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Spats

3.5 (306 reviews)
Wed 4:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)
Thu 4:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)
Updated 2 months ago

Spats Photos

SPATS ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Casual
Moderate noise
Happy hour specials
Good for groups

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Recommended Reviews - Spats

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Reviews With Photos

Dianna H.

Spats is a chill bar in Berkeley to hang out. I recently visited for an event on a Tuesday afternoon at 4:30, and it was mostly empty, providing a peaceful and relaxed atmosphere. The bar has two sides with plenty of bar and table seating, making it easy to find a spot to sit and enjoy the ambiance. I ordered a mocktail for $5.50, and it was fruity but not too sweet as requested. We ended up staying here for 2 hours chatting, and the staff was very attentive throughout our visit. Overall, I had a great experience at Spats and would definitely recommend it for a laid-back and enjoyable time. It's two blocks from the Berkeley BART, so it's easy to get to. Otherwise you can find street parking nearby.

At the bar looking twoards front with opening to dance hall on the right; back to the bathroomshallway  and music room / conservatory
C. Michael R.

Super-popular mainstay of Berkeley near Cal on Shattuck north of University Ave. and South of Triple Rock Restaurant; a good mix of students, locals, off-work industry types and degenerates, one can usually find something to do, like sing Karaoke (like when I sang backup to that 4 Non-Blondes tune "What's Up?" cuz I'd been practicing it a lot - driving across the country cuz it kept on coming on in various different states for some reason - probably b/c they're back on tour - and cuz it's kinda hard) with some chick I didn't know singing lead, and/or dance in the dance hall (depending on what's going on), which is (thank God) darkly lit (with a blacklight I believe) next to the main bar room, or play pool or pinball / video games in the well-lit game room next to the dance hall. OR you can go all the way to the back of the place past the bathrooms to the conservatory / music room where some pictures in this post were taken. This evening a chill one-man-and-a-guitar show was going on and I was sitting with a cool elderly guy making cool charcoal drawings of the performers and next to a cool couple where the dude was a skateboard deck artist (which was pretty cool and whose business card I also got) and which is also where I've actually been involved in a breakdancing battle not too long ago, and got asked for and gave my number to a short-haired redhead chick who was friends with my opponent (and who I didn't know was going to keep sending me sexy pics all the time so I had to ghost her, because I was with involved with someone else at the time) and all of which was super fun and I have great memories of. Some pics posted show the main bar, with the "Wheel of Fortune" that you can spin (I think you have to buy certain drinks or something to spin it) to get free drinks and other "prizes", the TV (which is key in any bar if you ask me) and right where I met and got a cute redhead's # (don't know what it is with this place and me and redheads!) I had been seeing sitting alone there for weeks and finally had the swagger to talk to and ask about a mutual acquaintance I thought she knew when I was hanging out with my boy Josme and was waiting for him to hurry the hell up and buy us our drinks after I drove us there from Acme. Fun.

a sign for a happy hour at a bar
Juan V.

A good spacious kind of dive bar with televisions to watch sports. The back of the bar has classic pinball machines. The bar has lots of drinks available. This is a good place to stop and meet up for a drink.

The bar area (sorry so blurry)
Shayla B.

Spats used to be the jump, but now it just isn't the same anymore. Sloppy drunks, uninterested bartenders, and slow ass service have all prevailed over this bar. I remember spending HOURS in that bar, chopping it up with friends and having a wonderful time. But now, it's like you can't even get anyone to help you. Yeah, I know it's a college bar but daaaaamn. How many effing drunkards are you gonna let roam the place? It's just sloppy... not even funny, but really ridiculous. When I found out that they got rid of the taco Tuesdays and Wing Wednesdays, my heart sunk. They weren't the best tacos and wings in the world, but they we're .25 cents each which was all the more reason to love them. They now have vendors who come in to partner with them for a certain time and sell food. The last time I was there, they were partnering with a burger place. What sucks is that I used to be able to order everything including food at the bar. Now, I have to go wait in line and order in the next room. The poor lady was extremely overwhelmed and my food took 45 minutes to come out. And if you wanna use one card to pay for everything, you'll have to close out at the bar, pay for your food, and then come back to open up another tab. The dumbest ish ever. They still have some of the cheapest drink specials in town during happy hour here, and that's why people will keep going regardless. There's been so many staff changes, and some of the bartenders seem like they really don't wanna be there. The drinks are okay. Nothing fancy, but it'll do the job. They have games in the back and trivia days in the middle room, but good luck trying to find a place to sit on those days. I don't know... I wanna give them another chance because I used to love this place. Maybe I'll go check it out again soon and see if anything changes.

a tray of ribs, beans, and sauce
Renuj M.

Amazing service. Brisket and ribs were tender and amazing Mac n cheese. Service was great and our door dining with a DJ was good. I love bbq and this is my basis for other bbq. Had bbq via door dash and just didn't compare. If you can door door dash or Grub hub a lot of us wound love to Give you the business. Quality is amazing. Chef takes pride!!!!!!

Spacious back room
Melissa S.

Epic Berkeley spot. Pinball, pool, Mrs Pac-Man, full on dance floor, lit music, tons of space and fresh air. Always a nice time to be had at Spats.

The main bar
Kyshia M.

Don't let the size of the entrance fool you, this place has 2 bars, a game room and a back room for private events. Drinks are very affordable and they have food!!! Did I mention that drinks are cheap! Try to come on a night when it's 2 for $10 or 2 for $12. In the heart of Berkeley's college town but the crowd varies so don't be discouraged if you're not in the mood for talks of finals, projects, etc. They have a Dj that spins and/or music playing. TV's too but you won't spend much time watching. It's more fun drinking and mingling. Street parking only.

Different Specials

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8 years ago

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6 years ago

My first experience was at Spats was excellent. Jake the bartender is a new favorite. Cheers

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4 years ago

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8 years ago

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7 years ago

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10 years ago

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4 years ago

Great place for pool, pinball, dancing, and drinks! Cam made us a great old-fashioned and cosmopolitan, and was lively for conversation!

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10 years ago

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9 years ago

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6 years ago

Business owner information

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Orlando W.

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7 years ago

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7 years ago

Roach in the kitchen. Botched order completely. Refused refund request after 40 mins for goddam fries

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7 years ago

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5 years ago

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6 years ago

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Craig M.

We agree. Hard to beat beer and BBQ. See you again soon!

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6 years ago

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Craig M.

Glad to hear you like the BBQ. We think it's the best too!

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10 years ago

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6 years ago

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Spats Reviews in Other Languages

Ask the Community - Spats

Is there non alcoholic drinks?

Yes

What's the vibe? College student friendly?

More of a community vibe with some grad students.

Do they have karaoke?

Yes starting in February, every Thursday.

I'm wondering if they have other food other then the barbeque from Smoke?

Thank you for asking. Currently we offer food from SMOKE BBQ. Specializing in smoked meats, we also have vegan and vegetarian options.

Dog friendly brunch?

Probably

View All 6 Questions

Review Highlights - Spats

As well as him, Gio, Jake, Jon, Sando and Delaney have the best personalities you will EVER cross in the Bay Area.

Mentioned in 24 reviews

Read more highlights

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After leaving the Crest Theatre, my girl and I walked across the street to The Dive Bar to end the…read morenight. Security checked our IDs at the door, and once we walked in, the bar area was packed. Luckily, there were reserved booths nobody was using and my girl, and I sat there since the main bar was crowded. It actually worked out perfect for us. It gave us space to sit, relax, and have a good conversation without feeling cramped. We ordered a couple of colorful drinks that were nicely balanced and flavorful, not too overpowering, and easy to enjoy. The music was hip-hop which is right up my alley, so the vibe was definitely on point. What really stood out was the atmosphere. I've never been in a bar quite like this where jellyfish were hanging from the ceiling, and a whole underwater theme. I was told a mermaid appears over the bar at certain times, but sadly, I didn't get to see her this visit. Overall, it was a great spot to end the night after the movie. Good drinks, good music, and a unique sea-themed vibe. If I return, I will hope to see a mermaid

If you want to be charged a cover to get into a place where you'll be comepletely ignored by…read morebartenders, harassed by security and patrons and allegedly have to worry about your drink being accompanied by something a little extra...just so you can see a "mermaid" swim around in a fish tank then this is the perfect place for you. The bar tenders have horrible customer service even when the bar isn't busy. It seems like they rather hang out and chat with regulars and friends than serve paying customers. The security guards we're blatantly discriminating against my friend for no good reason. Also, security apparently accepts bribes at the front door to let people in, so much for safety. The drinks were in my opinion overpriced and didn't taste good. Maybe I'm biased because my whole experience here put a complete sour taste in my mouth. Then, to top it all off my friends and I were being harassed by two patrons who had clearly been overserved the entire time we were there. We had no choice but to leave and we will never be back again! After visiting I wanted to leave a review because I felt other people should steer clear. To my surprise, I read reviews here that mentioned almost the exact experience we had. So, this is not an isolated incident and Dive Bar has not taken our comments into consideration. Disclaimer: I did not have this experience, but it was very disheartening to see all the reviews, tik toks, reels, etc. I found after visiting Dive Bar in which women and men are claiming to have been roofied. This may or may not be true, but it can't be a coincidence this many people have had the same experience. There needs to be an investigation into this bar. I myself will be placing a call to the BBB and I hope that anyone who has had that experience feels empowered to speak to the authorities.

Jack's - Spaghett

Jack's

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I had a terrible experience watching an Arsenal match there…read more This is supposed to be an Arsenal supporters club, yet they allow fans of rival teams like Manchester United and Manchester City to come in during Arsenal games. Not only that, they were openly laughing, mocking, and disrespecting Arsenal fans when we conceded goals. That's completely unacceptable for a supporters club. I've been to Sacramento Gooners and other Arsenal clubs, and none of them tolerate this kind of behavior. There's a clear difference in standards. I've followed the Silicon Valley Gooners owner and I know they claim to love Arsenal and football. But honestly, this feels more like a business focused on profit than a community built on passion. Very disappointing.

The two bartenders I mentioned before have indeed left and I do indeed miss them, but it's still my…read moreneighborhood bar and they know me here and sometimes that's all you need. Show up a few times and be a decent human and you will find a wide network of new friends. They welcome new regulars and there are a lot of us. Come hang out! (Edited to add... I did not realize that I would be REPLACING my previous review. TL;DR, I miss seeing Sandie and Tanisha here, but the bartenders are awesome people and you should just start coming here because it's a fantastic local watering hole. And also they do a bunch of sports games on the TVs, in case you care about such things, including Arsenal games)

Spats - divebars - Updated May 2026

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