Let's start with the lounge itself. It's just right for this airport, bigger isn't always better. The staff on duty is Timm, Irvin, Ahmee, and Maritza. They are constantly cleaning tables and making sure things are going smooth. The food is BBQ chicken, Veggie Baked Beans, Corn Ribs, Artichoke & Mushroom Cacciatore, just to name a few food items. The lounge has a fully functional bar. Irvin is at the bar, and he makes a mean Lemon Drop. The beer selection is Stone IPA, Kona Longboard, and Bud Light that's included. Ahmee and Maritza were keeping the buffet and sodas stocked. Timm was like a "Swiss Army Knife" helping out the staff. Everyone on staff if SUPER friendly. I would definitely recommend this lounge to everyone. The music is at the right volume, the lighting is perfect, and it was very calming in here. I will definitely come back through this lounge. Thank you staff read more

STAFF, STAFF, STAFF! A-mf'ing-mazing group here. High energy, happy people helping make others in a better mood despite whatever is going on with their individual travel! From check-in to drinks to the gal clearing the tables...wonderful people that brightened our day after a whole lotta travel. Food was good and the place itself is nice. BUT...stop by for the staff! read more

Escape Lounges - Airport Lounges Near Me - Oakland, California

Pros: plenty of space, decent food selection for the size of lounge, bar service included. Cons: unless it's been updated, not all of the alcohol is included for free. The major issue is that now they are a part of the priority pass network so it's hard to get in some times because where it was never super full before, now there are often wait times. Main reason I came here for this review this time was I found a hair in my chicken. read more

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The good. It's free for certain card members. And the ambiance is not bad. The bad. The food is just mediocre with very limited choices. This is NOT the Sapphire Reserve lounge! I came late so understand that they were running out of some items. But the place also needed tidying up. I'll come back because this is the only lounge in the Oakland airport. But as the airport expands, I'm sure hoping that Amex will improve the Escape experience. read more

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I was glad to see a lounge that I can utilize using the Priority Pass. I was disappointed at the quality of. However, trying to compare to other lounges like Delta was the problem. You get what you pay for. Its small air port and short walk to gate 8, you are there. There are plenty of signs pointing to the airport lounge. Very unprofessional receptionist aka manager aka DIY person scanned our pass, boarding pass and we were in. I didn't expect much but one of the employee said welcome. Place was small but kept well. Had a full bar at the end. Food option was limited but was better than other areas. Thank you for being there! read more

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I learned of Oakland airport having a Priority Pass lounge, and this was it. The lady that was at the front on Tuesday afternoon is easily the least friendly staff member I've ever encountered on any Priority Pass lounge visit. This Escape Lounge is definitely one to enter and... escape after grabbing a bite / drink. Like with any lounge, there is Wi-Fi, a snack area, and a bar. Most of the foods here are carb forward and on the saltier end. There are a couple of good items on the DIY charcuterie for snacking with wine. They are very vegetarian friendly, as the only meat options at the hot bar were pork. The pasta salad and salads in general were good. For alcohol, I had a Pinot and Prosecco, and both were dry. I'm not too sure of the brand, but it wasn't remarkable. Finally, this lounge is TINY, and there is no built-in restroom or showers. There is a restroom directly across the hall, but the front desk staff member was very intimidating and unwelcoming to talk to that I was too afraid to ask. Thankfully, she eventually took a short snack break, and one of the nice bar staff subbed in. I eventually worked up the courage to ask if I may use the restroom. read more

Escape Lounges - Airport Lounges Near Me - Oakland, California

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Small but solid lounge with great cold and hot food offerings. Pulled pork and chicken, beans, penne pasta. A couple different sandwiches, a yummy dill potato salad, cucumber and red onion salad, spinach and pea salad and a well stocked charcuterie board with fruits. No bathrooms inside but located directly across outside. Limited wine and beer selection and a few liquor options, with premium labels at a cost. Touch screen coffee maker, iced tea, water and ice at the bar. Overall a great lounge down by Gate 8. Friendly bar service and easy check-in. read more

Escape Lounges - Airport Lounges Near Me - Oakland, California

The Fam and I like stopping by the Escape Lounge at the Oakland Airport before our flights. We have access through Chase Sapphire. The variety of food is surprisingly good for an airport lounge of this size. They have e a nice variety of hot and cold options that change throughout the day. Sometimes there's sandwiches, breakfast items, hot plateable (did I make that word up?) items. The Little one always enjoys visiting. She likes to get the cereal. Sometimes we can convince her to eat "real" food if we're lucky. I'd say, pass on the cinnamon rolls though. They're way too dry. Not worth the calories. Another downside is the size. The lounge itself is fairly small, and when it's busy, it's hard to find seating. Sometimes they'll even have you wait outside until a person/party exits. Also, there's no restrooms inside the lounge, so make sure you pee or p** before going in. Otherwise, you'll need to leave and use restrooms outside in the terminal, which could mean a wait to get back into the lounge. Despite the space limitations, still a solid spot to spend your time before a flight. read more

Escape Lounges - Airport Lounges Near Me - Oakland, California

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I was visiting the Oakland Escape Lounge again today. I was having a great time with my friend who is a card holder. I was enjoying the new food especially the cornbread stuffing. Then someone dog jumped up on the bench where we were sitting and started shaking it body and dog hair when everywhere and on my table. I love dogs, but I don't want dog hair everywhere while I am eating. The owner wasn't even with the dog, she came from over by the espresso machine. We got up and left and informed the manager what had happened and she apologized and said she would talk to the guest. She was very polite and welcoming to my feedback. We will visit again because as I said the new menu is delicious. I just hope I don't encounter another situation where dog hair is introduced to my food from some uncaring pet holder who can't control their dog in a food establishment. read more

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Not that big, but had all the essentials. It was clean and there were a variety of options . There was

Always great service! Today I got one of those warm chocolate chip cookies!! The employee accommodated our party at ease. Thank you very much! read more

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This airport lounge is on the smaller side because of the size of this airport. It's also the only lounge here. Amex card holders have priority access so there is no wait. The food was delicious enough with good varieties. Well drinks are free including black label. A decent airport lounge to relax in before boarding ! read more

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I came in on a Thursday morning, not too early, because I had some time before my Southwest flight. I was warmly greeted at the front desk. It was a little crowded inside and at first glance it seemed like every table and chair was occupied. I grabbed some warm food and a coffee from the machine and managed to find an open table. Fortunately, I didn't have large bags with me. I didn't stay too long so I was able to quickly give up my table to the next guest who needed it. They are swift to clean up after someone leaves. I wasn't there for more than 30 minutes. As I was leaving, they were telling people to sign up for the waitlist because it was too crowded inside. Even though it's kind of a tight space, I've been in worse lounges with worse food and drink options, which is why I'm giving this lounge four stars. It was a decent place to sit and grab a little bit of food and drinks before my flight. read more

stopped here in the past before Priority Pass made the change to start charging entry for authorized capital one card holders. I'm disappointed PP made that change b/c now guests have to pay $35/entry which is steep. My 4 stars is for offering hot food for breakfast and a bar. and a coffee machine. (Some other lounges only offer gas station snacks and no hot food like Hawaiian airlines lounge) I thought all liquor was included but top shelf you have to pay for which was unexpected. A turn off was I overheard a couple of the staff complaining about working there especially on the weekends b/c it's so busy. While that may be true, that talk is better saved for the back room where patrons cannot hear you. the breakfast options were solid. we had eggs, potatoes, sausage patties, fruit, granola, grits, among other items. read more

The lounge itself is decent- a good amount of seating for its size- small bites hit the spot for me on a day where I haven't eaten. The only downside I experienced was the electrical outlets- many are loose and the plug falls out. I had to prop my backpack against my charger for it to work. All in all- not a bad pre-flight stop. read more

Hands down the worst lounge I've ever visited. Front desk was awful, the bartender was awful, no bathroom, no ice. My dirty dishes sat in front of me the entire 2 hours I was there. Honestly, the food was decent, and one of the guys emptying the trash was super nice, but the rest of the staff was awful. If you hate your job so much, work somewhere else. I just want a cocktail some food and to not be bothered before my flight. Ridiculous! Amex needs another lounge here. read more

I've had bad experiences at this escape lounge before but today it was fantastic! The food for breakfast was so delicious. They had a huge selection and I loved the scrambled eggs and the little potatoes and the honeydew melon. The coffee machine was working and I had the best tasting latte that I've ever had. I mean, the coffee was delicious the service I can't speak to you because I didn't interact with anyone and the ambience. I'm sorry but I just wish little kids weren't running around, but I'm grateful to be able to have a quiet place to eat. read more

Escape Lounges - Scrambled eggs, potatoes, and honeydew melon - Airport Lounges Near Me - Oakland, California

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You like this: Had a great visit to the Escape Lounge at Oakland Airport on Sunday, August 9th. The food selection was noticeably better than on my previous visits, which was great to see. It definitely feels like guest feedback is being heard and changes are being made. Also, a quick shoutout to Shannon for being friendly, attentive, and making the visit that much more enjoyable. Overall, a much-improved experience, and I'm looking forward to coming back! read more

(Late September 2025) Gate 8. Southwest territory. The frontier of humanity's eternal boarding group melee--yet here, somehow, a pocket of civilized calm. On this particular Saturday at around 6:15 p.m., roughly an hour-and-a-half before my flight to Santa Ana, the lounge was... blissfully not packed. (A miracle worth documenting.) The greeter, while not radiating the warmth of a Hallmark grandma, was refreshingly neutral--efficient, non-smirking, and crucially, not determined to make my life worse. Sometimes "didn't ruin my day" is all the customer service we really need in 2025. Zero line at the bar--zero. I was served a respectable Jim Beam Old Fashioned, not the "airport-upcharge-in-a-plastic-cup" disaster I was bracing for. Lighting: neither cave-dim nor dentist-bright. Airflow: Goldilocks. For an OAK lounge at peak travel hour, this was practically the Riviera. The food station was classic "We tried, we really did" lounge fare--cubes of cheddar standing nobly next to potato and chef salads, Mediterranean bits, finger sandwiches, mac 'n' cheese, rice, meatballs, and stewed broccoli (because somebody somewhere still believes in vitamins). Drinks? Water, iced tea, sodas. Adequate, even comforting in their mediocrity. The bar, however, is where this lounge shines--at least when you arrive during this rare lull. Picture mellow music drifting from the speakers--think Marina's "Adult Girl," the kind of track that makes you forgive humanity for boarding-group skirmishes. I sat there feeling almost suave--Oakland International as my unexpected therapist. So, thank you, OAK. For a fleeting ninety-minute stretch you offered a civilized refuge that felt improbably mellow and (dare I say) cultured. Not perfect--this isn't Doha, people--but a solid, unexpected 4-star experience. read more

Escape Lounges - View of Escape Louge just before I spilt my cocktail - Airport Lounges Near Me - Oakland, California

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I was flying out of the Oakland International terminal and was pleasantly surprised by this lounge. Small but quite nice. Bar and waitstaff were super nice; very attentive but not intrusive. It was nice being able to have lunch and a beer and get some work done before my flight. read more

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This is a solid airport lounge when grading on a curve compared to other US airport lounges. The selections of food and the quality is solid. Nice variety of drinks with a latte maker, orange juice, soda, and alcoholic beverages are available. The seats are comfortable but not lounge style. Charging ports located throughout. I had good cell service so I do not join the WiFi. The staff were efficient. Overall a nice stop to chill at before heading to the departure gates. read more

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Given the fact that Oakland is not a big airport - it's nice that they do have a lounge accessible to Amex Centurion members! It's smaller but we have always managed to find seating, has a nice range of food and full bar! It's great to escape the crowded SWA seating areas and particularly useful in times like right now when most flights are delayed at this airport ! read more

Escape Lounges - Airport Lounges Near Me - Oakland, California

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This lounge isn't bad but could be a lot better. First things first, the front desk staff is pretty boring and slightly rude. Me and my family had to wait outside for a bit, and the front desk person was just staring at us. There was another employee literally brushing his hair and putting on his wrinkled button up at the front desk. It looked sloppy, unprofessional, and a bit gross. As we walked into the lounge, the seats were limited and a bit tight spaced. They have scrambled eggs, sausage patties, oatmeal, fruit, cereal, etc. They do have OJ and coffee as well along with a small bar of only a few liquor options. I wish they added bagels or some type of carb to help balance the bar options better. It's better than nothing so I'd still lounge inside here before my flight. The employees are also a bit slow in cleaning up the tables which can be an issue for table space. read more

My review is for their Desk Attendant Shannon. I was having trouble with my Priority Pass app. Shannon went out of her way to help me. We found out my phone had the old version and Shannon helped me upgrade and capture the correct QR code. She is very kind and a 5 Star person to me! read more

Updated Review! I've had the opportunity to visit Escape Lounges quite a few times already. Sometimes there's a wait, sometimes there's not - it all depends on when you travel! On busy days like Friday evenings, there'll be a wait. But on "off" days like a Thursday or on July 4th, when not as many travelers are flying, there isn't a wait. That's not to say it won't be crowded, as it's usually filled to the brim. But hey, as long as there's not much of a wait, then it's all good with me! Typical fare still includes mostly American food (eg sandwiches, salad, soups), but occasionally there will be some Asian inspired food. Asian food isn't very authentic, but it is edible and does the job. The sandwiches and salads are pretty tasty, and I feel that this American fare is where this lounge shines. At my most recent visit, I had: * broccoli cheddar soup - tasty but very rich (as expected) * the Sicilian sandwich - yummy! Restaurant quality * Moroccan roasted carrots with yogurt sauce - I love carrots, so this was very delicious * Cucumber and tomato salad - tasty as well! * Chicken marsala - had decent flavor but chicken was unfortunately dry Staff here are friendly, both at check in and within the confines of the lounge. Overall I still give this lounge a solid 4 stars. This is Oakland airport's only lounge, so the options are limited here. Escape Lounge at OAK is a welcome respite (or escape?!) from the hustle and bustle of the airport. I'd say it's well worth the walk from the Southwest terminal. read more

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An early arrival at the airport but too early for my flight so I spent a good hour in here via priority pass. At 6:30am on a Wednesday, it had ppl in there already. Looks pretty clean and nice and lots of seatings. Not a big lounge though. Some of the seatings are not the most comfortable for long time as it can be quite narrow. Food selection was decent. Eggs, sausage, yogurt, oatmeal and a variety of juices. Looks like a good size bar but way too early for me to enjoy an alcoholic drink. I picked a corner spot and was able to connect to the oakland airport WiFi easily and had an electrical outlet to plug my laptop and phone in so it's nice and full battery for the flight. AirPods on and I was good for a good hour + to work and enjoy my breakfast without any interruptions. I was not expecting there was a lounge at this airport so it was a nice surprise. Will use again when I'm flying in-out of OAK read more

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They're open very early seven days a week from 0500-2000 hours. Located in Terminal 1 between Gate 8 and Gate 8A. Perfect before hopping on that 6AM flight and sip freshly made cappuccino and a quick bite before take off. Love their fresh fruits for breakfast. Good selection overall and adequate seating with one row that has a view of the planes. Service has always been good. Cheers! read more

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Food - not bad for lounge food. There's usually some chicken curry kind of thing and rice. Today they had Mac n cheese. Meatballs. Sweet potatoes. And a broc dish. Charcuterie. A soup. No desserts today though. I like that they have a decent variety of stuff. Hot and cold. Service - always super friendly people working the front and the bar. Ambiance - warning! No bathroom in here! Can get insanely busy where there's a wait to get in. read more

Escape Lounges - Margs - Airport Lounges Near Me - Oakland, California

This lounge is on the smaller side with a capacity of 83 people. What it lacks in size is made up by the friendly staff. The front desk team were especially friendly with a great sense of humor. The bartender was pleasant and took care of our comped cocktails efficiently The were plenty of seats, tables with power outlets throughout the lounge. I was able to get some work done during my hour+ stay here. The soup and salad offerings were good. I especially appreciated the meat and cheese board as I can snack on that all day. I sampled the chicken and had a blast with their mac n cheese. Very cheesy..loved it. The decor has the very positive Ikea showroom feel to it. Very comfortable and relaxing with some flat screen TVs placed throughout the lounge. All the furniture and decor appeared relatively new. Overall, I'm really glad that this lounge is here at the Oakland airport. Safe travels! read more

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I really like this airport lounge. We come here often because we usually fly out of oakland. My gate number is always on the opposite end of this lounge but we always made an effort to come here because it only takes 10 mins to walk from one end of the airport to the other. You can get soda, drinks, and coffee here! They serve breakfast, lunch, or dinner depending on the time of day and the food varies. The lounge itself is small but if your flight is during odd hours it is usually cozy. No bathrooms in the lounge but you can always re enter since there is a bathroom nearby. I always look forward to coming here whenever I am traveling! read more

Escape Lounges - Airport Lounges Near Me - Oakland, California

I absolutely love this place I come there every time I travel out of Oakland. Warm, quiet, and pleasant. The food is always hot and ready to go. Shannon the young lady who check me in has quite the sense of humor i couldn't stop laughing . I headed over to the bar and enjoyed the perfect mimosa made by a gentlemen name Darren, make sure if you see him at the bar let him make you drink! Ahmee came over and grabbed my plate from my table I didn't even have to move a muscle! When I did decide to grab a muffin Marius was right there to hand me a new plate. This spot remains my go to for airport relaxation. read more

Escape Lounges - Sausage, bacon, potatoes, fruit, granola, strawberry muffin, orange juice and soda - Airport Lounges Near Me - Oakland, California

Oakland is a medium-small airport so we were grateful that we had a place to grab a quick bite. The lounge was clean, and the employees working were nice and helpful. We tried the chicken, rice, and Mac-n-cheese. All are what you would expect at an airport lounge. Not bad, nothing over the top although the cookies were pretty good. Nice resting place. read more

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While the lounge is decent, the front desk and security staff was rude in their tone. "Follow the process, sign up through QR code, wait outside." The food is basic and there are no bathrooms inside. read more

Small location but great food and beverage, comfortable. Warren the host is great. Man deserves alot of credit :) read more

Came in for one drink. Stayed because I got verbally outmatched by the bartender. Not only are the drinks solid (like, actually good--not just "strong and hope for the best"), but the banter is undefeated. Quick, clever, and just the right amount of sarcastic--keeps you on your toes in the best way. If you sit at the bar, be prepared: you might get roasted a little, you'll definitely laugh, and somehow you'll end up ordering another round just to keep the conversation going. It's rare to find someone who can pour a great drink and keep the whole bar entertained without trying too hard--but he does it effortlessly. 10/10 would come back to be humbled again. read more

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So happy they have a priorty pass lounge in oakland airport now. Quite spacious inside. Lots of seating. Chill vibes. It was very clean inside. The service was great. The people were very nice. The food was quite delicious. I really enjoyed the mushrooms a lot. They also switched foods while we were there to lunch, so it was cool to eat the mac and cheese and chicken as well. Mimosas was bomb! Lots of champagne. The downside of this lounge was the fact that they don't have any bathrooms in there. We had to go outside to use the bathroom. What a huge bummer. read more

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Horrible. The space is clastrophobic. There were people constantly bumping into my table, luggage, and my chair. There's no restroom in the lounge. The employees that work here were clearly disgruntled. This showed in their demeanor towards me and other customers. read more

Not the best lounge, though any lounge is better than no lounge. It's fairly small but comfortable enough. They have eggs, sausage, bacon, fruit, coffee, sparkling, wine, etc. It's fine. read more

Escape Lounges - Normal sausage, maybe a vegan, weird sausage, and eggs. - Airport Lounges Near Me - Oakland, California

Food selection has improved for lunch but lounge is very crowded and furnishings are pretty dated. Frig does not stock diet drinks. Staff is nice. Overall one of the weaker links in the Escape program.l & not worth going out of your way to visit. read more

Oh my, needs a lot of work. The good: it's quiet, plenty of seating. At 10 am on a Monday the coffee is out, one of the two espresso machine systems is not functioning, and very limited food. There are quite a few employees, but most are simply chatting. As a lounge, this is not a great experience. read more