Golden Gate - Emeryville, CA Area Guide

The Golden Gate community began as a small town called Klinknerville, named after it’s developer, Charles Alexander Klinkner. The name was eventually changed to Golden Gate in 1888 and annexed to Oakland in 1897.

The Golden Gate community was known as an entertainment district during the first half of the 1900’s, and it's located where the original Trader Vic’s resided, which is the famous restaurant rumored to have created the iconic Mai Tai cockail.

The Golden Gate community features art centers in and near the neighborhoosd, such as the Zentner Collection, which houses fine Asian antiques. This gallery is open to the public and allows you to buy and sell antiques or simply just enjoy learning about them. There are no actual museums in the Golden Gate neighborhood.

The Golden Gate neighborhood proffers a variety of local and nearby eateries sure to satisfy most any taste. The Actual Cafe has a casual, friendly atmosphere. This cafe serves breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner, while its daily happy hour from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. each day provides excellent deals on drinks. Try menu favorites such as the Local Hero egg sandwich, which comes with cheddar cheese, tomato, spinach, scallions, pickles and a mustard vinaigrette. Order the Golden Gate club sandwich, a chicken-based sandwich served with bacon, a house-made tomato jam, pickled red onions, avocado, mixed greens and house-made aioli. Other menu selections include Belgian waffles, chipotle chicken arepa and a variety of burgers. This dining establishment prides itself on its support of local staff, vendors and producers.

Another local restaurant, Townhouse Bar & Grill, lies in Emeryville, which borders the Golden Gate community. This American-style restaurant serves lunch and dinner, and it also features impressive dessert options. Choose from entrees such as chili-rubbed grilled prawns served with mashed potatoes, roasted mixed vegetables and BBQ hollandaise. Go for the penne pasta served with chicken, prosciutto and asparagus in garlic cream sauce and Parmesan bread crumbs. Try the hearty braised beef short ribs with creamy polenta, root vegetables and a red wine reduction.

For a fun night out, head over to Prizefighter, a bar that features boxing memorabilia. The outdoor party pad provides a place to spend time with your date or just hang out with friends. Choose from a wide selection of drink specials, and don't forget to order the famous Prizefighter Punch. These drinks arrive at your table in a punch bowl to make a memorable fruity drink mixed with your favorite liquor such as rum, gin or sparkling wine.

Golden Gate offers many methods of transportation. Many people travel via automobile, but public transportation is also a popular option. The Alameda-Contra Costa Transit (AC Transit) and the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) service this neighborhood. Golden Gate is a pedestrian-friendly community equipped with bicycle lanes and sidewalks. Some streets do provide you with street parking. You can call and arrange for a taxi or arrange a ride with a Uber driver using your smartphone. The wait time for an Uber, excluding peak times, ranges between about 5 to 10 minutes. The Golden Gate neighborhood isn't far from Interstate 580 and Highway 24, making other areas of the state easily accessible from the area.

The Golden Gate neighborhood provides its residents with parks throughout the community.

The Golden Gate Playground serves as the community’s recreational center. It has a basketball court, baseball field, and a picnic and patio area. It is, however, closed until Dec. 2015 as it undergoes a complete makeover. The old center will be torn down and replaced with a new state-of-the-art facility for the community to enjoy.

Doyle Hollis Park is a free, local park located in the bordering city of Emeryville. Visitors enjoy bringing their children to this park because of the playground structure. Kids can release all of their energy on this obstacle course-style playground and parents have peace, knowing the grounds are made of rubber for extra safety. The park also supplies visitors with a half basketball court, a green area for multipurpose use, a stone fountain, picnic area and well-kept bathrooms. Every year, the Emeryville Earth Day Celebration is held at the Doyle Hollis Park where residents enjoy live entertainment, food and art.

The cost of living in Golden Gate tends to be higher than the rest of the city of Oakland by roughly two percent. The mean rent asked in the Golden Gate neighborhood is about $2,560 compared to $2,348 in the rest of the city. Compared to the national average, the cost of living in Golden Gate is around 44 percent higher.

The cost of a beer at a local pub such as Prizefighter Bar runs around $5 to $6, but happy hour specials in some taverns and clubs help keep entertainment costs down. The price of gas is about 13 percent more than the national average. If you frequent the downtown area, catch public transportation to downtown Oakland that costs $5 for a day-pass.

The premier centralized shopping area near Golden Gate is Bay Street, located in Emeryville. This mall offers over 60 different stores and services, 10 restaurants, and a movie theater. Popular stores include J. Crew, H&M, Express, Victoria's Secret, Old Navy, and West Elm.

The Rockridge shopping center exists as a unique district to explore, since it specializes in vintage and collectible shops. Some of the stores and boutiques that occupy this area include Bambino Thrift Shop, Talisman Antiques and Tootsies.

Nearby grocery store options include Trader Joes and Safeway. Shop at the nearby farmers market in Emeryville for a wide selection of locally-grown produce and baked goods.