Telegraph
2318 Telegraph Ave. [Map]
Oakland, CA 94612
Ph: (510) 444-8353
Hours: Mon 4pm-12am; Tue-Thu 11-12am; Fri-Sat 11-2am; Sun 11-12am
Facebook: TelegraphOAK
Twitter: @TelegraphOAK
Price range: $$ Entrees ($11-$17)
In the former space of the now departed Mama Buzz coffeehouse, you'll find reasonably priced comfort food in an urban beer garden setting at Telegraph. Two spacious patios (one indoors) furnished with wooden picnic tables and an eclectic collection of local art -- including a "Lost Sloth" mural and pop-up shop by Oakland artist J. Otto Seibold -- can accommodate lots of customers. There’s an array of appetizing housemade sausages offered daily, and numerous sandwiches, burgers and breakfast items are also available. There’s no shortage of beverages either; they’ve got a variety of local and regional draft and bottled beers — including Oakland’s Line 51 Brewing’s Imperial India Pale Ale — and soda, coffee and Temescal kombucha made by Arbor Cafe.
The Trappist Beer Cafe
460 8th St. [Map]
Oakland, CA 94607
Ph: (510) 238-8900
Hours: Everyday 12pm-12am; Fri-Sat 12pm-1am
Facebook: The Trappist's Insider Page
Twitter: @TheTrappist
Price range: $$ Entrees ($11-$17)
The veteran venue on the list, Chuck Stilphen and Aaron Porter's Belgian-style pub has been pouring brews in the Old Oakland neighborhood for over 8 years. Customers can unwind in the Old World brick-and-wood ambience of the front or back bars or relax in their outdoors back patio. There's also a limited food menu, including a plump, juicy bratwurst poached in Sculpin IPA with a potato hash and the delectable pastrami sandwich with Gruyère, housemade sauerkraut and dressing on rye.
Lost and Found
2040 Telegraph Ave. [Map]
Oakland, CA 94612
Phone: (510) 763-2040
Hours: Tue-Thu 11:30am-10pm; Fri-Sat 11:30am-12pm; Sun 11:30am-10pm; Closed Mondays
Facebook: Lost and Found
Price range: $$ Entrees ($11-$17)
From the owners of the music and art lounge The Layover, husband-and-wife team Christi Vaughn and Tim Martinez debuted the renovated 9,000 sq. foot building and patio in mid-April. The airy indoor space has several communal tables and two adjacent bars where patrons can drink and dine, while the sprawling outdoor patio is a literal beer garden that's decorated with flowers and plants maintained by graduates from a gardening program at San Quentin. There's numerous cafe and picnic tables as well as a smattering of cozy nooks for kicking back in the casual setting. And for customers in a more playful mood, there's also a ping pong table and bean bag toss for fun and games. Lost and Found has 20 beers on draft -- many of which are local offerings, like the 101 North Heroine IPA from Petaluma -- although they're currently limited to just beer and wine. Food-wise, Chef Dennis Yadroff (whose previous stints include Haven, Sweet Woodruff and FuseBox) has created an eclectic menu with global influences like kimchi deviled eggs with green garlic.
The Beer Shed at The Dock
95 Linden St. [Map]
Oakland, CA 94607
Ph: (510) 338-3965
Hours: Tue-Thu 5-9pm; Fri-Sat 5-9:30pm
Beer Shed: Tue-Fri 4:30-9:30pm; Sat 3-9:30; Sun 3-8pm; Sunday Supper 4-8pm
Twitter: @THEDOCKoakland
Price range: $$ Entrees ($11-$17)
The Beer Shed is Linden Street Brewery's newly revamped tasting room with both indoor and outdoor seating. They feature their own beers as well as other California breweries on tap. You can nosh on soft pretzels or popcorn, or head on over to James Syhabout's The Dock for gourmet dishes such as fried fennel and onion petals and a falafel waffle.
Faction Brewing
2501 Monarch St. [Map]
Alameda, CA 94501
Ph: (510) 523-BREW
Hours: Wed-Sat 12-8pm; Sun 12-6pm
Facebook: Faction Brewing
Twitter: @factionbrewing
Price range: $ (Entrees $10 and under)
Located between St. George Spirits and Rock Wall Wine Company on the western boundary of Alameda Point, Faction's kid and dog-friendly outdoor concrete patio with picnic table seating affords a scenic view of the city. There's also an indoor tasting room and shop that sells growlers and other merchandise. Try their tasting flight that offers 5 oz. samples of their six beers. And check online to see if any food trucks will be available onsite in case you're hungry for snacks to accompany your beer.
Drake’s Barrel House
1933 Davis St. [Map]
San Leandro, CA 94577
Ph: (510) 568-BREW
Mon-Wed 3-9pm; Thu 12-9pm; Fri-Sat 12-10pm; Sun 12-7pm
(First Fridays: 12-4pm full service, 4-6pm to-go & retail only)
Facebook: Drake's Brewing
Twitter: @DrakesBrewery
Price range: $$ Entrees ($11-$17)
The Barrel House, the tap room and retail shop for Drake's Brewery, has a big warehouse with indoor seating as well as a deluxe outdoor patio. There's usually a food truck parked onsite during tasting hours, so check their schedule to see what's available -- or buy one of the locally-produced edibles they have for sale. Sample a taster tray to easily peruse their 24 beers, and you can also purchase growlers, six-packs, 22 oz. “bombers" and kegs.
Beer Revolution
464 3rd St. [Map]
Oakland, CA 94607
Ph: (510) 452-2337
Hours: Mon-Thu 12-10pm; Fri-Sat 12-11pm; Sun 12-9pm
Facebook: Beer Revolution
Twitter: @BeerRevolution
Price range: $$ Entrees ($11-$17)
This is a true beer aficionado's spot as Beer Revolution has 50 rotating taps and hundreds of domestic and imported bottles for sale in their indoor coolers (you can take them to go or drink one down right there for a $1 surcharge.) Grab food from their neighbors -- Annex Burger or Souley Vegan -- to eat inside the bar or outside on their comfortable wooden patio.
Heinold’s First And Last Chance Saloon
48 Webster St. at Jack London Square [Map]
Oakland, CA 94607
Ph: (510) 839-6761
Hours: Mon-Thu 12-11pm; Fri-Sat 12-1am; Sun 12-11pm
Price range: $$ Entrees ($11-$17)
This legendary bar (now a designated historic landmark) has been pouring drinks since the late 1800s in the heart of Jack London Square. You can either squeeze into the tiny indoor pub and marvel as its collection of artifacts plastered on the walls and ceilings (and try not to spill your drink on its famous slanted bar), or sit out front on the patio that faces the waterfront. Neighboring restaurants Bocanova, Forge, Haven and Lungomare also have ample outdoor seating.
Prizefighter
6702 Hollis St. [Map]
Emeryville, CA 94608
Ph: (510) 428-1470
Hours: Mon-Fri 4pm-2am; Sat-Sun 2pm-2am
Facebook: Prizefighter
Twitter: @Prizefighter
Price range: $$ Entrees ($11-$17)
This boxing-themed bar with a minimalist, lounge-like interior and enclosed wooden patio sanctuary is a fine retreat to imbibe all manner of beers, wines and spirits. While they have an excellent list of local and imported brews on their menu, their whiskey, tequila, mezcal and cocktails are the true highlights. And just a few doors down is Rotten City; head on over or call for delivery if you're craving a delicious slice of pizza.
Brotzeit Lokal
1000 Embarcadero [Map]
Oakland, CA 94606
Ph: (510) 645-1905
Hours: Tue-Thu 11:30am-11pm (kitchen closes at 9:30pm); Fri 11:30am-12pm (kitchen closes at 10pm); Sat 10am-12pm (kitchen closes at 10pm); Sun 10am-9:30pm (kitchen closes at 9pm)
Facebook: Brozeit Lokal
Twitter: @Brotzeit_Lokal
Price range: $$ Entrees ($11-$17)
Just past Jack London Square off of the Embarcadero, Chop Bar's Lev Delany has created a waterfront oasis that's perfect for large crowds in fine weather. Brotzeit Lokal's kitchen utilizes whole animal butchery in preparing their sausages and burgers, and all of their sauerkraut, sauces, pickles and mustards are also housemade. There's also a rotating menu of German, Belgian and Californian craft beers; if you're feeling extra thirsty, go for a liter of Kolsch or a two-liter boot while you admire the view of the Brooklyn Basin.
Moxy Beer Garden
3136 Sacramento St. [Map]
Berkeley, CA 94702
Ph: (510) 547-6699
Hours: Kitchen 11:30am-9:30pm; Bar 11:30am-11:30pm; Closed Mondays
Facebook: Moxy
Price range: $ (Entrees $10 and under)
Berkeley’s Moxy Beer Garden has transformed the old Casa Vino wine bar into a casual venue with plenty of seating for groups in their covered outdoor patio or inside the bar. They offer a wide selection of beers on tap from Drake’s, Black Diamond, Thirsty Bear and several other local breweries. Moxy also serves an extensive menu including burgers made with premium beef sourced from Pacific Pastures Farm in Hydesville, CA.
Lake Chalet Seafood Bar & Grill
1520 Lakeside Dr. [Map]
Oakland, CA 94612
Ph:(510) 208-5253
Hours: Mon-Fri 11am-10pm; Sat 10am-11pm; Sun 10am-10pm
Facebook: Lake Chalet
Twitter: @LakeChalet
Price range: $$$$ (Entrees more than $25)
While Lake Chalet has their own beers on draft produced by their sister location, the Beach Chalet in San Francisco, the main reason to head to this restaurant is to take in the lovely views of Lake Merritt from its expansive outdoor area -- especially at night, when a twinkling constellation of lights illuminates the waterfront. Have lunch, brunch or dinner, or you can catch a gondola ride from its deck if you're in a romantic mood.
Rosamunde Downtown Oakland
Swan's Marketplace, 911 Washington St. [Map]
Oakland, CA 94607
Ph: (510) 338-3108
Hours: Sun-Wed 11am-10pm; Thu-Sat 11am-11pm
Facebook: Rosamunde Sausage Grill
Twitter: @rosamundesf
Price range: $ (Entrees $10 and under)
Downtown Oakland's Rosamunde is conveniently located right next to Taylor’s Sausage in Swan’s Marketplace, a venerable 20-year-old institution that supplies some of its delicious meats to its neighbor. They've got the same sausage-laden menu as their Mission and Lower Haight counterparts, and there's 16 craft beers on tap that you can drink outside on their sidewalk patio or at one of the communal tables indoors.
Two other places I left off my original list but also highly recommend are the German restaurant Speisenkammen in Alameda and one-of-a-kind Warehouse Cafe in Port Costa. Several other readers also suggested Tap 25 in Livermore, as well as Freehouse and Jupiter in Berkeley.
