Luka’s is a restaurant and nightclub in Oakland featuring relatively “accessible” craft beers, food in the French and Belgian tradition, and DJ music. They feature 16 taps usually including some draft Belgians, and they have a bottle list as well. With more of a local feel than a beer mecca feel, this Uptown neighborhood bar has been on this list since before there were any Oakland brewpubs at all.
Extras: Billiards room and a DJ room with a dance floor. Cover charges on some weekend nights. They are a short distance from Lake Merritt if you are serious about walking and want to treat yourself after an afternoon round-the-lake walking circuit.
http://www.lukasoakland.com/
2221 Broadway at West Grand Avenue
Oakland • 510-451-4677
From 19th Street BART, walk north up Broadway, passing the old Paramount Theatre, for a total about four short blocks. You’ll find Luka’s on the left at the southwest corner of Grand Ave.
Official 19th Street Station and local bus info.
In the area: From Luka’s it’s relatively easy to walk to Commonwealth Cafe and Public House. Owned by a former Trappist bartender, Commonwealth features a modest, but well selected draft list and a 40+ bottle list of mostly Scottish and English selections. The food and beer menus will make you feel like you’re “across the pond” while in an Oakland neighborhood pub. (Wood’s, Diving Dog, Lost&Found, Good Hop and others are even closer.)
Beer by BART 