heinold's first & last chance saloon

Stopped in to Heinhold's the other day cause it looked interesting. What a great time we had. The bartender Tim was the best bartender ever! He was so knowledgeable about the history of the bar and the area and Jack London. He was also very funny and had us laughing the whole time. The bar is co poetry on a slant due the dsmage of the earthquake in 1906. Definitely a must visit when in the area!

Funny that this place wins as #1 nightlife spot in Oakland but it's definitely a unique and special place. It dates from about 1883 I think and is apparently built from the hull of an old whaling ship. It's a small dark space decorated with lots of memorabial, much of it military in nature. Not tacky kitschy stuff, real old antique mementos of the various people who have come through here. The beer is reasonably priced. The bartender was friendly and played gentle practical jokes on me and my buddy while we were at our table; behind the bar there are strings attached to stuffed creepy-crawly creatures, the bartender can lower those over your table to provide something of a mid drink surprise. It was kind of nice, playful personal attention from the bartender adds to the experience of ths intimate setting I think.I don't know enough authorative history to know if this is what bars were really like in the late 19th century but I'll believe it and being connected to this much history is pretty special, particularly given that this place could be been bulldozed at any point for yet another tourist trap bar/restaurant. Definitely worth a look if you are at Jack London Square.

If your in the area, do not miss this stop. If your a History buff, do not miss this stop. If you are a Jack London and or literary buff then DO NOT MISS THIS SPOT. It's way cool. Built out of old Whaling ship timbers.

I was in town on business and went solo but had many friends before I left. The bar is small and very unique, the bartender was as happy to be there as the patrons and everyone there was friendly and welcoming . The only gripe I had is that I left early because I thought a lack of food made me get inebriated way too early. When I left I realized that the lack of balance I had experienced was due in part to the uneven everything in the bar, including the bar. Next time I'm in Oakland, I will definitely return. Good times.

My husband and I have been, sadly, to countless bars, pubs, saloons, etc., over the years, but Heinold's was the most unique watering hole ever! Sitting at a slanted bar was a first, and the decor is so hilarious, along with Gordon, our bartender. Gordon took great delight in dangling a bat at the front door to freak people out as they walked inside. He would also talk into a loud speaker via the bar to the washroom stall to freak people out even more. We had SUCH a good time, and met so many nice people. We're really glad to have accidentally stumbled upon such a cool place, and would definitely like to return one day. P.S. If you are hungry, there is an amazing food truck usually parked a block or so away called "Royal Cuisine from the Land of the Pharaoh's". Elmy Kadar, the head chef and incredibly sweet man, creates AMAZING Egyptian food. Just ask Gordon how to find it. :)

Been here several times with friends and we always have a good time. What makes the place so great is the history and the barstaff that like to tell it!If you find a spot in the bar (it's very small and on a grade) one of the bartenders will be more than happy to tell you all about the miscellaneous paraphanelia that adorn the walls. If there's no room inside, they have plenty of outdoor seating to satisfy your people watching urges.Nothing particularly fancy about the cocktails, but it's a great place to stop off for a bit and take in the oddness of it all...

This old saloon is very interesting. The bar tender is a very funny person and adds to the whole experience. There were three of us ladies in our small group and we really enjoyed this place and the beer. We enjoyed seeing a huge great pyrenees dog come in to get his shot glass full of whipped cream which apparently is a known experience among the local dogs. It was a great deal of fun and shouldn't be missed if you're in Oakland. This is an institution and Jack London's actual cabin is next door that he lived in in Alaska while gold mining. Really cool place. All of us agreed this was one of the most interesting finds of our trip to CA

This is one of the coolest bars I have been in. It has a ton of personality, a very friendly vibe and is a great place to relax and enjoy a few drinks.

We took other reviewers suggestions and stopped in for a beer and it was great. We really enjoyed the history of the place and loved looking at the coll and interesting stuff on the walls. The staff was very friendly and knowledgeable and it is a great place to rest your feet for a bit while walking Jack London Square. The beer was nice they had a choice of local beers on tap and for $5 you can't go wrong.

We really enjoyed having a couple of Stella's at the slanted bar and reading all the memorabilia left by various servicemen back in the day. Many pictures and signs also merited our attention as the bartender kept things fun by filling us in on the history. Fun Fun Fun.

Get a history lesson while you enjoy a drink at the slanted bar, a result of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. Famous for it's association with Jack London. Be sure to ask about the money on the wall behind the bar. Note the gas lamps, soot-coated business cards on the ceiling and the clock that stopped when the earthquake struck. And take a glance inside Jack London's cabin, located adjacent to the building.

Walked here from my hotel actually looking for a place to eat. walked in on a whim. It just caught my eye. I didnt notice any food here, but the $5 handful of craft beers on tap caused me to say to myself ... time for just one... what a quirky and fantastic place to find! Lots of good bottled beers to choose from if the taps don't strike your fancy. If you are uptight I don't know if this is the place for you: It's dark, small "old" and wonderfully chaotic on the inside with stuff to look at everywhere. gaslamp lit, with junk shop treasures galore. a clock that stopped during the earthquake, a bathroom that speaks to you and the floor is angled as is the bar, another remnant of the earthquake. Careful stepping into the door, it's tricky .The bartender will " rib " you and at first you might be taken aback , but roll with it and by the end of the night you will feel as part of the place as anyone there laughing and talking. Nice folks here , and the bartender tells the history of the bar and you will enjoy it! It's like performance art with your beer, transporting you back to a time of ships and writers . Outdoor seating is also offered and it seemed everyone brought thier dog. water dishes for them and trees to tie them to. View of the water. I dont want to tell too much, you should go yourself and let it unfold as you discover it. Cool place!

We went down to Jack London Square on a Tuesday Night for a look around. We came to Heinold's First & Last Chance Saloon and decided to leave the kids outside with their mother and go and have a beer. The bar is very small, in fact I don't think twenty people would fit inside. It was dark inside and the walls and ceiling were covered in all sorts of memorabilia. One section was covered in one dollar bills.We went in and the bar tender took our order and then asked if we had been there before. We said no so he gave us a short history about the bar and told us about Jack London going there from the age of 4. The floor was tilted and I am not sure as it was dark but it could have been dirt covered. Great atmosphere, full of history and the beer was good.

Excellent place to while away some time. As previous reviewers have said it's all on a tilt since the earthquake but that's just part of the charm. There's so much to look at, the clock that stopped, the signed dollar bills, the notes on the roof blackened by the wood, it goes on an on. So much history in such a small building. And its only a few minutes to amtrak station

You can't help but soak up some waterfront history when you're in this bar. There's 117-years' worth of stuff on the walls and ceiling plus the tangible alterations caused by the 1906 earthquake. If that's not reason enough to go, the bartenders and cocktails are great.