I recently attended a birthday celebration at High 5ive Rooftop Venue in Oakland, and the experience was nothing short of disastrous. The bartender was shockingly rude and disrespectful, and the manager displayed a complete lack of experience in handling the situation. There was a disturbing sense of racial bias towards our group, which was hard to ignore. After being double charged over $400, when we asked for a correction, the bartender insulted us rather than addressing the issue. Shockingly, he had support from another staff member, rather than assistance in resolving the problem. To make matters worse, the management opted to call security instead of acknowledging their mistakes, seemingly fueled by bias against black patrons. This venue has a reputation for being unfriendly to people of color, and it's clear that their business model may even aim to discourage us from visiting. The bartender's behavior ruined our celebration, showing a blatant lack of respect towards us based on our skin color. I would strongly advise against this establishment if you're looking for a positive experience, especially as a black patron. Their go-to solution seems to be to call security rather than rectify their errors, which is unacceptable. read more

Great Sunday rooftop party! Presale tickets are about $20 - it's fun, great music, beautiful venue, drinks and apps are tasty! If you're staying at the Kissel or live downtown it's worth checking out! read more

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The vibe was so chill and gorgeous. I almost forgot I was still in the hood even with the gentrification. The drinks were expensive but good. The service was amazing and the whole place was just super nice. Good for hanging out with friends and also for couples. read more

High 5ive Rooftop Bar - Entrance to HIGH 5IVE - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Thank you Alex. I have spoken to the manager and resolved the transaction issues. I just hope the service level can be improved in your establishment. It's really one of the best lounges to hangout with friends downtown Oakland. read more

High 5ive has been bookmarked for me for quite some time now but I totally forgot about it until a friend recommended to stop by to hang out since it looked nice. Let me start by saying the service was absolutely terrible. Upon getting the check, I noticed immediately why. There was an automatic 20% charge. My partner ordered 2 Hennessy & Coke and for whatever reason, there was an extra $3 charge for one of them. The drinks were inconsistent, packed with ice and not strong at all. 11 drinks came up to $252 after taxes and fees. It honestly seems that the place just isn't managed well and the employees didn't care about the customers at all. First round drinks were taken down shortly after choosing where we wanted to sit but after that, we had to flag employees down to order. The ambiance is just mediocre at best. Music was extremely low throughout the place and nonexistent in the restrooms. I had high hopes of coming here but that was shot down pretty quickly. read more

High 5ive Rooftop Bar - Uptown Cadillac & The Beautiful Ones - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

This is probably my favorite bar in Oakland. A very classy spot, with a nice ambiance and good drinks. The food options are limited, but are very good as well. They have an outdoor rooftop area with plenty of seating, and indoor seating as well. The entrance is somewhat inconspicuous on a side street, and the bar itself is on the second floor of the building. I highly recommend it for a fun night out. read more

Love the concept here! Expansive, atmospheric rooftop bar in Oakland? Count me in! The space is well designed, lots of comfy seating and great for groups as well as couples. Some feedback to make it better - dim the lights. Was way too bright for 10pm - consider closing some of the French doors to reduce cool air coming inside - lower the music volume slightly - improve service. The place was less than half full but we had to wait a while to order at the bar. There were 2 bartenders, both of whom independently said "we'll be with you soon" after we were already waiting for some time. Then one of them came up to us and asked us as well as the couple next to us "who was here first" which was just a bit awkward The drinks, when we finally got them, were good especially the jack London breeze. Anyway, I think this place has potential, just needs some small tweaks to improve the experience. read more

The environment is really good here. The drinks were also really good! Service was great as well. The only reason I gave the 4 stars is because we were charged for extra drinks which I understand was an accident but if my boyfriend wouldn't have noticed the charge would've stuck. Other than this mistake it was a very nice evening and their rooftop is really nice and relaxing! read more

Great service and ambiance Superb crab sandwich Beautiful space Great for girls night or date read more

Cecil's party is amazing. Unfortunately the bartender/people working there are not. They no longer provide free water AT A DANCE EVENT (isn't that illegal?) This time, I brought my own bottle of smart water and it was stolen by someone. I asked the bartender for a cup of water, even explaining the situation and was denied. When I later asked them for a to go container for leftovers, that's when they finally gave me a cup of water. Right as I watched someone else get served water first with much less hassle. Eww. read more

Mixed review. Cool place with a sunset/ish view. Busy with youngish crowd. It's off side street, not the Kissel front door so walk around to the north of the building's Broadway entrance. ID is checked. Drinks were ok and disappointed with old fashioned but cool smoke. First sip was better than the ones after. Then I had to go to chase down someone to close out. Bartender helped find the server who maybe focus on the bigger groups instead of me. read more

High 5ive Rooftop Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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The ambiance is amazing, great if you're wanting a nicer place to hangout, but I thought the drinks were only okay. We tried 5different drinks from the menu (I only took pictures of the first two), but all of the drinks were just okay. They tasted a little unbalanced, some tasted either watered down others like taking a shot. read more

High 5ive Rooftop Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

This place has potential, but it's lacking terrible in so many aspects. The doormen at the entrance were nice. The one inside asked if we had reservations.. we didn't & didn't even know that we could / or needed them. He talked in his ear piece & told someone we were walk ins, I guess. That made it seem very professional and exclusive. However, when we took the elevator and arrived at the top the hostess asked if we had reservations.. so I'm not sure what happened with their communication in those two minutes. She wouldn't seat us outside even though there was tons of available seating outside. We figured maybe it's booked up and reserved for others. Well, we were there for an hour and tons of seating stayed available! Our server was nice. Not the most attentive though. Didn't ask us if everything was fine once we received our food, but later on asked if we wanted to order anything else. Drinks were good but not consistent with how they were made. Our second round of drinks were a lot stronger than our first; which was a pleasure for us, but may not be for others. Also it was weird that my drinks (Uptown Funk) weren't filled to the top. Maybe invest in different glasses or figure out another way to make the cocktail because it was extremely unappealing. For food we ordered salmon cakes which were good but overpriced. The charcuterie board was disgusting!!!!! I had to tell the server to take it back. Pate looked cheap and tasted cheap.. the meats were very low quality and tasted funny, especially the salami. It was looked / tasted like it was old / expired / not stored well. The small amount of pickled vegetables were pathetic. Because it's a rooftop place with open doors, naturally it is very pretty. However there are other places that do better all around. I don't think I would come here or recommend this place. read more

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Definitely a nice vibe. I really like how security greets you and lets upstairs know you are coming. This is a great date spot or spot to have a girls night out. The food menu apparently changes. It's more small bites. So I would suggest eating before you go here for drinks. Th staff was super friendly and attentive. They checked on you often but not so much it was annoying. read more

High 5ive Rooftop Bar - Menu - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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This is my second time here . The first time I was able to access rooftop outside and I loved the food selection ! I wish you guys can bring back the ahi tuna and tacos option . The drinks are always up to par and strong with a kick . Great service and kind customer service as always . Definitely has more potential! read more

High 5ive Rooftop Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

I really want to like this place. The decor is definitely on point, but that maybe their strongest suit. Sat outside on the door during sunset, huge missed opportunity by not having some mood music playing during sunset. Food has not been memorable. My potato dish had a lot of potential, but came out underdone and had to refire. Drinks aren't bad, but not spectacular. Staff is kind all around, but not sure if that is enough to compel me to return. Would love to recommend for dates or happy hour because the potential is there, but I've been underwhelmed 3/3 times. read more

High 5ive Rooftop Bar - Oakland Old Fashioned, Brie-Baked Baby Potatoes - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Great drinks and food. I got here at 5pm per my reservation. The place was empty, which was great. Beautiful day, nice outside seating area. Unfortunately the hostess seated another couple right next me despite the fact the place was empty. They lost a star due to this. My server was great, always checked on me. Overall a great place to hang with friends to have some good drinks and food. Highly recommend. read more

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Great indoor/outdoor rooftop situation. I'm so glad that Oakland has this, we need more rooftop locations. The decor is beautiful, chic and modern and just takes you to another place which is awesome. The exposed rooftop has fire pits which are great and if you get there early you have your fair pick at where you want to sit. The drinks are strong, but good and the food is pretty tasty. Looking forward to going back. read more

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Im a sucker for a nice rooftop!! Cozy! Beautiful view of Oakland and sunset is lit!!! Music is loungy and chill vibe! Parking is tricky so Uber! "Delayed Flight" and "you're so cool" cocktails! yum! Order the drinks short bc sometimes the talls have too much juice. This is a place for young professionals and grown adults. Community seating forces you to interact and meet others which is very cool. Everyone has a nice demeanor. They keep the heating lights and fire pits on so the bay weather is do-able. Didn't eat so can't comment on food. read more

High 5ive Rooftop Bar - "Delayed Flight" and "you're so cool" cocktails! yum! Order the drinks short bc sometimes the talls have too much juice. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Came here with a friend on a Thursday night, and I would definitely be back! I'm rating this place on its vibe and drinks and as a bar only, and forgiving it the lack luster food. We made reservations and it was listed as an indoor table. To my (pleasant) surprise, they gave us an outdoor table. I note this only because I did not bring a jacket, thinking we were going to be inside. It ended up being a very nice night, so it wasn't an issue, and I wanted to be outside, but next time, I'll definitely bring a jacket just in case! Our server was great and she came and checked on us at frequent enough, but not too frequent increments. The drinks were lovely and between that and the outdoor ambiance, it's what would bring me back! As the night went on, the lights came on and the fire pits were lit, and that made it even better of a vibe! That said, the food was ok at best, and I would absolutely come back here for a drink after a nice dinner elsewhere. I would classify the food as passable bar bites. Things we ordered: -On Broadway - lovely and refreshing drink -Solar Flare - really loved this drink -Finologist - definitely interesting and spirit forward -Ahi tuna - it was fine -Artichoke spinach dip - this was good for snacking, just wish it came with a few more slices of bread -Chicken flat bread - I ended up using this as a way to eat more artichoke spinach dip, because eon its own it was pretty meh. Maybe it's just that I expected pretty good food? That was a let down, but for a novelty bar with a cool vibe and solid drinks, would definitely recommend! read more

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Beautiful place and happy to see it in Oakland but I'll give it a few months and come back to change my review. The service is slooooooooooow. Like 30 min wait times on drinks. Nah! Great vibes tho read more

High 5ive Rooftop Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Drinks were good but it took over 25 min to get 2 cocktails and one glass of wine. Also the couches outside were wet when we were sat.

Website says the bar opens at 3:00. We went to the Kissel lobby thinking that was how we access the bar. No one in the lobby knows that this bar opens at 3:00 so multiple people tell us the bar opens at 5:00. Finally, the front desk person says she will check and she is told the bar opens at 3:00. We find out that we have to walk around the corner to access the bar. At this point, it is 2:50. We wait until 3:00 and the big chain with padlock is still on the front door. I direct message the bar on Instagram to tell them we are outside and ask if they are opening at 3:00 because God forbid they have a phone number to call. No one responds. We go to two other bars and eat and come back at 5:00. There is a bouncer who asks if we have a reservation before letting us upstairs. I asked him when they open and he said when he shows up. Which was not until 3:45 today. How on Earth do you run a business like that? And it wasn't even half full when we got upstairs. The whole thing was bizarre. I only gave two stars because the ambience and space was nice. I also hated my drink and told the waitress it tasted like soap. I didn't drink it but she also didn't offer to take it off the bill or replace it with something I would actually like. For a place trying to act all elitist I think you should have better customer service. read more

Since the moment we walked in it felt like a vip experience, We loved that there's security by the door and you feel like you are entering into an exclusive place. we were greeted by a friendly staff, got seated immediately outside, it wasn't busy at all for a Saturday night, but the waitress let us know that they were a little bit understaffed, but she was friendly, answering our questions and checking on us constantly. I loved that the music was loud enough that you can vibe and talk without feeling like you have to yell across the room. We were a party of 5 , we ordered a couple of beers, a rosé , Royal Pines and Solar Flares. Their beers were canned not from the tap. I had the solar flare and I think it was missing 3 more seconds in the shaker, I had to mix it with the straw because at first I can only taste the Mango pulp. Overall my drink was a 4/10. We wanted something to snack on but their options were kind of limited, and we decided to order quesabirrias to share, and they have been the best ones I have had in a while! And I love quesabirrias! But so far these were 10/10 , if I wasn't impressed by the drinks I think the quesabirrias did it for me. I think this spot it's very cute, clean and I will definitely come back for more quesabirrias . read more

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Located in an alley way off a Main Street, limited street parking. We utilized the valet service with Kissel around the corner. Very professional when entering - security greets you, let's upstairs know you're coming and escorts you to the elevator. When upstairs, you see high ceilings and modern decor.There was only one other party here so the hostess let's us know to sit wherever we wanted. We opted to stay inside and viewed the patio from our table. Their tea time was not great, at all. And to be fair, people are probably coming here for the drinks. I go to high tea often so i was disappointed at the selection of pastries/treats/cheese/meats and tea sandwiches. Skimpy on the charcuterie and was not much to share between two people. And the tea sandwiches.. there were two different kinds but not even cut for us to share. Weird. I will say, the drinks were strong, we got the margarita and it was pretty good. Service was also just ok. I don't think I'd be back for their tea time but it is a beautiful venue to hang out. read more

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So we get there for the first time with a res at 7p. The ground floor lobby is empty and a mature security guard aggressively and rudely interrogates us for our res. We were dressed really nicely too to have a trendy night out. He walkies up to the restaurant on the roof and verified our res and finally let's us in the elevator... bad start cause they were not even busy and they treated us like this was some NYC night club with a line wrapped around the building! Try a happy greeting and nicely asking for the reservation and tell the guard he needs to transfer to bounce at a night club or event. He was so rude!! #2 we get to the host which no one is waiting and she looks at us like she doesn't know we were coming up? She kept asking us for our reservation than finally finds it....Like didn't the guard just walkie you to verify us and send us upstairs? #3 we ordered a bottle of champaign than they ask us if we want to open it ourselves?? Please open the bottle for us I ask. She poors the flute glass to the the top (shocked), doesn't allow me to taste it, than puts the mettle wire cap back in the top?? And back in the ice bucket. They clearly don't know what service is, and how unsanitary it was to put the wire cap back on the bottle, and the service was slow. #4 we ordered 6 dishes and all of them were not fresh, old premade, and all the warm dishes were cold (not reheated right). Gross and overpriced. We spend $180 (after a tip) for a place trying too hard to be upscale with poor service, unfriendly attitude and bad food. #5 the receipt actually said "Two guys booth"? Like who writes that on a recipe? What if we were non binary? Or what if they said fat lady?? Common people?? I added a pic of the receipt. Basically I don't recommend wasting time or money going here at ALL!! read more

High 5ive Rooftop Bar - Wtf??? Who's says that on a recipe?? What if we were non-binary - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

The ambiance is great. Unfortunately the service lacked immensely. We had a reservation for 8 at the fire pit. It was a birthday and they wouldn't allow additional people to come up although it was empty upstairs! That was a surprising business practice. We asked if they could just stop by and say happy birthday and they refused entry into the building. When we asked if people could swap out (2 leave and 2 others come up) we were told this was not allowed. We were disappointed as we were spending $800+ on the bill. I have never experienced this kind of service at an establishment in Oakland before. Otherwise the drinks were good. The food was okay, portions were very small and the flavor was lacking. Adding a picture of the empty space that we couldn't have more guests sit at. read more

High 5ive Rooftop Bar - Empty seats at our reservation area that they wouldn't not allow additional guests in to use in our party - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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Everyone in our group kept saying "this place has potential!" It was in a safe nook of Oakland with security at the bottom floor. Immediately upon entering, it was so so so quiet. The indoor portion was completely empty, which was comical considering they took making a reservation so seriously. We sat outside, which had NO MUSIC. Upon mentioning it to the waitress, she said their proximity to apartment buildings made it impossible for them to have music. The waitress had zero personality and did not check on our table after taking our order. I'll let photos explain our thoughts on the meat and cheese boards.... Drinks were nothing more than decent- how can your Hugo spritz be just mediocre? We left after chasing the waitress down to close out. Safe to say we will NOT be back. read more

High 5ive Rooftop Bar - Outside - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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Fancy, and fun spot serving up unique and legit cocktails. Met up with some friends here on a cloudy day. I found the ambiance and decor to be bright and inviting so we hardly missed the balcony seating. I decided to stick with tequila for my cocktails and really enjoyed both the Delayed Flight (they made it with tequila for me) and the Solar Flare. I definitely plan to return to enjoy their rooftop seating and try some of the whiskey drinks! read more

High 5ive Rooftop Bar - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

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I'm always on the hunt for a rooftop bar with a view and great vibes! High 5ive was a great spot to have a fun ladies night with some drinks and snacks. The staff was very nice and attentive, although our server did forget to bring us water when we asked for it. Oops! We shared the tuna poke, arancini, and potato chips. All of which were pretty good. We were excited to try the caprese but they were out of it. The $15 cocktails were unfortunately not great. The Bay area has some of the best cocktail bars around so I'd expect a pretty decent cocktail for that price. I got the "gone in 60 seconds" drink which was tequila, amaro, mango, grapefruit and lemon. All I could taste was tequila and what reminded me of from concentrate grapefruit juice. The "On Broadway" was drinkable and I did get 2 of those. Based on other reviews it seems consistent that the cocktails could be better. If the cocktails improved this would definitely be one of my favorite bars to go to! read more

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We checked out High 5ive Lounge based on a recommendation while visiting for All-Star weekend. At first, we thought we were in the wrong spot--the entrance is tucked away almost like it's in an alley. After taking the elevator up, we were greeted by a friendly host and chose to sit on the rooftop. It was too cold for us, even with the fire pits, so we moved inside. The space is pretty large but felt a bit empty. Our server was nice, and the drink recommendation was great--it came out quickly and was really tasty. Overall, nothing negative to say, it just wasn't our vibe, so we didn't stay long. read more

High 5ive is a stylish rooftop bar and lounge that's part of the Hyatt Kissel. Yes, the "roof" is not on the Hotel itself (which is 6 stories tall), but on top of a separate 1-2 story building. To get here, go out the front door of the Hotel, turn left off Broadway, turn left on 25th Street, go half a block up, and arrive at the twin glass doors. Gayle and I stopped in around 9 PM a few days ago after checking into the Hotel. After the Security guy opened the door for us, we took a long flight of stairs (an elevator is available), and soon we were in the middle of a bustling cocktail scene with the outdoor rooftop area completely and happily full. The NBA playoffs were also on the TV screens. We then took our seats in an alcove on the right that was a little quieter. Gayle had yet to enjoy dinner, so she ordered a very nice Charcuterie plate, along with a delicious tarte/sweet "The Beautiful Ones" cocktail. I ordered an East Brothers Oatmeal Stout and nibbled off her plate, as I'd already eaten. Soon after, a High 5ive employee stopped by with a couple red wine samples, and what followed was an in depth and fun conversation on how it went with our meat/cheese combinations. The red was a light one, with a nice berry taste, and would be a perfect patio wine, but not standing up to a strong cheese. Service was a little slow between ordering and delivery, but was overall friendly and classy. The only reason I've giving 4 Stars here was the missed opportunity to sit outside, and enjoy the view and friends that way. Otherwise, we hope to be back soon. read more

Came here for the rooftop and to have a few drinks. It was good weather and just came from dinner across the street at Mua & heard of this spot so we wanted to check it out. We were seated but literally sat for over 30 mins. Sadly we got up and left because they never came back to take or our drink order. read more

High 5ive Rooftop Bar - Rooftop area. - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Definitely the service was horrible. Unfortunately, the bartenders are so rude. like are you doing me a favor if i am paying? i ordered over $350 dollars' worth of drinks at the bar and of course the group i was with all had to look at the menu and decide as it was 7 of us. the bartender told me that everyone needs to have their drinks ready and god for bid if we asked her a question. as a professional i would never recommend this kind of place to any of my friends or co-workers. we don't pay for rudeness! and oh their elevator is broken so get ready to climb all the stairs. read more

This is a nice rooftop spot in downtown Oakland! Me and my friends stop by here for a quick drink. We ordered the On Broadways which were delicious. The outdoor patio is really nice and the service was great as well. read more

High 5ive Rooftop Bar - On Broadway - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Cool vibes. Chill crowd. Delicious drinks. Good service. The newest rooftop bar in the area, high 5! read more

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The rooftop space is cool with decent views and nice firepits and couches, but the food and drinks were only mediocre. The cocktail menu had some classics on it and a couple interesting drinks, but the drinks were bland and tasted of low-quality, well liquor, despite their $17 cost each. read more

We came with reservations on a Thursday. We enjoyed our drinks and food in the patio. Beautiful space. The blue chips and cocktails were fabulous along with the charcuterie board. The birria tacos were sooo good. We also had chicken and broccolini. Security and host were strict about reservations although they said you could just walk in. read more

I love the space. Being on this rooftop makes me forget I'm in Oakland. Everything about the space is beautiful. And the outdoor heaters kept me warm and actually worked. Food was good and I'm hoping they will grow their food menu. Drinks were all good. The servers were very attending and always coming back to check up on us. My husband and I arrived early around 5:30pm and were able to get a nice corner with a lounge chair to fit all of us. Music was decent. I will definitely be back again. read more

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Great bar that feels special for a night out! We went as a mom group and sat inside near the patio doors. It actually felt more covid safe that way because we weren't close to another group (outside we would have been closer to other parties). The decor is beautiful and the servers were so kind! Every drink I had was great but my favorite was the Beautiful Ones. Also had another cocktail (forgetting name) and a glass of cab. We noshed on hummus and the cheese plate as well as the lettuce wraps. The lettuce wraps were a little lite on the lettuce but tasted good (were little lentil balls). The three spreads and pita were our favorite. Would be nice to have fries on the menu-simple frites are always nice to share. The outside patio is beautiful and has nice ambiance. Would definitely recommend for date night or a nice night out with friends. Felt special enough to dress up for. Not sure how the patio seating works but would be nice to be able to reserve online on Yelp or Resy or Open Table. We peaked out a few times to see if any space opened up but one of the servers said there were other groups waiting to sit outside too (not sure how to get added to the queue). The bouncer outside was amazingly nice and helped with parking tips. He offered to walk our friend to her car and also opened my Lyft door when the car arrived-so chivalrous! (There was another guy at the front too but he gave some of my friends a hard time getting inside even though they said they were meeting us upstairs-not cool!) Overall would recommend and will be back! read more

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