No, there's really not a place called the Shook Bar. But that's what my English friend Charlie calls Heinolds First & Last Chance saloon*.
Legend has it that Jack London sat at one of the same tables that's still in the bar to write out his notes for Call of the Wild and Sea Wolf. The place has see a lot -- for example, the floor and bar have a pitch of about 20 degrees courtesy of the 1906 earthquake. The same clock that hung then hangs now, forever playing witness to the time of the quake - it stopped for that occasion, and never started again.
Anyway. Heinold's is walking distance from our house. And, since they've rearranged the Jack London Square Farmer's Market (Sundays from 9am-1pm), it's conveniently positioned near the food (as opposed to produce) vendors.
A perfect Sunday lunch consists of a spinach Bowlani, garlic cheese spread & spicy carrot preserve from the Afghani vendor, a bockwurst or other sausage from Dibrova, and a couple of pints from Heinolds. Dessert is a Hawaiian-style shaved ice from Jeff - French Vanilla on top of a scoop of vanilla ice cream is our current favorite.
As the weather starts to get balmy again, I encourage you to spend a Sunday exploring the JLS market. It's low-key, friendly and on the waterfront... besides, Oakland is warmer and sunnier than the Ferry Building, by a long shot! Even better, take the ferry, and make a whole day trip of it, if you can.
*What's the etymology of the word "saloon", anyway? Is it how drunk sailors on whaling ships slurred the word "salon"?
