This is the greatest bar I have ever been to actually save my life. Every bit there was like family. No security at the doors because it's an amazing place. Everybody should go there. I don't care where you're from. read more

Typical dive bar that i happen to love. The owner is such a great guy, so are his two kids that help run it. The crowd is awesome and has a welcoming atmosphere. Drinks are reasonable and worth the money. read more

Exactly what you want in a dive bar. Good, strong, inexpensive drinks with very friendly locals. read more

Doucet Saloon - The bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Jasmin is the best bartender I have ever encountered!! She gives 200% effort and serves a mean cocktail!!

So, I love a good dive bar. This is in my top 10. Drinks are really good! You can do cocktails here. Two pool tables which are almost always in use. People can play here. Great jukebox. Darts too. Big projection screen and other tvs around. Lots of locals and they are so nice and welcoming. Bathrooms are clean. You can order food from a local spot, but you need to ask the bartender how to make it happen. You can also bring in food. Enjoy! read more

See all

My kind of place. Two pool tables, foosball, and shuffleboard. Smoking patio. Clamper photos. Unironic mullets. Retired folks. Good rock n roll and rhythm n blues on the box. read more

In our hometowns we all gather occasionally or regularly to a place of comfort and Camaraderie. Recognizing & meeting people outside of where we live go to church or school, & this establishment tucked away on a side street offers the kind of welcome with the exception of PARKING, ya walk in to see the Bar is Beautiful Stocked music is up to date restrooms clean, pool, skeet & many other games & yes EMPLOYEES along with locals are running a TOP TIER experience. You go around back for a smoke, a puff or pure BAY AREA air. Safe place I return to for decaf too lol Decades read more

This is such a great place. Fantastic bartenders, strong drinks, lots of tvs, pool, shuffleboard, darts and more! The locals are hilarious as well. Doucets will forever have a place in my heart read more

My favorite bar in all of Castro Valley - not that everybody will love it - but I do. With all the bar games it reminds me of Sunshine Saloon in Pleasanton. Shuffleboard, some video games a couple pool tables. Pleasant good fun and there aren't enough pool tables to make it a desirable place for pool tournaments - which kill a bar vibe faster than anything. A bunch of super sober guys playing pool... who wants to see that? Valley Inn seems to have the most pool tournaments but there may be some here too - fortunately I've never run into any. Bar games are best played with alcohol and with not such a serious mindset. This bar is all about fun not so much about winning or showing off like the serious pool tournament people with all the attitude. I think the beers are cheap but I don't remember any prices - my friend happened to pay the last couple times. There is a back patio that may or may not be open for smokers. I think I saw a sign that it was closed but people there anyway. Bathrooms are near the patio and there are stickers that are fun to read while your doing your thing. Orange hand soap in the guys restroom like a car mechanic would use. I like that... none of that sissy soap for me. Other Castro Valley bars: Valley Inn, Spanky's, Krayons and the Waiting Room. Valley Inn is great if your 40 to 60 years old and like a serious pool hall atmosphere. Spanky's if you want a young more rowdy crowd (thinking more weekends). Krayons if you want to get stabbed. Thats what my friend's GF says anyway. Waiting Room is across from the Hospital and I think they may have changed names. A great neighborhood bar. Come check it out. read more

Doucet Saloon - Lots of games bar games here best to be played while tipsy - Dive Bars Near Me - Castro Valley, California

Friendly regulars that come in, a sense of family within the locals as well. Drinks are always well made. Plus the billiards community is great Highly recommend for a night out read more

Doucets Bar in Castro Valley, CA, what a shit hole. Stinks to high heaven. The place looks like it hasn't been vacuumed since 1984. Restrooms are awful not to mention, inaccessible for people with disabilities nor are the premises for that matter. Freaking asbestos ceiling is falling into the the drink ice, good luck with that. The floor is practical falling in, can't even walk withot feeling like you're going to step through it, the bar itself is falling apart and you can't even set a drink down without it spilling from all the cracks, never mind about resting your feet on the bar rail, which is just rotten wood. It's a Freaking Dump. I've been to many of a dive bar but this place isn't a dive, its a HEALTH HAZARD and it should be condemned. Can't believe the Health Department hasn't shut this place down. The owner must not care or give a shit about its customers or its reputation. Barrenters are ok, but Shanna is the absolute worst, no customer service, rude beyond all belief and she feels entitled, like the customers owr her. Treats the customers like they are there for her. Unbelievable. Doucets is the worst bar I've ever seen! In my 40 years. What a freaking dump! Apparently I can't give a negative review, otherwise it would be Negative 5 stars read more

Great dive bar. Go there and drink and pay Golden Tee. Cash only. What more could you want?

Best bar in town hands down. Bartenders are great, cash only, cheap drinks, and a sense of community. You do the math, but to me that's a perfect dive and perfect five! read more

Really cool chill place. Love it. Amazing people. The vibe is so nice in here. The place is kind of hidden but it's right off of Castrovalley blvd. I recommend this place to locals in the area, anyone from the Bay Area and people that are just passing through. Doucet's has two pool tables. Good place to meet people to play pool. Lol read more

Doucet Saloon is in a side street across from burger king. 50 people would packed this place, patio not included. no happy hour-drinks are cheap all day anyways pours: angry orchard hard cider(4.5) packs a punch, citrus taste gin & tonic (3.5) -heavy pour, well gin tasted industrial . on draught -only 6 drafts -cash only -parking only on street, 2 spaces in front -fussball, shuttleboard, pool, pinball, golf games available -amicable bartender, (tipping helps) -diverse crowd, tad older, mostly men. -cool music from jukebox. -bumper stickers behind bar: *"bad cop no donut: *"limit politicians to 2 terms, one in office, one in jail". *"treat your children nice. they will choose your nursing home". read more

CV's finest in dive bars, mainly due to the kickass bartenders Shana (Doucet) and Cristina. They can pour a mean cocktail AND throw a mean right hook. So don't come off cocky and deserving. These girls are veterans to dive-customers and can handle their business. Less crowded on the weekdays which is beneficial to get to know your tender. All around good vibes* with 2 pool tables, shuffle board, jukebox, Fuel TV playing on 1 of 4 screens *If you've heard about the CV Bar Crawl (there's 2 annually) vibes can change. CV alum and college-returnees get together day before Thanksgiving to get HAMMERED. If you think you can hang be prepared for anything and to see anyone you might have known years ago. I'd suggest staying at one bar because there's cops everywhere. read more

Killer dive bar, the bar tender was awesome, definitely will be stopping by often. They have pool and some other table games, and a solid group of regulars. read more

Nice bartender lady good price good scotch pool table no air condition but not too hot actually comfortable. Cash only but has ATM machine ! No problem pretty of parking on street . Good neighbor bar. Peggie sue nice and pretty read more

See all

I love Doucets, It's a cool little dive bar w/ 2 pool tables, a shuffle board... I think? Giant Jenga and some arcade games. You can pick what you wanna hear on the Juke box and the prices are super affordable! Not to mention they also have an outside patio, you wouldn't expect this place to be cool but it is and the people who coke and drink and hang out are usually really nice here as well. Oh.. and the bartenders are awesome, great service and you never have to wait long! read more

Love this place have known Perry for a very long time. Happy New Year To the Doucet family.

oh how I love me a good dive bar. Fun bumper stickers for the reading couple of pool tables juke box for tunes outside smoking area tables for sitting at shuffle boardie dealie locals aren't jerks bartenders are fast and b/s free cash only... but... there are ATMs nearby busier on weeknights then weekends read more

I've been going to Doucet's for many years, but now I'm done with the place! Did I miss the competition to find the most self-absorbed, worthless bartenders? Seems like my last 10 visits have been a HUGE disappointment. All I want to do is order a friggin drink when I'm thirsty and I have to put up with attitude, apathy and sarcasm. It's too bad cuz I like the atmosphere, but I'm not spending a single dime of my money there again! DOUCET'S BARTENDERS SUCK!!! read more

This place just seems dirty to me. It's musty inside and has a very outdated appearance... 1980's trailer trash inspired. Near the shuffleboard, there are weird photos of some woman that reminds me of Peggy from Married with Children resting her boobs on two men's heads... uh, okay. Lots of creepy men at the bar. They turned around when we walked in and stared us down. My friend and I did not enjoy this at all. Outside (the back patio) the pathway was broken in several spots. I wonder how many people have fallen and gotten hurt here. Still, this place is better than Spanky's. read more

1 star is based on the rude bartender I dealt with on Sunday night. Although I left a tip I am disgusted with the treatment me and my brother received. We played 2 games of pool and left . Probably will not be going back and if I do will not he dealing with that bartender. She really needs to work on not being an ass. read more

This is pretty much the only bar i've come to since I've turned 21. The environment is nice, and you get to know the locals that go in there, majority of them are friendly, especially Raider Dave!! The Bartenders are good, and certain ones def. make your drinks strong, especially if they know you well enough, and are a regular. I love to play Shuffle Board, but it's really outdated and old, there's not much sand on it and doesn't roll across really well either. They have 2 pool tables, which occupied most of the time, along with some dart boards, and a jukebox. The bar itself it's kind of small, and is hard to get a drink or the bartenders attention when the bar is full. But they do have additional seating elsewhere. They also have a back patio with seating for smoking and what not. The bathrooms tend to be clean every time I've gone into one, except when it's a really busy night, it does get dirty. I suggest trying the Red Headed Sluts, i love them here and it's one of my favorites. Oh and also you tend to run into a lot people you might have went to high school with too. Heads up, They don't accept credit cards, so be prepared to have cash, since AM/PM across the street shut down, good luck trying to find an ATM. read more

Doucet Saloon - Shuffle board - Dive Bars Near Me - Castro Valley, California

See all

So I just realized that I wrote my original review almost 3 years ago, back when I hardly knew anything about this place, ha. Anyways, my buddies and I come here quite often - I'd say about once or twice a week on average. It is by far (in my opinion) the best bar in Castro Valley. The age group is very diverse, and I feel that each visit consists of a fairly different experience. It has a very fun/wild, yet chill/comfortable vibe to it, which makes the perfect combination for a good neighborhood bar. Dustin & Shana (bartenders) are some incredibly awesome & nice people - and I feel that they deserve much more credit than they receive for running this gem. Doucet's can obviously get pretty packed at times, especially on the weekends. Behind the bar, you will discover dozens of hilarious, crude, and humorous bumper stickers displayed on the mini-fridges and counters against the wall. I suggest reading a few while you're waiting for your drink - trust me, you will be laughing. There is an internet juke box, two pool tables, an authentic shuffleboard table, a foosball table, a pinball machine, and a couple dart boards - all very reasonable prices to play (and shuffleboard is free). There is also a spacious patio area out back for times when you feel like getting some fresh air or having a smoke. Support your local neighborhood businesses, especially Doucet Saloon! Seriously, I have yet to meet anyone who dislikes this place. Take my word for it! read more

the crowd varies in age but tends to lean towards middle age. The bar itself is way too small and it is usually a hassle to get a drink. Once you get a drink there is more than enough room to roam but not a happenin' place overall. read more

Another dive on our Christmas Eve bar crawl. The crowd here seemed mid-to-late 20s, with a large group of them playing shuffleboard. I ended up arm wrestling and playing foosball with a few of them, and now my arms are sore. This is a fairly large dive bar, so it'd be pretty easy to have a get-together here. The one thing that missed me off was the jukebox. After putting in my money, it never confirmed that it actually was going to play my song. The interface provided no way to see what the upcoming playlist was going to be. Boo. read more

All I remember is coming here after getting drunk off of 25 cent beers at the bowling alley, ordering more beer, a loud obnoxious game of shuffleboard, which became competitive and during which i abrasively cheered on my friends, followed by me sleeping my car for a few hours before getting lost in the canyon trying to drive back to san ramon, before sleeping through my alarm and missing work. i think that long, run-on sentence pretty much sums it up. oh, and this. all of the people i went with, who were my coworkers at the time, agreed it was definitely a good time, but couldn't quite remember why. THAT sums it up. read more

Officially my favorite dive bar in Castro Valley. I met my future wife there. Okay, well we didn't actually meet there and we aren't engaged or anything, but we'd been dating nearly two years when we went there and we played pool, joked with the bartender, and had an all-around good time. So, you could say, when I turned around, there she was and so it was kind of like meeting. Anyway, if we ever get married, I'll update this post. Needless to say, we're coming' back! EDIT: Yeah... not so much. Come for the drinks, not the women. read more

This bar is a great bar. I come here with my boyfriend and his best friend All the time. The bartender Dustin is a great man! He once gave my boyfriend a token for a free drink on his birthday. He always makes the drinks extremely well and he is really nice and easy to talk to. Every time I come here with my friend it's always a good experience. Thanks for always a great experience when we come to this bar! The prices seem to be reasonable and they are made extremely good. Thank you Dustin for your great service :) read more

Such a COOL spot!! It's your CLASSIC dive bar!! This building has ALOT of history!!! ask about it when you visit :) My only complaint is they only have one craft beer on draft. read more

Been to some pretty cool bars since my last review, when I first turned 21, so this spot has lost a little bit of its luster for me. Still a really chill spot to grab a beer and have a chat after work, but thats really all its good for. It's never that busy... so unless music is playing (a must) its pretty quiet in there, which is just a bit awkward. This place is nothing special, but they did just get drakes denog on tap, which is pretty chill. read more

Terrible experience since the second I walked in. I had my SERVICE animal with me and instead of a hello I get greeted with a we don't have pets here. She asked to see papers on my dog (which I legally don't even need to show her) I showed her with no hesitation. And I guess my service animal and I still weren't welcome. Might not have been so upset if the bartender wasn't so rude. I get it's a dive bar and I'm into it.. but you don't have to be a dick just to work there... read more

Shana Doucet is the best bartender that I have ever had in my life. If you ever want a good bar on any night of the week, come to Doucet saloon! I can't say enough good things about this bar. Good drinks, good friends, love this place! read more

Usually this place has a great atmosphere that I know how to appreciate it. It's kind of a dark hole in the wall but it has pool table and it's got a good atmosphere. I usually have a good time with everyone I meet there. Unfortunately the owner's daughter who I guess is also a Doucette is extremely immature and only finds power in her life behind the bar. I'm an easy-going guy and when I go out drinking, Im just there to have a good time not start anything or drama. Unlike the bartender. will not be returning. read more

The only thing fabulous about this place is Peggy! Sloppy guy bartender and snotty young girl bartender not a fan!

As bars go,this place is pretty standard.The patrons range from the local drunks to hardcore bikers.Clamper owned(home of the ECV13 archives!!)so i'm a little biased,but cheap drinks served by a great lil lady...ask Perry about the places history as a house of ill repute(the"rooms"are still upstairs)....Drop by and see Perry..tell him a guy in a red shirt sent 'ya..... read more

The OWNERS daughter wouldn't make me a drink that I wanted. Are you kidding me. What bar doesn't make you a drink that you wanted. I know spanky's makes anything you want. Doucet saloon not on my list of bars anymore! read more

Sarah the bartender sold me on this as Cheers. We didn't believe it at first so we came back and the whole gang was here. Good people, good drinks and Sarah keeps me coming back. Just remember it's cash only so no need to worry about a tab or forgetting your cc at the bar. Plenty of seats but I recommend getting a seat at the bar if possible. They got a good selection of beers on tap. They have TVs all around, pool tables, shuffleboard, 2x4 blocks for jenga, arcade games so it's a cool spot. You the best Sarah so had to let the people know in this review! read more