I have fond childhood memories of Oakland Chinatown carrying groceries of fresh vegetables or bakery items that my parents bought for the day to bring home to San Jose. Or also eating at the various restaurants for dim sum or late night won ton noodle soup or roast duck from Yung Kee. Oakland Chinatown is more compact and smaller then the one across the bay but still holds on to their own enduring charm. read more

See all

Review #900 Oakland Chinatown is alright by me!! It's no where near as big as SF Chinatown, with somewhat better parking. Lots of times I will park in Old Oakland and just walk over here. The Pacific Renaissance Plaza is located in the heart of Oakland Chinatown, and they keep this plaza extremely clean. There's also parking available underneath here. As for the rest of Chinatown, not so much. But there are plenty of businesses and shops here that are always busy during the day. I've also been here multiple times for their New Years celebrations, poke restaurants, and street festivals. Walking around here is definitely the best way to enjoy this place!! read more

See all

We like Oakland Chinatown. We come here for the food. We try to park on the street, but usually can't find a spot so we park in the garage below the library. A few times we have been lucky enough to find a spot to park on the street. There are just so many people looking to park so it's hard to find a spot. The garage below the library is aways a reliable spot to park. We've never been turned away due to the lot is full. You do have to be careful when parking as the place is tight. And some spaces they ask you not to back into. The elevators are also tough when there is a crowd. The last few times we really had to squeeze in the elevators and no one seems to mind. The food here is phenomenal. I love there many bakeries. I just wish I planned ahead more and bring more cash. I never have enough for all that I want so usually have to skip the bakeries and just go for the main course. Most of the places are on a cash only basis. Our favorite restaurant is a cash only establishment. It's great food and we'll keep coming back, we just need to plan ahead and have more time allowed to browse. It seems like every time we come here we're in a rush. We have enough time to park and eat, but that's it. We don't have time to browse. Next time we come I'll have to remember to bring more cash and make time to dawdle. read more

I Have Visited A lot Of Chinatowns In Different City Locations Like San Francisco, Oakland, Las Vegas, Los Angeles,San Diego, Seattle, New York, Boston, & Out Of USA Like Canadian Cities Like Vancouver Victoria & Toronto!!!!! Out of the years living in San Francisco CA USA I Have Visited The City Of Oakland So Many Times In The Past & Present!!!!! And What I Like Most About Being At The Oakland Chinatown Was Going To Yum Cha Or To A Chinese Restaurant That Serves 可口的 Delicious Kěkǒu De Clay Pot Rice!!!!! I Also Had A Chance To Go To A Warriors NBA FINALS Championship Parade!!!!! read more

Small few blocks with shops that close early. After 5pm its a ghost town but early in the morning there are places to get good deals. To me Chinatown is where you get live crab and chicken with their feet still attached. Very fresh food that you cook yourself at home. I remember my first experience with a live crab was a neighbor who got us one - I think its a great learning experience for children. China town had two police cars there and more police always hoover around the Shooting Star Cafe - i think more to feed their faces than protect - but nonetheless its great to have their presence in a place where I have vivid memories from TV of senior citizens getting pushed over and robbed for their purses. Pushing over little old ladies. Who does that? Well, I guess its part of our American Culture as much as apple pie and baseball games are. I suppose we should teach about these events in our 3rd grade history classes. Still, I feel safe wandering around here. I sometimes wander downtown Oakland late night - never had a problem. read more

Oakland Chinatown - Local Flavor Near Me - Oakland, California

I've never came to Oakland Chinatown because I was always told it wasn't worth going to because SF's Chinatown is so much better and bigger. Well I completely disagree it's so worth coming to. Is it as big as SF no, but it's a lot in a little box and I absolutely enjoyed myself. I stopped by the Asian Library it's absolutely beautiful on the inside and out and have a wide variety of Asian books and this library is actually very diverse. I stopped by a few shops and bakeries. I had a good time I would definitely go back if I don't want to go to SF. read more

See all

There's something special about Oakland Chinatown. I remember as a child coming here for the fruit and vegetables. At times for the dry spices and other items something intriguing my father would try and admire it, telling us it does health miracles. I'm glad Oakland has a Chinatown but it definitely gets overshadowed by the one across the bay. It barely has any feel to it but it's present, a lack of arch or gate, but the community is strong. Now there's buildings here and there that does scream Chinatown and whatnot but I just feel it has a non traditional feel to it, at least it has changed. I remember learning about Amy Tan and I believe Bruce Lee having a business here. You can definitely find a variety of Asian products and needs. The location is great as you can cross to different worlds. 12th street and Lake Merritt BART stations take you here. read more

See all

We took off from work today to drive into Oakland for some traditional Lunar New Year treats. We knew there wouldn't be any celebration activity due to the pandemic, but we did hear good luck firecrackers being set off in the vicinity. The parking angels were with us because we found street parking with ease. Even though some businesses were closed for the Lunar New Year, we managed to walk around (double masked) for a few hours to check things out. We also had protection angels around us in the form of community security personnel. Breaks our hearts to hear about crime...Hate crime especially, regardless of color or family heritage. But hate crime against the elderly is a whole other level of disturbing! Thank you for police presence and holding people accountable. We appreciated and supported the businesses that were open on Lunar New Year. We enjoyed our time visiting this Chinatown and picking up delicious food to go. Wishing you all, an auspicious Year of the Ox! read more

See all

In my humble opinion, a city without a Chinatown is missing something unique and vital to the community. I've been to Chinatowns in Honolulu, L.A., Las Vegas, Vancouver and the OG in the city. But did you know the oldest Chinatown in the world is in Binondo, Philippines? It makes sense since they have been trading for centuries even way before Magellan decided to crash the party. Oakland Chinatown doesn't have the glitz and glamour compared to the one across the bridge, but I would say it's more of a real Chinatown as it does not cater to tourists but to locals and working class people alike. I hear different types of dialects spoken on the sidewalks, and that is music to my ears. Here, you can get your hard-to-find vegetables along with other ingredients that you won't find at your local grocery stores. There are shops, restaurants, bakeries and eateries of all kinds and from different regions, who are from those regions so you get the authenticity off the bat. Like all other Chinatowns, it could be grimy and dirty in some areas, and that is part of the scene. What you see is what you get. I've even witnessed a vendor selling dogs for pets (NO...not for consumption, and don't go there) inside a huge open box right on the corner of a sidewalk, and to say shocking is an understatement. But to say this doesn't happen behind closed doors in other communities is being ignorant. However the case, there is good, bad and questionable in every Chinatown one might visit, but this one has a lot of charm. I've found many gems in this place that we've frequented, and some more than others. It's also easy to get to by a regular vehicle since it's right off 880, or taking public transportation. The BART stations on 12th Street and Lake Merritt are a short walking distance away. Now parking could be a bit of a challenge, but it's not as bad as the city. I don't want to give away a secret but here goes...I usually park a few blocks away right next to the police department. But there are also several parking lots nearby if you don't mind spending a little. For those living on the other side of the bay who haven't been here, you might find a nice surprise. Note: All photos I posted were taken well before the SIP was instituted. read more

See all

It typically takes me just as long to get here as driving to SF Chinatown so I do not generally come to this Chinatown, but when I do, I feel right at home here. Finding street parking is much more easier here and the wider streets probably help to tame the crazy drivers too? I'm sticking with this perspective even though the girlfriend says no streets are wide enough to tame the Chinese drivers. Pfft. We have a friend that lives 15 mins away so when we come into town to see him, he will want to come to Chinatown for dim sum @ Ming's on Webster and grocery shop after. In the past few years, friends and relatives have advised me not to go to Chinatown (here and in the City) due to the Asian Hate incidents, but my answer had been and continues to be, I cannot stop. I feel compelled to support the businesses and to show solidarity with my people. My feeling is if my time is up then it is so, can't hide and can't run from it. Thankfully, from observation, Chinatown appears a lot livelier now then in the previous 2 years combined, and that is good for the businesses and the residents. We came to Chinatown on Saturday for the Lunar New Year Bazaar and had a great time. We bought stuff, ate dim sum, drank boba tea and put in steps on a gorgeous sunny day. Let's worry less and enjoy the blessings in the Year of the Rabbit. read more

See all

on Harrison st., this mural greets drivers as they are exciting the Posey tube from Alameda & entering Chinatown. it's just 4 blocks long. then the driver hits downtown. on 7th St. the mural actually draws the line where the commercial boundary of Chinatown ends. then a few blocks of residential units leading to the Bart station and Laney College. Chinatown ends at this point. creator: DragonSchool99 read more

Oakland Chinatown - Signage denoting Chinatown. - Local Flavor Near Me - Oakland, California

Spent my first day of 2019 here exploring Oakland, primarily Chinatown and I couldn't be more happy. Parking was a bit of an issue but my guy and I didn't mind a bit of walking. The hustle and bustle that surround Oakland's Chinatown absolutely gives me life!!! I welcome all of the noise, the liveliness, & it's fact that each trip out here is different in its own way. There are great eats @ all price points, fresh produce, and beautiful sights that will take your breath away. What more could you want in a place?? I spent hours on end wandering the streets just taking in the [one of a kind] vibrant street art. Still 5/5 stars for me. I absolutely adore this place and can not wait to come back. Believe me when I say YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!!! read more

See all

Streets are dirty and riddled with garbage and bums. Markets selling fresh vegetables and seafood have extended their products into the walk ways. Shops are all boarded up and have graffiti all over the place. I grew up in Oakland so I am very disappointed and angry the City of Oakland has let this place crumble. It use to be so busy and bustling! read more

Oakland Chinatown is a real Chinatown. A gathering of stores, restaurants, markets and merchants. A nice walk thru it will reveal live fish, fresh produce, hot foods and various products from Asia. read more

See all

I will be forever linked to Oakland Chinatown . By Family , History and Friends . I was thinking what would be my first review for 2016? I wanted something that was Near and Dear to my Heart!!! My Family Roots are deeply entwined in Oakland Chinatown . My Departed GrandMother used to own several rentals and a Soda Fountain - Chop Suey place . My Mom had 13 Brothers and Sisters that worked that Chop Suey place . Some of my other relatives owned and worked in the past several restaurants in Chinatown. My Dad was a member of one of the Oldest Family Associations in Chinatown . I spent most of my formative years in Oakland Chinatown and even lived there in my earlier years . A couple of my Uncles in the 70s were in a Chinatown Car Club that showed up on OPDs Organized Crime list lol. In my lifetime Ive seen several Changes to the Landscape of Chinatown . The Old Guard Restaurants have long disappeared that were Landmarks in the Chinatown of old like -The Lantern , Silver Dragon , Sun Hong Kong , Jade Villa , Star Café , Bok Sen and Tins Tea House . Luckily some of the Old Guard is still around like Gold Medal , Fortune , Yung Kee and Wonder Bakery !! As a small kid I use to go to Wonder Bakery with my Dad for a MR PIBB and a Pork Bun . We then would go to Tins Market and buy some Roast Pig , Roast Duck and BBQ Pork . I really miss those Days and my Dad . Many fond memories . I always make it a point to eat in Chinatown whenever I can . Lots of Great Hole in the Wall Restaurants there. I still have some old friends and family floating around there . A few years ago I was a juror on a famous Murder Trial and was impaneled for a few months . I actually started a Jury Lunch Club and every lunch break we would walk to Chinatown and eat at a Different Restaurant in Chinatown. It got back to the Judge and he would have his Bailiff ask which restaurant we were dining at lol. When our Jury went in to deliberation they let me pick the Restaurants the Jury would eat lunch at and the Bailiff would bring back a Lunch for the Judge and Clerk Of The Court. The Chinatown of now is a Mecca of Asian Diversity . They have a Chinatown Street Fair every August that has great local Asian Entertainment and Bands and really Highlights Oakland Chinatown . Chinatown is still one of the Few places on a Friday or Saturday night you can get a quality late night meal in relative safety . Historically Chinatowns first were big gatherings of Immigrant Asians banding together . Safety in numbers . As old America was pretty racist and prejudicial at one time . Thankfully Society has changed for the Better . The thing that Scares me about Chinatown is losing it to Gentrification . The Foot Print of Chinatown keeps getting Smaller with the 880 Project , City Center Project , Ebmud Building and Parking Structure . The Politicians look at Chinatown as a way to further their own Greedy interests . They are trying to lure High Tech and Bio Tech into the area raising property prices and rents that are driving out the Elderly Chinese and Immigrants and Asian Mom and Pop Businesses that once populated the Downtown Chinatown area . San Jose at one time had a Chinatown of their own . It is long gone in the name of progress . It would be a Shame if that happens to Oakland's Chinatown. Only Time Will Tell ??? Fight The Power !!! read more

See all

Date: 9/16/2015 Time: 12:55 PM 65° Partly cloudy Oakland Chinatown, located on the corner of 8th and Webster Street, is my old "stomping ground". This Chinatown may not be as touristy as the one across the bay, still it is where I hang out occasionally. It is crowded with people living within the community, which is fine with me. My family lived right on one of the corners back in the 60's and 70's, right above the old newspaper stand (Man Sang Wo) owned by Gee Guey and his wife. My visit today was to get my steps in on my Fitbit and to reminisce about the memories that I have growing up here in this community. Another reason for roaming through the hood was to join my mom, brother and sister for lunch at Buffet Fortuna, which is about three blocks from the corner of 8th and Webster. Besides Yuen Hop being the oldest business in the area, Yet Sun Market and the New Sang Chong Market are long established businesses. There are plenty restaurants, bubble tea places, bakeries, grocery stores and a few places to purchase dim sum, banks; even a law firm in the Pacific Renaissance Building. There's also a Chinese School (Joong Wah Mun Fah Yuen) on 9th & Harrison Streets. Since I don't drive anymore, and parking is difficult in the hood, I don't have a problem catching AC's 20 and/or 51A from Alameda to shop and dine here. I like SF Chinatown, but my heart will always be where I grew up in - Oakland Chinatown. Yeah, say it loud, I got my OCGA and I'm proud. OCGA = Oakland Chinatown Ghetto Attitude. Sho nuff right!!! read more

See all

Oakland Chinatown spans over 40 city blocks in downtown Oakland. Unlike San Francisco Chinatown across the bay, Oakland Chinatown is not touristy. It caters mostly to locals and, thankfully, there aren't as many tourist traps. Compared to the narrow and hilly streets and sidewalks of San Francisco Chinatown, the streets and sidewalks of Oakland Chinatown are wider and flatter (completely flat actually). *Relatively speaking*, Oakland Chinatown also feels newer and cleaner. If you're visiting San Francisco and wondering if its worth going to Oakland to visit Oakland Chinatown, I'd say no. San Francisco Chinatown and, more importantly, Clement Street should more than suffice. However, if you're in the East Bay, Oakland Chinatown is worth a visit for its many authentic Asian shops, markets, bakeries, restaurants, and businesses. The neighborhood encompasses pretty much all Asian ethnicities from Korean to Vietnamese. The de facto center of Oakland Chinatown is the Pacific Renaissance Plaza, a mixed-use development built in the 90s. It's bounded by 11th Street to the north, 9th Street to the south, and Franklin and Webster Streets to the west and east, respectively. We parked in the conveniently and centrally located parking garage here. The following parking rates (credit cards accepted) were in the effect: First Half Hour - $1 Each Additional Half Hour - $1 Daily Max - $24 Overnight - $30 Lost Coin (ticket) - $30 Hours of operation: Sunday to Thursday, 8am to 11pm Friday & Saturday, 8am to 12am Pacific Renaissance Plaza has a nice open-air square which is sort of reminiscent of a public square or park. Lots of elderly Chinese folks like to sit and relax on the benches facing the centerpiece fountain. The multilevel plaza has a variety of tenants including a Chinese Bank of America branch and the Oakland Public Library Asian Branch. The library carries books in several different Asian languages including rarer ones such as Thai, Cambodian, Tagalog, and Laotian. Neat. Pacific Renaissance Plaza is home to restaurants such as Sobo Ramen and Gum Kuo Restaurant. Sobo has okay ramen. It's good, but not great. Gum Kuo is a Cantonese restaurant, one of those with fresh BBQ roast duck and pork hanging inside the window. Speaking of restaurants, one Cantonese restaurant we've ordered from multiple times in Chinatown is New Gold Medal Restaurant on 8th St. If you're looking for traditional Cantonese comfort food in this neighborhood, either New Gold Medal or Gum Kuo should work. New Gold Medal is located in the same block and around the corner from Legendary Palace, one of Oakland Chinatown's old school Chinese restaurants. For snacks and beverages, I've been to Juice-a-gO-gO and i-Tea. Both aren't bad. Juice-a-gO-gO sells real fruit smoothies, coffee, bubble tea, and Hong Kong style street snacks such as curry fish balls, spiced tea eggs, and Hong Kong waffles and egg puffs (a.k.a. egg puffs, eggettes, puffles, etc.). i-Tea is a tiny Taiwanese bubble tea shop often with lines out the door (granted, there's not much space to stand inside). i-Tea has a wide selection of authentic and delicious regular teas and bubble teas. Some of the busier intersections of Oakland Chinatown have floral-decorated pedestrian crosswalks. These crosswalks not only cross streets in standard straight-line fashion, but diagonally too. Street signs are printed using both English and Chinese characters. read more

Oakland Chinatown - Parking rates. - Local Flavor Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

The Chinatown here is more contained in shops with mostly small grocery stores and their veggies spilling over to the sidewalk. There were no cluttering of toys, t-shirts, and souvenirs filling the sidewalk streets. We GPS'ed Oakland Chinatown and ended up at an open courtyard. I would say pick a place in Chinatown, i.e. bubble tea spot, for your heading so it will get you nearest the center of the town. There was a plaza (Pacific Renaissance Plaza?) that you can say is the center ish part of town. The plaza has a roofless, open space center that has shops surrounding the water fountain in the middle. There were two levels here, but most of the shops were closed since we arrived in the evening. Our group just parked at a meter since we weren't going to be long knowing Oakland Chinatown wasn't going to be wowing. We ended up paying $1.50 for right around an hour, give or take a little over/under. In summary, I say it's worth a quick browse if you're in the immediate area and during business hours. If not, just skip this place and hit up San Francisco's Chinatown instead. There, you will get that Chinatown wow factor. read more

Oakland Chinatown - Local Flavor Near Me - Oakland, California

After reading Eugene review I have to give my weekend home way form home some love !! This is what Chinatown means to me ! I was born in Hong Kong immigrated to San Francisco in the 80's Moving from San Francisco to Oakland in the mid-80s. Chinatown was a very different place and what is going on now that you see in 2016. Doing a time there was no too many Asian restaurants and eateries , no bubble tea , no Asian supermarket around small towns outer Oakland areas. There was some of them but nothing compares to The quality and varieties that they offer in Chinatown. So on the weekends most Chinese would come to Chinatown for a taste of home in the many restaurants and to do their weekly shopping for groceries. I remember my family and I would always come in Chinatown for noodles on Saturday mornings or go have some dim sum in some of them some tea house . Many of these places are now no longer around but the spirit of Chinatown, lives on new market places to eat and eateries grow yearly Chinatown making a bigger and better! I love you Chinatown, all the wonderful memories you've given me as a child, as a teen coming here at midnight eating at a late eateries reasons such as ABC, fortunes ,Sun Hong Kong, and many others ! One of my favorite place to be Chinatown for some good old Chinese! :3 read more

See all

Very lively place. There are still some dimsum/grocery that ONLY takes cash. Perfect place to get your tropical fruits craving under control, or maybe that herbal drink?? read more

"Chinatown" is the first word I search on when I travel around North America. Having one in San Francisco and another one in Oakland means I can virtually visit Asian places, meet "real" Chinese people, practice shopping, and learn to use chop sticks in Chinese fashion. Chinatown Oakland hosts a real diversity of humans. People of all continents can be found doing business or visiting here almost daily. What is your race, nationality, or ethnicity? Have you been forced to "integrate?" It is my notion that Chinatown Oakland provides such an authentic Chinese experience, children (any race) can grow up here and know how to speak, read, write, and eat Chinese! While Chinatown as an entity has integrated, most of the residents can remain uncontaminated by the effects of the loose trending immature American influence. read more

See all

Sort of where I was raised/taken care of when I was a baby back in the day. The sights and sounds are still mostly there, but with time some things just start falling apart or got abandoned. Sadly, it's not as clean as it was a few years ago, quite a few homeless out there and their encampments. There's still quite of few Asian markets selling the meat, fish and produce daily as with quite a few restaurants. Overall, it's nice to visit and even eat down there, but couldn't imagine living down there due to the traffic and congestion. read more

Oakland Chinatown - Local Flavor Near Me - Oakland, California

Love having a Chinatown in Oakland, makes us so proud to be here :) Easily found and well connected - walking distance from Lake Merritt, Jack London Sq as well as close to 12st bart! Lots of small markets with food as well as shops to purchase utensils and other things for kitchen and home. Streets and surroundings are usually pretty clean which makes my heart happy :) although it does get pretty crowded on weekends. Love the food options - so much more authentic and better priced than San Fran. My favorite places: - Shandong for dumplings and noodle dishes - Gum Kuo for cantonese food - Kim Huong for some pho - Golden Lotus for vegan food - Vien Huong - another good place for soup and noodles Some of these places are quite busy (like Shandong) but you never have to wait more than 5-10min for a table during rush hours on lunch/dinner, but other places are bigger in space so never had a problem to get a table. Overall, food is really good, service is friendly and prices are great! read more

I used to go to Chinatown in Oakland a number of times each month, for DimSum on weekends and late WonTon soup at night as well as shopping for fresh veggies and baked goods. Unfortunately, I now hardly go there because of insecurity. After car break-in's, I only park in the underground structure at 9th & Franklin and rush through the bakery/veggie/roast vendors. I believe that most of China Town problems come from its open streets to car traffic that enable quick escape for the bad actors. It is time to re-engineer Chinatown: a good start would be to close some streets to car traffic (as they are during the New Year festival) and the segment of the 9th Street between Franklin and Harrison is an obvious choice. You will be amazed by the results once the street is reserved to the pedestrians, as shown in the USA and Europe where businesses boomed after car ban. Imagine all the people crossing the street back and forth without fear for being hit or mugged! One might argue that closing the street to cars is bad for business; my answer is that car traffic is already almost gone on 9th Street, as cars are double- and tripple-parked on both side of the street in a normal day, leaving barely 2 lanes free for through traffic and bad actors escape read more

Oakland Chinatown is located in downtown Oakland with its center at 8th Street and Webster Street. It stretches from 12th Street on its northern edge to 6th Street on its southern edge, Broadway Street on the western edge and Lake Merritt southern tip in the east. With the growing Asian population in the Bay Area, Oakland's Chinatown has steadily grown during the last 30 years to serve as a destination for East Bay residents as an alternative to the Chinatown across the Bay. However, it is not tourist-oriented as San Francisco's Chinatown, rather it's a Chinatown where people come to do their grocery shopping and to dine in one of the many restaurants. One of the newer complexes here is the Pacific Renaissance Plaza, a residential and commercial complex. It features a multi-level public underground parking facility and features shops and restaurant including the Asian Branch of the Oakland Public Library and the Oakland Asian Cultural Center. If you looking for a touristy Chinatown, head across the Bay, as Oakland Chinatown will serve you well for your grocery shopping and dining needs. read more

What do I do without Oakland Chinatown. So diverse and with tons of economical exotic goods and food items

Coming from San Francisco, I feel that Oakland's Chinatown is somewhat cleaner. Maybe because of the wider roads and intersections that separate the shops and people crowding each other. Maybe because of that, it somehow lacks the dirty, traditional community squares, and tiny alleys that SF Chinatown has. Nevertheless, there are some interesting finds, like awesome graffiti (well, the whole town is full of it), and wild yellow lilies. There are quite a number of cheap restaurants and parking is definitely easier than that of SF. read more

Oakland Chinatown - Wildly grown yellow lilies - Local Flavor Near Me - Oakland, California

See all

Not quite as well known as it's famous twin across the bay, Oakland Chinatown has a ton of local color to add to an already vibrant downtown Oakland vibe. Parking can be tricky as you are in the middle of an extremely populated and busy city. there's street parking, surface lots (mostly on Broadway a few blocks or more away) and a handful of parking garages scattered around, but at a lot of the issue is the extremely dense(at least in the daytime) pedestrians that throng Chinatown. Drivers beware that Chinatown offers radical urban driving madness.Like a lot of things in the bay area you my be best served by getting here some way that does not involve driving a car. Unlike it's SF twin there is a lack of distinctive sort of Asian styling on the buildings, and there is no central gate marking the "official" entrance. You'll know when you are there by the end to end Asian businesses covering every block. The food is great, the shopping id decent, the groceries are epic,the murals are fantastic, and the community center offers the best programs in Oakland. On the downside, it can be very gritty, the alleyways can be filthy (that's not a Chinatown exclusive though-Oakland has many, many sketchy incredibly bad alleys) and if you don't know Cantonese, the restaurant ordering can be more adventure than you may enjoy. Overall it's totally worth a few hours. Walk around, take pictures of the murals, enjoy some tea with a sweet, have some dim sum, and get some selfies to show off for the folks at home. The groceries are also the best source for certain items-such as dried berries, mushrooms, tea, instant coffee (Vincafe is the best thing on earth. And isn't so easy to find outside of Chinatown) salted pork/fish/squid/shrimp/anything from the ocean, miso, and even some types of veggies such as bok choy. Also good for bargain kitchenware items (Chanco for the win). In general it's a great way to stretch your legs and see new things. read more

Oakland's Chinatown has been here for a long time, in the area downtown between Broadway and Alice and 6th and 13th. It is more spacious than it's SF counterpart, with no little alleys like Hang Ah, Ross, and Spofford. Very little if any downstairs, underground Mah Jhong parlors, either. And very few Tourist Trap Trinket shops, unlike San Francisco. The traffic lights are extra big and bright, and the cross walks have red and gold decorations on them for good luck. They have a weekend street festival in mid-August, with booths, food, vendors, and entertainment. You come to Chinatown Oakland for cheap produce, cheap eats, and red envelopes. No trinkies. read more

Oakland Chinatown was nice it certainly differs than the city across the bay and their Chinatown and also the one in NYC, basically the one in DC has essentially just become part of a metro stop. Still there's some genuine authenticity to this area, shops a lot of food places to buy groceries, and some other smaller general merchandise stores. The buildings in general don't have a distinctive Chinese styling to them so they themselves just sort of blend in. How you know you're in Chinatown is based on the sites, sounds and smells around you. If you're in Oakland its worth checking out and its pretty easy to walk around. It fits in with the eclectic and diverse area that is Oakland. read more

What can I say, I love Chinatown. Ever since I was a kid and my auntie was dragging me through the "Pacific Renaissance Plaza" (who knew that looming indoor/outdoor mall structure even had a legit name? Not I) as my sister and I gawked at the hanging ducks in restaurant windows, I have had a dedicated obsession with this place. From the Sanrio pencils and notebooks I used to beg my mom to buy me to the bright red envelopes designated for Chinese New Year that can be found year-round in the gift shops, everything seemed to fascinate me. The bustle of the sidewalks made narrower by market offerings: chicken feet and bunches of cherries and fruits I can't pronounce, broccoli and cauliflower at prices your local grocery store probably can't beat. Hardworking men crouching with stained aprons smoking cigarettes just at the curb, chatting with each other about the irritating customers they've come in contact with throughout their shifts (or at least, that's what I've always assumed they were chatting about...) The far-flung fragrance of food cooking, tea brewing and incense burning at the nearby Pu Guang Temple on Harrison Street all intermingle to create an otherworldly scent that expands upon the sensory experience. Like so many parts of the city I was born and bred in, I have made too many memories here to count and take great delight in all of them. It is a privilege and a blessing to be able to explore another culture until you feel you have grown up alongside it, welcomed it into your home and been welcomed into it's abode as well. So, what do to when you go to Chinatown? Just about anything. Open your eyes, your ears and your nose to the wonderful feats being featured around you. Talk to Henry at Draline Tong about a recommendation of herbs just for you. Pick up a fruit basket cake (a birthday staple in my house since I was a wee babe!) at Wonder Food or Napoleon Super Bakery and bask in the sponge cake goodness, piled high with fresh fruit and propped up with whipped cream. Treat yourself to a hot pork bun or the delightful deliciousness known as dim sum at Tao Yuen. If you're a Jook fan, get over to Gum Kuo or Gum Wah. If you're not a Jook fan, become a Jook fan. No matter how you choose to spend your day, evening or fierce midnight hour, make sure you take the time to really appreciate what a beautiful place Oakland's Chinatown is and how lucky we are to have it at our disposal. I know I always will! read more

My personal opinion is that the Oakland Chinatown offers better dim sum, better shops, and just overall better accessibility for those walking on foot and taking Bart and other modes of public transportation. There are more shops, dim sums opportunities, and the grid pattern of accessibility throughout the several blocks here in Oakland. One of my favorite places to stop by for food are the various dim sum shops for to-go order of Bao that you can munch on while walking around or my favorite homemade noodles joint, Shandong, a must if you are craving dumplings and the like. The majority of the eateries are open later in the evening and relatively safe. If you decide to park, make sure you keep your valuables hidden. The downside to this neighborhood is that car vandalism is rampant. read more

Much like the Oakland Athletics circa 1990, Oakland Chinatown is an all-star team. With "healing hands" Chinese medicine practitioners to noodle soup joints that have earned cult-like followings, Oakland Chinatown is full of heavy hitters with whom, until now, only insiders have been familiar. A Chinese Community. Despite an assertion that Oakland Chinatown is a pan-Asian community, it is in fact predominantly Chinese and Chinese-Vietnamese. Starting in the 1970s, a flood of families from China and Hong Kong moved into the then-newly-built condominium building shown to the right, known fondly to many as "中山大廈" or Chungsan Plaza. With 328 units and over 1,000 tenants, Mr. Lim, a security guard who has watched over this building for close to three decades, estimates 90-95% of its tenants to be Chinese. Over the past two decades, there have been a few additional residential developments, including the Pacific Renaissance Plaza that was built in the 1990s by Hong Kong investors. Indeed, prior to the influx of Ranch 99 markets and other Asian strip malls, Oakland Chinatown served as home base for many Chinese families throughout the East Bay, including those from East Oakland, Piedmont, Alameda and even as far as Castro Valley and Fremont. A Day in the Life of a Local. The charm of Oakland Chinatown is best illustrated by a walk-through of a typical day in this town. Early Saturday morning, I made my first stop at the clinic of Dr. Wong Mun Kwong, a 跌打醫生 (deet da/traumatology specialist), who has served the community since 1991. Though retired now, patients nonetheless insist on seeing him. With a line of patients already at 10:00 a.m., he allowed me to interview him while he skillfully massaged one patient with a wrist sprain. He obtained his medical degree in China, he said, and worked in the Guangzhou Hospital for 18 years. When he immigrated to the United States, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) was not recognized in our hospitals so he opened his own clinic. In addition to Dr. Wong, another legendary Oakland Chinatown-based deet da specialist that served the Bay Area for decades is Dr. Mok Jee Wun, who is no longer with us. These two individuals have healing hands, and many East Bay Chinese kids who suffered sprains and strains from high school sports have sat in their offices at one point or another. An herbalist at Hoan Cau Hong weighs the medicine for a patient. One of Dr. Wong's patients allowed me to follow her to a 藥材鋪 (yerk choi po/herbalist store). In addition to the massage treatment, she was advised to drink a brew of Chinese herbs two times a day. Handing over the prescription to the herbalist, he swiftly picked out the correct jar and weighed the amount she needed on his old-fashioned scale. Since Chinese medicine can be excruciatingly bitter, herbalists give out boxes of raisins for customers to eat along with the medicine. Noodle Soup Heaven. My next stop was lunch. There are a variety of amazing restaurants to choose from in Oakland Chinatown. In addition to locals, young adults and thirty-somethings who either grew up here or were exposed to this part of town during their Cal Berkeley days still travel on a weekly basis from nearby cities to get their noodle soup fix. Guo Kuo is famous for their Cantonese BBQ. On this day, I chose to eat at Gum Kuo. A Hong Kong native once told me that, in his opinion, the most legitimate bowl of wonton noodle soup outside of Hong Kong is served here. Indeed, radio personalities from Sing Tao Radio, Bay Area's largest Chinese radio station based 40 minutes away in Brisbane, travel here and have been sighted, hiding in this noodle soup joint, slurping away, unbeknownst to the crowd. Serving traditional Cantonese BBQ, a typical meal here consists of wonton noodle soup accompanied by a BBQ item, such as char-siu, roast duck or pork. Their 粥 (juk / rice porridge) is also good. Read the full review of Oakland Chinatown at Lowdown on Chinatown (link in my bio or google lowdownonchinatown). read more

Oakland's Chinatown almost demands comparsion with its more famous counterpart in San Francisco, but they have so little it common, it's hard to know where to begin. Apart from being an obvious place for Chinese people, SF's is hilly and has narrow streets, and feels dirty. Oakland's is flat and wide streets, and whilst not exactly "clean" (no part of downtown is), is somewhere you don't mind passing though. SF's is full of tourists, whilst Oakland's is probably somewhere you didn't know even existed unless you lived in the Bay Area. SF's has of course the pictureque lanterns and other architecture, whilst Oakland's, for the most part, looks just like the rest of Oakland. Still, there are some novel features in Oakland's - there are two vegan resturants - Golden Lotus, which is Vietnamese with Thai influences, and Nature Vegetarian, which isn't too shabby (SF's has none to my knowledge). There's the "scramble" cross walks, and of the street signs which have Chinese script as well as the regular English names. But in summary? Well, it's hard - there's no one defining feature, but if you're passing though Oakland you should definitely check it at as part of the "Oakland Experience". read more

I used to think Oakland Chinatown is a small family oriented community where us Asians joint together for a collective well being. The stupidity of mine went away with a reality check today while i was at the possible "unlicensed or without permit" flea/farmer's market adjacent to the licensed Friday farmer's market (in Chinatown on 9th Street and in front of Anrol International, Inc). I enjoy the culture and people around the community and especially when Friday comes that I see locals (most seniors) put out all sorts of goods from vintage cameras (my favorite) , home grown herbs to cooking utensils for some lower income or enthusiast folks to choose from. However, on 1/12/2048, I witnessed and was ashamed of seeing staff from one of the shops walking out "shaming" one of the elderly of: 1) putting goods out on the street 2) selling without permission 3) not paying their taxes 4) scaring people away from Chinatown 5) Hurt local business like theirs and those who are selling similar goods 6) Making Chinatown Dirty 7) Blocking the street 8) not paying rent and business licenses fees 9) threaten to call police if the elderly continues to sell goods in front of her shop 10) threaten to call police if the elderly continues to sell in any part of the street. I was shocked how the staff continue to shame and confront the elderly even after he removed all his goods from her property. It was like she was seeking redemption or an apology from the elderly which I believed was unnecessary. I witness the confrontation for about 10 minutes and could not stopped myself from entering into a civilized conversation with the staff. I asked how properly her business file their taxes when cash are received for their selling their medical products like $1000+ massage chairs and how do they file the other businesses that is inside her shop (shipping and travelling) with the City of Oakland. She was not a happy camper then. I took a picture of the shop's canopy to use for this review (no picture of any individuals) and was told that I need to let her take a picture of myself for record in which I refused verbally. If my picture is taking by this individual , I reserve my rights to take legal action. If any of you read this, please let me know what is wrong with the community these days ??? Also, if the elderly is of other nationality, would the same shameful confrontation happened ? read more

Definatley a working area vs the more touristy one in SF. However everyone was nice and I got to try some fruits that I still have no idea what they are called. read more

Oakland Chinatown is about 20 blocks radius. Be careful of street light as there are no turns on red from 7-7pm 7days a week. As any Chinatown, it offer food, services and culture related to the Chinese and Asian American. There are festival read more

If you look beyond the filthy streets, sidewalks. The rude people that like to crowd right in the middle of the sidewalk then give you a dirty look cause your trying to get by. Graffiti riddle buildings, then look UP! Some very "old" buildings with beautiful architect! Love this along with the sounds and smells. I do like San Francisco Chinatown better as a whole since it has all the fore mentioned pluses along with all the many lovely shops to explore. A stones thrown from either downtown SF or in the other direction, the Wharf. read more

Yep! This was a pleasant surprise during my first visit to Oakland for business. It was just a short (2 blocks, maybe?) walk away from the Marriott City Center, I felt like I could get some good eats on my grad student budget! From dim sum to bakery goodies, this #foodie was happy to find Oakland's very own Chinatown. Not as bit as the Chinatown in San Francisco, but it still offered a lot of eating options and fresh market finds. I will definitely be checking out more of what Oakland Chinatown has to offer during the conference...hit me up if anyone reading this at the conference wants to go with me. I think there is a Cambodian place and another bakery that I want to try! Let's explore Oakland Chinatown together! :) read more