We recently attended a Quinceañera here. Bright and large community room with lots of supporting rooms. held about 150 - love location in the woods. if you are think about hosting an event, this is a winner read more

Community centers remind me of the elderly, let's be real here, it's not always the sexiest place to throw a party. But, when done right, it's not a bad place to celebrate an occasion. I came here for my friend's baby's first birthday. In Korean culture, a baby's 1-year-old birthday is a HUUUUUGE deal. It's called a Doljanchi or a "DOL"--where the baby wears a hanbok (traditional dress) and there's a ritual (sort of a fortune telling) where a bunch of innocuous objects are placed in front of the baby, ex. a string, a gavel, a coin, a brush, etc. And when the baby picks up the object, say a gavel, then s/he will become a judge...something like that. It's all in good fun. Ironically, the baby did in fact pick up the gavel, which is rare, usually babies pick up the coin or a string since it's lighter and easier to grab. I've seen pictures of my DOL and it's off the hook. There is a bunch of food, especially Korean duk and tons of fruit-- to represent prosperity and long-life. My grandparents (on my dad's side) were so proud to hold me in the photo-- I looked kinda miserable. In fact, I looked like a boy. The reason why DOLs are such a big deal is because traditionally in Korea, most babies didn't survive past their first year of life. Apparently, my mom told me that when I was 3 months old, I got really really sick, and was sick for another 3 months afterward and she was afraid that I wouldn't make it. Dramatic, right? So, when I turned one, she threw a huge party-- "a thankful relief," she said. That's why when I get sick as an adult, I get really sick because my immune system is basically shot. And it's really cute, even today, my mom freaks out when I get sick, because she remembers back to when I was a baby. And always gives me the motherly speech about sleeping more and drinking fluids..and it's one of the rare times I actually allow her to "take care of me." Heck, I think it's the only time I let anyone take care of me. Either way, the celebration was beautiful. So proud of my friend for being such an amazing mother/woman-- and she's really blessed to have such a beautiful child, who will forever love and adore her. Babies are the best, they need you like no other, and I absolutely love taking care of them. read more

Joaquin Miller Community Center - Community Centers Near Me - Oakland, California

We rented this facility last week for a Celebration of Life party and it was perfect. There is a wrap-around deck with gorgeous views of the bay. The kitchen is huge and there is an alcove were we set up the jazz combo. The room had round tables and we were given a referral to "Party Solutions" for renting the table linens. Although the space was wonderful and all went well, the level of stress in arranging the event was incredible. The City of Oakland requires several permits and you have to purchase insurance. The crazy thing is that some of the paperwork must be hand delivered. You have to deal with several different people, and they don't communicate with each other. Get out of your chair and walk down the hall to talk to your co-worker! We were led on several wild goose chases, waited on hold trying to speak to someone, and didn't get confirmation that all was taken care of until I called the week before to make sure. The process needs to be streamlined and the workers need to treat the customer better. read more

This was the location selected for our wedding venue of eighty plus guests and I was elated that we had chosen this location. I did not even know that location existed. What a gem in the Oakland Hills. I have never been to a community center with such great views of the Bay Area. Looking off the surrounding decks in the Oakland Hills you can see San Francisco, the San Mateo bridge and across the bay. We had two large rooms plus a large entry. The wood floors were very nice and we were provided rentals for chairs and tables which we had decorated. For food and beverage storage there were large commercial refrigerators. Parking was little tight and the roads can be tricky at night time. A great place to have a party for 100 guests.... read more

I came to this community center for a training and was blown away at how beautiful the scenery is. This place is in the middle of a forest and is just absolutely breathtaking. I would recommend that you map this place out prior to going because it is super confusing to find, and you will probably get lost! The community center itself is located off of a small dirt road that can easily be missed! read more

The food here was exactly what I needed after hours of travel and the staff were so, so helpful and attentive. I felt at home when I needed it most. This was my first time in America and I would come back just to visit this restaurant/airport again to have his experience. It was wonderful. read more

Of all the city owned centers this is the nicest, cleanest and lovliest of them all! I attended a wedding a couple of years ago and it was fab. you will need a map and a co-pliot. smack dab in the middle of the "redwood forest". If you dont follow the directions to the facility YOU WILL GET LOST! If you are familiar with the Oakland Hills it will be a breeze..There is a Parking lot and I believe parking along the dusty trail too. you can rent one room or the entire facility.Compared to fees of other facilities around town, it is affordable unless you're on a strand of a shoestring budget! .... byob,House party!!! read more

Wonderful venue for any special occasion! It's nestled among redwood trees and offers a fantastic panoramic view of the Bay. It's very affordable for events! If I hadn't book a ceremony venue for 7 times the cost, I would seriously consider this location. read more

Short version: - GREAT facility, good day-of staff who are very accommodating. - TERRIBLE, UNPROFESSIONAL lack of communication leading up to your special event. Make sure you have as many questions answered as possible the first time you meet with the contact person because you may or may not ever see or hear from her again. Details: My husband and I got married here in June 2011. We were looking for a facility with an outdoor space for our ceremony, different rooms for pre-ceremony receptions, and then the larger banquet room for the meal and dance reception. We also wanted plenty of parking, disabled access, and a central location. Joaquin Miller Community Center is all of these! (It was actually very easy to find, too, but "just in case" we put up flags, so our guests were sure to have no problem at all.) The thing I did NOT like was the lack of communication from the contact person responsible for the venue. When I wanted to book the facility, I could not get ahold of her to answer my questions about cost details. Once we got past that hurdle, I had some logistics questions, and again did not hear back in a timely manner. Instead, I called and left several messages which she did not respond to. For example: one of the options clients have is use of the coffee maker. When I asked what size filters to use and what grind of coffee, no one knew - yet neither are provided. We ended up bringing our own coffee making equipment. To add insult to the person's lack of professionalism, the woman who was my contact (who never returned calls in a timely manner) showed up at my wedding, even though she had no actual work to do there (they have fantastic staff who set up, clean up, and are in the on-site office during the events). I did not actually recognize her because I'd only met her once, several months before. read more