50 Best Bars near Pinole

“It was a great positive experience and true local hidden gem! Come say hi to the owner Ann, tell her I sent you.“

“I don't really like bars for the most part, but this place has a great music scene!

I came to support a friend at the jam, Ceasar Myles and the Dreaded Truth reggae band came from the SF peninsula, and the next thing you know we had a Saturday night gig.

Now they want us back...

So much for staying out of bars.

The family atmosphere on the Tuesday night jams is amazing, I really can't say anything bad about the place.

As a musician, getting a consistent warm welcome and a plate of food is over the top for me.

I have never been treated so well at a club gig, it's like being the headliner at a festival, such nice people there!“

“A small but friendly place, respectful and friendly security, it is a very good place to meet with a small group of friends, especially for the advantage of being so close and spending time having a drink, dancing, chatting, in short, a fun night without have to go far“

“Totally worth the drive to fish and see Barbara when they open for lunch.. Barbara is totally awesome. Cash only don't worry. There is ATM in the back. Large food and alcohol selection. We had no problems finding a seat on a Saturday afternoon. Plenty of amazing outside seating looking at the lake. Side note my friend comes here occasionally and fishes on the straight. He took me here today and we almost caught a Sturgeon together.“

“Super chill place that’s cozy and serves amazing nibbles and wine without being pretentious or exclusive. Can’t speak to mingling possibilities (whether you’ll go home with someone new) but it is a hangout stand-out, with stellar service. My new fav place north of Gourmet Ghetto“

“My wife and I went there for the first time for dinner and we ate in the main dining room which is only 3 tables! It was dark and moody with excellent jazzy Christmas music. Our server, Denzel, was the right amount of attentive, the food was super tasty and well prepared. We will be back. We want to definitely try the weekend brunch.“

“I love this bar,! it’s a classic dive bar with decor of top notch classic musicians hanging on walls. The atmosphere is comfortable and the bartenders are so attentive and know their stuff (drinks) what’s really cool is they introduce an eclectic stream of good live music groups. The owners are also top notch friendly classic woman who look amazing!“

“This was my first time dining there. Definitely not my last. First class atmosphere, Customer Service and food. I see other items on the menu I want to try. And the best part is the locale. I only live 2.5 miles away from a top notch dining venue on the water. Fantastic!!“

“I didn't have any food, so I went here on a Friday night to meet a friend. I had never been to cricket before and now I wanna go back. This bar Toots is a big part of why I wanna go back, it's an amazingly cool dive bar with a back room stage for live music. Last night when I went it was a punk rock band and they were really good. The crowd as you might imagine was colorful and surprisingly diverse. The bar keep was friendly and on it so my drink was never empty, they had a really good porter on tap and it was always filled completely to the rim where you have to sip the top down just to pick it up. I wish I had stayed longer to see how the scene goes, my feeling is it's a great place to hangout on a Friday night, and if you happen to get bored there's like another bar a block or so away you can go between. I saw several small groups of peeps just hanging out together up n down the main drag. Parking might be an issue so either go early or Uber. I loved it!“

“Food and service was great! Loved the bar service and our drinks were so good. However, we overheard the long haired male employee, I think his name was West, speaking negatively about a group of people sitting on the couch throughout the night. He seemed to be upset about where they were sitting. Kinda ruined our vibe but we had a good time and we'll be back.“

“First time going in and the place is bigger than it looks outside. The bartenders are super nice and welcoming. Mostly locals that frequents the place. Seems everyone know each other. Very laid back with outdoor area for pingpong or card games to dominoes and 5 dice, wow! Inside is a jukebox, a dart board game. Over by the corner they have video games. 1 pinball and 1 bowling game. If your not interested with the games they provide, I can almost garantee that someone there will find you and engage in a long but good conversation. The walls and ceiling is draped with one dollar bills all over inside. Interesting to see and count. I'd say there's about 2356 dollars in one dollar bills but not up for the taking.“

“Jennifer is a great host, and the venue is absolutely beautiful, featuring two sparkling chandeliers and a hallway lined with game spaces. Located right in the heart of Berkeley, it offers plenty of liquor options and is easy to set up—perfect for happy hours, student mixers, and social events for both professionals and students. We highly recommend this gem for anyone looking to create lasting memories with friends, family, and classmates!“

“Ordered 1/2lb of Brisket, 1/2rack of pork ribs, Vaquero Beans, Arroz verde, Texas frito pie. The only thing my wife and I weren't happy with was the brisket (a bit dry and tough). Everything else was stellar!!! Will definitely go back! Next time we'll leave off the brisket and try the chicken instead. Yum!“

“Hi from Kristiansand,Norway. My sister Elynn took me there a few years ago and every time I come to visit it's a must to go see Moe and some of the friends there that I have gotten to know. Was there February 2025. Greets from Norway.“

“Never found a place with better people running it“

“Actually the new name of this place is called Second 2 None. I prefer this bar out of all the other bars I go to... This place is more accepting to who I am without no disrespect to me or people like me... Nothing but, open arms and love from the staff, owners and customers... Hopefully one day this place will stay open till 2am buy, they do open around 6am... Great place to go to after that late night house party... IG & FB: tomgirl_alice IG: harry_bawsaq IG: gothic_tomgirl“

“ok so bear with me here. this is like the tiniest silly thing to be thrilled by when everything else cool about this place is more interesting (the mermaid arts! the creative cocktails! the tikka masala queso!) but like you know how a lot of the time cheese fries look more exciting than they are because all the topping is on top? the ones here do not have this problem. there is sauce on all the fries. they were crispy and flavor balanced the whole way to the bottom of the tray. this is terrible for my calorie count but amazing for my heart.

also the charming snake shaped mug brought me great joy. needlessly adorable thank you.“

“great place to hang out and play pool.“

“A Berkeley treasure in the making! Stellar cocktails, delicious dishes, friendly staff and awesome Dj appearances make this place shine. Finally a quality bar in South Berkeley!

2022 Update: Still excellent.

2025 Update: They're back!

2022 Update 2.0: 👍🏼“

“This is a relaxing place to enjoy stimulating conversation and a great cocktail after work. The atmosphere is inviting and plus the bartenders are friendly and make excellent drinks.“

“Lama Bar in El Cerrito is a gem! Exceptional service, great DJ vibes, and a cozy patio – it’s the perfect spot to unwind. Plus, the added bonus of billiards adds to the fun. Big thanks for the wonderful service; it’s definitely the go-to place for hanging out with friends!“

“Very beautiful atmosphere lovely people! Pool table for tournaments and fun, cards as well. Serves wine and beer, smoking outside with seating, also bar cat comes around here and there and I think it's the best. Will most definitely come more often! I give this place five stars.“

“Great food and great service“

“good service good food had a avocado bacon burger & beer was Casey Jones IPA !!!✌🏽💚“

“Amazing food. Love all the vegan options. Especially vegan sauces, that's always a hard find. Nice and spacious. Great atmosphere. They have games and a full club situation downstairs. Highly suggest for a quick slice or a late night. They make everything fresh in house. The chef takes a lot of pride in his work, I was able to chat with him during a sample give away day. Everything is made from scratch. They bread their chicken in house. Really delicious, and prideful food. Not necessarily the cheapest place on the block, but definitely the most delicious and deliberate. Absolutely worth the price, and it's not expensive, it's just in comparison. This is my go to spot every time I'm in the area. And close to cheap parking garage“

“Reading these reviews, the good ones, bring back wonderful memories of the past. I was there most Friday afternoon/evenings from 90 to 93 when stationed at CSTSC Mare Island as an instructor. Great to see this place still in business. Great people then and apparently now.“

“so fun With our friends. I hope to see you guys all soon.“

“My dad used to drink there in the 1980s and the Asian husband and wife couple who owned the bar bought him a last drink and told him never to come backThe bar was closed for about 10 or 20 years in the 1990s and the 2000sMy favorite part of the bar is spinning the wheel and trying my luck at free drinks cuz half the time it's a l**** deal but half the time it's a winner deal it's a nice bar most people are really coolFor a while they had a 8-bit Nintendo system and I'd play Castlevania and Super Mario Bros over and over again but they do have some arcade games and pinball games really nice“

“Wide variety of Peruvian treats especially fried plantains and pisco chilcanos“

“Nice place to hang out and watch some live music. Was there to play the club with my band Midnight Sinfini. The sound system wasn't high tech so the sound could have been better but was a really fun place to play a show. I would consider playing here again.“

“A game day classic, but also a great place to chill with your friends or family on other days in the cozy banquettes. Great space, excellent drinks, and the new burger is amazing.“

“Wonderful and friendly staff, great food!“

“Ronald and John keep Tap Haus on point. Always professional, but still laid-back and approachable. They create a safe vibe while keeping the energy fun. Definitely the kind of guys who make the night run smooth without ever forcing it. Solid crew, solid spot.“

“Good whiskey sours. Biggest and best cocktail cherries I’ve ever had 🍒 Nice bartenders, hardcore karaoke aficionados“

“of course its excellant.. it belongs to my #6 son.......“

“Good food & friendly staff!👍🏽“

“Loved the atmosphere, friendly staff and tasty brunch!“

“Retro classy neighborhood bar with fun regulars and great music!!!😎👍👍“

“great food and service!!!“

“Un rendez-vous avec la bonne gastronomie le service rapide et l’endroit agréable merci 🙏“

“Saved the night on a last minute reservation for homecoming. I called and they were super friendly and quickly set up for the group. Everything went so smoothly, the kids loved the food and environment! Waitress was the best. thank you!!!!“

“EDIT: I felt its necessary to make the amendment that, although walking in without a reservation was a thing previously, we've now had multiple visits where we've stood at the counter for 2 hours never to be seated.

You can still eat the whole menu there, but its generally very crowded.

Getting reservations seems to be catered towards friends, or some type of mysterious system, as we no longer have been able to get a reservation even weeks in advance. The food is still the same.

Original Review: I can’t believe that I haven’t left a review for Ippuku; this is as close as you can get to a Tokyo alley izakaya, from the sasami raw chicken special menu (to do for), to the epic yakitori, to the massive shochu selection.

By far one of my top 5 favorite restaurants in the Bay Area, we’ve been here a good 30 times over the years and it has never once changed at all, thankfully!!! Never want it to change, it does everything so well.

Hokkaido squid, chicken oyster, chicken tartare, agadashi tofu, crab croquettes, these are some favorites.

Make a reservation if you can, but otherwise we often walk in and are seated within an hour. Fun to hang out at the bar and wait.“

“free water is a life saver here, it gets so hot here, especially with a sold out show. stage is pretty big and the sounds awesome. always a good time and show here. although the merch line sucks, it gets really crowded and everyones stuck in one line for everything“

“It was my first time at the Beverly Elks Lodge. The have a full bar and kitchen if you're hungry. I was there because on Wednesday nights, for a nominal charge of $10, they teach Chicago Style Steppin' . I has a great time and met some new friends. I can't wait to go back next week.“

“I love this pizza spot. Food, cocktails and atmosphere are all great.

The crust on their pizza really sets them apart. It is a corn meal crust and gives a great crunch.

I recommend coming here for date night or as a casual catch-up with friends. They also have a wonderful lunch and happy hour menu.“

“Spectacular !! Super fun. Great food. Bend over backwards to make sure your happy service. Love this place. Just not quite sure what to call it. Baxter’s - The Speakeasy - or The Office. Whatever they’re calling themselves, they’re great.Try the scallops . . . and the bread pudding.“

“Excellent! We had a great experience!“

“Goo place to hang out and connect with other Vets.“

“Great Hamburgers and garlic bread.“