Tried the Wild Thing cocktail. Tastes just like an Al pastor taco in the best way possible. HIGHLY…read morerecommend for mezcal lovers. Also, great vibe and great service. Full bar!!!

I have a fairly large at home bar with plenty of ingredients, so it gets harder to find a place…read morethat serves craft cocktails that I couldn't make myself. Tupper and Reed still stands tall above everyone else. I stopped in on a Saturday evening, feeling pretty mellow. After I arrived, a band started up that reminded me of the O Brother Where Art Thou soundtrack. You can't beat the ambiance, since this was an old music store, and the please is littered with antique record players and instruments. There are some negative reviews here about rude, more accurately, unresponsive bartenders, and I don't think they get what this place is all about. If you want a chatty, friendly bartender, go to an Irish pub. This place is all about creating unique concoctions in volume. Having said that, I'll tell you a story. In March 2019, I was with a chatty bartender here, since it was a quiet night. I was looking at the vast array of bottles, and noticed something that said "Buffalo Trace" but looked different from their usual bottle. I asked her what it was, and she didn't know. It had about three fingers left at the bottom, so she looked at me mischievously and said, "wanna finish it with me?" So we did. Turns out, that 375 ml bottle was worth about $300. It was one of their experimental batches, made with oats in 2002. I found a bottle online in England and got it shipped here. Best whiskey I've ever had.

Once known for good beer selection and entertainment, it is still all that but also with solid pub…read morefood. The entertainment and community feel of the place is the #1 highlight. Open mic night gives young people a voice. Older musicians act as unofficial mentors - the best advice from one was to 'make me feel something!!' I love the art scene - and to me there is a special intersection of utility (maybe articulating an important message - or building a useful couch) --- and the beauty of that piece. How you put it together, how it looks and most importantly how it makes you feel when you sink into the couch or words. I have a lot of opinions and a lot to say. These days you really can't complain much - in the world you are a nag and in church you are labeled a legalist. The secret is if you say those things in a beautiful way or tip toe around a subject asking questions and letting the audience come up with their own conclusions. The young people today I have lots of sympathy for. The 50 year olds could get away with earning $50k/yr - the 40 year olds could get away with earning $100k/yr but the 20 and 30 year olds in the bay area with 2 kids need to earn $200k in their household to make ends meet. Gentrification is the enemy - those who are 'rich.' Lets blame the boomers. Maybe there are some other 'enemies' of the unaffordable nature of the bay area. A witch hunt aiming at tech workers or the unhoused or maybe today AI robots. My brother pays $4000/month for babysitting. I think his house tax is another $1000/month and we aren't even talking about the mortgage yet.... In San Francisco a family of 4 can qualify for free babysitting if they earn $178,300 or less per year. Maybe you can't call this the poverty level - but you qualify for everything including housing assistance. I'm sorry no beautiful poetry for you today. No lit slam. No soup for you!! I will continue building my couches - you take the stage!!

Starry Plough....Oh wow! This is really a cool scene…read more There's a different event seven nights a week. Today the day after July 4 celebration is sort of an Irish music session in the place is packed at 5:45 PM! Great musicians and a fun atmosphere, but it seems like the same continuous song plays between breaks with a slight adjustment of the melody. Sort of a hypnotic repetitive groove, not so unlike "ON THE CORNER" by Miles Davis but not really, ha ha! OK kids, please plug that into your little machine and have a listen. Feel that groove in "BLACK SATIN" The Starry Plough is a full service restaurant, pub and nightclub that has been a staple of the East Bay scene since 1973. With deep roots as an Irish Revolutionary watering hole, the history of protest runs as deep today as it did when they opened five decades ago. And they have really good food and a great tap beer list. Also, the very best bartenders and staff throughout! I just had a half order of the handcut french fries and they really are top-notch man, they're served with different condiments that you can help yourself to. I chose the Sriracha sauce and ketchup. I couldn't find the horseradish tonight. I've been coming in here for several years and I really dig it. Very special people hang out here, kind of a hippie Berkeley vibe. I've had great long conversations and met very groovy folks. It's a great watering hole.

Something unfortunate has happened here. I convinced my date to stop in for a drink and snack,…read morerecalling the delicious cocktails I had here years ago. We were stoked once we realized we had made it in 15 minutes before happy hour ended. But service was sooo slow. I understand there was one bartended working at the time but they really took their time, not meticulously crafting drinks, but rather talking to a friend. We contemplated going somewhere else when the bartender finally came to take our order, just before happy hour ended..sigh of relief! We made the cut off! We opted against the empanadas as we could see the cutting board in the kitchen area had a jacket on top of it. Well..the bartender slowly made our drinks, while still talking, then rung us up..just a few minutes past 6 and charged us full price. Lackluster customer service. Then, the drinks themselves were just bad..not balanced - one too sweet and syrupy in consistency; the other too bitter. This place used to be great but maybe they changed ownership. Used to see the owner here frequently working the bar. Now, I'd recommend Bocanova in the area instead - their happy hour also goes til 6, their drinks are top notch, service is pretty good, and you can get good food from the kitchen.

I had a good expectation of this bar because it would be pretty packed during the evenings even if…read moreit's a weekday. Unfortunately when I visited, those expectations were not met. It was roughly around 7 pm on a weekend, so there were not that many people yet. My friend and I took a good minute to see which drinks we wanted, and finally decided on the NSFW. To our surprise, it was already sold out. So we just chose our second option, and that too was sold out. There weren't anything else that intrigued us so I just went with the Penelope. That could be good right? Seems like their signature drink but the drink was just okay - nothing too spectacular or any defining factor to it. On top of that, it took forever for our drinks to be made. I appreciate the friendliness of the staff, but man were they chatty with the other customer. I don't mind it, but to stop making the drink to chat every 15 seconds kind of hit my nerve a bit. This is probably why my drink tasted a bit watery because the ice has already melted from the constant pauses to make the drink. I believe this is just an unfortunate one-off experience since this bar gets a lot of customers on most days.

"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!

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!

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!

Morgan's Bar is a nice oasis tucked away in Downtown Berkeley, inside the Berkeley City Club…read more We came here for a drink and I ordered a Guinness that turned out to be great. This is a good spot for a catch up with close friends, or a drink before attending a nearby concert or lecture.

A treasure in a little castle by a remarkable architect. I came by to see my friend's art show and…read morereception at 5 pm, but arrived an hour early. Wonderful place to wait with a perfect cocktail.

I really like this place! The drinks were good, the music was on point, and the vibe was super…read morechill. I don't think they were actually spinning vinyl--it seemed more like someone's playlist--but the music was still great. If you're looking for a relaxed spot to grab drinks, listen to good music, and have a conversation, this is definitely the place. It wasn't crowded at all, which was perfect. The service was great, and our server made us exactly what we wanted. Overall, it was a great spot to unwind, have a few drinks, and enjoy good conversation without all the noise and crowds.

Came here on a Friday night for some drinks around 10-11pm, and honestly, the vibe wasn't it…read more The music kept sounding like aux was indecisive, and the drink display was lacking depth. The service was good, and the bartender was nice, but the drinks were weak. It's really groovy looking in there though, which is what I saw on Yelp and wanted to check out. It has a lot of potential, and the things I noted aren't unfixable, so maybe I'll come back later.

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!