DJ Chad in the house Mondays starting November 24. That's tonight. Come on out, it is an awesome, sexy time.

Pro- cheap drinks Con- Too much The Smiths Pro- Nice door guy Con- Had to yell all night because it was so loud Pro- My voice sounded sexy the next day cuz it was kinda hoarse Con- The bathroom was skanky, and the stall door was made for midgets. read more

I thought I wrote a review about this place several months ago but I guess I was just drunk from the ruby room and thought I did. Anyway... I guess its awesomeness depends on what you really look for in a bar. I heard some theory a long time ago that everyone has 3 "homes". The first is where you sleep at night. The second is where you work. And the third is where you between the other 2. RR fits the bill and here's why: *On weekdays they play really good music, but no so loud that you can't talk. *On weekends they play really good music that you can dance to. *The odd mix of people that go/work here generally make for interesting, friendly and memorable conversation *Pool table *Good, relatively cheap drinks, with no BS attached enjoi read more

Oh, how I love grungy dive bars. Pretty good music, dark, and you will reek of smoke afterwards. Oh and the bathroom is kinda gross. The bartenders are nice and the drinks are cheap! i love it. read more

My favorite dive bar in Oakland! Fun dj's and a smoking room inside. The drinks are at a good price

CHEAP! STINKY! SKETCHY CLIENTELE! THE LAST TWO DON'T PHASE ME BECAUSE OF NUMBER ONE! Yeah, so... DUDE: "Got Guts?" ME: "You mean like intestines, or 90's television show guts?" DUDE: **lifts up shirt and shows tattoo that reads** "Got Guts?" ME: "Oh." DUDE: "Do you want to go to the bathroom with me?" ME: "HELL NO." After 10 on Saturdays, $2 drinks with a student I.D.! Decent happy hours other times. LEGITIMATE HAPPY HOURS. Woo! There are signs that say "Dancing is prohibited." I guess that they're serious... read more

Always a good time, doesn't matter which night of the week it is. The DJs are always playing slappers so I only wish the dance floor was bigger! Just remember - this place is DARK so be especially picky about who you give your number to, bring home, etc. ;) read more

Amazing. For all the reasons a dive bar should be amazing. You got a smoker's lounge. You got a divey DJ booth with bangin' speakers that rattle the side wood panels. You got a beautiful crowd. You got cheap, ass-kickin' drinks. Go simple with beer or cocktails. Win-win situation right here. No better time to get drunk and get down than the Ruby Room. An institution in its own right. Definitely earned its name. read more

A few months ago after a show at the Uptown some guy came up to me and asked if I was from Oakland. After I answered with a cautious "Yes" he asked if I knew of a bar in the area whose name he couldn't recall but that was very red on the inside. Immediately I told him it was the Ruby Room. I guess something about this place always sticks with people. Anyways, good bar. Good drinks. Good crowd. I need to go back more often. read more

I have mixed feelings about this place. pros: I like how dark it is and the red lighting is really cool. My friend was excited to spot a scotch on the shelf that he doesn't normally see. I also didn't mind the couple of smokers that were in there. cons: There were maybe 12 people at this bar, and the DJ insisted on playing some (but oddly only some) of his tracks so that I was yelling at my friends. It wasn't so cool. I think I'd go back though, I do enjoy the dive bars. read more

okay kick it spot... even some legitimate dancing... BUT there is a serious chemical smell towards the back of the dance floor by the dj that smells horribly of nail polish remover... talked to the the bouncer and he said that smell is always there. for the love of GOD take care of that. small rooms with no exhaust and smokers AND a chemical that obviously shouldn't be there... heaven forbid you have someone pass out in there and get sent to the hospital. read more

This may very well be the darkest, diviest dive bar I've ever seen, and I've been to the Clermont Lounge in ATL/GA!! I'm almost sorry for their sake that I don't drink too much anymore- this place would be getting ALL my monies!!! For reals though, I stopped in around 5:30pm on a Sunday after a visit to the Oakland Museum of CA, and didn't want to leave. The music was a lovely mix of '50s doo wop and random French slow songs; the bartender was super cool (yay, Billy!), and the clientele extremely entertaining for a wallflower like myself. Thanks, Ruby Room! I'll be back! Update: Jesse Luscious from Blatz spinning all kinds of tunez on Sunday nights! So much fun! read more

WHAT A PERFECT PLACE TO DRINK! Came here with a few work buddies to debate what we where gonna eat that night. Dark, Great tunes (the damned), Handsome staff and the Door guy (big dude, shaved head) was like a walking Zagat book with all his local gastro-knowlage! he suggested a place called disco volante (which i yelped and turned out to be amazing!) Thank ruby room! you just got a regular! read more

Great bar to kick back on weeknights and get together with friends for cheap drinks to start the weekend. I like coming here because it's close to home, doesn't get too rowdy, and Lago Grill is next-door! The dim lights are awesome when you just want to wallow with a stiff drink after a rough day. read more

I *heart* the Ruby Room. The Ruby Room is one of the prime examples of what I think Oakland is all about - diversity. People from every walk of life, just wanting to hang out. My BF is retired from the punk scene and I'm kind of all over the board (from bohemian to hip-hop), and we go there all the time and have a great time. Just us? With a group? Doesn't matter. If you want to sit and have great, intimate conversation and great drinks with your friends or your Love, then this is the place. If you're looking for a place to see and be seen, then...well...have you tried the Walnut Creek nightlife? You can almost always find a seat to chill before midnight. Come midnight though expect a short line at the door and standing room only. There's a dancefloor, but only trashed girls dance on it generally speaking. There's a pool table in the back, but if you'e not a cigarette buff, then you'll probably avoid the area. The bouncer can usually be found at the bar flirting with the bartenders, or getting a drink, or sitting @ the front door reading a book by flashlight. I don't know...if you want to go out but not get all dolled up and still have a great time, then throw on your favorite jeans and tee and head to the Ruby Room. read more

***This is dedicated to one of yelp friends, you know who you are ;) I figured for my 200th review I'd show it some respect and take it out for a drink to celebrate. I chose the Ruby Room for it's dark and sexy vibe. I've been here on the "off nights" which I kinda prefer. I don't like crowded bars and when I'm with someone special or even a friend I want to talk to, I want to be able to hear the conversation. My drinks have always been good (margaritas, draft beers, lemon drops) and reasonably priced. This place is all about the vibe. It's dark and sexy, which makes it hard not to fall for someone in the glowing red light. I must say it was mighty challenging during my last visit. read more

This is the best bar in the whole SF Bay Area. I've lived in the East Bay for 2 years now and have spent a lot of time in San Francisco. Smoker friendly Best mixed drinks Good music Friendly Clientele What else could you ask for in life? Need I say more? Oh yah and lots of cool people. They did kick out my friend for bringing her own jack daniels in the bathroom, we didn't know the barback was in there but it was a Saturday night, so I guess it was hectic, that was kinda lame. Snitches are bitches. But still love the place. read more

We didn't make it into the annual Autumn Lights Festival and were waiting in line in the cold with 1,000+ people. We left and took a stroll on Lake Merrit and decided to continue the night in a better fashion. We weren't sure what to expect and I didn't brush up on my Yelp reviews of this place, however, didn't think it was too bad of an idea. We walked in and the place is completely dark. You can literally piss or barf in the corner somewhere of at the bar, and no one would even notice it. The light bulbs were all red tinted, which made the whole place blood red. It's def. appropriate for it's name...and for Halloween. There was no music that night, unfortunately, because drinking and dancing is always a great pair. The drinks were cheap, the bartender was friendly, and clientele was "freakish". Maybe it was just the lighting. The place is small in size, not sure where the dance floor would have taken place if there was a DJ playing that night. We grabbed drinks and headed to a closed off back side where pool and chain smoking took place. The crowd was decent, mostly groups of friends hanging out. However, the tables were mostly covered in grossness and the seats weren't too clean either, but it's a dive bar- that's how they get the label right? I can see this place as a good stop on a night of bar hopping, maybe to pre-game and have smokes indoors, but definitely not a place to just hang out at all night. read more

Checked this place out last Thursday. It was a full 5 minutes before my rods and cones adjusted to the (not) light. Then it was clear as a bell... Fun dark joint. If you don't mind the kind of ghetto approach to the front door. I just drank water, so can't account for the bar, but the bartender was nice. I hear it's a smoky joint on the weekends. Not my thing AT ALL. But was smoke free on Thur. read more

I'm sure it's swell for people who don't mind smoke. I happen to be a huge supporter of the smoking bans, so clearly this was an ill fit from the start. Didn't experience the bathrooms, music was okay, drink (pretty sure I only had one) was strong (I think? We went at the end of our evening, so any number of drinks probably were in effect). Will hopefully never ever return, because I still feel congested from 2nd hand smoke inhalation, and all the clothes I wore smelled of cancerous ashtray. Adaptable and with it urban hipster I am not. Ew. read more

Walked into this place and they were playing "My Posse's on Broadway" after just having seen most of Broadway blocked off by OPD. People are dancing, folks are drinkin', then "Freaks of the Industry" comes on and you see girls in the back room jump up on the table and start getting freaky grinds on--yeeeeah, it's a party right? Back room is like a steamy, "my parents are on vacation so I'm having a party in my 1970's rec room-- wanna play spin the bottle and make out with me? We have a pool table." *Prices are reasonable (the price of good scotch is what it is, yo) *There's a pool table but you can only play if you like to sit in a room full of smoke (an ick for me) *DJ--started off awesome but then I dunno what happened, started playing records that sounded like they were owned by my 1970's parents so I had to bounce. *Peeps are cool- can't hate on folks getting down-- can't deny that O-town vibe. *Bartender thought it was funny that the barback swiped my husband's MacCallan and we couldn't get it back from her (it only had a splash, but still a no-no.)--at least she had just set it down and not dumped it. Funnily enough, last time I was here was last Christmas! read more

Indoor smoking room w/ a pool table. Smoking cats/dogs & pools sharks go nuts! Fridays and Saturdays they have a eclectic hip hop/top 100 Dj spinning for a small dance floor (40-50 people would feel like you're trapped in a sweaty bee hive) The bouncers are always kind of funny (whether it be their demeanor, humor, or a combination of both) Bar peeps are very aware and mostly cool. If it's cucumber season, promise me to order the cucumber gimlet w/ Hendrix gin. As I was informed by the almost mind reading bartender (she knew I wanted a drink with gin specifically Hendrix without asking) Hendrix gin is infused with cucumbers therefore mixing extremely well in a cucumber gimlet. Ladies and gentlemen this drink is so smooth it should be considered a panty dropper. (For both ladies AND gentlemen I might add) nom nom nom Oh yeah, Ruby Room is almost entirely lit w/ red lights. Dress accordingly ;) read more

I absolutely love this place. Whether it is because this was the first bar I entered legally or because it is dark and slightly seedy. You used to be able to smoke inside, but that has gone the way of the buffalo. They have a pool table, a lot of seating all things considered. It is the type of place you come to forget your problems or drink them away. It appeals to a wide range of audiences, just not the bougie crowd. The area is not that bad, I always find free metered parking right outside. read more

Twice I've come here with friends. Twice I'm forced to leave after a few minutes. You see, they allow people to smoke inside. I'm allergic to cigarette smoke. My eyes swell up, my throat closes, my nose wrinkles up, I cough and get disgusted with the dirty habit. I'm not sure how it is that people are so allowed to smoke inside like this. There must be someone I could report them to. The first time I was forced out was 2 years ago. Now again, tonight. And what was up with the darkness. I don't think I've ever been to a club that was this dark. Are they hiding the dirt? Were people sleeping? Was everyone ugly? I won't let my friends drag me there again. No more. read more

This place is awesome. True dive bar with cool staff.

expensive drinks, hot bartenders, good lights, bad music worst crowd. Whatever go with friends if you are in the area. read more

Seedy, inexpensive, and the music is great if you go on the right nights. I like going when Jesse Luscious or Jello Biafra DJ so I can hear mod, garage, Northern Soul, punk, metal. Drinks are very generously sized. read more

The Ruby Room is great! Yes it's shockingly dark coming in out of the day. Yes, it's a bit of a dive, but in the best way. Free pool earlier in the evening and nice stiff drinks! Oh and the music decidedly does NOT suck which is a huge plus. Also, it's a Foxboro Hottubs song, and that's just cool. read more

hmmm....wha? I met a guy here for a first date. I know why he recommended this place- it is dark and you look good basking in the glow of a dull red light. Ok, you know this, you have read the other reviews it is dark, blah blah blah. YES, it makes you look more attractive, but then what? I'll tell ya- Buy who checks your ID is kind of a jerk, but who cares? Good vibes, good music, definite plus. Made out with my date at the bar, good kisser, definite plus. Drinks reasonably priced, plus. Bartender girls- one was cute and fun and nice, the other was mean and not nice, but still cute...so they get an = on this one. Went to the bathroom, was confused and weird location and small and cramped and toilet wouldn't flush, definite minus. Went outside and realized guy I had just made out with is NOT very cute. Definite minus. Maybe a good place for a second date, or once you know someone, since they will look sexier there. Update: Another guy I went out with recommended this as a first-date place. I agreed and the same thing happened. When will I learn!? read more

This spot is your perfect hole in wall, dive bar. The floors are dirty, the bar sticky and the crowd seem like regulars. I dug it a lot!!! The first thing you do when walking in is adjust your eyesight to the darkness! The lighting is very dim. The low red lights give the place a very sexy feel. The bartenders were cool. My friend and I weren't completely sure what we wanted, so I'm sure it frustrated her (bartender) a bit. Finally we ordered some special shooter that was 6 bucks. The flavor was like a strawberry daiquiri, I think. It wasn't super strong but it wasn't bad tasting. We shot it quickly and returned for something different. The seating is sort of abundant. At first you walk in and assume the place is a sardine can but as you make your way to the back, you realize they have a dance floor, a pool table and additional seating. Depending what time of night you show up, you will most likely find some seating. The crowd is pretty chill and keeps to themselves or their little groups. All of them appear to be very unique Oakland hipsters. The men's bathroom is a tagged up mess and did not have a pleasant smell but it also wasn't the worst thing I have ever seen. During my trip to the bathroom, a dude decided to chat me up. I was in the stall, so I wasn't overly uncomfortable but dudes, pissing and conversation just isn't very cool. Maybe if we wearing skirts and had to sit to pee could that fly but as dudes, it doesn't. Shut up, pee and exit! Lastly, prices are not low but not high. A shot of cheap tequila will cost you $5. Jäger Bombs were $8. The Monday night specials ran between 4 and 6 bucks. Overall, I dug it. The dim lighting makes gives it a sexy feel. The dance floor is small but sufficient.The music isn't overly loud. The selection of music was interesting. It sounded like folkish electronic or something like that. I really can't remember but I will definitely say it was not mainstream stuff. This was my second time here and I will definitely return for drinks again. read more

This place is basically a CAVE of sketchiness. Not knowing what I was in for, I walked into a place that was so dark (basically only a few red lights) and sleazy that everyone looked damn good and I was kind of convinced that we might run into a gangster or someone who would offer us shitty coke. That didn't happen, but we did have a really silly night. It's amazing to be able to (unofficially) smoke inside, drinks are reasonably priced (and strong), and the tiny dance floor was hilarious. I'd definitely go back, and next time I know that if I don't want to remember my night, I should order the Long Island. read more

Notwithstanding the pretty consistent Rat problem (of the East Bay ilk, that is), this place rocks in every possibly way. I have had several birthdays there, though I have only been there once when I was single ... so no luck getting any punk rock booty :) Did I mention that I met my [now ex-]wife there? Well honestly, I met her in another bar, but I seem to have a vague recollection of being at the RR two or three nights prior. Lesson learned: hit all the EBR hangouts in one week and end up married ([un]happily). [Lesson learned now: do not marry a girl from a bar just because she is hot drunk and gives love out freely] [Benefit: O.K. to check out Antoinette (currently rated cutest bartender in bay area with 1 out of 1 votes), though I recently learned that she is only 21 ... but wait, she has been working there for how long? Note to self: delete this paragraph to avoid bacon from showing up on Ruby Room menu] NOTE: As you will gather from the other reviewers (slash whiners who want to claim every last refuge as a nonsmoking bar ... ), please observe the following: if you don't like smoke, don't go there ... if you are going to complain about smoke, don't go there, and if you are going to go there just deal with it ... anyway, your life probably isn't so great or important that you cannot spare a few months to a brief yet intense run-in with a little second hand smoke ... with that in mind, you might as well start smoking ... but then again, I am not here to review you, am I? Am I? Anyway, the Ruby Room, its management and its employees (does it have any?) do not condone smoking within the bar. It is just a big place and the red lights and the more-than-adequate ventilation (composed of a single air conditioner in the back, which is rarely on) make it difficult to notice ... *cough cough* Another plus: if you are in high school and you don't want your parents to know you smoke, just tell them that you were hanging out at the Ruby Room---hence the smell of smoke. They will understand. Silly. read more

I loves me the Ruby Room. Its got all the stuff a good dive should: strong drinks, low prices, a pool table, dim red lights, and kickass music. I'd definately patronize more often if going didn't require me to either take a cab or bike home uphill. (something to be said about the strength of the drinks!) Not for the yuppies, not for the D&G sunglass wearing, Vuitton purse havin daddie's girls. Nice rock & roll vibe, good mix of tattooed honeys and old timers leering. read more

I am not the first person to review this place, nor will I be the last. So why bother? Because it's make me happy, motherscratcher! Back when I lived and loved in Oakland, I spent as much time here as I could, swooning and smoking and drinking to the best known, best loved hipster dive on this side o' the bay. Cheap drinks that are stronger than the stench of an AC Transit seat, mixed with truly or ironically enjoyable songs make for a very happy girl. In the words of Eric B and Rakim, "It's been a long time / I shouldn't have left you..." Happy (hour) days are here again as I now work in downtown Oakland, and I'll be my sweetly Gin and Tonic-ing my life away at this pitch black slice of heaven. read more

I'm gonna have to give this place another go, because I THINK this place has 5 star potential - but my recent visit didn't afford the 5 star experience. +1 DARK (decor is similar to that of HP's Little Cave - almost IDENTICAL)... so eff it if your hair and makeup are 17 hours old and your dress is soaked in a 6 hour drive's worth of perspiration. The smoke and lack of lighting of the Ruby Room will mask all of that unladylike evil and MORE. -1 It was Friday at 11:30pm, and this place was jam packed with a crowd of mixed variety (very comforting in a way). I got grazed by someone on the way in, and elbowed by a fat chick on my way out. It was far too crowded to relax with a beer in tow! Luckily, we found a seat in the corner for two - and it's one of few moments where I'm glad that my butt's not very big. +1 Pool table entertainment. -1 Because it's a T-Mobile dead-zone (Ryan!). And just so that you know, my Verizon phone DOES get service in there ;-) I recommend some people switch over to the "In-Network". Hint. read more

3 stars only because they have the balls to let people smoke in there. Otherwise I'd give em a 2 star rating. Like nearby Radio Bar, this place is dark and cheap. Canned PBR is like $2 or something.... Good makeout bar, it's dark and nobody will bother you if you're there with someone. PS I'm a non smoker but I'm not a nazi. They have enough ventilation that the smoke is never a problem. Really though, people smoking inside is the only thing that makes this place at all special. I'm no fan of dive bars (as evidenced by my other reviews...) If you're a dive bar fan, then this is your place. You'll find me at the Trappist though. read more

Okay, Let me say that this place reminds me of this 70's joint in like Las Vegas or something. When you enter you're immediately hit by cigarrette smoke, red lighting., thick volcanic, black glittery walls, and a small dancefloor. You know shit goes down here. So, I've been before usually on soul night (Wed.), but I decided to go last Wed. (day before turkey day) to have fun. Yes, the place is definitely packed on Wednesday nights, but it's great. The drinks are strong, the bartendars are the shit,and there was this guy in a white jacket from Emeryville who knew all the songs which cracked me up, he was getting down seriously! read more

Extra points because I live around the corner. Over the years I have had some great times at this place. Bring friends and then make some more at the bar, there are always interesting cats here. I also had an AWESOME experience here when my friend was doing a social psychology experiment and had to break a norm. So we dressed her up as an extremely pregnant woman, she looked like she was ready to pop - and then hit up local oakland bars. Lets just say that a bartender at the ruby room served my "pregnant" friend a vodka cranberry (although a weakish one at that) and watched her smoke a couple of cigarettes and then probably felt a bit guilty so handed her a huge glass of water although she never asked for one. When she asked for another vodka cranberry she was served but it was 99% cranberry juice. After that we left and went to Radio - the only bar that had a bartender flat out refuse to serve her - it was a hilarious night! read more

I thought the name of this place was "Last Call". A pint of Pabst always awaits for me at this spot. My living room coincidentally has the same décor and ambiance - red walls, black trim (make that "burnt mocha" according to Benjamin Moore), red felt billiards table, and Blondie, the Clash, or Black Flag blaring from the speakers. On occasion, I accidentally forget we're not at the Ruby Room anymore until the neighbors invite the cops over at 4am. read more

My honest impression of this place is that it was super cool, super dark, had a great aesthetic, and though I've quit smoking, I remember how hard it was to find a bar I liked that allowed it, so if you smoke, you can do it here without huddling outside in the cold fending off the hipsters trying to bum one of your Parliament lights. I had a really great conversation at one of the cool red booths, and the music choice in the background was better than at any local bar I can remember. That being said, I will tell you about my first experience there, which may not be representative, so balance it out with the other gazillion reviews of this place. I walk in and there is a very attractive bar tenderness. Off to a good start. She (honestly) asks someone how to make my straight up grey goose martini, and then the shaker flies out of her hand and launches into the ice bin along with my vodka. Try 2 - she hurries through my reasonably simple drink and when I get it (exaggeration alert) it looks like a snow cone with tons of little ice crystals. I used to be a bartender, so I know how it goes and I took it in stride, but I also love my martinis and would have loved a little more care in the pouring process. That being said, she did remember my name the whole night, and was very friendly and quick with the tab even on a busy night. Overall, a great place, and my imperfect martini may have been the exception rather than the rule :). read more