Hidden almost behind the freeway entrance , is a magical small intimate space. A classy wine lounge…read moreof sorts with attentive and knowledgeable staff and amazing ambiance. Their selections of wine is incredible (and all delicious). Definitely a date night spot!

"You telling me that wine is better than Pepsi? Huh, no way wine is better than Pepsi." - George…read moreCostanza, Seinfeld da Scene: Yelped them for pre-dinner spot. Kinda hidden on a corner right off University & 5th; make the right onto 6th & scoot around to park on 5th or University. They buzz you in, best to make a res., but seems like walk-ins are ok. Very modern, yet welcoming feel, tables spaced well for intimate encounters and a bar with Hightop seating. da Grub & Libation: I had res. for a buddy & I and belly up to the bar; they offered a table, but we're bar flies by nature. Very diverse wines by the glass & bottle so we had 4 different glasses w/ a modest charcuterie plate. da Service: Excellent, warm, friendly and genuinely so. I look forward to my next visit, whether it's for a contemplative glass in solitude or with the wife on a pre-dinner excursion. Hidden Gem, find them and enjoy!

Beta Lounge on Durant Ave Berkeley, been around since 2009 and just relaunched as 3.0 in 2025 with…read morea new tapas menu, wine flights, spirit flights, and fresh herb cocktails. Happy hour runs 3 to 5:30 with $8 wine and cocktails which is genuinely hard to beat in Berkeley. Wednesday wine night is 50% off bottles including reserve, so that one is worth planning around. Spring rolls and hummus plate are the go-to snacks, light menu that works well with the drinks. Comfortable couches, good music, dog friendly, bartenders that actually remember you. 5 stars, solid neighborhood spot that keeps getting better, Wednesday wine night alone earns it

I had no idea Beta Lounge existed off of Durant Ave. and what a cool space and place off-the-beaten…read morepath! We heard this building has been many different iterations over the years, but happy to have found this spot in Berkeley for a fun happy hour with friends. We enjoyed the wine flight (choice of 4 wines), each with a nice pour, and shared the spinach dip with chips. We also enjoyed an espresso martini to cap off the evening. The staff were super friendly, and the lounge was filled with what seemed like regulars. The lounge couches were super comfy and it was an overall very relaxing yet intimate experience. I would definitely come back again with a group, or even stop by for a date night. Parking is a bit tough in this area, but there is street parking (if lucky enough to find it) and garages nearby.

Our second bar of the night! Stopped by Club Mallard after Blue Rabbit Bar for something more…read morespacious so our group could all be together. This was very nice; it was very spacious and offers outdoor patio with tiki vibes! Our group was able to snag the outdoor patio upstairs! Other people were free to also hang out in the patio too, but because we got there early and our group was big, we were able to put the tables together and it really just felt like we were the only ones there; very intimate. There is a pool table and a bar on the second floor, so you don't have to go back downstairs. The staff were very friendly and helpful. They provided great customer service and came by to our table to pick up empty glasses. There was an incident that happened where a man was taking pictures of people in the bar and he came outside to the patio and started taking photos of our group, which we felt very uncomfortable about. We alerted staff and they were able to handle the situation and came back to check on us. They don't serve food here, but they do allow you to bring food from other places! That was very convenient because we were already comfortable and didn't want to leave to go somewhere else. Tacos El Autlense is a 5 min walk away and it's one of my fave places to get tacos; that's where we got our food at! I literally had it the night before too hahaha, but I wasn't complaining! This place was so cute; the music, the ambiance, the service... a whole vibe!!! I would definitely come back.

Sexy cabin themed bar for the win!…read more Relaxed and fun spot with lots of spaces to explore. Pool, the bar and a bamboo themed patio on the ground floor, and then an upstairs too for a more intimate vibe. Drinks seem above average quality, but I just stuck with Guinness (poured quite well). Street parking.

Great place to come eat a bite, drink a bear, and sing a karaoke song!…read more I came here with some friends on a week night. It was pretty empty and had two nice pool tables. There's a food guy in the back that serves Japanese food (pretty good!). The karaoke sound system is pretty janky but functional and the DJ is very nice.

Boy, this place takes me back. Way back. Way, way, way back. When I was a puppyish sophomore still…read moretrying to figure out my major, I remember coming here with my similarly awkward dorm mates for what would be the beginning of a lifetime of cocktail debauchery. I remember when it had a tiki vibe, and we shared a ridiculously potent concoction called the Borneo Fogcutter. I don't remember much after I passed out. Good times. Now it's a hundred years later, and it was my first time back. Seriously. I probably thought how could they could top the Borneo Fogcutter? They don't try. The tiki decor has clearly been long gone, and it's just a standard brick-laden bar with a more East Coast vibe and extra space for tables, banquettes, and a pool table. None of the extra space was being used when Jamie W and I paid a visit, though the bar itself was fairly packed. The bartender was friendly and made a solid $11 Rum Punch since we were in the mood for something tropical given my checkered past here (Photo 5). On a subsequent visit, we took advantage of Happy Hour and went with the $6 Tequila Sunrises which had a surprising kick (Photo 8). DRINKS - 4 stars...no Borneo Fogcutters but their drinks have punch AMBIANCE - 3 stars...showing its age SERVICE - 3.5 stars...bartenders are different each visit TOTAL - 4 stars...Spats has matured and so have I (hypothetically) RELATED - Exploring Berkeley? Here's my collection of places I've tried and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2CbVh8u

Fabulous neighborhood wine bar! Great food options and they usually feature pop-up restaurants too!…read moreService is friendly and attentive. Ambiance is casual but you can dress up if you want to. They have pinball in the back and I believe they offer trivia night. The wine selections are always fabulous. Come here on a date or with a group! Highly recommend!

This place has such a cool vibe! It feels like you've walked into someone's house. There is tons of…read moreart and retro stuff on the walls. Home alone was playing on multiple screens when I went. Vinyl playing on turntables and a high quality charcuterie board.

First this place is a five star dive bar! Love the service I got from Wavy Dre! His service and…read morehospitality was completely genuine! My first time in Berkeley and will be back... TOMORROW :) Thank you! -Bjaxxx

Saturday I went out to have a drink with my man and my total was $26. I did NOT leave a tip on the…read morereceipt because I gave a cash tip instead. The next day I get a notification that my transaction was UPDATED and $4 more was added. I called and asked to speak to a manager, of course one wasn't available. The bartender said he was the one working that night, but suddenly he "doesn't handle transactions". He said a manager would call me back and nobody ever did. So now I'm returning in person because that charge was NOT authorized. I don't care how little the amount is. You do NOT add money to someone's card without their permission. That is wrong and shady. If you come here, WATCH YOUR BANK STATEMENTS and KEEP YOUR RECEIPTS because clearly they feel comfortable adding extra charges after you leave.

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

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

My after work watering hole, and sometimes during work nudge nudge, wink wink say no more!…read moreGreat selection of tap beers and a full bar. Decent food menu, even have a decent veggie burger. They've got some nice veggie appetizers, cauliflower, fake chicken tender thingies, and a nice pretzel. Probably the best pretzel I've ever had. Pay the little extra for the cheese dip. Me likes the cheese bites. And I love the shishito peppers. Lotsa interesting folks come up in here, and there's some daily regulars, a real mixed bag , fun people. I met a couple people that turned out to be my good friends for the last few years. Attached is a concert hall that has some pretty interesting live music acts and very diverse from hip hop to jazz to funk to rock and roll and that dark sider stuff, heavy metal, etc. They rent the whole joint out if you have a party or they rent sections as well. Great spot for wedding rehearsal dinners, high school reunions, company parties, etc. Stimulating conversation abounds and a lot of laughter bouncing off the walls. A great place to see sporting events, especially the Warriors. Very nice patio as well with big umbrellas and fire pit. There is an odd set up as you have to go to the bar to get your drinks each time you want something. The downside could be long lines as they don't have table service but they bring you stuff. They don't take orders from the table. Some kind of crowd control thing? Or mis management or local rules? At any rate, it is a fun hang out with killer bartenders and servers. Great spot, get over here and enjoy yourself! Time to leave your crib, get off the sofa, turn off Netflix. And remember, social media is not! Let's go, get out and make Berkeley great again! Tip well the service is great!

I was an insane person and went to go see 4 concerts in 1 week, all at different venues and I have…read moreto say that this one is my favorite. I went to see the visual kei, Japanese rock band, JILUKA, here with my boyfriend and we lined up beforehand for VIP. The staff walked out, showed us the rules for the VIP that was printed on a piece of paper and explained it to us too, they walked down the line to scan us in as well. Venue itself is pretty neat. The front part is a bar area with lots of tables and seating and outdoor seating as well. Since it was before the concert, we were able to enjoy some food and drinks from the bar and kitchen. It was also during their Happy Hour too which was great. My boyfriend got a drink (not sure what it was, but it was refreshing and citrus tasting?) and we shared a Bavarian soft pretzel with mustard and we got the white cheddar dipping sauce added on for a nominal fee. One of the best pretzels that I've ever had! Deliciously soft interior, nice chew to the texture of the exterior. Comes out hot, warm and delicious. Great on it's own, but great with the sauces too. Perfect dash of the coarse salts on it. I'd get this again for sure and would like to one day order more from their menu. The live house music area is in the back in a separate room. Restrooms were clean too. Enough space for the bands to sell their merch and do a meet and greet. Wasn't a huge venue and insane turn out, but it fit the crowd and I liked how intimate setting was. I was around 3-4 rows from the front and even with a mosh pit and wall of death, I was able to shift around and see the band more clearly. Easy visibility no matter where I was shifted around. Lighting was pretty good and made it easy to take pictures and video. I think the vocals were a bit more muffled than the rest of the band members playing, but that might just be the set up more than anything. Of all the venues I stopped by for the week, this had the most approachable and friendly staff. Greeted going and as we were leaving too. I didn't overheat at this one either, so the AC was A+!! There's paid parking nearby but if you read the signs and go around, you can get free street parking too. Bring more J-rock/over seas acts here, it was so good!