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So Many Dives, So Little Time -- Divemaster

Alameda County

Kip's

2439 Durant Ave Berkeley

Two floors, right on Durant Avenue, a block off campus. Upstairs is the best place to escape the purple-spike hair-tattoo types on the Avenue and watch sports dammit. There is usually a full cadre of characters at the bar or in the big media room towards the back. The tables in the front are for those who actually come to eat and drink. Full menu but featuring pizza and beer. Go at night to get served by some very nice Berkeley co-eds. Downstairs (just finishing up a remodel) is more of a pizza and burger joint. Best flame-burned burgers in the area. Watch for grungies.

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Top Dog

2534 Durant Avenue Berkeley

Best grilled dogs in the bay area! You stand in line, often out the door to "bark" your order to rude surly cooks. A dozen or so different varieties including bockwurst, kielbasa, New York, German, Italian or the "house dog" - Top Dog. All grilled on the spot for your snarfing pleasure, placed into tactically pleasing buns with heaps of sauerkraut and a couple of non-gourmet mustards awaiting your selection at the very messy condiment bar. While waiting, be sure to partake of the Libertarian propaganda all over the walls or watch the B&W TV with 'Stolen from Top Dog' scrawled on the side. Stanfurd - eat this!!!
P.S. Five other locations in Berkeley and Oakland including Northside.

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Brennan's

4th Street and University Avenue Berkeley

Best memories of Brennan's are in it's pre-2008 location as it's now moved into the old Berkeley railway depot that used to house China Station. Brennan's has always been the best working man's dive in the East Bay. In the middle of the large, loud, linoleum lined room is a full double sided bar that serves up the best Irish Coffees this side of the Buena Vista. Off on one end is the cafeteria-style hofbrau that features excellent corned beef and cabbage, roast beef and potatoes, turkey necks and the like, all served up as full dinners or as sandwiches. Grab a tray, line up with the milieu of West Berkeley and order up. Be fast or be barked at. Forget the desserts, the meal is good enough on it's own. Check out the artwork - cows from the Cow Palace. Blue and Gold dress always in fashion, leave the Cardinal red at home.

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Bronco Billy's Pizza Palace

Niles Blvd and F Street Fremont

Would be four stars except this is a 'chain' of four locations scattered in Southern Alameda County. An old (authentic) western saloon setting featuring fairly standard pizza and sandwich fare. The thing that sets this place apart is their awesome lunch special - for under $6 you get a HUGE slice of really good (and greasy) pizza (1/4 pie) and a pint of draft beer. There's heads of deer, moose, elk and other taxidermy art starting you down. You don't have to pay until you're done. One of our favorite pizza dives.

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Flint's BBQ

6609 Shattuck Ave Oakland

Technically a chain because there is one in Oakland and the classic one in Berkeley. Old style BBQ. Meat only - no fancy salads or side dishes here. Big Women with cleavers chop ribs and give it to you with White Bread in a baggie. Sauce drips on your shirt and life is good. A reader says, "They have the rudest people working there. That helps its dive status. I stood alone once for almost 10 minutes, the only customer in the store, which two women just chatted away. I finally asked them if they could help me. They said not just yet, it was a shift change. Watch out for them trying to sucker you with their hot sauce. There are 3 kinds of sauce; regular, medium and hot. The medium is hotter than most hot sauces. The one on San Pablo used to be hard to get to, trying to fight the hookers. They've moved a few blocks away, so it isn't so bad".

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Oaks Corner

4097 San Pablo Avenue Emeryville

Across the street from the largest card club in the East Bay, the Oaks Corner Coffee shop and hofbrau is open 24/7 to service the tired (and often poor) gambling populace of Emeryville. It's set up as hofbrau-style cafeteria and that's a big part of the charm. Order up anything from a full breakfast (omlettes, bacon & eggs, etc) to the mainstays of the day which are burgers, melts, and a carvery with pastrami, tri-tip, turkey and more. As for the clientele, have you ever wondered where the guys to constantly obsess on sports and constitute the sports talk show call in crowd -- they're all here and loudly opining on the subjects of the day. Furthermore, this adjoins the largest gaming parlor in the pre-tribal-takeover era of the East Bay. Good food, good drinks, good entertainment.

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Sam's Hof Brau

595 Hegenberger Rd Oakland

We've heard Sam's has sadly closed. Please share any Sam's memories with us. Here's the old review: This place is AWESOME. If you ever want to reunite with the old Oakland A's/Raiders/Golden Seals/Warriors/etc (at least in spirit), here is the place. Vintage photos everywhere. A buffet where turkey, roast beef, etc are all carved on the spot with fresh fixin's. A sports bar the way they were meant to be. A great place to savor a win, wallow painfully in a loss or just wish for the next game and another meal at Sam's.

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Swiss Park

5911 Mowry Avenue Newark

What a wonderful anachronism! "Since 1935, Neighborhood Restaurant and Bar". The Fremont/Union City/Newark area is so chock full of strip mall, shopping center corporate sludge as to rate is the worst dive territory in the whole Bay Area. Swiss Park has the feel of a midwestern small town center with a hofbrau twist. It's complete with a full picnic area (available for reservations, a full gymnasium-size hall and a small bar and restaurant when you first walk in. Lunch is a grill-based menu of Linguisa, Bratwurst, Polish, or Berbgers. Beer (or course). You'll be welcomed by the staff and given stares by the locals (check your ties and badges at the door).

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Top Dog - Northside

2503 Hearst Avenue Berkeley

This Top Dog fits in well with the mellower Northside of the Berkeley Campus. Tucked in the front corner of a weathered wooden gathering of ethnic restaurants, it features the same awesome food as its Southside cousin with fewer of the distractions. Better suited for one of the more organic menu items such as the Bird Dog, Lemon Chicken, Smoked Chicken Apple or the Wienie (veggie), the latter featuring wheat gluten, soy protein and tofu. Still has a few of the libertarian posters and other charms that make Top Dog unique. Definitely part of the Berkeley experience.

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Bistro, The

B St & Main St Hayward

A great neighborhood bar in the tiny downtown district of Hayward. A half dozen other places to check out as well. Lots of locals, older crowd. We had fun. A reader writes: "If you love beer, this place is for you. 12 taps of the finest rotating regularly with about 30 Belgians and the correct glassware. Sandwiches for eats and great free music at nights

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Mission Pine Cafe

129 Anza St Fremont

Part of the old Town of Mission San Jose. The Mission Pine Cafe has been in the area for over 40 years and in this very nondescript building/strip mall for at least 10. It's run by Doug, who may greet you from the Dougout (kitchen). They make a mean breakfast and if you're feeling like an omlette for lunch, this is a great place. French toast, thick crispy bacon and good hash browns -- it's all here. Calendars on the wall featuring diesel trucks and models. Bulletin board full of business cards for services of all kinds. A counter where the locals hang out and read the paper. A good diner!

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Shalimar

3325 Walnut Avenue Fremont

We've been to the one in SF -- amazing spot! Lots of passion about this Pakistani / Indian food place as people seem to either love it or not. A reader says, "The original Shalimar is in San Francisco and they are both fantastic! Best to order food extra spicy."

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Southern Heritage BBQ & Fish

40645 Fremont Blvd Fremont

A reader says, "In a (older) strip mall, just bottled beer available, but the decor is appropriately "divey" and the BBQ is outstanding. Worth checking out." Another reader says, "This is one of my favorites. The BBQ is Arkansas-style: slow cooked and smoky. Their fried okra and sweet potato pie is excellent. I'd give it four divers". Another reader says, "We checked this place out. There are few signs around stating that a long wait for your food is a good thing. The food was decent, and the wait was long. I do want to go back to try a few more of their items. I am now more prepared at how long the wait for my food will be. I had their pork sandwich. I think they put too much sauce. Andyâ€™s makes a far better pork sandwich. I rate it as a two star dive. It is worth checking out."

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Wilma's Catfish Kitchen

6037 San Pablo Ave Oakland

Small hole-in-the-wall located on the Emeryville/Oakland border across from the Black Muslim bakery. Seems worthy of dive status.

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Boss Hawg's BBQ

37266 Niles Blvd Fremont

Now a vacant building... A reader says, "Huge BBQ grill rig in the parking lot next to the place w/lots of smoke! Bunches of road signs & neon make up the decor. Great BBQ esp the ribs & chicken. Waitresses w/ the biker babe "A"ttitude. Old brick building looks like it was close to getting condemned. Unfortunately, business is good so it looks freshly painted (inside) and no mis-matched silverware or plates. Small TV and a juke box though. I've heard that it was "divier", but has been fixed up recently. I think it's on the verge of getting to be too nice to be a dive although IMHO it still qualifies."

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Los Chorros

3933 Washington Blvd. Fremont

Now closed, this place changed names every couple of years over the last decade. We never had a chance to try but.. A reader says, "Salvadorean food. It's a chain but all run by members of the same family. Salvadorean posters on the walls. Looks like a bath rug on the wall. Serves Salvadorean beer. Mismatched salsa plates and plastic glasses. Some of the food is a bit weird to some palettes so they can go w/ the TexMex fare that they have." A follow on reviewer (post-name change) says "We tried Salvadorean Pupusas, which are like pita bread stuffed with shredded pork, cheese and beans, and pan fried (not deep fried). Everyone liked those. Also tried pastellas de carne whichare pan fried soft-shell tacos - but these were deemed too greasy. The carne asada plate had plenty of steak and generous portions. The tamales were greasy and rather plain. They had several kinds of Salvadorean beer in bottles. I enjoyed the Pilsner."

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Roscoe's Chicken and Waffles

210 Broadway Oakland

Closed in Oakland. We're told it's still around in LA. --- The name sez it all. It's a soul food place that features chicken and waffles. We had "Denise's Delight" - 1 succulent breast and 1 waffle and also the Lord B.J. with a 1/2 chicken smothered with Gravy and Onions and two waffles. The waffles are on the crispy side but good just the same. A bit on the expensive side (for a dive) but worth the experience. This joint was featured on the movie "Tapeheads" (worth a rental). No beer.

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Ye Olde Pizza Joynt

19150 Hesperian Blvd. Hayward

Alas, the Ye Olde Pizza Joynt is closed. We had heard that the place had some short term issues -- damaged by fire. The pipe organ was badly damaged and is currently being restored. I believe the restaurant is still waiting to be re-opened." One old review from reader said, "Good pizza, $4.00 pichers of beer and the most amazing musical contraption that you have ever seen. Most evenings the 'organ' is played, including train whistles, gongs, air horns and such. A true trip."

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