Merchant's

Here, your dreams will burn in a honey golden flame of self inflicted abuse. "Is that shot for us?" Your liver will call out to your brain. But your brain won't hear that coded plea for a cut off, as the music cancels all sound sensibility. Pun! In order to be cool, there's a price to pay and everyone pays it, in one form or another, this bar will leave it's mark on you. Merchants will take your payment. what you do with the booze is up to you. Be advised: I've seen some brutal rightly earned 86 action at this bar. I don't celebrate violence but fact of the matter is, at this bar if anyone shows up with prejudice, and if after a few drinks they start leaning into that prejudice and let loose some racist epithets, it's not going to go well for them. In short. If you are racist or a bigot of any kind, better off if you just stay away.

Great spot to get some drinks. Love the theme.

I spend a lot of time in the port of Oakland working on container ships. This has become my favorite dive bar. Cheap & dirty. No frills. It has cleaned up its act a bit in the last few years, but it is still my go-to gin joint.

Can one love a dive bar even if they're "on the wagon"? If the DB in question is Merchant's Saloon and the bartender is Will, the answer is a resounding "yes. only yes." Great spot, killer convo, fine selection. Don't Sleep. 🚫💤

I am a disciple of the dive. And though ability to indulge is few and far in between, this place embodies all that there is. Cheap heavy drinks, irreverent patrons and bartenders who could not give tuppenny fart if you are there. Absolute awesomeness.

Always a pleasure... If you live a good dive bar.

My favorite dive bar! Come on in for great service and a divey atmosphere.

I felt like a local at this nearly-hidden 104-year-old bar. Everyone there knew each other. The service was top-notch and the drink was strong. The atmosphere is like none other. We enjoyed our visit.

To be clear, I'm not giving Merchant's five stars because it's a five-star bar. It gets five stars because for what it is, It's a five-star bar. Local "dive" with an obvious specific vibe, but where all are welcome. It's great. Also, go Roots!

Best bar in Oakland if you aren't a little baby. All non-babies are welcome though no matter who you are.

Great beer. Awesome vibes... 2nd oldest bar in Oakland! Near Jack London Square and Amtrak!!! And blues on Saturday night nearby

Seriously, as an out of towner here on a Monday night, the vibes were just so good. Tobias has a strong pour and Devin, at the door, made me feel more than at home. Also pretty much everyone here lowkey has the most effortlessly cool vibes and very welcoming energy. I felt right at home having a couple drinks and conversation with the regulars that were kind enough to chat with me. Easily passed by on the street but 100% a great time for a divey kinda bar. Not only will I come back but I’ll bring friends next time I’m in town. Thanks Merch crew 🩷

If you like simply awesome and easy going, this little dive bar is a great stop for a great priced alcoholic beverage! Great staff, laid back vibes and great drinks! Check em out next time your Oakland.

Looks rough from outside but friendly staff and awesome music (not live). Cheap beer in a dive bar.

Tracy Arrowsmith

My favorite dive bar! Come on in for great service and a divey atmosphere.

Larry Ray Reed

I felt like a local at this nearly-hidden 104-year-old bar. Everyone there knew each other. The service was top-notch and the drink was strong. The atmosphere is like none other. We enjoyed our visit.

Matt Colquhoun

To be clear, I'm not giving Merchant's five stars because it's a five-star bar. It gets five stars because for what it is, It's a five-star bar. Local "dive" with an obvious specific vibe, but where all are welcome. It's great. Also, go Roots!

Aidan Wigger

Best bar in Oakland if you aren't a little baby. All non-babies are welcome though no matter who you are.

KaT

Great beer. Awesome vibes... 2nd oldest bar in Oakland! Near Jack London Square and Amtrak!!! And blues on Saturday night nearby

Sara Hall

Seriously, as an out of towner here on a Monday night, the vibes were just so good. Tobias has a strong pour and Devin, at the door, made me feel more than at home. Also pretty much everyone here lowkey has the most effortlessly cool vibes and very welcoming energy. I felt right at home having a couple drinks and conversation with the regulars that were kind enough to chat with me. Easily passed by on the street but 100% a great time for a divey kinda bar. Not only will I come back but I’ll bring friends next time I’m in town. Thanks Merch crew 🩷

J M

If you like simply awesome and easy going, this little dive bar is a great stop for a great priced alcoholic beverage! Great staff, laid back vibes and great drinks! Check em out next time your Oakland.

Dani Kovács

Looks rough from outside but friendly staff and awesome music (not live). Cheap beer in a dive bar.

Great dive bar in Oakland, parking can be a bit of a challenge at times but it's worth walking a few blocks if you like dive-y spots.

My most favorite beloved dive bar in Oakland. Strong drinks, good price, jukebox, dark atmosphere, pool table, sticky floors and clientele that are very chill and no nonsense.

Stumbled upon this hidden Gem of a Bar while staying in Jack London Square and was immediately enamored with its no-frills funky Oldkool Super chill vibe atmosphere :) Strong cheap drinks leave room for well-deserved tips for the bitchin’ bartenders! Their slogan is “Merchants Saloon-Poisoning Oakland since 1886”

One of the most luxurious and 5-star restaurant services I've ever experienced. A delicious 5-course dining menu with a fantastic wine selection straight from Italy! Don't forget to put on those nice shoes you've been saving for a special occasion. Highly recommend!

Great place, best part is you can pee right at the bar, if you look down there's a urinal trough that's still functional!

Merchants Saloon is a true Oakland gem. The historic atmosphere exudes charm, and the live music creates a lively vibe. The friendly staff serves up great drinks, and the diverse crowd adds to the unique character. A must-visit for a taste of Oakland's rich culture.

Historical Oakland dive bar..... Great crowd, great vibe..... Heather is like 1 of my favorite bartenders on earth..... $2 cans of Ham's beer... Best deal in bay area

cam viand

Great dive bar in Oakland, parking can be a bit of a challenge at times but it's worth walking a few blocks if you like dive-y spots.

Arianna E.

My most favorite beloved dive bar in Oakland. Strong drinks, good price, jukebox, dark atmosphere, pool table, sticky floors and clientele that are very chill and no nonsense.

Jaclyn Mazzella

Great spot to get some drinks. Love the theme.

Matthew Belasco

This is the best Dive bar in Oakland. Great service and fair prices.

Will Taylor

Great place, best part is you can pee right at the bar, if you look down there's a urinal trough that's still functional!

Vanessa Rivera-Ryan

Stumbled upon this hidden Gem of a Bar while staying in Jack London Square and was immediately enamored with its no-frills funky Oldkool Super chill vibe atmosphere :) Strong cheap drinks leave room for well-deserved tips for the bitchin’ bartenders! Their slogan is “Merchants Saloon-Poisoning Oakland since 1886”

Daniel Fischer

Merchants Saloon is a true Oakland gem. The historic atmosphere exudes charm, and the live music creates a lively vibe. The friendly staff serves up great drinks, and the diverse crowd adds to the unique character. A must-visit for a taste of Oakland's rich culture.

Jesse Sosa

One of the most luxurious and 5-star restaurant services I've ever experienced. A delicious 5-course dining menu with a fantastic wine selection straight from Italy! Don't forget to put on those nice shoes you've been saving for a special occasion. Highly recommend!

On the eve of the last raiders game in Oakland, I have to come to this point of singularity to that eternal black hole that the owners are gambling in Las Vegas. Leather chaps and black lights, graphiti in a corner space of what is misleading as a import export wearhouse, the corner there has old bones upon closer inspection. This bar is proportedly dated at 1916, but I was hard-pressed to find anything Olson the look of the place at all. Big hug from a bronco fan. Raiders deserve better. Also Simon the bartender needs a book written about him. Made my day

Really enjoyed this place, so much atmosphere and friendly service. Great drinks selection. Lots to look at on the walls too!

Classic dive bar. Excellent bartenders. Generally good parking. Bathrooms are OK. Clientele are a mixed bag of locals, service workers and sailors. Check out the trough.

This place is a "true" dive bar complete with griminess and all. $2 beers and $3 shots. Giving only 4 stars just because I don't like dive bars that much, but if I did this place would be it!

Life got ya down? Tired of that smelly crystalline substance keeping you up all day and night. Head to the merchants saloon! It's got a stripper pole to take out all that left over energy. Staff is great. No fault of the saloon, but this ain't the place to park any car that can be started with a screwdriver.

Dive bar with cheap drinks, and horrible bar service! Lol. A great place to grab a drink before a movie or hoodslam. I actually met my best friend here after we both starting talking and drinking strong whiskeys.

It's a pretty run of the mill dive bar in the best way. Drinks are cheap, the crowd is colorful, and the pours are strong. They've got a decent pool table but there's only one. They do take credit cards.

Sure, it's divey, but it's our dive. They have a lot of construction in front, so you're gonna hear some jackhammering unless you're drinking after 7pm. Happy hour drinks after work get a bit lively. There's a trough near the bar with cheap brews in it that you can just grab and pay later. The restrooms are frightening, but I can't claim that I hadn't anticipated that. The sign on the door clearly implies a total dive, and they deliver. So no harm, no foul.

Always right on time and never a disappointment. Merchants is a total essence of dive bar and no comparison to others who claim to be 100 years and counting- say what???? But welcoming to old and new, stop by Merchants if your in Jack London. Put money in the meter if you arrive 9-5ish. And remember where you are, have nothing visible in your car to avoid break ins.

Great bar. Very eclectic and fun. Really good music and great liquor selection.

Wanda Reynolds

Always right on time and never a disappointment. Merchants is a total essence of dive bar and no comparison to others who claim to be 100 years and counting- say what???? But welcoming to old and new, stop by Merchants if your in Jack London. Put money in the meter if you arrive 9-5ish. And remember where you are, have nothing visible in your car to avoid break ins.

Dre' Tatum

Great bar. Very eclectic and fun. Really good music and great liquor selection.

Really enjoyed the music and the atmosphere.

Merchants Saloon, is not my favorite spot, but is probably a bar I get to the most because it's close to my night gig. I'll keep it short and sweet. It's a dive! It's small, it's dirty and the drinks are cheap. Pool table in the back. Come through if you wanna get drunk.

Ive been to a lot of dive bars; this one would get five stars. But honestly one of the regulars said something to me so un-dive bar like that it must run a bit deep. Made me leave at once.

Well folks... ultra-progressive wokeism and mainstream media got the best of this place. I was greeted yesterday (8/10/21) by the door man who said "are you vaccinated?" Ummm... "that's none of your business" I said. He then said "unless you can prove you are vaccinated, you need to sit outside ONLY and wear a mask at ALL times." Adios amigo! Good luck keeping your doors open when there are literally dozens of other (better) bars in the area.

horrible. the best thing was my shot of Patron! it smells like PEE from the door... there were random spills on the bench area seating by the pool table... the bartender seemed stressed and over worked...and complaint about that vocally to the patrons. I will not return even for the $1.00 pool... which one of the regulars all but said was his personal table! 😒

I don’t think I have left a review until this place but it was really an awful experience if you have any self decency please don’t go into this establishment. Thank You! To those that are actually reading reviews I hope it at least reaches one person not to go receive awful service. And Thank You again!

Ive come here for-about two years and tonight id this first time I had a bad encounter. My cousins and i had to use the bathroom so we went in together. Once we all finished we came out and the bar tender kick us out for apparently “partying “ in the bathroom. That was not the case. And i tried to explain that. He didn’t have any understanding. It felt very degrading because that was not that case with us. Pre judging us and kicking us out was very embarrassing. We will not return.

Service very rude and nasty waited 25 minutes before speaking. I just patiently waited while looking at my phone I figured they were having a rough day since it was Christmas but yet they were rude and nasty after I been waiting definitely need better bartenders who are friendly and respectful

Decent location but rude “bartenders” both night and day. If they don’t know you then you’re not welcome and shouldn’t interrupt then for service.

Chanel Santiago

Service very rude and nasty waited 25 minutes before speaking. I just patiently waited while looking at my phone I figured they were having a rough day since it was Christmas but yet they were rude and nasty after I been waiting definitely need better bartenders who are friendly and respectful

Victor Gersdorff

Decent location but rude “bartenders” both night and day. If they don’t know you then you’re not welcome and shouldn’t interrupt then for service.