Elite Event: Saucy Social Hour @ Bourbon & Beef

Such a fun night! Although I got there a little late so seats were out of the question, it was nice to be able to stand a meet a bunch of new people! So glad this was my first Elite event! Loved everything about the night, the friendly Unilocalers, the great service, and AMAZING food! Bourbon & Beef is a fantastic restaurant, so glad there was a Unilocal event here!

iAy! iMuy caliente!
This place is right at the border between Oakland and Berkeley on College Ave. When you walk in, you’ll notice there’s limited seating in the narrow venue, but don’t let the small venue deceive you! This place serves up incredible delectables that will make your mouth water mmm…
Platter after platter of munchies constantly appeared before me, to my side, and behind me. PLENTY to go around, plenty to share, don’t worry. Many of the bites had a hint of spiciness, but there were also plenty of non-​spicy or mildly spicy options for those of you who are not Thai or Latino or just plain «no-​spicy-​please,» like myself. I absolutely loved the French cheese, even though I’m not a fan of cheese sampling (because honestly, most of those dense blocks of cheese taste the same to me, with a few exceptions). The French cheese though, WOW. Seriously, a must-​have. And the succulent pork belly — I mean, c’mon, who DOESN’T like pork belly??! It’s essentially a thick chunk of fat, which means it’ll taste good. Just as long as you can get past the squishy texture. It’s served on top of crostini, but I’m happy with the pork belly on its own. Oh and finally, the seared ahi, yum. Top 3, there ya go.
Also ran into an old friend from high school and college, who apparently is not Unilocal Elite! And the world keeps getting smaller and smaller… Biggest downside was that the small venue made it a challenge to meet other Unilocalers.
Fantastic job as always, Nique! Thanks Bourbon & Beef staff!

Short Story:
Hands down the coolest restaurant Unilocal event that I have been to this year! Can I get a woot woot! :)
Long Story:
So, I signed up for a Unilocal event and was lucky enough to get in. The event went from 9PM to 11PM. I got there close to 8:45PM and the place was already packed! The line was out the door. So, I lined up and didn’t have to wait long to get in. Inside you seat yourself and on the tables were some Unilocal schwag. The food came out in short order and consisted of small ribs, crab cakes, green beans, and more!
You order the drinks at the bar and it was also complementary. The server were all very nice and knowledgeable. The décor and ambiance were truly amazing. I worked in that area and am happy to say that they definitely made interior and exterior improvements to that place. The windows and lighting open that place up so much more.
Verdict:
I am definitely a fan. I’m going back to eat there as a patron ASAP! Thank you Unilocal and Nique to a fantastic YEE event! Woot!

The joys of being a Unilocal Elite couldn’t have been more obvious at this terrific Tuesday gathering of gregarious East Bay Elites and friends. My friend Josie and I joined the large communal table near the front window which quickly became the J table given that many of us had J names. Classic mambo and sexy salsa played in the background while we sipped on those strong bourbon Negronis and devoured the cheese, bread, and featured appetizers including pork belly tacos, meatballs (our fave), ahi, fried smelt, fried peppers, fried garlic. The servers were friendly and very patient with us as many of us lunged at them when any platters of our faves emerged from the kitchen. We never did try dessert but we had a great time laughing and chatting and forgetting that we ever worked that day.
Many thanks Nique. Another party to remember!

This was another great Elite event. The appetizers were wonderful. I was impressed with how tender and tasty the meats were. Oh, the shishito peppers were heavenly. The bourbon cocktail was perfect.
And of course the chance to talk to some of the people who have written such great reviews is always a treat.
Bourbon and Beef has moved up to the top my list of places to go in Oakland. Now my decision is should I go for a date night or dinner with a friend.

Unilocal and Nique, you did it again! Thank you for an amazing evening, and thank you Bourbon & Beef for all the lovely treats and hospitality!
This place was much tinier than I expected, and when flooded with fellow YEE’s, it felt very cozy. There’s about a handful of table of 4, a long bar with a good amount of bar stools, and one big table set up (by the window). The drinks here were not skimpy at all. The «bourbon something» cocktail (I kept missing the second word… even when completely sober) was quite hefty. The drinks poured were pure bourbon with a little bit of the spice ingredient and an orange peel tossed inside. The alcohol content was easily felt by me after a long sip in which I’m sure ran right to your head (or face my face– my lovely Asian glow). Whoo! Good job– I sipped and nursed my drink all night! I never thought of trying bourbon straight nor was it ever a first (few) choice of drinks, so this was quite an interesting experience. (Especially since we got to try some of the bartender’s favorite bourbons behind the bar — super smooth!)
The food here was not bad, and a lot of the dishes had a good kick to it (if you love the spicy stuff). The pepper (duh!), and the mini ribs with aoli sauce surprised me with their spiciness. The dish that stood out in terms of flavor to me was the crab cake balls, so delicious! Although my plus one husband told me their shrimp cake was amazing… I didn’t get a chance to try that, but I’ll take his word for it. Perhaps my next visit will include that in my order! The yogurt sauce that came with the almond, beef kabob was quite tasty as well.
The service here was excellent which is why we tipped what we did. I got a chance to speak with Curtis and David who were exceptionally nice and easy to talk to, and together they answered all my questions about favorite bourbon, the barrels on the left side of the bar, the aging process of bourbon, how busy the restaurant was etc. I have to give major props to David who I thought was a phenomenal bartender in terms of attentiveness. Towards the end of my drink and the last bit of my husband’s, we found a 2 mason jars of water sitting next to our drinks after we turned around to grab some food. We thought, wow, where did the waters come from? And when we’re close to being out, David would just fill it right back up without even the need to ask. And mind you, there were A LOT of us at the bar, and he took notice of everyone’s cups and consistently did that for all. Thank you again Curtis and David for the excellent service!
Again, great event put on by Unilocal,and the owners of Bourbon & Beef. I hope to see you guys again sometime!

Great venue. The bartenders and server staffs are friendly and courteous. I must say this event is great and it seems that every Unilocal event is getting better than the last, if that’s even possible! Monique is as always a great Unilocal host, she’s friendly and made us very welcome and comfortable. So, for the venue itself. The décor are very chic and welcoming, but it’s not stuffy. The food they served to us was enough to make me return. The crab cake shape like a ball was delectable. The Chipotle ribs on a bed of cabbage cole slaw was delicious although most of my fellow Unilocalers at the table all agree that it was a bit on a spicy side a little too spicy but I’d order them when I return for a full meal. The servers brought out an appetizer like dish which was a slice of steak heaven topped with chimichurri sauce seated on a crispy slice of bread. The deep fried smelt was also good but we had mixed review of it on our table, some of us thought it was on the bland side and lack seasoning, I think it just needs to be eaten with the sauce it came with, which I did and it was delicious.
So, overall it was a great YEE as always. I’d definitely come back to this place and I just checked out their menu and they serve brunch on weekends with bottomless mimosas! how awesome is that?
Thanks for this great event Nique and Unilocal!

Wed-​nes-​day! Aka Hump-​day. It guess this is exactly want I needed.
Making it over the streets on college ave on a night which welcomed the late night dwellers and professional socialites we come to an impasse with the flowing of
alcohol and mini plates, so fair enough to make my head spin.
B&B, did what it was suppose to do… put me in a happy place.
Bourbon Cocktail, reminded me of a «Old fashion»
The Owners spared no-​expenses out all the Stops .
Hosts very Hospitable, the place was very swanky.
The servers were walking with Spicy Chiptole Riblets, Pork Belly pupusa type things. Fried Smelt, Chorizo Bites, Ahi, Steak and various platters.
Made sure I seen my usual and un-​usual friends…
Make sure you stalkers add me, and hope to see you are the next YEEE!!!

The bartenders and servers were really great to us last night. I could tell they were a little overwhelmed by the large crowd, but they didn’t let if affect their attitude and efficiency. Very impressive!
The bites were good. I had been given a tip from a Tuesday night Unilocaler to not miss the pork belly. So I was looking out for it all night. Finally, it came. And indeed, it was delicious. Thanks, John Z! I may have missed it, had I not been on high alert.
I enjoyed getting to know Unilocaler (and Geocacher) Jeanette W and her sister Kathy. And of course I love seeing all my old Unilocaler friends.
Mr. M found a new favorite Whisky (Lock, Stock & Barrel).
Thanks, Nique. It was a little past my bedtime, but well worth coming out!

Thanks, Nique, Jim, Michelle, Munther and all of the rest of you who made this happen whom I’ve not yet named.
An hour after work spent at Bourbon and Beef was one of the better hours I’ve spent after work in recent memory. Everyone there was super on point, pressuring me to eat delicious appetizers, forcing me into engaging conversations, and requiring me to consume all the negronis. My life is hard.
The smiles and enthusiasm of all of the servers, staff, and owners totally sold me on this location that I wasn’t even aware of until last week. The great layout and décor, coupled with great service and food mean that I’ll be back. For brunch. This weekend.
Thanks again.

As with all YEE events, I enjoyed a sampling a quite a few menu items, which included alcohol. The Negronis Bourbon drink was a great drink to start with. it was sweet and stiff and the unexpected buzz carried me nicely over towards a happy hour with some new-​found Unilocal buddies.
Fellow Unilocalers have already hit the high marks of the night and menu, so I just want to say how impressed I am with the level of preparation by both the Bourbon & Beef and Unilocal staff. I don’t know how Nique pulls off such great happy hours day after day, week after week.
So, I’ll do my part and Unilocal on.

Yup! It was another fun Unilocal Elite event. Nique, you’re a master at putting these amazing shindigs together.
Megan Z. and I arrived and we were greeted immediately, got our free hugs from Nique and thankfully there were still seats at the bar. It was quite impressive at what B&B put out for us in just an hour. Apps were already circulating and Bourbon Negronis in martini glasses were shaken and poured. We asked the bartender what was available to sip on: Negronis, beer, wine and champagne. Champagne, please! And the bubbly kept on coming, thanks to Scott. We were already having a good time, the latin music kept you dancing in your chair and we had a girlfriend meeting us here after the Unilocal event so we might as well get comfy and get to know our bartender. We liked it here. The bar seats also sink a little when you sit on them. Jim, one of the owners, heard that I liked that and he was pleased to hear it. He was also helping out the bar and polishing wine glasses. I love when an owner isn’t too high and mighty to step in and help out when needed, such as polishing glassware. Kudos to you, Jim.
The abundance of food offered was incredible. Smelt with a delicious red sauce, peppers, red meat, ahi tuna, crab cakes, cheese platter with strawberries and champagne grapes (yum!) and spicy short ribs over some cabbage and chimichurri sauce made my taste buds very happy. My favorite was the crab cakes that sat on top of a generous cut of a lime wheel. I had a couple of those babies. Or was it the pork belly that was my fave? I guess I’ll be ordering those dishes the next time I visit. The presentation was well done and we all did a good job at rotating the platters at the bar so everyone got a little somethin’ somethin’.
Nique made a speech and introduced another owner. His speech was short and sweet but welcoming. He thanked the Unilocal community and said that we have really changed the way restaurants are reviewed. Good job, Unilocalers! It was great to see some familiar faces, meet some Unilocalers in the flesh, meet non-​Yelpers afterwards, have great, friendly service, and our bellies full of deliciousness.

Bourbon and Beef… It just rolls off the tongue. A great time was had by all last night at this exclusive Unilocal event. I enjoy the smaller, more intimate events, as service/​food/​drinks are better, but it is also a good opportunity to get to know other Unilocalers. We were lucky to snatch two seats by our new friends Annie S. and Will, with whom we ended up staying 3 hours post-​event and having dinner/​drinks with. They were good company and the staff at B and B added to our experience. Our waitress, Heather, was very friendly and down to earth, while Jim and his wife, both co-​owners of the restaurant, were quite characters. They even sat down and chatted with us about who knows what for a long while. It’s awesome to see the owners interacting with diners!
Oh yeah, about the food and drinks… they were marvelous! I enjoyed everything we sampled: shishito peppers, fried smelt, crispy pork belly, ribs, and papas fritas. Heck, the food was so good we stayed for dinner and ordered a full portion of the pork belly and paella to share– and ended with the rice pudding (DELISH). The boys enjoyed their bourbon but wished there was a bourbon flight– we were told this is in the works! I can’t wait to return to try more of their delicious menu!
FYI– for you all you Unilocalers who want to try their brunch/​lunch items, there is currently a Livingsocial deal of $ 30 for $ 60! You betcha I got one!

Thank your Nique, and thank you even more, Munther and fam!!!
I felt like I was having Thanksgiving dinner early last night, as the communal (gorgeously fitting over 12) was set beautifully, with orange flowers and candle. An antipasto platter welcomed us in, and the space, though quaint, is decorated with warm bistro feel.
Gorgeous eats in form of gourmet finger foods (cumin crusted ahi with mango relish) accompanied by great imbibing… notable was a strong bourbon negroni served in martini glass. Bellinis were nice as well.
The proprietor’s roots hail from Jordan in the Middle East, but owner had occasion to live in El Salvador… most ostensibly why the joint has Latin-​influenced sauces and marinades.
Lots of various peppers (pasilla, guajillo, shishito) tried last night. In sauces, they kick!!(no pun intended)… The beef kebab and pork belly on homemade corn tortillitas were very awesome. Fried smelts had a beautiful batter and wonderful dipping salsa.
Very thankful for the uplifting night… very fun. Very good. We will come by for dinner and try their paella!

I am a huge fan of happy hour in general, but hosting an Unilocal Elite happy hour at a place I have been dying to try out? That’s just genius. WINNING!!! :)
All of the small bites offered on serving plates by the warm and friendly staff were so compatible with my Paleo diet stomach. Pork belly, seared steak, boneless ribs, ahi… HEAVEN. They all were perfectly prepared and I loved the dipping sauces that accompanied them.
It was a wonderful hour that strangely felt longer. Although it was a challenge to get there at 5:00 p.m. straight from work, it gave new meaning to the term «happy hour». I definitely was in a good mood after being treated to all the fabulous food samples and alcohol (loved the Cote de Rhone red wine). I had intended to stay for dinner with Christine T, but found that I was stuffed from the endless array of appetizers offered throughout the hour.

Many thanks to our wonderful CM Nique who continues to put together these great events for us. And of course, hats off to the hosts at B&B for giving us a wonderful sampling of what Bourbon and Beef has to offer. I can’t wait to return here to enjoy a longer evening of delicious food and drink.

Another great event!
A shameful admission — I honestly had no idea, from the name or the speakeasy décor inside, that this was a Latin-​themed joint. I do remember sipping my drink during the evening wondering why salsa music was playing overhead. Is it just me? Regardless, I loved this place! Awesome nibbles and truly crafted cocktails, and all the servers were SUPER friendly!
I enjoyed my glass of champagne, but the sight of others daftly swigging the bourbon cocktail with bitters and a peel of orange was tempting, and even though bourbon isn’t my poison of choice — MAN was that good! B&B, you could make a believer outta me!
All the food was wonderful and insanely generously offered, the service was just stellar! I lost my mind with joy at the pork belly on a homemade corn tortilla, I didn’t hesitate to grab a second helping! The shishito peppers with aioli were also fun, so glad I finally got to try them! Crab cakes were tasty, although difficult to eat since they were served atop a lime wheel — a festive but non-​functional garnish. The cumin crusted ahi with mango coconut chutney was also a winner. But oh man does my heart belong to that pork belly dish! I will always order that on return trips!
Thanks to Nique and the B&B chefs for a fun and tasty evening, and the opportunity to try yet another awesome spot that I never would have found on my own!

One thing is for certain, I will never take this for granted. Nique, with what seems an endless supply of energy and creativity, out-​does herself at every turn. Last evening was no exception. Part of me wishes that the night could have gone on forever, the rest is glad that it was but a foretaste of what’s to come.
Stepping for a second out of the spin-​cycle that life seems sometimes to become, stepping out in the middle of this and before that is easier said than done. To degrees the soirée at BnB seems now almost through the looking glass in its alternative qualities. I pinch myself to confirm it was real, then turn back to the rest.
Those that made this possible take their craft seriously. This showed first in the morsels brought around, then affirmed during the address from behind the bar. Clearly, they’re proud of what they do and clearly, they should be.
I’ll be back again and in the not too distant future, next time in smaller company upon whom I can attend better, to savor what’s made in a different frame of mind. I’ll go through the looking glass again and see how I might be able to convince them to let me stay.

Tonight was so fun that I didn’t want to leave… so I didn’t. I stayed for dinner which was amazing, but that’s a different review. I apologize to anyone (Eugene) who might have seen me crying out of devastation that my dinner was done. Yes, grown women hug their plates and weep. But I digress.
This was a great event! The staff was so sweet and accommodating and generous. The appetizers flowed heavily as did the cocktails and wine. This is the type of place that you toast the management for a job well done and root for their continued success.
Nique, you rocked it girl! Thanks fellow Unilocalers for a fun night and I look forward to seeing you all again. Xoxo

I was felt Blessed when I got into Saucy Social Hour At Bourbon & Beef. I jumped into my Urban Assault Whip Old Blue and rolled to Rock Ridge. I was able to stash my Whip a few blocks away. I Street Hiked to Boubon and Beef and was greeted by our Lovely Shirene and Nique and signed in.
I then rolled into the Bar for a well crafted Bourbon Cocktail. Had a great with Conversation Christine. Finally met Michael and his Charming Wife. As well as the Usual Suspects Unilocalers.
The Owners pulled out all the Stops. They were Awesome Hosts very Hospitible and Nice. They really get the Food aspect of the Business. The food platters the servers were walking around with were Top Notch. Pork Belly, Riblets, Fried Smelt, Chorizo Bites, Ahi , Steak and Assorted Cheese and Bread Platters. Wow what a Feast.
Christine and I stayed for Dinner after the event. The Food there is Out of the World Good!!!
Servers were awesome especially Lauren !!!
I expect to return for some very good meals in the near future.
2013 The Year Of Trials and Tribulations and Getting Back To Basics !!!

«B» is my new favorite letter. And, true to form, our hosts for his Tuesday evening hold two in their name.
The «Saucy Social Hour» — described by our Unilocal CM as happy hour’s «older, sexy brother,» I think. Yeah, I can get behind that.
Bourbon, a liquid I’m hardly strangers with, was presented in a new way for me by the hosts of Bourbon & Beef with their Hudson white whiskey concoction. With lemon and an additive (sweet vermouth? Campari?) that eludes me, the addings were a delicious nod of sweet and tang that never took away the spotlight from the whiskey.
Foodstuffs … mmm. Seared steak on toasted quality bread. Boneless ribs a tad spicy with dipping sauces making them spicier. An so many more samples. And their roasted pork belly on masa rounds with garnishes, the profile entirety a loveliness so sublime I imagined the angels clapping with each bite-​full.
And the Unilocal fellowship: finally get to: (1) meet longtime Unilocal bud Mike L., and his very lovely wife. (2) bump elbows with Casey from SF (who, if you’re into reading really thoughtful and clever and funny reviews, you should be following) (3) Greet Troy, amazeclever; (4) shoot the shit with Eugene, Unilocal cornerstone; (5) Christine; my Danville anchor. (6) Sweet Wendy. (7) And our darling, daring, delightful Unilocal east bay ambassador Nique who made the whole evening possible. But let’s not be remiss in saying meeting new Unilocalers (8) was a lovely stocking-​full of ‘you’re cool’ and ‘wish we could have had more time to bond’ bookends.
That said, let’s not forget our hosts, ‘k? The owner/​manager was on top of all. The bartending staff was too… and that one fella would respectfully submit as a model for the «Oakland hipster bartender» calendar. The waitstaff were all wondrous, but I gotta call out Lauren (as in Ralph or Bacall) for being super-​cool with us needy/​hungry/​thirsty Unilocaleliters.
A delightful hour+ at a delightful restaurant (and on that note: having eaten there thrice beforehand, I would wholeheartedly recommend a visit).
There are, sadly, too few things or people it seems that you can count on these days, but IMHO a visit to Bourbon & Beef will most likely not disappoint. Thanks Nique, Unilocal and the hosts at B&B for spotlighting the pleasures of Bourbon & Beef in a most enjoyable grown-​up playpen.