Guidebook for Oakland
Food Scene
Chop Bar
190 4th StBest hamburger in the Bay Area!
Grand Lake Kitchen - Lake Merritt
576 Grand AveDelicious food. You can sit outside.
Sidebar
542 Grand AveThe best cocktails and delicious food. Superb burger.
Penrose
3311 Grand AveSplendid food. Can be pricey and a bit noisy but food is special.
Sister
3308 Grand AveGreat food, and a fun scene.
Camino
3917 Grand AveDelicious food, $$ (gratuity included in prices).
One of our favorite spots. You can sit outside right on the water. Great beer selection, as it is a German Biergarten.
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Brotzeit Lokal | German Restaurant & Waterfront Biergarten
1000 EmbarcaderoOne of our favorite spots. You can sit outside right on the water. Great beer selection, as it is a German Biergarten.
Lake Chalet
1520 Lakeside DrGorgeous setting. You can sit out back on the water.
Portal Oakland
1611 2nd AveGreat outdoor setting with heat lamps.
Park Burger
4218 Park BlvdGood spot to go for nearby burgers, garlic fries are intense!
Fantastic Mexican food. In a great setting with other restaurants. They have wonderful cocktails too.
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Cosecha
907 Washington StFantastic Mexican food. In a great setting with other restaurants. They have wonderful cocktails too.
Swan's Market
538 9th StGreat bustling space with numerous delicious restaurants.
Pizzaiolo
5008 Telegraph AveGreat spot with outdoor seating.
Great spot right on the water, very basic food, go for the vibe and the view not the food...
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Quinn's Lighthouse
1951 EmbarcaderoGreat spot right on the water, very basic food, go for the vibe and the view not the food...
Really fun place. They have live performances upstairs. Specialties include paella.
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Duende
468 19th StReally fun place. They have live performances upstairs. Specialties include paella.
This is our FAVORITE bakery. The morning buns are out of this world! It is a 5 minute drive from our house. (And our favorite grocery store is right across the street called Farmer Joes)
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La Farine
3411 Fruitvale AveThis is our FAVORITE bakery. The morning buns are out of this world! It is a 5 minute drive from our house. (And our favorite grocery store is right across the street called Farmer Joes)
Arizmendi Bakery
3265 Lakeshore AveWonderful bakery with fresh homemade pizza everyday!
Fentons Creamery is a historic ice cream parlor that was founded in 1894 and still has the old school charm. HUGE ice cream sundaes.
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Fentons Creamery
4226 Piedmont AveFentons Creamery is a historic ice cream parlor that was founded in 1894 and still has the old school charm. HUGE ice cream sundaes.
Room 389
389 Grand AveThis is a fun bar with TVs to watch sports.
Enssaro Cafe
366 Grand AvenueGreat Ethiopian food!
Mijori Japanese Restaurant
3260 Grand AveGreat Japanese food/sushi and closeby.
Old Brooklyn Cafe & Bakery
2228 BroadwayGreat bagels!
Authentic Bagel Company
463 2nd StreetYummy new bagel shop in Old Oakland.
Philomena
1801 14th Ave Pizza!
This is one of our favorite restaurants. It is Laotian- Asian fusion. Delicious food! It's about a 12 minute walk or 4 minute drive. They do not take reservations. When you walk in, immediately find the clipboard hanging on the wall right inside the door and write your name on it. If you are really hungry, and it is packed, we learned that you can ask to eat at the bar!
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Champa Garden
2102 8th AveThis is one of our favorite restaurants. It is Laotian- Asian fusion. Delicious food! It's about a 12 minute walk or 4 minute drive. They do not take reservations. When you walk in, immediately find the clipboard hanging on the wall right inside the door and write your name on it. If you are really hungry, and it is packed, we learned that you can ask to eat at the bar!
Shopping
This is our favorite nearby Grocery store. It is a 5 minute drive from our house. (And our favorite bakery is right across the street called La Farine.)
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Farmer Joe's Marketplace
3501 MacArthur BlvdThis is our favorite nearby Grocery store. It is a 5 minute drive from our house. (And our favorite bakery is right across the street called La Farine.)
Walden Pond Books
3316 Grand AveWonderful local bookstore.
Whole Foods Market
230 Bay PlThe local Whole Foods...
Safeway
3747 Grand AveThe local Safeway is on Grand Avenue...
Local Lucky's grocery store. Not my favorite market in the world but it is great to have nearby.
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Lucky
1750 Fulton StLocal Lucky's grocery store. Not my favorite market in the world but it is great to have nearby.
This is a wonderful very small family-owned grocery store with organic goods. It is very pleasant to shop here because it is such a small, local shop.
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Rocky's Market
1440 Leimert BlvdThis is a wonderful very small family-owned grocery store with organic goods. It is very pleasant to shop here because it is such a small, local shop.
Drinks & Nightlife
This is a great dive bar with live musical performances. Customers gather around the piano to sing their favorite tunes.
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The Alley | Piano Bar & Restaurant
3325 Grand AveThis is a great dive bar with live musical performances. Customers gather around the piano to sing their favorite tunes.
Entertainment & Activities
Grand Lake Theater
3200 Grand AveGorgeous movie theater built in the 1920s.
Landmark's Piedmont Theatre
4186 Piedmont AveSmall local movie theater but shows great movies
Local bowling ally. Quite a scene with lots of big screens and arcade. Also beautiful outdoor seating with bocce ball!
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Plank
98 BroadwayLocal bowling ally. Quite a scene with lots of big screens and arcade. Also beautiful outdoor seating with bocce ball!
Oakland Athletics
7000 Joe Morgan WayGo to an Oakland A's baseball game!
This is our favorite theater. Seating is all comfy couches and they have great food too. Try the beer milkshake!
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The New Parkway Theater
474 24th StThis is our favorite theater. Seating is all comfy couches and they have great food too. Try the beer milkshake!
Getting Around
19th Street BART station and Lake Merritt BART Station are approximately equidistant and are the closest Bart stations to the house.
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19th St / Oakland station
1900 Broadway19th Street BART station and Lake Merritt BART Station are approximately equidistant and are the closest Bart stations to the house.
Lake Merritt BART Station and 19th Street BART Station are approximately equidistant and are the closest Bart stations to the house.
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Lake Merritt Station
800 Oak StLake Merritt BART Station and 19th Street BART Station are approximately equidistant and are the closest Bart stations to the house.
Parks & Nature
Lake Anza
Lovely lake to go swimming in!
Lake Temescal
Lovely Lake that you can go swimming in and trails to walk...
Stinson Beach