12/03/07

Better the Second Time Around

by skim123

I had my birthday dinner there and had a terrible experience. However, the owner personally called me to apologize about the service and invited my family and I back for a complimentary dinner with drinks. I was impressed that he took the time to figure out why I had such a terrible experience and assured me that he spoke with his staff in order to prevent something like this to happen again. When we went back, the service was much better and we were treated like royalty. I met 3 of the owners and they were very nice and definitely hardworking. Even though someone had called in sick and it was very busy, the staff really tried their best to make sure we were well taken care of. The food was great and I would come back again. However, the upstairs is not equipped to handle parties larger than 15.

• Pros: Owners are great
• Cons: Not good for large parties

10/10/06

cute, cozy, cool

by makeupchica

You can easily miss this little upstairs spot located above Cafe Rustica on trendy College Ave in the Rockridge neighborhood. The decor screams Gilligan's Island meets Gidget. There is 60's island memorabilia everywhere, even in the bathroom. Lots of creative drinks that give a congaish tripical feel to the place. I tried some martini with cherry juice that slid right down. the bartender was attentive and poured a nice potent libation. The crowd was minimal, mostly middle aged women. The bar food was pretty good. We had chicken wings that had plenty of spice and taquitos that were a little on the limp side. But the Guacamole was good. We also had a pizza that was from the kitchen downstairs, so of course it was yummy. (Cajun)

• Pros: good food and drinks at a great price
• Cons: parking, there's no parking!

02/04/06

Conga Lounge is awesome

by nickyidol

I've heard about this bar for a while, but never had a chance to check it out, until last Friday.

It was awesome!! Great decor,really fun and amazing cocktails. They had this drink with freshly squeezed OJ and Grey Goose - knocked my socks off. Friends of mine had a Scorpion drink in a bowl, which was also very tasty. They had a DJ who got all of us dancing (even though the bar is very small) Very friendly bartender as well.

I wished I'd checked this bar out sooner. I've wasted a lot of money in crummy dive bars for too long!!

• Pros: cocktails, food, service

06/04/05

Nice comfort at the Conga Lounge

by accordionista

Looking for a spot to fuel your longing for everything tiki? Then step up (stairs) to the Conga Lounge located on College Avenue in the Rockridge district of Oakland (just above Cafe Rustica). The tropical drinks are refreshing and yummy (I had the traditional Zombie while my wife had the Blue Hawaiian), the bartenders extremely friendly, helpful and engaging, and the venue an eclectic mix that evokes tropical, specifically "50's island-style". Entertainment on any given evening ranges from polynesian/hula dancers, a small musical group playing hawaiian themed tunes (many of them being non-hawaiians, but good musicians) to salsa and calypso dance nights! So...get your tiki groove on and check out the Conga Lounge!

10/22/04

Tangy island concoctions and exotica tunes evoke tropical paradise at this East Bay tiki bar.

by Contributor

The Scene
More lounge than spring-break party pad, the neighborhood's young grown-ups head here to keep a 1950s fad alive. Polynesian masks, wicker furniture and bamboo-lined walls contribute to the tiki theme. But this small second-floor bar just misses creating a truly retro South Seas atmosphere--bright, modern lighting, bare ceiling and non-kitsch mural of big tiki heads give it a contemporary feel.
 
The Draw
On the authentic side, original 1950s cocktail recipes like the sea breeze and "Gilligan's Island" comprise the ever-changing menu of specials. The yummy appetizers uphold the retro flair with Hawaiian and '50s potluck-style dishes, like ahi poke salad and jazzed-up tuna casserole. On the weekends, DJs enhance the tropical atmosphere with exotica and lounge mixes. Some funky dancing may ensue, as well as a round of limbo.

01/14/04

Paradise

by loungecat

This Tiki-toting paradisiacal enclave above College Avenue is a great haunt for those seeking respite from workaday woes, engage in the urban rituals of drinking, and dancing, or to sip a Mai Tai bar side and listen to Arthur Lyman. With Eames-inspired furniture, rattan chairs, and a Tiki bar and an picturesque mural featuring the heads of Easter Island, this small liquored-up lily pad is kitschy, classy and elegant. Notable bites include the tuna casserole, made with egg noodles and cream of mushroom soup (from a 50s Betty Crocker Cookbook), the Lomi Lomi salmon, and another retro favorite, the shrimp/artichoke dip. Two of the popular specialty cocktails, the Gilligans Island (rum, banana liqueur, cranberry and pineapple juices) The Sneaky Blue Drink (an aquamarine devil made with gin and rum) have a penchant for making the unsuspecting drinker feel like a castaway on the shores of Hangover Island the next morning.