Love this place to pre game or end the night haha the bartender are very generous with their pouring. The vibe is different every time.

This is an old time dive bar. It is one of the oldest bars in Oakland but draws an eclectic group of customers from all walks of life.

Honestly, this place made me so sad. It felt like I walked straight into the 1950s. Not only was I aggressively chastised by a group of four men, the bar tender and the door man barely intervened since we were next to the pool table. It seemed their only viable solution was that my friend and I "get up" and move to another seat in the bar... meanwhile, I almost got stabbed in the eye by a belligerently drunk man who lacked spatial awareness. Not a great place for the girls to hangout. Big yikes honestly. read more

Friendly neighborhood bar near Jack London Square. The inside is a visual feast for the eyes compete with pool table and stripper pole. What else could you ask for in a bar? Very nice atmosphere. Dark and cozy with high ceilings and many decorations on the walls to feast your eyes on. Some bumper stickers, a stuffed life like looking rabbit head with horns - and I could go on and on. Service was friendly and prompt and overall a great experience. Drinks are reasonable in price too. read more

Merchant's Saloon - Dive Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

If you love dive bars, you'll love Merchant's. Great place to have drinks. Chill place to have a few drinks. In a weird location though. But overall fun place to go. read more

Just landed from SFO and the first place I stopped was Merchant always dependable always a cold one and always a cool crowd. Pool table is not bad either. You rock! read more

See all

Went in quiet and polite, and sober, had a long day before, my eyes were puffy from personal reasons (crying), the waitress refused to serve me, assuming I was in a way, and very condescending about it - "just drink your water sweetheart". I used to like the place but will not be going back now. I don't understand how women continue to hate each other like this. There were plenty of very drunk men there but she targeted me off a glance. read more

Owner is good people! Creative with a bar. I'm not a big drinker but come here for a great time even if you're the designated driver! read more

Really cheap drinks, fun decor, quick service and i like the double sided bar. THAT BEING SAID, this place genuinely smells terrible and stay late enough on a Saturday night and the crowd is basically just off-duty bar industry people yelling at each other. Mixed bag! Right time, right crowd it could be a hit! read more

Found this bar just walking around Jack London Square. Looks a bit intimidating on the outside, but the atmosphere is great on the inside. They got TV for the game, a big bar plenty of seats and a cool vibe, loud music with lots to see inside. The bartender was great. I had a couple of whiskey pours with my friend. They are not shy with the pour, prompt service and overhaul like I said a good vibe. read more

Merchant's Saloon - Whiskey! - Dive Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

On our way to Oakland grill we saw this bar, didn't stop in cause it was a food mission at the time but before even entering, 5 stars off the bat for being open before noon, give the day drinkers a home, thank you. After eating and napping went there for a drink or 10 and had such a ball. Bartender was dope. Customers were dope. They got pool and we are some sluts for pool so that's another automatic 5. So good service, good drinks, good shit to do, AND the esthetic is sick. Ps they sell cigarettes so another win read more

Issac was super friendly and overall chill bar. It didn't seem like much from the outside but def glad we gave it a chance. Metered parking.

Classic Dive Bar vibes. Real people. Stiff drinks. Love this kind of place! Classic Dive Bar vibes. Real people. Stiff drinks. Love this kind of place! read more

Merchant's Saloon - Whimsical wall decor - Dive Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Simply put, this is my favorite dive bar in Oaktown. Lovely folks working behind the bar and friendly patrons to chat with. I love this place. read more

Broke-ish and want alcohol? This is the palce to be. It's a littttle grime-y but I mean.... a few shots in, you'll think this place is sparkling clean. You'll also probably think the bathroom is fabulous and the best toile in the world. There's a photobooth and if you're lucky, they'll have those little props outside for you to use. If you play Pokemon GO, there's a poke stop here. Bartenders are here are nice. You're welcome. :) read more

I fucking love metal. And I fucking love dives. Like, looooove. But wtf, this place is BIZARRE. First of all, I was greeted at the door with an INSANE person -- this old man (a regular) with long hair, who accused me of trying to "insult" his bike (?) and then steal it -- while trying to lock up my own bike. He relentlessly lit into me, making wholly false accusations, and got in my face, til my very tall friend stepped in. Upon entry, I looked at the bouncer, who witnessed me getting harassed, showed him my ID, and said, "whoa, that was intense," and he just stared at me in silence, like, "your problem, not mine." Then, I went inside, and the bartender was too busy listening to the crazy dude's BS story about me trying to steal his bike, to get me a drink. I just stood there directly beside both of them, politely WAITING for him to stop talking shit about me, so I could get a drink. Then, everyone at the bar was looking at me like Satan reincarnate. Next, I sat down with my cyclist friends -- enjoying chatting and naming the songs playing: Motorhead, Megadeth, Elvis Costello, Nirvana, Melvins -- and an arrogant bro with a mohawk SITS at my table (also a regular?) and starts talking about how he owns three Saturn cars, how he was the architect for "the tallest building in San Jose" (which he repeated multiple times), and then proceeds to be rude AS FUCK to one of the women at the table, who was trying to be friendly to him. The unmerited entitlement and conceit. And issues with women. And yet... HE WOULDN'T STFU, OR GO AWAY. And then, every time I buy a round for my friends, and try to say hello to the bartender and connect, I got a bit of a cold shoulder, like give me your money and bugger off. Now, I swear, I'm a decent and polite human -- I tip, I'm good at reading a scene, and I know my way around a dive. But, I'll be damned, if this place wasn't rife with assholes. Like, people who go out of their way to be dicks. I REALLY wanted to love this place -- I still do -- I thought the music and bar was rad. But the people. God. The people would rather hate on each other. So, if getting unsolicited attacks by self-righteous jerks all night is your thing, then maybe this is your bar. read more

Watering hole at Jack London square area in Oakland where you may find seafaring folks. It feels like a dive bar here plus a pool table in the back. read more

A group of us came here after the game and the we had our 3 year old with us, which we know we couldn't bring her but they had outside seating and no one outside using them. I asked him very politely if I could bring my significant other a beer outside (because we had said child with us) and he said "you could leave your fucking kid outside" and I said "I can't leve a 3 year old outside by herself" which he continued to curse at us for absolutely no reasons. it was so unnecessary For such a simple question read more

What can I even say about this place? It's awesome! I've always thought of it as the 924 Gilman of dive bars although that doesn't seem an accurate description as I'm typing it. It is a true dive bar in the warehouse district of JLS with some hella cheap and hella strong drinks. You can get everything from 24 oz. PBR's to your fancy Hendricks gin and tonics. They have one of the coolest and most recognizable logos. The Halloween decorations are up all year long. They have glow in the dark sail fish hanging on the wall. There's a pool table. The plastic skeleton on the wall is flipping you off. The bathroom is disgusting. There's TV's if that's your thing. The murals on the wall are fresh and change from time to time. The music is great. They have a photo booth. There's a stripper pole FERCHRISTSAKES!! Now, I've read some of the reviews on here where people are upset that they were ignored or not treated like they thought they should be so it is apparently necessary to remind everyone that this is A DIVE BAR IN OAKLAND. And like most dive bars in Oakland, Merchants has been around long before you and and your friends decided to move here from the "city" or have a gritty night out on the town. They are not effing around with you and they don't give a crap if they hurt your feelings. The bouncer is going to be rude to you. You might get ignored by the bartender. You may even get in a fight with some surly weirdo. Don't like it? Go to a wine bar downtown (of which there are some great ones.) I love this place and have been here many times for different occasions and with many different types of people. I've had some wild times, a few scary times, but I've always had a good time. There aren't a lot of places like Merchants so be appreciative that it's still here and tip your bartender. Cheers! read more

A total dive by all means necessary! Cheap drinks, devilish references on the walls, loud rockin' music, and a crazy crowd. I came here with some friends on a Friday night after leaving Heinold's right across the way. We wanted to continue the party and one of our friend's told us that this was the place to do it. We walked in and the place was semi-packed, but there was still lots of open space. The inside is very spacious! It has a horseshoe style bar that wraps around to the other side. Near the entrance you'll find some crazy trinkets in the wall along with a vintage style jukebox. Near the back of the bar there's a a vintage looking red sofa accompanied by a stripper pole. Very classy, right? On the other side of the bar, there's a pool table and a couple of seat available for lounging. The walls are covered with with a few satanic references; one being the "666" that is blatantly posted above the bar and is easily visible when you walk in. They play a variety of different music here and we really enjoyed ourselves while they spun a few of our favorite classics. We took some shots to begin with and a couple of my friend got a few well drinks since they were so cheap. Not sure if it was just because it was a Friday night, but the bar service was ridiculously slow! There was only one bartender working the bar that had over 40+ people standing around. I don't know if they're having staffing issues, but they should have at LEAST had two bartenders if not three working that night. It was really frustrating having to wait so long and trying to get the bartender's attention that night. I think if came back, I would try visiting on a week night to see if the bartending service is better. read more

See all

Fantastic bar tender, awesome patrons, and they even have an extra motorcycle helmet for people to pick other up at the bar!

Was looking forward to going to this dive bar. Too bad the door man was a douch and if your not a regular you get treated poorly. The ambiance is great, location is close to Jack London Square but off the beaten track. I went there on St. Patrick's days and will never go back. Rude employees, which is very sad as my friends and I were looking for a place to hang and drop some coin. Went to BevMo then chilled on the boardwalk. Thanks Merchants. I read lots of other reviews and it appears that my comments are quite common. read more

Perfect 5 for a historic dive bar. Did you know this place has been around for 101 years ? One of the oldest bars on the west coast. Check out the tile drain under the bar - sailors used to pee in it. Bars in the early 1900s started to do the "tile under the bar" thing after so many workers and sailers peed under the bar while drinking. It even has a drain and a flush. The now- upstairs used to be a banana ripening room. Overall: Interesting crowd of people from all walks of life. Music depends on whoever is the bartender. Drink prices are alright. This not the spot to order a fancy martini or a complex cocktail but rather a local spot for friends to meet up. Bathrooms: divey but from the smell / look of it they are trying to keep it clean. Fun spot. No dress code what's so ever. read more

Merchant's Saloon - Dive Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Great service and good conversation. The pours are solid and the prices are right. I like dive bars. They have always felt comfortable and honest to me. No bs, no filler. This place fits the bill perfectly. Bonus points for the lady out front making great food to help ya sober up. read more

Good music. Good ambiance. Strong drinks at a reasonable price. Who needs to go into the city ?

I haven't been on Yelp in a very long time. They have a feature now where they suggest a paragraph to write? Am I seeing that right? At any rate, onto the subject at hand... Merchant's has been a very long-time staple in Oakland, and the fact that I have never gotten around to leaving them a review before now is literally a crime and I apologize. I used to live a block away and it was a second home. It was also cherished both before and after that time as well. And you should enjoy the fact that sailors used to pee under the bar. Lot of real history there. I haven't been there during covid, but am glad they're even operating and able stay in business. You leave our beloved sasquatch biker alone if you can't follow a few simple rules or refrain from taking someone else's table. read more

Quick one, to warm up my fingers. There's work to do. I've been coming to Merchant's since before Union Pacific stopped running freight down Third Street. I know, right? I'd have an even greater legacy were I not for those first years in proximity scared to death of the joint. It's like a cactus, though. All prickly on the outside but soft and yummy in. Mind, since they did the remodel it isn't as fuzzy as it was when I first stumbled in, when the stuffed animals from the machine with the claw that nobody ever wins were hung on wires from the ceiling with the dust of a millenia, lumper skin, oiled thereupon. They lent a cozy, albeit unsettling, air. The walls are a palette for all manner artists. Were I less lazy or more alcoholic I'd have been photodocumenting the changes over the years, as by now there are dozens of layers of art and poetry and blood spatters all on top of one another like the ancient cities. That would have made for a sweet coffee table book. It would have paid for my dialysis. Two pool tables now reduced to one, cheap drinks made with a tattooed smile, a line of outerwear emblazoned with the logo "making oakland sick since ..." whatever the year is I can't remember. Set in Oakland's still active produce district, history in motion that you only see if you're up way too late or way too early. All that. Five stars. Gotta run, work screams to be done. It will take a little while longer to do than usual, as I still have a little buzz ... Thanks, Merchant's! read more

Merchant's Saloon - What the inside of my head looks like. - Dive Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

If I could give this place 0 stars, I would. One of the bartenders, Seman, was very rude! We bought a variety of music which all the bar was enjoying, and she quickly told us she was shutting it down. Not only was she upset that we were playing mexican and urban music, but she also kicked out a group of people for enjoying the music. When asked why she wanted to shut down the music, she said "just because." It was clear that there was racist intent behind her actions as she clearly was kicking out people of color. I will never spend my money here again, and neither should you. read more

Kenny was a wonderful bartender. He was very attentive and knowledgeable and very kind! He was one of the best bartenders I've ever had :)

Feels like what a bar should feels like No fancy stuff here. Just a good place to do some shots. No Fanfare for the Common Man. read more

The oldest bar in Oakland sans the jack London, definitely a must for locals and travelers alike. Enjoy a game of pool while you're there. Best bar, best bartenders, best clientele (friends for life from merchants). Enjoy! read more

Drinks are at a good value. The diviest of dive bars, definitely one of my favorites. The bartenders are great. Super chill vibes. I Like coming here before or after my friends events at Jack London and Plank. First time here, my group noticed the stripper pole. That was a good twist to our night. It's located in the back seating area was fun for my group. read more

They over charge black/African American ppl so we won't come back. Ordered the same drink another non-black patron ordered and I guess bartender didn't think I'd notice the huge price difference. Charged me and my cousin $40 for 2 double shots Smfh read more

Wait Time: 5 Minutes for a drink when busy. Unique Factor: 4/5 - A local dive bar with stripper poles and a pool table! Great place for pre-gaming and cheap drinks. Don't bother asking for a drinks menu, they either have the drink you have in mind, or they don't. Service: Chill read more

Merchant's Saloon - Dive Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

Strolling through Jack London, my friend and I saw this little bar, hiding in the cuts behind 16-wheelers. Why not? We entered to find a dark, pink-lighted bar where an assortment of adult beverages sat and a jukebox played everything from DMX to The Spinners (shout-outs to my music heads). Of course, this bar was intimate, cozy, fit with a few booths and a pool table. Everyone in the bar was rather respectful, warm, and chilling. The best part of the Merchant's Saloon was the service, for the waitress was upbeat, patient, and responsive. A guy with the style and flavor of a Seth Rogen even came over to tell us a story about how a famous rapper got into a minor misunderstanding in the presence of former President, Barack Obama. This guy was some sort of cinematographer; quite the story, quite the guy; quite the experience. Lastly, this place is over 100 years old and has not given in to the hipsters. I'll be back. read more

We stopped by here cause it was literally the only place open after midnight on a Saturday night. Very typical dive bar. Loud music. Pool table in the back. Cheap beers. I mean. Pabst for $3 draft. If you're not picky it will do the job. Lol. $6 for a Jack and Coke. The ONLY thing that you might want to be aware of is one of the bartenders. One shorter one with body tattoos is the most sweetest, nicest bartender. Totally chill. However. I think we stepped for a bit and was later greeted by a different bartender who was very, VERY rude. I also noted reviews of this on Facebook, so it wasn't just me. Still. In a pinch it's a cool spot to end the night. Would it be my first choice? Hardly. read more

One of the few real good dive bars in the Bay. If you don't like dives, avoid. If you do, it's a must.

Everything you want in a dive. Bartenders make great drinks and are friendly. They know the regulars drinks. The crowd is friendly. Amazing history. And the bloody I had was delicious. read more

Merchant's Saloon - Delicious Bloody Mary. - Dive Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

You know someone's an incredible bestie when: A. You barf in your mouth at the bar and without words you give her look she 100% understands as, 'I just threw up in my mouth, gonna try to make it to the bathroom to deposit it somewhere flushable- will you watch my purse and save my seat until I'm back?' B. She says, 'yes' You know a place is an incredible dive bar when: A. There's a tile gutter under the bar meant for sailors to piss into so they don't have to get up from the bar. B. When the above bar/barf scenario happens and no one bats an eye. It's dark, it's got degenerates who may barf at the bar, and it definitely smells like pee but that's all part of the charm... plus they make a mean White Russian and there's a bangin' jukebox. read more

What a dive! Even though it is just across the street from Jack London Square's purty waterfront, this place seems like a world apart. It looks like a squat house for homeless punk rockers. Though scary to some, I find this amusing in the way that I know I won't run into the trendy set or the rat race. But amongst the warehouse-y location, the graffiti'd walls, the sticky bar top, lies a decent bar that slings out proper drinks that's soft on the wallet. And in an area where restaurant/food prices are starting to delve into the $$$ range, it is refreshing to have this around for the pre-game. That is how this fool rolls. read more

Merchant's Saloon - Dive Bars Near Me - Oakland, California

See all