Baggy’s by the Lake

#15
As I sat here with several friends last night, I wondered why I have never written a review for Baggy’s? I mean, I simply walk over (no DUI capability), meet friends, run into peeps I have not seen in a loooong minute, get cheap drinks that really do the job, great service, nothing fancy – just good drinks and good people.
I want to commend Baggy’s for not buying into the whole «gentrification» thing going on in our neighborhood. It is ruining everything – and Stephani frowns for that ;(
Baggy’s, since the first time I ever visited about 8 years ago, has remained the same friendly, hospitable and fun environment. They welcome the same old crowd with the same old peeps working the bar. I love it. And one thing my grams taught me was this, «If it aint broke, don’t fix it.»
*trusts grammy*
Baggy’s is truly my favorite spot in the Lake Merritt area. We always meet up with friends here and with other people who live in our building that become our friends because we all have the same love for strong, cheap drinks with attitude.
The place is small, dark, kind of non-​updated – and all of that is the charm. No one is trying to be fancy here or charge ‘high rent’ for a simple drink. None of the drinks are ruined with «only local» and none of the prices are ruined with «we mash our own ingredients» type of BS. It is just a real bar, with real people and real drinks.
Real bar + real drinks = real people
Stephani Smiles for Baggy’s by the Lake ;)
#sidewayssmilewhenileavebaggys

One of my favorite local watering holes. People are friendly, drink prices are reasonable and mixed well. Most nights it’s relatively calm and not busy. Bartenders are attentive and always make sure you have a full glass.
The jukebox puts them at five stars for me. Throw in a couple dollars pick your favorite classic and enjoy the evening.

They have a door, you go through it, you ask for an alcoholic beverage, you give them money, then you drink. In case you forgot how a bar works ;). This bar is about as straightforward as a bar gets. It is not too grimy, not too pricey, but authentic and has character, and the bartenders are great. If you happen to be going on a bar crawl in the area, this place needs to be on the list.
They know how to do a michelada, which is, sadly, fairly rare in Oakland. Say hello to Shay if you go in, because she’s an awesome bartender, and super chill.

People are coming in hordes to Oakland in order to embrace multi culti, lgbt tolerance and being racially sensitive. At Baggys, the contrast is remarkable, from the hottest eye candy possible to an elderly old man who has a lifelong relationship with the neighborhood. In in other words, Baggys embodies these ideas and the only requirement to enjoy the place, is to behave! A requirement stringently enforced. To feel Oakland please check this place out.

Usually love this place. Wanted to come here for drinks and tunes but… NOT DOG FRIENDLY. You serve no food and are the diviest bar around the lake, and you just missed out on about $ 100 from used to be loyal customers. So disappointed.

Love Baggy’s. Best spot to chill n hang out but the bartender with the dreads rude. Nasty. Don’t go there when she working. Bar always empty when she’s working. Rude!

This is my spot. I love it and have been coming for years; however, I’m compelled to write a review due to a new bartender that they hired… SHAYLA. She is new to Oakland and her vibe is not warm or friendly. I am one of many who walks out when they see her behind the bar. Please correct this problem! This is our neighborhood bar!!!

How can you not love this neighborhood bar. It’s cute, cozy, cheap. Chill there and watch the regulars hang, fantasize about becoming friends with them, watch the A’s on the TV, smoke a cig outside without judgment. The bartenders are even nice as hell. Yay Baggys. Yay.

OK neighborhood bar on the outskirts of a bad nieghborhood. Parking can suck and you shouldn’t even consider leaving your car overnight. Great, and I mean GREAT beer selection — any place that has Urquell on tap is a winner in my book. Beers are cold, prices are reasonable and the liquor pours are fine. The bathrooms are evil, but it’s a dive bar, so you can’t really complain. A fine place to have a beer and much a Subway sandwich from next door. Avoid during the day in the summer… no a/​c and it gets hot as hell…

Local dive bar that has fabulous holiday décor. Stop by during Halloween and Xmas– you’ll see what I’m talking about.

Moved into the the area and this quickly became my local bar. Great people, owners, and bartenders. I recommend it for anyone that wants a beer.

It’s sort of a worn out bar that isn’t really divey and needs a good overhaul. I’ve found that the mixed drinks are made rather poorly though the beer on tap is just fine. Should you go here, be mindful of the neighborhood, especially if you park your vehicle nearby. It’s an ok place and it does have its own loyal following.

88 degrees in Oakland on a Thursday Afternoon. today was my day off and after doing my groceries and cleaning i decided to run the lake. As soon as i stepped outside, i said «F**k this, its waaay too hot. i need some cold brews». i always heard good things about BAGGY’S but i never been. i live 2 blocks away and been living on Lake Merritt for 3 yrs now. today was meant to be. real cool spot. locals. community. that «Cheers» vibe is prevalent. im not mad at that. all demographics talking to one another. No bad vibes. the place is decorated for Halloween and i love that! Te bartender seems real cool. Talked to everyone and engaged in good convo and knows the crowd real well. Oh, GREAT beers on tap. i went with my favorite OAK TOWN BROWN ALE (surprisingly brewed in Walnut Creek). Very cool spot. i will definitely be coming around more often now. Good date spot. Hopefully i DO NOT run into the neighbors i’ve already hooked up with. Well, i wouldnt mind it. It all starts with alcohol and conversation. lol. anyways… CHEERS to a great time. hopefully i’ll see you here. good place to watch a game. 3 flat screen TVs.

I came here for a dive bar experience. It definitely delivered that. The bar staff and clientele was lovely. However I knew something was wrong when I started breaking out in hives. I’ve had an allergy to tequila that isn’t 100% agave for as long as I remember. I ordered a Herra Durra shot for myself and my friends (which is definitely 100% agave) and put it down with much pleasure, enjoying my friends company. I later broke out in hives all over my face and chest, which has previously only
Happened with shitty non agave tequila. Now you must know, this is coming from someone that drinks tequila very frequently, a condissuer of sorts. This only happens with Jose Cuervo and weird substitute tequilas. So, basically, these people are cutting their nice tequila bottles with generic bullshit. WITHOUT A DOUBT. It’s not cool, and if my allergy was more serious I could be dead. You guys need to consider this next time you try to be cheap. Cheers.

Do not come to this dive. Do not get me wrong, I love dive bars. I am not above any bar… I support any local business… & your staff was nothing less than accommodating. But please listen to this one time review: my girlfriend & I came in for an evening drink. We ordered shots of Herra Durra tequila. Soon after we left, she broke out into a rash. My friend only drinks 100% agave because of her allergens. Someone in your establishment cut this tequila with something that was not 100% agave. We noticed when we were on our way home. Do not replace tequila with cheap liquor to save a few dollars. That is disrespectful & goes against anything that we as locals support. I give you one star. I am beyond grateful that my girl is breathing. Don’t play with with your clienteles health. I hope your bill is cheaper, sleep well tonight.

I spaced out and accidentally walked too far down the block, coming to my senses literally right in front of Baggy’s. I’ve driven by and always been amused by the name, plus some of my friends have given rave reviews, so when I found myself there after a long day, I realized that a beer sounded good. I’d secured a couple of regular clients and had cause to celebrate, so I headed in.
Cute bar and it has a very comfortable and friendly vibe. I found myself talking to some random people right away. I sat down with my beer and caught up on my phone — admittedly antisocial, but I was a bit fried — I noticed that everyone there seemed to be just super friendly in general. Lots of regulars, who knew the bartender and the bartender knew their names. It felt very inclusive, though, as apparent strangers would strike up conversations around me.
They have an internet jukebox, which I love, because that means so much selection and a lot of randomness. They have an unusual number of darker/​stronger/​IPA beers; it looked like the lightest beers on draft were PBR and Pilsner Urquell.
Anyway, I really liked this bar and would totally come back here. Possible 5-​star establishment, but more research must be done to confirm. :)

My friend is a local dive aficionado. She’s also a beer snob. This means that she knows local watering holes that serve quality beer like nobody’s business. It also means that when we go out, I don’t pick the place (and I don’t mind)! Baggy’s is one of her favorite bars to throw back a beer. In fact, it’s so local that, as she puts it, «it’s nobody’s destination.»
It’s not exactly «by the lake,» so if you’re expecting views of the water you’re in for a sad surprise. But it’s got what you need — good beer on tap, including local Oakland brews — tables in the back, a few TVs, mirrors and old photos on the wall, and a sticky floor. As an added perk, there’s a Vietnamese restaurant next door, and you can bring food in and eat around the table. This is the kind of place where, after a few visits, I bet the bartender might even know your name.

This review is for Jason. He is the worst bartender I have ever encountered; I have traveled all over the world and bar hopped scores of bars in one weekend alone. My friends have all concurred that he is, as well. The guy has some kind of complex and when he’s in a crap mood, is more than happy to take it out on you, or the homeless guy outside. Pretty sure the word douche was invented for him.
It’s unfortunate, because the bar itself would garner 5 stars — as would all the other bartenders whom I LOVE. And as you’ll see, there is not one bar that I have reviewed that is under 4 stars. Because I only go to bars I love. I will continue to go to Baggy’s, see who is working, and walk out if it is McDouchenstien.

I can’t even tell you how amazing Parisa is. So sweet and kind and makes sure you are taken care of. They have good music on the Touchtunes (if you put $ 5 in you are guaranteed your music for at least 30 minutes). I personally prefer 90s rap but whatever you choose is fine, as long as I can groove to it. All in all it’s a fun dive bar to come and enjoy local flair. :) fair prices, good times, etc.

I love this place. I have never had a bad experience here. Mellow or high energy party, Baggy’s is whatever you make it. Plus, they have great drink selections (the board today says they just added Crispin to their list), and great drink specials.
Also doesn’t hurt that the owner is really sweet. I held a going away party here and he did everything he could to make sure we had a good time.