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    Boathouse

    4.3 (47 reviews)
    InexpensiveBars
    Closed 10:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Boathouse Photos

    Business Info

    BOATHOUSE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Loud
    Divey
    Casual
    Dogs allowed

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    Recommended Reviews - Boathouse

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    Reviews With Photos

    Maurice R.

    During my Alameda Restaurant Week coverage, I captured some highlights at Boathouse that showcase its character. It has a total maritime theme - it's the dive bar you want to love. This place is the epitome of sailor types, frequented by people who own boats or live on boats, and looks like a dockworker haven. Despite the rough-and-ready appearance, they serve good food with a great beer selection. It gets busy on weekend nights, creating a fun vibe that draws in both locals and visitors.

    Have eaten ceviche
    Terry T.

    This is a great dog-friendly dive bar with wonderful food. There are tables outside. There are a few parking spots in the lot in front. I suppose this is a throwback to the days when this was a bait shop. We ate outside, the interior looks small. My friends had chips and salsa, a grilled cheese sandwich with pickles, and a slider. They had beers. The doggie had a beef patty and water. I had the ceviche and a glass of red wine. It was perfect, this dish often has too much vinegar, and this one did not. I would like to go back and try some of the other food. I really enjoyed the meal and the location. I hope to stop here again.

    Carol C.

    Date: 6/17/2022 Times: 6:00 PM 65° Sunny I haven't been to this dive bar for almost six years. At that time, the event was a reunion for those of us who attended two high schools in Oakland. The owner was a high school classmate of my oldest sister. I also knew the owner all the way back when we attended the same elementary school. After the bad experience and treatment that my husband and I received, we never went back to any of reunions. Being berated and scolded through an email from the organizer of the reunion, which resulted in my feelings being hurt, I chose not to have anything to do with them. I found out just recently that this dive bar has a new owner. My husband and I were going to stop in yesterday after the Golden State Warriors win in the NBA final. It was also our 33rd wedding anniversary. We imagined the bar would be crowded and decided we will visit a day later. Earlier this evening, we checked out Boathouse. What a way to celebrate an NBA Finals win and our 33rd wedding anniversary but show up at a dive bar. Hey, there is nothing wrong with that. We met two nice people, Kim and Pep. Definitely, this visit was much better. The ambiance is much nicer and cleaner than before. Kurt, the bartender, is friendly and pleasant. I told him about the bad experience that my husband and I encountered. He reassured me the bad experience was not going to happen. Lighting at the bar is better. There are two flat screen TV's mounted on the wall. Giants are playing against the Pirates. Score 2-0, Giants. Good. Eats: Spicy tuna panini for husband; ceviche tostada, chicken taco with onion and cilantro and pork taco with mango salsa. I enjoyed my meal even though I could not finish it. Leftovers for a late night snack. Ceviche was quite good with freshly squeezed lime juice, chicken taco was a tad salty and pork taco with mango salsa was delicious. Return visit? Yes, for the ceviche and pork taco.

    Brisket sliders.

    Stopped and had a local beer and pretzels. Friend got sliders. Apparently they have great sandwiches and soups to pair with a variety of local brews. And my frie da say the hot dog is like a fancy Costco frank.

    Meatball Sub

    Cool environment, had a meatball sub that tasted AMAZING! Denise, the bartender, was so nice and made sure we were all taken care of. Definitely recommend checking this place out. I'm from out of town and stumbled by it on a neighborhood walk, it did not disappoint. Tons of local beers and a variety of tap options-- stop by and check it out!

    Gardening and beer.

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    9 months ago

    Love the staff, food, and people who go to the Boathouse. The vibe is chill, friendly, and awesome.

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    Fun spot for a drink and some food! Was really surprised they had food. Drove by a bunch of times and glad we finally went in.

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    10 months ago

    Overpriced. Also I think they sell alcohol to minors. Ambience seemed weird & creepy. Service was meh.

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    1 year ago

    Love the Boathouse! Undercover cool spot ! Super dog friendly. Lots of amazing dog lovers at this spot !

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    2 years ago

    One my favorite bars in all of the Bay area. The bartenders are the best and the food is good too

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    4 years ago

    Boo, bought a 7 dollar can of beer and it was skunked. Called the place and the guy basically told me tough cookies

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    8 years ago

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    Page 1 of 2

    Ask the Community - Boathouse

    Review Highlights - Boathouse

    Eats: Spicy tuna panini for husband; ceviche tostada, chicken taco with onion and cilantro and pork taco with mango salsa.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    Forbidden Island

    Forbidden Island

    4.2
    (1.6k reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$

    Amazing drinks, friendly servers, and great ambiance. Highly recommended…read more I loved their piña colada and copa banana!

    This place was recommended to my daughter, and she wanted to bring myself and my wife along to…read moreexperience at first hand. I remember old tiki bars back in the day in the 50s when I first remembered hearing about him and the 60s when they were still popular. But as time went on and people change, they kind of disappeared, but this one popped up. And I'm so glad it did because it brought back fond memories of what it used to be. When you walk into the place, it's unlike anybody you're gonna walk into there are one dollar bill stuck to every square inch of the ceiling. Smoking is only allowed outside, so the room was pretty clear because as you walk in it is small, but there's plenty of room at the bar and there are a couple little hutches that you can sit in as well as an area around the corner, but the big surprise is outside. When we walked outside, there was like a 10 foot tiki head out there and it was a flash throwback to the old days. It was so much fun to see. The bar serves drinks that are long forgotten and most bars, and they served them with flair. Everybody from the minute I walked in the front door was awesome. They were smiling, attentive, helpful, and making sure that you got exactly what you wanted and the perfect experience. I even had a moment to talk to the owner and tell him how impressed I was by the staff and the fun that the place brought. I would say I will absolutely be glad to return to this place anytime. The quality that drinks is absolutely five star. The flavors were spot on. And the throwback atmosphere was perfect. I strongly recommended for anybody that wants to go out for an evening of fun and frolic. When they close the back where the outdoor seating is a little bit earlier than the regular bar hours it does get a bit crowded on the inside because so many people are there that you didn't see originally. But that didn't change it. We still had maximum fun.

    Photos
    Outside patio area
    Outside patio area
    The two mugs that they have available. The mug on the left is a special edition mug and $150. The mug on the right is $40.
    The two mugs that they have available. The mug on the left is a special edition mug and $150. The mug on the right is $40.
    More of the atmosphere of the forbidden island, and I love all the money hanging from the ceiling

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    More of the atmosphere of the forbidden island, and I love all the money hanging from the ceiling
    Lemon Drop

    Lemon Drop

    4.3
    (207 reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$
    Outdoor seating
    Vegetarian friendly

    Drinks: Him: the old fashion was great. We we were only…read moresupposed to have one but I ordered a 2nd round Her: Can't go to a spot named lemon drop and not order one. It was worth every penny! Food: Her: The chicken in the tacos were over cooked The shrimp in the tacos was WTF and the sauce in both was left to be desired The fish taco was just ok. The tikki masala flat bread is and actual pizza and should be offered with chicken Him: food was good! We had a good time! She thought the food should be better but the drinks were good. We might be back!

    The vibe was awesome from the moment we walked in. We had every visible staff member welcome us in…read more It is seat yourself, we found our seat and did not wait 30 seconds for our server to come to the table with menus. Great attitude, ready to answer any questions we had. We had a margarita and a lemon drop (of course!) and the drinks were excellent! We ordered the fish tacos and the chicken tikka masala tacos. They were AWESOME! The fish was cooked perfect with a delicious batter, the chipotle sauce was spicy spicy but so flavorful, it was pleasant to eat. The tikka masala tacos were a complete surprise! In a great way. We expected something super saucy and messy, but they were not at all. We aren't sure how they got the perfect tikka masala flavor without a lot of sauce, but they killed it. Great flavor, the cook on the chicken was perfect. We can't wait to go back!

    Photos
    Lemon Drop
    Lemon Drop
    Lemon drop

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    Lemon drop
    Park Station

    Park Station

    4.5
    (60 reviews)
    0.9 mi
    $$

    If you're looking for a spot in Alameda that nails both vibe and family-friendly energy, Park…read moreStation is it. The atmosphere is what really sets this place apart--warm, lively, and welcoming without ever feeling overwhelming. Whether you're coming in for a casual meal or meeting up with friends and family, it just has that easy, feel-good energy that makes you want to stay awhile. What I appreciated most is how genuinely family-friendly it is. You don't feel like you have to compromise on quality or ambiance just because you've got kids with you. It strikes that rare balance where adults can enjoy the experience, and families feel completely comfortable. Overall, Park Station delivers more than just a meal--it's an experience. Great energy, great environment, and a perfect go-to spot for both relaxed family outings and group get togethers!!!

    I've come here a couple of times and have enjoyed every experience…read more There's quite a variety of drinks to choose from. I thoroughly enjoyed the Margarita cider. I was asked if I wanted tajin on the rim (absolutely), which was a nice touch to the drink. I would get this again - Lots of outdoor and indoor seating - Good for small and large groups - Good for families (saw a lot of kids running around both times) - Good for pets (saw lots of dogs - There are fire pits as well - I heard about some complaints regarding the music, but I didn't find it to be any issue. As someone who is sensitive to loud noise and doesn't like super loud music, I quite liked the live music. It wasn't blasting in our ears and I could still hear my group talking. If you're hungry, Southie is located on the premises for ordering. Miscellaneous: - Parking is available via street parking - Definitely gets busy on the weekends around noon (especially with nice weather) - Don't wear clothes that can't get any dirt on them as the ground outside is dirt

    Photos
    Park Station
    View from the bar
    View from the bar
    Park Station

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    Town Tavern

    Town Tavern

    4.3
    (199 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    $$

    This spot has very good cocktails. This time I tried Georgia on my Mind, it has cognac and peach…read moreliqueur. My friend has the chicken sliders with fries. Good choice. Server was helpful and attentive. Cheers!

    I stopped by here for happy hour and had a really pleasant experience! They offer $10 classic…read morecocktails and discounts on appetizers like chips and salsa and guac, French fries, nachos, and other bites. I ordered a classic martini with a twist, it wasn't my favorite drink ever but it was made well, just not my usual. After that I ordered a classic margarita which was super good and came with a black salt rim and dehydrated lime. The margarita was super tasty and both drinks were made right away! For food, I ordered the chips and salsa and guac. The guac was very good, it tasted fresh and was a good size portion. The salsa was really good, it was chipotle tasting but had a lime tanginess to it that was unique and refreshing. They were generous with the portion of chips and the chips were thick and crispy and seasoned well with just a little bit of salt. I also ordered the impossible taquitos which came with guac, sour cream, and salsa on top. The presentation was beautiful and the food came out fast but the taste was a bit weird, it wasn't bad but it just tasted like burger meat in a taquito. I really appreciate that they offered a meat alternative but wish it tasted better, like maybe use potatoes instead of fake meat, or use fake chorizo over a burger seasoning. It would also be nice if there was a vegan version not just a vegetarian version. Despite my critiques of the food, I have no critiques for the service and atmosphere! My server was phenomenal and attentive and checked in often! I had a great experience and look forward to coming back but would definitely be more eager to come back if they updated with more vegan options!

    Photos
    Toki, hazy IPA, Basil gimlet.
    Toki, hazy IPA, Basil gimlet.
    Nachos
    Nachos
    Pick your specials

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    Pick your specials

    Boathouse - bars - Updated July 2026

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