New laid-back bar Tallboy adds a twist to Oakland’s cocktail scene

H.L. Mencken said the martini is the only American invention as perfect as the sonnet, and E.B. White dubbed the cocktail “an elixir of quietude.” And while it certainly is a timeless classic, the martini’s pretentious reputation can dirty its appeal among casual cocktail enjoyers. But there’s a new bar in the Town that’s rewriting the rules of this perfect, admittedly bourgeoise beverage: Tallboy, a dive bar bringing the briny glory of the martini to the masses. 

Tallboy is the brainchild of Den Stephens, a food and beverage industry veteran and general manager of bar-bookshop hybrid North Light. When folks caught wind that he was opening a martini bar just a few blocks down Telegraph (in the former Hawk and Pony space), anticipation nearly bubbled over. It still hasn’t simmered down.

Tallboy opened its doors in Temescal on May 1 to throngs of guests eager to sample the eclectic menu’s ten martini offerings, boozy slushies, vegan hot dogs and original craft cocktails. Since opening night, Stephens said, the bar has stayed full to the rafters. Weekend nights have gotten so busy that he’s had to hire door staff Thursdays through Sundays.

“It exceeded any of my expectations,” Stephens said of the launch. “It’s been really humbling. And it’s really invigorating to put something out here and just see it resonate with so many people from so many different walks of life. One of the most encouraging things has been, over the course of a night, and at any given moment, to look around the room and see Oakland represented.”

Fun, unpretentious and accessible

Stephens has a knack for creating experiences that play on pairings—books and cocktails in North Light’s case, martinis and hot dogs in Tallboy’s. 

“Hot dogs and martinis are a match made in heaven,” Stephens said. “It’s fun, it’s unpretentious, it’s accessible. You can do them at a price point that’s reasonable. And it’s hard to find people that don’t like hot dogs.”

It is hard to argue against a hot dog and martini combo. But “accessible” is the keyword here. Stephens knew he wanted to create a community outpost that could serve any and all. 

“You shouldn’t need a glossary to be able to read a menu,” Stephens said. “You shouldn’t have to worry about how your hair looks in order to drink a martini.” 

Nor does he want patrons to worry about the price tag. A dirty martini (vodka and olive brine, no vermouth) runs $10, and the Grosse Pointe Blank, a classic dog served with brown mustard and onions, clocks in at $9. For those who aren’t ready to commit to a full beverage, there are the teeny-tinis—cheeky shots of martini served straight from the freezer—for $3 a pop. Signature cocktails like the Pretty Privilege (crafted with bourbon, Aperol, sherry wine, strawberry, rhubarb and lemon) run between $12 and $15. 

Cooking up an entirely vegan food program was another accessibility initiative. Bar food isn’t typically known as vegan and vegetarian-friendly, so Stephens enlisted C-Y Chia and Shane Stanbridge of the acclaimed, recently closed Lion Dance Cafe to develop a menu of hot dogs, salads and snacks that would satisfy all diets. 

Chia said creating the menu was an exciting process that encouraged them to flex their creative muscles.

“The wedge salad, of course, has to be iceberg lettuce or it’s just not a correct wedge in terms of the texture aspect and flavor. But we had to make sure that we covered a lot of different textures, a lot of creaminess, and we wanted to include smoked almonds from Winters Fruit Tree, because those are just fantastic and locally made,” Chia said. “Everything is farm to table, made from scratch. And here we were really able to have fun with a completely different set of ingredients … we were able to go in a really simplified, decadent direction.”

“We’re hoping there will probably be some hot dog rotations down the line, maybe some one-off or seasonal specials,” Chia added.

Sanjana Parekh, an architect who lives in Oakland, said Lion Dance Cafe was her favorite restaurant. While its closure was a disappointment, she’s glad part of it lives on at Tallboy.

“I love the cocktails here. They are so well made, so well thought of, and the food is amazing. I’ve never had hot dogs like these before—and everything is vegan on the menu, which is a win-win for a vegetarian like me.”

Parekh said she’d been to Tallboy twice already since opening night. “It’s an amazing neighborhood martini bar and has a very communal feeling. The bar is the center of attraction, and the space is designed to encourage conversations with new people and old friends.”

More than just martinis

As the Tallboy team settles in and finds its groove, Stephens hopes to use the space for community-oriented events in the future. The bar recently hosted an anniversary event for Soft Good Studios, an AAPI-owned jewelry line based in Oakland, and game nights and music programming may be on the horizon, too. 

Until then, Tallboy is everything a neighborhood dive bar should be: a mix of high-and-low-brow offerings, dimly lit, spacious and staffed by bartenders clearly worth their salt. The air smells like popcorn—reminiscent of Kingfish down the street—and the bar’s private back rooms allow for more intimate group seating. Plus, it’s conveniently located near a string of other watering holes on Telegraph Avenue, which Stephens said was a conscious decision. 

“On this stretch of Telegraph, there’s just so much. And I would see people walking up and down those strips and so it was just to say, can we add one more reason for people to hang in this section of Temescal? I believe in bar hopping. I believe in co-tenancy and the clustering effect,” he said. “A rising tide will raise all ships.”

Whether it’s their first stop or their only destination of the evening, folks are flocking to Tallboy in droves. 

Parekh said some friends visiting from out of town had suggested catching up over drinks that night. 

Her response? 

“If I’m meeting you guys tonight, I’m meeting you at Tallboy.”