A Place You Have To See and Eat At
Great steaks, great chicken, the best $3 burger in the world, and one helluva bar. Dark and clean, great bartenders, nice TV, good, solid vibes! The best bar/restaurant in Oakland. Closely resembles "Runyons" in New York City. Bargain prices. Food is ample and cheap. And the drinks poured are prime. Remember, at the Alley, no credit cards. CASH is king. Great atmosphere. Funny crowd.    [02 Sep 2003 20:25:48]

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Recommended Dishes: Chopped Sirloin...$7.95...Awesome!

     ­Rich Lieberman, Oakland   bigvinnyrich at aol dot com

Alley is Classic Crooners, Young Hip-Geeks
Best Piano bar in the U.S. Move over Mimi's, here comes Rod Dibble!

Dive bar, yes.
Eight Dollar steak dinner, yes.
He knows every song you'd ever want to sing from pre 1970.    [23 Oct 2003 00:17:22]

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Recommended Dishes: Eight Dollar Steak Dinner.

     ­Anonymous   

A Landmark Charm
This is a landmark piano bar and restaurant that has been around since at least the 50s. The piano player, Rod Dibble, is renowned for his knowledge of 1000s of standards. Do not try to sing anything post Beatles.    [19 Dec 2004 15:26:18]

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Recommended Dishes: Steaks

     ­Bruce   

The Alley, Heaven on Earth
The Alley, during the music hours of 9 to 1:30pm, is among the most fun and friendly environments I have found anywhere in the world. If you like to sing, in your car, in the shower or on a stage, it's a blast. If you only like to listen, you will love it too. Watching the "Alley Virgins" singing their first song in the Alley, some for the first time in public, is a treasure. You will NEVER be booed or discouraged from singing, but know the songs are OLLLLLLLLLLLD!!! From the mid 1960s and back to early 1800s (with a few more contemporary exceptions from the Beatles and others).

The weekends are best in my opinion. A range of age groups from college freshman, to octagenarians, sitting shoulder to shouder or in their own little booth. A swirl of memorabilia and business cards, and STUFF. Cheap drinks good basic food and nice folks (for the most part). It's been around since 1936 with Bay Area history adorning all the walls.

They used to broadcast a live music radio show from there during the 40s. It was a speakeasy during the 30s and prohibition. It's been a piano bar since about 1961. Rod Dibble has been playing there for 47 years from 9pm to 1:30pm M onday through Friday.. He accompanies everyone from the most accomplished singers to the most off key, outta tune, and off beat and they will receive the same great Alley appreciation. Rod Dibble knows what is estimated to be in excess of 4000 songs off the top of his head. All he has to do is hear you speak to know your key. A frequent comment I've heard from people in the years I've going is, "When you walk in this place, it's like everything that might have been bothering you all of a sudden goes away as soon as you walk through those doors". It's not for everyone, but if you like to see people rise to a new level of joy, entertainment, fun and friendship, check out the Alley.    [09 Nov 2008 02:52:10]

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Recommended Dishes: The chicken dinner, comes with salad and garlic bread

     ­David C. Jackson (Lion King), David C Jackson and Associates   djsmission at hotmail dot com