For locals, watching the Warriors win the NBA Finals is a must. Choosing the perfect place to watch in Oakland can be a bust.
For the perfect viewing experience, a bar needs three things: seats, sound and scene. A venue whose primary function is game watching is crucial. Good food is secondary.
Nobody wants to watch the game standing up. Unfortunately, seat-grabbing tactics for playoff games (arrive an hour early, spread your belongings or other people’s empty pint glasses out on a table, and give the stink eye to potential poachers) doesn’t work for the finals. You’ll need to buy tickets or make a reservation and still get to the bar really early to stand in line.
Don’t be deceived by a bar’s stylish decor: it’s the size of the TV that matters (I admit I’m a TV sizeist). In my opinion, the best setting for watching sports contains multiple big-ass TVs, wall projections or movie screens.
You want the volume so loud that you can hear Steph Curry slurp on his mouth guard over the sound of screaming fans.
If you don’t care too much about setting, you can always watch at home with your pet. But my friends and I want a scene. Foodies? Hipsters? Beer bellies? Marijuana enthusiasts? Singles? Oakland’s bars cover pretty much any niche, depending on what interests you (or with whom you want to take a selfie).
Overall Winner: Blind Tiger
Oakland’s Blind Tiger (in KoNo, a.k.a. Upper Uptown) is the best place at which to watch the Warriors win in Oakland. If you don’t reserve a table (a must if you want to consume delicious food, like their Massaman curry fries), you can arrive early and grab a bench in front of a giant projection. On Memorial Day, my friend Heather couldn’t get into the Bernie Sanders rally, so she arrived at Blind Tiger before opening (5:00 p.m.) to secure our group seating. Nobody charged her a $20 entry fee like they do at Mad Oak (is that even legal?) or hassled her at Bobby G’s in Berkeley (where I perfected the aforementioned stink eye). The game was projected in several places on cement walls, and there were TVs galore.
A former underground pool hall, Blind Tiger is massive, yet every bit of space gets filled up with fans. The crowd is young, local and diverse. My friend Heather commented that it was fun to watch the game with a West African gentleman, some recent Berkeley grads, a Millennial artist and some tech bros. Another companion, Tiffany, took a lap to see what was happening in the table area; she described the fanfare as “rabid.” My friend Doris was pleased with her Happy Hour Schofferhofer and felt like she was courtside. She said the amped-up crowd gave her more of a buzz than the beer. (See for yourself in the Facebook video.)
I talked to Blind Tiger’s owner, Edward Yoo, about what makes his establishment the ideal place for game night. He said that what sets them apart is their commitment to high-quality service (packed house or not), community (he was adamant that charging entry fees like competitor establishments do just isn’t Oakland) and fun (happy hours and reverse happy hours attract happy people). He described the scene as “definitely a diverse crowd across the spectrum, but all fun loving and here for a good time. It gets loud during games, as it’s definitely Warriors ground.” Reserve a large group table at least two days in advance, and be sure to pick up a special-edition Warriors-themed T-shirt designed by local artist Steve Belale.
Runner-Up
Last year my favorite place at which to watch the Warriors win in Oakland was the New Parkway Theater (Uptown). Tickets are $15 and sell out fast. Doors open at 5:15, but if you don’t want to sit on the lumpy couch, get there early and stand in line. It’s amazing to watch the Warriors play on a movie screen in a theater that feels like your living room but that’s full of hundreds of new friends. You can get pitchers of quality beer (Line 51 Dub Nation), popcorn bowls and delicious food (pot pie?) delivered to your seats. They show the game in both of their two theaters, and as soon as the doors open, people book it for their favorite one.
Honorable Mentions
If you’re not a fan of huge crowds or shitty food, Rosamunde (Old Oakland) is your joint — and a perfect spot for when you’re intimidated by the ridiculous line outside Mad Oak. Rosamunde is in Swan’s Marketplace, also known as “God’s Food Court.” Unless the staff was being lax on the day I went, they seem to let you bring your delicious noms from B-Dama and wine from Periscope Cellars — or you can enjoy Rosamunde’s selection of delicious sausage and local beer. They had seats, sound and sparse, chill crowds on the Saturday night when I was there.
Cato’s (Piedmont Avenue) is cool. My friend Lyndsay Rentz went there on Monday and reviewed it for me:
You know the crowd is going to be serious about basketball when the website proclaims, “SOUND will be ON for every game!” Just as advertised, the TV commentators could be heard over the boisterous, dedicated Warriors fans packing the small bar and restaurant. The menu contains standard pub food, but don’t be fooled — the pizza is as good as any I’ve had in the Bay Area. Local pints go for $4 during games. The audience is friendly but focused. Bar patrons were happy to share the extra seats at their table but unafraid to ask you to sit down if you blocked their view. Get here early to grab a seat, and get your food order in before the place fills up.
Where will you be when the Warriors whup ass? Please recommend your favorite place to watch the games in the Comments section.
