I love and miss this place. It's small, cozy, and homey. The bar is a very nice wooden square that…read moremakes for a comfortable environment where you can sit around the square and chat. It has free video games. (Miss PacMan.) The drinks are great and it's a great place to chill while Firestone takes forever to fix your car.

Little Hill is what's you get when you cross a dive bar with a community center. People of all…read morestripes gathering for drinks, meeting friends, chatting up someone sitting next to you, people watching, and listening to local musicians or DJs. Bartenders are friendly and drinks are great. The place is plastered with posters of upcoming events. The interior is classic dive bar with red lights, beer signs, circle booths, wooden bar and jukebox. I love being able to slide into a booth and watch everyone else stroll in to the bar. I try to support the occasional pop-up food booth outside to keep them coming back.

The Factory Bar is one of those places that just feels right the moment you walk in…read more From the outside, it has that clean industrial look, but once you step inside, the space opens up into something warm and layered. Exposed beams lined with old Richmond street signs, vintage photos, leather chairs, soft lighting. It feels thoughtful without feeling staged. You can tell someone cares about the details. The drink program is strong across the board. Good beer selection, a nice mix of wine, and a full bar for cocktails and spirits. What really impressed me, though, was the quality of the cocktails. They are balanced, well-crafted, and made by bartenders who clearly know what they're doing. Some of the best cocktails I've had at any bar, not just locally. The staff is friendly and genuinely helpful. You never feel rushed or overlooked. It feels like a neighborhood place that also happens to take its drinks seriously. And the patio is a standout. String lights woven through the trees, heaters for cooler nights, tucked-away seating that feels almost like someone's backyard gathering spot. It's intimate and relaxed, the kind of space where conversations stretch on longer than you planned. This is not a flashy club and it's not a pretentious cocktail lounge. It's a well-run, character-filled bar that brings people together. Richmond is lucky to have it. Five stars, easily.

Looking for a super cool bar in the Richmond area? The Factory Bar is full of Richmond pride,…read morelocated off San Pablo Ave. Upon walking in, your greeted by security carding patrons (it's been a while since I've been carded, haha) and you can begin noticing the nodes to Richmond in art, decor, collectibles, and sips. It was a beautiful weekend evening and we sat in a room adjacent to the main bar in super comfy lounge chairs. This room is where karaoke and other events take place. There's great ventilation, and it's just quite honestly a great space to chill with friends, and also observe all the fun Richmond memorabilia. We also sat in the outdoor space, a super nice garden area that is well-kept and a great option to enjoy on these beautiful sunny days. I had a watermelon margarita and it was so fresh & tasty, I thought it was already summer! Friendly staff and environment filled with regulars and newcomers alike. They seem to have food trucks regularly, and we ordered food to-go from the Brazilian truck outside. Deliciously unique! There's also a few spots nearby you can bring food in from (an ice cream/waffle shop next door and Tacos El Tucan too). We took a ride share, but street parking is available. Looking forward to coming on an event night to catch the local vibes.

Nice atmosphere. Everyone was friendly and it's interesting to watch people play pool and also to…read morelisten to some local music.

It was a Saturday night. The bar was pretty busy because there was a Tibetan event that evening…read moresomewhere. People came to bar after the event. This was my second visit to the Bar. I had two IPA in timeframe of 2 and half hours. Things were okay until I bought a food (chatpate) from the food truck just outside at the door of the Bar. I took the food inside (it's allowed). I had couple of spoons and I needed to go to Bathroom. I asked for paper napkins and covered the food so that they won't throw it ( that's what I learned the American culture is, at least california). I came back from the bathroom within few minutes, my food was gone. I asked a lady bartender about it and she said she doesn't know and I suppose not to keep food like that. I told her I asked for the paper napkins and covered it to protect it. she went paper napkins doesn't protect food'. I am like that's what I learned is an American culture. She left. I of course wasn't happy but I was still okay wanted to order my final beer. And this guy came. I was normal and since I thought he is a cool guy I could talk to him. I said ' I would like to order another beer and I have a small complaint to make'. He got pissed off immediately and goes 'I don't listen your complaint now, I can't' very rudely. Then he still had time to keep waking around and giving me his eyes and trying to intimidate me. And he said I was too drunk to make a complaint lmao. That was too much to handle for me. I told him I also work on costumer service and this is not the way you treat your costumer. And called security in me?? That was too over react of him and pissd me off totally. I simply told him he is and a**h*le and his IS a complete jerk. Doesn't deserve at all to be in costumer service profession. The security guy didn't find any possible threat so he left. OH! And I asked his name because I didn't wanna blame the whole business for his poor work ethics. He denied to say and thought I would take his picture so that people would know and he called security again. No one said sorry once for my food lost, not a word 'sorry' for a costumer's inconvenience. PS: my first time experience was pretty smooth. He wasn't the bar tender. There was another lady, I had 5-7 (I don't remember) IPAs and tipped her 30-100% every drink I bought. Working in a costumer service and relying on tips I understand how important it is for workers like us. And the Bar is owned by a Nepali-American and being a member of same community I always try to support the business own by community people. Having plenty of great options in El Cerito, East Bay Area, I had to choose this one, stupid me !

The Hotsy has provided me with years of great memories, laughter, and good times. It is one of…read morethose places that has more character and charm than many bars twice its size. The menu changes regularly, which keeps things interesting, but one thing that never changes is the consistently excellent service. One of my favorite things about this spot is how dog-friendly it is. The owner's dog is practically the co-owner of the bar and is often lounging around, adding even more personality to the experience. If you are lucky enough to meet him, just know the dog has standards. The dog only accepts meat, so do not bother offering him the tortilla from your taco. Trust me, you will be judged. Another major perk is that they allow outside food. Conveniently, there is a taco truck right next door serving some of the best carnitas tacos around, making it easy to pair great food with great drinks. Also, keep an eye on the TVs. They always seem to be playing some delightfully over-the-top late-night movie programming that inevitably sparks random conversations and plenty of laughter among the crowd. Overall, this is a fantastic neighborhood bar with a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere and a ton of personality. It can get crowded, so try to grab a spot early if you can. You'll notice plenty of regulars who come back again and again, and to me, that is always one of the best signs that a place is doing something right.

female bartender with bangs was really rude…read more our group wasnt drunk or belligerent and the bar wasn't super busy so not sure what her deal was. awkward...

I'm giving this place 1 star, because I just got a fraud alert from my bank…read more. Mel o Sees is the ONLY PLACE I used my card yesterday, so the alert had to come from them.. The owner is the bartender, (who j tipped cash, by the way), and I think he running a scam.. I would give this place 0 stars if I could

I love the ambiance and the music! The guests are warm and…read moreinviting One of the most interesting things about the club are the waiters and bartenders! With in minutes of contact with them they feel like friends, like someone who has already been to your home and shared a home cooked meal.

Olé the food and the service. Thank you Niurka and Dani for your service you guys are great. Thank…read moreyou Antonio and Pablo my food was so delicious!

We were seated immediately in a cozy booth. The miti miti drink is delicious: truly cinnamon and…read morepassion fruit! Taya was very helpful with assisting us through the menu. There are many delicious sounding options! We had the calamari, the meat skewers and the paella. The paella was divine!! The lucuma ice cream to finish was delicious: it really does taste like caramel coffee. Highly recommend! A refreshing and flavorful meal.

You are driving down San Pablo Avenue in Albany, not going anywhere in particular -- San Pablo is…read morethe kind of road you take when the freeway feels like too much commitment, four lanes of auto body shops and taquerias and nail salons stretching from Richmond to Oakland, the East Bay's long commercial backbone -- and somewhere around Solano Avenue you see a sign that says Club Mallard. You take your foot off the gas. Club Mallard. You need to know. The interior is dark and warm and full of dead birds. Mounted, taxidermied, presiding over the room with the glassy authority of creatures who didn't expect to end up in a bar in Albany but have made their peace with it. The effect is somewhere between hunting lodge and natural history museum after hours, and it shouldn't work on San Pablo Avenue but it does, completely, the way any sufficiently committed aesthetic decision will eventually override its context. I've been once. Midweek happy hour. This is the most honest way to evaluate a bar -- no weekend crowd to inflate the energy, no event to justify the turnout, just the place and whoever shows up on a Tuesday because they want to be there. The happy hour is good. The bartender was gregarious and present and seemed to actually like the job, which sounds like a low bar until you've spent enough time on the other side of it. The regulars were friendly in the East Bay way, which is to say they talked to us without needing anything from us, offered opinions on what to drink, and went back to their conversations. There's an outdoor space for when you want sky. I've driven past since and seen it packed. I was glad. You root for a place like Club Mallard the way you root for any small enterprise that decided to be something specific in a landscape of sameness, and then just held the line.

I've been coming here since about 2019. Not sure how I stumbled upon it, but it was with friends…read moreand it's been our go to bar ever since. It also happens to be somewhat of a meeting point when I'm in Oakland and another friend is in Berkeley. When I was in downtown Oakland it was only 14 minutes away. What a time. I like this bar because the drinks are good, it's affordable, all ages come here and the vibe is nice. There is a pool table downstairs and about two or three upstairs along with a mini bar. The fire place is currently keeping the bar cozy downstairs. So, I've liked Cosmopolitans for some time now and Mallard's has a Mandarin Cosmo. It is so good - it reminds me of an Orange Hi-C.

I went for lunch with a friend who loves this place, and it did not disappoint! I tried the OG set…read moreand devoured each of the 5 hand rolls. My favorite was the Negihama (yellowtail and green onions) but I appreciated how each one was different from the last. Perfect amount of food for lunch. The yuzu lemonade was well-prepared, flavorful and refreshing. Service and ambiance were both excellent. Parking was easy on a weekday; we found a spot on the street a block away. Eager to return to try some of the starters. I appreciated the care and quality that went into what was served - everything tasted fresh and the nori was nice and crunchy. No notes!

We made a reservation for 8:30 PM on a Saturday night but when we got there, it was completely…read moreempty. I didn't get a chance to take a photo of the interior but the ambiance was very nice and perfect for a date or a nice meal with friends. It came out to roughly $40-50 a person post tax which was honestly really affordable. My favorite hand roll was the yellow tail and the ahi tuna. The first quality was amazing and honestly the portion size was surprisingly enough, with 5 hand rolls leaving me extremely satisfied. Overall, this is one of my favorite restraints that I've tried in the East Bay and I would definitely come back again!

Right from the get the customer service was horrible when we got in no one acknowledged us so we…read moreasked a lady who was close by if we should just sit down and she said no they will get to you. it wasn't busy at all when we came in and when the hostess finally got to us, she said that we could sit anywhere so we sat ourselves. She gave us a menu and then walked off a little bit of time passed by we did our order and then she asked if we would like any chips with that, however for all the other people that walked in, she served them chips and salsa right away. We got our chips from her shortly after that, but she didn't give us any salsa so I went to ask if I was able to just grab it and she said no I'll bring it to you. I got the Mole, which was excellent The guy who served us the food which I'm assuming was the manager was really nice and friendly which is why we didn't leave. As we finished our food, the lady asked if we wanted anything else, and we asked for the churros and ice cream which took a long time to make, and by the time that we got them, they were rock hard when I told the lady that they were really hard. She was like no they're just toasted and I told her I've had screws before and they're not supposed to be rockhard like that they're supposed to be a little bit soft. I couldn't even bite them or cut them with a spoon. She took the chairs back to the manager, and when we went to pay, he was very nice, sympathetic and apologetic, and took them off the tab If you're looking for a really good mole, definitely go, but if you're looking for good customer service, I would not recommend going.

This is my go-to spot for Taco Tuesday, it never disappoints. Starting around 4:30 PM, they offer…read morean all-you-can-eat taco deal for about $18, which is a steal for the area. The tacos are traditional street-style, small tortillas, simple, and packed with flavor, and there are usually 4-6 different meat options to choose from, so you can mix it up each round. Fair warning, there's often a line, especially when it first starts, but it moves pretty quickly. The system works well, you can order four tacos at a time, so you're never stuck waiting too long before your next round. And don't skip the agua fresca, it's always super refreshing and pairs well with the tacos. Inside, there's a large main dining area plus a more private back room separated by a doorway, which is nice if you're with a group. There's also outdoor seating with heat lamps, so it's comfortable even on cooler evenings. We actually hosted our baby shower here and got set up in the back room, it worked out perfectly. There was plenty of space for people to move around, mingle, and just hang out without feeling cramped. It ended up being a fun, relaxed setting for a celebration.

Ivy Room is happening Planet Booty is having Booty Camp for…read more4 nights Lani owner, is very wise

I continue to love the Ivy room. Bartenders make the best drinks and they aren't overpriced…read more Doorman is always really accommodating and friendly, and the bands are fantastic.