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    The Oakland

    4.2 (379 reviews)
    ModerateCocktail Bars
    Closed • 4:30 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)
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    The Oakland Photos

    THE OAKLAND ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Classy
    Moderate noise
    Outdoor seating
    Good for groups

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    Recommended Reviews - The Oakland

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    Reviews With Photos

    My drink of the evening yummy old fashioned with wild turkey
    Ambirr M.

    Loved this place so cute and whimsical. The old fashioned was really good .the vibe and music was really top tier nice first date hang out after work vibe with friends

    At the bar

    What a great place...visited last night for the first time and will definitely be back. Told bartender I liked vodka based fruity drinks with no pineapple and he created the tastiest drink ever. Atmosphere is dark yet comforting and makes for a nice place for an evening out with a spouse or friends.

    Jillian D.

    We love the Oakland because of their unique selection of cocktails and their Christmas decor during the month of December. The place is so cozy and service is great. They will try their best to get you a seat!

    One of my favorite cocktail bars in the area! Very intimate, perfect for friends to gather or a date night. Love the speakeasy vibe, very dark and moody. Location is awesome, so it's perfect as a stand-alone meet up or a nightcap after a local dinner.

    Green Badu
    Judy N.

    Fun bar for a cocktail! I enjoyed my drink (Green Badu) but my hubby didn't care for his (Nick at Night). Street parking is easy if you have the app to pay and find a spot. The service was great, too bad we don't live closer (well, maybe that's a good thing ;P $$$$).

    Inner sanctum
    K M.

    Still love this Ferndale Speakeasy! The front door is labeled "Art Novelty". Enter into a space that is dark, velvety elegant and comfortable. The service is great, and the cocktails are exquisite!

    Quick review - the drinks are good but that is all it has going for them. They have incense throughout the lounge which may be a personal preference but it's a gross smell throughout the lounge. The hostess with her sunglasses and beanie was in a complete daze. They give you an hour and half per reservation which we were advised several times throughout our stay. The entire experience was ruin by them saying how much time we had left. Mind you there were 7 seating areas completely open throughout our stay. The bill includes a 22% automatic gratuity which was not deserved. It's a shame. The place had potential with their product but their hospitality is severely lacking.

    Candice K.

    The Oakland was on my list of places to visit when I recently went to Michigan and I'm glad I was able to visit! It was a cold snowy night so I bundled up and made my way over to Ferndale to enjoy a few cocktails. Upon entering, I felt like I was in Christmas town! They had a ton of Christmas decorations, lights, and their cocktail menu is all Christmas themed at the moment (you can order regular cocktails too). My cocktails all tasted like Christmas (yum) and I really enjoyed the eclectic decorations and ambiance. Our waiter made good recommendations on our drinks and was very friendly. We parked in the parking structure across the street (I think it was only 75 cents per hour).

    Champagne and mulled wine with the T-Rex!  Miracle themed for the holidays!
    Stacia G.

    Always enjoy coming here. The cocktails are unique and unusual. You have to be open for that last added element. It's dark in here! Let your eyes adjust when you come in! Sometimes you need to see a hostess to get seating. I was at a "birthday" event with special cocktails and a special barrel pinagree from Valentine available (very tasty!) Great place to have that end of the night drink or beginning the night drink!

    a glass of alcohol on a table
    Monica W.

    We went for the Miracle Pop Up bar. I'm not sure how this concept works and if the staff is the same staff that normally works there, but they were quite unpleasant. I understand it's a small space and the pop up/time of year brings a lot of interest, so time is limited but... just not great. The decor and everything was really cute for Christmas/the holidays. Maybe would go back during regular business to compare.

    Jim U.

    The service was really good here. The drinks were creative and every one appears to take some effort. My drink had some ginger in it which made it a little kick. It was good, but a bit much in the ginger for me. My only real issue here was how dark it was inside. I couldn't see if anyone was sitting at a table because the seats were also black and it was very sunny outside. My eyes did adjust but it took a few minutes and I had to use a cell phone light to review the menu. That made me feel kinda old.

    Christmas Water

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    6 months ago

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    2 months ago

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    3 months ago

    Only place around to get quiet, peaceful rest from the day. Great drinks and soothing vibes.

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    10 months ago

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    8 months ago

    Great experience, unique drinks, friendly attentive staff. We will be taking our friends there.

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    3 years ago

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    6 years ago

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    2 years ago

    This place is great. Nice quiet atmosphere. Great drinks. The staff are pleasant and fun with awesome conversations.

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    4 years ago

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    3 years ago

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    7 years ago

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    2 years ago

    Best Last Word cocktail we've ever had! Beautiful interior and excellent staff and service!

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    8 years ago

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    2 years ago

    The Service was really good. The drinks were tasty and made well. I definitely recommend

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    Page 1 of 10

    Ask the Community - The Oakland

    Does anyone know if this 21 and over only or can a 19 year old get in and not drink? Tried messaging them but haven't heard back. Thank you.

    They checked my Id at the door. I don't think you would be about to get in

    View All 2 Questions

    Review Highlights - The Oakland

    “We've tried the D'Artagnan, On the Night You Were Born, Roman Candle, Blue Blazer and several other cocktails.”

    Mentioned in 4 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    Syndicate Ferndale - Violet Stratosphere

    Syndicate Ferndale

    4.3(74 reviews)
    0.1 mi•Downtown Ferndale

    Delicious! Yummy appetizer with gluten free crackers. Great cocktails and mocktails! Friendly staff!read more

    We were a group of 3 who wanted to be seated outside on a hot and sticky Michigan day. Luckily…read morethere was a nice breeze. Ok make that 2 of 3 that wanted to be outside. As we followed our greeter to our table I kept screaming in my mind "no no no no no not that table no!" and she sat us at a table in full blasting sun. Nevermind the fact that there was a whole shaded section in the back part of the patio area. The rest of my group said it was fine and a beam of sun slowly bore a hole through my chest. Drink orders were up. I ordered a fabulous cross between a Moscow Mule and a Mojito. A+++ for the drinks. Mine was loaded with fresh mint from their garden. Same grade for our waitress who explained the drinks in detail and ended with "ugh- are you sure you want to sit at this table straight in the sun?" The other two said it was fine. I was ready to move, but was out voted. She continued to check in regularly and brought extra water. Most items on the menu were hot. I considered the fish, but we all landed on appetizers and we would just bounce from place to place for bites and drinks. We ordered the charcuterie board and the lavender lemon whip with bread and cucumbers for the 3 of us. The charcuterie board was the large version and had minimal offerings. It wasn't full and pretty. It was little piles of each thing on a board. This one definitely wasn't making it into Better Homes and Gardens magazine. There was a little pile of mixed nuts, a little pile of lose green grapes, a little pile of lose red grapes - not all grapes pristine or large and none were on the vine. There were 3 little piles of cubed cheese and 2 types of sliced sausage and sliced pepperoni. There were 8 crackers that were wheat thin size. This matters because we had some onion jam on the board and a nice serving of mustard. There really wasn't anything to put them on except for the 8 little crackers. That part was weird. These weren't elevated offerings. I could have picked up any of these at Walmart. They were not elevated quality either. We also got a lavender lemon infused whip which was their answer to tzatziki sauce. It was excellent but again, we were given so much of the sauce without a bunch to put it on. The cucumbers were sliced lengthways and there was a lovely bread that tasted like sourdough. There was 6 pieces of bread, and these were not particularly large pieces. A lot more would have been needed to use all of the sauce they gave. The proportions were off. All together the bill was over $100 for the 3 drinks and appetizers. If I ever did go back I won't order food based on what I experienced. There are too many other great options within walking distance.

    Photos
    Syndicate Ferndale - Cocktails

    Cocktails

    Syndicate Ferndale - Deviled egg flight

    Deviled egg flight

    Syndicate Ferndale - Hey Pumpkin. Really good. Pumpkin seed snack. Great addition

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    Hey Pumpkin. Really good. Pumpkin seed snack. Great addition

    Nine Kitchen and Bar - Chicken Parm Sandwich

    Nine Kitchen and Bar

    4.4(58 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    Great service sitting at the bar for an early afternoon brunch on a Saturday! Drinks were…read morewell-made and the food was delicious. Good portion of shrimp in the appetizer spicy Shrimp and the dressing on the mixed greens served under the shrimp is to-die-for! I wanted a bowl to take home. Lol Great spot in downtown ferndale. Will be back!

    Been driving past this place for quite a while, and the exterior never made me want to try it…read more Looks like a benign strip mall type of place. But on a Friday, everything else was full and they had space. You step inside and it has the feel of a trendy hot spot; loud music, great vibe, nice decor. Young crowd, lots of couples on dates, and a few large groups. Very extensive drink list, with interesting cocktails. Huge bar. I would say the music is a bit too loud; its not a dance club, so I should be able to have a conversation without screaming. Food is good enough, but not quite there. Menu is interesting and well thought out. Smoked Salmon Crostini is 10 out of 10. Smash burger is bland and just ok. WAY too much sauce. 4 out of 10. Bam bam shrimp tacos are highly craveable. 8 out of 10. Steak frites, priced at $60, are very tasty, but not worth the $60. I ordered my steak medium rare; the ends were a perfect mid rare, but the middle was rare, which is fine as its a big steak and the rare bits will heat up nicely at home. Meat its self seasoned extremely well, and quite tender given its a NY strip. Service is good, but a bit slow. Overall, I would like to come back for a happy hour at the bar.

    Photos
    Nine Kitchen and Bar - Bar

    Bar

    Nine Kitchen and Bar - Steak tacos

    Steak tacos

    Nine Kitchen and Bar

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    Mai Tiki - Three dots and a dash and Cancun disco - lovely

    Mai Tiki

    4.0(51 reviews)
    0.0 mi•Downtown Ferndale

    Fun spot attached to Tigerlilly in Ferndale. I think it's meant as a speakeasy, but the "secret"…read moredoor is always open and you can just sort of walk in ask to be seated there. And just like the name suggests, it's a tiki themed joint with rum forward drinks in fun cups. They have a nice cocktail menu with some variety so you're not stuck with tiki drinks if that's not your thing. The menu is the same as Tigerlilly, so you're getting great food and good drinks.

    Thank you to Will and André for amazing service! They are very kind, attentive and fun. They offer…read moregreat recommendations and bring positive vibes. Located in the back of Tigerlily restaurant, this space is fun and swanky. I love all the lights and decor. It has a speakeasy vibe and excellent tiki cocktails. The best Mai Thai I've ever had! The painkiller is creamy and delightful too! My friend enjoyed the Mamoru, which is like an espresso martini. They also offer refreshing mocktails. The Bulma is like a yummy spa water, with cucumber, jalapeño, lemon, and sparkling water. This place is also a great option if you can't get a reservation at Tigerlily because you still have access to the entire menu, which is amazing. I love the Shikotsu Roll! So flavorful with the wagyu, bone marrow, avocado, cucumber, shallots, garlic, and egg. The Tigerlily roll is also bursting with flavors and textures. The fried Brussels are so good!!!! Wow!! Almond, cashew, Korean bbq, and honey mustard mixed in with perfectly fried brussel sprouts. The Hibachi Lobster Roll Sando is fantastic! The Japanese milk bread is so tasty and the warm lobster is perfect. Comfy seating and just a wonderful atmosphere. My best friend and I had a wonderful experience here. We can't wait to come back!

    Photos
    Mai Tiki
    Mai Tiki - ZOMBIE! WOWEE

    ZOMBIE! WOWEE

    Mai Tiki

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    The Oakland - cocktailbars - Updated October 2026

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