Oaks Card Club

The Oaks building dates back to the 1890s and has always been a drinking and gambling establishment. It is considered the oldest card lounge in Northern California.

Originally named “Congers” after owner John Conger, it later became the Oaks Club after the Oakland Oaks Ball Park was built across Park Avenue in 1913.

The original building architecture was Victorian, but it has been remodeled and modified over the years to include the current brick veneer and stucco. In 1990, a wing was added to the south side of the building.

There was a persistent urban legend that an underground tunnel connected the Oaks Club to the old Emeryville Town Hall although this has never been substantiated. The Oaks did have a secret passage running from the Oaks management office to a Chinese laundry that was located next door. The passage was used to evade raids by the feds which were not uncommon.

Women were not admitted to the club until 1967.

San Pablo Avenue was once the site of several card clubs including the Santa Fe and Key club. These either closed or their license was consolidated over the years and The Oaks is the last among them.

The state of California prohibits games where players play against the house. Cardrooms operate by “player-banked” games meaning that the players at every table are offered the opportunity to bank — and deal — hands. The Oaks makes revenue by charging small fees on each hand played (There are no slot machines or dice games).

The Oaks offer 35 card tables featuring card games including Lo-Ball, draw poker, Texas hold ‘em, and Pai Gow. They are open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

They also have the popular Oaks Corner bar and hof-brau (closed since the pandemic).

At their peak of operations, they employed a staff of about 300 and are still the largest single source of tax revenue in the city.