Thee Stork Club

The stork is currently my favorite dive bar in Oakland. I worked in West Oakland AutoZone and would drop in for a drink after work for a while before I took a break from life to be an alcoholic, the local town drunk. The stork I feel is much more a comedy club above anything else and I attend the venue primarily for the atmosphere. Shout outs to bar staff Joe, Zoey, Brock, Jazzy, Jay, Courtney, Sylvie, Lu... CHEERS! \m/ \m/

Jamie W. and I may have a new favorite dive bar in Oakland, and it's one we've walked by many times bouncing between The Double Standard (review: https://yelp.to/mypEjxHiH5) and Telegraph Beer Garden (review: https://yelp.to/-Jz2MGFUcx). We just erroneously assumed it was just for tattoo-covered bikers and related urban dwellers, but it turned out to be a funky, century-old spot full of mid-century verve and an extra 'e' in the name.It's on Telegraph Avenue in the chill Koreatown/Northgate neighborhood where art and music appear to be thriving between the libations to be had here. We were particularly pleased by the adventurous spirit of the friendly, knowledgeable bartenders holding fort. Jamie and I bellied up to the bar and wanted something like a pina colada and received a pair of the $11 Garfields (photo: https://yelp.to/U85of8_t4y).A Garfield here has vodka, amaretto, whiskey, sour, and orange juice. Tasty. Another bartender made us another off-menu creation, the $12 Bootleg Mai Tais (photo: https://yelp.to/xULs58D8vR). We weren't sure what made them bootleg, but we enjoyed the extra mule kick. There's a separate room with a stage for live music and comedy shows, as well as a red back room with a pool table (photo: https://yelp.to/EB6GYs4gFe). A very chill space.COCKTAILS - 4 stars...creative libations that really workedAMBIANCE - 4 stars...a dive with mid-century flairSERVICE - 4 stars...animated bartenders willing to experiment TOTAL - 4 stars...it's Thee with the extra 'e' RELATED - Exploring Oakland? Here's a collection of places I've patronized and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2ObVcpQ

This club and venue has several different rooms, a bar area with seating, a dance floor room with plenty of space for shows to take place, and a quieter lounge area in the back with a bit of seating, a pool table, reddish lighting and a furry ceiling! There's even a door off this room leading to a few outdoor tables (though not in use on this rainy day). It was a bit crowded in the bar area this past weekend, but we found ourselves some seats at one of the tables to have a couple drinks. Things I liked about the place... The exterior of the building was inviting, with a mural including some of my favorite characters like Betty Boop and Felix the Cat. The interior created a gothic atmosphere with appealing decor, like a bebe vampire poster and artwork such as the last supper and growling panthers glowing to a black light effect on the wall. The music was lively, with dance pop and songs like Tainted Love filling the air. And staff was helpful and provided sufficient service, while we were able to mingle and meet lots of friendly people. Things I did NOT like so much... $5 cover on a Saturday night (we came after a couple shows earlier in the evening), many of my drink preferences they did not have, ie. no grey goose vodka, and the cocktails we did end up getting were quite sour. There was also a leak from the ceiling on this rainy night, dripping directly onto the booth seating (on people's heads). At least we were able to avoid this. All of that being said, without there being too many great options in Oakland for decent nightlife, I can't complain too much about this spot. It was worth checking out.

It's been a while since I've been to Thee Stork Club but can see that I will be coming here a lot more frequently. They've been getting lots of great band coming through; most recently I was there for Oakland Weekender and had a great time.What I really like about Stork Club is the dedicate area for the shows and bar/seating area on the left. It helps prioritise everyone's needs--if you want a drink or to sit down and chat with a friend, it's easy to pull away from the stage area.Stork Club is definitely more of a cocktail-oriented bar, but there are some good draft selections available like Ghost Town. Other than that, keep an eye on their calendar and stop by when your next favourite band comes through.

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.

Well, it's an honor to write the first review for Eater San Francisco's newly minted Bar of the Year. I remember always being wary of The Stork Club when I lived across the street for a few years, before I finally walked in for a birthday shot and realized punks are nice and the outside was actually a great filter against the tech bros who occasionally come to Uptown to try to seem edgy on First Fridays. I could always rely on a cheap drink from friendly bartenders and interesting conversation with others on the bar stools, so I was actually quite sad to find out that they closed in covid. Thank goodness John Waters and the team behind Eli's revived and transformed the bar into Thee Stork Club. You're immediately hit with a crazy sexy cool vibe upon walking in, facing a beautifully but not garishly lit bar, comfy seating, and superb spooky miniature art installations in the back room. The cocktail list is short and sweet - and some of the drinks are also short and a tad too sweet. Once I landed on the Benjamino, I stuck with it because it was the most balanced - and if you have the tolerance for it, the bartender would very graciously add an extra shot of gin to it and it tastes even better in my opinion. I heard talk of food eventually happening, and cannot wait since I love the (mostly vegetarian friendly!) stuff I've had at Eli's. I haven't been to a show yet, but the music/djs on random occasions I have been in have been great. For now, pool tables are free and overall people have been cool, for a fun but chill time whether it's grabbing a drink with friends during the daytime or on a later, rowdier night out. Most impressive of all has been the staff. The bartender handled an overly drunk guy with the utmost professionalism, making sure I was safe (he was aiming to get handsy), not escalating into a conflict, and moving the guy out without incident. Security at the front was still somehow cheerful and welcoming in the madness of First Friday, and accommodating of dogs (including mine) but making sure everyone was behaving. I'm excited to go back to being a regular.

Good service, tasty orange flavored drink, and a neat aesthetic! Fun spot that was recommended to us when we were visiting.

One of the best places to see live music in the universe, and they treat musicians well. Plus the staff is incredible and work their butts off. Even when it's slammed on a Saturday the service is great. The bartender Brock specifically makes wonderful cocktails, and their cat also almost saved my life once.

Bartender was so rude. Made me cry my eyes out on the way home. Promise will never come back because of my anxiety. Btw I spent more than $100 to drink there. Their name was Brock and they were standoffish to me all night.

Oh yeah! Weird hostile vibe from staff. Check. Bartender who makes drinks without alcohol because they don't like you. Check. The worst bathroom situation known to man. Check. At least a real dive bar the staff are usually real ones. The staff here are pretentious hipsters who only care about folks who they perceive as cool. Nightmare of a place really.