AU Lounge

You'll hear the bass bumping out onto Broadway before you even spot the front door at AU Lounge. The guy checking IDs on this Oakland block doesn't mess around, so have your card ready and keep moving. Inside, it's dark as hell and the air's thick with cheap bourbon and sweat from the front row. You can't see much past the stage lights hitting the brick walls, but you don't really care once the local noise rock band starts thrashing.

Getting a drink at this bar takes patience because the bartender's working completely solo and the beer cooler's packed tight. People are jammed close near the speakers, spilling IPA onto the sticky floorboards while the sound guy tries to fix a screeching mic. There's no fancy lounge seating here, just a handful of battered stools and folks leaning against brick pillars watching guitars get tuned.

By midnight, the room's so loud your ears won't stop ringing until Sunday morning rolls around and you finally get some sleep. Someone drops an empty pint glass near the back exit and nobody even turns around to look at the mess.