Berkeley's Hidden Taproom: Tap In Is Behind a Bookshelf on Shattuck Avenue
Tap In, at 2012 Shattuck Ave. in downtown Berkeley, is a self-pour taproom hidden behind a wall of bookshelves. You pour your own beer by the ounce from more than 20 taps.
By the Bay Area Brief staff · Edited by Seamus McKenna · · 3 min read
Oakland skyline across Lake Merritt. Photo: Daniel Ramirez / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0 (cropped, resized and color-graded). Archive photo of the area; not a photo of the events in this story.
One of downtown Berkeley's better-kept secrets is at 2012 Shattuck Ave., a short walk from the Downtown Berkeley BART station. Tap In is a "secret" taproom hidden behind bookshelves, according to Visit Berkeley.
How it works
Tap In is self-pour. Guests pull their own beer by the ounce, so you can try a few sips of several beers without committing to a full pint. Visit Berkeley lists more than 20 taps, and Berkeleyside counted more than 30 when it opened in 2024.
Who is behind it
Berkeleyside reported that the taproom comes from Deepak Aggarwal, the founder of the spice company Hindustry. It opened as part of a wave of new downtown nightlife that also brought cocktail bars and a pool hall.
Tips
Look for the bookshelves. Tap lists and hours change, so check before you go. For more hidden spots across the bay, see Oakland's hidden bars.
Sources
This article is an original summary based on the following reporting. We encourage readers to visit the original sources for full coverage.
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