Date Spots in Oakland, CA

Dating in Oakland

A good Oakland date can start over coffee at Equator Coffees & Teas, Malaya Tea Room, Lazy Bird Cafe, Krispy Joe's Coffee House, Alem's Coffee, el Tiny Cafe, Cafe Buenos Aires, Way Station Brew, Heroic Italian, or MY Coffee Roastery. From there, pick a cuisine that fits the mood—coffee shop, Ethiopian, American, teahouse, sandwich, Argentinian, Italian, fine dining, pizza, Arab, Salvadoran, or Korean. Dinner spots like Sun Moon Studio, Rudy's Can't Fail Cafe, Rose Pizzeria, Reem’s Jack London Square, Popoca Oakland, Mela Bistro, Hidden Spot, Joodooboo, Hawking Bird, and Cholita Linda give you plenty of ways to keep it casual or make it a bigger night.

For drinks, Triple Rock Brewery, Sláinte Pub & Grub, Ordinaire Wine Shop & Wine Bar, The Avenue, The Telegraph, Redfield, Study Hall Rooftop Lounge, Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon, Aisle5, and Almanac cover pub, wine bar, and rooftop moods. Outdoors, San Pablo Park, Willard Park, Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park, Aquatic Park, Shorebird Park, and Estuary Park are easy walk-and-talk stops. Culture and entertainment can carry the rest: USS Hornet (CV 12), Oakland Museum of California, Pacific Pinball Museum, The Museum of Art and Digital Entertainment, New Parkway Theater, Grand Lake Theatre, Elmwood Theatre, Paramount Theater, and Fox Oakland Theater.

Neighborhoods in Oakland

These areas are called out in the local notes for this city. They can help you keep a date to one part of town.

• Jack London Square Reem’s Jack London Square is a listed dinner spot in this area, and the wider guide adds park options like Estuary Park and Shorebird Park.
• Grand Lake Grand Lake Theatre is a listed entertainment pick in this area.
• Elmwood Elmwood Theatre is a listed entertainment pick in this area.
• Civic Center Martin Luther King Jr. Civic Center Park is a listed outdoor pick in this area.