EAST BAY INSOMNIAC

ACME BAR

2115 San Pablo Ave, Berkeley • 644 2226

Considered by many to be the best bar in Berkeley on account of the divey smoke-friendly vibe; hip, tattooed locals; good jukebox (punk, indie, metal); proximity to Lanesplitter pizza and distance from UC Berkeley students.

OPEN UNTIL: 2AM

PARKING: street

REVIEWS:

THE STARRY PLOUGH RESTAURANT & PUB

3101 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley • 841-2082

FOOD (see menu):

• sandwiches
• burgers
• pizza
• daily specials (Monday is corned beef and cabbage)

DRINKS (see list):

• bottled beer
• 20 beers on tap (including Guinness, Murphy’s, Bass, Stella, Fat Tire, Redhook, Newcastle and Bud)
• ciders, wine, juice

MUSIC (see listing):

• rock
• local & indie
• Celtic/Irish
• folk
• open mic/poetry slams

STARRY PLOUGH ON MYSPACE:

EVENT PHOTOS & RECORDINGS: Check here to see photos (copyright Chris Bellew) of artists including Pinback and The Black Heart Procession at the Starry Plough. Click here for his list of these and other local shows which can be downloaded FREE from the Internet Live Music Archive.

WEBSITE: The Starry Plough Pub

REVIEWS:

JAGUAR KARAOKE

4390 Telegraph Ave #C @ 44th, Oakland • 658-8995

FEATURES:

• karaoke in private rooms for about $25/hour
• under-the-radar BYOB
• immediate proximity to late-night establishments Koryo sushi, Korean BBQ and Cyber-Cafe
• extensive, diverse songbook from Johnny Cash to Justin Timberlake to Judas Priest

OPEN UNTIL: 2AM

PARKING: lot

REVIEWS:

KANSAI

4345 Telegraph Ave, Oakland • 658-7273

SERVING (See full menu):

• sashimi and sushi
• hand rolls
• bento boxes
• Japanese entrees

OPEN UNTIL: 2AM (Fri & Sat) • 12AM (Mon-Thurs) • 10PM (Sunday)

PARKING: street (easy)

THE EBI REVIEW:

I’d been trying to get friends to check this place out for a while, but in Temescal, Koryo Sushi reigns supreme. So it took a visit from an out-of-towner to get this review.

Background/Disclaimer: Sushi, like the post-Twin Peaks work of David Lynch, is something that I really want to like, but ultimately have a bit of trouble coming to grips with. My girlfriend says I’m getting better (though we disagree on the merits of Inland Empire: quite possibly my favorite since Wild At Heart). But I digress.

Kansai has a swanky motif: mod patterns with warm colors and creative lighting. Geeks will enjoy the tabletop “call” buttons that send signals to the (possibly) Japanese and (definitely) friendly waitstaff. Dinner for two with wine was under $50 with leftovers to feed a particularly epicurean neighborhood panhandler.

We ordered the following: (more…)

KINGMAN’S IVY ROOM

860 San Pablo Ave @Solano, Albany • 526-5888

I haven’t been here since it was reinvented, so I’m quoting the following Yelp reviews. Apparently, there is no more live music, no cover charge, no beer on tap and better restrooms. A sampling:

• “I’m sorry, but I loved the original Ivy.  This one bites.” 
• “The place is excellent, and it’s nice to not have to go to SF for a decent bar.”
• “I miss the shuffle board, and the sticky floors, and the jazz band that played in the other room.”
• “A PIER 1 IMPORTS WITH A BAR.”
• “They know how to make Mojitos and Martinis… they have an entire Martini menu…”

Perhaps “Sophia C.” sums it up best: “In order to appreciate the new Ivy Room, you can’t compare it to the old–the two are like night and day.  The only recognizable remnant of the old Ivy Room is the sign outside.  Old clientele will be disappointed by the change and will probably never set foot in the new version, except maybe to use the (clean) restroom.”

OPEN UNTIL: 2AM

PARKING: street

WEBSITE (splash page): Kingman’s Cocktails

REVIEWS:

The Ivy Room past and present…