The Oakland Museum of California is a good place to get a feel for the city’s and state’s history. Their fun-loving crew will make sure your drink is always on point while you channel your inner child with board games or throw darts (safely, we don’t need any eye-patch chic moments here). (The other two often mentioned are San Francisco—also no surprise there—and Seattle.)
There is renewed energy, though, concerning the number of LGBTQ+-owned and allied businesses in Oakland, and their latest efforts to successfully organize.
For venues, start at White Horse Inn, the historic East Bay queer bar with karaoke, DJs, and drag; bring cash and expect a cover. Oakland hosts major players like Kaiser Permanente, PG&E, Pandora, and Blue Shield. Broadway and its surroundings, a block east of the Fox Theater, has Oakland’s biggest concentration of lively LGBTQ+ watering holes.
Well, for a real escape, head up to the Redwood Regional Park. Whether you're vibing to live music, cheering on queens as they snatch the spotlight, or braving an open mic session to share your fabulousness with the world, Summer Bar will keep you entertained all night long.
Over at The RIC, it's like stepping into a time machine straight to 1910, but with way better cocktails and zero prohibition nonsense.
It may literally be the most soulful place in this perpetual underdog of a city that is, like the LGBTQ+ community, stronger and more beautiful and resilient than most could ever imagine.
East Bay’s Emerging Queer Mecca Published on December 18, 2025
With drag shows that’ll make you clutch your pearls, karaoke nights for your inner pop diva, and pool tables for the more chill (or competitive) types, this spot is the heartbeat of Oakland’s queer nightlife.
On the cozier side of things, Summer Bar & Lounge is the go-to spot for the East Bay’s LGBTQ+ scene to unwind and recharge with some killer dance beats.
The weather stays warm and dry, and you can catch Oakland Pride and lots of outdoor nights without the midsummer crowds. Sip on a craft cocktail while you gaze at the boats bobbing on the water—talk about living the dock life!
So, if you thought Oakland was just a stopover on the way to somewhere else, think again. Bring your most colorful queer self, and you’ll fit right in!
A LGBTQ+ Bar Crawl in Downtown Oakland
Home to America’s oldest continuously-operating gay bar, Oakland boasts a vibrant queer culture that can be by turns younger, more Black, more femme, and more family-oriented than its famously queer neighbor across the Bay.
Local gay nightlife long took the form of itinerant, underground parties, but in recent years new community hotspots have enriched Downtown Oakland. And for those panoramic city views, make your way to the Oakland Hills. Oakland’s large LGBTQ+ community is hardly new. Thanks to this cultural renaissance, visitors and natives alike can sample Oakland’s many dimensions of queerness in a single evening, through a bar crawl.
Town Bar
Just around the corner on 20th Street, Town Bar is a queer and mixed spot inside a stunning emerald stone façade originally constructed for a luxurious department store.
Friends & Family is your cocktail stop, with smart drinks and snacky bites.
The city also has a strong taproom and winery tasting room scene, making it easy to plan your entire visit around eating, drinking, or some combination of the two.”
It would take volumes to highlight all of our favorite Oakland restaurants and other destinations within this East Bay city, so, to narrow down the list, the San Francisco Bay Times received guidance from the following:
•Peter Gamez, President and CEO of Visit Oakland; •DJ Lady Ryan, the official DJ of the Valkyries and the Co-Owner of newly opened Golden Ratio in Oakland; •Emily Winston, the CEO and Founder of Boichik Bagels; •Joy Baucom of Oakland-based Diligence Security Group; •and Jeffrey Myers, Committee Chair of the Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District.
Here are just some of the businesses they mentioned:
Nightlife
The Athletic Club Oakland – roomy sports bar with an energetic vibe https://www.theacoakland.com/
Fluid510 – one of the top LGBTQ destinations in the city https://fluid510.com/
The Fox Theater – an architectural masterpiece that, like The Castro, was converted for concerts https://thefoxoakland.com/
Golden Ratio – a new must-visit venue owned and operated by powerhouse duo DJ Lady Ryan and Dennise Acio https://bit.ly/4q6KCBc
Lucy Blue – a sexy new bar & lounge across from the Fox Theatre; the latest project from Chef Michele McQueen https://lucybluebar.com/
Next Level Nightclub – run by talented Valentino Carrillo of ultra-popular Que Rico and Valentino Presents https://www.nextleveloakland.com/
Night Heron – swanky modern bar that could become, as the owners say, “your new roosting place”; also near the Fox Theatre https://www.nightheronoakland.com/
Paramount Theatre – another architectural masterpiece that is the home of the Oakland Ballet and the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir https://www.paramountoakland.org/
Que Rico Nightclub – often called “the Bay Area’s most diverse nightclub,” it is an iconic spot for the LGBTQ+ Latin community and more https://www.quericonightclub.com/
Summer Bar & Lounge – a gay destination in the heart of Old Town Oakland https://www.thebarsummer.com/
Town Bar & Lounge – a QPOC-owned Art Deco bar & lounge with great cocktails and dancing https://www.goingtotownoakland.com/
White Horse Bar – Known as “the mother of all queer bars,” featuring Page https://bit.ly/48UvtMH
Sobre Mesa – Afro-Latino small plates https://sobremesaoak.com/
Tay Ho Oakland – Vietnamese https://tayhooakland.com/
Bakeries
Bake Sum – Asian-American baked goods often creatively inspired by dim sum and other food favorites https://www.bakesum.com/
Crumble & Whisk – delish cheesecakes and much more https://www.crumbleandwhisk.com/
Coffee/Tea
Ain’t Normal Café https://www.aintnormalcafe.com/
Charlie May Coffee & Tea House https://www.charliemaycoffee.com/
Mother Tongue Coffee https://mothertongue.coffee/
Red Bay Coffee https://www.redbaycoffee.com/
Food Halls
Prescott Market https://www.prescottmarket.com/
Rockridge Market Hall https://rockridgemarkethall.com/
Swan’s Market https://swansmarket.com/
Clothing and Gifts
Oakland Don’t Play https://www.oaklanddontplay.com/
Oaklandish https://www.oaklandish.com/
Out of the Closet – thrift shop benefiting the AIDS Healthcare Foundation https://outofthecloset.org/
Movie Theatres
Grand Lake Theatre https://www.renaissancerialto.com/
The New Parkway Theater https://www.thenewparkway.com/
Gyms
The Queer Gym https://www.thequeergym.com/
Pinpoint Training https://www.pinpointtraining.co/
Radically Fit https://www.radicallyfitoakland.com/
Martial Arts
Hand to Hand Kajukenbo https://handtohandkajukenbo.com/
Finally, once you have enriched your hopefully long and healthy life with decades of enjoyment in Oakland, you will need to consider your last chapter.
While there has been a trend of big tech moving out of California, Oakland still draws influential mid-sized and smaller firms attracted by talent, affordability, and the city’s unique environment as one of the most diverse and sunniest parts of the central Bay Area.
For three years in a row, Oakland has earned the number one spot on Condé Nast Traveler’s prestigious “Best Food Cities in the U.S.” readers’ choice awards list.
Piedmont Avenue is the high street of your dreams with quirky shops and to-die-for eateries.
For events, plan around Oakland Pride in late summer, which centers on community, music, and local makers.