I love dive bars for their character, but we got poor service.
Mark Shimada
Old hangout ok
Jude D.
Ok between the nine dollar cocktail specials and free popcorn, this place is what is up. It's a chill dark bar with a lot of seating and generally chill af vibe. Perfect place to grab a drink with a friend or by yourself when you gotta clear your head.
Daron J.
I came in one night, and the bartender was drunk off his ass. He was the drunkest person in the room. He could hardly stand. He almost knocked all the bottles out of the well and I sat there for at least five minutes and he never served me. I will never be returning to this place again
Chucky S.
Old school Berkeley with a crowd to match, owner and bartender(s) Kimberly are awesome. I love this place--take my money!! Popcorn is available, too!
Maya Ofek
the last good bar in the
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Pandora B.
This place was awesome! The bartender Michael and Alicia were great and engaging! I'm visiting from Southern California, my Neice, her friend, my son and i visited this neighborhood bar. This place, the patrons, and employees were so fun!
AJ B.
Amazing bar! The vibes are awesome and the service is unmatched!! Mike and Alicia are the absolute best!
Andrea M.
Our group found this hidden gem of a bar after having dinner nearby at Wood Tavern. Let me say I typically do not love dive bars, but I was pleasantly surprised by The Graduate. The bar was clean, the vibe was good, the service was excellent, and the drinks were on point. Our bartender was awesome, and mixed literally one of the best margaritas I've had. They have an awesome jukebox with all types of music. It's a cash-only bar, which I fully support. Had a really enjoyable night here, and would return.
Kelly Bartlett
Fun friendly inviting bartenders and bar backs. My favorite days to go are Wednesday and Thursday nights. Many colorful regulars that make you the new comer feel welcome ?
This a very cool dive bar with a haunted juke box that plays songs I actually like. Rose, the afternoon bartender, is lovely & will take care of you, even if you don't drink alcohol. The bar itself is a 20th Century moderne relic from the 50s. Stop by if you're in the area.
John K.
The Graduate has a nice selection of cocktails and beer that should meet the needs of most day drinkers! If you are here looking for something with fresh herbs or some exotic bitter then you should probably look somewhere else. "Can I have a cask strength rye whiskey old fashioned with rhubarb bitters?"Uggh....NOPE!There seems to be a good rapport with locals here and the place was inviting enough. That being said you can feel like you are a visitor as soon as you walk in if that makes sense. I guess being from Stockton I take notice of a "place" for whatever reason...probably self preservation being the most important. The clientele was middle aged, male, and most were drinking with a purpose. The younger dudes next to us orderd a couple of shots immediately like it was an ice breaker!As for my drink I enjoyed my old fashioned, made with a healthy (or unhealthy) amount of bourbon by a super nice bartender that seemed to know everyone in the bar. She was definitley running the show, in full command of the bar and just a kind spirit (pun?)doing her job to the best of their ability. It's places like this where you think being a bartender could be a fun gig...depending on your customers!
Brian B.
The Graduate is a classic, old-school bar with good drinks, a friendly staff, and a wonderful juke box that takes you back in time. It just hits on all the things I love in a bar: comfortable, no-frills, friendly people, and did I not already mention the old-school vibe and the juke box?! That thing has so many legendary songs on it; Marvin Gaye, Ottis Redding, Johnny Cash... the list goes on and on. It's a great spot, more for the character of both the bar and the people than anything fancy. It's not going to be crowded and stuffed with people, and you should actually be able to grab a seat at the bar or a small table. This bar brings back so much nostalgia... I miss The Graduate and I look forward to visiting again soon.
Tiffani M
Pay in cash. Great music taste. Don’t play Sister Nancy Bam bam. Everyone plays that song lol. It drives the bartenders nuts.I remember running and getting seltzer for the bar tender, Lauren I think. Make sure they have plenty of seltzer. Especially if you drink by vodka sodas.This place kept me sane when I was living there for work. I miss everyone.The best people you’ll ever meet.
Brent J.
If you're older than 30, the bartender -- who appeared to be too high to be working, frankly -- will ignore you, despite the bar not having many patrons.
I love dive bars for their character, but we got poor service.
Old hangout ok
Ok between the nine dollar cocktail specials and free popcorn, this place is what is up. It's a chill dark bar with a lot of seating and generally chill af vibe. Perfect place to grab a drink with a friend or by yourself when you gotta clear your head.
I came in one night, and the bartender was drunk off his ass. He was the drunkest person in the room. He could hardly stand. He almost knocked all the bottles out of the well and I sat there for at least five minutes and he never served me. I will never be returning to this place again
Old school Berkeley with a crowd to match, owner and bartender(s) Kimberly are awesome. I love this place--take my money!! Popcorn is available, too!
the last good bar in the
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
This place was awesome! The bartender Michael and Alicia were great and engaging! I'm visiting from Southern California, my Neice, her friend, my son and i visited this neighborhood bar. This place, the patrons, and employees were so fun!
Amazing bar! The vibes are awesome and the service is unmatched!! Mike and Alicia are the absolute best!
Our group found this hidden gem of a bar after having dinner nearby at Wood Tavern. Let me say I typically do not love dive bars, but I was pleasantly surprised by The Graduate. The bar was clean, the vibe was good, the service was excellent, and the drinks were on point. Our bartender was awesome, and mixed literally one of the best margaritas I've had. They have an awesome jukebox with all types of music. It's a cash-only bar, which I fully support. Had a really enjoyable night here, and would return.
Fun friendly inviting bartenders and bar backs. My favorite days to go are Wednesday and Thursday nights. Many colorful regulars that make you the new comer feel welcome ?
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Popcorn
Restaurantji Recommends
This a very cool dive bar with a haunted juke box that plays songs I actually like. Rose, the afternoon bartender, is lovely & will take care of you, even if you don't drink alcohol. The bar itself is a 20th Century moderne relic from the 50s. Stop by if you're in the area.
The Graduate has a nice selection of cocktails and beer that should meet the needs of most day drinkers! If you are here looking for something with fresh herbs or some exotic bitter then you should probably look somewhere else. "Can I have a cask strength rye whiskey old fashioned with rhubarb bitters?"Uggh....NOPE!There seems to be a good rapport with locals here and the place was inviting enough. That being said you can feel like you are a visitor as soon as you walk in if that makes sense. I guess being from Stockton I take notice of a "place" for whatever reason...probably self preservation being the most important. The clientele was middle aged, male, and most were drinking with a purpose. The younger dudes next to us orderd a couple of shots immediately like it was an ice breaker!As for my drink I enjoyed my old fashioned, made with a healthy (or unhealthy) amount of bourbon by a super nice bartender that seemed to know everyone in the bar. She was definitley running the show, in full command of the bar and just a kind spirit (pun?)doing her job to the best of their ability. It's places like this where you think being a bartender could be a fun gig...depending on your customers!
The Graduate is a classic, old-school bar with good drinks, a friendly staff, and a wonderful juke box that takes you back in time. It just hits on all the things I love in a bar: comfortable, no-frills, friendly people, and did I not already mention the old-school vibe and the juke box?! That thing has so many legendary songs on it; Marvin Gaye, Ottis Redding, Johnny Cash... the list goes on and on. It's a great spot, more for the character of both the bar and the people than anything fancy. It's not going to be crowded and stuffed with people, and you should actually be able to grab a seat at the bar or a small table. This bar brings back so much nostalgia... I miss The Graduate and I look forward to visiting again soon.
Pay in cash. Great music taste. Don’t play Sister Nancy Bam bam. Everyone plays that song lol. It drives the bartenders nuts.I remember running and getting seltzer for the bar tender, Lauren I think. Make sure they have plenty of seltzer. Especially if you drink by vodka sodas.This place kept me sane when I was living there for work. I miss everyone.The best people you’ll ever meet.
If you're older than 30, the bartender -- who appeared to be too high to be working, frankly -- will ignore you, despite the bar not having many patrons.