50 Best Bars in Oakland

“I thought this would be a dime a dozen dive bar type spot, but thankfully I was wrong. It was pretty poppin for a Monday evening, but not enough to where it was overwhelming. The trees are fantastic, and the cocktails were actually good! We even got a nifty NA cocktail as a nightcap. I'll be coming back next time I'm in the area.“

“Perfect for a drink and a snack before a show at the Fox, or for any night. Thoughtfully crafted original cocktail menu, and delicious bites of American fare with a Pakistani twist, fantastic ambiance, flattering date night lighting, music at the perfect volume, friendly staff and verdant plants. One of my fave spots in Oakland!“

“I visited Sirene on 4 occasions during my last visit to Oakland (only 48hours!) Each time was great in its own right. From excellent specialty coffee and breakfast/lunch fare, with a mix of self service made easy and convivial. At dinner gets even better - exotic and exquisite food and wine (what a list! Even by glass), well portioned and presented, all paired up with excellent service from David - guiding you from food through wine and sequencing it all for ultimate delight. A piano which a patron played on during my last lunch made it all the more memorable. A must try neighbourhood gem!“

“How cool that this Oakland gem has adapted during the pandemic! All of the delicious drinks and all kinds of new menu items all for take-out in...wait for it...compostable containers...even the bottles the drinks come in! Please support this sustainability-minded, amazing and delicious restaurant. They have a few outdoor tables, too. Go. Go now!“

“Moody chic place that is perfect for a date night. The ambiance is dark and stormy with a moon somewhere. Drinks are tight and crisp. Lots of sitting and standing spots.

I wasn't a fan of my negroni, but the lychee cocktail was incredible. The bartenders were friendly and knowledgeable.

This is my go-to spot for date nights.“

“A unique place that offers a fun respite from the usual watering hole. The signature here is to serve drinks with a freshly squeezed grapefruit twist. There is also an engaging I-spy game utilizing the rich decor inside that guests can play for a chance to win a prize. The service was very friendly and we all had a great time!“

“Great bar and good food trucks out front“

“I've never been to a bar I've liked more. Everything about my experience was top shelf. The service was impeccable - attentive, engaging, and helpful. The listening experience was divine. The interior decor was a perfectly executed intersection of mid-century modern and industrial. What isn't to love? A gem.“

“An incredible spot to enjoy some top quality draft ciders. I'm not an expert on ciders by any means, but I've had some incredible stuff here (I've particularly loved anything I've had from Yonder). The vibes here are great, the bartenders are lovely, and they have some great merch for sale! My mom who visits from out of state has bought a tote bag, hat, and sweatshirt from Redfield just so she can flex to her friends back home how awesome this bar is. If you enjoy cider, or even if you just want to stop in for a quick beer, this is a great and classy place to come to. Love Redfield!“

“A great local bar with the friendliest service! I love that they're always doing something festive (king cake for Mardi Gras, corned beef and cabbage for St. Patty's, all the sports games, etc.) They make a mean dirty martini, and the Irish coffee the owner made me for St. Patty's was perfection. I need to make it here on a Friday for their BBQ lunch, it always looks amazing.“

“We stopped in because this place is located across the street from the Fox Theater and we were seeing a concert. What a terrific find. Fantastic cocktails, wonderful bartenders, and you can order food from a Japanese restaurant next door and they deliver it to you at the bar. Enjoyed a wonderful bento box with gyoza, seaweed salad, and fried chicken.“

“Halloween vibes year around!“

“They're always so nice to me here! Mama loves the craft cocktails and the book curations. We live nearby so it's a favorite neighborhood hang, and we appreciate all the thought that went into the menus.“

“A beautiful place with a great vibe, delicious food, and AMAZING drinks.“

“The best! I highly recommend you make a visit and enjoy good company.“

“Cutest bar I’ve ever been to! Love this vibes at this place! From the decorations with a duck theme, to the duck drinks and even staff all was 10 out of 10 amazing experience! I think this place is perfect for a night out with friends or a date night! Can’t wait to go back and highly recommend!“

“Loved Mixe! Never had trouble getting a table, food comes out fast and is super tasty. Good for groups too. Love the bar space, perfect for when I'm downtown and just need a Mezcalito and a beer. Mezcal selection is getting to be the best in town, bar manager is super knowledgable and happy to talk Mezcals to get me what I'm feeling. Friendly service, always a great time!“

“Nice atmosphere, friendly staff.“

“This was my first time in this establishment. There's actually sand on the floor/ground! ID is checked at the door. We sat at the bar. Our bartender was great! She's a great mixologist, hilarious conversationalist, and an asset to the Sandbar.“

“Fantastic neighborhood bar. Full of fun people, great entertainment from karaoke to drag shows, live music and DJs. Trivia, skee ball and arcade games. And now bingo. Love the staff and owner.“

“A fun dive bar with kind and friendly staff“

“Best bartenders, awesome owners, killer sound and all around good times always!“

“Best quiz in Oakland! Wednesday night“

“Food was perfect. Spicy and tasty and salty and everything you want for enjoying with a cocktail. The drinks were all unique and tropical and delicious and I wish I could have tried them all. The ambiance and the staff were just awesome. Thank you!“

“Loved my birthday dinner tonight! Portions small for the prices in our opinion. A scallops main dish with 3 scallops is small. Drinks were amazing, decor fabulous and great service. My son had to go eat more food afterwards as he was still hungry. Bigger portions would be good. Loved everything else! Great choices, appetizers, main dishes and creative drinks were delicious. Kind of surprised knowing they knew it was my birthday that they didn't offer me a birthday "something" to make it special. For these prices I would expect something.“

“The gals serving you up are kind… but I really like Ashley… very welcoming…. Back patio is a nice ‘escape’ zone and they serve their beer there as well! Nice beer!!“

“If you've ever been to Heart and Dagger, then you know it's a quintessential Oakland dive bar.
No fancy frills or eccentric cocktail menus. Just decently priced booze, good music, and plenty of space for good company. The back patio is rather large and a cute little hangout spot with a gorgeous tree and some cool old signage! The only caveat is that it's a smoking patio, so if that isn't your thing, you'll just have to enjoy the inside and front. The staff gets their shit done and will definitely be nice to you as long as you're nice to them! But also, it's a dive bar: don't expect the fine dining experience and just have a good time!
There are lots of yummy food options nearby that you can bring in. Sometimes, they even have a food vendor in the front, but I don't know much about the frequency.

(Also, they play hella movies that range from funny to horrorifying! 🧡)“

“I'm only giving this bar four stars because it doesn't have the same grit and dive bar feel after the remodel and reopening. And that may not be fair, because it's a great bar. And it's great that it's open again. I love the place“

“They have some cool parties all week long. The fun never a ends. My favorite day of the week to go is Mondays.“

“I am Salvadoran. I had the hongos pupusa, the chicken pupusa, the yuca con chicharrones. Every bite was an adventure. The Salvadoran dishes are made so creatively. Flavors stayed on your tongue as the sauce of la yuca. The drinks exceptional good. I had the mango verde cocktail….so rico. It was like eating Salvadoran food on fine china.“

“cheap and fun. please go.“

“Yes I do recommend The Monk’s Kettle. Friendly people and great food😋“

“food was great atmosphere was nice recommend going there“

“I’ve ordered Tonkutsu Ramen (mild), its good but too spicy for me. I asked for hot water to reduce d saltiness n spiciness. Flavor still great!“

“Love eating on the Sun porch and the refills on the ice tea!“

“A saloon with history from 1883! Worth having a beer or cocktail when in Jack London square.“

“Welcoming, laid back bar, weekend piano bar action, stellar cocktailian offerings. What's not to like.“

“This place is fantastic! Great staff! Yoni made excellent beer recommendations and it was fun to chat about all things art and photography in Oakland. The Good Hop has an excellent array of beer on tap as well as a massive bottle and can selection. One of my favorite places in Oakland!“

“Solid drinks at solid prices, however the drinks did not seem as strong as other tiki bar drinks.

The interior decor was very tiki themed with old school movies playing on the TVs, there's a pool room in the back with a decent table. No food served but people were bringing outside food in

They're known for the Chi Chi which to me just tastes like a milkshake, too sweet for my palate but people like them.“

“Far and away my favorite bar in the Town. The space flexes for all occasions. I’ve found myself here to work, dance, day drink, wedding after party and everything in between. The drinks are for real delicious and everyone is friendly and welcoming. 6 stars.“

“Dude SUCH an awesome kava bar!! Great vibes, solid kava and I was welcomed with open arms. This was my first time here and I really liked it. I will be back for sure id highly recommend checking this place out for some good conversations and kava.

Jay and Andrew were the ones working - AWESOME peeps!!“

“Idk I know people love this place, I just don’t really get kava. If you’re like me and hate the taste there’s tons of cocktails that drown out the taste. The vibe is interesting, from the outside it looks super cool but to be honest all the furniture is kinda cheap not super comfy and the crowd just really isn’t my vibe. I kind of get a weird vibe while I’m there. This place by no means is bad, it’s just not my cup of tea.“

“Tough competition for my favorite Oakland bar, but this is it. Somehow magically appeals to every demographic while still having a strong identity and great prices on excellent drinks.
Big fan of the minimalist design that still feels cosy, with a monolithic bar and textured walls it somehow feels uncrowded while still being intimate and generally packed.
Absolutely love this place, love the cheekies, love the cocktails, love the staff. If you're going on a first date or meet up I'd try to get there earlier in the night because it will get full and can be hard to hear each other.
Free popcorn!“

“Always enjoy talking with Johnny & Myra! Their drinks are good too!“

“The best bar in Oakland. Hands down! They will make you anything you can imagine. They have the best mixologists in town. There is no other cocktail bar where you can order literally any drink and they can make it for you. I ordered an “amaro cocktail” and they gave me something that tasted like limoncello but is WAY better than limoncello. 10/10 we come here every week.“

“Good vibes! Will definitely be back!!“

“Really nice speak easy giving 60s to 80s vibes mirrors everywhere. It’s one way in one way out leather seating wooden tables. I recommend it for business professionals looking to go out or a group of friends that don’t want to be bothered. Either way I will be back they do not serve food therefore they got a low food rating. But there isn’t a array of alcohol. Can’t give you a good sense of service considering there’s only five people here but that may be a good thing.“

“Actually Hatch Oakland is superb, good, clean and healthy atmosphere as well as good drinks 🍻 and decor“

“The music is always good, the drinks and different types of beer liven things up, but the truly incredible thing is the Cuban salsa parties on the second and third Sundays of each month. If you want a friendly atmosphere, flavor, and joy in these times of fascism and fear, Mad Oak Bar 'N' Yard is the place.“