Guidebook for Oakland

Mandy
Guidebook for Oakland

Food Scene

Cheap, really yummy take on southern cuisine with a twist. Ultimate comfort food.
58 locals recommend
Easy Creole
1761 Alcatraz Ave
58 locals recommend
Cheap, really yummy take on southern cuisine with a twist. Ultimate comfort food.
Sourdough crust. Amazing pizza pies.
48 locals recommend
Nick's Pizza and Bakery Made in Oakland
6400 Shattuck Ave
48 locals recommend
Sourdough crust. Amazing pizza pies.
Fantastic espresso and pastries.
51 locals recommend
Alchemy Collective Cafe and Roaster
1741 Alcatraz Ave
51 locals recommend
Fantastic espresso and pastries.
Killer espresso with nutmeg and other rose-, lavender-, or honey-inspired creations. Awesome to grab a cup when coming to/from Ashby BART.
26 locals recommend
Rasa Caffe
411 Martin Luther King Jr Way
26 locals recommend
Killer espresso with nutmeg and other rose-, lavender-, or honey-inspired creations. Awesome to grab a cup when coming to/from Ashby BART.
Amazing baked goods. Get a gougères!
115 locals recommend
Sweet Adeline Bakeshop
3350 Adeline St
115 locals recommend
Amazing baked goods. Get a gougères!
"Hipster Indian." A little pricey, but yummy food, cocktails, and great atmosphere.
15 locals recommend
Juhu Beach Club
5179 Telegraph Avenue
15 locals recommend
"Hipster Indian." A little pricey, but yummy food, cocktails, and great atmosphere.
Incredible fare and cocktails. Pricey.
237 locals recommend
Pizzaiolo
5008 Telegraph Ave
237 locals recommend
Incredible fare and cocktails. Pricey.
Bay Area institution. Get a cup of coffee with mint involved! If you like mint, you won't regret it.
913 locals recommend
Philz Coffee
3101 24th St
913 locals recommend
Bay Area institution. Get a cup of coffee with mint involved! If you like mint, you won't regret it.
Excellent, upscale Mexican.
134 locals recommend
Comal
2020 Shattuck Ave
134 locals recommend
Excellent, upscale Mexican.
Bakery + pizza. One type of pie daily; lots of cheese and baked good next door.
317 locals recommend
The Cheeseboard Pizza
1512 Shattuck Ave
317 locals recommend
Bakery + pizza. One type of pie daily; lots of cheese and baked good next door.
Not your typical ramen, Ramen Shop offers a new take on ramen weekly. Farm-to-fork inspired + amazing cocktails. Yes it's hipster, yes it's worth it. Also, start with a small fried rice.
112 locals recommend
Ramen Shop
5812 College Ave
112 locals recommend
Not your typical ramen, Ramen Shop offers a new take on ramen weekly. Farm-to-fork inspired + amazing cocktails. Yes it's hipster, yes it's worth it. Also, start with a small fried rice.
OK, this place gets a lot of hype – the deep dish is great (and is basically the _only_ deep dish in East Bay), but I find myself dreaming about their Caesar Salad – perfect mix of garlic and sardines; super spicy without being too much.
247 locals recommend
Zachary's Chicago Pizza
5801 College Ave
247 locals recommend
OK, this place gets a lot of hype – the deep dish is great (and is basically the _only_ deep dish in East Bay), but I find myself dreaming about their Caesar Salad – perfect mix of garlic and sardines; super spicy without being too much.
Wonderful breakfast/brunch/lunch spot that opens at 7:30a on weekends. Get their daily scone/pastry.
47 locals recommend
Rick & Ann's Restaurant
2922 Domingo Ave
47 locals recommend
Wonderful breakfast/brunch/lunch spot that opens at 7:30a on weekends. Get their daily scone/pastry.
Chez Panisse has a scene/vibe/following all its own, so google around for what you want to know about it. I'm adding it here to call out a lesser-known thing about the place: Monday-Thursday, you can get steak frites + glass of wine for $25 in the cafe after 9:30p. (The whole cafe menu is also available, but holla for the omnivores in the house.)
337 locals recommend
Chez Panisse
1517 Shattuck Ave
337 locals recommend
Chez Panisse has a scene/vibe/following all its own, so google around for what you want to know about it. I'm adding it here to call out a lesser-known thing about the place: Monday-Thursday, you can get steak frites + glass of wine for $25 in the cafe after 9:30p. (The whole cafe menu is also available, but holla for the omnivores in the house.)
Wonderful Mexican; can't go wrong with the chile relleños.
74 locals recommend
Doña Tomás
3770 Piedmont Avenue
74 locals recommend
Wonderful Mexican; can't go wrong with the chile relleños.
Wonderful South American food. Relatively unknown spot with amazing pozole, salsas, enchiladas, and quesadillas.
10 locals recommend
Los Cilantros
3105 Shattuck Ave
10 locals recommend
Wonderful South American food. Relatively unknown spot with amazing pozole, salsas, enchiladas, and quesadillas.
Here's the deal: there are a *lot* of great Ethiopian restaurants in this area/Temescal neighborhood. This one has always been solid–great for groups, brunch, and a lively atmosphere. It's my favorite, but it's hard to really get bad Ethiopian around here.
53 locals recommend
Café Colucci
5849 Telegraph Ave
53 locals recommend
Here's the deal: there are a *lot* of great Ethiopian restaurants in this area/Temescal neighborhood. This one has always been solid–great for groups, brunch, and a lively atmosphere. It's my favorite, but it's hard to really get bad Ethiopian around here.

Drinks & Nightlife

It's a bar. It's karaoke. It's a bar with karaoke 7 nights a week.
33 locals recommend
Nick's Lounge
3218 Adeline St
33 locals recommend
It's a bar. It's karaoke. It's a bar with karaoke 7 nights a week.
Fantastic micro brewery. Bring over some Easy Creole from next door or nosh some popcorn with your beer.
50 locals recommend
Hoi Polloi Brewing Taproom and Beat Lounge
1763 Alcatraz Ave
50 locals recommend
Fantastic micro brewery. Bring over some Easy Creole from next door or nosh some popcorn with your beer.
Great, Irish-style pub with different events almost every night - folk music jams, poetry slams, dances, etc.. Check their website for details.
74 locals recommend
The Starry Plough Pub
3101 Shattuck Ave
74 locals recommend
Great, Irish-style pub with different events almost every night - folk music jams, poetry slams, dances, etc.. Check their website for details.
The oldest LGBTQ bar in Oakland. Great bar; dancing in the back.
26 locals recommend
White Horse Inn
6551 Telegraph Ave
26 locals recommend
The oldest LGBTQ bar in Oakland. Great bar; dancing in the back.
Great sports bar.
67 locals recommend
Kingfish Pub & Cafe
5227 Telegraph Ave
67 locals recommend
Great sports bar.
Sunday night trivia.
61 locals recommend
Albatross Pub
1822 San Pablo Ave
61 locals recommend
Sunday night trivia.
Great for dancing on the weekends!
47 locals recommend
Missouri Lounge
2600 San Pablo Ave
47 locals recommend
Great for dancing on the weekends!

Essentials

Quintessential grocery for Berkeley life – Berkeley Bowl is an institution. Amazing selection of organic good, meats, fish, breads, and prepared foods.
419 locals recommend
Berkeley Bowl
2020 Oregon St
419 locals recommend
Quintessential grocery for Berkeley life – Berkeley Bowl is an institution. Amazing selection of organic good, meats, fish, breads, and prepared foods.
Good for quick essentials; ample parking on the roof.
105 locals recommend
Safeway
6310 College Ave
105 locals recommend
Good for quick essentials; ample parking on the roof.
Get a haircut! (Barbershop is around the corner.)
Glama-Rama Salon
507 Telegraph Ave
Get a haircut! (Barbershop is around the corner.)

Getting Around

Trains to get to the rest of East Bay, Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, and the peninsula. Can get to both OAK and SFO airports via BART.
30 locals recommend
Adeline St & Ashby BART Station
30 locals recommend
Trains to get to the rest of East Bay, Berkeley, Oakland, San Francisco, and the peninsula. Can get to both OAK and SFO airports via BART.

Sightseeing

You can see the entire Bay on a clear day from here. *Perfect* for sunsets.
42 locals recommend
Centennial Drive:Lawrence Hall of Science station
42 locals recommend
You can see the entire Bay on a clear day from here. *Perfect* for sunsets.
Great views of the bay!
Panoramic Way
Panoramic Way
Great views of the bay!

Parks & Nature

GIANT, CEMENT OUTDOOR SLIDE! Not for the faint of heart (but your 5-yo won't bat an eye).
34 locals recommend
Codornices Park
1201 Euclid Ave
34 locals recommend
GIANT, CEMENT OUTDOOR SLIDE! Not for the faint of heart (but your 5-yo won't bat an eye).

Arts & Culture

Just moved to its new Bancroft location.
9 locals recommend
Pacific Film Archive Theater
9 locals recommend
Just moved to its new Bancroft location.