Yum! This place kinda reminds me of Broken Record in SF, where one orders food from a food window and there's a separate bar (except that this place accepts credit card... win!).
The pizza here is so very good; we had a pepperoni that had a little bit of shredded Parmesan cheese baked right onto it with a perfectly thin, crispy crust. Great selection of beer and appetizers, too. Very casual dive bar and pub environment where everything is just order yourself at the counter/window.
A whole pizza and a pitcher of microbrew... mmmmm...
How can you NOT love this neighborhood fixture? I cannot begin to count the times I've heard or said, "Let's go have a beer at Cato's!"
This place is an unpretentious, mellow spot where a hodgepodge of people come together to sit and sip some lovely brews. They have a fantastic covered sundeck area, which hosts the most coveted seating, and features a couple of larger family style tables. There are also spots for one or two along the windows, where you can look out over the hustle and bustle of Piedmont Ave.
Inside, the place consists of multiple booths, a few recessed darker tables - giving it that pub-like feel - and a medium sized bar with at least 25 beers on tap, including a nitro.
Live music happens often and is talented.
They have a full kitchen, with ever-better selections on the menu, such as the "Obama Burger," and staples like the Catatoes - Cato's Potatoes which are spicy and delicious, and perfect size to share.
Their pizza is actually pretty good, and they have a range of toppings that covers all the usual stuff. Heh. Covers.
I've seen kids here, too. Family welcome, though it gets rowdy when the Cal students, the CCA students and Mills College all go on break or finish their finals.
Come here to kick back and enjoy a great, laid-back atmosphere with some good food and even better beer!
I give this 4 because I like the prices, the beer selection, and for bar food it's quite good. Really nothing to complain about.
Just watch out for the old guy at Karaoke night who tells everyone they suck but then never has the balls to get up and do it himself.
That said it was my friend doing the Karaoke, I don't do silly stuff like that.
A LOT of White folks singin' like nobody's business. One bartender on a very busy Saturday night, but he still kept his cool and turned drinks out super fast.
They have an awesome selection of rotating taps and it just so happens that the night I was there - THEY HAD TRIPLE VOODOO! Oh, it's just the best beer I've ever had. From San Francisco, delicious, super strong (ABV 7%++), and so damn smooth. I heard they rarely tap Oakland because they're a small company and the cost doesn't make sense. I tried to explain this to the bartender, but he didn't give a flying...
Karaoke selection is massive and I like that the stage is off to the side and not the center of the bar, so if you're not there for karaoke night you don't have to know it's there.
I like you Cato's.
What are you looking for in a bar? Â I have no freaking idea, which is why I am reviewing this by what I want, and you can respond accordingly. Â For those who don't want to keep reading, why 5 stars? Â Many GOOD beers, inexpensive pub food that I enjoy, area in back to smoke but you can bring your drink. Â
This bar offers everything I could want. Â Every time I am there, I meet some new, interesting, friendly person. Â The beer changes regularly, and is a decent price for the quality of beer. Â The food is pretty quick, reasonable to purchase, and although it is not gourmet, it is good. Â I mean, you are in a Pub, who is looking for fancy food? Â No, give me nachos, fries, a sandwich, fried goodness. Â You know, food that says, I am drinking beer in a pub and don't give a damn about my health, obviously. Â
The back area has a bench, where I often sit and read while enjoying a beer. Â On a warm day, you can't beat it. Â
I would recommend this place to anyone who is not looking for a night out at a bar, but an enjoyable place to drink beers, meet people, or just hang out. Â Also, they probably will have the game on.
This place is AMAZING! My boyfriend and I actually ate here on accident. We were walking on Piedmont Ave and were hungry so we stopped in. The food was great! My absolute favorite was their grilled corn. So simple, yet so delicious. They have a pub/bar feel but that's what they are going for. They have wooden booths that are carved/edged with initials from previous guests.
Overall, great place to come to for lunch on a nice summer day.
A fun spot with dim lighting, wooden tables, and the Oakland breeze.
I don't usually go out after work in Oakland since I work in San Francisco, but this time was a special occasion for a friend en route back to London.
I've only been here once, but I'd love to come back!
Parking is a little tight because of the area, but we made do. Walk up the short stoop of steps and welcome to Cato's where most folks seemed to have just gotten off of work or are even having dinner with the kids!
To order, walk towards the back to the little window on the left. The plates are big so be hungry and chase it down with the great selection of beers you can get in pints or pitchers.
The ladies and I had a great time. We had 2 pitchers which included blue moon and something lemon. Two of the ladies arrived earlier than us two.
I ordered the chicken sandwich with fries and boy was it delicious!
If you want ranch with your fries, just ask at the ordering window.
The atmosphere is great for sitting and catching up. It can get pretty crowded, but a good crowd means great food and plentiful booze!
Until next pitcher...
We really wanted to like this place as we live nearby and came in with high expectations. Â I looked at the menu online and thought that the BLT looked delicious. Â I ordered the BLT and it came on cheap bread, for some reason they put almost no lettuce on it, seriously like a piece 2" x1" and they put as little bacon as possible and hardly any tomato. Â It was super dissapointing and I ended up asking for lettuce which the server was apologetic about. Â My boyfriend got a bacon blue cheese burger... He ended up paying $13 for it and even though he paid extra for bacon they skimped super hard again, looked like maybe 1.5 pieces... Â The environment could be cool I guess but they were playing really annoying jazz music really loud but neither of us is a fan of that so we got out of there as soon as possible.
Review Source:Cato's is always a nice, chill spot to hang out at and have a beer. They have food that's actually pretty yummy and great beer selections. Some nights they have live music which is always fun. Since it's lower on Piedmont Ave, the parking tends to be a bit easier however it is closer to the hospital therefore parking can be a challenge during the day.
Review Source:A pretty sweet bar. Â The crowd is mid-20's and friendly, if bordering on hipsterish. Â Beer selection is above average, food selection is solid (if slightly pricey). Â Trivia night on Monday is a blast. Â The place gets packed and it's super-duper competitive. Â There must be dozens of teams, all pretty close in points. Â Bring smart friends if you want to win. Â Prizes aren't anything crazy - a pitcher per round, roughly. Â But it's good fun.
Review Source:This review is primarily for the beer, the bartenders, and the karaoke night on Saturdays.
First, the beer here is usually very good and they switch it up all the time. Second, the prices of the beer are very reasonable, especially for the area.
The bartenders are all very friendly and a few of them even sing on the karaoke nights. Needless to say, I am impressed. Especially with the cute bartender that sings Portishead. She is a class act.
Lastly, the karaoke night is awesome and there is a crew who gets really into it. So bring your best pipes if you want to gain there respect, but otherwise they seem to be very supportive. I just like the free entertainment as several of them can actually sing well or at least put on an entertaining show. Recommend this place to anyone who likes a good pint with some pretty entertaining ambience.
ABSOLUTELY love this place!! It's walking distance for me so to be able to enjoy a few ales and not have to drive is enough of a perk, but when you see HOW MUCH they have to drink....oooh I'm in heaven.
Parking is free after 6 for those who have to drive, so I suggest coming around then or later.
There are always food specials (I'm a sucker for their burgers - big enough to share, always juicy) and they have some pretty unique items featured. Like salmon fish and chips - who does that?! And of course taps are always changing - I love that they have multiple ciders available which are always my favorite.
Last time I was here was a trivia night, I wish they had it posted on the board outside so we didn't wait forever only to figure it out no tables were freeing up any time soon; so we went elsewhere (wah).
Definitely a favorite standby - can't wait to see what's new next time I go!
Love this place. Accidentally stumbled in during trivia night and managed to jump right in. SO much fun! The atmosphere is charming and hunter lodge-reminiscent. Good local and foreign beers on tap & basic cocktails. Food is so so and not really worth ordering, but thats not why you came is it? Never extremely crowded and seems to attract a slightly older crowd (it is Piedmont for gods sake)!
Review Source:Super casual, chill, yummy place!
My cousin LOVES this place and has been telling me about it for quite some time. Â I finally gave in and went here with her and I was happy I did! We shared their Nachos and holy yum, they were piled high and totally hit the spot!
Loved the laid back atmosphere.
This is a great little gem in the neighborhood! Â Great chicken strips and fries, which ALWAYS gets 5 stars in my book.
The bar staff is really cool too, always giving us a sample of beers to try, and the last time I was there they offered gluten free beer, which is definitely a plus.
I had the sangria the last time I was there, and it was pretty good!!
Will definitely be back hopefully to try more of the food.
My lunch here was a plate of tepid slime, masquerading under the name "nopales tacos."
They were served up ice cold. Â That's weird. Â But biting into a cold taco was not nearly as bad as the disgusting liquid that slid out of it. Â The cut-up nopales had clearly been sitting in the fridge in a swamp of their own ooze and were just slopped into a tortilla and sent out to me. Â The resulting mushy mess covered my plate in a slimy liquid that looked like it belonged in a hanky. Â Really horrifying.
The Mr. reported his reuben was "just OK," so I don't think avoiding the specials menu and sticking to the classics will get you great food here, but at least you'd have a better shot. Â To be fair, his reuben may have tasted better if he hadn't had to look at my phlegm platter while he was eating it. Â One extra star for his cole slaw, which I thought was really good thanks to caraway seeds. Â
But I can't imagine coming back to Cato's, so that cole slaw and I shall likely never meet again.
I've been know to miss the obvious sometimes, yeah me... I've never been here mostly due to the fact that I do have my staple beer house places I tend to frequent. Even though I do like to hang out on Piedmont Ave. from time to time not once have I made it to Cato's until recently. And I really don't know why. And I must say I'm quite impressed!
The atmosphere is pretty cool, rustic yet beer house cozy and a bit worn. But hey that's what I like sometimes and apparently so do others. On a particularly average late Saturday afternoon albeit a little full, me and a friend were able to find a table.
The beer selection was pretty well varied and I ended up ordering a stout. The restaurant menu looked really good for pub grub but I decided to order the Hallelujah! Sandwich: Fried chicken breast topped with spicy coleslaw & lemon garlic aioli on a french roll, all for the low low price of $8.95. And I must saw it was quite good!
So I would say, I will return to this establishment in the future! Not only did I enjoy my selection during my visit, the other menu options looked quite appealing as I sneaked a peek at others tables.
I love Catos. Â Yeah, the food's a little on the greasy, heart-attack inducing side, but they have the best beer selection on Pied Ave and the atmosphere is laid back and unpretentious. Â
I've been several times -- it's a great place to hang with friends or watch a sports game. Â If your lady friend is sports minded, it might even be fun people-watching place to go (maybe not on a first date though).
I've been to Cato's a handful of times now and, like another reviewer said, as long as I view it as a pub, all is cool. The beer selection is what keeps drawing me back, definitely not the food.
I tend to go on weekday afternoons when the place has a chill vibe. I order food, pick my beer, and go sit up front by the windows. The back of the restaurant is woody, dark, and full of character, with a little nook perfect for brooding poets. The front is rife with windows and is much lighter and airier.
I'm sorry to say that the food is somewhat disappointing. The first meal I had here was a Croque Monsieur, which had no gruyere or cheese flavor at all, and was a really greasy basic grilled ham and cheese that.. well.. was not a hit in my belly. Next time, I got the Obama sandwich and I am incredulous that anyone would try to pass off Thousand Island dressing as 'aioli'. Another time, I tried the burger and it was okay, just not what I'd hoped.
My favorite things of everything I've tried so far are the schnitzel sandwich (daily special) and the hallelujah! sandwich, both of which had good bread and lots of lettuce/cabbage, making a yummy and refreshing counterpoint to the heaviness of the fried meat. Â Also, their fries are awesome. Really crispy and tasty.
Things get quite a bit more boisterous after sundown, but it is a pub, after all!
Reliable, friendly neighborhood pub.
Cato's is the place you can go to when you don't feel like making dinner. Cato's is where you go when you want to meet friends for drinks. Cato's is the place where you can drown your sorrows. For a $17 pitcher of local, delicious beer it is always enticing.
Everyone that works there is so nice. Two of the bartenders I've encountered were so helpful in making beer recommendations. Their burgers are simple goodness and their pizza is good too.
I hear they have live jazz over the weekends, so I would like to stop by when that's happening. They're also one of the few businesses on Piedmont Ave that's open later than 10 PM.
Like a Golden Girl, Cato, thanks for being a friend.
Not your average "Bar" & Kid Friendly to boot.... Honestly was a little confused but after a Cider I didn't care. You find a seat, decide what your going to order, then you get up and go to the window....
Food was food.... Cider was good & our friends were downing Beers so I take it was good!
Dear Cato,
Now that we've gotten a little more intimate I feel comfortable telling you how I really feel about you. I can honestly say..... I love you.
And....you don't have to say it back......but I can just tell by the way you serve up an amazing menu of beer each time that you may feel the same way too.
Actions speak louder than words....and I just can tell that we are going to be so happy together. Me....in your booth each week or two....my name....in your table.
Now I know you aren't perfect, and I"m not either!!! I mean, don't get me wrong I love your beer---but I may step out for a burger somewhere else once in awhile.
Please don't be jealous! It's just a burger, it means nothing!
I hope you understand that although there may be other bars that  I sometimes go to......I am always thinking of you as my number one because you have....what I like. Peace and chill on a weekday night.....and really amazing brew.
Yours,
JR
Cato's Ale House is great! We walked in on a Sunday afternoon to see a three-piece jazz band playing and a 3-year-old cutting a rug near the front of the stage. This place is family friendly in the sense that you can come with your kids and have a good meal and beer, but not overly annoying to the point of a Chuck E. Cheese's/McDonald's with a Playland.
You order your food from one window (they give you a number and bring the food to your table) and libations from the bar, so no having to wait on a server to come around. The wild boar burger (a daily special) was surprisingly good. The ambiance is dark and worn like an old fashioned pub. Draft beer selection was great for a place this size (15ish to choose from), and we had a delicious pomegranate cider. This place is fantastic and we will be back soon!
Cato's is a cool place! Dark, brooding and worn, as a good dive bar should be... I recently visited for the first time last week about 9pm on a Wednesday night, and the place was packed. I'd already had dinner, so I can't speak about the food, but it looked like many people were eating it.
We liked the walk-up bar with no barstools... nicely unique. The beer selection was fairly extensive, but it seems to be weighted heavily to west coast beers, with few Belgian style and east coast brew choices.
The bartender was friendly and fun, and we had a good time!
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