CommonWealth Cafe and Pub in Oakland

Last night we went to the CommonWealth Cafe/Pub in Oakland. Its walking distance from our house was a big draw.

It's a very sweet, small pub. Lots of tables - more than I thought would fit - but everyone seemed to be comfortable. It had an pretty diverse crowd - not by Oakland's standards, but quite different than the usual craft beer crowd.

It had a warm, homey feel to it. The bartender was nice and helpful, giving samples of unknown beers and offering suggestions. They had a small tap list (about 8, I think?) and a good bottle list from other countries - they emphasized Scottish beers, so the list was predominantly Brew Dog.

I had Drake's Red Eye, a red ale. It was slightly sweet, nicely malty with a hoppy finish. A typical red ale - nothing too special, but a good, stable option. The Lumberjack had Young's Double Chocolate Stout, since you rarely find it on tap. It was delicious! I don't think I've had it since I first started drinking craft beer, so it was nice to go back to. Really creamy, nice chocolate flavour. The CommonWealth also offers ice cream floats with Young's, which I think would be AMAZING.

They had a good food menu as well. The Lumberjack got Scottish Eggs which sound gross to me, but he gave them a thumbs up while still chewing. I had a roast beef toasted sandwich that was absolutely delicious. The prices were pretty reasonable.

Overall - a fun option to have nearby. Not amazing or extensive enough to necessarily warrant a long trek to get there, but if you're in the neighbourhood you should definitely check it out.