My mom and dad used to go back here in the day when traffic wasn't as bad and when this was a powerhouse! Those days have long passed. Now they have fancy-ish, ethnically diverse delights, a meat counter, and a cupcake place and a lot of closed stalls. The most frustrating for me is that they will have a stall that is fantastic, only to have it close in a couple of years. The people who work there are very nice. We did have a weird interaction with someone from a restaurant that was no longer there. The value is fine. This is a place that I will park and go to if I see a parking space. If I don't, I won't even bother. I don't know how I feel about them. They are so far from what they used to be and I wonder if closing down and starting over would have been preferable. read more

I worked in the original Housewives market from 1957 will i was a student at Oakland Technical High ( which I still love) until I Graduated from S.F. State . At that time is had 32 departments some still at the "new" Housewives. Market . One of My friends, Maurice Williams of Maurice Williams of "Maurice Williams and the Kids" whose song "Stay"is still played often on the radio. Taylor's Sausage, an egg stand, Maura's Fish Market, an alcohol and cigarette - booze store next to the breakfast and lunch counter sometimes would add a tittle alcohol to our coffee. Housewife's replaced the old farmers market which was often called the "Free Market" because they gave away much of the unsold produce that remained when they closed after they were open for a few days. When you shop at the new Housewives you will know where it originated. It still remains in my heart and in all who went there. Bill L. read more

Housewives Market was an old stomping grounds for shopping ethnic/regular groceries in the hood. some time ago the entire "market" shut down or began to shut down. . EBALBC, a neighborhood communtiy realty group brought the site with outside funding and revitalized "Housewives". Now there's consecha, ollies, rosamunde sausages, wines, coobi yogurts, sincere seafoods, taylor's sausage, indian eats, a game/gaming store, etc my, the 'hood has changed and gone upscale. (wouldn't have possible without EBALBC). read more

Only 4 stars because I miss the old Swan's/Housewive's Market. It was an experience to travel over to Oakland on a Saturday and stop at the different stands. You could buy everything under the sun all under one roof. Fresh meats, seafood, spices and more. They tried to retain some of the original flavor but the experience has basically gone upscale. http://www.swansmarket.com/ read more

Housewives Market - Swan's - Shopping Centers Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

I love this spot. It's been in existence for so long located in the restored Swan's Marketplace. Hubby and I decided to chill in downtown Oakland and came here for breakfast. Housewives Market is a community of mom-pop restaurants that share an open floor plan filled with plenty of wooden tables for dining. We decided to eat at Corsecha - freshly made Mexican breakfast delectables! Makes my mouth water! After a delicious meal, we walked around to check what other stands have to offer. At the very back is a seafood market where you can buy fresh fish, crab, and other sea creatures. Next to it, is a meat market where they serve a variety of sausages! We came home with a handful of them! My next visit is the Japanese stand! Great place to check out! Oakland's coming up! read more

They are good with stocking items but hard to find on website and phone number. Otherwise I appreciate the store. Kids are taking over now that mom is retired and traveling read more

Old Oakland's Housewives' Market is located in the restored Swan's Marketplace and houses Jack's Meats and African Products, Taylor's Sausage, Sam's Wines and Liquors, J & S Deli & Smoked Meats, Sincere Seafood, Sunshine Cafe. On Friday's the street in front of the Market is closed for the Old Oakland Farmers Market. http://www.yelp.com/biz/f1TYDzVEYZaYYQN3WlAFgA There's a large open area with tables surrounded by meat and fish counters and stores. Jack's Meats and African Products Full butcher shop, African groceries & produce http://www.yelp.com/biz/utoGyRHC8BqKM2bUVSKygQ Taylor's Sausage Sausage, sausage supplies and pork http://www.yelp.com/biz/xChkApDUBF5V7GmsnHNMNQ Sam's Wines and Liquors Small selection of wine, beer, spirits and sodas like Nehi and Delaware Punch. J & S Deli & Smoked Meats Cold cuts, smoked turkey and pork products, sandwiches, Chinese fast food and fried chicken http://www.yelp.com/biz/lOEBrsEv1MU99tHuqgaLRw Sincere Seafood Fresh Fish, live crabs and Cajun fish fry fixings http://www.yelp.com/biz/asBdJJiu65bQ-sZCeqHArA Sunshine Cafe. Fresh fruit smoothies, soft drinks, tea and coffee. There is also Chinese chicken, shrimp or vegetarian salad . On Friday they make jambalaya. read more

this place really should get more business. I walked through it trying to get a sense of the place. it sells fresh meats and sausages. Unfortunately, the area around is getting filled with young professionals who probably don't cook and Yelp instead (guilty as charged). However, if any foodies out there cook, I'd recommend it. It has a nice historic feel to it and although based on the other reviews, it's not what it used to be, i'm sure for us Gen X and Ys, it still has its charm. Meat was decently priced. read more

I work in downtown Oakland and like the other reviewers, I remember going to Housewives Market with my grandmother many years ago (about 38) . She would buy everything she needed from meat to produce. They had great stuff for kids too! And then we would go to Swans Department Store for clothes. I was saddened to see what little is left of it now but I did check it out and now I know where to shop for sausages and meat. There is lots of free parking on weekends to encourage downtown shopping. Also, I've gone to the Friday Farmer's Market and there is no comparison to the produce in nearby Chinatown. I can buy plenty of fresh produce in Chinatown for under 5 dollars -- you can't beat that with a stick!!!! read more

This one of the true Oakland gem's. There are so many great restaurants here covering such a huge range of food choices. I'm a particular fan of B-Dama and Cosecha, but you really can't go wrong here and it's just so much fun. read more

Im giving 5 stars because I remember 50 years ago going to housewives with my parents. IHell going there before they moved to the new locatioin at swans.It was as good as it got! whats wrong with the city of Oakland getting rid of a landmark? all in the name of progress. should have left housewives alone.. any and everything you could eat was found here. the butchershops for beef and pork and the other thngs I didnt even know people ate. the fish market was the one with mr. Abraham!. the deli stand, the soft serve icecream stand where you could only get vanilla and chocolate and those donuts...man, I miss housewives! plus the bbq turkey tails by the bag...damn. I remember when white folks rediscoverd Oakland (for the third time!) I had gone to housewives to get some turnip and mustard greens at their large produce area and they were all out. The vendor told me," you know the other folk are buyin up the greens... something about they heard greens are high in fiber". I told her hell ,we've know that for over a century! One thing about it they cant cook em like we can.! we laughed... Oh housewives you are truly missed. the new version is a waste of space!. read more

we came in looking for linguisa for some soup and was blown away by the selection at the sausage counter.

Well, 1965 Houswives was going strong and I would come from Berkeley to get the best of everything. Wow. Then over to Ratto's for the Italian Deli stuff. Ratto's is still there. I cry over the loss of one of the few great markets in the USA. Still one in Seattle, but the 17th Street Market in Tucson has gone all Yuppie on us in the last three years. But it is still there, hiding in the warehouse district. read more

for those of you that are true native oaklanders or those of you that have lived in oakland for the last 20 30 or even 60 years remember the original housewives market and the original swans market i remember going to the original housewives as a kid with my parents i remember they used to sell some good ass grilled ham and cheese sandwhiches and i remember the butcher shops that sold all kinds of diffrent meats but now thats all a memory the original housewives building closed and was torn down in 2003 and now thats left is this small market place they moved housewives to the old swans building but it only has about mayby 5 butcher shops left now it,s way smaller then what it once was at least they left a little piece of the old market one cool thing is they have a farmers market here on certain days i still go here once in a while to buy susages at the sausege stand also they sell good hot links here and they sell good steak to make asada althogh i miss the old housewives market i am glad they left a little piece of it..... read more