Wally's Corner

Aaron is the best bartender in the Easterly Bay and it's a rad, unpretentious place with AC/DC on the box. Ok, they could use something other than Bud from the spigots, but Aaron is still the best bartender. Stop by on the weekends.

One time at the bar of La Penca Azul, back in 2009, I was picking the brain of a Alameda-raised acquaintance regarding other Alameda drinking establishments. His take on Wally's Corner: " Don't go there, man." He said it like the old man warning Bastian in "The Never Ending Story".

So obviously I knew I would have to check out Wally's one day.

In 2011, I moved back to the Webster side of town and started to visit Wally's Corner every other month or so. Two TVs on each side of the bar typically showing the Giants, Warriors, or Raiders (This ain't Whine and Cheese country.) There is typically 4-5 men in their 50's -60's, devoid of emotion, with a Budweiser pint in front of them. No one really talks to one another. It's pretty quiet in here. Typically one of these men are sleeping.

I have been served by 3 different bartenders here, and all of them pour strong and charge cheap. If you don't want to watch the game, there's a pool table to the right, and the jukebox to the right. I have been known to throw in some coins and crank some Skynyrd.

Last time we invited some A's fans to meet us here, to watch the Bay Bridge series. The female of the other couple proclaimed: "This place is just sad." I guess she didn't appreciate the tuna salad (They usually have some type of free grub in the back,one time during the recent Golden State Warriors playoff push they had 5 layer dip and Twizzlers..SCORE!!) or the sleepy veteran patrons who have the most stoic expressions you'll ever see.

Hopefully you understand now a little of what Wally's Corner is all about. A quiet place, with efficient bartenders, strong drinks, older clients, and the Bay Area sports teams you love  always on the tube. It's not trendy, cool, or showy, but it's special and unique to me.

I enjoy dive bars and I think this one is alright.  It definitely has that neighborhood dive bar feel and the drinks are some of the cheapest I've come across in Alameda.  Depending on your bartender you may get some really strong drinks too.  The crowd isn't anything to exciting and it wouldn't be my first choice of bar to stop at on the island.  That being said, its a pretty cool place.