The Most Delectable Dive Bars in Oakland

2101 Club

★★★★★ 4.5 (34) • $

"Club 2101 was pretty packed on a friday afternoon. pretty small bar with pool table, juke box, flatscreens. it was a multiracial crowds of retirees types. aged cougars in attendance alsoanchor steam (4) , with bud and sierra nevada-bartender poured out 2 glasses to give me a crisp brew-NICE!-worth repeating. evening crowd younger when i was here years ago."

Kingfish Pub & Cafe

★★★★☆ 4.2 (141) • $

"I came here for a friend's birthday party and I'll admit that I was a bit put off by the entrance appearance at first. When you walk in, it looks a bit dingier, but once you get to the outdoor patio and bar, the place looks really nice. We came in December, so Kingfish had even decorated and put lots of holiday lights up that made the ambience even better. The patio does a really great job of making you feel like you're inside while being outside because of the way that it's built. The service was super quick and friendly, and I tried the Paloma ($8) with tequila, grapefruit juice, squirt, lime juice and salt. The drinks were good, but pretty strong.My friend reserved the PRU (party room upstairs), which even has your own bathroom, skeeball, and a balcony with a fire pit outside. It seems like you can reserve that room for $200 for the whole night, which is a pretty good deal, and there's even the option to bring in your own food. I was impressed by the place and had lots of fun!"

Lama Bar

★★★★☆ 3.8 (16) • $$

"Crown Bar takes over Blue Moon's space. pool table seen in website pics not seen in house during drink-in.. nice patio area in back. parking lot in back. offerings: house specials, 2 drafts.amenities: patio, small flatscreens all around, small bar seating area, pinball machines, electronic games.brew: 1 shot whiskey + tecate (5)generic whiskey strong, haven't drank jack daniels(my favorite) in decades.-not a lot of seating at bar.-pbr beer (lst round) was lukewarm. on draught:-wouldn't repeat unless i wanna get drunk on shots. -am sure artisan cocktails made, just not my narcotic of choice"

Doucet Saloon

★★★★☆ 3.8 (56) • $

"My favorite bar in all of Castro Valley - not that everybody will love it - but I do. With all the bar games it reminds me of Sunshine Saloon in Pleasanton. Shuffleboard, some video games a couple pool tables. Pleasant good fun and there aren't enough pool tables to make it a desirable place for pool tournaments - which kill a bar vibe faster than anything. A bunch of super sober guys playing pool... who wants to see that? Valley Inn seems to have the most pool tournaments but there may be some here too - fortunately I've never run into any. Bar games are best played with alcohol and with not such a serious mindset. This bar is all about fun not so much about winning or showing off like the serious pool tournament people with all the attitude.I think the beers are cheap but I don't remember any prices - my friend happened to pay the last couple times. There is a back patio that may or may not be open for smokers. I think I saw a sign that it was closed but people there anyway. Bathrooms are near the patio and there are stickers that are fun to read while your doing your thing. Orange hand soap in the guys restroom like a car mechanic would use. I like that... none of that sissy soap for me.Other Castro Valley bars: Valley Inn, Spanky's, Krayons and the Waiting Room. Valley Inn is great if your 40 to 60 years old and like a serious pool hall atmosphere. Spanky's if you want a young more rowdy crowd (thinking more weekends). Krayons if you want to get stabbed. Thats what my friend's GF says anyway. Waiting Room is across from the Hospital and I think they may have changed names.A great neighborhood bar. Come check it out."

Johnny's Pub

★★★★☆ 4.3 (49) • $

"Friendly neighborhood dive bar. Rhonda is amazing and their Friday night karaoke with Adonis is not to be missed. Definitely worth a visit."

Ding's Cocktail Lounge

★★★★☆ 3.7 (20) • $

"Me doing a check-in... replies to my check-in:*WTF are you doing there?*You trying to pick up on parolees?Ok, so I wouldn't go walkin into Dings by myself. They recently went and got a shiny new re-model. So, don't go trying to enter through the back door anymore - it's closed and now part of the extended bar. It's a bit brighter and lighter, but it's basically the same ol' Dings. Cute bartender (even though he's an A's fan) and full of characters... and, it's pretty much the only "decent" place in the area to get your crunk on."

Hyde Park Lounge

★★★★☆ 4 (59) • $

"Awe yes, this place was the beginning of a wild night and a VERY rough Friday, ha! Here we go.We had started the night off at a different dive bar. Can't remember the name and it's not just because I was wasted, but that definitely ain't helping the situation! Anyway, got a pitcher there, chilled, moved on to good ol' Hyde Park Lounge.Grabbed another pitcher, Elysian Spacedust (not coke) probably. We're in the back on the patio, just me'n'mah boi hanging out. Funny enough, we saw several people this bar who migrated from the same bar that we just came from. One of the gentleman and my friend hit it off, and as we're hanging out in the back, I see the bar lady bringing a pitcher out toward us. No one's out there, just us, and I freaking IMMEDIATELY knew that dude was gonna be the death of us. So now we're 3 pitchers of Spacedust in and things are getting fuzzy.Then the shots start rolling in. Oh Jame-O, you dirty dingo. Well, that's pretty much when things started getting real blurry and funny stories were to be told come the morning, along with the pounding headache. Lovely.Anyway, it's a dive bar, bruh, if you have high expectations, maybe you oughtta stick to your bougie places cuz this ain't one of 'em! Awesome people, though, if you have an open mind.So let's get it, baby! Next round's on me ^_____^"

Club Tac

★★★★☆ 4 (53) • $

"Reopened. Regulars seem to be very happy to be back. Haven't noticed food or anything different, but there is way more room. I originally visited this place for the bullshooters dart boards. One connected online.I'm sure the rest will come in time. I'm just really glad they are back. The dive bar part seems to have gone but it was 3 p.m. so well have to visit later next time. Still a gem."

Thee Stork Club

★★★★☆ 3.7 (36)

"Came here on an early Thursday evening. It was just 3 other folks at the bar beside myself and a friend. Love the decor inside and it's pretty well taken care of for a dive bar. Music playing at the time was 70s soul (definitely heard a Fatboy Slim sample). Aside from the bar area, there's the main area/dancefloor where shows are held, a pool table, and an outdoor patio area. Pool table was nice and the house cue sticks were in great condition. Be aware that sometimes the cue ball gets stuck but the bartender was nice enough to help when asked. It's a nice bar to have a chill conversation with, at least around early evening time."

Spats

★★★★☆ 3.5 (297) • $$

"A good spacious kind of dive bar with televisions to watch sports. The back of the bar has classic pinball machines. The bar has lots of drinks available. This is a good place to stop and meet up for a drink."

Moe's Tavern Hayward

★★★★★ 4.8 (18) • $$

"Finally, a nice neighborhood bar in Hayward! There's nothing better than an unpretentious dive bar that welcomes you after a long work day but also doesn't have that slimy hide yo kids hide yo wife vibe. The previous owner had no concept of customer service or industry standards. I'm happy for the new owner to take the reigns and praying he is able to realize the potential of this little gem. Drinks are worth the penny. Karaoke Thursday 7:30p-11p. More events planned. I'm definitely down for the cause!"

Hockey Haven

★★★★☆ 3.8 (191) • $

"Fun bar and fun music! I met up with a group of friends after a day at the park, and it was nice to be inside, it wasn't too crowded, and still be able to enjoy the really nice patio outside. You can play music on the jukebox from your phone which is nice and convenient. Make sure to bring your physical ID! The bouncer will not accept the CA DMV app on your phone."

Kerry House

★★★★☆ 3.6 (107) • $

"Definitely a locals hangout. Came here after dinner with friends and upon entering you just could tell it was a locals hangout. They are SUPER friendly though even if you're not from the area! The bartenders immediately greeted us upon entering and asked for our drink orders. The ladies got waters (we're not big drinkers) and the guys got different whiskeys. Unfortunately their CC machine was down so they only accepted cash, but their pricing was very fair. They have a jukebox and a pool table available. We played a round of pool (you need quarters to play) and also ended up chatting with some locals. It's a decent, divey place to get drinks."

Merchant's Saloon

★★★★☆ 4.1 (242) • $

"Friendly neighborhood bar near Jack London Square. The inside is a visual feast for the eyes compete with pool table and stripper pole. What else could you ask for in a bar? Very nice atmosphere. Dark and cozy with high ceilings and many decorations on the walls to feast your eyes on. Some bumper stickers, a stuffed life like looking rabbit head with horns - and I could go on and on. Service was friendly and prompt and overall a great experience. Drinks are reasonable in price too."

Lakeside Lounge

★★★★☆ 3.9 (43) • $

"Ayeeee!! Why am I just finding out about Lakeside Lounge? Well, I'm glad I did because this place is popping and it's a 30+ club which makes it even better. The environment and vibe is completely positive and all the patrons are super friendly. The drinks are cheap and strong which is a huge plus. I had a great time dancing all night and this is one of the best clubs I've been to and I will for sure be back. If you haven't been to the Lakeside Lounge please go if you are in the Oakland area."

Warehouse Cafe

★★★★☆ 4 (406) • $$

"Definitely worth the drive and cook unique iconic location . Recommend going on a Friday or Saturday night and order the prime rib dinner. Note they are cash only but they have an ATM onsite.Be sure to stop by the whimsical gift shop while you're there. You won't find any other place like this place"

Noc Noc

★★★★☆ 4.2 (521) • $

"This place is one of a kind, from the drinks to the decor. Their tagline is "Lower Haight's Most Unusual Bar" and they MEAN it (in the best way). I recommend giving their speciality drinks a try, like the "Snake Bite" (a half mix of Pilsner and cider - don't "noc" it til you try it lol). But seriously, great place to catch up with friends without the messy large crowds of other bars. Maybe it's because the hardest thing they serve here is sake so people aren't as rowdy; regardless, highly recommend!"

Smitty's Cocktails

★★★★☆ 3.7 (106) • $

"I came here a few days after i'd been in a bad accident and my face was really messed up.One thing to note- there's a lot of mirrors on the walls here... so if you look messed up it's going to be very difficult to keep that under wraps.I wasn't really in the mood or headspace to be out and about but my friend was visiting from NYC and we'd decided to do a dive bar tour of oakland on his long weekend here.Smitty's was pretty similar to the townie bars we'd go to right when we turned 21 in the lower class suburbs of chicago illinois. Nothing fancy. But there's character and it's cheap so it's perfect. There's a pool table in back where we witnessed a very heated argument between two almost uncannily good pool players. It was more fascinating than anything but I gather that the table is not for gumshoes... or whatever a newbie pool player is called.The crowd is a real mixed bag, in a good way. Down to earth people. Who play very good music on the juke box based on my experience. When my friend went out to smoke a man did come up to me and ask if I had bad make-up on my face. He wasn't very shy about it. Like I actually had to tell him to please not touch because he went in with his hands like my stitched, swollen, bloody, bruised face was special effects makeup. And i'm certain he meant it in an interested way... but I dunno it was a little too friendly for me in that moment but otherwise might be a good place to make friends if you're curious."

Bender's Bar and Grill

★★★★☆ 4 (457) • $

"Pretty cool dive joint in Mission that me and the work crew stopped in after all day workshopping. Pretty much a metal joint and it was what we needed. We ate before we got there so no food but we had some good drinks.While in line for drinks, I looked and saw they had Weller in which I was shocked that this place would have it. It consumed me for the rest of the night as thats all I dranked...neat of course.Good vibes, atmosphere and crowd...would definitely come back"

TJ's Tavern

★★★☆☆ 3.1 (35) • $

"I really like this place. I've been here a handful of times and everyone is very friendly. I love the music from the DJ and the bartenders are sweethearts. It's obvious everyone are regulars because they all seem to know each other, however they don't make you feel unwelcomed."

Eli's Mile High Club

★★★★☆ 4.3 (192) • $$

"A no cover blues night??? WOW. I came here on a Monday night with my partner to finally check out Eli's Monday night blues, and we enjoyed ourselves so much.The several different acts were so full of life and rhythm, I still can't believe there's no cover. BUT there is a tip jar and I would highly suggest bringing cash with you to tip the performers! The talent, the vibes, all truly special and incredible.I admire the interior decoration too-- it's beautiful! I will definitely be coming back regularly and with guests :) Get ready to groove!"

Dwain's

★★★★★ 5 (3)

"Great spot, I always have a great time when I go here. Friendly bartenders and a great crowd. New Year's Eve was so fun and great music too!!"

The Green Door

★★★★☆ 3.8 (59) • $

"A perfect bar, for a perfectly timed drink during the holiday season. One of my guilty pleasures is going into dive bars on Christmas Eve. This night hit both perfectly. You will find the older family members that have gathered together for a drink reminiscing. You find the younger bothers,sisters,cousins getting together and comparing stories. Then you have those of us with very few or nonexistent family members. Throw in one very seasoned bartender and that mixes into and amazing evening. The bar had plenty of seats, patrons were friendly and the bartender was on her job! ! Drinks were great. Comfortable surroundings. Do recommend and would love to go back in the area."

The Avenue

★★★★☆ 4 (213) • $

"A year round Halloween dive bar?!? What a dream come true!We were in the area wasting time before our dinner reservation and stumbled upon The Avenue. The skeletons on the outside caught my attention and I knew we had to check it out.The inside was a mix of a dungeon and a nerdy guy's bedroom who likes to collect Halloween decorations and toys. Skeletons line the ceiling and even the fireplace. There was a signed "Helter Skelter" book from Charles Manson and a guillotine on the back patio.The bartender was friendly and the drinks were decent - pricey, but decent! Even the bathrooms were a sight to see! I just love funky places like this and visiting made my little weirdo heart so happy!"

Wolfhound

★★★★☆ 4.3 (76) • $$

"A really great neighborhood bar, friendly staff, clean and not sticky. No smoke inside although there is sometimes a gauntlet outside. This place will be truly incredible when Delirama opens next door as food is the only missing item here."

The Patio Bar

★★★★☆ 4 (72) • $

"Came here for a quick drink while me and my cousin waited for Seapot to open for dinner. This little hole in the wall bar is super friendly, welcoming and followed covid protocols. There was a hand sanitizing station right next to the entrance, the tables were spread apart, you are required to wear a mask until you are seated and they even have a back area that is open. The bar manager ( I totally forgot her name) made sure we felt comfortable and checked on us to see if we wanted more drinks. They offer bar snacks here which is a big plus. All-in-all I recommend stopping by here!"

Underground SF

★★★★☆ 3.6 (122) • $

"The weekend barista, Chandler, is very friendly. The window coffee shop is a different vibe than the bar/club (which I haven't been to). He works 10-4, go visit!My star rating:5 - must go!!! 4 - liked it, give it a try!3 - it was alright2 - I probably won't go back 1 - turnaround and run"

The Villa

★★★★★ 4.6 (17) • $

"the villa is a neighborhood bar at the corner of a strip mall. drink pricing is posted on the front door so one gets a drift not everyone in the area has enough $$ to drink here.anemities: flatscreen (sports) and pool tabledrafts: bud, bud light,(2 ish), no microbrewsbottled: hieniken, no micros? best bet well drinks (3) pour: gin tonic (3) pretty strong.on draught-well drinks the way to go here-seating at long bar or at scattered tables.-quiet in the afternoons."

Characters Saloon

★★★☆☆ 3.4 (29) • $

"What a perfect little divey bar! Pool tables and darts plus cold beer, there's nothing else needed. Staff was friendly and accommodating- especially with a non drinker in our group. The perfect hometown bar!"

Little Hill Lounge

★★★★★ 4.5 (112) • $$

"Came here with my bestie last night after driving back to Oakland from Bodega Bay. Looks and feels like a VFW hall. Friendly service, good cocktails and reasonable prices. There's a little stage and dance floor in the back, and it was a country western band playing. Some complaints that the floor is carpeted back there, so they can't do their two step or line dancing. It's too small for that, anyway. Great date spot. Big cozy booths, plenty of bar space, old school jukebox and a Photo Booth. The musical line up changes, and sometimes it's a DJ. Highly recommended!"

Nu-Rays

★★★★☆ 4 (45) • $

"A great dive bar. Heavy pour, friendly jovial people, relaxed atmosphere. Sign your name onto a $1 bill and staple it to the wall. They had free nachos when I went yesterday. Very Martinez, very cool."

Lakeman's Club

★★★★★ 4.7 (15) • $

"A divey bar. Not a dive/dirty/sweaty-old-man, bar. This bar reminded me of a place my Madrina would have taken over. A wine and beer only bar. A true neighborhood bar that stays open until... Everyone, leaves happy. Could be 10pm? Could be 2am? You will count yourself lucky to arrive here when they're open. I loved the casual, friendly feel of this place. The bartender was awesome, and very friendly. The woman at the back, near the old stove reminded me of a funny, loving Auntie. There's one pool table, and that's all they need... Keeping it nice and cozy. The night I visited, they were sharing a nice lemon bunt cake. I asked, "what's the occasion?" That awesome bartender replies, "because cake is good!" Yes! Because, CAKE."

Missouri Lounge

★★★★☆ 3.8 (426) • $

"Mislo is one of my favorite bars to brings friends for a chill time. They allow animals and you'll probably make a few new furry friends while having a drink. They serve food in the back which is so nice to have available! The back patio area is my absolute favorite! The cute light at night make the drinks even better. Their happy hour with a shot of whiskey and a can of beer for $5 is so sweet. They also have that deal for a shot of tequila and Tecate. Seriously one of my favorite bars for good fun without all the extra intensity that some bars bring. Certain Friday nights have live music inside. Support your local bars and enjoy the Missouri Lounge!"

Heart and Dagger Saloon

★★★★☆ 3.8 (405) • $

"I came in seeking shelter from the rain storm and found myself bellying up to the bar. Pretty much every seat at the bar was taken and there was a large group playing pool. Per usual, the drinks were strong, inexpensive and spot on but to be fair my order is not very complicated. The music teleported me to something reminiscent of a KMEL Summer Jam. Thumbs up for that. And I happened to be there as someone celebrated their birthday. The bartender was kind enough to gift him a free shot and led the crowd shouting birthday pleasantries....with a touch of profanity."

Second2None

★★★★★ 4.8 (16)

"Great atmosphere.....Amazing bartenders.... Thank you!Thanks for having Topo Chicos strawberry guava in glass bottles!!!! -a place with glass seltzer bottles"