Make Westing

This is a nice lil bar. I must have had ten minute conversations with about 5 different people as I waited for my friend to meet me. I may come back solo next time because I got to meet folks I wouldn't have otherwise had I been with my group.

Fun, relaxed a lil shy but open is the personality I would give the MW. The bocce games just add to the unique playfulness of this establishment as well :)

Make Westing is about the coolest bar in Downtown Oakland, which is why if you come any later than 8pm, this place is packed to the fullest. The best time to go is from 4 to 6pm anyway, because it's also happy hour. Happy hour is $2 off cocktails and $3 beers? It's so worth it. Where can you get $3 draft and $6 handcrafted cocktails nowadays? The draft line up is respectable, all California breweries and some locals too. They also have a $3 PBR tallboy. The cocktails are really where it's at. You'd think the alcoholic lemonade was the lightest cocktail on the menu, but the Williamsburg Lemonade was really stiff. Scotty's Lament was not so much, but delicious nonetheless, garnished with a raspberry, blackberry, and cucumber even. And then there's the garden gimlet which is everyone's favorite, but I think all the drinks on the menu are winners. Aside from the drinks, the second greatest apeal of this bar is the indoor bocce ball courts. There's only 2 lanes, so don't get your hopes up, but come early and it's not so difficult. Also, get the habanero and cilantro popcorn!

After a few rounds at Dogwood, my friend and I came here to finally check it out. On previous attempts, this joint was way too crowded so we were glad to finally get in with a plentiful but not too crowded bar.

I didn't realize this place would be so big. And they have the whole bocce ball lane thing going too.

Actually, for a Wednesday night, the place was on the crowded side but we seemed to get our drinks in an orderly fashion and I don't have anything bad to say about them (we were a few in by that time anyway so I probably couldn't tell you much).

Great spot to hit up in Uptown!