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Spots for Happy Hour? (self.eastbay)

submitted by changethediaper

I almost never drink but have been tasked with planning our company's happy hour! Are there any bars, breweries, or other spots you all recommend?

Anywhere in East Bay is fine!

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[–]TomIcemanKazinski 13 points14 points  (2 children)

Make Westing on Telegraph in Oakland

East Bay Spice Company in Berkeley

[–]DamnableNook 6 points7 points  (0 children)

Seconding East Bay Spice Company. Amazing cocktails there. Though not a huge space. If your HH is more than 5 people, might want to either see if they can reserve space, or choose somewhere.

I'll add Prizefighter in Emeryville as an option. Very chill, very good drinks.

[–]changethediaper[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thank you! I'll make inquiries there

[–]booksandchamps 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Drakes dealership in Oakland is fun for a group happy hour! They don’t have an official happy hour menu, but they have ample seating.

[–]lhhe 3 points4 points  (2 children)

East Brother Brewery 1001 CANAL BLVD, RICHMOND, CA

[–]changethediaper[S] 1 point2 points  (1 child)

thank you very much!

[–]lhhe 0 points1 point  (0 children)

You are welcome. Hope you find a nice place for your event

[–]argalbar 5 points6 points  (0 children)

21st Amendment in San Leandro is usually a good place to hang out. They have a large beer garden outside.

[–]the_river_nihil 2 points3 points  (5 children)

For the ultimate power move go to Eli’s Mile High Club. It’s the most punk dive bar I’ve ever seen. The outside is 50% Mad Max and 100% graffiti wall and there’s a bartender with a dozen face tattoos.

Do it!

[–]TunnelBore 4 points5 points  (4 children)

Meh I gotta say something to that. If Eli's is considered punk or a dive, then my time and relevancy in this place, is over. Maybe that's a good thing, I dunno.

Glam/Posh punk, maybe. It was a famous Jazz club in a historically Black Oakland neighborhood. Yay gentrification. It was definitely dive before they renovated the inside and expanded the outside. When my friends bought it and owned it for a short time in the early 2000's it was as dive as a bar could be. Neglected and minimal and man how the drugs flowed freely in that place. You could scrape together enough coke from the bags on the floor, to do a line on the bar top. That's the Eli's I remember as a dive bar. I was sure it would burn down within a year. What you have now, is the result of hundreds of thousands of dollars in investment. It's not cheap like merchants. It's hip and trendy like a properly managed bar.

[–]the_river_nihil 1 point2 points  (3 children)

Oh, this is quite true, I just personally happen to dislike Merchants.

[–]TunnelBore 1 point2 points  (2 children)

I don't go there any more. It's evolved to remain relevant so it stays open and makes money. The owner has made good decisions from a business perspective. Too many of my favorite bartenders have left. Not to say there aren't some good ones remaining. There was a bouncer there for a little while who started a lot of problems with regulars. He's been long gone though. I've seen some brutal beatdowns happen on account of people making the mistake of assuming they can be overly racist in there. Wrong move for them. Why don't you like merchants? What put you off?

[–]the_river_nihil 2 points3 points  (1 child)

I’d see almost as many fights and confrontations there as at Burnt Ramen (nothing the bouncers couldn’t handle thankfully, and I used to be young enough to see that as it’s own kind of entertainment). Mostly it’s just not where my friends hang out anymore, plus there’s been too many occasions where they were really understaffed and I couldn’t even get more than one drink because it was slammed as hell with just one person working, or so disorganized they gave my credit card back to someone else or let someone else put drinks on my tab (this has even happened when I was by myself…. like, how does that happen?!).

Example: if your bar is double-sided like that, the bartender has to keep track of both sides. I once waited forever for a drink, seated on the “right” side (as viewed from the street) only to have the bartender say I needed to get up out of my seat and walk around to the left side for him to serve me? Pretty sure that’s not how it usually works lol. I’ll still go if it’s slow during the daytime, but I’m not going there on nights or weekends

[–]TunnelBore 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I totally feel all that. It used to be mayhem like that regularly and I enjoyed watching the chaos around me, save the violence. I've never enjoyed seeing that. Several of my favorite bar tenders moved to Reno a few years ago. One of whom was Sam, who passed away over a year ago. One of my favorites became a bar owner recently, and I think only works one shift now. A regular who was like glue for many other regulars, died suddenly from sleep apnea. One moved to Southern California and it seems like the atmosphere since and following the pandemic is completely different, not my style. Those are my main reasons. But damn the running up a tab on your card! Whoever did that needs to be flogged.

[–]Ill_Excitement_1995 2 points3 points  (1 child)

dunno about happy hours, but https://www.prizefighterbar.com/ is a great place.

You can find parking close by and the free Emery-Go-Round is available for BART Riders.

[–]spectre1006 2 points3 points  (0 children)

My company was all about prizefighter precovid and getting rotten city pizzas delivered there

[–]lkmama 3 points4 points  (1 child)

Armistice, located in the Marina area of Richmond. Also next to them is a distillery, named Dissidents Spirits Co.

Located in Pt Richmond is Baltic Kiss, they have music, happy hour, etc.

[–]changethediaper[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'll check them both out thank you!

[–]dailyapplecrisp 1 point2 points  (2 children)

Anywhere in Union City area?

[–]richie_walker_mwf 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Not sure about Happy Hour, but Birdhaus Beer Garden is in Union City. It's nice and quiet there if you just wanna hangout with friends and chat and drink

[–]stuffeh 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Friday's and buffalo wild wings, I'm not sure about the non chain spots.

[–]mrsmoo 1 point2 points  (1 child)

The Factory Bar in Richmond! Supper cool place, a friend of mine manages it. Very awesome outdoor space and delicious specialty drinks. It’s right on the border of El Cerrito and Richmond. Highly recommend.

[–]samhigh 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This please is a good recommendation, never too crowded during the day and you can bring outside food.

[–][deleted]  (2 children)

[deleted]

    [–]changethediaper[S] 0 points1 point  (1 child)

    I think that may be a bit far but I'll see if attendees are up for it, thank you!

    [–]ImpressiveMistake1 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

    So anywhere in the east Bay isn't fine.

    [–]SpecialistAd339 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Buckwild brewing- everything is gluten free!! My non GF friends love it too.

    [–]Baytype_880 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Ale Industries off Fruitvale by the tracks.