Ruby Room represents the best dive bars in Oakland through diversity and strong drinks.

May 20, 1:41 AMOakland Bars ExaminerRon Lee

Previous Next

2 comments Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Oakland Bars Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

The Oakland Public Main Library on 14th Street and Madison Avenue is a great place to educate oneself on all things Oakland. One can peruse through their selection of historic magazines or walk through the Oakland History Room to learn about the cultural influence of Oakland’s unique history. One can do so to earn a newfound appreciation for Oakland, but if you really want to educate yourself about our city, I suggest you put the book down, leave the library, walk across the street, and stroll into Ruby Room.

As you step into Ruby Room, the first thing you will notice and appreciate is the vibe. It is robust and thick and represents Oakland well. On the surface, the very dimly lit venue seems uninviting to strangers but if you come with an open mind and an appreciation for culture, soul, and real connections, then I can guarantee that you will be treated like family.

Ruby Room is a breeding ground for fantastic conversation. The people are diverse, open-minded, and willing to share. Once you take a seat at the bar, it is easy to over hear neighboring conversations, which makes it very easy to, politely, put your “two cents in”. I spent an hour at the bar and learned more about hunting, golf, and rock history from strangers than I have in the past 2 years on my own. Through an hour of sharing ideas and jokes, mixed with the great new wave music playing over the speakers, we all bought each other beers and new friendships were forged. I asked Rose Hammerman, one of my newfound friends, what she liked about Ruby Room, and she said, “I like the red lighting, the diversity, and that it’s not overly crowded but crowded enough.” The diversity and ambiance seems to be what brings people back to Ruby Room time and again.

The crowd is an appealing mixture of the laid back and the fashion forward. At one end of the bar, you can spot the exhausted “nine-to-fivers” seeking life’s answers at the bottom of their pint glasses, while at the other end you can find the trendy, “suited-and-booted” professionals enjoying the spoils of another triumphant day. Ruby Room caters to the weary travelers, the hip hop shoe gazers, and the downtown lawyers with the same class and rapport – that is what makes this place so great.

On any given day, you can find the owners sitting at the bar, behaving like your average patrons. Alfredo Botello, Tim Tolle, and Trevor Latham are among the most humble and easy going business owners I have ever had the pleasure of meeting. Their lack of pompous egos has established a winning culture at Ruby Room. It seems the band, Greenday, is a fan of the Ruby Room to boot as the owners and bartenders told me that they are frequent patrons of the bar. In fact, they enjoy Ruby Room so much that, under the alias Foxborough Hot Tubs, Greenday has actually written a song called “Ruby Room” (listen here).

When you decide to visit Ruby Room, I suggest you go on a Saturday night when the music consists of northern soul, old school punk, electro clash, new wave, and classic rock. The music plays hard and matches the strong cocktails the bartenders serve. The locals will mostly have a Pabst Blue Ribbon ($2) and a shot of Jameson ($6), but if you have a student identification card, all well-drinks cost $2. Everyone hates a bartender with an ego and it is easy to love these bartenders. Friendly and down to earth is the theme of Ruby Room and the customer service sets the tone. I suggest you seek out Ella or Sylvia; they are great bartenders and outstanding hosts (just don’t ask Sylvia to make you a blue colored drink because she will refuse). Come to Ruby Room and entrench yourself with the diverse cultural experience that is Oakland. I’ll see you there, until then…cheers.

For more info: www.myspace.com/oaklandrubyroom, 132 14th Street, Oakland, 510-444-7224, www.eastbayrats.com/