Town Bar adds style to Oakland’s nightlife

“It’s good to see the community building back up,” Sloan said. Orlando Ayala, who was out enjoying happy hour with a friend, said, “It’s a great place to just come and have a cocktail and enjoy people’s company.” Ayala also lives in Oakland.

A group of friends stopped by the bar to have a cocktail after a day in Napa. They said they appreciated the bar’s style and cocktails.

“It’s a little small, but it’s beautiful. It’s got a unique style,” said Michelle Kim, an ally.

Her friend Lawrence Bunchen agreed the bar was “cozy,” but that “It’s got a lot of style.” He added the drinks were “approachable.”

Town’s seven signature cocktails are fashioned after the colors of the rainbow. Mixologist Oscar Sinisterra of Hello Stranger crafted the drinks that are delicious. They also have fun names: Afternoon Delight, Fashion Forward, and Green

Eyes Envy Me, to name a few.

Tyree C, a gay Black man who was hanging out at the bar with Sloan, sipping their Ami-Gos, was excited about Town. He said he liked that there wasn’t a cover charge and the drinks were good and priced well.

Sloan also noted the music was decent coming from the state-of-the-art sound system.

LGBTQ Oaklanders are coming out of years of the pandemic into a hostile anti-gay environment. They are craving community and some sign of good times. They are also giving queer San Franciscans a reason to cross the bridge.

Huynh is excited about the rebirth of Oakland’s gay nightlife and to be a part of it. He listed off the LGBTQ bars currently open and new ones set to open soon: The White Horse, The Port Bar, Que Rico, Summer Bar & Lounge, Fluid510, and Feelmore Social.

“I’m excited to open around the corner from The Port. Last night, we had people going back and forth, which I love,” he said.

It’s exactly what Huynh envisioned, reminding him of his bar-hopping days in his 20s in the Castro. He wants that for Oakland’s Uptown neighborhood.

“It is turning into more of a gay district, and I love that I’m bringing something different to that.”

Town is located near the 19th Street BART Station near The Port. Que Rico, a gay Latinx bar that opened during the pandemic, is about a tenminute walk from Town. Summer Bar & Lounge is near the 12th Street BART Station.

Feelmore Social, a sex-positive lounge, founded by adult shop owner Nenna Joiner opened May 5. The Port owners will officially open Fluid510 May 20.