Walked into Redfield on a whim and was so happy with goddesses guiding me in a great direction…read more Upon walking in the shop, there were lots of folks outside and enjoying. I opted to sit at the lovely bar inside. After some peeks at the menu, I snagged a great cider! I was only in for about 30 minutes, but i definitely enjoyed my time here. I'm a big lover of cider, so I'm sure I'll be back very soon!

Cute cider bar in Rockridge. I normally think sweet with ciders but I had no idea ciders could have…read moreso much variety and even be spicy! Enjoyed the guava chile one. There was a hint of spiciness but it was not overpowering. They also have non-alcoholic options their peach-apple spritz. My friend rented it out for a private party. They had charcuterie set out and empanadas available to purchase. Only thing is it's a bit cozy for a large group and felt especially bottlenecked betwen the tables and bar area where the food was being served. Might've helped to move the tables to make more space. They had charcuteries and empanadas to munch on. Loved the variety of ciders! I can totally imagine stopping by and grabbing a drink with a friend here.

This is a great local bar with solid beer selection! I came with some friends for St. Patrick's day…read moreand they had a full Irish Band playing at different times throughout the night. Great vibes and friendly staff! Their back room is also a great spot to chill and watch a game. Will definitely come back to watch some Warriors games!

McNally's It is our…read morelocal watering hole where everyone knows our name. Well, okay, everyone knows our greyhounds' names. A dog friendly place, McNally's is the perfect place to bring your furry best friends (and human ones). It is a mix of regular barflies and the occasional newbies. One time, an anti-dog lady came in with her date, ordered table martini service, took over our fireplace table, and no one was impressed. We started to come here more once they built the parklet during the pandemic. They also promoted their cocktails at this time. We would sit outside with dogs and friends and came to love the casual lowkey location. There is a large room in the back that we made the mistake of sitting in once. Great if you have a group, but cold and dorm community room feel vs the comfortable bar feel of the front area. There is also a backyard nook along the side of the building for smokers or those that want to watch dvds. They have darts, which i was surprised to see someone actually play once, a small pool table with a special name that escapes me, and a jukebox that you can pay for songs. We usually patronize in the earlier hours and Alfred is our bartender. He knows peoples' orders before they order it and lets us tend the fireplace on cold days. He has treats and water for the dogs. You can pay cash or credit card here which adds to the appeal over two other bars in the area that are cash only. There is one female and one male restroom on the back wall. The female one is always clean but the swinging door sticks. Don't make the mistake of waiting as you probably just have to push it in harder. We prefer the fireplace table if it's a cold day out (otherwise the corner booth in the parklet) as it's easy to park the dogs there, eat the burrito you brought in, absorb the fire rays, watch the games, and conversate with your friends in a circle. We usually have more friends than fit the table but we spread out around the nucleus. The corner table is also great if they have the overhead lamp turned off. Otherwise it's harsh in your eyeballs. There are several televisions so you can get a good view of whatever sports is on wherever you are sitting. Lots of stools and just a few regular chairs. They do have special events from time to time and you have to look out for flyers on their door or the occasional social media post. I am counting down the days to saint Patrick's day, which they do also on their countdown sign over the bar. Neighborhood parking is free or street parking is free after 6pm, all day Sunday and holidays. You can also park at the library around the corner, it's considered street parking. There are several eateries to take out food and bring in to McNally's. There's a trash can near the door or the main bins are on the side of the building. If you forgot a utensil, ask at the bar, they may have it for you. Food wise they only offer potato chips for purchase.

Firstly, the temescal pilsner is a GREAT, quintessential crisp and crushable brewski. It is in…read moresteady rotation in my beer choices at the many places it is available. I've been stopping by the brewery and recently had a small issue. I approached the bar where Alex was extremely receptive and ultimately offered a solution that was better than the one I had in mind. I truly appreciate his hospitality,! Thanks, Temescal Brewery!!!

10/10 best beer bar, not up tight. Many if not all the beers taste good and there's a theme with…read moreit. The Pilsner is great for area, my favorite anyway. They have fantastic community engagement and have/had a big party every month. It's a safe LGBQTI bar and fun over all.

Perfect neighborhood five bar. Great bartenders, excellent cocktails, good selection of draft…read morebeers, very unpretentious - what more could you ever want in a neighborhood place?

Great dive bar. Good service, good prices. Cool old school…read morevibe. 1000% better than Merchants

Nothing more than Trappist 2.0…read more Super professional staff. Excellent Porter here and a great place for post work Gatherings.

My husband and I travel to Oakland a few times a year for work and Sante is always a must stop for…read moreus! Not only are their beers expertly crafted, but they always have a carefully curated guest tap list to accompany their own beers. We've had nothing but friendly service here. We also absolutely love the ambiance; almost feels like we're in a European pub rather than a draft room in Oakland. Truly a comfortable space with quality beer.

Pretty things has become my new favorite place. The bar is set high by the name and it's held up…read moreby the service style and selection. Zack and Dan don't leave space to be stuck in indecision. They guide you to what you like and what you don't know you will like. They earn trust and smiles. And friends. Things are pretty great at pretty things.

Walked around Albany and was surprised to see a new beer spot open. We went on a Saturday…read moreafternoon and they had a good crowd and cute dogs. They have a good selection of beer on tap and 2 slushies available for non-beer drinkers as well. The staff (not sure if he was the owner) was super friendly and took time to go over the options available. They opened a month ago so they didn't have any sports games available to play on the TV yet. Overall a good neighborhood spot to grab a beer! We will be back:)

If you picture a dive bar in your mind, you probably have something similar to what you'll find at…read moreGeorge Kaye's. A little shabby, a few regulars at the bar, old school bartender, and (most importantly?) cheap drinks. A pretty good range of booze, though just four beers on tap with selections including hipster fav PBR and one local brew from Line 51 (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/george-kayes-oakland-3?select=9kbf38gxMpgR2kqqKWVohQ). Speaking of PBR, shots of bourbon with a PBR back is advertised in the window (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/george-kayes-oakland-3?select=sLJPTdKFNwRz522OeMRfhQ) and seems like a popular drink of choice for those looking to "lay the foundation" before meeting friends at other more upscale joints. Older reviews say smoking is somewhat allowed, but that's no longer the case and there's even a sign outside the door saying to please move down the street to smoke.

I couldn't be a bigger fan of dive bars, and as a longtime neighborhood resident I used to…read moreentertain thoughts of making this my local hangout. But really: $10 for a well gin & tonic? No thanks. Not when that same $10 could get me a Mai Tai at the Kona Club, or a Saturno during Bar Cesar's happy hour. I hate to say it, but it looks like this place isn't a genuine dive bar any more. It's a place that wants to overcharge people in search of dive bar ambiance.

Once known for good beer selection and entertainment, it is still all that but also with solid pub…read morefood. The entertainment and community feel of the place is the #1 highlight. Open mic night gives young people a voice. Older musicians act as unofficial mentors - the best advice from one was to 'make me feel something!!' I love the art scene - and to me there is a special intersection of utility (maybe articulating an important message - or building a useful couch) --- and the beauty of that piece. How you put it together, how it looks and most importantly how it makes you feel when you sink into the couch or words. I have a lot of opinions and a lot to say. These days you really can't complain much - in the world you are a nag and in church you are labeled a legalist. The secret is if you say those things in a beautiful way or tip toe around a subject asking questions and letting the audience come up with their own conclusions. The young people today I have lots of sympathy for. The 50 year olds could get away with earning $50k/yr - the 40 year olds could get away with earning $100k/yr but the 20 and 30 year olds in the bay area with 2 kids need to earn $200k in their household to make ends meet. Gentrification is the enemy - those who are 'rich.' Lets blame the boomers. Maybe there are some other 'enemies' of the unaffordable nature of the bay area. A witch hunt aiming at tech workers or the unhoused or maybe today AI robots. My brother pays $4000/month for babysitting. I think his house tax is another $1000/month and we aren't even talking about the mortgage yet.... In San Francisco a family of 4 can qualify for free babysitting if they earn $178,300 or less per year. Maybe you can't call this the poverty level - but you qualify for everything including housing assistance. I'm sorry no beautiful poetry for you today. No lit slam. No soup for you!! I will continue building my couches - you take the stage!!

Starry Plough....Oh wow! This is really a cool scene…read more There's a different event seven nights a week. Today the day after July 4 celebration is sort of an Irish music session in the place is packed at 5:45 PM! Great musicians and a fun atmosphere, but it seems like the same continuous song plays between breaks with a slight adjustment of the melody. Sort of a hypnotic repetitive groove, not so unlike "ON THE CORNER" by Miles Davis but not really, ha ha! OK kids, please plug that into your little machine and have a listen. Feel that groove in "BLACK SATIN" The Starry Plough is a full service restaurant, pub and nightclub that has been a staple of the East Bay scene since 1973. With deep roots as an Irish Revolutionary watering hole, the history of protest runs as deep today as it did when they opened five decades ago. And they have really good food and a great tap beer list. Also, the very best bartenders and staff throughout! I just had a half order of the handcut french fries and they really are top-notch man, they're served with different condiments that you can help yourself to. I chose the Sriracha sauce and ketchup. I couldn't find the horseradish tonight. I've been coming in here for several years and I really dig it. Very special people hang out here, kind of a hippie Berkeley vibe. I've had great long conversations and met very groovy folks. It's a great watering hole.