If you picture a dive bar in your mind, you probably have something similar to what you'll find at George 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. read more

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I couldn't be a bigger fan of dive bars, and as a longtime neighborhood resident I used to entertain 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. read more

Oh, George Kaye's. One of the neighborhood dives that I saw nearly daily growing up...and was always afraid of, a bit, because...well, it's the sort of bar that pants-pissing drunks frequent. Or so I assumed until yesterday, when I went in for the first time. Actually, I'm still pretty sure that pants-pissing drunks come here, but as my friend stopped by before 3pm, we were the only people, except the bartender, who were there. And the bartender was friendly, accommodating and happy to answer questions. Considering how tiny the inside of this bar is (three poker tables, and maybe 4 or 5 barstools), I was surprised with the 5 or 6 beers on tap, and the quality of many of them--Guinness included. I ordered a Red Hook, which, at $4.50, was a little more than I'd expected to pay at what I'd say is one of the only bonafide DIVE bars I've been to. The liquor selection was certainly not the most extensive I've seen, but they had a variety of the basics (rum, vodka, tequila--you know) and have Maker's Mark for $5.50. I ordered one, straight up, and was given a double shot. Not bad. In fact, that's probably the reason for the 4th star! The interior of the bar is nothing to write home about. Like I said, 3 tables, some chairs, and a small bar to sit at. There's a disconnected video game machine, and a bunch of original art on the walls. I'm not sure how long it's been up, but most of it appears to be a series of really abstract paint/pen work by the same person. While most of it really wasn't my style, I was impressed at the presence of art in a bar that I'd assumed would be dark, stinky and a little gross overall. Upon first entering George Kaye's I wasn't enthralled with the smell, but it really wasn't BAD, and it faded the longer we sat in the bar. Also, the bathroom (one for each gender!) was remarkably clean for a bar--probably somewhat related to how early it was in the day, but still nice. And seat covers! Yes! I know that to really get a feel for the bar, I'll have to go back some evening and drink with the regulars (who are, I'm sure, the reason the place is still in business), but until then, I've discovered that a bar I've spent the last 20 years cringing at is actually a decent and friendly dive, with some good alcohol and pretty average prices. I would have preferred dive prices, but beggars can't be choosers, so on and so forth. I'll be seeing you again, Geo Kaye's. read more

George Kaye's - What $10 will get you: a Red Hook and a "single" shot of Maker's Mark... - Dive Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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Sometimes you just need to get your drank on. Especially on a Friday after work. Especially if that Friday was after "1 of those weeks." Especially if you've had "1 of those weeks" for more weeks now than you care to remember. The girlfriend & I were meeting friends for dinner nearby & were in the neighborhood early. Which meant it was time for me to get my drank on. Enter George Kaye's. Dive bar. Simple. Effective. Inside & out, it ain't fancy. But if you're on a mission, there's a way to get it done here. Happy hour had PBR + a jumbo shot of Jim Beam for $6. Oh yeah, that's the remedy for what ails me. The girlfriend commented that PBR is like piss. Indeed. & what a perfect way to cap off another loathsome week. So much so, I had a 2nd round before we left to meet up for dinner. We also had some pasta & potato salads that were available gratis for munchies. George Kaye's. It ain't fancy, but it got the job done. read more

A big pet peeve of mine. Dive bars that don't charge dive bar prices. $7 for a pint during Happy Hour in this dumpy place is egregious. Poor beer list too. Not one star because bartender was a nice guy. I won't be back. Hit up Avenue or Kingfish instead. read more

Geo Kaye's sets a whole new bar for dive bars. This, my friends, is the real deal. Corner bar consisting of a room and not much else. A handful of tables, an Internet jukebox with a mediocre standard selection and people from all walks. A pal and I came in here on a Sunday night to grab a drink while killing time waiting for a friend. The bar itself was not packed, but there were a decent amount of people, including some obviously not-straight guy and his girlfriend chatting it up in one spot, a table of two couples sporting tragically punk t-shirts, homeless hair and fanny packs, two guys who seemed to be looking for action and falling short given the patron selection, and a guy reading a fantasy-dragon book sitting in the corner by himself. As I said, all types. The bartender was super funny and sweet and had me laughing, mostly because she was the most not-sober-acting sober bartender. I can't speak for all their drinks, but $2.50 for a PBR is not something to be argued with. read more

A little nicotin contact high off the 3rd hand smoke imbedded in the cealing tiles... What a sh8% hole.... Pabst on tap....Ya gotta love it... read more

This place is really horrible to customers and the bartender is condescending. Don't come here. They don't deserve your business

This establishment refused to provide water to a gentleman with a dog. One of our group members got him a glass and the bartender took the water back from him and then chastised our group member for providing it to him. He was very abrupt and condescending in his dealings with us, as well as with the man with the dog read more

Headed here Thanksgiving day after an outstanding Turkey in the east bay. I don't smoke, but... is this weird? I give automatic "trust" to those oddball bars where you can smoke, much more than others. Must be the owner-operated thing going on. Or the smoke. The place feels quality and good people. The half door really ties the room together. The neon sign is pretty ace too (see attached). read more

George Kaye's - Thanksgiving Day, 2006 - Dive Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

I've been visting Geo Kaye's since 1996. I've always thought Dave the owner and main bartender there was an amazing man whose personality is the glue that makes the place the interesting place that it is. I've shown my art on the walls a number of times over the years and I can't say I know another bar that would want art on its walls from its patrons. I've met people there who have become good friends. Don't listen to the pampered little bourgeois powdered butt honeys who dis the decor, the place has more atmosphere most nights than any yuppie scum establishment. The people are from all walks, if you don't like that then why are you in the Bay Area? read more

Kaye's is where one comes for intergenerational drinking. Where you can listen to Steely Dan followed by Bjork. Enjoy a strong drink served by a friendly bartender (Hey Dave!) and be flattered by the young and old alike. read more

"I've only had to use this hammer three times - three times only!" 12/1/06 On a completely separate occasion, I had my 35th birthday here. The same bartender quoted above made me a special cocktail as a birthday 'cake'. The main ingredient was a cell phone bludgeoned with a hammer, then tossed in a pint glass, various flammable beverages were added, and then the whole thing set ablaze. Naturally I didn't consume any of it, so I guess it was really more of a birthday candle. And a kick-ass candle at that, since it spewed fire on the bar a bit when I blew it out for my birthday wish. No harm was done, good times were had by all. So far not excessive peopleitude, but this review may be the tipping point that jacks it all up. Or maybe yours will be. Don't be smug about it if it is. Tell all yer pals to keep it on the DL! Drue C covered all the bases - "It is confusing but the drinks are strong and the people here are nice and you can smoke while holding your dog in your lap if that is your thing so I guess the place is okay by me." here here. read more

I walked in and met my friend who was at the bar reading an atlas from 1964. I ordered my irresponsibly stiff drink, put some Sinatra on the juke box and did an informal karaoke with the bar tender. At the far end of the bar an electrician was having a drink with a man with a dog on his lap. "Great dog" I said "Yeah, hes getting old and is nearly blind" the man replied. He then picked the dog off his lap and slid him down the bar towards us. read more

I stopped into George Kaye's when my friends texted they would be late for dinner at Ohgane (Yeah, those same soju friends!). The shopkeeper at the nearby Jamaican marketplace followed my "baby making" hips into the bar. I ordered a beer that looked 3/4 the size of an average pint. The complimentary bowl of pretzels made up for that, I guess. George Kaye's had minimal atmosphere, aside from the Jamaican shopkeeper kicking game next to me. This bar is small and dark with very few patrons, at least before 7:00 on a Monday evening. I remember a TV set and an old juke box in the corner. The bartender seemed nice, and the beer on tap was very cheap. We Yelpers should put the "rge" back into George Kaye's very soon with a DYL, perhaps. read more

just happened to drink here once and it was a memorable experience. the bartender is such a cool guy. he turned me onto some great pizza places! parking is pretty tough here. meters all around EXCEPT across the street., 2 hours parking. highlights: -jamaican beer served here. forget the name -some patrons come here just to watch judge judy and jerry springer -bar feels homey and an organized mess. -only a few blocks from geta. -not much selection of brews but the ambience (people) here you can't beat. read more

I love dive bars. We spent a wonderful evening here a couple of weeks ago. The juke box can be controlled from an iphone app. Loved the bar tender and the patrons.And I don't have to be embarrassed about drinking. read more

This bar is famously known for having red hair woman name Jolie Anderson hit on their husbands. Ladies, beware I think she may have a thing for married men. read more

TIGHT local bar! The owner/bartender is a great dude to talk to, and a great dude to receive booze from. Local kickball, softball, soccer leagues, etc. all have their get togethers here, and it's a great juxtaposition with the locals and regulars, some of whom may have not left this bar for 20 years. Love coming here at the end of a night for a cheap shot of whiskey, a cheap PBR, and a cigarette. Despite that combination, this place isn't crammed full of hipsters, and it's very low-key. Somehow, sometimes, smoking is vaguely "allowed." And lastly, they have one of those old-school front doors where the top and bottom are separate pieces and can be opened and closed individually. Maybe that feature is much cooler when you're wasted, so GO WHEN YOU'RE WASTED. A Great place to put your favorite Pantera or Todd Rundgren song on the juke, and nod your head until you black out! read more

I feel like I'm pretty darn good at reviewing restaurants, but I'm coming to terms with the fact that I have the worst taste in bars ever. That said, take this review with a grain of salt. Not only do they have PBR on tap (instant sign of a classy joint), but all beers on tap are only $2.50, all night. The bartender was fabulous and had our drinks refilled before we even made it to order a new one. -1 star because the claw arcade game filled with stuffed animals and porn is a little too rapey for my taste (holla, Misha!). read more

Favorite dive, hands down, in Oakland! Unpretentious, decent jukebox, great place for a game of dice and friendly bartender... sign me up. Only drawbacks (but admittedly a plus for some)- a little smoky. Yep, one of the few bars in the east bay that you can still light up in. *Ample street parking, shouldn't be difficult to find something within 2 blocks and/or a 8 min. walk from the Macarthur Bart. read more

Ok, this was Stop #2 in mine & Jack's Unofficial (I know what you were up to...) Practice-Off-Button Tour (a success, BTW). Jack knows what kind of bar I like: less-tool, more Me Likey. So, yeah, Stop #2 and we didn't have a lot of time as there were like, three more in queue. Lots of typical bar/wall stuff , tables high enough so you can stand and your drink is at leaning/bent-arm-level. INet juke. (unfortunately for me, Madonna had been "Play Me First'd" several times over--pun intended. I threw on some Stripes, but didn't hang around long enough for Madonna's Greatest Hits to run through.) Overall: nice tool-less place, cheap drinks. Hope to be back soon. Oh! Heard a rumor that there are Sugar-Daddy-Wanna -Be's hanging about here, so if you're into Tit-for-Tat, it might be worth a stop. read more

Small, Friendly, Jukebox. That's all I need. It's also my in my neighborhood so I have a sense of pride for it I guess. I'm always a tinge happier when I see all the neon in the windows. I've only been there a few times, but this seemingly tragic bar seems only tragically awesome. I did meet my ex-boyfriend here and though he's irrelevantly a douche bag, one star deduction for my emotional well-being. Lastly, there is a 7-11 and a 24 hr laundry mat across the street in case you feel like taking a drinking break for some candy or doin' up some dirty clothes. read more

This place is such a treasure. It's so divey that it's almost an art. It's so divey that it might fall under hipster radars. Their bartenders are pros; friendly and efficient. Beer is relatively cheap, plus they carry a local Oakland brew or two. Came here on St. Patty's day once and they even hooked it up with traditional Irish grub. Geo's is the epitome of a local watering hole, and I'm so happy it's around the corner from my apartment. I can't say I'd recommend it to anyone. But I recommend it. read more

When I was making the move from Berk to Oak, my friend was really trying to sell me on Kaye's. I went there a couple times, but never really bonded with it. We were like acquaintances, and the Kerry House was my BFF. Then I started ending up at Connelly's (RIP) a lot, and THEN I moved again, a couple blocks closer to Broadway, so that Kaye's became the closest bar to my house as well as to my laundromat. I feel like its jukebox is way overhyped, but I like the hole-in-the-wall feel, and I [heart] the bartender. It's small without having that problem of feeling like a hallway (like Smitty's does), and, you know, it's convenient and I'm lazy. OK, I named 3 other dives in this review...do I have a problem? read more

I adore the bathroom here. It is perfect! From the placement to the paint job. The Water Closet (WC-you'll understand if you get to go) was designed before the modern everything has to accommodate to a 300lbs in a wheelchair to lazy to walk liberal progressive Democrat American Disabling (ADA) themselves standard . The toilet bowl color and shape is just damn hawt. Is it odd that I focused on the porcelain goddess? Not really this bar invites oddities. There is some odd art on the walls comic, abstract, and otherwise. I loved it. I'm so tired of every dive bar having brewery purveyor's mirrors on the wall it was a welcome change. Super reasonable pricing. Tidy unpretentious bar. read more

Name an activity that is more fun than doing your laundry. Doing your laundry with a healthy buzz. Last Friday, I decided to get my laundry done early, as in right after work, so I can go out. You can consider me a regular at Advantage Laundry, across the street. Not wanting to read the same copy of Newsweek for the upteenth time and really wanting to unwind from a stressful week at work, I decided to cross the street and venture into George Kaye's. Cheap beer, they played Jeopardy on TV and they didn't mind when I was blurting out answers. And FYI, I know damn near nothing about Sir Francis Bacon. I think just found a new time for laundry and a new place to kill time while doing laundry. UPDATE 5/19/08: This place just received its fifth star. Their jukebox is awesome, it has everything from Tenacious D to Sinatra to... Opera? Too bad all the arias I love are on the Andrea Bocelli CD, but I am always a sucker for Una Furtiva Lagrima from L'Elisir d'Amore. Still that jukebox has to be the most awesome jukebox ever for the breadth of it's genres of music. read more

This is my bar!!! Yo. I [heart icon] this place, more than any other neighborhood bar I've ever had. Awwww. read more

I was considering 4 stars, but I something I can't quite articulate pushed it over the top. Maybe it was the cool old building, maybe it was the the bartender, maybe just the fact that this is a bar that doesn't mess around with cutesy themes or junk like that... This is a bar. Utilitarian. This isn't the place you go to show off your fancy pants night club getup. They're not sorry that they don't offer free wi-fi. They serve real drinks to real people, and if you fit that description, you'll feel very welcome here. The bartender Dave came by and chatted for a little while, but wasn't weird or intrusive. The greyhounds he was pouring me were reasonably priced and professional strength. Later when I asked him how old the bar was, he seemed genuinely pleased that I was interested. Turns out he's the owner, and the bar first opened in the 30's just after prohibition ended. The place was built in the 20's, (presumably serving only soda pop I'm sure) and has some cool old fixtures. Unfortunately I don't live close by, or maybe it's fortunate because I'd probably spend too much time here. Either way, worth stopping in again. read more

So, I laugh whenever I think of the name of this bar now. When we were getting the first round of drinks, we asked if the stools at the bar were available. The bartender said -no, the people are outside smoking- he proceeded to tell us that, as the owner of the bar, he used to allow smoking inside his bar until recently when a local ordinance prohibited him from doing so. I had no idea that owners of restaurants and bars could previously choose to allow smoking. At any rate, the first thing that pops into my head is to ask "so are you george kaye?" and he just looks at me an laughs. He may be the owner, but his name isn't george kaye. He was a mellow cool guy. The crowd was very biker (bicycle), tattooed Oakland style. Three guys at the table next to us were playing cards, drinking beer and shooting whiskey. Quality. The other bit of quality: it's right across from 7-11. read more

Like all the previous reviews of this place, I agree this is a no-pretension dive bar. It's location is easy to reach even for Berkeley students. Great juke box. It gets my seal of approval because it has a nice dutch door, which is always open and inviting to passersby. There is really only room for 30 or so people at Geo. Kaye's but you may be lucky enough to get a seat at the bar and strike up a conversation with the gregarious regulars who just look like they "belong" there as of right. For the last year, the establishment has been featuring rotating local art installations. Right now, there are about 15 brightly painted female torsos made of paper mache lining the wall. Very curvy and suggestive female torsos, too. You will encounter smokers at Geo. Kaye's, including the bartenders, who smoke like crazy. But because the dutch door is always open, the air circulation is quite good and you won't leave reeking of smoke. Cheers to Geo. Kaye's! read more

Stiff pours. I mean it......F***ing stiff. Friendly bartenders with just the right amount of sarcasm. Great Jukebox. Doesn't smell of piss, stale beer, or anything terrible. Food friendly. PBR on tap for the hipster in you ($2). For a dive bar this place is free of many of the usual failings. Perhaps thats why its got such good ratings. Hmm i should go get a drink. read more

I'm writing this review primarily to set straight some misinformation in one of the reviews below, but also to share a favorable experience I had at the bar recently. A recent review mentions that all beers on tap at Geo. Kaye's are $2.50 all day. Not true. When I inquired about this with Dave (the revered master and commander at Kaye's) when I was picking up my second round, he said "Sorry, Charlie", but was nice enough to give me the (2 beers = $7.50) round for free. I thought that was pretty swell. Geo. Kaye's is perfect for a first/cheap date, bro hang, or any situation where conversation and human interaction is paramount. Oh. Another thing to understand about these other reviews is that "great jukebox" actually means "great big, bright, expensive modern monstrosity of a jukebox that downloads tracks from the internet". Not great in my book, but I guess there's something for everyone on those pieces of shit. read more

I was in here the other night and the bartender was screaming at one of the regulars, "TRAITOR! TRAITOR! VICHY! TRAITOR! VICHY!" Wiki it if you don't get it, for god's sake. This man has my heart. read more

Great dive bar. Excellent jukebox. Comfortable. Not a lot of kids. Mostly professionals. As in professional drinkers. Owner bought me a round once for petting his dog for ten minutes. Swell place. Don't even THINK of parking in the 7/11 parking lot. Just trust me on that. read more

Typical Dive bar... looks really old on the inside..The bartender was very pleasant... they have chips and such behind the bar. Cash Only. The bar patrons at the time were slightly sketchy and the area is not that great but other than that. Good. read more

Usually, this bar is great and the regular bartender Ted is wonderful, but the woman bartender with dyed red hair slammed my friend into a wall inside the bar for absolutely no reason (maybe she was drunk?) and i truly hope there are some repercussions to her actions. read more

One block walk and I can't stay away. I could have paid off my debt but instead I spent my money at Kaye's. read more

Came here before a show down the street and YES. A smoking bar!!! Plus, somebody had tagged in the bathroom "ghost ride the whip" HA HA. Flockin awesome. Had a couple good drinks for cheap, smoked a cigarette or two, and we were on our way.... read more

Excellent little neighborhood bar right next to the AC Transit Transbay stop - cheap drinks and no frills.