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The Baltic $$$
- 135 Park Pl., Richmond (map)
- 510-237-1000
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(based on 1 user review)
You can dance, drink, and most definitely eat at this German-American restaurant and tavern, where the Wiener Schnitzel comes veggie-optional and live music fills the room every weekend. If the weather's nice, sit out on the cedar patio and sip on Belgium ale and other tasty beer offerings in bottle or on tap.
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Bing Crosby's $$$$
- 1342 Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek (map)
- 925-939-2464
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Crosby's country-club cuisine is better than it needs to be, with some dishes grand enough to stand up to the monumentally nostalgic surroundings. The bar is a roiling meat market for the over-forty and the overly tanned, but it's worth wading in for the excellent martinis.
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CommonWealth Cafe and Pub $
- 2882 Telegraph Ave., Oakland (map)
- 510-663-3001
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Ahna Adair co-owns the CommonWealth with her brother Pete Jeffryes and her husband Ross Adair, a Scot who learned to appreciate traditional cooking in his grandmother's kitchen. He prepares it here in the form of English-style breakfasts and pub grub with a California twist: Steel-cut oats, beans and toast, egg-and-chutney sandwiches, and the like augment an impressive selection of beers from the UK, the East Bay, and even a few locales in between.
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Disco Volante $$
- 347 14th St., Oakland (map)
- 510-663-0271
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(based on 4 user reviews)
The latest addition to Oakland's blossoming nightlife scene has set up shop in a turquoise-tiled Art Deco building at 14th and Webster streets. Disco Volante, set to open in late October, is a bar, music venue, and restaurant run by a trio of Oakland arts and entertainment vets, with chef Douglas Bernstein of Bacar, Eccolo, and Farallon fame serving up local and seasonal California cuisine. Musical offerings will range from bluegrass to Afrobeat, with shows at least three nights a week.
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Elevation 66 Brewing Company $$-$$$
- 10082 San Pablo Ave., El Cerrito (map)
- 510-848-9176
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A nine-table, twelve-tap family-friendly brewpub offering updated takes on American standards, as well as a full slate of beers, both brewed in-house and elsewhere.
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FIVE $$$$
- 2086 Allston Way, Berkeley (map)
- 510-225-6055
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Turns out, the Hotel at Shattuck Plaza has not only a rock-solid restaurant, but a bang-up — if slightly mannered — bar space as well. Drinks are well-made and undeniably thought-out — you'll be hard-pressed to find a cocktail here with fewer than five ingredients — but it's a pleasant place for an after-work or post-theater cocktail.
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Henry's $$
- 2600 Durant Ave., Berkeley (map)
- 510-809-4132
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(based on 2 user reviews)
Henry's is an old-school hotel bar that's been newly remodeled and reinvented. While you can still sit at the bar and enjoy a reasonably stiff drink, you might be better off sitting down for a full meal, as Henry's now offers a full size and well-executed take on classic pub fare.
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Jupiter $$
- 2181 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley (map)
- 510-843-8277
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(based on 2 user reviews)
Enjoy tasty Mediterranean-style pizzas and a wide variety of house brews on tap in this Berkeley outpost’s beer garden, where live bands perform on a brick patio throughout the week. For no cover charge you get atmosphere -- heat lamps, foliage, lanterns, a huge brick fire pit -- and entertainment ranging from experimental laptop music to bluegrass and Americana. Inside, the restaurant is two stories, and there are tables large enough to accommodate groups.
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Lot 68 Lounge $
- 2230 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley (map)
- 510-644-2992
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Perhaps most notable for the fact that it's located inside the Shattuck Cinemas movie theater, this bar/restaurant offers a full bar, a comfortable atmosphere, and surprisingly delicious food.
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Luka's Taproom & Lounge $$-$$$
- 2221 Broadway, Oakland (map)
- 510-451-4677
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(based on 2 user reviews)
Furnished with a full bar, restaurant, dining area, pool table, and a lounge with a spacious dance floor and an elevated DJ booth, Luka’s is chic, but not intimidatingly so. The lounge features rotating art exhibits and an all-star DJ lineup every week. Admission is often free, but expect to pay a $5 or $10 on weekends. Enjoy specials like half-priced bottles of wine (Mondays) or dollar oysters (Tuesdays) and listen to a variety of music, from funk to punk and bhangra to be-bop. Luka’s draws a diverse crowd that’s ready to dance, so arrive early on Voodoo Wedesdays for free salsa and timba lessons.
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Revival Bar & Kitchen $$$
- 2102 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley (map)
- 510-549-9950
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Amy Murray’s bustling downtown venue celebrates the Bay Area’s bounty of fresh, organic foodstuffs with flair and a sense of fun. Fig and marrow flatbread, creamy pork rillettes with lemon chutney, handmade pasta with pea tendrils and trumpet mushrooms, and a mixed pig plate of sausage, tenderloin, shoulder, and belly are among the standouts.
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TOAST $$
- 5900 College Ave., Oakland (map)
- 510-658-5900
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The College Avenue restaurant and wine bar, opened in 2011 by two local moms, serves meals made with local produce and sustainably farmed and caught fish and meats, and small plates for pairing with carefully selected, small-production wines. TOAST is also available for private events.
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Z Cafe and Bar $$
- 2735 Broadway, Oakland (map)
- 510-451-2905
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This American bistro joint is said to have a 1930's feel to the interior with dim lighting and a retro design. A spot for all meals of the day, this restaurant also includes a heavy wine selection with a bar to cope. On weekends, there may be a DJ, but check the web site for event listings and be sure to stop by for happy hour.
