They cancelled the event in the last minute. I tried reaching out the owner to coordinate a visit…read moreand he was very unresponsive and made us anxious and nervous. Towards the end he cancelled the venue location as his staffs had Covid and they couldn't quarantine elsewhere. We totally understand what Covid can do but better communications would have helped us. Do not book this place

This is an unusual little wine tasting bar set inside the beautiful loft home of the owner and…read morewinemaker, Monty P. The two story space is in the artist housing colony out by the I-880 bypass in west Oakland, at the foot of Pine Street, called Pacific Cannery Lofts. The beautiful modern unit had been cleared for a special event, an intimate wine drinking party of about 2 -3 dozen people, starting with an intro art class upstairs led by Art a la Cart. http://www.yelp.com/biz/art-a-la-cart-oakland Early attendees (about a dozen) didn't do paint by the numbers, but a steep above that, learning to draw a scene, mix basic paints, and finish a small 8 x 11 canvas. Later everyone came downstairs to enjoy the delicious nibbles provided by the middle eastern caterer Faz. They were great, with hummus, olives, chicken satay skewers, and other delights. http://www.yelp.com/biz/faz-restaurant-and-bar-oakland The variety of wines were very good, both white and red from Paulson wineries, and the hosts were very engaging and seasoned entertainers. There was a live acoustic band trio called Melodious Monk ( I get confusedly the actual name because I think of the Jazz pioneer pianist, Thelonius Monk, which their name is a play off of). Good times had by all at this nice special wine tasting get together, an intimate event where art, conversation and wine were shared. The event was organized by the beautiful and effervescent event coordinator, Dominique.

Great atmosphere and food. Everyone was really pleasant and professional. Takes you back.read more

I recently attended a statistics workshop at the University Club in Berkeley…read more We passed through fraternity row on our way through the back streets of Berkeley. Reminded me of the movie Animal House, but didn't see any trees with toilet paper! Now the day after Halloween would have been another matter! If you can afford the big bucks to reserve the University Club, you get your own reserved parking lot, right next to the stadium concourse, at $12 per car for the entire day. A bargain in Berkeley where parking spaces are like gold -the metal, not the bear! We went around the stadium concourse, to the elevator, to the 8th and top floor. Huge place, don't want anyone to get lost here, so the escort by security everywhere. On the top floor we see a spectacular 7000 square room, two bars, lined with continuous floor to ceiling windows on both sides. Luxury bucket seating for season ticket holders on one side, and a 6000 foot outdoor semi-circular patio on the other side! View of the campanile in your face! Now you know why this is called the penthouse of Memorial Stadium! The workshop had a number of speakers presenting topics in public health statistics. The heavy duty presentations, involving exponential notations and statistical equations reminded me of classes I took here two generations ago--in the stone age as far as you young Yelpers are concerned! Lunch time, we got 50 Boudin SF salad-sandwich kits: beef, turkey avocado, chicken salad, and vegetarian. I'm first in line and grab a beef, and join others sitting outside on the promenade, admiring the 180 degree view of the campus and the Bay. One hour later, there are 9 sandwiches left: a few chicken salad, but the bulk vegetarian -even in radical Berkeley, they prefer meat over vegetarian! After lunch, a fire alarm sounded, with an announcement to clear the building. All Stanford alumni were accounted for! Down 8 flights of stairs we went, with me at 62, tweaked tennis knee and all, flying down the stairs past other guests using canes. Going down no problem, but going back up would have been a workout! Returning to the University Club, we sat down for another series of lectures, These were enlightening even to a guy with statistics as rusty as my own, with animated speakers, audience participation, and the usual mishaps pushing the wrong button while presenting slides on a windows computer. Ok, we are not as nerdy with powerpoint presentations, as you young whippersnappers right out of college! Afterwards we were treated to a wine and cheese appetizers, among them the usual mushroom and chicken sliders, but also cooked sugary bacon, which I had never seen before. Only 5 urinals in the mens bathroom. And 400 season ticket holders will be drinking beer on game day. You know that the women will not be the only ones waiting in a line out the bathroom door during halftime! I would like to thank the hosts for this symposium, the speakers, and the people who attended, traveling across the world. And I'm sure I could never afford season tickets to the Bear games to get into the University Club on my own!

It's hard to say exactly what this place is, but it is definitely a great space! Healing center,…read moreapothecary, vegan takeout restaurant, and event space all in one. Pre-pandemic they hosted events, yoga, spiritual training, etc. which were fantastic. During the pandemic, they have been redistributing produce and prepared meals for free to the community. I live in the area and am very glad to have this business around. They do great work and bring a lot of vibrancy to a previously neglected street corner. Check them out and support their business!

Open Now for Take Out Friday August 21 from 5-9. Usually open on Fridays at the same time. Follow…read moreand check them on IG for menu of the day. What's wrong with you? Did you see those pics?Straight Vegan all day, Er' day. Come by for really good eats. The Sistas Throw DOWN. And Vegan desserts. Do not sleep. Eat.

We needed a space for our event in our former hometown. None of the other places allowed us to…read morebring in our own food and drinks. I'm so glad I found The Monkey House! Ira was so easy to communicate with, and he personally was present to meet us on the day and time. We had about 20 people and they all loved The Monkey House! We rearranged the seating for our group (and returned them afterwards) and it was very comfortable. The place is very clean; there are lots of monkey pictures and the vibe was really cool for our mostly thirty something group. Ira was so helpful, but stayed in the back room most of the time, together with his friendly dog. Thank you Ira!

This theater is small and intimate. It's a lovely venue for live shows. The owner, Ira is…read moreincredibly nice and friendly, and so is his adorable dog. The seats are very comfortable. The bathroom is clean. The replace is decorated with monkeys.

While the 25th Street Collective gives talented artists and designers a beautiful space to display…read moretheir work, they also allow their building to be rented out for private events. With the letdown and passive inability to communicate that was my experience with the 25th Street Collective, please take my advice and do not plan on having your private event here. Really, don't. We came to 25C with great expectations and were blown away at the friendliness of the staff, who assured us that we had secured the space for a private event. We were excited, ready with a deposit check, and couldn't have been more excited to work with the team at 25C and Two Mile Wines (which is inside of the current location). We received multiple confirmations that things were all set, only to have our contract put on hold for months because the gutless 25C staff wasn't professional enough to let us know they couldn't host our event because of internal lease issues. Our event was set back by months and we were left scrambling to find another venue. Despite multiple phone calls and emails, the passive, unprofessional group at 25C still never told us they couldn't host our event. Instead, they just passively put things off like children and said that they're "figuring things out." They never returned phone calls on-time, emailed us back as promised, or ever came to a resolution for our disappointing situation. If you can't do something, just say it - really. We're all grown ups here. It would have saved us a miserable scramble to find a new space. If you're considering renting out 25C, rent another place. I'm sure it's fine for the regular goings on, first Fridays, and displays of work on Saturdays. but for private events - look elsewhere unless you particularly like working with a group of event people whose professionalism and communication skills are on par with a group of six year olds who don't know how to admit that they broke your grandmother's vase.

This place is always packed on First Friday. There's a wine section on the side so you can get your…read morewine on. There are also a lot of locally made vendors selling their clothing and art here. Usually, there's a food truck outside and this place is packed to the gills with all the First Friday folks wandering around. This is definitely one of the best stops during the art murmur so check it out if you haven't already. The items are usually on the pricier side but they are made by some local folks so if you want to support and shop local, 25th Street Collective is your spot.

I came here back in the summer (sorry for the really late review) to have lunch with colleagues…read more The menu isn't huge when it comes to main dishes and there's not many vegetarian options, but at least they offer Beyond burgers. There's a few different sections in the food area so you can order a burger by walking up to the grill. I got fries, which are waffle / crisscut style, on the side. I paid $11.50 at the time for the food and I did feel it was a pretty filling meal - I had trouble finishing off all of it since I tend to eat smaller than what are standard US portion sizes. I thought the food was pretty good, burger had been cooked fresh in front of me and the fries are also crispy and not too soft. If you're looking for their up-to-date restaurant/food hours, I'd recommend looking at the Faculty Club website; I'm assuming the Yelp hours show it's open 24 hours just because the venue can be booked at other times of day. I've also been here once for a retirement gathering and they do have outdoor patio space. However, there are multiple entrances to the building so you might have to walk around it a bit to find the right opening if not all doors are unlocked. Google Maps wasn't that great for navigating here either.

If you've ever fantasized about spending the night in a Bernard Maybeck structure here's your…read morechance. The Faculty Club, on the UC Berkeley campus, was designed by the legendary Berkeley architect and is many things to many people. Most notably, it's: * A place to eat and drink; * A venue to rent out for events; and * A place to spend the night. I ate and drank there* but I also spent the night there and that's the reason for my 3-star rating and the focus of this review. The Faculty Club rents out rooms, some with private bath and some with communal bath, all situated along a long hallway up a set of stairs. If you've drank too much below, are in town to visit a student at UCB, or are just hankering to spend the night on campus it's not a bad option. The rooms for rent are functional (not fancy) and clean (but not new). "Utilitarian" is an apt description. A friend and I stayed in a room with 2 beds and its own bathroom and shower at a cost of $215. Rooms with shared baths are (obviously) less and an additional $15.40 will buy you a parking pass valid until 2 p.m. the following day at a nearby, on campus lot. I don't track the cost of lodging in the Bay Area but this rate seemed reasonable, especially considering the inclusion of a continental breakfast for 2 the following morning. Before falling asleep the night of my stay my friend wondered whether the Campanile's toll would wake us. Fear not; it didn't. Instead, 52 beeps from a garbage truck backing up was followed by the crash of glass recyclables being collected, all before sunrise. So, be sure your room is on the west side of the building if you desire a quieter experience. I can't imagine returning for an overnight here but I'd certainly be comfortable recommending it to others. It was fun and serene to step outside in the morning, right onto the beautiful Faculty Glade of the UCB campus. I can well imagine others enjoying the reasonably-priced experience. * Food and drink are reviewed under Faculty Club Kerr Dining Room

I'm so happy to support this small business! They work in the Bay Area and they accommodate the…read moreparties based on the size. This was the highlight of my birthday Lingerie Soirée, with unlimited photos and prints. Everyone enjoyed themselves and the props she brought along were just as requested. It was such a fun time. They came early for set up and had everything set up before everyone arrived. You can also choose how many photos you want on a strip, including the design and title. For my first time booking anything like this, the process was seamless. I am very satisfied with all of my photos. The file of photos was emailed to me in less than 24 hours. Thanks again!

Coming from a conference, we needed to unwind. My friend recommended this place so we decide to…read morecheck this out AMBIANCE: Parking: Welcome to Downtown Oakland! There's a parking lot and some metered parking. Walking around, the parking wasn't too competitive. Seating: Bar seating moreover, for maybe about 10 people or so. Vibes: Welcome to Downtown Oakland! It is a grit and grind place with a lot of culture and things to do - food, museums, shopping, and community events on the occasion. The place itself is pretty spacious, there seems to be a lot of space for an eventful time from jamming good music or karaoke. FOOD: Malibu & Pinepple Rum (Recommend) A simple drink that's smooth and sweet. Get a cherry for that additional sweet flavor to it. CUSTOMER SERVICE: I believe our server was Mel and he was dope! TL; DR OVERALL: 4.5 Stars. Great! A pretty proximal place from the Marriott Hotel. Prices were reasonable, drink selections were wide, and the energy was good. When in Oakland and need some good Hip-Hop & R&B music, this is a great spot! TIPS: * Tuesdays and Thursdays are karaoke nights.

Great place to come for a drink or a $5 shot!…read more Service was great. Ambience emasculate. Come have a party here for free -that means NO COVER