Woods Bar & Brewery

The beer was very good. The atmosphere — not so much. About 30 minutes after I arrived, the music got so loud that I couldn’t hear the guy sitting next to me unless he put his mouth right next to my ear. Not pleasant and Way too loud. It wasn’t even a live band, just the speakers. We asked the bartender to turn it down a bit, but I think the volume increased. I expect a bar to be loud, but not deafening. So, if you want to drink decent beer and stare at your friends without speaking, go here.

Before a concert at the Fox we stopped by Woods Bar. I so wanted to love this place but they were having cookie week so all the beers had cookie flavors. It just wasn’t my style. I do know they make amazing beer though so I’ll be back and enjoy when it’s not a specialty week.

Went here for a quick drink before seeing a show nearby. When I was having trouble making a decision the bartender offered me a few taste portions, and I ended up picking (and liking) a beer I wouldn’t otherwise have considered. Love the fire pit outside and the beef empanada was delicious down to the olives I usually avoid. Would come back if in the neighborhood.

The beer is okay but it’s a fake-​funky vibe that reflects a lot of $ and not much design thought. Service was pissy for no reason. There are bars with real heart nearby to go to instead.

A friend introduced us to this place, and we are very happy to have it on our rotation of local brewpubs. I love the dark, slightly weird retro ambiance (the style of the drink menu is very interesting). There was a live jazz band the last time we were there, which is always a plus.
Their beers are diverse and creative; they have a couple gruit-​style beers in rotation, and the mint porter tastes like mint chip ice cream! You can order a flight of any four beers on tap as well, which is worth doing to sample their range of styles.
The empanadas are also worth trying: I’ve had the mushroom and swiss chard ones and they go perfectly with their lighter styles of beer. Yum!

Weird vibe. Really weird vibe. Dark. Strange beer signs/​beer board.
I’m not sure I enjoyed the sugary cookie beers, but I’m glad Woods is doing something different.
I’ll probably be back because it’s so close to everything else downtown.

My world for a tall glass of pilsner and the world’s best and healthiest mushroom empanada!
My friends and I decided to bar hop around Oakland and landed up at Woods. Only because it looked so fancy. But it’s actually pretty low key! They have a bunch of brewed beers and some wines as well. They also carry some tapas-​y foods, which make up for a pleasant evening.
We ordered a bunch of beers and wines between us. Gotta say though, beers beat the wine here. The empadanas beat everything else. Price-​wise, everything is reasonable.
Service is super friendly. It can get a little crowded on a Sat night. But it’s totally worth it, in that you get to sit by the cozy fireplace and enjoy the band that performs upstairs!

This place is weird… In the best possible way.
An aesthetic of Polished Sweden meets the Caribbean.
Good DJ, that made me want to dance, but I couldn’t find a dance floor, and wasn’t drunk enough to create my own.
Awesome beer selection. Delicious!

Hit up this spot for Happy Hour and it was just gearing up for some live music (Friday evening).
Wasn’t over-​packed, prices were good. I stuck to the white wine and my pal ordered a cookie beer. What?! Yep… he had a beer that tasted like vanilla shortbread cookies. This kinda beer could turn me into a beer-​drinkin floozy I tell ya!
Cool atmosphere, nice bartenders and just a well-​ventilated and airy space. I like it!

Lively live music, but too loud to hear the other people’s speaking. Otherwise, had a friendly atmosphere
Mostly sell beer drinks, but they had wines too. Very limited on food section, they only had 4 types of food on the menu. Got the chicken hot pot– plenty of stuffy inside and outside has a soft, crusty texture.
Find yourself a seat, and get your own drinks/​foods. Oh and if your lucky, u can sit next to the fire place.

Came here for Be About It Live, and really liked the vibe! Unfortunately, I do not like beer, but they did let me sample a few, which made me feel good about not committing to something I wouldn’t end up drinking! I ended up just ordering the white wine, and W ordered one of the signature honey beers, which he ~super~ liked.
Anyway, I guess this review is not that helpful since I know nothing about beer, but if you DO like beer, I’m saying try it out. And if there are ever any more events upstairs, I would go!

I was in town from Santa Cruz, and these were some of the best beer I’ve had in a while. They’ve got unique beers with such amazing flavor that you won’t find anywhere else. My favorite was the Local Honey Pale and the Citra Saison.
I really liked the clean, minimal, black and white décor inside. I went on a Sunday, and the vibes were pretty mellow and quiet.
We sat at the bar, and got good service. Next time I gotta try an empanada!

A large establishment in uptown Oakland that serves a variety of mostly house beers to a hipsterish crowd. There’s a large bar area inside as well as an even larger semi-​enclosed patio facing the sidewalk, so there’s lots of room to gather or spread out. Adding to the hipsterish vibe is the fact that the offerings at the bar are advertised in customized vintage lettering reminiscent of ‘50s or ‘60s game shows.
Service is generally fast and efficient, and the overall vibe and ambience here is extremely lively. Kudos to the owners for adding color to an increasingly happening area of Uptown.

Probably one of our favorite spots for the night — which is a feat considering I’m allergic to beer and the wine I ordered was only OK.
3 of us came in on a Saturday night and promptly found bar seating. They had live jazz music which was AWESOME.
We ordered two beer flights, the bartender admitted he’d only been there a short while but still offered up suggestions and was excellent at recalling which beers are which (no easy feat with 8 different beers in front of you). I ordered their white wine blend — it was mostly blah, but hey it’s wine, I’m not complaining.
They had a lot of really interesting and robust beers, it was a great chance to try something totally out of your comfort zone. I will say if your usual drink is Budlight this is absolutely NOT the place for you.
Overall, we will be back again and excited to see what they’ll have on their rotating menu. The staff was down to earth, live music was excellent, had no problem getting seating, and the drinks were unique, refreshing and cold. What more can you ask for?

Funky beer flavors in a cute bar in Uptown!
I went with a flight and got the Morpho, Death and Taxes, Smooch and a beer with gingery notes.
My favorite has to be the Morpho! If I could give any beer to the Oakland area, it would be this! So herby and delicious. I love Yerba Mate so having that touch in the beer was really enjoyable. I would come just for a big glass of this!
Unfortunately, one of the people in my party wasn’t crazy about the beers. He’s more of an IPA person and I think the brews were a little too far fetched for him =(but come with an open mind and open palate!
Beers rotate and some run out early!

If I live in Oakland, then Woods Bar & Brewery will be my weekend hangout spot. Here’s why: it’s got a great décor, an awesome outdoor/​patio setting with an amazing fireplace, a jazz band upstairs, and, last but not least, their unique selection of beer they brew.
The outside seating blends in perfectly with the vibrant street scene. It’s not only a great place to enjoy a good beer, but it’s also a great place for people to rest their feet and ponder about the important questions in life… or just to enjoy a good beer after all. When it’s around 7 – 7:30pm, there would be a jazz band upstairs blasting out their tunes. And the whole neighborhood could hear it, which is actually pretty soothing and comforting in the time of chaos and stress. What’s even greater about sitting outside is the fireplace. Imagine sipping a cold one while there’s heat all around you. It’s gotta be the best feeling ever!
Now for the beer: they’re unique and taste great! But beware: this place is not your typical bar that sells the most typical beer you could find in the market. Imagine this place as this really cool ice cream place where they pride themselves in unique and uncommon flavors. This is what Woods Bar & Brewery is about: creativity and uniqueness. I ordered a Local Honey Brew and it was one of the best beers I’ve ever tried. The honey taste is not so overwhelming yet not so subtle either. It’s the perfect balance between the sweetness and the bitterness. Kudos to whoever came up with this brew! The IPA with Yerba Mate is also very tasty. I wish I could have tried all of their brews and tell more about it!
Will come here as often as I can to sit and enjoy a beautiful afternoon here!

Awesome beer and awesome service in a great location! (Not to mention, a super nice bathroom for a bar!)
Love how tasters are available and gave me a chance to try everything on tap. Some unique beers available (lavender! coffee stout!) that I wish were available to take home in growlers.
Lots of seating (about half of it is outside (though covered), and there’s a fire pit keeping it fairly warm at night) along with a band upstairs (though I have to admit the band I last heard sounded like noise, not music.)
Every time I went to the bar to order a drink, men in v-​necks cut in front of me, but every time, the bartenders always saw and made sure I was attended to first.

Is their secret the Oakland summer breeze, or is it the outside seating? Maybe it’s the Jazz band, but how about those unique beers that you don’t see at your favorite go-​to dive bar?
For me? Well, it’s all of the above.
This place is quite unique in its own way. It’s one of a kind. Why? Well, they have this big seating area with the view of 17^th street which gives you the great ability of people watching for hours, a kick ass fire place, and an awesome area located upstairs that is for the bands to play. Just come here on a sunny Saturday, order your beer inside, and go seat outside. Not that the inside seating is bad or anything, but I found it kind of tiny and not as great as the patio.
The beers are quite unique and interesting. There are not that many items on the menu, maybe about ten different beers, two types of wines, and they also serve empanadas as snack for $ 5. I tried most of their beers, however the one that I liked the most (it truly stood out to me) was the MateVeza, which is IPA with Yerba Mate. Most beers here have this earthy and herby taste to them, maybe that’s one of the reasons I cannot become a regular here. My taste buds are not just used to the beers that they have. I don’t think I can have more than two pints here, but I can really appreciate the taste of their beers. Their beers are mostly around $ 6, which is not bad, and they also have 4 beer flight for $ 12. If you are a risk taker I would suggest trying the beer flights. Me? Nah I only drink IPAs, and I’m not much of a risk taker when it comes to drinks.
Very friendly and attentive staff. I will definitely come back here!

So it took me some time to finally get myself in here and I did the first Friday in April. I’m glad I arrived when I did because it got busy, quick. The layout is nice. The entrance is the front patio and then there’s the bar area in the back. Their beer is always rotating and they do have some wine on tap as well. They don’t have much for food, but they do carry El Porteño’s empanadas.
A cool place to hang out. And don’t forget your ID. They check them at the door.

It’s been a while since I last caught a show at the Fox Oakland. When I was there last time there was no brewery in the vicinity but things are now changed… enter Woods Bar & Brewery.
I heard good chatter about Cerveceria in the City and their Yerba Mate IPA but did not know that Woods in Oakland is actually the same company. Walking distance from the concert venue, Woods is tiny inside but also has a fireplace patio with several tables there. The bar with taps behind it stands as the central relic in the otherwise dark room. After all, there is a Bar in the name of this place so the atmosphere is spot on. Reminds me of something Japanese almost…
Only food served are empanadas which I haven’t tried upon this occasion but other patrons seemed to be devouring them at regular basis. Hopefully I’ll be hungrier next time and give it a shot. Since I didn’t try any food I made up with the beer… Flight of 4 4oz pours is $ 12 so $ 3 for a small pour makes it a bit pricey. They had 4 of their own beers on tap: Hella Pills, Mateveza, Smooch, and Starburst. I liked the pils and Smooch, while Mateveza was… different. There was something off on Starburst and I wouldn’t get that again, even in 4oz glass. The full pours are not cheap either but the beer is locally made and fresh and still cheaper than at Fox.
When attending a show in the neighborhood, beer lovers like myself now have an option of tasting some locally crafted brews just minutes away from Fox Theater. Talk about convenience. This will surely become my go-​to spot before the shows…