Kaiser Rooftop Garden
- Good for Kids: Yes
30 reviews
Neighborhood: Mission
"My little Bella Valentine is such a doll. She's been to Hound Lounge 2x now, and every time she comes back home shes so tired - its great!…" read more »
21 Reviews for Kaiser Rooftop Garden
A nice place to get away from all the office dramas and deadline and just relax (as long as your lunch break is). A few benches to sit, grass if you prefer, and even a pond with small bridge walkway for you to enjoy. Great thing too is that there's a restaurant right next to it (inside the building) if you want food - though I've never tried it.
Can someone please tell me how do I get there? I work right on 19th and Webster and can't figure out who to get to this garden you guys are talking about.
This year's concerts have begun!!! Amazing lineup, don't miss them!!!
New Website too!: http://www.myspace.com...
Jun 27 2008 12:00P
The Committee (Blues)
Jul 11 2008 12:00P
Houston Jones (Hi-Octane Americana)
Jul 18 2008 12:00P
Natasha Miller (Vocal Jazz)
Jul 25 2008 12:00P
Zydeco Flames (Cajun Zydeco)
Aug 1 2008 12:00P
Brass Mafia
Aug 8 2008 12:00P
Junius Courtney Big Band
Aug 22 2008 8:00P
Fito Reinoso (Cuban/Salsa)
Aug 29 2008 12:00P
Argentine Parlor Tango
Sep 5 2008 12:00P
Jeremy Miller Band (pop/rock)
Sep 12 2008 12:00P
Times 4 (Jazz)
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1 Previous Review: Show all »
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05/08/2007
This summer's concert series will be great! Here's the line-up:
06/01/07 San Pablo Project… Read more »
I'd give it 10 stars if I could. Amazing thought and excellent execution. What a brillant idea to put a garden on top of an ugly parking garage. I see the garden from my office and can even see the flowers on the bridge. It's such a treat to see something so green while at work. They even have lunchtime concerts during the summer.
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I orignally wasnt going to let anyone know of this hidden gem,but its too late.The summer concerts on Friday afternoon's are an added bonus.Great place to relax & have lunch,without being pestered by the locals street merchants(bums)....
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Yup, yet another hidden treasure in my fabulous hood! (Stop hating!) I discovered this lovely little oasis in the heart of downtown Oakland when a friend of mine wanted to meet for lunch but take advantage of the lovely warm and sunny day. We heard this place existed but didn't know exactly where it was. Low and behold we found this splendid little roof-top garden and I have to say I honestly hesitated yelping about it because I don't want to go there and its' packed out and I can't find a place to enjoy my lunch! However lucky for you and against my better judgement I decided to spread the love and share the one of the many jewels of Oakland with you... (Just promise me you won't go during lunch time okay?)
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Who says that a girl can't have it all? I do: my new office overlooks Lake Merritt through floor-to-ceiling windows and I am lucky enough to have poetry personally composed and recited to me in a lovely garden (by the hottest man who has ever lived, I might add). I am certain that the garden is beautiful, but it could not compete with my sweetie's kisses and gorgeous blue eyes.
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This brilliant garden - actually, more like a park - is an oasis in the middle of downtown Oakland. It sits atop a parking garage.
My co-workers and I took advantage of the beautiful weather, brought our lunches here, and ate at a bench outside, amidst the blooming azaleas and in the brilliant sunshine. It was no less than perfect. We chit chatted, ate our lunches, recharged our batteries in the sun and fresh air, then headed back to our office refreshed and ready to face the afternoon.
Can't wait for the lunchtime concerts to start!
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one of the few "wow" places in downtown oakland.
really.
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I was on 20th st. running some errands last week, and I was approached by this swarm of kids. Like 4 or 5 kids all trying to sell me their independent hip hop CDs. All monotone sounding too:
"Ma'am, my music is non misogynistic, non women hatin, no playa hatin, positive beats."
"Ma'am, my CD is $4 more than his, but I am spreading the word of the gospel and all of my proceeds go to a Christian Youth Camp."
"Ma'am, this was recorded in my studio above the Diva's Closet boutique on 17th."
Diva's closet!! Haaaaaay.
I ended up going with the non misogynist. Only because it was just $1, he had a discman where I could sample the jams (I've bought their dang CDs before with nothing burned on them), plus he invited me to be his friend on MySpace. Go be his friend!
www.myspace.com/twism510
So after I bought his CD, Youth Camp was all, "Why you gotta be buying Twism's CD and not mine?? That money is just going into his pocket!! Mine is for the kids!" And he was kinda gettin all hyphy on me, so I was like, "Dude I can't buy them all!! Next time! God!"
But then he was sort of following me down the street bugging me. Then this big crowd of suits were walking through us, and it was at this point that I ran into the 1st random door I saw and lost him. Lo and behold it was the Kaiser Building, and there was the stairway that led up to the Rooftop Garden!
Coincendental actually, as I had just tried to sneak into this place not too long ago. But they close when the sun sets.
This place is magic. There was confetti and rose petals sprinkled on the stairway all the way up. Dude, that's how my life should always be! Like Eddie Murphy in Coming to America when he lived in Zmunda.
So there's all these little curvy paths that take you through the whole garden, and there's fountains and a little flower bridge and uhmazing views of the town. I thought I could see my little apt, but it was obscured by all the million dollar high rises. Oh well. Lots of couples having picnics! There's some hi falutin' restaurant up there too.
Refer to my attached pics. Can someone please take me up there to make out already?
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The Kaiser Rooftop Garden is simply beautiful. It's an amazing oasis above the hustle and bustle of the streets below. Sitting, reading, eating, napping, or walking through here you would never know that you are in fact on top of a multi-story parking garage. One of my favorite views from here is looking across the garden at the Ordway Building located across the street. It just seems to pop up out of the plants and trees like it was some sort of a giant aluminum and glass mushroom.
If you're having difficulty finding the garden, the three easiest ways to get there are by going up the escalators in the main lobby of the Kaiser Center building and then taking the garage elevator to the roof; entering the semi-abandoned mall behind the Long's Drugs and taking the escalator or elevator up to the top floor (follow the signs to the Central Park Restaurant); or taking the elevator up to the 2nd floor in the Ordway Building and walking across the skybridge that crosses 21st Street.
If you live or work in downtown Oakland, you MUST visit this place.
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OK. So I don't have anything to add to the very accurate reviews below, save to say that, yes, the garden is just that good. If you're into peaceful, centrally located natural surroundings -- free of charge -- head on over today (or during the week, when they're open).
It is something pretty to look at from my office on the 19th floor across the street. Better than looking at the mechanical units on the top of the other buildings.
So much of Oakland is if you don't know about it, you just don't know about it. As far as places to go near work, nothing compares to this sanctuary in the middle of corporate office buildings. The rooftop garden is above the Kaiser building (I couldn't tell you how to figure out which one, you just have to know). On Fridays they have jazz in the park and free popped popcorn. Feels like a miniature Central Park without the homeless people and the humidity.
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Need a break from cube-life? How about a quick walk with a friend? If you're in or near the Kaiser Building, head on over to the rooftop garden for both. Fridays during the summer they even feature FREE, live music during lunch. Don't try to sneak in on the weekends though - you'll just end up getting kicked out by the security guard!
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The best place to eat your lunch in a beautifully landscaped garden and listen to music on Friday noon to 1pm June - middle of Aug?
It is like a secret garden and the gardners change the annuals with each season.
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An oasis 3 stories up...(I forget how many stories it is).
During the summer from June to August, this garden hosts a variety of free live lunch time concerts (12 noon to 1 pm on Fridays). If you live/work in the area, it's worth the walk and schlep up the escalator. Being able to relax on one of the many lawns is a treat.
One of the first roof gardens of its kind, built in the early '60s. Time to catch some rays!
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My coworkers told me about this place when I started working here. I really don't like being inside the same building all day long, so one day, i got some food to go and looked for the entranceway behind the longs on webster.
It's such an unexpected place to have a nice garden with fountains and a lot of different plants/trees. They have a map of all the different species of plants/trees toward the back of the park (the southeast corner). i walked around all the paths the first time and it was soooo relaxing.
i like going there on sunny days w/ my lunch and after finishing my meal, i go lie down on the grass. i have a bad back and doing that over my lunch break is such a relief. but then it's back to straining my back at the office. :(
i've never been there for the live music. i would probably prefer the peace and quiet, but who can complain about free music?
there have always been empty benches to sit and eat my lunch when i've gone. i take my lunches a little later though (12:30-1:30ish). it's a little intimidating/hard to find at first, but once you've gone once, you'll end up going again.
OMG, this place is cool! And the really cool thing is that you don't need to "know anybody" to actually get into it but it's a little bit of paradise in downtown Oakland. A rooftop garden to beat all rooftop gardens, this place is amazing. A great place to steal away on lunch or those other times you just need to slip away and remind yourself that all is not cubicles, phone calls, and email. Beautiful place.
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pretty schnazzy, i must say, especially for oakland.
i'll give $20 to anyone who drinks the pondwater.
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