This summer, Lakeshore Avenue is introducing something new: Summer Sips. For the first time, this stretch of restaurants, cafés, and bars is coming together to roll out special menus, featured cocktails, and can’t-miss deals designed to get you out of the house and into the neighborhood. To kick things off, we’re spotlighting the local businesses bringing their A-game—from scratch-made comfort food to Michelin-recognized cocktails to family recipes generations in the making.
Here’s where to start:
Proposition Chicken: Comfort Food with a Conscience
Proposition Chicken has been a Lakeshore Avenue staple since 2017, known for scratch-made meals built on high-quality, free-range chicken and thoughtful touches like gluten-free options for every table. But the real draw goes beyond the menu: every Monday, Proposition Chicken donates 10% of dine-in sales to a different local nonprofit. Since launching the program, they’ve supported nearly 200 organizations and given back more than $200,000 to causes that strengthen the community.
For Summer Sips, don’t miss The Best Damn Fried Chicken Sandwich—tender chicken tossed in their signature herb-and-spice blend, fried golden, and stacked on a warm hearth-baked roll with habanero slaw and house-made sage chips. It’s a sandwich that earns its name.
📍 3260 Lakeshore Avenue, Oakland
Lin Jia Asian Kitchen: Family Recipes, Generations in the Making
For nearly 15 years, Lin Jia Asian Kitchen has served Lakeshore Avenue with a menu shaped by the Lam family’s journey from China to Vietnam to Oakland. Every dish carries that story—tradition, resilience, and food meant to bring people together.
Two weekly specials make this a go-to for regulars: 50% off Korean Fried Chicken on Mondays and 50% off all bottles of wine on Wednesdays, making it easy to turn a weeknight into an occasion.
📍 3437 Lakeshore Avenue, Oakland
The Cat House Bar: Craft Cocktails in a Cozy Corner
Tucked into 3255 Lakeshore Avenue, The Cat House Bar is the neighborhood’s hidden gem for craft cocktails. With vintage-inspired décor, antique furniture, and eclectic cat artwork, it’s an intimate spot built for slowing down over a well-made drink.
Their Summer Sips lineup features two standout cocktails: Dear Irene, a refreshing mix of gin, coconut, ginger, lime, and fresh mint, and E & E, a bolder pour combining tequila, mezcal, jalapeño, pineapple, lime, and cilantro for a smoky-spicy kick.
📍 3255 Lakeshore Avenue, Oakland
Bardo: Michelin Cuisine Meets Live Jazz
Bardo brings a different kind of atmosphere to the Avenue—mid-century modern design, vintage dinnerware, warm lighting, and live jazz, paired with Michelin-recognized food and drink.
Their Summer Sips cocktail, Strawberry Hill, blends Old Grand-Dad Bourbon, elderberry syrup, strawberry liqueur, fresh lemon, and egg whites into a velvety, fruit-forward sour. Beverage Director Ben Dimond created it as an homage to his mom’s homemade elderberry jam—proof that the best cocktails often come from personal stories.
📍 3343 Lakeshore Avenue, Oakland
Obelisco: A New Favorite Rooted in Family Tradition
Obelisco may be one of the newest additions to Lakeshore Avenue, but its roots run deep. The family-owned restaurant traces back to 2007 in Oakland, celebrating the culinary traditions of Mexico’s Jalisco region with organic meats and authentic flavors.
For Summer Sips, check out their new Happy Hour Bar Menu featuring shareable small bites alongside House Margaritas, flavored margaritas, Palomas, Micheladas, and ice-cold cerveza—perfect for an after-work stop or the start of a night out on the Avenue.
📍 3407 Lakeshore Avenue, Oakland
What Else Is Happening on Lakeshore
There’s always something happening on Lakeshore Avenue, and this summer has been no exception. From exciting community events to neighborhood improvements, there’s plenty of momentum building along the Avenue.
One of the biggest highlights came on July 27, when we were thrilled to welcome Gabby Williams of the Golden State Valkyries to the Lakeshore Peet’s Coffee. Fans lined up around the block for the opportunity to meet Gabby over coffee, creating an incredible buzz throughout the neighborhood. It was such a fun event and a wonderful reminder of how special Lakeshore is as a place where our community can come together for memorable experiences.
As one exciting chapter began, another came to a close. After many years on Lakeshore, Gap has officially closed its doors. The sign has come down and the storefront is now covered as we await what’s next. While we’ll miss having Gap on the Avenue, this highly visible location presents an exciting opportunity, and we’re looking forward to welcoming a new business to the neighborhood in the future.
Visitors will also notice improvements to the public parking garage. Last month’s brief closure allowed the City to complete much-needed structural repairs and concrete patchwork throughout the facility. At the same time, JLL, one of the garage’s managing partners, took advantage of the closure to thoroughly power wash the stairwells and trash enclosures, leaving the garage noticeably cleaner and more welcoming.
And if you’ve looked up lately, you may have noticed crews replacing the broken string lights that have lined Lakeshore Avenue for years. The Lakeshore Avenue Business Improvement District has been advocating for these repairs for quite some time, so we’re excited to finally see the City’s investment come to life. Once complete, the new lighting will make evening strolls, outdoor dining, and summer nights on the Avenue even more inviting.
Upcoming BID Events
Monthly BID Meeting
August 17, 2026 | 10:00 AM
Interested in attending? Email Racheal@lakeshoreavenue.com for meeting details.
TBD October 2026 – Annual Candy Crawl & Harvest Festival with Lakeshore Baptist Church
Discover. Sip. Repeat.
Six businesses, six reasons to fall for Lakeshore Avenue all over again. Whether you’re chasing the perfect fried chicken sandwich, a jazz-soundtracked craft cocktail, authentic family recipes, or a margarita on a sunny patio, Summer Sips is your invitation to explore one stop at a time.
This is just the beginning. We’ll be introducing even more events to support our restaurants, cafés, bars, and local businesses throughout the year, so keep following along and make Lakeshore Avenue your destination year round.