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    Jack London Square

    3.8 (320 reviews)
    Open Open 24 hours
    Updated over 3 months ago

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    12/7/24 Tree lighting event. Boat parade.
    Lee D.

    Named after the author Jack London and owned by the Port of Oakland. Quality/Quantity - Sadly they still have a long way to go. Lost our Golden State Warriors to San Francisco. Lost our Raiders to Las Vegas. Go Oakland A's!!! Well, they are in Sacramento right now, soon to be in LV... Atmosphere - Personally, I like having this place to myself... But every now and then, it would be nice to have company, LOL. Sundays = Farmers market. Getting smaller and smaller, less and less vendors. Ferry = 5 stars, a great way to travel. The best is the free water taxi from Alameda and back. I have not tried it yet, but I can't wait! Restaurants: Farmhouse Kitchen = 5 Stars. Forge = Good for beer, happy hour, and people watching. It is still on my list to try their food. Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon = Have to stop by and support them. They are one of the oldest bars in Oakland, if not CA. Planks = A cool spot, but not my vibe. Rosenblum Winery = 5 stars, see my other Yelp review. Scotts = Blast from the past. I have not been here in decades. The coolest part is the public dock. You can sail your boat, dock, and have lunch here. Seabreeze = Newest restaurant here. I've been here, but it was during my pre-Yelp life. ;) Etc. On their website they also have the following restaurants which I did not really consider as part of Jack London Square?!?! Ben & Jerry, Dragon Gate, Kuidaore (new?), Mia, Noka, Yoshis (one of our favorites), etc. The former presidential yacht USS Potomac is also moored at an adjacent slip. Service - Okay. Also depends on what you do, eat, or drink. Price - Same answer as service. Owner Comment - Congrats on your success since 1951. I look forward to one day seeing you thrive.

    1/2025
    Jean L.

    Oh Jack London Square, I've missed you in your glory days of over a decade and a half ago. I remembered in the late 2000s when I first experienced your vibrancy and all the cool events you hosted from arts & crafts festivals to farmers markets to everything in between. Those were good times. Post pandemic, things dwindled. One of my previous visits was in 2022 when I got to check out the 90s Exhibit and the neighboring stores/restaurants were about 1/2 occupied. Fast forward to my most recent visit of a few Saturdays ago, you're now at 3/4 vacancy, I was even shocked to find some of your anchor restaurants gone. I'm not giving up on you just yet. There's still time for things to turn around. Jack London Square is prime location to catch sunsets and take breezy strolls. Love that the ferry is still in occupation, and sometimes crowded, which is great! #3/2025

    Yolanda H.

    An easy walkable bay side area. There are eateries and drinking spots nearby. There were many notable marquees regarding the history of Oakland and this area.

    Sharon P.

    I enjoyed jack london square. I've never had an issue here. Lots of restaurants and entertainment. Walking distance from downtown and the ART train. Amtrak delivers you directly to this location as well. You don't even have to drive. I would be interested in exploring some of the restaurants in the square. I just need that sponsored hotel stay first because I'm not from the area.

    Jack London's Cabin and wolf sculpture
    Annabelle R.

    Jack London Square isn't just a place for great restaurants and shopping, they hold some awesome festivals and events here too, from food fests to art and music exhibitions, most of them free of cost. I've been to quite a few community gatherings and celebrations at this lovely location over the years, and it's always a good time. This past Saturday, we attended the Holiday Tree Lighting, and were entertained by a laser light show, musical performances on stage, and fun characters on site, like Frosty the Snowman and an elf on stilts. We also viewed the Lighted Yacht Parade on the water, numerous boats decorated and lit up, full of color and christmas spirit, for the crowd's amusement. Most of all, we enjoyed the beautiful waterfront setting which is always a treat at Jack London Square. Businesses here have come and gone, but some great ones remain, such as Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon, and there are some newer restaurants that offer decent options for dining, and entertainment centers, like Plank, that provide family-friendly fun. Then there are some deserted and vacant spaces, which on a non-event day makes the place feel a bit dead. Still, there's a lot to appreciate at JLS, including its history, along with several public art pieces and monuments for visitors to explore, such as Jack London's Cabin and the accompanying wolf sculpture. And it's easy to access, with public transportation nearby. If you want free street parking on event days, come early. Otherwise, there are several parking garages in the area that charge a fee.

    Selina L.

    I love coming here. Nice view. Good Restaurants. Farmers market on Sunday sometimes. Clean. I've eaten at Left Bank and Farmhouse and love them both. Parking is easy. There's a few lots nearby, or if it's daytime you can find street parking for free.

    I found a candy store!!
    Susie D.

    I think this area of the waterfront is still under development, as there are some vacant storefronts, but it was a clean, spacious and well lit place to take a stroll after work while staying in downtown Oakland. My favorite part is the family-owned sweets shop that sells brands from my childhood that I haven't seen in years, like Chuckles and Fun Dip! I got in a few thousand steps walking up and down the large open sidewalks and along the waterfront. All very clean, fresh and new. No one was smoking. Cool fountain. I had a nice evening.

    Eva S.

    Enjoy a wonderful evening stroll at the Marina by Jack London Square this Friday night. Make sure to catch the sunset and soak in the live music performances. Have an amazing time! We also visited Noka Ramen for their delicious ramen. The broth was incredibly rich and topped with a perfectly marinated soft-boiled egg. We felt extra special being served by the colorful Power Rangers! The only reason only 4 stars is because parking lot was full by 7pm on Friday night . Make it difficult to get a parking.

    Sanaz S.

    A fun icon in Oakland. Restaurants, shops, and a Farmers Market on the weekend. The Amtrak station is right there as well. Not a large area, but lots to see. Next visit I need to try Souley Vegan! My brother lives directly across the bay in Alameda so we get to see JLS all the time from his 3 decks.

    Phil A.

    I still enjoy coming to Jack London Square for lots of reasons!! They have a lot of festivals here now, Eat Real Festival, Cinco De Mayo Festival, Oakland A's Fanfest just to name a few. Plank seems to be the liveliest restaurant here with their outdoor Beer Garden with all the TV screens. It's a good place to pop in to without feeling committed. But there are others here as well, Seabreeze On the Dock, Forge Pizza, Scott's Seafood Restaurant has been here a long time, and Farmhouse kitchen are the main ones. They also have Jack London Cinema which is directly across the street from the parking garage. I don't come here as often as I used to, but this is a great place to just enjoy, the Marina is a great place for sunsets, you can grab a drink old school style at the First And Last Chance Saloon, or hang out on the Ferry Lawn!! Always a good time here!! It used to be really lively here at night, but now I think there's more people here during the day than night. During Covid, this was a good place to come if you just wanted to get out and do something, a lot of their restaurants have outdoor seating available.

    Brian B.

    World renowned author Jack London lived not far from the square named after him. The square does not exude the spirit of the author as much as sell a nightlife experience in the form of touristy restaurants and music venues. I really like the lounge chair public bench design to soak up the sun. There is a ferry that operates from the San Francisco Ferry terminal, which is one of my favorite bay experiences and cheaper than a tour boat. The Capitol Corridor train also lands here in its way from San Jose to Sacramento and even Colfax if that is where the winds of adventure blow you. Favorite quote: "I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them. I shall use my time." - Jack London

    Theresa M.

    We have been here multiple times. I like going here because of the bay view and has a spacious walk area. You can browse while waiting for your seat at a restaurant or take couple of pics in some spots of the bay. There's multiple restaurants to choose from and if your group feels like bowling, there's a really nice alley called Plank. It's a resto bar with huge screens and has music playing in the background. They have an arcade too and It looks fun! Most restaurants here has an outdoor dining so you can have a bayview while eating. There's also a walking trail if you want to go for a long walk. It's just sad that there's more than a couple of vacancies we noticed. This must be due to the pandemic. Hopefully they get filled soon! We will keep coming back here.

    Adorable setup!
    Shayla B.

    Aaahh, Jack London Square. It's definitely not the same as it used to be, but it's still a historic Oakland staple that deserves much recognition. Been coming to Jack London Square for years and it truly holds a special place in my heart. I have so many wonderful memories of hanging out in this square with family and friends over the years. This used to be the major kick it spot for my friends and I back in the day. Nowadays, it seems a bit jaded as many of the long-time businesses have closed up shop. But even though many of my favorites have closed over the years (Miss Pearl's, Kincaids, etc.), there are still some real gems here. When it comes to Jack London Square for me, it's definitely all about the food and drink. There are some awesome restaurants and bars here. Heinold's is one of my favorite classic dives and it's also one of the most popular bars in the square. There are some wonderful tasting rooms here like Minimo, Rosenblum, and Crooked City Cider. They've also got a nice amount of breweries around, many of which are newish. As far as restaurants go, there's a ton. A few of my favorites include: *Scott's Seafood *Oakland Grill *Buttercup *Chop Bar *The Fat Lady *Home of Chicken & Waffles (for the food not the service) As far as entertainment and activities go, there's a lot to do here in the square. Yoshi's has been a long-standing lounge for great live music (the food isn't my favorite, but the shows have been awesome). Plank is a fun spot to visit if you're into bowling, but they also have a nice outdoor bar are with firepits too. There's a weekly farmer's market that runs year around and usually features some well-known Bay Area vendors and food trucks. The marina offers boating activities and there's a great paved path that's excellent for walking and running. There's a large grassy area where you can lounge out and picnic. They've recently added several lounge chairs and picnic tables for outdoor dining and relaxing. They usually have several events here throughout the year (hasn't been as prevalent during COVID). My absolute favorite annual event to attend in the square is the Eat Real Festival! Hands down one of the best foodie events in the Bay Area! I've always discovered some of the best food trucks and vendors during this festival. Plus, I get to stuff my face to death all day with yummy food. During the holidays, they put a huge Christmas Tree up and they usually have a tree lighting ceremony. They often have live music and other fun events going on. There's a parking garage that's conveniently located underground right in the middle of the square and they also offer valet parking. I honestly have only parked in that parking garage maybe a handful of times. I'm usually able to find a spot a few blocks down on the street (I've been doing this for years). It used to really be bustling around here, but I think COVID really took a beating on its' charm. But even with that, it's still thriving. I will always have love for Jack London Square.

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    ROACHES!!!! No refrigerators,dirty room,NO AC NO HEAT,NO TV ! what's the point in a hotel if u can't get simple amenities!?

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    2 years ago

    I love to walk around any Sunday, check the shops, restaurants, stands, look at the see and imagine Jack London and his Reindeer sloop.

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    Ask the Community - Jack London Square

    I heard there was a store similar to a Sanrio store in Jack London Square is this true and if so what's the name of the store?

    I've never seen a store similar to a Sanrio at Jack London Square in Oakland. Perhaps maybe towards downtown, but not at JLS.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

    Review Highlights - Jack London Square

    The Eat Real Festival is as good as it gets here and drinking in public is allowed during the event.

    Mentioned in 11 reviews

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    Jack London Square - shoppingcenters - Updated May 2026

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