Parliament

It’s a Friday night, 8pm, 8 people in the bar, 1 waiter who doesn’t acknowledge us for 15 minutes. No water. No smiles, no eye contact. We get ready to leave and suddenly they ask us if we need anything.
Uhh, no. We’re leaving and not ever coming back.

Although Parliament is sized more appropriately for a bar than it is for a dance club, it’s nevertheless a fun, lively venue full of friendly people, with a casual vibe that gets dancier as the night progresses. I’ve been here a few times when they had a happy hour menu, which was an absolute bargain, whether for some surprisingly good cocktails or for beer and wine. The staff here are also super friendly and welcoming, so much so that this was the perfect venue for a recent weekday happy hour I hosted for a group I’m a member of.
All in all, Parliament’s got everything that I love about Oakland — good vibes, good people, good times.

We booked Parliament as an non-​profit event/​party venue, and they were GREAT. I love their all-​inclusive fees and service. The staff were friendly and helpful, and really seemed to CARE that our event went well.
Usually at this type of event I’m running around managing food, setting up tables, picking up garbage. Not at Parliament. They handled it.
Also, I often have to beg bartenders to put tip jars away – not at Parliament. They were fast and friendly and very professional.
I definitely recommend Parliament if you’re looking for a great party/​event space for your business!

Will never go again. Horrible customer service bad washed down drinks. The female bartenders were cool. The male bartender disrespectful & rude. I will tell everyone i know not to go

Love the environment and staff went for a b day girls night out. Would love more hip hop.

So I never heard of this place of business until my cousin told me she was throwing her birthday party at this location. Parking for 10 flat in the area is cool. Location is small but nice didn’t know that served food. I loved the DJ and the ladies that service us with bottle service. Would come back here I felt it’s A hidden gem in Oakland.

This is such a nice venue with great energy! I held my listening /​release party here. I’m
An up coming singer song writer out of the Bay Are. I connected with with Jason Bradford when I was in crisis mode looking for a new location for my party (my previous location double booked and had to cancel last minute). Jason was very understanding, welcoming and personal. It was great doing business with Him. Parliament is a first class venue that is still reasonable in pricing, not to mention it is in a prime location. I recommend this to venue to everyone not only to hold a private party’s but also a chill place to meet new people at events, enjoy great music and good drinks. Thanks again to the Parliament team, I look forward to doing more business with you all :)

This review is specifically for the Champagne and Cupcakes Brunch introducing Twelveam Co. I saw this event posted on Unilocal and thought it would be a great day party. I couldn’t find any other reviews on the place or this brunch series, but figured it would be worth the $ 20, because you can’t go wrong with champagne and cupcakes.
Well, it appears you can. Although the event was billed as a champagne and cupcakes brunch, with «all you can eat», it was actually nothing of that. There were a several cupcakes floating around, but you had to pay for the champagne (which was being offered at about $ 5 per glass). The «buffet» turned out to be a couple of trays of food (which appeared to be an «all you can eat while it’s there) which included, eggs, grits, potatoes, and several trays of meats (shrimp, chicken, etc). There was also a fruit tray which looked a bit picked over, but nothing I would call a substantial buffet.
While the venue was pretty nice (although a bit on the more «intimate» side), there appeared to be a hodgepodge of people attending the event. Not to mention, the host passed my friend over several times before finally talking to her about the soft launch of her shoe line. She was also taking swigs from a water bottle, and there appeared to be nothing close to water in that bottle). No offense against the host, but I just feel that if you’re going to have a launch party and call it champagne and cocktails, there really should be champagne and cocktails available (or at least indicate additional cost on the invitation).
All in all, not a bad event, but maybe could have been advertised a bit better (and clearer).

I dig this place. Came here a couple of times on different nights and I’ve noticed that Fridays are a bit less crowded than Saturdays. It’s a nice little lounge that plays different types of music; from old 90’s-early 2000’s rap to top 40’s and R and B to reggae. They only charge $ 5 either after 10 or 11pm. Drinks are pretty strong and staff are friendly, even security. There’s an upstairs part which people can buy out for special celebrations.
Parking is easy to find on the street but there’s a parking lot right across the street for a flat fee of $ 10. It’s in Chinatown area where there are a lot of other bars in the neighborhood so this place is a good place to include in your night of bar hopping or if you wanna just chill and/​or dance for the night.

It has a great look and vibe to it.
The DJ’s changed every hour or so, so we were able to listen to different types and styles of music throughout the day.
I enjoyed the guava juice and champagne mimosas and the strawberry cupcakes (we were there for brunch). The workers were nice, too.
It was my first time ever here and ever experiencing a day club, and it was a nice, positive experience.

I can’t lie… I chose to go here for my birthday last year because of the name and my affinity for the band Parliament. It wasn’t a bad choice but because we went so early, there wasn’t much life to be lived on the relatively small dance floor that doubles as the main floor of this locale so we left.
Last weekend we gave P-​Money another chance as we sought to celebrate the Dubs win (KISS THE RING!) and were infinitely more pleased with what we found. The DJ was spinning better tunes, starting with late 90s jams before segueing perfectly into more current numbers and the dance floor was much more lively. In between sips of OJ & vodka and (gently) forcing a very kind security guard to take flicks of our crew, we shook our groove thangs and enjoyed the scenery. The bathroom was clean but as there is only one, as the night wore on the line grew and grew.
My verdict: Make your move to Parliament on the late night tip once things movin’ and shakin’ and you won’t be disappointed.

Came here once last year, and came last night. It was about 11pm and I asked, «How much is it?» The lady said «It’s free, you got about 4 min.» I quickly gave her my wrist to stamp. «Free» is my middle name! We had a good time. It was a lot of people by 11:45, and very limited seating downstairs so I kept lookin’ upstairs to see when it would open because I remembered that there was a lot of seating up there. Finally, I saw people up there so we went. I dunno about the drinks cuz I don’t drink. I liked the DJ & it’s mainly R&B/Hip Hop. Some of the songs I had never heard before and apparently everyone else had… but I am stuck in the late 80’s 90’s music– that was before Hip Hop died :(
Anyway, I’d come back. I did hear the DJ mumble something about «Every 5^th Saturday.» So maybe that’s why it was packed? I’d come back on a 5^th Sat.

Nothing I can say will make this place better. I mean it has it all: the look, great music, delicious drinks, and amazing staff! What more can you ask for?!
First and foremost, The Parliament is one of our fav Oakland spots. We’ve spend tons of Friday nights dancing the night away. And when it came to time to plan our wedding we couldn’t think of a better place to host our celebration than with a lively cocktail style reception at this beautiful venue.
From the the first inquiry Jason was SUCH a big help! Being a wedding planner I know all about vendors and the booking process and when it was my turn to be a bride it was nice to have someone in my corner that could help bring our vision to life. From layout suggestions to signature drink recipes Jason made the whole process seamless. His level of professionalism was so appreciated and he more than accommodated all of our requests.
On the wedding day our guests were really wow’d when they walked in. The bar was lite all white with lots of votives and beautiful blooms. We brought in some cool colorful pillows to lay on the lounges and added a few cocktail tables (which they have in inventory!) with nice linen and flowers. You don’t have to do much to dress up the space — but when you do — it’s ahhmazing! Our taco bar fit perfectly in the corner and our photobooth was upstairs in the mezzanine. The overall flow of the event was perfect!
If you’re looking for a more modern and trendy venue this is the place. They host birthdays, weddings, kick ass club events, corporate — you name it — Jason can make it happen!
The bonus for us is we go back often and get to relive our wedding reception all over again! I can see us spending our Anniversary here for years to come!

Meh. Came here for a party last night. Music was just okay. My drink was terrible and they don’t have specialty cocktails. I asked for a whiskey ginger and was expecting a highball but what I got tasted like mostly soda water, weak ginger ale and bad whiskey, no lemon. Bar area is cool enough with the lights but they are pretty much limited to a few beers on tap and mixed drinks.
Crowd was diverse but it’s hard to figure out what sort of vibe they are going for here… Club? Lounge? Bar? It took a while for the place to get crowded and it never really was packed like the District down the street. It’s fine in you’re in a pinch and want to dance but I wouldn’t go out of my way to come here.

I have been here a handful of times and every single time, I try really hard to like this place. I love me some Old Oakland and some of the other spots around like: District, Liege, and Air Lounge. All the times that I have been here, have been not at all impressive.
First off, their bartenders and drinks are terrible. I have ordered traditional drinks like Moscow Mule or Tequila Sunrise that have tasted like not one ingredient used to make the drinks. I have also tried standards like ginger beer and bourbon or jack and coke. Every time, they are dissatisfying: too sweet, too strong, too much ice. And at $ 10 – 12 per drink, I would rather go next door to any of the other spots around.
Now onto the space… first favorite part is the DJ booth set up and their pretty impressive speaker system. I’m an audiophile so this matters. To their credit, I do hear pretty good music when I have been here both during the week and on weekends.
However, the place seems to be going for a club/​lounge feel with no real room for dancing. The biggest negative is that you have two single bathrooms for the whole spot AND (here is the kicker) they are in the middle of the dance floor!
Several months back, when I was coming in someone had just taken a crap in the bathroom and I could literally smell it while I was making my way upstairs to meet some friends. Completely not classy. If you come here and need to go, expect to wait in a huge line for the restrooms.
Due to its location, I really hope Parliament can get a cocktail menu and better bartenders together. Maybe then the bathroom oddity might be easier to forgive after a few good drinks and some better music.

Love, love, love this place!!! I am an wedding/​event planner and not only have I done events here but I also go just to enjoy myself on a Friday night. Jason and his staff are amazing and super professional and I recommend Parliament Event Venue to host your next event or even just to hang out and have a great time with a great mix of beautiful people. Cheers!
Endorsed by Aminah Mitchell Weddings + Events

Parliament is a beautiful venue! We had our company party here a few weeks ago and it was more than we could ask for. The staff was so accommodating to our clients’ needs.
It was the day of the storm when we had our party, so our turnout was slimmer than we expected. With the security outside and friendly staff, our clients felt safe coming into and leaving the venue.
I really enjoyed the music– Jason is a great manager and DJ ! Our bartender Sergio made awesome drinks. He made me a peach lemon drop and it was
. I didn’t even have to say I liked peach– it was like he knew!
Parking might be a bit difficult– there might not be parking right in front of Parliament, but the parking garage isn’t too far off and there is street parking around the area that is free after 6PM.
I can’t wait for a free night so that I can bring my friends to Parliament. I love the atmosphere there. It’s also right in the middle of Old Oakland, which is a fantastic area near downtown.

Nice bar! Don’t have to dress up!
DJs are usually on point with the old school and new hip hop! This a guaranteed party night stopping at Parliament.
The dance floor is kind of small, but I guess it’s because its a bar and not a club. It gets really hot in there when it fills up.

This place opened up on New Year’s Eve and so far so good. It’s open for happy hour 4 to 8:30pm on weekdays and opens up with a club vibe after 8:30 on weekends.
It has a good décor with a bar that changes colored lights (who needs the bay bridge). There’s a full bar with a good whiskey selection. I recommend the Crater Lake Rye which was $ 7 per shot (not sure if that was a happy hour price or not).
They have a small bar bite menu of different grilled Panini-​like sandwiches. They’re all pretty tasty and only $ 5 each.
I like the vibe of this place. Shoutout to the owner Chris and bartender Shannon. Least the few times I’ve been there the music has been solid with different 80’s and 90’s hip hop and r&b music playing.
Check it out!

While having a frustrating day at work, my cousin and his wife were texting me throughout the afternoon to let me know that they were at the Trappist and that I should meet them. As the work day was drawing closer to an end, a drink was sounding very enticing. I headed down to Trappist to meet up with them, only to find out that they had kind of outstayed their welcome there. Ha! After having a rough day at work and not having any lunch, I really needed something in my stomach. I had mentioned District and we started walking.
As we were crossing Washington, the Parliament sign caught my eye. What the hell is this? I haven’t seen this or heard of it before. I glance inside to see an array of rainbow colors and a bar that had pretty much just opened for business that day. I asked my cousins if they were interested in checking it out. They seemed a little hesitant, but decided to check it out anyways. I was very impressed with the décor. They were definitely going for a club feel. This didn’t bother me so much because I liked it and it wasn’t a club scene at that point in time.
The bartender Jason was super nice. It sounded like this was his establishment, but am not certain. I was amazed at the fact that their menus light up! They had a few cocktails for happy hour (happy hour is from 4pm-​8pm!) that caught my eye and asked Jason for his recommendation. They also had a few grilled cheese sandwiches on the menu with the perfect size tomato bisque to accompany it. I also had to ask Jason for his recommendation on this because Nessa was hungry and had no time to read descriptions.
Jason made our drinks and we didn’t have to wait too long for our grilled cheese sandwiches. While we waited, Jason gave me a little tour of the upstairs area where they have a DJ booth! (Yes, I gave him my business card :)) Once back downstairs, our sandwiches came out. It was really good. I just remember it had pesto in it and don’t remember what the other ingredients were. It wasn’t the best portion for my current state, but had I had lunch, it would’ve been just fine.
Parliament is a pretty sweet place and they play a great selection of music. They also had an old breakdance film playing on the wall. I’m not sure how this place is in the evening time, but if you don’t mind the club feel without a bunch of club people, then you should definitely come here during their happy hour.