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!

My besties and I love this late night treat after dining n the area (a lot!). Cat House is a fun…read moreOakland find. It is quirky, and unpretentious. The kind of bar where you walk in for one drink and somehow end up staying all night. Ugh

Stopped in to try a drink because I'd read that this was one of the best bars in Oakland. I tried…read morean old fashioned and it was pretty good. I enjoyed the open air seating area in the back and the overall vibe was good. I went solo, struck up conversation with strangers, and enjoyed my drink.

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!

Cool, messy and full of charm. I loved this little bar and wish it were closer to home for me. We…read moresampled a few of their house cocktails and they were pretty darn good, just served a little sloppily. We joked they might toss the glasses to us if we got a second round. Definately worth checking out if you're in the area. It's a short walk to many other bars and restaurants in the area. Service was efficient and friendly.

Great outdoor sports bar. Happy hour prices are great for beverages and food…read more The services was quick

I prefer to resolve incidents like this offline as I hate to make negative feedback public, but I…read morehave contacted the restaurant directly several days ago and received no response about the incident below and I am sharing my experience here on Yelp so other customers may be aware and choose wisely. Incident: My party of 7 came to Mad Oak around 5pm on Monday evening, 7/20. I did not have my ID on hand as I didn't realize I needed it for entry. I was not planning to consume alcohol. The staff member in charge of the outdoor entry let me in anyway after a little bit of friendly back and forth. One of our friends arrived later and similarly did not have their ID. The same staff member turned them away very rudely and dismissively. I went over to the staff member to let him know that our friend was with us and I also did not have my ID. He responded very rudely despite all members of our party being very respectful. He replied me saying, "What did I tell her?! What did I tell her?!", without explanation. Our friend who was turned away identifies as they/them and without explanation from the staff member, and inconsistent application of rules pertaining to ID, I suspect it might have been a situation where our friend was unfairly discriminated against for their appearance. To sum it up, it was not clear that IDs were required for entry otherwise I would have prepared my party ahead of time; the staff member inconsistently applied an already unclear rule; he did not explain why one guest was allowed and not another, even in the same party; and lastly, he was unnecessarily rude. Our whole party ended up leaving Mad Oak to go somewhere we could all be together. In my outreach to the restaurant a couple days later, I asked for a response to let me know that they have addressed the issue and there has been no response to date.

Lucy blue was a vibe…read more Me and my gurls walked down to Lucy blues after leaving the paramount.. it was a vibe.. grown sexy vibes .both levels were a vibe.. we ordered a few drinks at the bar .. it was busy but it didn't take long to get our order.. we were able to find seats to enjoy our drinks before heading to dinner .. the drinks were so perfect

I think this location is a good fit for a crowd in their 20s to 40s, especially if you enjoy a…read morelively downstairs atmosphere. If you're a little older or prefer a more relaxed setting, you might enjoy the upstairs area more. There's plenty of seating, with a modern Swedish-inspired furniture style that gives the space a more sophisticated feel. Walking in, you'll find a good vibe, good music, and a welcoming greeter. The security staff is also present and ready to assist, which makes the experience feel organized and comfortable. The menu consists of small, shareable plates with some interesting combinations. Nothing on the menu stood out to me as particularly outstanding when I looked at the individual ingredients, but once everything came together, the dishes worked well. Overall, it's a good spot for a social night out, especially if you're looking for good music, a lively atmosphere, and food meant to be shared.

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've heard all the hype about Tallboy, so I had to check it out myself…read more I do think it lived up to some of the hype, but I think they could've used their space better. It is a unique layout to a bar, and probably better concept for earlier hours, when it isn't as crowded during the night. It can fill up really quickly, since the area to order a drink, dance, and mingle is narrow, since the bar is literally in the middle of the room. Some of the staff can be extremely nice and kind, and there are some who you can tell are fed up, upset, and don't have the best attitude. I get it, though. It's a cool bar to check out or be the first stop of the night. The djs they have always turn up. Good luck getting a drink under 15 minutes though!

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.

This place is music nerd heaven. They have a section of their menu dedicated to their speakers and…read moreamps, ferchrissakes. I love the atmosphere in here. Staff are always cool, vibe is relaxed. Even the security guard at the door is a cool guy. The interior decor and lighting are gorgeous. Silent Sundays are pretty fun: they play an album from top to bottom, and everyone has to shut the hell up for the duration and can't order any shaken drinks. See? Music nerd heaven. I almost forgot to talk about the drinks: the menu is solid. Good cocktails, reasonable prices, well made.

We were in Oakland for the night with friends and were trying to kill time while waiting for our…read moretable at another nearby restaurant. We stumbled across this spot on Google and decided to give it a try. Luckily, our party of four was seated right away. The cocktail menu is on the smaller side, but between the four of us, we ended up trying a good portion of it. Honestly, every drink we ordered was really good, and there weren't any complaints from the group. I think we ordered Actual Proof, Sun Goddess, High Heel Sneaker, and Moonglow (mine). My cocktail was definitely my favorite because I love sweeter drinks where you can barely taste the alcohol, and it was exactly that. The rest of my friends' drinks leaned less sweet with a stronger alcohol presence. While I could appreciate the flavors of those cocktails, they just weren't my personal preference since I tend to like sweeter, fruitier drinks. I'd definitely come back. Very nice vibe and ambience. I'd probably order the same cocktail again since I enjoyed it, or try one of the other drinks I had my eye on. Between my friends and me, we managed to try almost everything that initially caught my interest, and overall it was a great experience.

My best friend and I had a joint baby shower at Clio's in January. It was such a sweet experience…read more The setting was beautiful for an intimate experience. And we didn't really need any decorations because the space is already so gorgeous. We had lots of kids at the shower and they had so much fun dancing around and looking at books. The service staff were amazing. They checked in on us regularly, provided everything we asked for, and accommodated all of our needs. We loved having a bar for people to get drinks at, and it took them through the bookstore too. Having the two different spaces was nice for when things were busy. There was lots of comfy seating, and the big long table was perfect for our buffet. We had done a similar party for my husband and brother in laws 40th birthdays and the experience was also seamless. I'm so happy that a space like this in Oakland, where community can come together and have a screenless and fun experience.

After a long walk around Lake Merritt with my niece, I was on a mission to find a restroom. She…read moresuggested we stop by Clio's Bookstore & Bar, describing it as part bookstore, part reading lounge, and part bar. I expected a quick pit stop--I ended up wanting to stay. This place is an absolute gem. The atmosphere is eclectic, cozy, and full of personality. The shelves are lined with books spanning more eras and genres than I even knew existed, making it feel like a literary treasure hunt. Every direction I looked revealed another fascinating title or beautifully aged collection. One of my closest friends is a librarian, so I found myself snapping photo after photo to send her because I knew she'd be completely enamored with this place. I didn't order food or drinks during this visit (I rarely drink), but I already know I'll be back. The ambiance alone is worth experiencing. It's the kind of place where you can lose yourself browsing vintage books, settle into a chair with a good read, and simply enjoy the unique energy. From what I could tell, many of the books are also available for purchase, which makes it even more tempting to return. I also noticed that Clio's hosts community events, so I'll definitely be checking their calendar before my next visit. Whether you're a book lover, a history buff, or simply someone who appreciates unique spaces with soul, Clio's Bookstore & Bar is well worth a stop.

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.

Came here on a random Wednesday night and though it wasn't as busy as a weekend would be, our…read morefriends and I still had a good time. Bartender was chill and the place is quite spacious - there is seating indoors and a whole outdoor patio with chairs/booths and games like corn hole, connect 4, and giant jenga. The patio area is nice because there are space heaters on the side and it's so pretty with the hanging lights. The drink prices aren't too bad, but I like that they had good flavors for the high noons. Definitely a good spot to check out for a chill night out.