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CC SA-BY Our Oakland

The Ruby Room is a bar at 132 - 14th Street across from the Oakland Main Library.

NOTE: They are scheduled to close after New Year's Eve 2023

Mon-Sat. 5pm-2am
Sun. 9pm-2am
No cover
132 - 14th St. Oakland
(510) 444-7224

The bar was a favored hangout of the East Bay Rats Motorcycle Club. 1

Awards

CC SA-BY Our Oakland

The Ruby Room was the recipient of the East Bay Express Best Pick-Up Spot Readers' Poll Award in 2014. The Ruby Room also won the write-in categories of "Best Bar to Avoid First Friday Nonsense" and the "Best Place to End Up at 1 AM." The Editors also awarded the Ruby Room the Best Bar to Get Dumped (and Rebound) In.

In 2015 EBX awarded "80 Cent 80s Night" at Ruby Room the Best Night to Go Out When You're Broke. (Happens 2nd Thursdays). 2017 brought an award for  Best Place to Drown in Well-Priced Drinks and a Red Hue.

History

Alfredo Botello and Iiad Mawikunich bought it and named it the Ruby Room in 1999. At some point Mawikunich left. Trevor Latham worked there beginning in 1999, and bought in to the bar in 2007 along with Tim Tolle. 1,2

The 1940 directory lists the Cico Lounge and Chimes Restaurant at 128 - 14th Street. In 1967, the Court Lounge opened at 132 - 14th Street. It was a home-style American food place managed by Charles, Mert, and Irella. 3 It was Court Lounge until at least 1995.

1950 Sanborn excerpt1987 ad

Links and References

CC SA-BY Our Oakland

  1. The Nightcap: The dark, loud and loved Ruby Room Oakland North November 11, 2011
  2. One of Oakland’s most notorious dive bars will close after a final New Year’s Eve bash Oaklandside December 6, 2023
  3. Night Sounds by Perry Phillips Oakland Tribune May 5, 1967
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