"When you want to keep soaking in the sun like a lizard, consider a trip to Mad Oak. The two-story bar near Oakland's Lake Merritt comes with a massive patio and an even bigger rooftop deck with lots of communal seating and a second bar. You can enjoy a beer (they have 40 on tap) and excellent cocktails, plus a rotating selection of snack-friendly food including beef sliders and chicken karaage. This usually crowded spot is also a gathering place for people who know their touchdowns from their triple-doubles—there'll likely be sports playing on one of the TVs." - Lani Conway