Parkway Lounge

I so want to give this place a higher rating, really I do. But when the regular weeknight bar tender is rude, crude and socially maladjusted, it’s hard to ignore.
I live down the street from this dive bar. Drinks are cheap, the place has character, they televise all the bay area professional sports, the regulars are cool and quick with some friendly banter, you can bring food from outside. Hell, what’s not to like? Oh that’s right, the rude AF service.
Let me explain — a few friends and I went to PL to watch one of the Warriors games a couple weeks ago. Got there early, wasn’t too crowded yet. I go to the bar and order myself a beer and my sister a soda (she can’t drink alcohol, for health reasons). «Two drink minimum per person!» The bar wench barks at me, with hella attitude, clearly annoyed that I ordered a soda. «Ok, I reply, that’s fine, I intend to drink at least 4 beers while I’m here for the game, but my sister doesn’t drink, so I’ll cover her.» «She don’t drink, then she shouldn’t be here!» bar bitch snaps. EXCUSE ME?! Oh hell no. There are a lot of reasons people may not be able to drink alcohol, and I could get into that, but that ain’t even the point. Where do you get off being that nasty and rude to a customer who has already indicated they will cover whatever minimum amount is required?! No lady, you need a lesson in basic customer service. Long story short, she basically told another bar tender to serve us because she was stank AF and annoyed that my sister clearly was gong to be staying. Another friend showed up later and asked what was on tap, and the same rude, uncivilized bar tender rolled her eyes, said «read the board,» and walked away. Don’t get me wrong — you’re busy? By all means, tell someone where they can find your beer list. But you don’t have to be a rude, nasty B about it. Anyway, all this is to say, I really can’t favor patronizing a place where they keep on such uncouth, classless garbage for staff. To be fair, I’ve been there on weekend days where the servers have been great. But this hoe gotsta GO.

This bar is just two blocks away from me, and I’d thought I would finally try it, hoping it would become a regular thing. I will never go back again.
I went in on a very slow evening with a friend. When it was time to pay, the bartender (young Asian woman) ran my credit card and gave me the credit card holder that contained my receipt, but my credit card was missing!
I told the bartender, and she said «you must have it»! I told her no, she never gave it back to me. I opened my wallet to show her, then she physically yanked a debit card OUT Of MY WALLET. «That’s not the card» I angrily told her and snatched it back from her hand.
She then did a cursory look around the bar and said «no it’s not here, you must have it». I asked her to look again and then she responded «I’ve already looked twice.» THE PLACE IS DEAD and she doesn’t have time to do a thorough search?
Then another bar patron spots my card on the floor under the counter top opening. I pick it up and look at the bartender. And she very reluctantly says «sorry I must have dropped it». She does not belong in the service industry at all.
Absolutely awful. And the real tragedy is that I had already given her a tip on the credit card receipt. Never again.

I love the parkway, this is definitely a neighborhood spot and a dive bar in its own right. But it is the place to watch the sport games (televisions everywhere) and has a ton of beers on tap. Two pool tables, which you won’t find in any other dive as special as this place.

Come in for happy hours!!! ;) happy hours is on Mondays through Friday’s. (On the weekdays.)

I love this joint. This is by far the best dive bar I’ve been to in Oakland. Come every weekend and a couple times during the week to shoot some pool and drink a few brewskies.
The bar is cold (literally) but the people are incredibly warm. The bartenders are laid back and really friendly. Easy to strike up a conversation with them. Along with the cool bartenders are some awesome locals and regulars. It’s pretty common to run into the same people every week, which ain’t too bad since many of them are incredibly friendly. It’s really easy to to engage in conversation with people here, whether you’re playing pool with them or just chilling by the bar.
This is also a great space to watch games on their four tvs as well as play some tunes on their jukebox (Purple Rain anyone?!)
Won’t stop coming to this place anytime soon!

I’m a bit saddened that I have to write this… but real is real. And that’s how I’m going to keep it.
This past weekend in the mood to try a new place in the city I have called home for over 25 years. Maybe it was because I was black with a caucasian date, or maybe it was just because she was having a terrible day, but the lady bartender was a complete ASSHOLE! And I never go out of my way to belittle anyone.
From the attitude I got the moment I sat down, to the seemingly non-​chalant attitude about serving her patrons, to out right lying about what was available on the menu… it was pretty bad… I mean my date and I litterally sat at a bar that had all of 6 people on Friday night and was NEVER ASKED if she could get us another drink… While my tab was open mind you. Between the patrons, her attitude, the lack of respect, I had to litterally ask myself which part of Oakland is this!!! It’s safe to say that I won’t be coming here anymore… I’m sure the ownership would probably prefer it that way, as the demographic in there was hardly indicative of the diversity or the respect fellow Oaklander’s have for one another in general. Bad experience overall. Just sad.

The Lounge in an über dive that caters to a Euro multi culti mix of blue collar folks, meaning these new arrivals from across the U. S, the globe, and indigenous Oakland natives. It has this black concrete floor an a throwback vintage bar. I come on the weekends to check out Courtney G. A fire hot little East Coast ballerina that practices compassion mercy and grace with this unique motley mix of world citizens. The Parkway embodies the Weltanshaung of the golden age of the S F Bay. Live and let live in love.

I would give zero stars if I could. From the lousy staff, to the constant swarm of flies, to the wack selection of tunes on the jukebox, this bar needs a face lift. I have frequented this bar for years, and the price for my usual drink varies depending on the bartender.
I pride myself on tipping the staff so they will give prompt and friendly service, but there is one bartender in particular who works Thursday and Friday nights who is extremely bipolar. She is nice some days and ridiculously rude on others. She also gave a customer the wrong credit card slip today, and frequently forgets to give receipts, so you don’t know what you are being charged per drink until you’re intoxicated. I think this is done purposefully because it is not the first time I’ve seen inebriated folks argue about being charged too much.
Go to Baggy’s or somewhere downtown where you get better drinks and a better class of bartender to serve you.

I have been here many times, and the staff was always well above par, in fact one night our cab did not arrive and the bartender drove us home. But tonight (⁴⁄₁₁) the bartender ordered last call and we went outside with some friends. Five minutes later when we tried to back inside the bartender said «I dumped your drinks» and hustled us out. Now, if you want to hustle people out don’t take $ 20 and a generous tip just to dump our drinks. Poor form, if I could take back my tip I would.

Disclaimer: From a dude with probably the softest soft spot for sports bar, mainly since they pretty much combine two of my favorite pasttimes, watching sports and drinking, this place was almost guaranteed to get a positive review, though; in my review’s defense, Parkway has definitely earned every star — here’s why:
Drinks: (³⁄₅) — So the selection is lacking but the prices are relatively cheap to fair, the pours are hearty and stiff yet somehow «delicious», and the variety of most of the Go-​Tos (whiskey, vodka, tequila) is pretty much on par.
Sports Viewing Experience: (⁴⁄₅) — 5 mounted TVs about/​at least 40″, and a projector waay bigger than that. Considering the size of the place, I’d say there really isn’t a bad a seat in the house though, in my opinion, bigger and more is always better.
Food: (⁴⁄₅) — Negative on the serving food-​front but they embrace the BYOF way of life and there’s a chinese food restaurant next door, not to mention a bunch of other food joints within a mile, that’s pretty good. Beats serving pretty crappy bar food for me.
Location: (³⁄₅) — Right by the southside of Lake Merritt, the place is not far from all that the waterfront has to offer; which, actually, isn’t much. There’s a couple of other bars nearby to go along with a Lucky’s down the street but really the biggest pro here is that it offers easy access to bus lines running up and down E 18^th St.
Ambiance: (⁴⁄₅) — The bartenders are generally pretty cool, the divey feel, 2 pool tables, and karoake machine are nice touches, and the crowd has been nothing but super chill (like super Bay Area chill) in my experience. Seriously, the amount of awesome conversations and new friends I’ve made here is a little trippy.
Overall: (⁴⁄₅) — I’ve officially dubbed Parkway «My Neighborhood Sports Bar». Not sure how much this means to anyone else but, as mentioned: I like my sports, I like my bars, and I like to think I know my sports bars. So yea, if that’s what you’re looking for, let Parkway Lounge guide the way.

some guy, from detroit, in a jeep gave me his seventh casio calculator watch as part of a conversation.

Overpriced and seemingly watered down beer. Bourbon was overpriced too. Won’t be going back.

Awesome bar. TWO pool tables, which is beyond awesome. Really cheap happy hour too. Only reason I wouldn’t give it five stars is the service isn’t awesome. They’re just not super friendly or seem to know a lot about making drinks, like the fact that there’s supposed be alcohol IN them. Like, helllllla weak, but it of course depends on the bartender. I would also suggest getting hand chalk for the pool players. Otherwise, though, it’s just a good old dive bar.

This place would be so great if it was under different management. I live literally one block away from the Parkway Lounge and have gone there on several occasions to shoot pool, watch sports, and grab a brew. I was sitting at the bar watching the Warriors vs. Clippers game 7. It couldn’t have been more than 45 secs after finishing my first beer and the manager (who has been cited on other reviews), comes up to me and says «you know you need to order another drink or your can’t sit at the bar. You have to buy another drink every 10 – 15 minutes.» I look at her completely dumbfounded and shocked… not 100% sure if I heard her correctly (do you know how slammed I’d be if I got a drink ever 15 minutes?) She told me not to be mad and that it was «just business.»
I mentioned it to a couple people sitting next to me watching the game, and they said they had the same experience with her.
Here’s the bottom line, if you want people to come to your bar, keep coming back, and bring people with them, you can’t act like that. You can’t be greedy. You have to make i it an environment where people want to return.

I’ve been before had a OK time, that was with Terrible service from rude lil Asian owner, thats a Racist then it took Hella long just to get service while she right in front of you. Incredibly rude. Last night I went do to it being local and me a resident of that neighborhood since the 80’s why not right? Wrong she flat out played the Race Card I doubt the young white hipster crowd gets the same treatment as African Americans. I left refused to spend my hard earned money with a Racist Asian @&%$&. I will never go back and hope it burns to the ground yep I feel like that. Baggies was way better more friendly no pool but I will spend there. My Rant is over

My boyfriend and I just moved to this neighborhood and came to watch some basketball and baseball games and drink. We felt completely welcomed and had such a great time. The bartender was great, and the atmosphere was definitely great. Two thumbs up!

My local bar.

Divey Oakland bar. Great place to play pool and toss a few back. Nice and dark and dingey. Make sure you leave here with someone if you’re a gal, not the safest of areas.
Bartenders are efficient. I frequent as it’s a local bar.

Gangster
Stiff drinks, eclectic crowd, good loud music, pool tables, easy parking & chalk art. You cannot possibly ask for anything else
Fyi — cash only joint but they do have a working ATM machine

I was a little skeptical at first about coming here after celebrating a friends birthday who lived only a block away. But this place was pretty awesome!
It’s pretty spacious with a few TVs to watch games, fights, etc.
I liked how the walls was a few sectioned chalkboard you can freely write/​draw on!
There are pool tables, jukeboxes, and plenty of seating!
I wished the bartender was a bit more happy… or at least LOOKED a bit happy to be there but oh well. Perhaps there are other bartenders on other nights?
Maybe I“ll go back a different night :]