How your favorite neighborhood bar is surviving the pandemic
We checked in with 7 watering holes to see how they’ve been faring during the crisis.
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Risa Nye
Risa Nye is a Bay Area native. She was born in San Francisco and grew up in the East Bay. She spent many happy years on the UC Berkeley campus, both as a student and as an employee. She has worked in hospitals and high schools. She writes for Berkeleyside Nosh about the local cocktail scene as Ms Barstool. Her writing has also appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle, The Monthly, Hipocampus Magazine, and at www.eatdrinkfilms.com. In 2016 she published her first book, "There Was a Fire Here: A Memoir."
Articles by Risa
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Sneak peek: Innovative craft cocktails, dim sum bites and Asian-inspired desserts at Viridian in Oakland
We got an early look and taste at this upcoming Uptown bar, which will open Feb. 4.
A toast to 2019: Ms. Barstool’s top 5 East Bay cocktails
Nosh’s drink writer looks back on the five cocktails that tickled her tastebuds this year, plus one noteworthy non-alcoholic drink that she calls “comfort food in a mug.”
Things haven’t changed much at McNally’s Irish Pub, and that’s the way locals like it
Get to know the interesting history behind this beloved Rockridge institution, the first bar in Oakland to obtain its liquor license after Prohibition ended.
The Alley, Oakland’s last standing piano bar, holds a tune for a bygone era
Patrons come from near and far to gather ’round the piano and sing — or just listen — at the ‘ramshackle roadhouse’ on Grand Avenue, where time has seemingly stood still.
‘Press Here, the Musical’: Connecting the dots from book to stage
The duo behind this new musical were inspired by a picture book filled with dots that asks readers to use their imagination to make things happen. They created a unique piece of theater that does the same thing.
Trader Vic’s, a bastion of Tiki in Emeryville, started as a one-room beer parlor in Oakland
Victor Bergeron transformed Hinky Dinks from a bar with a hunting lodge vibe into a tropical oasis where he invented the Mai Tai.
Season’s heatings: 6 East Bay spots to sip Hot Buttered Rum and Hot Toddies
These cozy, boozy hot seasonal cocktails — flavored with nutty and spicy flavors — will warm you up from the inside out.
From bait shop to beloved dive: Oakland’s Kingfish Pub and Café has a fascinating history
This Temescal watering hole with a loyal, diverse clientele, was a sports bar before sports bars were a thing.
Sip drinks named after Kamala Harris, Mexicali Rose, MC Hammer and Rod Dibble at Oakland Cocktail Week
This weeklong celebration pays homage to the city’s most iconic people, places and history with creative cocktails.
Where in the East Bay to get boozy slushies, floats and milkshakes
5 bars and restaurants to get frozen drinks that harken back to childhood, but with the added kick of alcohol.
Ms. Barstool: Cocktails at Angela’s Kitchen in Alameda
Sipping the inventive seasonal drinks at this Park St. neighborhood restaurant takes you on an island getaway close to home.
First Look: The Hideaway serves up juicy burgers and boozy milkshakes
A new burger joint in Oakland’s Rockridge neighborhood offers 18 types of burgers, a full bar and comfortable, cozy digs that live up to its name.
Brunch cocktails — a brief history and best places to get them in the East Bay
We bring you 11 spots in Berkeley, Oakland and Emeryville to savor potent brunch cocktails.
A cocktail made with duck fat washed whiskey? Get it at Duchess in Oakland
The bar menu at the Rockridge restaurant boasts creative cocktails that go beyond the expected.
CDP is a sleek, stylish cocktail lounge, a perfect complement to Commis
Ms. Barstool visits James Syhabout’s latest venture, a cocktail lounge extension of his two-Michelin-star restaurant.
