Fauna

This is my standby place to take out of town visitors in uptown Oakland. Very good food and great bar mixed drinks. The crowd is very diverse and dressed up for the night, especially if there are shows.
Great menu, great location for Bart and great drinks. Can’t get much better.

Had just had a terrible dinner experience (not at Flora next door — that place is awesome! This was somewhere not associated), and my husband and I wanted to turn the night around with some great cocktails.
And that’s exactly what happened! We each tired a couple different drinks and were delighted with our drinks. The bartenders were attentive, but not over the top. They even made me a drink I’d had at Flora, and it was perfect! We chatted with some folks sitting next to us at the bar, and ended up having a wonderful Oakland night.
Fauna is officially on our list of new favorite spots.

Second stop for an early NYE celebration. Wanted to check out the bar and maybe take a peek at their restaurant next door (Flora.) I kinda wanted to be a little adventurous, so I ordered some random beer off their menu. Immediately, our bartender suggested to try it first, because, «it’s not for everyone.»
He gave me a sample and… he was right. That beer was awful! I’m SOOO glad he stopped me from having it.
Decided to have something more familiar to my palate.
Ordered a side of olives to munch on.
Place was clean, bartenders were friendly. Might check out Flora next time.

Real nice place. Loved the drinks and Juan was a real pro behind the stick. We’ll be back.

Happy Hour is ok, but nothing really too special. I think it’s a blanket $ 1 off deal down the board (beer, wine, cocktails). The bourbon cocktail I had was ok, but there was a ton of ice in it – if you don’t drink it fast enough, it’s basically water after. I had a beer after, called Local Option I think, that I liked better. I had to get a receipt adjustment since it wasn’t given the $ 1 off (every draft beer is $ 1 off per the chalkboard sign). I spent about $ 75 and change for 5 cocktails and one beer, and a set of olives (which were pretty tasty, but tiny – at least they came out within seconds of ordering… they must have these on demand nearby). So keep that in mind if you’re looking to save a few bucks (I did come with two other people). The bartender was apologetic, but I’ll be sure to check my bills with a fine-​toothed comb in the future. Makes me worried how many other times I’ve been incorrectly charged and didn’t double check before paying. There’s a dearth of good HH’s in this area sadly, but this place (which opens at 5pm) is decent for a good space, at least. Parking is impossible in the immediate vicinity, but you should be good on a meter on a side street. Accepts Amex too.

Fine cocktails and it’s not too crowded (probably because the cocktails are expensive) so if you can’t handle the crowds at the other fine watering holes in the area this is a good reprieve.

Oh, Fauna. How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…
1. Gorgeous space. A little crowded at times, especially on show nights and First Fridays, but who doesn’t love vaulted ceilings and insane taxidermy?
2. Knowledgable, amazing bartenders. Matty and Jason. Need I say more? Cocktails here aren’t cheap, but I’d gladly pay a little more for anything these two make.
3. The Vesuvio Swizzle. So delicious! That chili tincture, though. *Just* a touch of heat at the end of each sip. Divine.
4. Dial «D» for Derby. Not on the menu anymore, but the guys I just mentioned will still make you one if you wish. And trust me, you want one.
4. Salted caramel pudding. Stupid good. I have no words.
Its a good thing parking can be a bit difficult, because I’d be here all the time otherwise. Then again, there’s always Lyft…

Yes cocktails are expensive, but if you don’t like it get a beer or stay home. Love this place, love the bartenders, love that I can watch any sports game I want and everyone else can talk about their start-​ups. Go Sharks!

Nothing not to love about another low-​lit bar with tasteful taxidermy and solid cocktails served in the proper glassware. Fauna is the little sister of Flora next door, and an ideal spot to get your nightcap on.
I always prefer bars that are half-​full vs. packed, and Fauna passed the test with open seats at the bar at 8pm, but a steady crowd throughout the night. Sigh of relief. I ordered their take on the Aviation, and Fauna nailed it. One of the best gin cocktails I’ve had. So legit, it made the $ 11 pricetag a little easier to swallow. For the die-​hard fans of single-​digit drinks, there’s the «build your own» cocktail option: gin, vodka, rum or tequila + their housemade fruit tincture du jour for $ 7, plus some classic cocktails for $ 8. A thoughtful nod to us frugal folks who want to partake in the opulence of the New Oakland, while not closing out with a $ 50 bar tab. Thank you!
All in all, Fauna’s mix of perfectly low lighting, carnival stiped walls, and sultry bartenders make it a truly sexy spot to sip. Bonus: there’s a mini menu of Flora provisions, like chicaronnes, burrata toast and the famous caramel pudding. Lots to fawn over!

This is a great place to grab a fancy drink and a yummy snack!

Pretty hip.
Can’t say much about the food, but it’s the perfect place to get a cocktail before heading into the Fox for a show. Cocktails are around $ 10 – 12, and they’re all really well-​made, so drink up here before over paying for well drinks inside. As all well-​made cocktails are made, yours will take time, so you’ll have to be a bit patient!

Fauna is my go-​to place when I feel like a cocktail and don’t want to be around a lot of people. If you want a chill night, do not come here right before or after a show at the Fox. Come during the show. Or on an off-​day. They have really good french fries, even though you shouldn’t eat them. It’s clean, well-​decorated, and has friendly bartenders who don’t mind talking to you about what you want or what you’re getting.

OK, let’s get my pet peeve out of the way here: if you are trying to present your establishment as a high-​end hole, do NOT install TVs that can be viewed from any given angle, and definitely don’t show sports-​ball on them. Sigh.
Otherwise, I love, love, LOVE the décor. I saw that someone else mentioned 60s style, I don’t get that. It’s definitely 30s/​40s. And while they do have a lovely selection of top-​shelf booze, I found the specialty beverages I had a bit blah, and frankly pretentious. It’s not cheap, which is OK, but I find that often allows the drink-​slingers a bit of an air – which is definitely the case here. Of the few times I’ve been, the majority was dampened by that very haughtiness. I will say, the bar-​backs/​support-​staff is amazingly efficient. I certainly hope their bartenders tip them well!

Nice atmosphere, great décor, and interesting cocktail menu to boot. I went with a friend and while it took awhile to get the bartender over to our area, the cocktails were well made. Lots of seating options in the bar — stools, high tops, couches and great taxidermy animals and interesting art work to catch your eye. I was surprised there were TVs behind the bar there but they weren’t on while we were hanging out.
I think it would make a really great date spot.

I met my friend here for before dinner drinks on Friday. While waiting for her, I sat at the bar and was immediately given a menu by one of the cute bartenders. I ordered the Ginger Rogers, which was garnished with ground cinnamon. It was very good and refreshing. The little bit of cinnamon was a nice touch. My friend showed up and she ordered the same thing. I then decided to get the $ 5 beer and shot. The beer was High Life and the shot Jim Beam. Not bad for $ 5.
It did get busy as the evening progressed. You can also order food from Flora while at the bar. The cocktails average around $ 10. If you want something on the cheaper side, take advantage of their Happy Hour.

Yes to these drinks! Both Fauna and it’s neighbor Flora (the establishments are attached with an opening to flow freely through) have such good drinks!
My biggest regret was offering to share the grilled cheese sandwich with my friends before it arrived. Had I known how good it was going to be, I would have left those chicks to fend for themselves. Learned a tough lesson…

After watching a show nearby, we had cravings for salted caramel pudding and drinks at Flora. Checking in with the host at Flora, he stated that bar was full for a party of four, but that we could get drinks and the salted caramel pudding at Fauna next door, which he said was affiliated with Flora, and directed through the connected doorway.
The bar has a great art deco interior with a long bar area. The bar was full, but we were able to grab the table by the entrance, which was perfect for the four of us. With just one table, Fauna doesn’t offer wait service, but we had no problems ordering our drinks and salted caramel pudding at the bar. We brought the drinks back to our table and a waiter from Flora brought the pudding to our table. You can also order sandwiches and snacks at Fauna as well.
The table was perfect for the four of us to catch up and enjoy our cocktails and the delicious salted caramel pudding, which was perfectly smooth, not overly sweet and complemented by the dollop of cream, walnut shavings, and salt.
Overall, nice bar and nice atmosphere where you can get the salted caramel pudding. Yum!
(
)
(
)

Long ago there was a little waiting area in Flora. Then they decided to spiff it up, put in a wall and make a really awesome little bar. Visited on a Wednesday night recently and found easy bar seating during the dinner rush. Great cocktails! Same level as Flora of course. They didn’t advertise it, but there is a little bar food menu (think burger) which makes it a nice pre-​show destination in my book.

Came here after having dinner at Flora, which the place is connected to. The cocktails here are ok, not the best. A little weak too. They do make some of the drinks offered at Flora here, but it’s not on the menu. They also allow you to order from Flora and bring your drinks here.
I love the space and the atmosphere. It’s not too crowded or loud. Perfect place to catch up with friends. The décor is interesting, a lot of taxidermy, and a random bunny head on a chair in the back. Bartenders and bar backs here are pretty quick with service. Would definitely come back again, maybe try to see if they have a happy hour?

Nice décor.
Excuse me, I ment really nice décor.
Not a lot of seating.
pre round drinks to the concert… you’ll be squeezing yourselves in.
I want the wall paper.
no. I want the whole bar.
& perhaps that animal head mounted to the wall.
Guy behind the counter, you’re a god send.
Keep sending me those beers!
His attitude was kinda sassy so I could appreciate!