Fun place to check out. They call it the ruby room because they only use dark red lighting to keep the place lit. It has an old 1920's prohibition era feel to it. Always a rad place to check out when you're in the area. Definitely a great place to end your night as well. They have a pool table hidden in the back, if you can find your way back there.
Review Source:Like I've said before- give me a good whiskey and a dark bar and I am a happy gal.
The Ruby Room takes it to another level as far as darkness. You literally cannot see anything in Ruby Room, and the few light you can see is this sultry red glow which I LOVE! It gives the bar such a intimate and clandestine feeling.
The drinks are cheap and strong, the bartenders are the perfect nice. Ruby Room is huge, perfect for large groups. They also have a kick ass jukebox, which is always a good sign.
I say- YES!
As a first-timer at the Ruby Room, you might feel a little un-cool. Because all those people on the dance floor, in the smoking lounge, and perched at the bar, knew about it before you did.
It's a reminder that the most interesting spots aren't always found via PR buzz, but good ol' fashioned word of mouth. Thanks Lara W for the insider invite!
Why, with so many bars in Oakland, would you find yourself at the Ruby Room? Perhaps because you want to dance to a DJ spinning everything from reggae to ska to soul (gotta love DJ Miggy Stardust). Maybe you like being able to smoke indoors (there's a glassed in room for the puffers. They prefer you only smoke legal substances). Maybe you appreciate reasonably priced drinks, not dressing-to-impress, people watching, the color red, or squeezing into small spaces. You can do all that, and probably more, at the Ruby Room. Yay to that.
Hive of scum & villany.
All scandalous stories start & frequently, end here.
A post on FB: Â "...I think I left my pants @ The Ruby Room..."
A tweet: "Calling all cockblockers, please rescue me from Ruby Room."
You can still smoke. Indoors.
Everytime I've been there = metal, punk or 80's. I have no idea if they have a DJ.
The bar gets set on fire, randomly. Â Giving everyone a GOOD look at who is at the bar, before dim red darkness descends.
It smells like sticky in there & you wanna go.
okay kick it spot... even some legitimate dancing...
BUT there is a serious chemical smell towards the back of the dance floor by the dj that smells horribly of nail polish remover... talked to the the bouncer and he said that smell is always there. for the love of GOD take care of that. small rooms with no exhaust and smokers AND a chemical that obviously shouldn't be there...
heaven forbid you have someone pass out in there and get sent to the hospital.
If you're brave enough, there is an ominous vat of blackness in the corner of the bar that says "Ruby Room Special Vintage". Upon first glance, I recognized the evil in that vat and made the sign of the cross. Closer inspection revealed that this vintage is composed of an ever changing combination of 23 spirits. My guess is that 23 is the minimum, and there were countless dregs in there. I talked two people into this two dollar headache, one of these brave people was my lady. Oops, my bad.
I had a sip, it tasted like coffee liqueur and mint. It was like cough syrup and coffee. I didn't regret the sip, but she regretted the shot later in the morning.
There is a smoking "patio" here if you're into that. I don't know if it qualifies as a patio, since it's indoors and has open walls. Might as well smoke a cig belly up to the bar.
Fun place, nice pours.
After our excursion to Parkway Cinema we stopped here before heading back on BART. It is super dark, and has a red glow to it. The bouncer has this huge flashlight to check your ID's, definitely noticed whenever someone else had arrived. I do remember the bartenders being cute. The Back in black beer was awesome. Oh yeah, the bathroom was crazy. There was graffiti and stickers everywhere and all over the mirror. Definitely not going to check yourself out one last time before leaving the bathroom, haha.
Review Source:Secret societies & outlaws on the lam must appreciate, & even admire, the blackened depths of the Ruby Room. When I walked into this abyssal cave on the dark side of the Moon, the waning outside light of dusk seemed blindingly bright in comparison.
Though I am violating the 1st rule of Fight Club by reporting this, I was here because of John Z.'s invitation. A gathering had been planned. An assemblage, of sorts, of parties who will remain unnamed (oops, except for John Z.), all coming together for 1 purpose, 1 cause...
Hey, let's hang out & have a couple drinks before heading over to the nearby Oakland Restaurant Week Kick-Off Party YEE. Sounded cool. I was in. So, a few of us members of the not-so-secret society that is East Bay Yelp Elites showed up & did precisely that.
The staff & few other patrons there had a hipster vibe, but the bar itself could've been your father's favorite watering hole. Or rather, your grandfather's favorite watering hole according to Eric B. (oops, again with the names, keeping secrets not my forte).
The Ruby Room served our purpose of Pre-YEE launchpad quite well. I had a couple Happy Hour beers (Racer 5) & we all managed to stay out of trouble despite Markus N. being a member of our cadre that evening (not that Markus N. is a trouble-maker, no really, & oh yeah, oops, no names named).
The Ruby Room is a very cool & very, very dark dive bar that is a great place for secret societies, outlaws on the lam & even Yelp Elites to get together & toss back a few drinks while getting ready for their next move, diabolical or otherwise.
Just before a recent event at the Lake Chalet, a number of us received the following message from John Z:
"In brightest day, in blackest night, no evil shall escape my sight! Let those who worship evil's might, beware my power! Green Lantern's light!"
Wow! Â Is this what happens when a Yelp Elite "Jumps the Shark"? Â Actually, John (a Green Lantern fan of the John Stewart variety) just wanted to get together for drinks with friends and as a launchpad before the Event. Â As for the light here at the Ruby Room, there really isn't any except for red orbs within this dark and wonderfully divey bar. Heck, I couldn't even read the credit card slip until John M. kindly pulled out a small flashlight.
The Ruby Room could have been the bar my Grandfather frequented in Milwaukee. That was the one where his buddies would claim that he wasn't there when my Grandmother called wondering where the Hell he was! Â In fact, this place is so timeless that I half expected old Grandpa Rowan to walk in and demand his shot of scotch -neat.. The only things missing in this Midwest fantasy was a snowy and cold outside, a bar food menu, and perhaps a Friday Night Fish Fry.
Speaking of fantasy, Rene C's MC was here too. We sat at the Bar, drank Racer 5's, and had a great time chatting and catching up. And when we were ready, we walked over to the Lake Chalet and made our grand entrance. These are the best of times and until we meet at The Ruby Room again....
My favorite bar in Oakland. Cheap, stiff drinks, and good music. If I'm out with a group of like, 8 people, with different tastes & sensibilities, Ruby is always the place everyone can agree on. Diverse, chill crowd, and even when it's packed & crazy, there's almost always a place to sit. Sure, it's divey, but it's friendly and welcoming. I would bring my parents here. Best nights, IMO, are Wednesdays & Thursdays. And to the guy who said "chicks are DTF at this spot," I can back that.
Review Source:Been to the Ruby many times and have always had a good time. I've seen it mello, seen it with all types and seen it off the hook. If you're down with great hole in the wall places you should check it out. Also go a few times before you rate, I hate the one time wonders that are on here. Just reall quick because I noticed racial stuff in the below comments and again have partied with all types there with no problems at all. I have seen people thrown out but again it was because the were probably being a$$es and most of those were white drunk guys, oh and yes a couple drunk girls too. haha my 2 cents.
Review Source:As a hardcore aficionado of all things grimy, Oakland and cheap, Ruby Room is my tops. It's dark, their music selection is very diverse (metal on Tuesdays, hip hop/ska on Fridays, occasional surfer rock, also Wednesdays are very eclectic), and they have an indoor smoking section. Their drinks are super cheap, but they also have a respectable cocktail menu, so it fits both my "feeling poor and just wanting to drink" mood and my "maybe I'll try the Last Word and spend $ to drink green chartreuse" mood. Very attractive bar tenders, too, of both genders. Bar tenders will probably *not* sleep with you, but they will be very polite about rejecting you.
Classier than Merchant's, less pretentious than 355.
Ruby Room has implemented racist practices to specifically exclude black people from their establishment.
I witnessed two young black men, who didn't exhibit any stereotypical traits to which one would attach a stigma, be denied entry on the grounds that they "felt uncomfortable letting them in".
These young men in no way seemed threatening or imposing to any extent.
I'd like to add that I am white and fortunately have never been subjected to this form of prejudice, but it's revolting to see such blatant racial discrimination take place in this day and age- especially within the Bay area.
If you don't enjoy patronizing racist establishments, please do not give your money to this place.
My other favorite bar in Oakland after the Layover. Â It's nice to go here when you know Layover is gonna be packed....
Really cheap. If you have a student ID you can get well drinks for TWO DOLLARS on Saturday nights. Â What!
Bartenders are congenial.
Weird crowd...random people plus lots of Oakland punk rock kids.
Indoor smoking in the pool table area.
Hey yelpers! I'm gonna tell you a story. I was out with friends getting wasty and we crawled to this spot. My oh my what a place. I thought it was way bigger because they have mirrors on the walls. Hella tight! I ordered drinks for everyone, 2 rounds and I closed my tab and was like what? did they miss something? It was so cheap, and the drinks were "good good" strong. This is a bar where you just post up ride the rail and get tail. Chicks are DTF at this spot. Show up and go get it. I can't wait to go back with my lady's and just pull for dayssssssss. SUI! that's my war cry!
Review Source:$4 drinks, dark atmosphere, and occasional dancing.
This place is one of my favorite dive bars in Oakland.
They have a DJ, they have a place where you can smoke, they have a pool table, and they even perform bar flair tricks.
The place is dark illuminated by a a few red lights giving the place an eerie, yet intimate atmosphere (it worked really nicely with their Halloween decorations).
The perfect place to end a night of fun.
CHEAP!
STINKY!
SKETCHY CLIENTELE!
THE LAST TWO DON'T PHASE ME BECAUSE OF NUMBER ONE!
Yeah, so...
DUDE: "Got Guts?"
ME: "You mean like intestines, or 90's television show guts?"
DUDE: **lifts up shirt and shows tattoo that reads** "Got Guts?"
ME: "Oh."
DUDE: "Do you want to go to the bathroom with me?"
ME: "HELL NO."
After 10 on Saturdays, $2 drinks with a student I.D.!
Decent happy hours other times. LEGITIMATE HAPPY HOURS. Woo!
There are signs that say "Dancing is prohibited." I guess that they're serious...
dive bars are awesome...
Ruby room had good drinks, good music and was really fun... I like the dark lighting... and they did the flaming bar trick at some point in the night... I hadn't seen that in a while, so that was one of the highlights of the evening...
really a good time out... definitely going back
When in Oakland, you must Ruby Room.
It's dark and mysterious. But what's not a mystery is that drinks are strong and cheap. And service is fast. And they accept credit cards. All in all, one of the best dive bars in the country (yeah I said it).
Rowdy nights in Oakland are best viewed through Ruby-colored glasses. Forget the Mission and spend a night here.
This used to be the best bar in downtown Oakland. Â Great drink specials and good dance floor. Â We had some great nights here....
Some friends and I went there last month and something changed. Â The bartenders were jerks and they closed and rushed us out at 1:45 AM like cattle. Â Worst of all - the entire dance floor was dancing to the Smith's This Charming Man (awesome song) and the bartenders cut it midsong and the bouncers immediately started yelled in poeple's faces "to get the hell out". Â Not a great way to treat your patrons... Â
Ruby Room, it was great, but I don't think I'll be bringing any of my friends back here any time soon.
Ps. Your remodel was poorly designed too.
The Ruby Room is by far the darkest bar I've ever been to. It's so dark in there that your eye's never really get used to it.
I thought I saw people smoking in the back room when I was looking for the bathroom but I'm not sure, I suppose you could do whatever you want back there and no one would know.
after reading a few good Bukowski stories, I dream of landing in a space like this.
See sometimes I like riding around in my car like I am joyriding and hiding from the world.
I would end up here, walking into the peaceful darkness.
The drunk lover rises
gets beyond wasted and swims in the abyss of Crown on the rocks, travels through oceans of Hangar, dabbles in the beautiful Fernet, and make out in the midst of the smoke and cheap red lights.
I like letting go and having no tension, just letting the drunk lover flow.
Ruby Room helps the drunk lover inside of me stay alive.
Thank you, dear bartender, for keeping me company and well-imbibed while I was waiting by myself for nearly an hour for my very awkward night to start. Thank you for assuming that I was a lot younger. Thank you for cheering me up by asking what a girl like me would be doing in a bar by herself on a Saturday night. Thank you for having my back. You helped make an awkward situation tolerable. I'll come back for you.
I just wish that you were outside to throw down for me when some asshole told me that I looked like Ozzy Osbourne.
Extra props for the oldies that they play on Saturdays until 10 pm.
Come on! You know I shamelessly love my oldies!
...and Shelly thought this would be a low turn out/intimate DYL due to it being on Black Friday :P. The place is three blocks from Lake Merritt Bart, but I'm told its equidistant from 12th St. Bart which is a safer walk.
First impression: The place is dark. Like seriously dark...close the cellar door and call me Donnie Darko dark. But as DYLers move in herds, it wasn't hard finding the fun bunch in the corner seats. A little too dark for my taste but...
This little divey bar is decked out in red everything, or was it the red lighting that gave everything that hue? Anyway, it was a cool interior that reminds me of my dive bars in the Tenderloin.
Lasting impression: The Tokyo Teas and the Adios MoFo's ($10 each). As I rub my temples and drink my water this morning, I know; Ruby Room has left me w/ a lasting impression. Heavy handed doesn't give our great bartender enough credit, the lead handed bartender got me full on trashed. Ice was the only mixer in those drinks. Two Tokyo Teas and one AMF were enough to send me to the pool table worried that I would lose. Eyes crossing/closing and all, I staggered to the table.
Pool tables: The sharks at Ruby Room circled at the smell of my intoxicated blood. I hesitantly put in my quarters and played my damdest. Luckily I pulled out all the dirty tricks (aka strategy), played safety, pushed when I needed too etc. I didn't even call any of my opponents' faults. So I got out of there 2:0...praiseing my lucky stars.
It was a great night and I'm glad I made it out. Now off with you, go to Ruby Room....I guarantee you won't be seeing red. :)
I like any place that has flattering lighting. Â
This place is like a dark room, and in some spots, you can barely see anything, so I looked awesome!!
I love the atmosphere here. People doing their own thing, and outta my face. Â I can hang out and talk, or listen to the eclectic music and smoke my cigar. I can watch the pool players and sip on my red red red drink.
The ladies room has one stall and plenty of grafitti reading material, even on the seat. Â If you follow standard bar ladies' room rules, (i.e. similar to elevator rules, conversation is short and polite among strangers, avoid eye contact, if you go in with a friend you must talk loudly in an obnoxious way about something no one else cares about.) then you'll be in an out in less time than you think.
I dress how I want, and get no friction. Â There's an ATM and the guy at the door is very patient with idiots like me that have to rummage about to find my ID.
The dance floor is small, but that'll just bring you closer.
Oh, and I met some drunk guy that kept talking about how he was almost in the Olympics for Tai Kwon Do.
The Ruby Room is the darkest bar in the free world. Â Who are you talking to? Â Could be Olivier Martinez, could be Boss Hogg... you don't know, 'cause you can't see them. Â I went here in the daytime recently (because I am THIS close to being involuntarily checked in to St. Helena Health Center) and the eye adjustment from outside to in was crazy -- like blacking out almost. Â Or like going in that tunnel thing at the Exploratorium. Â If that tunnel thing smelled like stale smoke and had a few red spotlights pointed at a wall of liquor bottles. Â Seriously, that's the only thing you can see in there. Â Stage lit hooch. Â So there's no doubt as to the star of this show. Â
Considering how dark it is, it's pretty clean in there. Â I think. Â Nice crowd, good bartenders. Â And the drinks were strong like bear.
Word to the wise: the women's bathroom door PUSHES in. Â More than a fire code violation, this trick feature had me standing there about to girly rain my pants and wondering what ungodly things were going on in there for what seemed like an eternity... until a 510 mama took pity on me and showed me the ropes. Â To the MAN who hung this door: real funny, ass clown.
It's red & black and cool all over!
Upon walking in, I thought I had a problem with my eyesight.
It's dark as fuck and they make no apologies about it. In fact, they just tell you to get over yourself and adapt. Wow, I wasn't brought up that way but, OK, I can take tough love.. now anyway. Fuck it, they gave us yelper drink specials so, I adapted with a quickness.
They sort of allow smoking inside, just so you know. Kinda bugged, but, eh.. after a few drinks, I managed to get over it...
Bartenders here don't measure shit -- and it's why I am drunk-reviewing at this very moment.
Cheap drinks, good company...I'll be back!
*hiccups*
Talk about entering the Red Light District... The lighting, what minuscule amount there is, is all in red, definitely creating a sultry mood. (Which some people I noticed were taking advantage of...) On the plus side, everyone looks better in such conditions, so your odds of leaving alone fall precipitously.
The bartender, Melissa, was awesome. (Disclaimer: We got a Yelp discount of $1 on well drinks for the inaugural East Bay DYL happy hour.) She was quick and friendly in responding to all our orders. More important than pouring our drinks strong (which she did) she poured them well-proportioned (like she herself) so they also tasted really good. Despite being the only bartender, she still came back and cleared our tables of empties at least 3 times. The bouncer and later bartender were also responsive about shutting down the guy who started lighting up cigarettes in the back, which I really appreciated.
The men's restroom looks like it was "painted" using nothing more than a couple red paint-bombs, and given the broken angle of the door, that wouldn't surprise me. Still, it was clean, well-stocked, and in otherwise good condition.
Unlike most bars I've been in, Ruby Room kept their music to a very reasonable level. I could carry on a conversation without shouting, yet could enjoy the music without straining if a good song came on. And when someone cranked it up, Melissa was very cool about adjusting the speakers so they weren't blaring right into our group.
The great staff, atmosphere, and 4 block proximity to Lake Merritt BART make this a great bar to visit again. Just remember to eat your carrots beforehand or bring a seeing-eye cat!
TRIVIA: Rubies are geologically the same as sapphires, being the same mineral (corundum). Trade in rubies has been tracked back as far as 100 BCE along China's North Silk Road. Today, roughly 90% of rubies are mined in Myanmar (Burma), prompting many jewelers and governments, including First Lady Laura Bush, to call for a boycott.
Highlights from the sultry, dark, and smoky Ruby Room this evening:
- conversing about "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" with a perfect stranger
- meeting a man with a penis rumored to be the size of a baby's arm (NOTE: Â This was not verified.)
- watching two really cute Asian girls with nice tattoos make out with each other
- witnessing a waifish lad writhing on the floor, strung out on Ritalin
- being asked by a random guy if I know where to score some coke (do I look like that type to you?)
- meeting a guy who claims be a professional poker player, Â to have a house in Texas and one in Oakland, and to make $1-2M a year, wearing a wedding ring, offering to buy me drinks. Â (I said no, I'm not that kinda gal.)
- sitting back in the comfy booth, observing folks, and drinking my favorite drink - the Greyhound - for $4 a pop
Pretty interesting evening, I have to say!
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