n Bay Area meetings about emerging opportunities, businesses, and events, one city continues to be mentioned as 2025 draws to a close: Oakland. On the surface, that is surprising. Oakland’s large LGBTQ+ community is hardly new. The White Horse Inn at 6551Telegraph Avenue in Oakland is said to be the oldest continuously operating gay bar in the U.S. It officially opened in 1933, but operated as a gay speakeasy since before the end of Prohibition. 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. (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. More members of the queer community are living and working in Oakland. The Lakeshore LGBTQ Cultural District is now fully established, following the 2017 opening of the Oakland LGBTQ Community Center. Nationally-known Mayor Barbara Lee has brought her Congress-savvy to the city.
Visitors and business leaders are taking note. Oakland hosts major players like Kaiser Permanente, PG&E, Pandora, and Blue Shield. 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. Sharon Kuganesan and Oset Babür-Winter of Condé Nast explain: “There’s no wrong neighborhood from which to start exploring Oakland’s staggeringly diverse food scene. In Temescal, located in the north of the city, you’ll find buzzy soul food spot Burdell, as well as out-of-the-box pizzas (think toppings like Monterey Bay squid and chanterelles) at fan-favorite Pizzaiolo; Fruitvale, named after the fruit orchards that dominated this part of town in the mid-19th century, is packed with taco trucks that serve some of the best birria in the country. 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. At least that can be done in fabulous queer style in this East Bay city, which is home to the stunning Julia Morgan-designed Chapel of the Chimes (https://bit.ly/4iWeXQT)—visit there while you are alive to appreciate its remarkable architecture, art, and history—and the equally impressive Mountain View Cemetery that is a national treasure (https://www.mountainviewcemetery.org/). 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. 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
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