Top Rated Nightlife in Berkeley

In an area known for wineries and wine bars, Solano Cellars is a mecca for Bay Area oenophiles who sit at the imposing wood bar and sample a dazzling array of wines from around the world. A staff of refreshingly unpretentious wine experts can guide you through the selection and help you find just the vintage you were looking for. The shop attached is tiny, but what they do not have on display can be fetched from the seemingly bottomless wine cellar. To enhance the wine, an ever-changing appetizer and dessert menu, designed with wine in mind, is offered. There is a strict prohibition on cell phones.

This favorite is full of congenial spirits (both the drinks and the regulars), fish and chips and some of the best in local and Irish bands. Enjoy over two dozen beers on tap, including an impressive selection of local brews and ales, as well as the usual suspects (Guinness, Rolling Rock). There is a small dance floor that fills up during live performances, but also features locals who jump on in for folk dancing. Traditional Irish dance lessons are held on Mondays, and Happy Hour lasts from opening to 7p.

Founded in 1985 by two brothers, the Triple Rock Brewery is a laid-back taverna-style pub that serves craft beers from their own collection. The lime-up of brews includes several strong American ales such as the Monkey Head, Red Rock Ale and the Stonehenge Stout. Those who are uncertain about their preference can taste any of their tap beers first in a taster glass for a paltry sum. To nosh on, there are plenty of American bar snacks such as wings, burgers, sandwiches, fries and nachos.

This historic bar is full of stories, character, and charm. Once a place Jack London himself would frequent to drink and write, the story is that the famous author borrowed his college entrance fee from the bar's proprietor. The small bar still features a slanted wooden floor and charred walls leftover from the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906, which took its toll elsewhere in the Bay Area, too. Its name derives from the old days when it was the only bar at the Port of Oakland. Each day, as laborers would take the ferry to San Francisco and back again, this was the first and last chance for the working man to grab a drink. The bar serves only beverages and distributes literature on its history.

Cafe Van Kleef is located right in the heart of Oakland's Uptown neighborhood. The theme of Van Kleef is unconventional and all about the quirky artwork everywhere. The specialty at Van Kleef's is their Greyhound - a drink of vodka with grapefruit juice, which you can watch them squeezing fresh at almost any given point during the night. On most nights in the week, the bar plays live jazz music. Certain nights come with a cover charge so be sure to check details before you head here.

Zeitgeist is a popular bar in the Mission. They make a mean drink here, and you will fit in easily with the crowd, just don't let the profusion of leather and Harleys intimidate you. You do not have to be a biker to feel at home. An outdoor patio with barbecue and live music are all part of the experience. Best of all, you can wake up in the morning and start all over again with one of their famous Bloody Mary's.