In my experience, the best dates are ones that are unique, involve shared physical journeys, have a few different parts, and have drinks involved along the way. Here’s some good options for those in and around Berkeley.

Monday:

1. Mua – Mondays have all day Happy Hour. Also, try the Burrata.
2. Nerd Night – Beers and nerdy lectures @ 8PM (last Monday of the month).
3. Albany Bowl – Special $1.50 games 8PM – 2AM.

Tuesday:

1. Homeroom – Grab some gourmet Mac ‘n Cheese for lunch.
2. Pyramid Ale House – 4PM Brewery Tour… turns into 4:45PM Happy Hour… turns into 7:30PM Pub Trivia.
3. Hot Tubs of Berkeley – Hourly hot tub rentals. Probably better for a 3rd date more than a 1st.

Wednesday:

1. Rivoli – Expensive. And needs reservations. But it’s the best high-end food in the East Bay.
2. Indian Rock Park – Awesome nighttime lookout point with only a tiny hike.
3. Starry Plough – Weekly poetry slam. Starts at 8PM.

Thursday:

1. The Fire Trails – Awesome nighttime view once you hike up the Berkeley Hills.
2. Cream – $2 Icecream Cookie Sandwiches. Add more Berkeley authenticity to your date and win bonus points by convincing your date to eat their icecream with you at nearby People’s Park. Then you can valiantly protect her from lumbering meth addicts and other locally-sourced homeless people sprawled out on the ground everywhere.
3. Thalassa – Skip dinner and go straight to playing pool and drinking.

Friday:

1. Drake’s Brewery Tours – Why not start your date off by walking around and getting free beer?
2. First Friday – If it’s the first friday of the month, walk around art galleries and drink semi-publicly in the streets of Oakland.
3. Birdland – Free BBQ and Jazz served up weekly @ 9PM on Fridays.

Saturday:

1. Downtown Farmer’s Market – Raw Daddy’s is a good place to take your so-called girlfriend.
2. Chocolatier Blue – Surveys show that women really, really like chocolate.
3. Berkeley Flea market – A good place to walk around and see crazy trinkets to talk about.

Sunday:

1. Sunday Assembly – Take her to church! Or in this case, the East Bay’s non-denominational, humanist service for non-believers.
2. Thai Temple Brunch – Now take her to temple too! Yummy sticky rice mango and thai iced tea served out in the warm East Bay sun!
3. Off the grid – Walk across town and end the night ordering food out of the side of trucks.