Gay clubs in oakland

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The weather stays warm and dry, and you can catch Oakland Pride and lots of outdoor nights without the midsummer crowds. Bring your most colorful queer self, and you’ll fit right in!

Oakland works well for LGBTQ+ travelers who want big-city culture without the San Francisco price tag.

7th West is good for a laid-back night, with a backyard that hosts dance parties, games, and comedy. Great ambiance and newly renovated for a more upscale setting.

And if you’re looking to add some Latin flair to your night, look no further than Qué Rico, the Latin gay club spicing up the Bay Area! They've got you covered.

Oakland isn’t just San Francisco’s hip little sister; it’s an eclectic playground all its own, serving up queer culture, history, and some fantastic views in the Bay Area.

And for those panoramic city views, make your way to the Oakland Hills.

The best time to visit is late August through October. Oakland hosts major players like Kaiser Permanente, PG&E, Pandora, and Blue Shield. Head north from Chinatown around Lake Merritt to visit the volunteer-run Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt. The Oakland Museum of California is a good place to get a feel for the city’s and state’s history.

For the gayborhood area, Oakland has designated a multi-block triangle between Grand Avenue and Lakeshore Avenue (just east of Lake Merritt) as the city’s first LGBTQ+ cultural district.

But what about nature, you ask? Oakland’s Art Deco architecture will draw you to the Uptown neighborhood, near Chinatown and Old Oakland.

(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.

Morgan and her family are actually buried in this 226-acre rural oasis that is open to the public for recreational visits on Wednesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Need a vintage kimono or a first edition book? 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

Restaurants

Asmara Restaurant – Eritrean/Ethiopian
https://asmararestaurantoakland.com/

Bardo Lounge & Supper Club – American staples
https://www.bardooakland.com/

Brenda’s Oakland – Creole, French/Soul
https://brendasoakland.com/

Café Gabriela – Filipina-inspired comfort food
https://www.cafegabriela.com/

The Fat Lady Bar & Restaurant – American fare in a Victorian-style setting
https://thefatladyrestaurant.com/

FOB Kitchen – Contemporary Filipina
https://www.fobkitchen.com/

Forge Rockridge – Neapolitan pizzas and American comfort food
https://forgerockridge.com/

Grand Lake Kitchen – European/American with iconic brunches
https://www.grandlakekitchen.com/

Home of Chicken and Waffles – the name says it!
https://homeofchickenandwaffles.com/

Jaji – Contemporary Afghan
https://www.jajioak.com/

Mua – eclectic small plates
https://muaoakland.com/

Nick’s Pizza – sourdough crust “Oakland-style” pizza
http://oaklandstylepizza.com/

Parche – Contemporary Colombian
https://www.parcheoak.com/

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.

The large streetside parklet is perfect on the rare warm evening.

Que Rico is located at 381 15th Street.
 


Summer Bar
 

Alternatively, to end the night on a mellow note, visit Summer Bar, a femme-oriented lounge in Old Oakland. It is therefore little wonder that, for decades, polls and surveys have consistently shown that Oakland has one of the highest concentrations of LGBTQ+ people in the nation.

Hop on BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) and head east from San Francisco! It’s like stepping into another world—one where ancient redwoods soar to the sky and the air smells like eucalyptus and adventure.

gay clubs in oakland

First, let’s talk neighborhoods because Oakland is a patchwork of them, each with its own flavor.