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Beta Lounge
- Hours:
Mon-Thu 4 pm - 12 am
Fri-Sat 4 pm - 2 am
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Music:
- DJ
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
- Dogs Allowed:
- No
177 reviews for Beta Lounge
Review Highlights
"Beta Lounge happy hour is awesome."
(in 66 reviews)
"Net time I hope to try more of their sake selection."
(in 73 reviews)
"Be sure to try the hummus plate."
(in 14 reviews)
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177 reviews in English
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Review from Furai X.
Berkeley, CA
1/16/2012
Thanks, Bartender, for humoring me when I tried to trade my ziplock baggie of cookie crumbs for your delicious peach gummies that you add to your fancy drinks. This act alone earned the 4 stars but it helps that the environment was fitting (read: mellow) as one of the last stops in our fragmented bar crawl.
Beta Lounge is clean, modern, and classy. Great place to relax with a few friends over refined conversation. -
Review from Jen M.
1/30/2012
This place seems to be making an effort to have a decent selection of local and import beers on tap, though it was clearly originally conceived as a wine/sake place. They're even having a Deschutes tap takeover for SF Beer Week. Kudos.
Happy hour is a good deal, as is all night Thursday. I just can't personally love it because everyone was like 23 and I didn't feel happy or comfortable there. But if you're a hip 20-something who likes "nice" bars, go for it. Try a new beer -- you may be pleasantly surprised. -
Review from Ryan C.
Berkeley, CA
1/6/2012
Best Happy Hour in Berkeley.
Awesome spicy guacamole. -
Review from eric s.
Berkeley, CA
9/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
I'm not sure why, but for quite a while, I consciously avoided this place. I can't give you one single reason: I'd never been inside, never heard anything bad about the place. I guess I just didn't like the looks of it... from the outside.
Happily, I was coaxed by a friend into resisting my irrational aversion to Beta Lounge, and after finally giving it a try, it's now a semi-regular destination.
It's a small place, and if you like to sit at the bar, there's every likelihood you won't be able to if it's busy. There are several tables, though, and the table service is good. In fact, the service overall is pretty awesome. The bartenders are friendly and attentive, and they know their stuff when it comes to their selection of beers.
And it's the beer definitely that makes Beta Loung ace in my book. They have a great variety of Belgian and hand-crafted beers, and if you really wanted to, you could try something different every day of the week. Barring that, though, their beer flight is great value for the money, and should ease you into the experience quite nicely. -
Review from Elaine L.
Berkeley, CA
10/27/2011
I like their menu of different drinks that I've never heard of :) They were mostly made with soju and sake and overall not too strong and actually tasty. It is a nice place to grab a drink and catch up with friends. The environment is a lot more low key than the other bars in Berkeley.
I got something called "Cotton Candy" but my friend got the "west hollywood" which IMO tasted better out of the two. I dont recommend the lychee drink. -
Review from Amy H.
Berkeley, CA
9/4/2011
TIP #1: Come during happy hour! $3 beers, $1-2 off higher ABV beers, $5 glasses of wine, $6.50 hummus plate (usually $9), $5+ for pizzas. The food doesn't seem worth it (didn't actually order any), but the drink deals are.
TIP #1.5: Cocktails don't have a special happy price.
TIP #2: Try the beer flight for $5 or the flavored sake taster for $12. For the beer flight, you can choose the higher ABV beers at no extra charge, which is awesome! You get 4 different beers of your choice, about 4 oz each. For the sake taster, you get apple, peach, raspberry, and lychee--tastes like candy!
Came here with my girls to celebrate a 21st birthday! The waiter was kind and fun, easy to talk to. With the beer flight, he lined them up and then named them so we would know what we were tasting. He even gave us tips on what order to taste them in, though, y'know, that ended up totally not mattering after the first sips! He was pretty knowledgeable though. Appreciated that he came back about halfway through and asked how we were doing.
It was around 5pm and they open at 4pm, so it was a little empty, but it was still a nice atmosphere. The TV's are huge and at either end of the lounge, but pretty unobtrusive. Didn't order food because they all seemed kind of like snacks--we were looking for drinks and a nice place to talk, first and foremost, and Beta Lounge delivered.
You might see me here again. Maybe not. Nothing stood out that I want to come back for, but it's a good neutral space for happy hour.Listed in: Beer O'Clock
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Review from nomi s.
Oakland, CA
12/20/2011
So first off, love the fact that on repeat visits, the bartender remembers I've been there before and doesn't ask to see my ID yet again. Props for that!
Love the $5 cocktail deal on Mondays. They make nice cocktails to boot. I especially like the Kir, which is creme de cassis and sparkling wine. I also like the $5 carafes (all week long) of warm sake. Decent beer selection. Haven't tried any of their edibles, but am intrigued by their chips 'n guac and Sexy Cookie.
The ambience is a little cold, but overall it can be really a fun and intimate place to go with a small group of friends or a date, and the prices are totally reasonable. -
Review from Akvile H.
I've been meaning to check this place out for quite some time due to the abundance of good reviews and finally was able to this evening!
Definitely a cool spot, great bartenders, good beer selection. They have an amazing happy hour Monday through Saturday, 4-9pm. The happy hour includes deals such as $5 classes of wine, sake, and food specials, a wide variety of Belgium and Craft beers, including Chimay, Delirium Tremens, Dogfish Head, Duvel, and Saison Dupont. For food discounts, they have hummus platters and pizza. I would highly recommend their bread sticks though, they come with about 8 large pieces of tasty, crispy, yet soft bread, flavorful pesto, olive oil and balsamic vinaigrette. Pretty awesome if you ask me!
The atmosphere is lounge-like, dimly lit, has two TV's, art work on the walls, and the bartender was welcoming. We asked her about the different types of Chimays and she did an excellent job of explaining he different varieties. I look forward to coming back in again!Listed in: East Bay Bars
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Review from Phan H.
Berkeley, CA
Updated - 12/3/2011
Came here a second time, this time with a group of friends. The couches in the back were enough to fit 10 people comfortably with some added chairs. Decently priced drinks, and the beer on tap is fantastic. They don't necessarily serve mainstream beer or cocktails. Also, they tell you the ABV in the drinks, good for lightweights. Awesome service
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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9/30/2011
Not a bad place to get a couple of drinks. They were decently priced and the service was fast and… Read more »
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Review from Stephanie C.
Oakland, CA
1/12/2012
This place is definitely a lounge where you just sit and chat. The place is cozy but has a weird musty smell when we walked in. The drinks were pretty good and not too expensive for cocktail drinks: $7. Parking on the otherhand was difficult too.
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Review from Linh D.
San Francisco, CA
8/12/2011 1 Check-in Here
Its not a bad place to stop by if youre in the area or live around the area. Its a place where you'll see fresh new 21+ faces that just starts to come out to the bar life. Sometimes its best to go elsewhere if you want a little more respect from the drinkers that goes there. Such as not just jump into your table and sit there without asking nor just snatching your drink menu that on your table either.
Besides the people there, drinks are not bad. Try their specialty drinks -
Review from Jennifer M.
Berkeley, CA
7/13/2011
I LOVE Beta Lounge. You NEED to try the Lychee Martini and the Cloud 9 (sweeter, sort of like a lychee and cream taste). Both are outstanding and I could probably live off of those two cocktails alone. I love the taste of the soju, which is the alcohol they use in their drinks here. It's much smoother than vodka (though a bit sweeter which is good to know as a heads up).
I also love Beta because they have reasonable happy hours, they're unpretentious, serve wonderful cocktails, and are super friendly. They also have decent food! I like to snack when I drink, so this is really my ideal kind of bar.
My only "complaint" is that Beta sort of seems like it has an identity crisis - it's part sports bar part lounge. There's a TV, and while there's one nice "lounge" area in the back with a couch, I wouldn't really call this place a true "lounge." The bar is nice, but then there are just simple high tables with bar stools in the rest of the place. It's nice - lighting is good and I definitely see the "lounge" vibe they're going for, but it just still feels like something's missing. Although, perhaps that's why I like it at Beta so much - the perks of a lounge without the pretension? Anyway, just a thought.
Give this place a try. It's a nice break from fratty/under grad-y bars in that area, and it's wonderful to have a place in Berkeley that a) serves hard alcohol, and b) makes creative, tasty drinks. -
Review from Jenna T.
Hercules, CA
8/5/2011 2 photos
My girls and I loved this place! We came here for Happy Hour and right off the back we loved the ambiance- it was really clean, not a lot of people (then again it was pretty early lol), and it was cute and quaint. The bartender was also very nice and quite helpful- he had gorgeous eyes too. lol
Overall there were 3 of us and we each spent $15 each and we all got pretty drunk. If that's not a great deal, then I don't know what is. Instead of ordering straight sake bombs, we decided to make them on our own which saved us a lot of money (at least we thought so). We had 2 carafes of house sake and 4 Asahis which ended up making about 4 sake bombs each...yup that hit the spot nice! We then ordered 3 cocktails- I highly suggest the Raspberry Lemonade- it was very fresh and not too sweet. We also ordered the Lychee Martini and the Pink Pearl. (Yeah I know, all very girly drinks but all very tasty and pretty strong).
We are definitely coming back here...except maybe next time we will pace ourselves. We got there at 4:30pm and left pretty wasted by 5:45pm- yeah the sun was still out. Or maybe we'll show up an hour before Happy Hour ends since we tend to drink up pretty fast =P -
Review from Jerico P.
6/1/2011 1 Check-in Here
Why are you closed at 12 on a Wednesday? It's my adings 21st birthday!
this place has been off and on... there are nights here where the service is the greatest, when we walk in and it's friendly... we've had parties here when it's packed with just us rolling deep. then there are other nights when they are closed by midnight. seriously? i thought bars closed at 2am here in CA.
i like local kept secrets and will gladly recommend them but i'm not sure about this place yet.
until next time.
cheers!Listed in: College: Drinking and Late…
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Review from Janey L.
Oakland, CA
7/7/2011
One of my go-to spots in Berkeley... too bad it opened up after I moved out of the city, but maybe that's a good thing because I used to live only 1.5 blocks away and I would've probably spent way too much time there anyway....
....because its happy hour from 4-9pm everyday except Sunday!! $3 beers and $5 for a glass of wine. I love it already!! In addition, certain days of the week have their own additional specials - I usually go on Mondays for their $5 cocktails, and they have a ton to choose from. Like 20? My fave is east bay breeze, but cloud 9 seems to be pretty popular.
They also have happy hour food specials which again is another plus... I'd say the non-happy hour prices are probably not worth it though. I love the hummus platter, but I swear the hummus, tomatoes and flatbread they serve is all from Trader Joes. Either way, its good! I also really like their pepperoni and mushroom pizza, which is more really like a delicious roll of crusty bread halved and topped with cheese, etc. It's pretty substantial and not at all like the tiny slice of pizza I was expecting. The mixed green salad is just meh. But it is pretty big if you're a veggie lover.
Ambiance is great - as a lounge, it's a little more upscale of an environment, but still entirely casual. They have bar seating, tables and even a more comfortable area with couches to relax on. Service is always friendly and they do have TVs so I go here sometimes to watch games. All in all, a great, inexpensive place to chill with friends! -
Review from Joe S.
Hayward, CA
5/5/2011 4 Check-ins Here
Beta Lounge is definitely a unique experience just like the city it resides in. A lounge that serves beer, wine, sake and soju; accompanied by a menu that serves organic albeit irregular bar snacks (spring rolls, salad, hummus plate!?). The food is SO-SO to OK but a little expensive for what's meant to be appetizers. The non-DJ nights also play a good mix of lounge-hop (lounge music vs. hip-hop!?) and I can even get my sports fix on one of their 2 flat panel TVs. Kind of schizo... but a Happy Hour from 4PM-9PM!? THAT'S WASSUP!
Beta is kind of like a bridging spot to get you ready for the party when you don't want to sit and wait at home. The spotlight of this joint is definitely their bartender Raquel! Down to earth, excellent conversationalist and she WILL narrow down the perfect concoction of intoxicating bliss based on what you tell her you're in the mood for! Her "BETA ICED TEA" is my poison of choice (it's a creeper and who doesn't love lychee!?). Without her, Beta might drop a star or two but she really does make or break the experience! THANKS ROCKEZI!Listed in: Best Happy Ending er I mean…
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Review from Dmitriy S.
San Diego, CA
4/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
I've been to Beta Lounge several times, but never really ordered anything until now. To my disappointment, I was not impressed at all. After reviewing all of the choices, I decided to go with a drink featuring one of my favorite fruits of all time: the blueberry.
The Midnight Cap consists of Soju, Organic Blueberry Juice and a splash of Lime Juice & Tonic. I could taste little tiny bits of blueberry juice, and some soju, but for the most part the only thing touching my taste buds was the tonic. Very poorly executed drink, especially for the price. If I knew I was going to be paying $7 for a glass of tonic, I would've gone to Safeway.
Maybe I'll give them another chance next time someone decides to come here. For now, I'm staying far far away. -
Review from Waz W.
Manhattan, NY
7/6/2011
Hands down, one of my favorite spots in Berkeley.
Excellent, friendly service. So many tasty cocktails to choose from. Some of the cocktails could stand to be a little stronger. Their food is nicer than most bar food. Note: their pizza is pretty good, but it's not your standard pizza. Beta Lounge happy hour is awesome. Good selection of $3 beer!
Cool place to hang out on weeknights and weekends. It's nice that they sometimes have live music. They've also had poetry readings here. Uhh, it was very awkward.
Beta Lounge is pretty small, so it's not ideal for large groups. Also, keep in mind that there is only ONE bathroom stall. -
Review from Raquel Y.
4/10/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came here on a Friday night and it's a nice lounge to chill and have some drinks with your friends. For us, it was the place to pregame haha.
Plenty of options to sit - tables, bar, couches in the back. My friend happened to know the owner Elon who was not only cute but also really cool. And he looks like 5-7 years younger than his age! ;)
There are many flavors of sake, and Elon recommended some delicious tasting ones. I forget all their names, but bomb we had had rasberry sake and a little soju in a shot mixed with blue moon I think. Mixed drinks were delicious and about $7. Elon really took care of us to make sure we were having a good time and even took some shots with us! Now that's a great manager! Haha.
So if you like sake and a chill atmosphere, come here! I'll make sure I will next time I'm around Berkeley :)Listed in: Bay Area Nightlife
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Review from troy m.
2/23/2011
What to do when you are over the grossness of Raleigh's third world bathrooms and the annoying crowds at Triple Rock? Take the average and go to Beta.
You'll be rewarded with fresh bathrooms, clean decor, manageable populations, and a lounge-like experience. Sure, you don't have the beer selection of 3Rock or Raleigh's, and you don't have cheap liquor options like Thalassa, but the 4-9 PM HH menu is solid. They offer meh cocktails, which you can order if you're trying to impress someone. Alternatively, if you're there for some more serious organ bruising, I might suggest $3 pints, or going straight for the rather tolerable unfiltered Sho Chiku Bai.
It's about time your liver started pulling its own weight.Listed in: Berkeley Bars - An…
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Review from Cassy H.
5/18/2011
Sorry, Beta Lounge, but I was thoroughly unimpressed with this place.
My friends and I went here for happy hour.. the drinks were cheap; beers were $3. Appetizers ranged from $5-$7 (I believe). We ordered a cheese pizza to share among the group. The pizza was eh, it was really more like toasted ciabatta with tomato sauce and melted cheese. The decor is alright; they have some red sofas and black stools in the back for one to "lounge", but I wasn't really feeling it. I noticed all they hung a couple of mannequins wearing aprons on the walls... not sure what the inspiration was behind that.
Anyway, I won't be coming back to this joint any time soon.. =/ -
Review from Connie C.
San Bruno, CA
4/18/2011 11 Check-ins Here
My go-to place for happy hour. Pint of Blue Moon for $3? Gotta love that!
Beta Lounge is very chill and clean, unlike many of the bars around the campus. A lot of their cocktails are worth getting. My picks would be the Lemon Drop, their signature drink Cloud 9, Cotton Candy, Pink Pearl. They also have sake bombs for $5 each. I would love it even more if they offer more than just Asahi for Japanese beer selection.
The bartenders are very friendly (and cute!). No matter where you're sitting--bar or table--they will provide prompt service to get your order whatnot.
Food is on the pricier side. I love their guacamole and chips! Their guacamole is so addicting! Breadsticks are decently priced and quite filling. I gave their spring rolls a try. I'm not too much of a vegetarian when it comes to spring rolls, but they were definitely refreshing. -
Review from Christine C.
Fremont, CA
1/23/2011
My friend and I were looking for a happy hour place before watching a movie. The sign outside said "Best Happy Hour in Berkeley" so we wanted to see for ourselves.
Sat at the bar and started talking to the bartender, who we found out was actually the owner for the place (Hi Elon!! haha). We end up not getting the happy hour drinks because we wanted to try the cocktails that we heard was oh so good. My friend got the Cloud 9 (nigiri and lychee) and I got the Pink Pearl (pomegranate grenadine, cranberry infused soju, sparkling wine). Both were good but that sparkling wine definitely creeped on me because I was buzzed after one drink! Will come back when we go bar hopping! -
Review from Patricia Q.
San Francisco, CA
4/17/2011
Not a huge fan of Beta Lounge. The layout of this place is so strange. There's so much wasted space as well at the front of the bar.
I came here last night while bar hopping on my friend's birthday. The place was somewhat empty looking. And the atmosphere was lacking.
As for the drinks, I ordered a white peach martini. It tasted not..so good. But on the bright side at least they're cheap!
I also ordered some edamame for the table, but the bartender forgot to put in my order for the longgesst time. We were ready to leave for another bar by the time it came out.
Meh, I don't think I'll come back. -
Review from kim-van t.
San Pablo, CA
4/26/2011
I'm just going to start off this review by saying that Beta Lounge is so..... randomly located. Luckily for them/us/everyone they have happy hour from 4pm-9pm Mon-Sat. It's only beer, wine, and limited food selection specials for happy hour though.
The bestie and I decided that we wanted to try some of their cocktails anyway. The cocktails were pretty watered down and not memorable at all so we switched to beer after that. The spicy guacamole and chips were tasty though.
$3 Guiness and Asahi FTW.
We left after a couple of those and proceeded to Telegraph to eat like crazy college students. -
Review from Jaimie M.
New York, NY
4/25/2011
Love Beta Lounge! Very cute, sleek decor with nice mix of bar stools, tables, and lounge-y couches. We've popped in a few times and it never seems to be overly crowded, even during their long, and awesome happy hour! We've tried most of the bites on the menu, and everything's been more than solid.
Some of my favorites, the spring rolls, hummus plate, edamame - all delish and so so cheap! Drinks are also super cheap, especially during their happy hour - every day from 4 - 9 pm except Sunday, when they're closed. I am partial to the carafe of cold sake with a couple of draft beers, but they also have sake bombs for only $5 if you're in a festive mood! Last but not least, staff couldn't be nicer, and they even have dj's sometimes on the weekend - I am always shocked this place isn't packed to the gills. -
Review from Bill H.
2/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Bad.
Cocktails are overpriced (for sake cocktails) and oversweet.
Concrete floors and lighting make this place feel overly sterile, and definitely very "dude."
Service was not that impressive.
Patrons seemed... barely 21.
Won't be going back. -
Review from Tiffany O.
Carson, CA
3/22/2011
Beta Lounge was one of the first bars/lounges I went to when I turned 21 (even though they'll let you in if you are underaged).
Atmosphere: Small, but nice. If you go early enough you won't have trouble finding a place to sit. Everything looks classy and the lighting is kind of dim. There is a DJ on the weekend nights, and the music is never too overbearing and the selection is decent.
Food: They have pizzas and bread dishes. From what I remember (I use to order food, but now I just get drinks), the food was just alright.
Drinks: Yummy. I've tried a few things here, and they've all been prepared well and tasted great! Try the Lychee Martini and Cloud 9 (if you can't tell, I really like lychee). Sake bombs are only $5, and I love doing them here. Cocktails are not too pricy at just $7.
Service: The many times i've been here, the staff has been great. I know how hectic it can get to serve tons of people in a lounge, but they've always done a pretty good job at getting our orders and bringing them to us within good time.
I really enjoy this place, and I know I'll probably be back again. -
Review from Julia V.
Berkeley, CA
3/15/2011
Sake and Soju only for mixed drinks. (+ good beer)
Modern decor, yet cozy and really comfortable.
These drinks are cheap, and STRONG! Every time I go I definitely get my money's worth. I'm a regular drinker and I can't have more than 3-4 drinks there! I go there to get wasted, period.
Friday nights there is a DJ who plays music way too loud. It would be ok if people danced, but there's no dance floor. I was yelling all night, and could barely hear any of the conversation.
Bar tenders are awesome. Really friendly and treat us wonderfully every time I go. Couldn't be any nicer.
I go there every weekend now! -
Review from Alex P.
Hayward, CA
6/9/2011 3 Check-ins Here
Beta Lounge! Bro! Let me tell you. I'm out with all my Bro's we are chilling, talking about music, family guy, girls ect. It's a good time, we get into the bar and we start drinking beer, It's a bit on the pricey side, but don't worry my bro's parents are paying for it on credit! YeAH BRO!
So I'm here about 6 beers in with my bro's and we are having a great time, the place is big and can fit enough bro's to have a great time. I'm starting to get really hammered. My bro's is like hey man you want to chill? It's such a good time we are bro high fives. Bro Hugging and having a GREAT TIME. I'm bro fist pumping like a machine. All the other bro's are so amazed and can't keep their eyes off of me. Must be the sick lighting at the bar. I'm like yeah bro but I got to pee. He is like it's cool bro lets drink some more then go. So i must of been so drunk that I passed out in the bathroom. I must of fell really bad in the bathroom on my butt because my butt hurt really bad after i passed out, it was sore for over a week. I was happy two of my bro's took care of me, even if they let me fall really bad. At least that what they told me.
I have to give it - 1 start due to the fact when I hit the ground on my butt, it hurt so bad for the next week. They need to get softer grounds, or I need to be more careful either or -1 sorry bro!
GOT EM BRO! -
Review from Jenny L.
Berkeley, CA
3/22/2011 1 Check-in Here
We didn't have to wait for long for a table since most of the customers were bar-hopping like us.
It felt very chill and relaxing just being inside. The color scheme was mostly red, black, and white. The music was not hip/hop or R&B or what you would normally hear on Wild 94.9, but I remembered it was just instrumental with a catchy rhythm.
The sofa was comfortable and the bartender and waiter gave us 5-star service. The staff really made sure that everyone was having a good time and getting the food and drinks they wanted.
I really enjoyed the Cloud 9. The apple-tini, not so much because it tasted more like cough medicine to me. But the Cloud 9...hmmm..I just loved lichees.
Would love to come back again. Prices are just right. And I can't deny that one of the bartenders is cute. =) -
Review from Jay B.
San Francisco, CA
6/9/2011
Beta tho?.. Where the Alpha lounge at? (o_0)
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Review from Jenna Q.
San Leandro, CA
10/7/2010
In the spirit of acting "classy and sh*t", Myrel F. and I decided to head to Beta Lounge in Berkeley after a failed attempt at trying to hang out in Alameda (why Alameda? oh because we were growing a bit tired of our typical hangout spots in SF and SJ. Ah hell, who am I kidding. We both were just too lazy to drive and go all the way out to the City or South Bay.) But I digress...
Didn't want to get too trashed by taking a bunch of shots at a random dive bar, nor did we want to put on extra calories by downing pitchers of beer all night. So the next logical choice was a wine bar. Went on Yelp -- and voila! -- discovered Beta Lounge.
Cute little spot. A little hard to find if you're directionally challenged and can't decipher a bit of funky writing on the lit bar sign on the outside. Not crowded at all, and you have the option to sit at cocktail tables, the bar, or a nice little back area with couches.
We ordered a bottle of Organic Merlot with the Italian Cheese plate, which was absolute heaven when paired together. Since it wasn't that crowded, we got to stay for upwards of 2 hours or so just sippin' on our wine and catchin' up on life.
Definitely a great spot to go to when you're itching to be a tad classier than the typical sloppy, drunken, mess you tend to be. -
Review from David C.
8/19/2011
This is not a bad place to stop by if you're not looking for rowdy frat boys or the like. This place does NOT have a full bar. They only have a wide selection of beer, soju/sake, and wine. This is a great place to unwind with a couple close friends. I was quite impressed with their wine selection seeing that its such a small place. Overall prices were decent. Bartenders were great though.
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Review from Katy O.
2/9/2011
Came here at the stroke of midnight for my 21st birthday. It seemed like a good place to get a fancy cocktail -- and it was. This place specializes in soju and sake mixed drinks, so if those aren't your poisons of choice I'd stick to beer and wine.
I had the Pineapple Dream and the Lychee Martini. I'm a wimp when it comes to alcohol, so the martini was quite strong for me, though it'll probably be reasonable for you. The lychee at the end was nice and refreshing though. The Pineapple Dream was great -- smooth, sweet and everything a lightweight drinker like me could ask for.
Also got the Hummus Plate and the Italian platter. Nothing to write home about.
The decor is refreshingly clean and sexy, a surprise for Berkeley. Not many people were there but then again I came during the summer when school was out. It's sort of a small place though so I imagine it could get uncomfortably crowded here during peak season. The price is about what you would expect, I can't speak for the happy hour menu though.
I haven't been back since but I'd like to hit them up for happy hour sometime in the near future. -
Review from Cain D.
Oakland, CA
11/30/2010 38 Check-ins Here
It's only fitting that my first review be of Beta Lounge, my local Cheers-like drinking establishment.
I first experienced the magic of Beta Lounge a little over a year ago after it first opened. Having left work and realizing that my day would not be complete without some booze going down the 'ole gullet, I decided I'd give it a try. The staff was extremely welcoming and friendly -- a pretty good sign that this would be the spot to get my drink on. It's been good times ever since.
Happy hour here is the best, probably because they have something going on any day they're open. $3 for most beers and special prices on just about anything! Show up on Mondays for $5 cocktails. Have a bottle of wine on Wine-Down Wednesdays (all wine half off). $2 off Belgian beers on Thursdays (a great selection). The awesomeness is almost too much to bear.
The place doesn't serve hard alcohol, which is probably why you'll rarely see groups of sloppy students drunkenly discussing the various ways they WON'T be getting laid tonight -- a scene pretty common in other Berkeley watering holes. That being said, take your pick from the extensive cocktail menu, since just about anything is delicious. Better yet -- just let Raquel (one of the best bartenders in the universe) know what you're craving, and she'll figure it out for you.
Thanks for the great times, Beta Lounge, and thanks for popping my Yelp cherry. I hope it was as good for you as it was for me. -
Review from Yang Q.
2/8/2011
Beta Lounge is the kind of place I missed out on by attending UCSD, which is as far from a college town as you can get.
My friend and I were drawn in by a sign claiming the "best happy hr in Berkeley" and a girl who told us they had the best soju and sake cocktails.
Now I haven't explored Berkeley enough to know if there's any merit behind the best happy hr claim, but I think this place could hold its own in a showdown. The decor is sleek and classy, with bar seating, tall tables for small parties, and a comfortable looking lounge area in the back for a large party. They have happy hr Mon-Sat from 4-9 that includes $3 beer and $5 wine. They offer a variety of hipster-ish food (think cheese plates, meats & crackers, hummus, and very healthy sounding sandwiches) and pizza for the less fancy. The bartender and owner, Elon, is very friendly, and like the girl promised, made some very yummy cocktails! The Cloud 9 (nigori sake cocktail) and Pink Pearl (soju & sparkling wine cocktail) are a must-try!
And best of all, this place is within walking distance of theaters, more food, ice cream, the Berkeley campus, and BART so you can safely go onto any tipsy adventures you want after! -
Review from Lita V.
Berkeley, CA
4/3/2011
Beta Lounge is a really cool place to just chill and hang out with your friends. My friends and I try to meet up here at least once a month to grab a drink (or 2) and catch up. The place is nice, nothing too fancy but the bartenders are super friendly. The wine selection is not that great, especially their sparkling wine which just so happens to be my type of wine, but I guess beer selections are good (I'm not normally a beer drinker but my friends are) especially during happy hour ($3 select beers). Their soju/sake cocktails are pretty good too. The food I've tried are pretty good and they include the hummus platter, guac & chips, and breadsticks. I give them 4 stars mainly for friendly service, delicious finger foods, and their Pink Pearl!
Anyways, whenever I'm in the mood to chill and have a drink, I end up at Beta Lounge.
My go-to drink: Pink Pearl
Avoid: Beta sunset/sunrise...something like that -
Review from Kathleen W.
San Jose, CA
1/21/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Beta Lounge keeps it classy. A lovely, plush, dim-lit interior provide an intimate setting for a night out with friends. It's especially nice that they allow the under 21 year-olds in to enjoy a bite while the older kids partake in the drinks.
In past, I ordered a pizza, which was not memorable otherwise. in my most recent visit on my 21st Birthday (a Monday, womp womp), I came with a group of co-workers. The place was empty, of course, so the bartender was quick to take our orders.
On Mondays, Beta Lounge offers $5 cocktail specials. Beta Sunset (Agave Wine, Organic Pineapple Juice & Pomegranate Grenadine) and Pink Pearl cocktails were sweet, with a minimal alcoholic aftertaste. Decent cocktails, but I wish they offered a birthday special!
Unfortunately, the lounge scene quickly got dull though so we moved on to move lively establishments. -
Review from Joyce C.
Berkeley, CA
8/24/2010
One of the cleanest little lounges in Berkeley, how do they do it?!?! Technically, it's not a bar because they don't serve hard alcohol. Good selection of beers and wines and drinks made out of soju (I guess, this isn't a hard alcohol?). I grew to love the white wines here, especially the Riesling and the Voignier.
What's so great about this place is that it is so... multifaceted. They have sports on wide screens on some days (on both sides of the lounge so that it doesn't matter where you sit).. they have nights where they play sarah mclachlan all night... they have jazz bands that come and play...sometimes DJ's will come by and spin...
Another really cool thing is that the owners are the ones who are there serving and meeting the customers... I wonder if that makes it a co-op, it might be somewhat like a co-op, like cheeseboard or that sandwich place on telegraph. Anyway, I feel like because the owners are so invested in the the well-being of the lounge, the service is exceptional. I have never so much received a pip at having to split the bill 5 different ways with 5 different cards... always have my regular drinks memorized... water always available - without really having to ask.
The general feel of the bar is a little more sophisticated than your KIPS or Bear's Lair... but not as... sports pub-ish or old like Henry's. It's not as "I'm a freshman and going out" like Blakes.. but it's still only a block or two away from campus. It's kind of like Cesar's except with way better service and more friendly without specializing in wine. Ask for Raquel, she is so sweet and awesome!!
They also have a wide variety of food - without it being too greasy or too much like a restaurant. Notable dishes worthy of mention: pepperoni/mushroom pizza, the Italian platter, guacamole and chips.
This has easily become one of my favorite places to drink in Berkeley - simply because it's not so college-town ish but still located near campus. I'd say, if you live around the area but don't want to deal with the binge drinking characteristic of many other bars in Berkeley, GO HERE!
I mean... you might even run into Gumby....
