This week in East Bay restaurant news is all about the booze — or, the bar scene, rather. From the expansion of an already popular bar concept to a scandalous speakeasy, you now have even more options for good drinking (and eating) on this side of the Bay.

First up, Plum Bar is set to take over its next door space, formerly known as Plum, and more recently, the flash-in-the-pan concept Ume. Shuffling aside, the Daniel Patterson Group seems to be confident that expanding the consistently popular bar concept into the next door space will be the best fit for the neighborhood, and serve both locals and visiting concert-goers well. Now called Plum Bar + Restaurant (the switch happened Wednesday, September 10), the extended menu showcases Patterson's brand of high-concept bar food — housemade condiments and buns for burgers, smoked deviled eggs, and microbatch soft serve. On the drinks side, expect an ample selection of cocktails (both house creations and barrel-aged classics), and a list of shot-and-a-beer boiler makers.

Also slinging drinks in Uptown Oakland, Woods Bar & Brewery is softly open on Telegraph, even as they put on final construction touches before officially opening on October 11. This is the third project for Jim Woods, who's behind Cerveceria de MateVaze in the Mission, and WOODS Polk Station. The three-gallon brewery will be home to a whole new batch of Woods-produced beers — those brews will be served alongside the yerba mate-infused beers from his San Francisco spots — along with a couple of local guest taps (there will be 12 beers total). Food-wise, El Porteno empanadas will be on hand to pair with your beer. Soft-open status aside, they're open nightly at 5 pm — the building alone is worth the trip, as Woods and team restored its original facade from the 1920s.

Speaking of the '20s, Capone's Speakeasy, a massive era-approximating concept in Alameda, is also now open. They've already had some colorful legal skirmishes (see: co-owner arrested at the opening night party), but they're indeed open for business. And, criminality suits the theme — cocktails are named for storied gangsters — sip on the Pretty Boy Floyd or the Bonnie & Clyde while discussing your latest exploits (or someone's). The food menu ranges from a light cucumber salad to filet mignon with tarragon lobster mashed potatoes, so you'll find options to suit most levels of alcohol consumption.