What a gem! I've…read morebeen here about 5 times. It's like a whisky speakeasy. Hidden away, hardly branded outside, you enter a gorgeous haven for vinyl albums and bespoke drinks. The vibe is lively yet subdued, respects the music yet encourages conversation. My guests were shocked and want to mirror this design at their homes. My wishlist would be the ability to order at the table. The model is order at the bar and drinks are brought to the table. The net result is a bit awkward, and it discourages buying a second drink. In sum, an amazing place.

If you know me, you know I love a vinyl record bar so I was excited to check out Bar Shiru while in…read moreOakland. It came highly recommended and it lived up to the hype. It's a dope spot with a cool, relaxed vibe that was a perfect nightcap after dinner. I stopped by for a few cocktails and they were great and well made. You can tell that they take care in preparing their drinks which I always appreciate. The prices were on par with what I'd pay in DC so be prepared to spend a little bit. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in town.

Hello Stranger is THAT spot in Oakland. The DJ? Fire. The music? Had me forgetting I had bills due…read more The vibe? Safe, fun, and full of people who just wanna have a good time. Drinks are on point whether you're into cocktails, mocktails, or just pretending your Sprite is fancy champagne, they've got you. The staff is hella nice too like the kind of people you don't mind bumping into when you're three songs deep on the dance floor. Plus, the brick walls and whole setup make it feel like you stepped into a cool hidden gem instead of just another bar. Honestly, it's the kind of place you show up "just for one" and end up shutting down the night. 10/10 would lose my voice here again.

Hello Stranger has a convenient location with a small but decent-sized bar and dance floor. The DJ…read morewas okay, nothing special, but fine for a casual night out. Unfortunately, that's all I can really comment on because three of us sat at the bar for about 15 minutes and, even though there was no one else there, the bartender never approached us. We ended up leaving without ordering anything. It was disappointing, especially given how empty the place was. Based on this experience, I don't plan to return. The lack of attention and service made it clear why the bar wasn't busy.

I rented out Penelope for my birthday party and was so glad I did! Being able to reserve the entire…read morebar and outdoor patio for my event made it feel really special, and the cost was comparable to renting a semi-private room at other bars in downtown or uptown Oakland. Johnny, the owner, was friendly, helpful, and easy to work with in the months leading up to the event. I had food catered from another local business, and he provided nice serving vessels, was flexible about how I arranged the tables and stools, and encouraged me to play my own playlist through the bar's sound system. He made the planning process and the night of the event stress-free. Penelope has a great indoor space with bar seating and tables, plus an outdoor patio out front with additional tables. I had 40 guests, and with the patio included, there was plenty of room for everyone to move around and mingle. The staff was great all night, efficiently mixing up tasty drinks while helping with a few things that came up. All of my friends loved the craft cocktails and mocktails, and the beer and wine were reasonably priced. I would highly recommend Penelope for a private event. It's also a great spot to stop by after work or for a late-night cocktail if you're just looking for a fun, welcoming bar!

Something unfortunate has happened here. I convinced my date to stop in for a drink and snack,…read morerecalling the delicious cocktails I had here years ago. We were stoked once we realized we had made it in 15 minutes before happy hour ended. But service was sooo slow. I understand there was one bartended working at the time but they really took their time, not meticulously crafting drinks, but rather talking to a friend. We contemplated going somewhere else when the bartender finally came to take our order, just before happy hour ended..sigh of relief! We made the cut off! We opted against the empanadas as we could see the cutting board in the kitchen area had a jacket on top of it. Well..the bartender slowly made our drinks, while still talking, then rung us up..just a few minutes past 6 and charged us full price. Lackluster customer service. Then, the drinks themselves were just bad..not balanced - one too sweet and syrupy in consistency; the other too bitter. This place used to be great but maybe they changed ownership. Used to see the owner here frequently working the bar. Now, I'd recommend Bocanova in the area instead - their happy hour also goes til 6, their drinks are top notch, service is pretty good, and you can get good food from the kitchen.

Was here for a brief date. Looking to come back soon. Super reasonable pricing and cocktails were…read moresolid with great friendly service on a slow Sunday evening.

Save water, drink tequila…read more We tried finding a nearby cafe to kill time but every one of them was busy with no seating. So here I am, sipping on Fortaleza Blanco ($19).... *Cheers* to the Sunday scaries and Monday hangxiety! O T H E R I N F O * HH Specials: Tuesday - Friday, 4 pm - 6 pm and all day Sunday. * Bring your own food. They also have chips and tamales for purchase. * They have a bottle shop next door where you can find small-batch, hard to find spirits. * Hip, industrial vibes with indoor seating and a covered patio. * Well-behaved, leashed dogs allowed in the patio. * There's a spacious lounge area inside that's perfect for large parties and available to reserve. * Plentiful of street parking.

Loved the spirits and cocktail selection. I tried the Booker's Bourbon, which was really nice and…read morecomplementary to the bourbons I sip on back home, and the Chai Old Fashioned, which hit really nostalgic for me and was unique and balanced. The ambiance was awesome too, especially the great conversation with the bartender. Just a very chill, homey vibe. I'd definitely frequent here more often if I lived closer. A few pieces of constructive feedback: * The Butter Chicken Tacos were a bit underseasoned and needed a little more acidity * A spirits menu would be a nice complement, or even flight options * More rum options Will definitely try to come back. A definite recommend!

Came in on a mission for a good Manhattan and walked out impressed. I asked for one built on…read moreRittenhouse Bottled-in-Bond rye, and Sevan behind the bar knew exactly where to go with it. Fantastic drink. My friend tasted mine and ordered the same. The selection is the draw here. Whiskey lines the entire back wall, the rarer bottles sit behind wire-mesh locked cabinets, and there is a deep bench of tequila, beer on tap, and wine to round things out. One look at the shelves tells you they have the base for any drink you want. We split the Margherita flatbread, pesto, fresh mozzarella, and blistered cherry tomatoes, and it hit the spot as a drinking snack. The menu goes deeper than expected for a bar, with sliders, naan tacos, and charcuterie if you show up hungry. Service was good considering the staff-to-crowd ratio. Sevan stayed attentive the whole time and clearly knows his stuff. The vibe is chill and conversation-friendly, not too loud for the size of the room, with a bank of TVs toward the back if you want to catch a game. Logistics are easy. The bar sits a short walk from Pleasant Hill BART and parking in the area was no trouble. I've been a few times before and this visit confirmed why I keep coming back. For a high quality cocktail in the East Bay, this is the spot.

I come to Blossom & Bourbon all the time for special occasions! One of my favorite restaurants, and…read moreI love the ambiance here! Let love blossom cocktail: lovee this drink, I would even be down to drink the non alcoholic version of this. The drink has ginger and citrus flavors, super refreshing and light and you don't taste the alcohol at all. *forgot what drink* - the red drink next to my cocktail wasn't bad, but wouldn't order this again. Appetizers: Mini lobster roll - I loved these! They're fun to eat, the bread rolls were soft and buttery and they give you a good amount of lobster meat. I love that they give you lobster bisque in little cups. Truffle fries - loved these fries, devoured the entire plate. Could use more truffle, but they were still amazing. Ribeye steak: the steak was cooked to perfection, perfect medium rare and super juicy inside! Very tasty too. Salmon with potato puree and broccolini: the salmon was cooked to perfection, I never order salmon at fancy restaurants but the cook on this salmon exceeded my expectations. It melts in your mouth! The flavors were just okay though (for me.) Service is great, all of the servers are so friendly and welcoming! You also get a free birthday dessert - their delicious bread pudding (huge slice & great for sharing!)

This place was packed, even at 5:30 pm. The bar was happening because of the long wait. It could…read moreget pretty loud here, and the tables are placed pretty closed to each other. We started with the Hamachi crudo ($20) and the truffle fries ($12). The fries had hardly any truffle oil drizzled over them. Might as well get the regular fries for less. The scallops ($43) were delicious, perfectly pan seared and the quality tasted like Japanese scallops. Skip the lamb chops ($48)- I requested for medium rare and came out medium well. It was a tad tough and bland. The BBQ rib ($35) was moist and the meat fell off the bone. I enjoyed the sauce as it was not overpowering or too tart. The corn bread was a nice addition but the coleslaw slaw was meh.

Heading out of town for a short trip. Stop in for a light bite…read more District Oakland Airport Server - Reberto, he was great and fast. He had his soccer shirt on cheering for you country. Avacado Toast Coffee - Black Mimosa - Orange The deco was nicely setup with lots of table seating. Place is very clean. A must stop in when traveling.

Great place to come if you get too much attention and demand at home /work…read more It's like you have become an invisible spirit when you're here. 2star cuz music aigggghtt Updated: staff apologized about wait which I would have added two stars back instead of just one. But not first instance of delayed service. Thanks. I'll try one more time.

We had been hearing about the karaoke competition since last year and finally got the chance to…read morecheck it out tonight for the f i n a l s. We drove in on an extremely rainy day because we couldn't miss witnessing this event and the place was packed to the brim with just enough room to still move around. We grabbed some delicious beer and watched all the teams perform for three rounds. We enjoyed the enthusiasm, the energy, the talented singing, dance moves and chemistry the teams were giving as they belted each songs. Confetti poppers and sashes were utilized and made the night all the more snazzy. The stage is a bit small and snug. Overall, a fun time and perhaps we will join in on the next season~

Delicious drinks and good vibes! Karaoke is later at night - started at 9:30pm on Thursday when I…read morewas there.

I just recently discovered gold bar whiskey had a distillery on treasure island . I stumbled upon…read morein looking on yelp and decided I'd check it out. The space is huge and the ambiance of gold bar itself is upscale but loungy as well. I really enjoyed all the green monsteras and comfortable seats in the dining area. The bar is long and gold with great bartenders. Immediately I was geeeted by AJ one of the bartenders who was extremely helpful and patient while I decided which cocktail I was going to try. He also recommended me one of their sandwiches which he said was his favorite, turns out it was delicious. I will definitely be visiting again and hopefully I run into AJ again. GREAT bartender and service.

We decided to surprise my husband for his birthday with a class here. It was the 2 of us along with…read moreone daughter and the best friend. We took the ferry from SF and that started already making it feel like an event. It was a beautiful day and the ferry to and from the class was so fun. This building in Treasure Island has a storied history and is beautiful. The bar is a blast from the past with a beautiful deco interior and the amazing views of the bay & SF out the windows. As with other classes, the group of people were all milling around until we were given our places at the bar tables. Once the class got started (especially the drinking) people were much more talkative and involved. Will was our bartender/instructor and he did a fantastic job. He was highly informative & entertaining. I don't even like bourbon that much, but this class was so much fun that I still ended up drinking 2 of the 3 cocktails as they were delicious. We learned the history of the glassware & drinks, how bourbon/whiskey is made as well as how to make a good beverage with bourbon. It was incredibly informative as well as highly entertaining. I do recommend either eating something hearty prior to this class or getting the charcuterie plate to go along with your tasting as we did. This class is a great thing to do as a couple, with a group or even by yourself as you will know everyone at your table by the end. Good for locals and people on holiday. My husband had the best time so it was a winner as a birthday gift which isn't easy to do after so many years together. If you are considering this class, I suggest you just go ahead and do it!

I love the lodge: the atmosphere is cozy and friendly they have excellent bartenders and drinksread more

Stopped at The Lodge to take a breather from Mosswood Meltdown. Welcoming service, full bar, free…read morepopcorn, and pop-ups in the kitchen most days of the week. As a teetotaler I was happy to find non-alcoholic options. The tamarind mocktail was among the best mixed drinks I've tried. Highly recommended! PAL Burgers was the vendor when we visited. We tried their burgers and tots and were impressed. Both well executed. I'd definitely come back!