Address: 1453 Webster Street
Pricing: Around $6 per cocktail; $4 a beer
Phone: 510-864-1244
Hours: Mon.-Sat., 4 p.m.-2 a.m.
Parking:Street parking
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The Fireside Lounge: The Bar Down the Block
May 13, 2010
Getting out with friends doesn’t always have to be a complicated and pricey affair, when you leave in your best shoes to pay a cover charge and mark up a tab with expensive drinks. Sometimes, you’re in the mood for something a little more laid back, and The Fireside Lounge is one of those neighborhood hang-outs that hits the mark – the kind of bar you wouldn't mind having at the end of your own block.
Located on Webster Street in Alameda, just off the Posey Tube, The Fireside is comfortable and spacious, boasting a recent remodel with multi-level table seating, bar seating, and a more intimate nook with a comforable sofa. The crowds don’t get too big and the drinks are cheap at around $6 a cocktail and $4 a beer. The beer list is long and the cocktails aren’t watered down. The bartender is friendly and you’ll likely be served by the owner.
Multiple TVs on the wall will be honed in on sports, but the bar has a softer side, too, with flowers and candlelight on the dark wood tables and cozy, upholstered chairs. There are framed vintage posters hanging on the wall and an old piano stands on one side, though it isn’t tuned and probably never gets played.
Regulars of all ages will come in at various intervals, and some may even start dancing next to the pool area in the back, swinging to Americana or rock tunes. If you’re coming to play pool, this is one of the few places where shooting a few balls is free.
In other words, The Fireside Lounge makes you feel right at home, sorta like sitting by the fire with a few friends with beers in hand. By the way, this bar does have a fireplace, but unfortunately, it never gets lit, except by the glare of the flat screen flashing just above it.
HelloSanFrancisco tip: Come thirsty but not hungry. The Fireside Lounge does not serve munchies.
- by Renee M. Rutledge, San Francisco Reporter for HelloMetro
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Renee M. RutledgeRenee M. Rutledge currently writes articles on local travel and culture for Red Tricycle, Parents' Press, Oakland Magazine, and Alameda Magazine.
