I had a good run here during the COVID years. It's nice there are so many non profits in the space. Keep in mind that the first floor echoes a lot and there's a non profit where moms leave their screaming crying babies in the main open area so also like many spaces there's absolutely no regard for the quiet rooms and people love talking loudly on the phone. Like there will be a completely empty large room and you're the only one there and someone will decide to have an open cheesy business call right next to you. For such an expensive membership I wish there was more enforcement of quiet spaces since there are many phone booths . The Kaiser garden is great and there's even a cool dance studio ! The rooftop is just great when it's warm! If you're a single female be aware there are polyamorous men here so you'll know whom to avoid and unfortunately a lack of young non Polyamorous men but that's how the cookie crumbles read more

Visiting came from a recommendation (to a U.C. Berkeley Extension course) & was definitely worth the trip: free tour & a day pass for filling out a brief form at their URL - and friendly folks who'll answer your questions. A short (2-3 block) walk from BART - and some cool acoustics on the street (so maybe someone will drive by and share some cool beats from The Town if you're lucky)... read more

In the 3 years that I've been a member of The Port, I've never once thought of switching to another co-working space. On a warm day like today, working on the members-only rooftop terrace, with Lake Merritt sparkling before me, is pretty fabulous. The terrace is only one of many well-designed spaces available here. No matter what my mood or what task is at hand, I always find somewhere perfect to settle and get work done. I can also take a walk in the rooftop garden or by the lake to clear my head. The productivity boost I'm getting compared to working from home means that membership literally pays for itself. The other big draw is the members themselves. There is a real community here that I think a lot of coworking spaces lack. People make eye contact LOL! The Port's team of community managers really work hard to make it a great place to network and make friends. read more

I've been a happy member of the Port's Kaiser location for several months now -- it's a wonderful place to work. I'm the only remote member of a small team based in Detroit, and when I started working remotely I was worried about what operational challenges the space might bring. There hasn't been a single hiccup with the Port. Plenty of space to take calls and video conferences, a good variety of more communal and social spaces as well as more quiet and focused areas. And they happily accommodated my need to work odd hours to be in sync with my team. The space itself is huge and offers a ton of variety, between the three floors inside, a private outdoor terrace just for members, and direct access to the public garden above the Kaiser Center garage. Not to mention it's in the same building as a gym and directly across the street from Lake Merritt, it's a pretty prime spot. Despite the great space and location, I feel like the staff is what really makes the Port tick -- everyone is warm and welcoming, responsive, and eager to make the Port a space that works for all its members. There are multiple community events every week -- professional trainings sessions, catered member meals once a month, concerts and events on the roof, watch parties for Warriors games, makerspace sessions, yoga classes... the list goes on and on. The staff knows members by name, and help pull the member community together in a number of small but significant ways. In short, I would happily recommend the Port to anyone looking for a coworking space. It has met all my expectations and then some. read more

I LOVE this Oakland business! I love the locations, I love the whole vibe, and I love it that, as a remote worker (for a major company) and a small business entrepreneur, I am SO MUCH MORE PRODUCTIVE than I would be if I continued working at home. I'm extremely sensitive to light and aesthetics, so I can't say the Kaiser Mall location is my favorite of all the Port workspaces. But it's extremely close to my home (In fact I ran over here today because my internet went down while I was working from home.) People are very respectful of the rules re; quiet, etc., and are just generally very chill. There's also a great rooftop deck overlooking Lake Merritt which is mega-pleasant on nice days. It's a huge boon to my life that I have a membership at The Port Workspaces. read more

I've worked at several co-working places and The Port off 20th is my favorite. It's right by Lake Merritt so you can take a break and take a walk. The views from the outdoor lounge are amazing and you can work from the outdoor lounge. Cold brew coffee or kombucha on tap is included along with various teas, self serve drip coffee and keurig. They also have access to the Kaiser rooftop garden. WiFi works, the other people that work here are all friendly, they offer free yoga and qi gong classes. Lots of fridge space on two floors, microwaves and sinks on all three floors. There's a quiet area that has a beautiful view of the rooftop garden. read more

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I've worked in four co-working locations (two WeWork, The Port, and Impact Hub) and this is the worst by a good measure. Some of the issues include: - Wifi: they prohibit video conferencing (?!?!) and in an attempt to curb it, they throttle mobile wifi speeds to about 1mbps (less than half the speed I got using Verizon in the building) - Heating: it's cold in the winter. People seem to abandon the main floor and head up to the third floor, which is better, but the main floor is pretty cold. - Amenities: ostensibly there are drinks on tap, but they were frequently out for extended periods. - Water cooler: there is no proverbial water cooler at the Port. Actually, there is no literal water cooler. You have to use Brita jugs, which are kept at room temperature (people requested a cooler for months while I was there, but none came) - Bike parking: there were repeated issues with people getting into the bike parking area; one day, I discovered my U-Lock had been cut (they didn't get through the metal, but cut through the plastic coating) Pros include location, the roof deck (it really is great) and one of the community managers (Latefah) is nice. Overall, though, it's managed poorly, underinvested in, and is essentially the Motel 6 of co-working, but at Marriott prices. I can't imagine paying for a desk there now that WeWork is in Oakland. read more

I leased a dedicated desk at the Port for a few months in 2016. They had frequent internet problems. I had to move my dedicated desk 3 times both because of the internet problems and because they had given someone else's desk. I had been using the person's desk without their knowledge while they were away. There were also people using the space to sleep. I was working on a time sensitive project and expressed my concern to them about the frequent internet outages (there were a lot of people frustrated at the time), frequent desk changes and the people sleeping. I just moved back to the Bay Area and thought about giving them a second chance since it had been almost 2 years, thinking they had gone through an expansion and maybe now had stable internet. They wrote me back and said that because I had expressed concerns about getting the wrong desk, having the internet out for days and moving my desk all over the building that they could not meet my needs. So...instead of thinking, 'oh hey, this customer had a horrible experience which was totally our fault and is giving us another chance,' they decide to just lash out and refuse to lease to me. Maybe they are better than they were, but their reaction makes me question that. read more

I worked at the Port for 4 months while I incubated a new business. It was a wonderful place to work. I found the environment very conducive to getting stuff done & being creative. And the roof deck is amazing. read more

I've been at The Port for 1,5 years, and most frequently go to the Kaiser Mall location on Webster & 20th. Being self-employed, it's nice to have a place to go to for work and be around people while working. I've made friends here that I see outside of work, and I've met them mostly through the many events the Port organizes for its members. The space is large, so of course issues come up sometimes (with wifi or people being loud), but the community managers are always available and quick to lend a helping hand. The facilities are good: large refrigerators to store food/drinks, enough equipment to prep a meal (I work nights a lot), fresh coffee and tea, and (sometimes) beer and kombucha on tap. The place generally is clean, although sometimes other members leave the kitchens quite dirty -- it always gets cleaned up the next morning, but what can I say? Some people are pigs and leave stuff behind like they're at a stadium concert instead of a shared co-working space. I've been at other co-working spaces before, and The Port definitely has the most value for its price. read more

Couldn't ask for more! We are brand new members of the Port and are thrilled to be joining the community. The space itself is GIANT. The downtown Oakland location used to be an old shopping mall and the high ceilings and the spacious atmosphere make it unlike any other co-working space in the area. We toured the space multiple times before finalizing and each time the staff were extremely friendly and knowledgable. When we had questions, they were answered. They anticipated our needs and worked with us to get creative with our space. There are always open chairs and desks and the volume is very controlled. I can't wait to sunbathe on the rooftop deck or stroll through the upstairs gardens! Lastly, shout out to Wendy for being absolutely incredible. Happy to be a member!!! read more

For the last two months I've worked here, the AC in our private office space has been broken. So, we are paying ~$800/desk/month for a "private space" while in reality we can't close the door (and even with it open, it's still hot). Staff are hit or miss- some are friendly, others are outright standoffish. I've had several make pretty rude comments to me. The general vibe feels like I'm someone's college acquaintance crashing on a couch where I've overstayed my welcome. My suggestion - spend your money elsewhere. This place is not well run and they certainly don't care about customer satisfaction. read more

In 2020, there were many questions about how best to work and be safe without losing it. The Port was able to provide limited access for members while maintaining safety as the highest priority. I was someone who needed that limited access while also wanting to be safe. Other than a great dynamic workspace the Port is in a nice and peaceful area right by Lake Merrit. read more

Poor customer service the event here was not at all what I expected! Buyers beware!!!

This is a great co-working space. I've been a member for just under a year now and the staff has been really responsive and accommodating whenever I've had a request. The rooftop terrace kind of sells itself. But the rest of the space is nicely decorated and wonderful to work in as well. read more

Last week our nonprofit co-hosted a community building event with The Port at their 20th St./Kaiser location and it was sheer perfection. The staff was amazing. From planning, walk through, set up, to clean up, they had it down. Clockwork precision, always with a smile and a "let's get this done right" attitude. If you're looking for a beautiful place to work/for your business that cares about it's community and offers an environment conducive to personal and professional growth at a more than competitive price...while surrounded by great people, The Port Workspaces is where you need to be. read more

Great place to work. Best value you'll find in Oakland. Friendly staff and really large facilities. Internet is good enough for video calls.

When I located this place, I thought it was a great location for our start-up. The price was fair, the amenities were very appealing to the eye. Our organization decided to give it a try. After paying a start up fee of $100 and the monthly fee, we were ready to go. Our first gathering, the key card did not work. We sat outside waiting to enter the facility for 30 minutes. We tried to contact someone, however no one answered nor returned our calls. Someone was kind enough to let us in. Although we were grateful, this pose a huge security risk. Once we were in, the escalators were off, with no signage alerting members which posed a dangerous condition. As a selling point they advertise free drinks at the bar. However, the taps were full of suds, fizz and flies flying around. The sink was full of dirty dishes. We made several attempts to contact the staff to voice our concerns. We were finally able to get the key card activated. Then we had billing issues. We made several attempts to discuss our billing for the month. We were billed for hours at a location that we never utilized. We voiced our concerns about the customer service and the lack there off and our membership was cancelled. We asked for our startup fee , the answer was no. So here's what I don't understand, this is a place that has been placed in our community to provide an alternative work space that could promote growth. And you cancelled memberships stating the decision is final and keep the money???? You engage in conversation with someone who's name was not on the contractual agreement and your decision is final ???Instead of picking up the phone and speaking with me, you go back and forth in email conversation with a member of the organization. Professionalism???? Customer Service??? You could have at least return the $100. We utilized your building for less than a month. Simply because we are professionals and we are not use to dealing with mediocre customer service, you cancel???? I spoke with other members who informed us that they had been ripped off my the owner and the management. Maybe I should have paid more attention to the logo. Pirates are notorious for stealing booty...... read more

I've been a member for 2 months. This place is the best! A very good rate for unlimited access. A HUGE facility with all sorts of environments to work in and it doesn't feel at all crowded. There are plenty of quiet areas, in case it does fill up. A friendly, helpful staff. And that's just the Kaiser Mall location. read more

Love the outdoor patio! Great staff, cool kitchen, way better than wework! I usually work out of the city center location, but I love going here as well, also so many coworking events such as community lunch and yoga ! read more

This is an incredibly inspiring building throughout! From the sound of water flowing when you first enter, all the way to the incredible roof top garden! The atmosphere and staff are incredible. They all go above and beyond to meet your needs and they are always really welcoming. In addition, they have a lot of member events throughout each week that are definitely worth going to, as well as monthly lunches. Would highly recommend this co-working space! read more

I've been here about ten months. Long stretches where I don't use it because of travel or what not, but then times when I do. The pro and con of the Port is that it's just not that corporate. On balance I like that. Staff is responsive, and the place just feels warm and real. There are times when it could use a little polish: more clean, the kombucha tap working, plugs more available. But I think it's a great place and a good value, and I plan to continue on. If you're looking for co-working in Oakland I would definitely give it a look. read more

I'm a big fan of this place despite it not being as buttoned up as my experience coworking at a WeWork. First off, the Kaiser building has a ton of character, as it's a converted mall space. I work in the dedicated desk area on the second floor, which provides a ton of individual or group desk options, a great kitchen, a yoga room (), and a mini theater room. While there aren't any windows, the dedicated desk area is lit with grow lights so my desktop plants thrive and give me a much needed reminder of the outdoors. I'm a person who likes to change up my scenery a lot while working and this is the *ultimate* coworking location for that - with a quiet room that has enormous picture windows with a view of the public rooftop garden, a couple kitchen/bar working areas, a maker space (how awesome is this?!) and a private rooftop lounge complete with hammocks, a tiki bar and a view of lake Merritt. There's plenty of food options close by and great happy hour spots abound. I'm not a huge event or networking person, but I know the Port offers many events, wellness classes, and classes for creatives at their multiple locations. This review wouldn't be complete without a massive compliment to the community managers and staff. As I mentioned at the beginning of my post, not everything is perfect at the Port, but these folks are so passionate and responsive to member's needs. I have been here a year and have watched Wendy, Taune, Eric, Lena, Christine, and now Sabrina bust their buns to constantly improve the working environment and the co working experience. It's notably better than when I started a year ago and it shows in the ever increasing number of members. The Port staff are always improving furniture arrangements, adding more plants, enhancing the yoga room, creating more opportunities for members to engage, responding to member concerns... And always appear to love their jobs. In other words, they rock and are a major reason why I love my experience at the Kaiser Port Workspaces. read more

It is a nice spot. The 'quiet' area needs some help, though. It is usually the loudest spot in the place because this is the place where the people who run the place are seated. So, they are naturally on the phone, coordinating, and showing new people around or touring to potential new tenants. People who are visiting tend to hang out and talk loudly on the edges of the 'quiet' area. It would be great if the front desk was on the first floor instead of on the third floor 'quiet' area. This would make more sense in terms of noise, receiving shipments/mail, and greeting potential new tenants, and coordinating tours. It is nice now, but I sense it will become louder as more people join. So, I hope they can revise this issue. Otherwise, it is a great spot. Wifi is great. Printer is great. Move the "bar" area on the top floor away from the "quiet" zone into the seating area near the windows overlooking the tiki bar and lake. Would be nice to drink and look out the window, right? Instead of sitting in the dark area, near the "quiet" zone. If you are looking for a quiet area to work, the "quiet" area is typically louder than some of the new coffeeshops popping up in Uptown, so that might be a cheaper option. read more

Speaking for the City Center space, the staff are very supportive in providing everything from server/ IT access, telephony, conference rooms and printer/ copier/ scanner hardware to perks for interdisciplinary growth. Clientele are all personable, professional, but still understanding and laid back. Professional, neat, clean, well-maintained space with stellar lighting, flooring, chairs, tables, desks, postal deliveries, kitchen, refreshments, and temperature control on top of excellent views. Nice access to bike storage and parking in the basement, along with BART/ ACTransit stops and weekly yoga sessions in-building. read more

Such a great space. We had a CreativeMornings lecture and breakfast for a crowd of people hosted at the Port Workspaces Terrace. Kim is super helpful and made sure everything from audio/video to directing crowd was 100% awesome! We are excited to have such a slick co-working space in the downtown Oakland neighborhood!! read more