I love the lodge: the atmosphere is cozy and friendly they have excellent bartenders and drinksread more

Stopped at The Lodge to take a breather from Mosswood Meltdown. Welcoming service, full bar, free…read morepopcorn, and pop-ups in the kitchen most days of the week. As a teetotaler I was happy to find non-alcoholic options. The tamarind mocktail was among the best mixed drinks I've tried. Highly recommended! PAL Burgers was the vendor when we visited. We tried their burgers and tots and were impressed. Both well executed. I'd definitely come back!

So been living in Oakland for going on 15 years now. I'm not what you would call a "bar" person. I…read moretend to enjoy my cocktails, wine, and beer in the cozy confines of my own home. That said I'm occasionally inspired to go check out the local watering holes for a good pour, some food if possible, and just to be in the presence of the human pulsation. Walking into Tallboy on a Thursday afternoon was a bit like Nirvana for me. There is a comforting vibe of neighborhood and after work people shedding responsibility and "toe the lineness" and transitioning to pondering true meaning and the other side of the elliptical bend over nicely crafted cocktails and HOTDOGS! I am a hotdog fiend, and Tallboy has a very creative range on the menu that does not disappoint. From a basic onions/mustard, an Elote Dog, an a Coney Islandesque (it has chili) version. Some folk go to bar and line up shots (or craft cocktails). At Tallboy you can do that AND line up their hotdogs which I intend on doing in the very near future. The pleasantries don't stop at the food (there are other delicious snack items on their menu to choose from too). Tallboy has a fully stocked bar, and the menu has a list of really unique and delicious signature craft cocktails. I'm not a Mezcal drinker, but I ended up dubiously ordering their Guava Martini which to my smokey surprise is made with Mezcal. I stayed with the smokey fruitiness of this Guava Martini as it was my mistake that I did not read in the description it is made with Mezcal, and ended up chasing it with their Tamarindo Cocktail which also has Mezcal. To those who really enjoy Mezcal the Tallboy Guava Martini and the Tamarindo Cocktail do not disappoint. Both have that deep Smokey Mezcal essence, but cut with the fruit sweetness. I personally think the Tamarindo balances well with the Mezcal. The Guava Martini the Mezcal comes through stronger, but both are just the tonic to release any existential pinging going on in your head. If you really want to kick in the hyperdrive pair either of these with an Elote Dog. I had their Deli Dog which sufficed. I think the Deli Dog would pair better with their standard Martini, but hey let's us not bring that snobbiness into Tallboy. Tallboy has an element of cloak and dagger or secret treehouse club about it. What I mean here is there is no signage on the outside (please keep it that way!). When you walk past all you see is this quaint beigeish/yellow brick façade of an establishment which begs you to press your face to the glass and scan what in the blazes is going on in here! Before you know it you are caught in the Tallboy tractor beam, and you find yourself sitting at the bar with some kind of craft drank and hotdog pondering the space and the very nice old fashioned wainscoting painted a shade of green circa 1930 (my description of winning in life). The cadre of bartenders are all really pleasant folk, very attentive (checking in with you to see if you need another round, hotdog, or snack), have tight shaker skills, and they know their craft and the menu. Tallboy also has SLUSHIES, and I did not do a deep dive on them, but I'm positive they may/do put spirits in them; or not. Also I noticed other patrons with a beautiful enticing thing that looked like an ice cream sundae milkshake hybrid (it had what looked like whipped cream on top) in on old timey soda fountain ice cream goblet. This could be a craft cocktail they make with the slushie, but major props for serving it in that goblet. I will investigate on my next visit which I intend to be very soon. Tallboy is the kind of bar establishment I could easily adopt as my after work living room for a couple of hours everyday.

Had an amazing experience at Tallboy!…read more Sat at the bar on a sunny weekend and immediately loved the vibes. Bartenders were friendly and seemed to know a lot of the regulars. Can't quite describe it but it didn't feel like an SF bar, felt more open and like a community watering whole. On to the food and drinks. I'm vegetarian so was so excited to try the dogs - which are vegan. And I may be biased but you cannot tell that you're missing out on anything with all the flavor packed combos. The bun was fluffy and soft and you have multiple fun themed options to choose from. My partner and I ended up getting the deli dog and truffle meltdown. Deli was perfect - classic mix of spice and crunch with the spicy brown mustard and giardiniera peppers. And the truffle meltdown was so savory and decadent - totally different flavor profiles from each dog! We were only going to grab one drink but the menu was so inventive we ended up getting two. I ordered the banana hammock (which comes with a fire show) and espresso martini slushee which was is up there with the frozen Irish coffees I've had in New Orleans. Man writing this has my mouth watering... definitely coming back for more dogs, drinks, and vibes!

I discovered mother tongue brand at a place called Tamper Room in Fremont. I had bought some beans…read morefor my dad, and he enjoyed, so was so excited to see that there is a cafe close by. The space is lovely. I love a cafe that has different seating options in terms of height, and there is a lovely spacious outdoor area as well. It's functions well as a work and social gathering space. I tried a guava pastry that was delicious and got a lot of work done (I worked in 3 spots since I like to move around when I work). Service was great, and there are so many drink options as well! Looking forward to returning soon!

My partner introduced me to this spot a couple of years ago. Initially I wasn't a fan of the vibe,…read morebut over subsequent visits, the place has grown on me. Part coffee shop, part cocktail bar - I'll take one of each please! They make good, hand-crafted cocktails; the espresso martini, topped with ancho chili powder is my partner's favorite, he will request to go here specifically for this beverage. I don't believe they have a food program besides some pastries. Would love to see some breakfast and lunch options offered; it would entice us to hang out even longer. Music is good and upbeat - definitely extra points from me on that. Pay attention to the leaflets/posters and other materials they have at the entrance and around the establishment, you might be pleasantly surprised at what you find. Last time we were in, I picked up a calendar of free classes on various highly useful skills, offered by a local organization. I highly recommend checking out the classes, and would have never found them if not for Mother Tongue. Open 7 to 7 daily, which is great. We'll be in again soon.

This place is decent. I especially love the Buffalo wings and for alcohol beverages, they have wine…read moreand beer. The staff is decent, the bartender Alyssa is great and the ambiance is ok.

It was OK. Nothing spectacular. Grabbed lunch solo. Tried the 2 piece pizza for $8. Price was…read moreright. Pizza looked delicious..had little flavor. Like even with the parmesean added, it still waa pretty bland for a slice a pizza. Oddly not even the pepperoni had much flavor. Customer service was OK. The bar itself is a bit dark, but clearly this is a cool neighborhood spot to grab a drink.

If you've ever been to Les Deux Magots in St. Germain, this is the spot to check out, hang out,…read moresip, while snacking on something freshly made in front of you. The ambiance will get you first, the attention to detail say's a lot about the love put into La Loulou. The service is fabulous, they will remember your last drink. I'm a quirky 'orderer' and they remembered the nuance of how I like my drink. Also, don't forget to checkout the bathroom. Merci!!!

I visited La Loulou several months ago and wanted to give it some time before writing a review…read more After recently having a wonderful experience at another wine bar, I realized the difference in hospitality was too significant not to mention. I really wanted to like this place. I'd walked by several times and loved the interior design, and the videos on Instagram made it seem like such a great spot. I stopped in one evening by myself, ordered a glass of wine and the warm olives (which were delicious), and was looking forward to a relaxing night. Unfortunately, the service was the biggest disappointment. The restaurant was packed, and the atmosphere felt more concerned with maintaining an image than making guests feel welcome. I understand some restaurants embrace a more reserved European style of service, but this came across as cold and pretentious rather than intentional hospitality. As a solo diner especially, I didn't feel acknowledged or valued as a guest. It also didn't help that the dining room had a noticeable body odor smell that took away from the experience. On a positive note, the bathroom was clean and beautifully designed. I originally thought this would become my go-to place to grab a glass of wine while waiting for a table at the ramen spot next door, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. Reading through other reviews, it seems I'm not the only one who had this impression. Oakland's charm has always been its people. You can open a French-inspired wine bar, but hospitality translates into every language. If you're going to bring a Parisian aesthetic to Oakland, don't mistake indifference for sophistication. Guests should leave feeling welcomed, not judged.

Love this spot! The back patio is great - super spacious, cool lighting, randomly feels like…read moreChristmas hahaha. They have cocktails, mocktails, beer/shot combos (including one with a High Noon! which I'm into, haha). No food served but outside food allowed! Dogs allowed too - lol there was some guy's dog there last time I went. The bartenders are super friendly and take good care of us whenever we go. Good vibes and friendly service. Come through and support your neighborhood bar!

I came here with a group of friends for a night out in the East Bay. We hit up this bar for a round…read moreof slushies after pregame at my friend's apartment. I got the Blue Hawaiian, a yummy classic, and it did not disappoint. Despite the cold front over the Bay Area this weekend, I instantly felt as if I'd teleported to Hawai'i. Service is pretty quick here, but they do have a minimum credit charge of $10. It's pretty easy to reach though if you order a cocktail or slushie.

My wife and I tried Mesa Maguey for lunch last Sunday. We walked in...it wasn't crowded on a…read moreSunday. We loved the decor. Very comfortable tables/seating. Friendly staff. We ordered rose sangria and 3 plates to share: ceviche, flautas, and empanadas. We didn't wait long for the drinks and food. The ceviche was excellent. The flautas and empanadas were good (we've had better elsewhere) so we'll likely try other dishes when we go here again. Good quality food at reasonable prices. Again, friendly, attentive staff. We enjoyed our lunch and visit to this restaurant. Looking forward to returning. Definitely going to try their mole.

Fridays at Mesa Maguey are very fun, there is a musician and the vibe is very happy…read more Service is good, the staff is amicable and always checking in. Their flautas and chilaquiles are delicious and their regular ceviche very flavorful. Prices are great. A little tip: always ask for the price of the specials, we ordered a special ceviche thinking the prices would be similar than the rest of the dishes and when we got the bill it was the most expensive dish of the whole menu, and we actually left more than half of the place because we didn't like it, we usually have a great experience here and is one of our quick and nice to go places, but this was a bit of a bummer.

While staying in downtown Oakland, I was looking for a bar to go to after a concert on a Sunday and…read morefound Little Bird Bar! It was within walking distance from my hotel and was still open until 2 a.m. which was perfect. We sat at the bar and ordered a draft beer and a Red Bull vodka with a splash of cranberry. Both drinks came with a cute little rubber duck inside, which was such a fun touch! The bartender was really nice and talkative, and the drinks were reasonably priced... not crazy expensive at all. We had a couple of drinks, hung out for a bit, and then headed back to the hotel for the night. If you're in the area, definitely check out Little Bird Bar! It's a cute spot with friendly service, fun drinks, and great late night hours. I'll definitely be back if I'm ever in Oakland again!

Drinks here are smooth and delicious! We ordered a flight to Oaxaca, suffering bastard, whiskey…read morejack, and a passionfruit drink that the bartender made on the fly for mex Everything was so good! No notes here- loved suffering bastard (more refreshing, ginger forward), and the whiskey jack (smooth, complex), the flight to Oaxaca was spicy and delicious too. Will definitely be back- recommend others to try!

I absolutely love this place. It was my first time visiting. I will definitely be back. It's a cool…read morekick back vibe. A nicely decorated intimate lounge and great for dates or a night out with friends. The staff is welcoming and waiting time for drinks is minimal. I not sure if they sell food. I'll have to check that out next time.

Super chill, casual bar with great vibes!…read more Came here on a Monday evening, and the place had a good amount of people hanging out. Loved that there were lots of seating-bar seating, high tops, and cushioned booths in the back. Good music (D'Angelo, Fugees, Tupac...) which was at a perfect volume, so nobody was yelling! The string lights made for a warm, very comfortable vibe. Our martinis were perfectly chilled and delicious. There's a self serve water dispenser next to the bar, which is always nice. No food, so don't come hungry. They have a cute DJ booth, and looks like they have occasional DJ sets that are posted on their IG-Might be fun to check out! Really glad that we stopped by this place, and will definitely be back. Great way to close off a 3 day weekend!

After lunch, we stopped by Sand bar for a couple of drinks, and this place was SO cute and unique!…read moreThere was literally sand on the floor, which made it feel like we were at the beach! We sat at the bar, watched baseball, and enjoyed a cider during happy hour. The bartender was really nice and helpful, and we had such a great experience! If you're looking for a cute, laid back, beach themed bar, definitely check out Sand bar!

Super cute new place with great drinks and vibes. Also have good dj events. The back area has games…read moreto play too.