Silver Lion? I dunno its kind of a dive.

The Graduate at College & Claremont
George & Walts on College south of BART.

The Wrinkle Room (Kerry House) on Piedmont Ave. is a true dive.............

Okay The break down:
Connelly's is okay but its's one of those places where the creepy old drunks continually sit silently at the end of the bar learing at an females in the place. The bartenders are friendly. The crowd can be okay some nights and on new years they have an annual punk rock show.

The Silver Lion is more of a straight up punk and metal bar. The Juke box is filled with Slayer and Maiden and but also some R&B for the day time crowd I'm guessing. It's generally not that packed but can be draw a crowd on some nights. A lot of musicians in new and old punk and metal bands think of it as home.

The lane splitter is a good place to start on a night out in that hood. Getting something to eat before you get your buzz flowing. It's a melow hang out spot, you'll see people reading or writing in there. I would say the lane splitter is the place to go around that area to get beers in the afternoon. The previous two places seem like they would be creepy during the day, especially connellys, filled with the old reject alcoholics.

There is also some tiny little place called the Kingfish on Claremont @Telegraph. I've never seen more than a handful of people there walking by but I've known some friends that have hung out there and can attest to its divy nature. I think you'll find an older and very local crowd in there.

I should also mention the places up on College Ave. I'll run through them quickly.

The Hut - Pool tables, not as cool as it's Temiscal equivalents. Internet Jukebox so you can hear whatever you are in the mood for but be prepared for the bartendress to turn the volume down if she doesn't like the music - uhg. I've seen some pretty lame people in there. Like SF wanna-bees. I've also met a few interesting people there but I don't think many people frequent it except for people that work around there. A good place to shoot pool. They have a couple tables. In the winter months they have a fire place going sometimes so thats pretty kewl if you can get the table near it.

George and Walts. More of a sports bar atmosphere. They have several pool tables but you have those dudes that bring their own pool cues there. If any place in N Oakland serves Coors its probably there. Bar-flys.

Mc Nally's Irish Pub has an older crowd but they all seemed like nice people. Not too high on the hip scale but I've felt welcome everytime I've been there.

I haven't been in the Graduate but have passed by a couple times and it didn't seem to have much personality other than being a local dive.