Merchant's Saloon

Just landed from SFO and the first place I stopped was Merchant always dependable always a cold one and always a cool crowd. Pool table is not bad either. You rock!

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.

Owner is good people!Creative with a bar.I'm not a big drinker but come here for a great time even if you're the designated driver!

On our way to Oakland grill we saw this bar, didn't stop in cause it was a food mission at the time but before even entering, 5 stars off the bat for being open before noon, give the day drinkers a home, thank you. After eating and napping went there for a drink or 10 and had such a ball. Bartender was dope. Customers were dope. They got pool and we are some sluts for pool so that's another automatic 5. So good service, good drinks, good shit to do, AND the esthetic is sick. Ps they sell cigarettes so another win

Found this bar just walking around Jack London Square. Looks a bit intimidating on the outside, but the atmosphere is great on the inside. They got TV for the game, a big bar plenty of seats and a cool vibe, loud music with lots to see inside. The bartender was great. I had a couple of whiskey pours with my friend. They are not shy with the pour, prompt service and overhaul like I said a good vibe.

Issac was super friendly and overall chill bar. It didn't seem like much from the outside but def glad we gave it a chance. Metered parking.

Simply put, this is my favorite dive bar in Oaktown. Lovely folks working behind the bar and friendly patrons to chat with. I love this place.

Classic Dive Bar vibes. Real people. Stiff drinks. Love this kind of place!Classic Dive Bar vibes. Real people. Stiff drinks. Love this kind of place!

Watering hole at Jack London square area in Oakland where you may find seafaring folks. It feels like a dive bar here plus a pool table in the back.

I fucking love metal. And I fucking love dives. Like, looooove. But wtf, this place is BIZARRE. First of all, I was greeted at the door with an INSANE person -- this old man (a regular) with long hair, who accused me of trying to "insult" his bike (?) and then steal it -- while trying to lock up my own bike. He relentlessly lit into me, making wholly false accusations, and got in my face, til my very tall friend stepped in.Upon entry, I looked at the bouncer, who witnessed me getting harassed, showed him my ID, and said, "whoa, that was intense," and he just stared at me in silence, like, "your problem, not mine."Then, I went inside, and the bartender was too busy listening to the crazy dude's BS story about me trying to steal his bike, to get me a drink. I just stood there directly beside both of them, politely WAITING for him to stop talking shit about me, so I could get a drink. Then, everyone at the bar was looking at me like Satan reincarnate. Next, I sat down with my cyclist friends -- enjoying chatting and naming the songs playing: Motorhead, Megadeth, Elvis Costello, Nirvana, Melvins -- and an arrogant bro with a mohawk SITS at my table (also a regular?) and starts talking about how he owns three Saturn cars, how he was the architect for "the tallest building in San Jose" (which he repeated multiple times), and then proceeds to be rude AS FUCK to one of the women at the table, who was trying to be friendly to him. The unmerited entitlement and conceit. And issues with women. And yet... HE WOULDN'T STFU, OR GO AWAY.And then, every time I buy a round for my friends, and try to say hello to the bartender and connect, I got a bit of a cold shoulder, like give me your money and bugger off. Now, I swear, I'm a decent and polite human -- I tip, I'm good at reading a scene, and I know my way around a dive. But, I'll be damned, if this place wasn't rife with assholes. Like, people who go out of their way to be dicks.I REALLY wanted to love this place -- I still do -- I thought the music and bar was rad. But the people. God. The people would rather hate on each other. So, if getting unsolicited attacks by self-righteous jerks all night is your thing, then maybe this is your bar.