Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    The Oakland

    4.2 (379 reviews)
    ModerateCocktail Bars
    Closed 4:30 pm - 12:00 am (Next day)
    Updated 3 months ago

    The Oakland Photos

    THE OAKLAND ATMOSPHERE

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

    You might also consider

    Recommended Reviews - The Oakland

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos - The Oakland

    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.

    Jennifer C.

    Sexy speakeasy in ferndale. I went with a friend and I feel like this place is more suited for couples since it has a romantic vibe to it.

    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 $$$$).

    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.

    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!

    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.

    Christmas Water
    Nicole J.

    Went for the Christmas pop up. The ambiance was cute and festive. The drinks were just a little over meh. I was hoping for so much more. However, given the theme and the ambiance I'll give it a 7/10 again the drinks weren't bad at all, just not great. I was hoping for Standby or Sugar House quality and it was close.

    See all

    17 hours ago

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

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ambirr M.
    15
    327
    404

    6 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 1
    Love this 3
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 1
    Photo of N H.
    4
    30
    4

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 months ago

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

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of K M.
    1
    336
    861

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

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

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Annette J.
    4954
    2403
    14363

    6 years ago

    Helpful 17
    Thanks 0
    Love this 16
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Sharon K.
    1
    44
    118

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

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

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

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

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Rita G.
    161
    443
    1754

    8 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0
    Photo of A L.
    0
    1
    2

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    5 years ago

    Helpful 18
    Thanks 0
    Love this 14
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 years ago

    Helpful 8
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    7 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Sandy L.

    Sandy L.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    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

    You might also consider

    Syndicate Ferndale

    Syndicate Ferndale

    4.3
    (72 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    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.

    Came here for an anniversary dinner and left a bit disappointed. I have heard good things but…read moreturned out to be a very mediocre dinner. Got a burger and upgraded to truffle fries. Just one burger option and limited toppings. Server was very nice but didn't write down the order, and when it came my burger was missing the cheese and onion. I wasn't sure if they would take it back or what so I didn't eat anymore and it took her a decent amount of time to come and check on us after we got our food. I let her know what was missing and she said it was her fault and asked if I wanted it fixed. I said yeah and she went and got a cold piece of cheese and slice of onion and put it on a plate and gave to me to put on my own burger. I'd expected a little bit better service and I'm certainly not someone who demands top tier service from every spot. Fries were crispy but needed some parm or an aioli sauce to dip in. Also minor note but I had some fries left on my plate and when she came to collect plates I had food in my mouth so I couldn't say anything but she took the plate and my fries! They should always ask if there's any food left on the plate. Burger was decent overall, but definitely nothing special. Environment was cool and I'm sure they have got some other delicious items on the menu but for the price paid and service received, I'd go somewhere else next time.

    Photos
    Cocktails
    Cocktails
    Deviled egg flight
    Deviled egg flight
    Hey Pumpkin. Really good. Pumpkin seed snack. Great addition

    See all

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

    Barrel House

    4.5
    (65 reviews)
    0.1 mi

    My wife and I were in Ferndale for a meeting and decided to have an impromptu dinner date. Since…read moreneither of us had been to Barrel House before, we thought we'd give it a try--and we're so glad we did. We entered through the back entrance and were immediately greeted with a warm welcome. We quickly found a table for two, and our server was attentive from the start, bringing water right away, answering our questions, and walking us through the wine and beer selections. My wife ordered the Beet & Salmon Salad, while I chose the Crispy Chicken Club with white cheddar and house-smoked bacon. The sandwich was absolutely incredible--hands down the best crispy chicken club I've ever had. The chicken was perfectly crispy, and the combination of flavors was outstanding. I also stole a few bites of my wife's salad and was pleasantly surprised by the yellow beets. I'd only ever had red beets before, and both varieties were prepared beautifully. The salmon was cooked to perfection and paired wonderfully with the fresh ingredients. Between the excellent food, welcoming atmosphere, and friendly service, this turned out to be one of the best impromptu dinner dates we've had in quite some time. We thoroughly enjoyed our experience and are already looking forward to returning to explore more of the menu. Highly Recommend!

    Recently went to attend a meetup here. Had to wait around 30 minutes as a huge party was clearing…read moreout. The inside is no frills but service was excellent with our waitress handling multiple checks. My jerk chicken dish over rice was a bit dry and too mildly spiced for my liking. The sesame wings were delicious. Beer selection was superb. Very casual vibe with ok food. Recommend $$

    Photos
    Interior
    Interior
    Sesame Chicken Wings
    Sesame Chicken Wings
    Mezcal & Chill

    See all

    Mezcal & Chill
    Mai Tiki

    Mai Tiki

    4.0
    (51 reviews)
    0.0 mi

    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.

    Mai Tiki in Ferndale is such a great spot. It's the speakeasy connected to Tiger Lilly, and the…read morewhole place is lively and energetic. The staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming. Every recommendation they gave us was excellent, but honestly everything we saw on the menu or walk by looked incredible. I had the sticky shrimp bao buns, edamame, pork belly ramen, the dragon roll, and the spicy tuna roll (shared b/c it's a lot of food. lol). Every dish was packed with flavor. The bao buns were amazing, the pork belly ramen was rich and comforting and such a large portion, and both sushi rolls were super fresh and really well done. One of the coolest parts is that it's a hidden speakeasy space connected to Tiger Lilly. You get the same incredible food menu but with even more drink options, which makes the experience even better. If you're going with friends and want to share a bunch of different things, this is the perfect place to do it. Everything we ordered was fantastic and it made for such a fun dinner.

    Photos
    Mai Tiki
    Menu 9/2022
    Menu 9/2022
    ZOMBIE! WOWEE

    See all

    ZOMBIE! WOWEE

    The Oakland - cocktailbars - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...