Great ole school bar with good cocktail. If you want to support o.g. establishment and personable bartenders this is the spot to lounge and enjoy your drink. read more

I've now gone twice before shows at the Fox and really like it here. Super odd vibes like an old hipster antique shop. Slightly overpriced given I consider it kind of a dive bar, but the greyhounds really are amazing. The bartenders are pretty heavy handed. No complaints here! read more

Cafe Van Kleef - Double greyhound - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Oakland, California

This place is busy! Expect to be in close spaces with everyone else. Definitely recommend the Greyhound with gin, but don't worry that's what everyone else there will order too. Freshly squeezed grapefruit I'm a little bummed one of the bartenders asked us to vacate the stools because he "wanted more tips" and there was a line, especially considering we had JUST SAT DOWN and ordered drinks with the intention of ordering more. That's really the only reason I'm not going with 5 stars on this one. All the other bartenders were exceptional. The decor is incredibly unique and the playlist of hip-hop from my middle school days is fun, though it was clearly on a short loop. We heard Creep by TLC twice in the first hour we were there read more

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So Tsada http://www.yelp.com/user_details?userid=0z7CYyBIh4emkv6_-DtC6g got me thinking after her review about how awesome Van Kleef's bathroom is. You know who she is... Hot, skinny, hire able, desirable, smart, sassy, and funny. Yeah, that's Tsada. Well, she talked about how Van Kleef had the cleanest bathroom of any bar. Guess what? I needed an adventure, so I decided to test it out. Most of you know I enjoy going Ass Jihad in any clean bathroom, owning up the place like the King of the Mississippi Butt Logs. So I walk into Van Kleefs and order 2 of the largest Grey Hounds http://static.px.yelp.com/bphoto/vs6_d5rVMwhYeYIhnyQ1Jg/l I've ever seen with 1/4 of a grapefruit stuck on the side of the cup which threaten to send it sideways whenever I put it down. I notice the Marky Mark funky bunch decor http://static.px.yelp.com/bphoto/GX2dY3vFgPjmd0O7eHDdsQ/l and band stage. After finishing my drinks, I feel a rumble. By now, the lines of Coke I've done (I got ice cubes stuck up my nose trying to do this *smirk* Joke's on you), the kimchi and bi bim bap I had for lunch, and alcohol all threaten to make this the kingdom of poop. Not to mention the 5 hour energy drink, 20 piece nugget meal with super sized fries, and fibrous granola crunch bar I had for breakfast. Where the HECK is the bathroom?! Oh, wait, it's right in the back, where the line is. *tick tock, tick tock, tick tock* Okay, holy CRAP, I need to go bad at this point. I get in there and notice, "Wow, Tsada was right! This is one helluva clean bathroom! It's got a locker for employees and it doesn't even look like it's seen a ounce of puke! The seat is clean and the ground doesn't have a single ply of toilet paper on it. WTF?! This is BATHROOM HEAVEN! Well, that's ALL about to change, SON." Maybe the pay toilet sign has something to do with it http://static.px.yelp.com/bphoto/hwyEd4XcohiuwiIH8li-_w/l So I wipe down the seat (No ass cooties for me) and decide, I am going to make this mother f'er count. Hands on thighs, quick fire farts stutter out of my ass as my tummy grumbles in anticipation. I clench my muscles and prepare to release sir sphincter power with demoniac rage. Sweat bead forms above my upper lip and I scream: HERE WE GO! Like Mario when he uses the mushroom turbo in Mario Kart 64. What happens next is a miracle of moose manure. Reminiscent of a banana/strawberry shake being poured into a swimming pool, I unleash the beast that makes an ultra combo from Killer Instinct look like a 2 hit jump kick/sweep combo from SF2. The sulfurous odor pounds me like E Honda's slapping fists and I decide to pat myself on the back and exit before I keel over from Kim Il Jong's latest chemical weapon, aka, kimchi gas. Good lord have mercy on my soul, that was amazing! And please, have mercy on the next person that walks into this bathroom. I wipe and leave, laughing and say: This is one of the greatest bathrooms that ever ate my ASS BARF. I exit and order another drink, calmly sipping it and enjoying my 2 inch smaller waistline. And to think, some of you fools actually talk about wanting to have sex in a bathroom? I triple dog dare you to now... read more

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We were celebrating my friend's birthday so of course we had to make multiple stops. After debuting at Oeste we wandered past City Center to the cool part of town. Cafe Van Kleef certainly has a rather anomynous-looking exterior, but once you take your collective soul off of Telegraph Avenue you will find yourself sitting in the lap of luxury. That is, of course, unless you prefer to stand. Regardless, you will soak up the class and elegance within seconds. Yes, it's dark inside... it's not a place to soak up the sun, but if you wanted to do that you'd go to Sauced. Want to get romantic while having the double-digit ABV of your choice? This is the place. Not get ripped off by typical city prices. Not bad here. Want to hear jazz, whether live or recorded? Yep. Or just to have a plain good ole time... You can't go wrong here! read more

This bar has the distinction of making the best Salty Dogs/Greyhounds I've ever had, with freshly-squeezed, pink grapefruit juice. It also has the distinction of having ambiance that reflects my own dream living space - taxidermy, chandeliers that throw off no light whatsoever, skeletons, Victorian couches & lamps, French cafe tables... Shit, it's like you're drinking that pretty pink drink in some creepy Parisian café in Les Catacombs. Avec lava lamps aussi! Van Kleef has the final distinction of being easily the best bar I've been to in the Bay Area. As in, it's worth taking BART here and risk being underground in a city that is earthquake-prone. And possibly worth the fifty dollar cab ride back to my hotel so that I can stay past the ridiculous BART cutoff time. Maybe. If I've had one too many Salty Dogs. Which is entirely probable. read more

I love having adventures in new places with people who know what's up. Saturday night was a great example of this. After working an event in downtown Oakland, I was ready to head home on BART. But Nique F and Ruggy J (my trusty co-workers) insisted that I head over to Van Kleef with them for just one drink. Although I was skeptical, the promise of a delicious greyhound was too good to pass up. Although there's generally a cover charge to get inside, and I *hate* covers, this place is totally worth it. Upon walking in, our posse was greeted by rowdy, bluesy goodness. Grab a giant drink at the bar (vodka and grapefruit juice with a giant slice of grapefruit as a garnish) and you're in business! The crowd was in full swing around 10:30, dancing furiously to the band onstage. I had the sad misfortune of sitting next to a drunk "Chad", but the rest of the people in the room seemed pretty damn cool. Due to the sad, sad fact that BART doesn't run past midnight, I had to head back to my neck of the woods after just a little taste of what the Van Kleef has to offer. Next time I will plan accordingly so I can either stay the night in Oakland OR find a DD to drive back home. OR maybe BART should start running later...? Anyone with me there? read more

Planned the last DYL here because everyone deserves to know Van Kleefs! Seriously this spot is 2nd to none and definitely in its own category. A very attentive staff and a big thanks to Ina for taking great care of our group. The pours where heavy, the Yum Yum (Coconut Juice and Tequila) blew my mind, the diversity at this spot is so beautiful, the crazy art, the blues and jazz bands add a kick to your experience, everyone smiling and chit chatting. Seriously yo, it's all about Van Kleef, add one of their specialty Greyhounds on top of all their greatness and well your pretty much in love. read more

Great bar to relax and chit chat. It reminds me of something you'd find in SF's mission, little small and a little tight but if you score one of the tables in the back you're set. Not suggested for large groups but if you're the type to sometimes run out of things to say like on a date, it's a good place since you can always talk about the random oddities line the wall. They play alternative rock, I didn't recognize any of the songs so only stayed long enough to have a few beers (ok tap) and try their signature greyhound. Vodka and freshly squeezed grapefruit. There's some pulp to it and it's probably the best greyhound I've had. Worthy stop for a pub crawl to try their greyhound. read more

Cafe Van Kleef - The freshly squeezed greyhound. (Vodka and grapefruit) is their signature. - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Oakland, California

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Love the lighting, decorations and the music. Not to mention the vodka and grapefruit juice is hand pressed and delicious! read more

Cafe Van Kleef - Gray hounds - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Oakland, California

Very unique atmosphere. Dark with lots of antique items, just like being in the middle of antique knick knack stores with a bar inside it. I tried their Greyhound as almost everybody recommended. My impression? I should NOT order their greyhound. I could barely taste the alcohol. The only thing that makes it different with other greyhounds out there is the big generous chunk of grapefruit in the drink. The greyhound drink itself is pre-made. Just taste like grapefruit juice but not too sweet. Anyways, it's worth to try then next time I know that I will NOT order their greyhound. read more

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Cafe Van Kleef isn't a typical watering hole: -i.d. check at door regardless of age -sultry bartendess in the 50's (in the eyes of the beholder) -shrine honoring ?-not devotee so didn't know. -many skeletons on ceiling, walls, remnants of black or magical cult? -mural of dalai lama enjoying a meal with contemporary world figures -crowd of suits, hipsters, artists, no drifters could afford to drink here -very small, narrow drinking hole with seating scattered thruout. -stage for live performances visible, music jazzy/blues happy hour: $1 off drinks, greyhound(7) is specialty here. pour: gin & tonic(5) -stiff pour, one was enough -metered parking makes return probable. read more

Weak homemade greyhounds, several smokers RIGHT outside the door blowing DEATH into the interior. The decor is pretty unique inside, the crowd is hip and lively, and the soul/jazz band playing was entertaining. ...But if two if your infamous drinks don't yield this lightweight the slightest buzz and staff doesn't take into account that some abhor secondhand tobacco smoke, I'm Audi 5. $5 cover doesn't help either. read more

Best Greyhounds EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The bouncer told us that they had a cover charge for that night because they will be having a live band playing..but he let us in free anyway! We only stayed for one drink...the Greyhound! The bartenders here use freshly squeezed grapefruit. Our bartender (female) was really nice. She came up to us...we ordered 3 greyhounds...she did her thing..poured them in 3 glasses looked at us and said " ARE YOU READY FOR THESE??". Watching her make the greyhounds....she filled the entire glass w/ vodka and few drops of grapefruit plus a huge chunk of grapefruit as garnish!!! I gotta tell you..these Greyhounds were AWESOME!!! **there was also some guy there selling tamales out of cooler. And of course, I had to try one. Cheese / Chili !! A+ *** I will definitely come back here next time im in Oakland! read more

Cafe Van Kleef - GREYHOUNDS! - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Oakland, California

Cluttered yes, weird things to look at yes (I am not talking about the people), drinks hell yes They have several options to tickle your fancy, sampled a cold brew on tap, a greyhound and some sort of lemon shot. There was no cover, place was crowded both at the bar and in the back, looking around it is allot to take in, there is a rabbit with horns, look for it before you get inebriated, again allot to take in wise for things to see at this bar, when bar crawling be sure to hit up this bar and check out the wall of alcohol mixed with oddities nailed or propped up on the walls drinks **** price no cover on thursday nite service **** ambiance **** odd design but makes you keep flipping your head to take it all in read more

I was talked into ordering their *much* talked about signature cocktail, The Greyhound, despite my initial refusal. Vodka is the alcohol you use in college in barf-worthy mixed drinks; grapefruit juice is the crap my friends drink when they're dieting. Why in the name of all that is good and holy would anyone combine them on purpose??? Enter friends. They are loud and laughing. There's a skeleton on the wall wearing a sparkly bullfighter's uniform carrying a shield. And the could-be-real-could-be-fake hippo head on the wall beneath the sea of fish dangling from the ceiling. And the giant bust of who-knows wearing antlers. Put me in a good mood. So when said friends announced that I was getting a Greyhound whether I wanted one or not, I shrugged my shoulders and said, "Sure, why not?" Also easily the best cocktail I've had in years. The bartender poured generously, and was kind enough to refill my (previously detested) grapefruit juice after the first strong round. We sat at a booth in the back telling stories and plotted how to smuggle out the stuffed penguin. read more

Cafe Van Kleef is one of the coolest bars in Oakland. I only wish I had known about it sooner. They specialize in Greyhounds with a huge wedge of grapefruit on the side. It's just one of those places that excites your senses because there is so much going on - on the walls, at the bar, and all around. Highly recommend checking it out if you are in the area. read more

Why everyone and their grandma know about them greyhounds? They do slap though.. I could drink them all day lol

Another pit stop on our Oakland Art (gallery) walk. I felt like I was walking onto a movie set with its quirky vibe of random art + paraphernalia. The place was packed full of friendly revelers on a Friday night. A jazz band played on a high stage beneath a big Buddha, alongside a pair of GIANT boxing gloves (surreal, and seriously, I wasn't dreaming). I was in the right company since there were some dancers in the group. In our happy state, we couldn't resist swinging out a few times, then imbibing on their signature greyhound with GIANT wedge of grapefruit. A truly fun night. PS: If you need to use the restroom, plan ahead since there is just one bathroom. PPS: Check out their website for their band line up. http://www.cafevankleef.com/ read more

Cafe Van Kleef - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Oakland, California

Stopped in for a drink after dinner and before heading home on Bart. Low key casual kick back spot and crowd on a week night around 8PM. Many unique and collectible items EVERYWHERE! Fun to take a look around and see the random art and objects. I kept spotting different things during the night. There is a full bar with lots of seating and tables further inside. There is a stage for live music performances. It is very dim the usual bar lighting to help make everyone look a little more desirable haha. Hubs ordered our drinks at the bar. The staff was nice and made our grey hounds quickly. Drinks are cheap, a grey hound is $7.00 for a good size drink and a slice of lemon. This was my first grey hound so I can't compare it to anything but it was very tasty. It might be my new drink of the week. read more

Cafe Van Kleef - The legendary grey hound - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Oakland, California

Dark and cluttered and oh-so-entertaining. What a delightful bar. I think this goes without saying when you see the giant vice being used to squeeze all the grapefruits, but you must get a Greyhound. I would have never called myself a greyhound fan in the past, but after trying theirs I now know why: FRESHLY SQUEEZED juice makes all the difference. read more

Cafe Van Kleef - Legit. - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Oakland, California

A museum of kitsch. Amazing grapefruit libations. Cafe Van Kleef needs to be on your uptown Oakland bucketlist.

This is a mandatory stop on any night out on Telegraph. Unless you don't like grapefruit. And who doesn't like fresh squeeze grapefruit based drinks? It's loud so if the bartender looks your way, just lift up the number of fingers correlating with the number you want (AND can carry through the crowded gauntlet that is the narrow passage to the back) without dropping the slice of grapefruit balanced on top. Good luck. It's worth it. We usually get two or three minimum before moving on our two before a show at the Fox Theater. read more

Fat Tuesday and Cafe Van Kleef are a must. For a negotiable $5 cover, we got free rice and beans, live music, and the best grey hound I have ever had. And I drink a lot of grey hounds. It's hard to wax poetic about a drink that only includes two ingredients (vodka and grapefruit juice). But it is amazing how much better this one is than all the others I have tried. Cafe Van Kleef: -Perfectly Acceptable Well Vodka + Maximum Sweetness Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice (freshly pressed in a hand juicer) + GIANT wedge of grapefruit garnish (in case you need a snack). Other Grey Hound Permutations: -Super Sour Canned White Grapefruit Juice + Crap Well Vodka (or pay up the butt for nicer vodka that is just going to disappear into the grapefruit) + Lime Garnish (Does it really need to be MORE sour?!) -Acceptable Canned Sweeter Pink Grapefruit Juice + Crap Well Vodka (again...crappy) + Lime Garnish (why do people think grapefruits taste good with lime?) -Fresh Squeezed Cheap Grapefruits (not as good flavor) + Premium Vodka (You still pay up the butt for this better version) + No Garnish (Thanks for noticing Grapefruit tastes terrible with lime) Ok Susan, so how much does this superior Cafe Van Kleef Greyhound Cost? $7!!!!! Yes, you heard me right. $7!!!!!! What are you waiting for? The bar has a great funky atmosphere that cannot be ignored. It's like the "I Spy" book publishing group decided to open a bar. I spy with my little eye...Andy Warhol. read more

Cafe Van Kleef - Greyhound! - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Oakland, California

Remember the Room of Hidden Things in Harry Potter? It looked like an attic filled with odd sculptures, stuffed animals, oil paintings, musical instruments and other bric a brac. Now, imagine the Weasley brothers opened a bar there. That's Cafe Van Kleef. Its a narrow, high-ceilinged room stuffed full of art and curios: a mural here and a statue draped with necklaces there, a shelf of votaries, a stuffed bear head, Christmas tree lights, and a gorgeous chandelier above it all. But if you come for the objet d'art you should stay for the greyhounds. The grapefruit and vodka cocktail is a house specialty made with half a fresh squeezed grapefruit. They are so generous with the grapefruit, and the drinks are so popular, that If you sit at the bar, you may get squirted as they squeeze. It gets crowded fast, so be prepared to stand or share a table. It's definitely worth a visit though, because there's nowhere else quite like it--at least for us muggles. read more

I'll start by saying that Cafe Van Kleef has the world's best, juciest Grapefruit Greyhounds ever. Now I'm not a usual grapefruit type of gal but GOD DAMN those slices of grapefruit that give you with your drink are so sweet, ( and might I add fucking HUGE) and anything but bitter. Decor is mind boggling. My boyfriend and I and friends entertained ourselves for a majority of the night by playing, " I spy" b/c there's SO much to look at, so much junk that just seems to belong in that place which gives it it's character. After 3 Greyhounds I caved in & order a hot dog. They broguht it to our table and BAM- I took a bite and the hot dog brought me to tears- LITERALLY. I bite into a Nathan's hot dog covered in ketchup, mustard, onions and mounds of HORSERADISH. Who does that?!?!? I have never experienced such mouthwatering pain before. Friends got a good laugh and boyfriend was happy b/c he got the dog after that.... I guess you live you learn. But this place rocks. Simply an Oakland treasure. read more

Cafe Van Kleef - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Oakland, California

Excellent dive bar and my go-to after work when I'm in Oakland. The bar itself has a lot of personality and the bartenders are always busy, but always friendly. I noticed that they host potlucks for special occasions and try to include/welcome everyone, or at least that's what I saw when I was there for one. I'm not one for Greyhounds since I don't normally like grapefruit. I was amazed at the Greyhounds I had here and it's been my go-to drink ever since. I asked a bartender once where they get their grapefruits and they let me know that they select it per order depending on who can provide the best, sweetest grapefruits at the time. Amazing. I don't have much else to say about this place, just that it's pretty great! read more

Awesome experience. Reminds me of NYC. And a great story behind the Van Kleef name and history in Oakland. Drinks were ON POINT!!! I'll be back read more

My date suggested we pop over to Cafe Van Kleef, after having snacks and cocktails at Dogwood. I had no idea what to expect of the place and, honestly, I'd driven by a bunch of times and had not even noticed it there. What a cute and awesome little bar! We went on a Monday night, so it wasn't overly crowded and it was kind of on the mellow side. Very nice, my kind of vibe.. Since I was told the fresh-squeezed Greyhound was the house specialty, I ordered one and it didn't disappoint! I like Greyhounds anyway, but the fresh juice made it so much more yummy. The bartender told us the grapefruits' flavor changes with the season; we got lucky and ours were plenty sweet to balance out the tart. The inside of the bar is randomly, kitsch-ily decorated and is very entertaining to try to look at everything. Both the bartender and the doorman were friendly and provided good service. All in all, a nice little bar that I'd be quite happy to return to. read more

It's generally too busy to get a seat (not much seating), though i did get one once before catching a marilyn manson concert at fox theatre next door. great place to drink a strong cocktail made with fresh-squeezed grapefruits for $8 a pop to avoid overpriced Fox Theatre drinks at your show next door. read more

If you aren't in total awe of this place when you walk in, just turn around and go somewhere else. It's not for everyone, but it's definitely for me. There are plenty of reclaimed wood paneled bars with a bunch of fancy pants cocktails elsewhere. This place has a full bar, but you go here for the best greyhound on the planet. All the other options just fade away... Fresh squeezed juice served with a giant wedge of grapefruit on top. It's perfection. They might even make fancy pants cocktails here, but I'd never know. read more

The décor alone is worth the visit. But when you add the history and the greyhounds... well what can I say. It's my favorite drink-after-work place and a much loved Oakland landmark dive bar. You must try it! read more

I had been wanting to try their hyped freshly squeezed grapefruit greyhound drink since forever. The hype was not real for me. The drink tasted fine (there was a slice of grapefruit in there, cool). I don't think I had anything to compare it to, so I can't say if freshly squeezed grapefruit made a big difference in taste. It's $8 for a drink. I think the bartender also asked if we wanted a "double", which just means the drink is in a larger glass cup. I was also turned off by how our drinks were sloppily made. The drink was overflowing when the bartender placed it on the bar counter. A girl sitting at the bar was kind enough to hand over our drinks to my friend and I since we were standing behind her, but it ended up spilling all over the kind stranger girl's lap! The bar is also very narrow and feels squishy. I know some people may like the "eclectic" decor, but to me, it looked like a hoarder's dream come true coming to life with all sorts of random trinkets as decoration. I'm glad I tried it once, but I thought the greyhound was okay and the bar is clearly not my kind of vibe. read more

Hit the place up last Saturday after the Alley and before Perish (Junior Reid was playing) - a band was already in full effect, so as we neared the entrance we where welcomed by not only the doorman but also the arresting jazz music spilling through the doorway - as the doorman was checking id's and collecting the $5 cover I was fully captivated by the strange rifts of the horn player... I kinda floating in soaking in the pleasantly surreal atmosphere; it looked as I would imagine the music I was listening to would look like if it transformed to inanimate objects. The place definitely has a whimsical wonderland feel. Although I have never been to New Orleans I could imaged this place would feel like home for anyone that was from there. Fortunately for me a greyhound appeared in my hand, a friend obviously was buying the first round - it was the perfect compliment to the ambiance, definitely tasty and I could easiely say it was the best greyhound I ever had, but then again I don't really ever order grey hounds - it came with a enormous wedge of grape fruit, an unexpected bonus and perfect energy boost to get you movin on the dance floor.... The only bad thing I could say about this establishment is that they only provide a single shared restroom - and there is always a line.... PS Get there early to get seats or you'll be standing - not a biggy... read more

Cafe Van Kleef - Lava - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Oakland, California

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Didn't actually have drinks myself here. My friend did try the greyhound, but it was super strong and not as good as it looks. Decor is interesting here and place is pretty packed by the bar. You can sit outside in the front and it has heated lamps and there are also tables in the back that are not as crowded. read more

Grey goodness. This place looks like an ex circus performer became a hoarder, died, and then someone opened a bar in the remnants of their life. And then started making amazing fresh Greyhounds. Fun place, I hear the live shows are great in the small space. read more

If you are a juice lover and a drunkie, perfect solution: greyhounds. Fresh grapefruit juice squeezed right in front of ya with vodka and enormous slices of grapefruit. The bartender was not particularly friendly but worked quickly. Sometimes you have to sacrifice affability for drink-in-hand speediness. Space is kind of dark and gloomy with eclectic art and oddities on the walls. The decor is very busy, and gave me the feel of a mixture between circus freak and haunted house. Looks like they have live music sometimes, though not during my one visit. If I had lived in Oakland this may have become my favorite bar fast. read more

Cafe Van Kleef - Greyhound - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Oakland, California

This place has the best palomas in town!! Nothing can beat the fresh squeezed grapefruit and lively vibes (especially when the live music is around)! I have recently been during covid restrictions and though they don't have heaters, the patio is a fun hangout if you bundle up! read more

The staff is cool and they press their own citrus. I have yet to hear a bad band or drink a weak cocktail here. If you're a musician, you could possibly book a gig here- they do support local artists. Tip: check-out the wall photos- some are hilarious. Also, talk to the booking guy, he's a real cool cat. I'm so bad with names- sorry. read more

One of my favorite places in Oakland, the best greyhound ever, especially when they use the pink grapefruit, They squeeze the fruit fresh in front of you, it's been a while but hoping to hit it soon read more