Sobre Mesa

"It’s difficult to say what’s the true draw at Sobre Mesa, what with its strong cocktail list and equally-strong tapas and dessert menu courtesy of chef-owner Nelson German. But no matter: whatever lures you to this Oakland Afro-Latino cocktail lounge will be worthy of your time. If you move past the (solid) classic cocktails, try the bar’s more unique offerings like the Spice Me Down, which combines two types of rum with a spiced pear liqueur, soursop puree, and jerk bitters. For those who prefer to stay dry, there are three specialty options, as well as a low-ABV offering." - Dianne de Guzman, Ellen Fort

"Stamps, meanwhile, is the former beverage director for Oakland’s Sobre Mesa." - Dianne de Guzman

"Sobre Mesa has one of my favorite cocktails in the city, the Flor y Canto."

"Chef Nelson German’s Afro-Latino cocktail lounge is electric. Plenty of bars are into neon and plants these days, but Sobre Mesa set the trend and arguably did it first and best, with a truly immersive look and feel: jungle-green walls, a black marble bar, and tan leather banquets under the glow of low lights." - Becky Duffett

"Nelson German of Alamar seafood restaurant opened Sobre Mesa, a hotly anticipated Afro-Latino cocktail lounge, in March 2020, and while that was tough timing, the bar came back strong almost exactly a year later with tropical rum drinks, lush hotel lobby looks, and big Oakland energy." - Lauren Saria