I thoroughly enjoyed the music on both floors. It was lively and I had a great time. This seems…read morelike a good spot to go dancing.

Had a great time at Zanzi celebrating Oakland Diwali this past Friday…read more First of all, the place is nice with pretty purple lighting. There's a ton of open space downstairs with some booth seating at the end, and upstairs there's a second bar with additional seating. Over the course of the event, I had two drinks here. Both were good. My first was an amaretto sour for $14, and later on my friend and I got a beer and margarita for $22. It looks like most cocktails are in the mid $10s range, which is pretty standard for the area. I'll be back to check out the space on a normal night when there's no event. Curious if there's dancing here, since there's so much floor space.

Dance Jam has been closed since Covid…read more It was great when I was going, so the single star is about the Dance Jam Yelp page still existing, and even offering $9 ticket deals. The Dance Jam entry owner Mark messaged me that barefootboogie dot net is where to find the current Friday scene.

Here's the thing. I've never - not once - regretted going to this. Come. See if it's your thing. If…read moreit is, well, I find it life-changing to have a reliably joyful high point available every week. Can't believe I haven't reviewed this long ago. I've been dancing here, maybe 10 years. (How old is yelp?) It's where I first started dancing again regularly instead of once in a blue moon at a club. For a few years the same dance (that is same, time and place) was branded Ecstatic Dance. Mark relaunched it, bringing back the old name, and a vinyl-only theme, and it's been great; music and dance are his world. Since I first started dancing again regularly by coming here, I've found other similar weekly dances that I enjoy, and I keep coming back here. The men and women who make Dance Jam happen (and many regulars volunteer to) know -and show care for each other and everyone, from each first-timer to each dance addict. That includes ensuring everyone gets a quick lesson in how to respect themselves and others, and understands and follows it. I come to dance alone, eyes closed, and dive into the joy of moving and the feeling of expressing myself and the music as my thoughts about it fade into the background and I just let go. And I dance slowly or energetically, improvising, but mostly without thinking about it, with the music's main rhythm or by picking up on another that matches where I am or want to go, acts of lovingkindness for myself. And I come to dance with the whole room, eyes softly picking up others' movements and maybe energy and maybe adding a piece to my improvisation, and reaching out in my imagination to feel my place on Earth, in our solar system, in the Milky Way, reaching out to feel it myself and the beauty within the whole Universe. It's a uniquely wonderful feeling .... To be continued but I think you get the drift

I was heading to BART when I heard some pretty funky music so I stopped in LUX Oakland. The band…read morewas great with a unique but very easy sound that started with a story and moved into an irresistible groove. Bar service was polite and beer selection was minimal but cold.

I never write reviews, but I had to, to let people know about this hidden gem and to thank Richard!…read more My boyfriend and I had just touched down and were staying around the corner. It was a long azzz day, and we were just looking for a place to chill and have a drink downtown. We came across this newish place right next to our hotel. Loved that there were big, open sliding doors and air flow. The TVs were playing the game for my boyfriend, drinks were good and Richard was so nice and cool to talk to. He just made us feel so welcome after such a long travel day back to the bay. It was happy hour, so all cocktails, beer and cider were only $7! It was a great deal and a great location. No food that night, but he said they're working on a new menu and bringing it back. From the pics he showed me, looks like it's gonna be a hit. Apparently they have parties/shows upstairs, so I checked it out and I love the space, they even have hookah! I'll be coming back when I'm in the area again. Thanks Richard!!!

I highly recommend the Ashkenaz ! It's a warm , welcoming place in every way. Even the wooden…read morefloor was made to absorb & support dancers . The diversity of music and mix of cultures is inspiring especially during these very challenging times. Going there really does feel like a home away from home .... Good drinks and food to munch on too

I come for a weekly Bhangra class which I love. It's a get your body moving and the more you put…read morein the better your workout will be. The instructors, especially Andrea, is consistently welcoming. I also find her easier to follow because her pants are not override and it easier to see the leg movement. Viki, the lead instructor, is nice on email but when I try to talk to her in person, I find the interaction awkward. Maybe it's me but I see her interacting with others. Come! Great music, energy, joy and movement. A great way to spend an hour.

I am looking forward to taking more classes on Sundays! They offer bachata at 6:30 and salsa at…read more7:30 p.m. Excellent instructors who teaches the steps slowly with many opportunities to practice before partnering and rotating partners throughout the classtime. It used to be located in Emeryville but now they are located in Richmond next to a grocery store which feels much safer when parking. I went here with three friends and we all plan to keep coming back at least 1-2x a month when we can!

The floor is better than when they just opened that place. I recommend it. Easy parking, many…read moredancing rooms.

Finally got to check out Crybaby this past weekend! It was…read more$22 at the door at around 10:30PM. The crowd here is very young but it's a nice little spot to grab some drinks and enjoy some music. Drinks were priced pretty good and they also have a nice little outside area if you want to smoke or grab some air.

Keak the Sneak brought me out. A Town Legend who took part in creating The Hyphy Movement over 15…read moreyears ago. I had so much fun at the foot of the stage, we danced all night. The crowd had motion as we sang along!

I love this dance community…read more Community: -friendly -safe -fun -relaxed -good people -diverse ages -diverse life experiences -diverse skill levels -welcoming/people will ask you to dance Venue: -large floor -plenty of room to dance/not crowded -fairly informal, don't need to dress up -not too loud -good mix of fusion songs (great for blues dancers looking for something a little different) -variety of DJs -variety of instructors -run by people who dance at their venue & engage with their community/strive to improve -snacks :) This and the Wednesday dance at La Peña used to be my regular East Bay dance diet.

This is one of my favorite dance venues in the Bay area. It's fusion partner dancing, but you don't…read moreneed a partner. Most people show up alone and either ask people to dance or solo dance. Just make sure you get here in time for the lesson if you're new to this type of dance!

Once a year, Ecstatic Dance takes their party outside. This is their fourth year, the format is…read moresimple, come and enjoy. Starts at noon, ends at five. Each DJ plays an hour set. A friend asked me to join him for their fourth year celebration and I agreed. Armed with our picnic lunch from Phat Matt's, we set up our blanket in the shade. From the left, we had an excellent view of the DJ set up, dance floor (located at the Bandstand), dancers (young, old and everything in between), jugglers, acrobats, babies and dogs. What a beautiful day and awesome time. I heart Lake Merritt and I hella heart Oakland.

Great place to come for a drink or a $5 shot!…read more Service was great. Ambience emasculate. Come have a party here for free -that means NO COVER

Coming from a conference, we needed to unwind. My friend recommended this place so we decide to…read morecheck this out AMBIANCE: Parking: Welcome to Downtown Oakland! There's a parking lot and some metered parking. Walking around, the parking wasn't too competitive. Seating: Bar seating moreover, for maybe about 10 people or so. Vibes: Welcome to Downtown Oakland! It is a grit and grind place with a lot of culture and things to do - food, museums, shopping, and community events on the occasion. The place itself is pretty spacious, there seems to be a lot of space for an eventful time from jamming good music or karaoke. FOOD: Malibu & Pinepple Rum (Recommend) A simple drink that's smooth and sweet. Get a cherry for that additional sweet flavor to it. CUSTOMER SERVICE: I believe our server was Mel and he was dope! TL; DR OVERALL: 4.5 Stars. Great! A pretty proximal place from the Marriott Hotel. Prices were reasonable, drink selections were wide, and the energy was good. When in Oakland and need some good Hip-Hop & R&B music, this is a great spot! TIPS: * Tuesdays and Thursdays are karaoke nights.