Attended the Edgar Allan Poe Speakeasy event this past weekend and thought the venue worked…read moreperfectly for this theatrical experience. Though the outside does not look like much, the inside of the ballroom is characterized by ornate patterns on the walls and around the stage, and unique light fixtures hanging from the ceiling. Not a whole lot to be impressed by, as it still looks quite plain and simple overall, sort of like an ordinary conference room. But I guess that's what makes Oakstop special, that it's multi-use. It was fitting for the event I attended, and they set up the seating, decor and lighting just fine. It wouldn't be my first choice for a wedding or other celebratory event though.

Had yet another fantastic offsite- this time for my OBGYN chiefs and managers- at the newly…read morerenovated California Ballroom. The space is super charming - it has a simultaneously old and new style, which makes it classically modern. It's like you are going to see some grand theatrical performance upon entering. There is new carpeting, teardrop hanging lights, modern bathrooms, bar counter, small private room for calls or soon to be lactation, and a brand new cozy and stylish extra meeting room in the back! The A/V works well, although there is some minor acoustic issues for people in the back. I think the speaker just needed to use the mic better, however. Our event was an end of year meeting/ celebration for all of the 2019 accomplishments and we did a Grammy-style award show at the end- the stage came in handy for this! Working with Paul to secure the venue was great- he's very organized and detailed. Everything you discuss is in the contract and he's very amenable to any changes and responsive to the many questions I ping ponged to him. Appreciated his patience and coordination very much! Lots of kudos to the day of coordinator, Meghan, who was the wind beneath my wings during my event. She assisted with everything at every request, whether it was new batteries for the mic, ensuring the caterers were able to get in, or just reassuring me when I was acutely stressed. She's the best! Definitely recommend California Ballroom for your next event! Just email Paul at info@californiaballroom.com for more info!

Funny how the owner David left this comment responding to my review when he wasn't there and all of…read moretheir trash cans were full from the previous party. So we proceeded to ask the lady who he left in charge who pretty much knew NOTHING and she told us to just leave it out there and she would take care of it so WE DID and that resulted in them taking our deposit. Sounds like a scam from the business to me. Employee tells you one thing, owners tell you another. Please people don't even bother getting scammed and I'm sure if I left the place in a mess, he would've taken photos. We cleaned up everything and even swept the place. These people are full of it, don't waste your time. Also took him a year to respond, never responded to any of the emails or calls. Scam likely , bravo!

I have hosted several events at this location (an event for my business, a clothing swap, a class),…read moreand attended many more events and parties since the space opened in February. As a host, the space is reasonably priced, clean, well-lit, conveniently located, and most importantly - completely wheelchair accessible. There are very few venues in the East Bay where the entire space is accessible. In this case, this includes the mezzanine (there is a lift), and there are 2 accessible bathrooms (of the 6 total bathrooms). I have also found that the space has adequate tables and chairs, as well as a small stage, a projector, and sound system, so I don't have the added expense of renting those things. I wish it had a kitchen (it has a fridge), but other than that, this space is awesome for lots of types of events! I already have another event booked there in November.

We recently hosted our Connection Circle event at The Alice Collective, and it was the perfect…read morespace for our self-care and community gathering. From the moment guests arrived, they were welcomed into an environment that felt warm, intentional, and inspiring. One of the standout features of the venue is the beautiful bar area--its design and gorgeous lighting truly set the tone and added a special ambiance to the entire event. It created such a memorable backdrop for connection, conversation, and celebration throughout the day. The venue also includes a beautiful outdoor space, which added so much dimension to the experience. We hosted wellness vendors outside and even had a photo shoot on the other side of the courtyard--it flowed seamlessly with the rest of the event and offered the perfect mix of indoor and outdoor vibes. Our event included sound baths, massage therapy, wellness activations, and more--and the space accommodated it all effortlessly. Amanda, Lamont, and their team were an absolute pleasure to work with, helpful, professional, and genuinely supportive. If you're planning an event in Oakland and want a space that's both stylish and soulfully curated, I can't recommend The Alice Collective enough. We're already looking forward to coming back!

Very cute and spacious coffee shop event space with a private outdoor patio!I I was able to visit…read morethis space for a media event and whisky tasting. I met 1 of the owners and they encouraged us to spread the word!

Great affordable space for a party…read more I've been busy, so it was one year ago I through a graduation party for my Best friend. It was a great experience. The event space was a big blank slate and I was able to throw a fiesta themed party. I know the website had a list of approved vendors they wanted you to use but when I inquired about it, I was informed that they hadn't updated the site and I could use any caterer I wanted. I'm not sure if this is updated info since it was a year ago but that was my experience so I'd inquire. It saved me money and since it was a fiesta I was able to use a traditional taqueria for the food which brought an authentic experience to the party. Also it was catered and dropped off in the kitchen so I was able to replenish the buffet area that was located away from the kitchen with ease. I just needed the help of my three closest men to keep it looking good and stocked. The city workers who opened the hall for me were very friendly and helpful. I set up with ease and a different person came to help lock up afterwards. Important note: my friend opted for an afternoon party and we were cleared out by dark. I don't know if I would have felt comfortable if it was a nighttime event since it's a dark lake and open to whomever shows. My opinion is do an earlier party so you can see the beautiful view. I took off one star because there were flies near the entrance that I had to keep the area closed until the party started so they wouldn't get in. But it's nature so it's not their fault. I liked that there were bathrooms located right outside the entrance for my guests. I did not have a problem with outsiders using them since we were on the second floor. I also looked that there was plenty of parking since it was on the lake and a whole parking lot next to the Sailboat house.

I'm surprised there are only a few reviews of this location beside Lake Merritt. It's a venue…read morerented for various events I have attended, namely Oaklandish puts on a Radio Regatta here every year, which has kegs upstairs, and stuff going on in the courtyard below. I also come to some 420 event a few years ago and people were legally sparking up like crazy upstairs. So so Oakland. There's a kitchen area off this main room where food has been served from at events I've attended, but I'm not sure that it's a fully functional kitchen. The space is primarily on the second floor of the structure, so you have a nice vantage point of the Lake, the view is really nice. The room is large and feels like a church rec. hall to me. Someone said the floor is hardwood but I'm pretty certain it's linoleum. Lots of bright light makes it cheerful despite it's institutional vibe. The outdoor patio is also super sweet. It tends to be pretty calm on the water here, so the patio is a nice place to soak up sun. It's not difficult to find parking nearby, and it's also a walkable location from nearby Grand avenue and even from BART, if you had to hoof it from 19th St. BART it wouldn't be too taxing. The restrooms for this building are external, as far as I know, at least for the events I have attended, you have to go outside to the public restrooms. These bathrooms can be a lifesaver when you're walking the lake. I have fond memories of times spent in this very 70's 'boathouse' by Lake Merritt!

I first visited the Albert H. DeWitt Officers' Club 4-5 years ago when the County of Alameda hosted…read morea Combined Charities kick-off breakfast there. I remember being really impressed with the beautiful interior - dark wood and the chandeliers and booths in the main dining room. When my then fiance and I started looking for venues in April 2022, we really had no idea what to expect. Katherine Sirota with Alameda's Recreation and Parks Department (ARPD) quickly let us know their availability for the remainder of 2022 and early 2023 since you can book up to a year in advance. We opted for the first long weekend in 2023 - the Martin Luther King Jr. weekend and went ahead and paid the deposit. This place is quite popular for events and I definitely encourage brides to get in touch with staff sooner rather than later to secure their date. ARPD provides really comprehensive documentation to walk you through the planning process including individual room layouts depending on which rooms you book (the Lobby and Main Hallway are included). The Lobby area was perfect for the photobooth we ended up renting, some extra seating for guests who wanted to sit for a bit, and the welcome table. The Main Hallway was great for setting up chafing dishes for buffet service. We also ended up booking the Trident Room for cocktail hour (perfect for our 150ish guests) and they have a portable bar and cocktail tables for use. The Main Dining Room was perfect for dinner and our 18 tables fit quite comfortable with extra room for a fully clear dance floor, coffee and tea station, and boba and dessert tables. There are some limitations when it comes to the kind of decor - no sparklers, no candles/flames, no fog machines, etc., but the venue is honestly beautiful enough without needing too much to dress it up. The venue was also really flexible when it came to all the vendors we used - Cousins Maine Lobster out on the patio, Noodle Belly on the interior, So Good Photobooth, etc. which really helped us cut costs. Lastly, on the day-of, they have an attendant there at 11 am until midnight. It was great because we got to drop things off in the morning so that the waitstaff could set-up before our afternoon cocktail hour and evening dinner. I realize some people may feel more comfortable dropping off and setting up well in advance, but I think the option to do so may only be for Saturday events (our wedding was a Sunday). When it came time to do the walkthrough at the end of the event, the attendant was really thorough and quick. We ended up just needing to clear out a few extra garbage bins but were otherwise told we'd get our deposit back. Katherine confirmed this along with our mailing address the next business day and I was really happy with their responsiveness and guidance throughout the whole process. One thing to note is that parking is not a problem here since there's a huge lot across the street from the building. One other review I read said they didn't feel quite safe in the area, but nothing happened during our event.

We recently held our wedding at the O'Club and found that it was a fun, yet affordable, location…read more We were able to bring our own caterer & alcohol, which was a big bonus, and the tables & chairs come with the rental if you're on a budget. (We ended up renting chaivari chairs at the very last minute, but the ballroom chairs that they own will do in a pinch.) It was quite difficult to find a large enough venue on a smaller budget in the Bay Area, but we found that the O' Club fit our needs beautifully. Some of these pros & cons might be similar to other posts: Pros: - Reasonable fees - On-site staff is very helpful but communication with the Parks & Recs department was a bit difficult at times, i.e. they showed up late to our appointment showing & there was no number to reach them at so we weren't sure if/when they were actually going to show up. - BYOB, which saved a ton of money - Free & ample parking - Huge kitchen access - Multiple areas to use/rent (we used the Trident Room for the ceremony & Ballroom for the reception, Garden for family photos, etc.) Cons: - Pretty old & run down on the outside. - Communication with parks & recs department was difficult at times

Completely new floor restoration and painting…read more Great place for any event you have to throw a great party.

Upstairs at Alameda Eagles Hall is the SF bay area mecca of zydeco music!…read moreEvery Friday night at 9, without fail, great bay area bands, as well as visiting bands from Louisiana & Texas. Beautiful hardwood dance floor, huge hall, & beer, wine & soft drinks. No shortage of good dancers either. And come early for the free dance lesson!

Very professional operation definitely.!!! very clean and the parking lot helps a lot a couple of…read morebig parking lots within a block a lot of parking plus the management is marvellous

اشكر الاخ ابراهيم من اعماق قلبي على الاخلاق الرايع والاجابه على كل الأسئلة لقد كان يوم مميز جدًا…read moreالصاله روعه جدًا انصح كل واحد يحجز الصاله ان يحجز المنجر سستن سوف تساعد مع جميع التجهيزات وعندها كامل الخبر وتشعر انك في ضيافتهم

Beautiful place to have an event, party, or celebration. Went there for my Aunt's 75th birthday..read more

Planned to have my baby shower here . The lady told me one thing then waited for me to send my…read moredeposit to say something completely different . I was told the price was $1500 with a $500 deposit. Once I sent my deposit she sent a receipt back With an ending balance of $1500. once I contacted her she told me it was $2000 with a $500 deposit but never mentioned it was $2000 when we spoke nor in the contract . She uses word play to try to make people think it's only $1500 but then switches it once you send your deposit . I wouldn't recommend this place. She's not honest. Any normal person would just say its $2000 with a $500 deposit . Not it's $1500 with a $500 deposit making people think they would only owe $1000. Then she puts the $2000 in the account part of the receipt so you would think it's an account number and not a price . Very sneaky . The place is not even worth $2000.