocktails are delicious and well balanced, and the staff is amazing! Definitely recommend for a night out. read more

Came for happy hour with some friends and we were delighted by the warm and hip backyard patio. They have great happy hour prices with some very yummy options. We also ordered some food ($10 burger, $6 tots) which were great prices and filling. Service was also fast and friendly, and the vibes of the indoor space were very well decorated and intimate. Great date spot and happy hour location! read more

Went around 6pm on a Saturday so it wasn't too busy and got seated right away. It's a super small (but extremely cute) interior so I can imagine it gets packed easily during late nights so would definitely look into reservations next time I go back! They do have a patio in the back for larger parties but I'd definitely prefer the ambiance inside if it was just a party of 2. Not only do they play LPs but they also sell used LPs + books! Drink sizes were a little small, maybe it's just the one I got, but they were delicious! Possible the best cocktail I've had in a while. It's overall definitely a new favorite spot in Oakland for me! read more

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Yummy food, incentive cocktails and a great vibe...reasonably priced. What more could you ask for?!

Came here with a buddy of mine after finishing dinner down the street. Had no idea what to expect when we entered but it was totally worth it! The vibe of the place was great with the bartender doubling as the DJ. They were super friendly and offered their advice on which drinks we might like. Honestly every one of them sounded amazing but decided on the Pearl which was a combo of pisco, lemon, pamplemousse (not exactly sure what that is) and salted grapefruit. I'll definitely be back to try some of their other options! read more

North Light - The Pearl (L) and Furtive Glance (R) - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

First time here, we we t for Happy Hour 400p Monday. We made reservations and sat at The bar across from Izzy the bartender and vinyl spinner. Very small place so fills up fast. Drinks were awesome we ordered regular tots and beet tartare. Food plentiful and full of flavor. Excellent service, everyone was very personable and fun. North Light will not disappoint and Izzy was awesome She is an excellent mixologist. Will definitely be back. read more

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Drinks and vibes checked out! Definitely one of the better espresso martinis I've had. The only thing I wish could be better next time is how they manage a busy night since we sat at a table outside for an hour (without heat lamps) waiting to be seated inside - even at the bar - as promised once people cleared out, but others walked in after us and were seated immediately without a reservation. The food and drinks were great otherwise! read more

North Light - espresso martini - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Such a cute library themed bar in temescal Oakland area! This was my second time coming here and the vibes and drinks never disappoint! They always play really vibey music and they have a wide selection of cocktails to order from! They also have a patio area for extra seating. This is a really good place to go to for a nice drink or chill night! read more

North Light - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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Love this place. Great cocktails (the old fashioned is a special favorite) & yummy snacks (tater tots!!) The wait staff is consistently superb. read more