811 Oakland Event Venue

You'll find 811 Washington Street right in the middle of Old Oakland when the weekend crowd starts spilling onto the brick sidewalks. There's usually a tight security line outside by ten, so don't show up late expecting to breeze past the door. You walk in past the velvet ropes and the room hits you with heavy bass lines bouncing off exposed brick walls and low ceilings.

It's an intimate lounge setup rather than a massive concert hall, meaning you can actually see the DJ booth from wherever you manage to stand. People pack tight around the bar wells near the back, ordering gin and tonics while the intelligent lighting rig flashes across the crowd. The sound system packs a punch, rattling your chest without completely destroying your hearing by midnight.

Security keeps things moving fast at the register, and you'll find plenty of plush banquette seating if your feet give out after hours of dancing to heavy hip hop sets. It gets sweaty and loud quick once the dance floor fills up completely with locals.