Kingfish Pub & Cafe

Felt right at home. You can sense the history around you with all the ear marks of a classic dive bar. I love it and even bought a T-shirt 🍻 Good drinks, people and service. The back patio is awesome with a rentable loft

It was the last place we went before the pandemic hit and the first place we went when we were allowed to go out again. I’ve been to this local dive for many years and it’s always a nice casual atmosphere. They have a large back patio, TVs, two bars, free salted and buttered popcorn, and it is dog friendly. We rented the upstairs room for one of my birthdays, and it was also very convenient for $200. Street parking. One unisex bathroom in the back patio and one male one female bathroom inside.

Great bar. Free popcorn, bartenders are nice and the regulars are fun

Kingfish is our favorite bar! Shuffleboard, great drinks and awesome vibe. A true oakland establishment!

A super divey dive bar. No frills interior but a nice covered outdoor patio in the back. Drinks are cheap with a wide selection of beers on tap. There's free self serve popcorn that unfortunately smells better than it tastes. It was a bit stale. There is a big shuffleboard table in the back.

Came to this location for the first time. I ordered an AMF from Adriana and Kevin and received a quick and delicious beverage. The drink was beautiful and the staff was so friendly. Will come again. Highly recommend!!!!

This is a dive bar and it is a great dive bar. Indoor and outdoor space, regulars, friendly bartenders, free popcorn, inexpensive and tasty cocktails ($8), TVs to watch your favorite game. Pretty sure I overheard that it was going to close and a few regulars came together to buy the place. Kingfish definitely has a “by the people, for the people” authenticity.

Good local Oakland landmark staple with friendly and welcoming atmosphere, Cal student affairs on Thursday late nights til 1; affordable specials daily; Friday, Sat, & Sundays, solid spot w/ all the beautiful characters & SHUFFLE BOARD. Outdoor patio and dog friendly.

My friends and I rented out the private room for a joint birthday party, and it was awesome! The service was great, the room was all ready for us when we arrived and we just bought a couple of beer pitchers so people didn't have to keep going to downstairs for drinks. We had a great time, we will definitely be back!

A bartender here treated me like a rude problem customer for absolutely no reason and I don't want to come here anymore. (I was here the evening of January 6, 2024 ordering at the outside bar. I do not feel like naming the bartender) I had ordered a gin and tonic with no issue. Ordering my next drink, I said "could I have a fernet?" and she responded "you didn't say the magic word!" I was a bit confused, thought maybe she was joking about fernet being a common drink among bartenders, but ultimately realized she was demanding that I say the word "please" along with my order. I was really caught off guard but played along, and joked to my friends that the bartender had "made me say please" for my drink. I ordered a drink afterwards, saying "please" this time, still basically viewing it as a joke... because I was still pretty confused by a bartender demanding that of a customer. For my final drink I said "could I have a Corona?" and she gave me a look and a hand gesture that indicated she was waiting for something. I said something like "Really? I'm not enjoying this any more" and she said "I just need people to respect me when they order." I said "asking 'could I have [a drink]' is not disrespectful,'" and she felt compelled to explain to me that "intent is different from impact" when it comes to respecting others. I asked her what impact she thought she was having on me, which she shockingly did not feel obligated to respond to. At this point I just wanted to close my tab because she had made me extremely uncomfortable. I get flack from my friends all the time for apologizing too much in all kinds of social circumstances, and I am not interested in going to businesses where the staff are going to treat me like trash even though I'm an extremely polite person.

A super divey dive bar. No frills interior but a nice covered outdoor patio in the back. Drinks are cheap with a wide selection of beers on tap. There's free self serve popcorn that unfortunately smells better than it tastes. It was a bit stale. There is a big shuffleboard table in the back.

I came here for a friend's birthday party and I'll admit that I was a bit put off by the entrance appearance at first. When you walk in, it looks a bit dingier, but once you get to the outdoor patio and bar, the place looks really nice. We came in December, so Kingfish had even decorated and put lots of holiday lights up that made the ambience even better. The patio does a really great job of making you feel like you're inside while being outside because of the way that it's built. The service was super quick and friendly, and I tried the Paloma ($8) with tequila, grapefruit juice, squirt, lime juice and salt. The drinks were good, but pretty strong. My friend reserved the PRU (party room upstairs), which even has your own bathroom, skeeball, and a balcony with a fire pit outside. It seems like you can reserve that room for $200 for the whole night, which is a pretty good deal, and there's even the option to bring in your own food. I was impressed by the place and had lots of fun!

Kingfish has been my favorite dive bar, but the bouncers (specifically white mustache man) are not great. I went to kingfish with a group of friends and we waited in line for almost 45 minutes! Once we got to the front of the line, the bouncer asked us how many people were in our party. I said the number and then he gave us a look and said that we would have to wait. BUT then the same amount of girls went straight to the front of the line (that went all the way to the neighboring church) and he let them in!!! My entire group was mad that the bouncer allowed this to happen since we waited so long to get inside. The bouncer then had the audacity to say "I know this looks bad" and told us to "calm down" when we told him that it wasn't fair. So, in other words, if you aren't a pretty female that the bouncer finds attractive, then expect to wait at least an hour to get into this place.

the ultimate oakland bar. free popcorn. great beer. cool staff. pretty people inside a super cool setting. go. go now! you know you want to!

Very affordable and strong drinks and good atmosphere. I would recommend. The back has more room

I pop in here a few times a month for a few ice cold Pabst Blue Ribbons. Friendly staff and welcoming patrons, including the "regulars." My grandfather both bought bait and drank beer s as t the old location. My son's rugby club will show up for a post-practice beer. Kingfish is a multigenerational bar. All of you with ID issues should just be a grown/up and get a California driver's license or ID card. The liability issues of under-aged patrons can shut down a bar. If you bring in something only used at the airport, just spend a few hours at the DMV. Silly folks.

Great local pub. It was the 4th of July and a lot of places were closed, but not Kingfish Pub! Came in for a few beers before heading to a family BBQ. They have a lot of great local beers on tap and a variety of canned and bottled beers. The inside bar is on an old Berkely basketball court. If you head into the back you pass a shuffle board and enter into a great courtyard. The bar in the back is also stocked and there are plenty of TVs to watch the game. You feel like you are inside, but are actually outside and it's great. This place is always popping on the weekends. So next time you are looking for a place to meet old friends or are trying to make new friends, keep Kingfish Pub in mind.

This is one of my go to places when friends are visting from out of town Super unique bar with excellent outdoor patio as well as friendly staff and free popcorn

Yelp is full of words about annoyances and imperfections but this is the best bar in America. I'm older than you and I've been everywhere. This is the best bar in America. It would be the best bar in the world except Amsterdam is pretty amazing.

Come here for great drinks and even better interactions with the bartenders. Each time I've even here Ive been treated to great random stories from other patrons. The fresh popped popcorn is missed but we'll... Covid =)

Kind of a dive bar. The regular old guard, is regular. Like that they have shuffle board and free popcorn. Not a fan of the later evening crowd or at least one of the younger bartenders. Was so rude to me a while back. I won't write what he said to me, but it was rude and for no other reason except that he and the grinch probably have the same color heart.

I don't know how I never reviewed this place since I've been coming here for years but it's one of my favorite bars in the bay area. It's still wild to me that they picked up the whole building from Claremont Ave and moved it to Telegraph and that it's only improved from it. I also went to their 100 year anniversary party and that was a total blast. Here's to 200.

a great bar for a fun time. kingfish does what bars should do - serves good drinks and facilitates a good time. there's some real bargains in the drinks specials and even the regular priced are very reasonable. staff are friendly - with a helpful doorman who keeps an eye on things without being overbearing. the atmosphere is good for meeting with friends, starting a night out or ending a night. music + shuffleboard + lighting = good vibes. kingfish isn't going to blow your mind but it's a reliable and unfussy option in the east bay

Danny is the man!! The great service/ helpful/ personable staff is the cherry on top for this wonderful establishment and pillar of Lower Rockridge. Their popcorn is free and their price points are some of the best in the east bay. The line is always worth the wait especially on Kingfish Thursdays.

This neighborhood bar often has tables full of people from different generations. Everyone is welcome at the Kingfish. Free shuffleboard and popcorn and I always seem to run into someone that I know.

Andy is the best bartender at this bar. He is attentive and accommodating. I thoroughly enjoy every time I come to Kingfish. Everyone is nice and fun. Drinks are cheap and strong, energy is positive, popcorn is free and delicious. Have the lemonade if you dare. This is a staple in my bar rotation.

This is the place of legends...until the ucb kids show up (then the idiot ratio goes way way up). But thats ok, you kids have an excuse...youre young & dont mean to be idiots.

Love this iconic pub on Telegraph to have a drink, watch the game, or chill with friends. Awesome bar and staff too! Came here last night to have a drink with my bf and friend while we waited for our reservations at Fob Kitchen. It was pretty full on a Friday night and the vibe was cool. We were in whiskey moods so we got a variety - ended up liking the Irish mists. I think they serve Casper's hot dogs sometimes but they also welcome bringing food in. There is an indoor bar and a patio with shuffleboard. Will be back!

To the left of the building , towards the back, you'll find a staff member manning the entrance to ID and take temperatures. This person keeps count of the people in the outdoor patio and if they're at full capacity, you can wait in line and they'll serve you drinks while you wait. The outdoor area bar has a clear barrier between bartenders and patrons. There's TVs fixed to walls around the space. There's socially distanced spaced seats at the bar as well as tables and chairs throughout the patio. Dirty tables get cleared and sprayed clean. It was a chill spot that followed covid guidelines so you can go out and feel safe.

I LOVE Kingfish! Great deals on drinks ($2 Olympia's before 9pm, $3 after I believe) and they have free popcorn. Looks like a small shack in the front, but there is a great outdoor seating area in the back that isn't too cold at night (I think they have heaters?) There is also a shuffleboard in the back. One of my favorite bars!

Covid focused, clean and socially distant! Just this weekend (August 9) the back patio opens at 12pm and is an awesome place to grab a drink and also (safely) a little summer sun. This adorable bar has taken precautions that make you feel safe and comfortable- while still offering up delicious libations. The friendly staff is fully masked/ gloved, and the tables and bar stools are spaced. The glass that protects the bar is super clean. They take your temperature digitally before allowed entry and masks are required. Hand sanitizer aplenty, as well as signs and floor markings reminding you to stay distant. They also have to- go cocktails, and a mini convenience store with pantry essentials and cleaning supplies.

The perfect place to chill and grab a solid adult beverage with friends, or strangers or stranger's dogs. Such good awesome fur boy and girls. This place is so clutch that I came here two times in one weekend. I can wholeheartedly say that it's a good time in the day and the night. 10/10 - Would Highly Recommended!

My favorite sports bar! Check it out on Telegraph in Oakland, Ca. Great and friendly service. Love this place.

You cannot get more of a dive bar like this unless you stop by your friends in-house bar that they never tend to because they're too busy going out to real bars. If you haven't been to dive bars, just know you go there for the simple things in life. Like strictly beer in the yellow color range and a shot. Or shuffleboard. Or encouraged graffiti of both pen and sticker variety. Honestly, it's not my type of bar (more of a finicky, picky beer person myself, but that's a personal problem). However, Kingfish does what dive bars do and Kingfish does it really fantastically and simple. Looking to socialize? Look no further than this seemingly tiny house on Telegraph.

Kingfish has a nice indoor and outdoor layout with a good size patio area in back plus a bar in both areas (outside bar not always open). I still can't believe they moved the whole building down the street when it's original location was slated for condos! I was happy 'cause you can't have enough dive bars, right? And truth be told it's pretty tame as far as dives go, as the patrons are a mix of cranky old guys boozing at the bar and younger kids (all 21+, of course!) playing shuffleboard. Plenty of booze and a mix of local and big-brew beers on tap (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/kingfish-pub-and-cafe-oakland-2?select=qujE4Jx62f7dl5NbHV4Fug) plus a few Non-Artisinal cocktails specials (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/kingfish-pub-and-cafe-oakland-2?select=JjongDU46Z51QRIxbX3p6g) plus the requisite cheap beer & well shot combos (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/kingfish-pub-and-cafe-oakland-2?select=PBvbsOhV149YBoKSUqwsmA). There's Free Popcorn so you can maximize your drinking time and don't have to leave for food ;-) Have some Nitro Cold Brew for the road (https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/kingfish-pub-and-cafe-oakland-2?select=T_paPqgpRUhWyEgKXwZ_QQ)

Kingfish Pub is a total testament to the saying "Never judge a book by its' cover". From the outside, it appears to be a tiny warn down old bar on the side of the street. But once you enter, you'll notice how lively and spacious it is. It's a super duper dive with not one... but two bars, a shuffleboard, jukebox, and a nice open deck located in the back. Some friends and I stopped here on our bar hopping run and really had an amazing time! The front bar is smaller and low lit with a very low ceiling, while the back bar is super spacious and open with several TV's and a lighted back deck. The outdoor deck is big enough to accommodate large groups. We all hung out on the deck which was perfect for the warm spring evening. The drinks are nothing super special, but they are affordable and they don't skimp on the alcohol here. They have a few specialties drinks that they serve here but otherwise, it's your average full service bar. The bartenders are cool but super busy as this place can get packed on weekends and nights. We took some tequila shots and I had a whiskey sour and a painkiller, which was one of their specialities. I haven't yet come here for happy hour, but I hear that it's legit. Despite the "Cafe" reference, there is no food served here other than popcorn (I think?). This bar has been around for many years, and I think that at one point they did used to serve food. However, there are plenty of food options available in this area. This is the perfect place to catch a game if you can get here early enough to beat the crowd. Parking options are limited, but there is street parking as well as the Walgreens and old Genova parking lot. I would totally recommend Kingfish to anyone who is looking to have a chill time with friends!

We had such a good time at Kingfish Pub & Cafe. Highly recommend their cocktails. Their staff is the BEST, so welcoming and made us feel homey. We had Paloma and beer. Paloma was so delicious! John is the best and we will certainly come back. Thanks for being the best pub in town!

By Far best martini in Oakland. Ask Kelly to shake one up for you. you won't regret it!

My wife and I came to Kingfish Pub tonight (Sat) for the first time and loved the energy of the place. Bar manager, bartender and staff were down to earth and welcoming. Drinks were great and we had fun conversations with people at the patio. Everybody seemed very friendly and relaxed. Looking forward to coming back!

Kingfish P&C doesn't look like much from the outside. But once you go inside it's a nice dive bar with outside area. Plus that they have a popcorn machine next to the entrance. But with a name like Pub and Cafe I was hoping for food to order. I did see other people bring in food from outside though. I only had a few beers but they have a decent selection. Street parking only.

It just occurred to me that I've never reviewed this awesome slice of groovyness! Been coming here for 19 years and always feel instantly great once I walk through the saloon style door. Every patron is nice and there's a lot of diversity. Bartenders are pros and the popcorn rocks!! Now to get back to business!

It's a No NO place!!!just go to a different bar !!!the music is very chip and the stuff don't really care ( the waitress was really rude) of this placeNd you can feel they don't got no experience and you can feel it .... ohh and btw this place got a no tolerance for weed .... in Oakland ... don't wAste your time!!!! Go to a different bar and just have have fun.

Kingfish is my go-to place when I'm looking to head to a dive bar in the North Oakland/Temescal area. Sometimes, I just want to head to a place that has good beer on draft and TVs to watch a sports game (it feels like I will often make a visit during a championship series). Compared to what you see when you are looking at this pub from the outside, this place is deceptively huge. There is an indoor bar and a big outdoor patio, so seating is usually ample. They offer a modest selection of draft beers, and they also have some specials that will pair beer with a shot of alcohol. The bartenders have always been friendly during my visits, and the free popcorn is definitely a plus!

I love Kingfish. Especially the red stripe and shot of whiskey combo, that's a deal and a half. Good scenery nearby too with Little Frog Park. I live in SF and the hospitality is nothing compared to Kingfish. Ask for Billy if you want great service. He'll know what it means.

Kingfish is our favorite local dive bar! The outside in unassuming but once you go in you'll find great deals, free popcorn, good people and you can bring in your own food. The outdoor back patio is a great place to hang out during the day or to go to watch football games (they have huge TVs outside). They have shuffleboard to play too. Kingfish is a definite recommend if you're looking for a bar with a laid back vibe.

The exterior is unassuming, but the inside calls for a fun time! I am so glad one of my friends pointed out Kingfish to me- it's such a laid back, high energy bar where I can root for my Cal team along with other fans and knock back some quite affordable drinks with friends. Did I mention the free all-you-can-eat popcorn they have?! The drinks here are super fairly priced, which is awesome when your team is up (or down). The vibe of the place is just FUN, and there are a bunch of eateries should you continue your party after the pub/bar! Outside food can be brought in- but no outside drinks. Enjoy the old Cal gym hardwood floor as well when you walk in and save any ticket stubs to put up!

Dive bar, how I love thee. Let me count the ways that I do: 1) They picked up the bar and placed it across the street in tact. This legendary bar is still legendary. 2) Free delicious and fresh popcorn. 3) The Cal Berkeley basketball court floor. 4) 2 free shuffleboard tables. One inside and one outside. Lines are long, but it's shuffleboard. 5) Ample outdoor seating with an outdoor bar. This closes a bit earlier than the bar itself. 6) Free popcorn. 7) Really friendly patrons and staff. I made friends, y'all. We hugged it out. 8) Free popcorn. Kingfish is a score. It's history, it's legendary dive status, it's memories, it's popcorn and now me, as a lifetime fan. Your jukebox is too expensive and your beer list is definitely not of a craft varietal (i.e. consists of budlight, guinness, pbr and lagunitas) but it's ok, no one's perfect. Come here to satisfy your dive bar needs; leave your high end cocktail dreams at another spot.

Love this pub. Watch football all the time here. But need to cut that plexiglass in the back in half. Need to hear the game loud on a Sunday. All about safety but the reflection is killing us watching the game.

Honestly such a nice vibe. Went out with a group of friends and the bartender was so sweet she explained what all the drink terminology meant because we just turned 21. Anyway, the drinks were good, outdoor area was sick, and super close to white horse which is nice!! Can't wait to come back !

$8 cocktails. We had a busy but very attentive bartender, I believe her name was Alex. She was awesome and funny and made us STRONG drinks. We sat in the back bar that was an indoor/outdoor space. I got 4 drinks and a bag of chips and it was $33?!? Would recommend and we are going back.

Best Pub in Oakland, hands down. Great team, good ambiance, and a nostalgic setup. If you visit Oakland, definitely have to hit this place up for a drink or two with friends.

Just stopped by to have one drink & ended up having a great time. From the outside you would think this bar is super small but it's actually a pretty nice size. They also pop fresh popcorn that's available for free to everyone in the bar. The bar was nicely crowded for a Thursday night & my drink was made well. Would definitely stop by again for a drink & popcorn.

Great ambiance, including a cozy indoor bar and a long outdoor bar. The cocktails aren't expensive and the shot and a beer special is a deal. The beer selection is limited.

Love this place. And how could you not... free, endless popcorn, amazing bartenders, cheap beer!!? Gosh... I went home blushing!!! King Fish is the place to go if you're interested in playing shuffleboard or drinking cheap drinks which included lots of cheap beer... which includes their on tap specialties or cheap Palomas or even mixed drinks... which are also cheap. This is the place to go if; you're into being social with random people you would ordinarily not be social with. :) There's two bars you can choose to be inside or outside, you have option to use the warmers and technically not really be outside but be a little bit more social inside in which you're really in the front of the bar choosing to not branch out. Overall King Fish is my favorite bar so far in the East Bay area and I can't help but feel very fuzzy when I think of it!

Not much from the outside, walking inside you get the divey feel immediately, walking farther in there is an open air back area complete with tvs and mellow music. In the front a bar all decked out shiny glossy hard wood, smell of slight stale beer haha always a smell when walking in a divey bar, kind of a uniform smell you expect haha. The back has a bar on the right with tvs and on the left is open roof area with several seats. Free popcorn, several beers on tap, usual local games on the tellies, good music, on a nice day preference would be to be in the back drinking and chit chatting with your mates, must visit spot on a guys night out, or a spot for day drinking A must visit spot when in Oakland Beers **** Price $ Service **** friendly Ambiance **** open air, divey, perfect spot on a nice day

Finally came on in to check it out. Was on my Birthday Urban Beer Hike. 9.5 miles, 10 stops, North Berkeley to Jack London Square. This was stop #5. Look, the place is cool...both inside and outside. There were about 18 of us here on Saturday night around 8:30 and had no problem sidling into a couple of tables inside and one small table outside (there's a one beer limit on a beer hike anyway so we didn't need to stay for long). Super comfortable and fun to sit or stand and chat. The biggest downside was the beer list. I don't consider Guinness a good option for a stout. Nope. So this was my water stop. And that's fine....good to break it up a bit anyway....but if they did have a good dark beer option, I'd have gotten it. I'd come back to hand with pals and get a cocktail perhaps...something simple and old-schooly.

I would give 10 stars to Kingfish if I could. This place is the ultimate classy dive bar in the Shafter neighborhood (I always thought it was part of Temescal). Cheap (but strong drinks), friendly bar staff and all you can eat popcorn. Plus the shuffleboard and the back patio (with another bar!) makes this place that is frequented by not only locals but visitors alike. Just be aware that there is a minimum of $10 charge if using a card to pay. I love the old Oakland sports memorabilia that adorns the inside of the pub. It really wraps up the entire local Oakland dive feel of Kingfish

I came to Kingfish on a rather peculiar first date that had many of the trappings of that now famous Aziz Ansari first date. I didn't go back to GUY's place... despite his suggesting it several times and my saying no, then him saying he knew just the place to take me and proceeding to try to walk me into a residential area that was the way to his place. Then when I was like, wait- where the fuck do you think we're going are you seriously still trying to take me to your place? He gets in my face, grabs my shoulders (in a non-threatening way, it deserves to be noted) and starts making out with me. At this point I can't even begin to imagine wtf is going through his head but in my head I give myself a few seconds to think, am I in danger? is he going to murder me? is he going to rape me? will it be a perfecta? where is the nearest street light I can run to? this is not my beautiful house. this is not my beautiful wife. how did I get here? I make it as awkward as possible and begin to start talking into his mouth that is still making out with my face. I say, 'this is truly the least smooth thing in the world' and I pull away and he laughs a little in earnest and go back in and I'm one part astounded that he does not get what's happening here from my end and one part midwestern and feel like I should just politely make-out back to not hurt is feelings and endanger myself. How sad is that? I pull away and say I'm not going back to his place and I'll call an uber right the fuck now... but GUY. I dunno. He's charming and I'm still like, don't make it weird, CANDICE. Even though he's the one making it weird bc that's unfortunately, how history has taught me, as a woman. So I continue on the date with GUY (who I admittedly did go on quite a few more dates with- i know, i know) (and actually did begin to really actually like... a lot- i know, i know) (and for the record GUY is not a monster- not even close) and we walk a ways up the main street in the light where there are people and go to Kingfish, for which I've never been. It's kinda late in the evening and it's suuuper happening- not in a trendy way but in a busyAF dive way. Most of the people seem like college co-eds and I'm like greeeat I'm the oldest fucking person here but then GUY points out a few chaperone types and I'm like, ok fair. We grab two beers at the bar and even though it's fucking packed and the bartenders kind of appear like people who will cater to the youths, they were actually extremely congenial and even when I paid at the end (tho GUY did come back to give me 4 singles towards his $5 beer that I will note bc he ends up dumping me... TWICE somehow, even though we were never actually dating- i know, i know. I'm a dummy but I'm a sucker for the weird and the witty). So GUY has me hold his beer bc he says he has a trick to show me. I stand alone like a dildo for a while when he comes back with a basket of the popcorn they have for free. Which is great for him bc he's hungry but he can't eat it and hold his beer so I'm kind of just stuck. I suggest we grab a seat if he's gonna keep on with the popcorn - which did look good and smelled good and was free so its a very good deal, i suppose. The good news is, besides the free popcorn and actually very rad staff, there's TONS of seating and standing tables. For as busy as it was, we still had a lot of options. We got to sit and talk and I gathered an unholy number of red flags from GUY that I of course found a way to ignore in the next following days, weeks, months (ugh- i know, i know). Which was weird bc walking into Kingfish I was thinking we'd have to try and talk about sports or god forbid some rando would try to befriend me but the atmosphere was actually pretty perfect for getting down to the nitty gritty and kind of learning all I probably needed to know about a person... so I could completely ignore it and still somehow choose to believe they were better than they actually presented themselves. Anyway... Kingfish is kind of the opposite of GUY. From the outside it looks kind of dilapidated and maybe a place with questionable moral standards but on the inside it's actually pretty cheery, inviting, and open. A dive bar with a heart of gold and I can't really ask for anything more.