No Berkeley student can ignore the Bear's Lair. Its reputation as the best non-stadium bar to watch Cal Bears football helps, as does its cheap pitchers. But the main reason this watering hole is inescapable is its location in the student union.

The Scene: A rectangular bar ringed with hanging mugs and flat-screen TVs sits in the middle of a room decorated with the usual college sports paraphernalia, along with oddities like the goalposts from a 2002 game against Stanford. Booths, benches and tables line the walls on all sides, leaving aisles that force people to squeeze up against each other when the place is full. Not that anybody minds.

The bar opens before noon to serve pizza and pub food to the students and professors who gather on the picnic table-lined front patio. Daytime is a great time to drink and tan, thanks to the California weather. "You can come here anytime. I came here at three in the afternoon," says Lucy, a senior history major (who was also there at 11 p.m. the previous evening). At night, the energy level cranks up and the patio becomes packed, giving the place the feel of a spring break street party. On Saturday game days, the Bear's Lair opens early to accommodate the throngs of football fans who pack the place and scream at the eight-foot television projection screen.

The Girls: "The girls here are getting cuter by the year," says art history grad Adam. "I wonder if the quality of education is going down." The cute girls in question are part of a diverse, international student population that includes Swedish swim team exchange students. Class of 2004 art practice graduate Nathan says he doesn't usually like Berkeley girls, but he finds what he's after at the Bear's Lair. "I only like chicks who drink beer, and all the girls here drink beer," he says. "You don't see a lot of sloppy girls here."

When to Go: Though the bar has Friday night pitcher specials, Saturday football games on television and live bands or DJs on other nights, most patrons agree that Thursday is the best night of the week. "The people, the energy, everything about it is good. It's just the night to go out in Berkeley," says Albert, who graduated this year in neurobiology but keeps coming back. The Thursday $5 special on liters of beer helps lubricate introductions in more ways than one -- people often meet in the long line for the bathroom.

Dress Code: Shorts, flip-flops and jeans are all fine here. Most people wear what they had on that day in class since the bar is on their way home. There's no dress code, but wearing red when Cal plays rival Stanford isn't recommended.

At the Bar: They don't serve hard alcohol at the Bear's Lair, so it's all about the beer. There are 20 different types of it on tap, including a few custom microbrews only offered on the premises. People celebrating 21st birthdays at the bar get a 60 oz. beer stein, a T-shirt and a disposable camera so they'll have a record of what goes on after they black out. And as further incentive to stay on campus, all students, alumni and staff get 15 percent off drinks with a free Bear's Lair Cub Card. Finally, a student discount that's practical!

Hours: Monday through Wednesday, 11:30 a.m.-1 a.m.; Thursday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m.-2 a.m.; closed on Sundays

Text by Camper English
Photos by Chad Fox

GO BACK TO COLLEGE BARS HOME PAGE