Alameda Social Club
Island-time drinking twenty minutes from downtown Oakland.
Drinks
- Gimlet$9
- Paloma$9
- Rotating Wine Pour$8
- Nonalcoholic Spritz$7
One of the few genuinely good NA options around.
Food
- Deviled Eggs$6
- Smash Burger$11
- Fried Chicken Sandwich (half)$10
- Kettle Chips & Onion Dip$5
Is it actually worth it?
Alameda runs about fifteen degrees slower than the rest of the Bay and this bar leans all the way into it. Nobody is checking a watch. The windows face west and at 5:45 the whole room goes amber.
The drinks are simple and precise — a gimlet with fresh lime and nothing else to prove, a paloma with real grapefruit. I want to specifically praise the nonalcoholic spritz, which is bitter and complex instead of being sugary juice, and costs $7 instead of the $14 some places charge for the privilege.
Food is comfort-forward: the smash burger is thin and crispy-edged, the onion dip is house-made and dangerous. This isn't the most exciting happy hour on the list. It might be the most restorative.
