Swell Bar

A Tiki Bar in Alameda?! Sign me up! I just moved to the area and have been missing the tiki bars…read moreback home. Super happy I found this incredible little spot not very far from my new spot! Made a reservation for a Saturday and was able to grab a seat at the bar. This was definitely a necessity. I'll always keep this in mind when planning a visit here. Upon arrival, we were met to cute tiki interior, dollars overhead (my version of heaven), and an incredible staff! It was such a warm and welcoming environment. The staff was mega nice and helped us answer all of our burning questions. The drinks were perfect! I honestly can't remember everything I had, but the menu was expansive and all the drinks were tasty. We got a bit hungry and ordered some empanadas. I loved these! A nice change from other food at tiki bars ive experienced. Awesome visit to Forbidden Island! Im looking forward to visiting again!

Cool place, feels like you're hidden in. Fun and dark inside! Very chill vibe here…read more We had reserved a table and its timed which wasn't bad, they even let us extend our time since the next group reserved time was not there yet. Lots of cool rum drinks, and even tells you what level of alcohol it is. Few food items, very small portions. I really liked their empanadas. Good service and nice staff

Outside patio area

The two mugs that they have available. The mug on the left is a special edition mug and $150. The mug on the right is $40.

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More of the atmosphere of the forbidden island, and I love all the money hanging from the ceiling

Park Station

4.5(63 reviews)

1.2 mi

Think old tire shop vibes, but now with amazing selection of beer and tasty food next door. Park…read moreStation is a great new addition for Alameda in the "not quite downtown" "not quite Bay-front" neighborhood. Popped in on a Sunday afternoon to grab a couple of terrific double IPAs from Pure Project Brewing and Bottle Logic Brewing respectively. Hubby had some sparkling wine that was on point. Drinks worked their magic, so we ordered food next door at Southie: some popcorn chicken and hand cut fries as nibbles. Also delicious. Fun outdoor space and friendly service. Great crowd too enjoying the beautiful late August afternoon and excellent vibes. We'll be back!

Been waiting on this spot for the whole time I've lived in Alameda and was glad that they didn't…read moredisappoint * Beers and food options are a great pairing. I specifically love how the rotation stays with similar tasting beers ** The choice of musicians and diverse genres make it such a fun time *** Dogs are happy and welcome to chill and frolic around the wide space **** The vibes are always so fun that even when you walk by it, it invites you to stop by ***** Perfect spot to have an event, watch a game or have a live music get together

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View from the bar

Almanac Adventureland

4.3(452 reviews)

2.3 mi

Almanac, refers to the Farmer's Almanac, a seasonality reference guide for farmers that has been…read morepublished every year in the U.S. since 1818. Quality/Quantity - Wow, has it been 4 years since I have been here!!!! This might be my new favorite Alameda Brewery! Discovered and bought the 36oz Stein! With $10 refills. Help... Wait, I don't need help; I can drink all this by myself. Today I got the Aussie Holiday - To remind me of my Australia Holiday. And the Fest Coast - German IPA, have not been to Germany (yet). Love your beer, even better that I can pick it up at Costco sometimes. Scolaris food truck - Always good food! I have not been here since they closed Rock Wall Winery, sorry. My wife ordered a blueberry bacon cheese burger - So good. Pictures uploaded at Scolaris. And now Marley's G is here from Park Street. I will eat here on the next trip. Atmosphere - Cool, hip, and rocking!! The place was fairly empty, but today was a Monday. Very family oriented, family friendly. See all my pictures. Pinball machines, arcade, sand box for kids, etc. Also very dog friendly; surrounded by dogs, in a positive way. :) Indoor/outdoor seating - See pictures. Indoor seating - Table, bar, lounge, etc. Plenty of parking across the street. Two parking lots now, one dirt and one paved. I only took one picture. Open 7 days a week from 11am or noon till 9pm, 10pm or 11pm; see Yelp or their website for specific hours. Private events available. Do you give tours of your warehouse or brewery? Service - Good, I like the new system. It is much more organized. Quick and friendly service. Price - $37 including tip. Expensive, but worth it. Can't wait to come back for more refills. :) Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 2011 and this location since 2018; we were day one customers!

Came here for a friends bday and it was really nice to spend time outside at the picnic tables!…read more Lots of slushie options - very strong! I tried their mango and strawberry one. I don't think you can go wrong with a slushie on a hot day. Inside there's a bunch of games and pinball machines. Very family friendly. Will be back!

Pinball games

8/10/26 FYI.

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Barrel Hall Rental Space

Faction Brewing

4.3(740 reviews)

2.9 mi

Super great brewery!…read more Easily accessible and spacious! Doesn't get too hot on the inside, and tons of space for private and public events. Great range of beers and sharable snacks, good prices too. The staff is extremely helpful as well; they can recommend something if you describe to them what you're looking for. Even with a long line, they still personalize the experience and take their time with you! Thank you Faction Brewing, I can't wait to come back !

Surprised how much I enjoyed Faction Brewing. I have always been drawn to their labels and names…read moreon their beer and purchased several times. No idea they were in Alameda! Tucked away oasis with many indoor and outdoor spaces. Also the view! Wow. Various food truck(s) are stationed if you're hungry. First beer flight and it was so interesting! All on tap - favorites were the petite saison, which is most similar to a Belgian style beer and their limited rice beer - so smooth and creamy.

Penske Files pale ale.

Outdoor seating

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Birria Nachos - 3.5/5 (LA SANTA TORTA food truck)

Fireside Lounge

4.0(267 reviews)

1.0 mi

Came here for a Prince party a few months ago and had a great time. It's small, but has great art…read moreand a fun vibe. They were packed, and even though they were swamped, the bartenders still offered great service, very friendly. The drinks were good too, unfortunately I waited too long to write the review and don't remember their names, but both were flavorful. I enjoyed myself and would come again.

Fireside Lounge is a fantastic bar. When you are there, they make you feel like you belong. The…read moredrinks are wonderful too. Tons of fun, between their trivia nights, local songwriters showcase, comedy shows and DJ/live band nights.

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Fireside

The Yard at Saltbreaker

4.0(60 reviews)

2.4 mi

Love everything about this spot. Great vibes. Great food. Super helpful friendly staff. Gluten free…read moreoptions. The burger was soo good. My only request, PLEASE just make your fryer totally gluten free. Came all the way here to enjoy your Gluten Free fish & chips, fries, etc. then found out they fry their croutons in the same fryer. As a celiac, my heart is so sad. I'd love to come back to get to enjoy all the fried goodness one day. And it's such an easy fix. Pretty please

I dropped by The Yard in Alameda to help celebrate a rellie's bday…read more We shared oysters, while some ordered fish & chips, smash burgers, and in my case, the shrimp roll (not all items pictured). First of all, the oysters were very fresh. However, they were the creamy style vs the briny ones that I am used to. In addition, they were pricey (a common theme). Secondarily, my sandwich was very good. It was packed with shrimp. Additionally, the fries were plentiful & GBD. The only downside was the price. My rellies who had the burgers and fish & chips enjoyed their food. I glanced at the latter and noticed 4 good sized pieces of fish. Nonetheless, the burgers were pricey at $20.99. Regarding the ambiance, its called the "yard" bc you are outside the normal restaurant. The space was popular with young children bc they could run around. Our servers were super friendly & attentive. In addition, the food came out quickly. I would def return despite the high prices. The food is very good, and the service is excellent. Pro tip: Bring a light jacket. It gets cool in the early evening, and there are no heat lamps.

Main counter - love the container conversion

Fish & Chips

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Pasta salad

Humble Sea Brewing

4.4(68 reviews)

2.4 mi

This is such. Great setup at Humble Sea Alameda. The brewery is part of the condo complex here that…read moreincludes a great restaurant, wine bar, and a few other retail spots. Popped in for a beer, and was able to also grab last service of a bbq vendor on the patio area. Love Humble Sea when they were just a Santa Cruz spot. The Alameda location has the full gamut of beers plus some ciders and soft drinks. I went for the IPAs on tap and took them out to the patio/yard to enjoy. Nothing better than good beer and a chill Friday summer evening. It was the night before americas 250th, so no real reason to feel proud and celebratory with the Orange Cheeto in office. But we are alive and ready to fight, so that's something.

This is such a cute little brewery located in Alameda. Great selections of beer, plenty of space to…read moresit. I definitely will be coming here again. We came here early, basically one of the first people there and the bartender was extremely cool. They have a fridge section filled with cans as well that you can buy and they also sell merch! If you are ever in Alameda come check this place out!

Humble Sea Brewing has a great location at Alameda Point.

12/14/23 FYI

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lemon drop

The location is great, the space is big and the bar tender was awesome. I went for the first time…read moreand I can already tell it won't be my last. My friends said the garlic fries were good and I enjoyed my drink very much. If you want a place that has good drinks and I has nice staff, I'd say Lemondrop is a good place.

Saw this place was highly reviewed and had some interesting fusion bites, so went to check it out…read more The restaurant is cute, they have a nice bar area and some fire pits outside. The wait staff was really nice don't get me wrong, but it took one of us to go up to them (chatting with a regular) to order drinks & food, and another one of us to bother them to pay as well. I think that was biggest qualm though! Just that the wait staff should be slightly more attentive, especially at times when the restaurant is mostly empty. The food was bomb though. We had a tikka pizza, the lemon pepper wings, and French fries. All were super great with the cocktails we ordered. Definitely a great catch up spot with the girlies, I'll probably return and manifest better service.

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Lemon drop

Club House

4.2(44 reviews)

1.2 mi

Dive bar in the front, expansive backyard and gardens in the back. (But the backyard area…read morefaithfully maintains the dive bar vibe, with various old mismatched tables and chairs.) There is also a horseshoe pit! Staff is very friendly, and prices are reasonable. Highly recommended!

This classic bar in Alameda used to be open at six now it's open at seven but that's good. Patty…read morethe Bartender is there and you could have your pic of any assortment of cold beer, classic cocktails nothing fancy none of that muddled Mojitos around here just drinks. No kids allowed don't bring them dogs welcome. Have a good time.

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Lucky 13

3.8(459 reviews)

1.1 mi

* Great dive bar experience with a good balance of local charm, punk grime and familial welcoming…read morestaff ** Had all my tattoos on this spot so I'm glad this place is now a part of me *** A must spot to start a crawl or make the whole evening a moment here **** The charm of this is so East Bay

Lucky 13 is a mood! My coworkers and I went to celebrate another school year ending. The food next…read moredoor is a great addition to the drinks. I personally love the ambiance and the bartenders are always a great help in picking drinks.

Drinks

Sierra, cold beer.

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St George's and grapefruit juice

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6 reviews that are not currently recommended

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Zaira H.

1 year ago

Today I visited a bar that has been a favorite spot for me and my parents for the past three years. We've always enjoyed the atmosphere and drinks, but unfortunately, this time was very different. We had a disappointing encounter with one of the staff members -- a woman with several tattoos -- who was incredibly rude. We asked a few questions about drinks that weren't listed on the menu, just to see if she could make them, and instead of responding professionally, she walked around the bar visibly annoyed and made us feel like we were being a burden. She then asked for my partner's ID but not mine, in a way that felt dismissive and demeaning, almost as if she didn't want us there. To top it off, she remarked, "This is a bar, not a restaurant," which felt completely unnecessary and disrespectful. It's really upsetting to have this kind of experience at a place we've supported and enjoyed for years. I came here to relax and have a good time, but left feeling insulted and unwelcome. I won't be recommending this place anymore. read more

Mark S.

8 years ago

I'm sure you can read through the lines of the rebuttal of my review from ConnXtance. I was not with the table she was yelling at, I was merely there with a few of my friends for trivia, we were so offended at this woman's lack of respect for her patrons we left before trivia was even over. No one in our group was drunk or out of line, we witnessed what happened and were already feeling pretty uneasy about her actions before her vicious blow up. This is my neighborhood bar as well, I have also come here and was a regular patron, not anymore. SO disappointing, and to have one of her friends (so very obvious) write a rebuttal in her defense, even makes my experience worse, I was hoping to be contacted by the manager not have someone try to disregard my experience by having a friend write a review. How very disappointing. Like I said this is truly sad as the other bartender staff are excellent and great company. read more

Tim E.

10 years ago

Great bar in Alameda. It used to be called McGraths and was awful, and I hadn't been there in years. The transformation is something else. Great happy hour specials make this a great place to chill after work and have a few beers with the guys. Later on DJ's come on playing some fairly interesting stuff from old country rock stuff to new wave, but it's never too loud to talk in there. Definitely a spot worth going to in A Town. read more

Mayur A.

1 year ago

Basic bar with pretense of being the neighborhood local, but is basic and racist...esp the skinhead bartender, good luck.

Annie K.

13 years ago

Everybody knows your name and they're always glad you came.

R. R.

14 years ago

Nice little bar...

Swell Bar - bars - Updated September 2026

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