Where To Meet Single Women, Men In Oakland, Berkeley, East Bay Area
Where to meet women, men in Berkeley, Alameda. Best bars to meet singles East Bay, Oakland. Places to meet men, women over 40 Berkeley, Oakland, Bay Area singles events
Last Updated September 19, 2025
As a photographer and dating coach for men & women, I spend a lot of time navigating the Bay Area, looking for fun places to take photos, identifying great spots for first dates, and helping individuals expand their hobbies & interests, finding bars/restaurants to meet singles and identifying events for people to meet men and women.
Related read: Dating in the Bay Area
Where To Meet Men, Women East Bay Oakland, Berkeley
Below are some of my recommendations to meet singles whether you are new in town and don’t know many people, are over 40, don’t drink/hate bars, are a little introverted or are recently single. These locations, events, and social groups are mostly Oakland & Berkeley areas but will add more over time.
I will add more to this guide with more specific places and insight/context as to why these places are good for meeting people. In the meantime, subscribe to my newsletter, as I may mention one-off opportunities/events every so often.
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Disclaimer
Knowing where to go is not everything, heck it’s not even 1/4 of the answer. If you think that is the case, you are not ready for dating (or at least lack self-awareness and realistic expectations.
Be approachable (looks, wardrobe, hygiene)
Know how to read people
Be interesting, unique, fun (life experience, hobbies, social skills)
Being patient, persistent, having/making friends etc.
It’s not enough to go to places with the best gender ratios or most singles, you really have to enjoy the space and vibe otherwise you will be out of place. If you live a boring life, don’t make an effort (appearance) or are aiming way outside of your league all the time, it won’t matter where you go.
Oakland Speed Dating Events, Singles Events East Bay
Speed dating events can be super hit or miss and often fail to offer accountability as anyone can post an event on Eventbrite. Some of the best ways to meet singles is to expand hobbies & interests, work on social skills and meet people that match your vibe.
For more places, pop-ups, events and, activities, check out my free weekly email newsletter (usually sent out on Sundays). It has over 24,000 subscribers and it’s filled with curated quirky, fun events for introverts & extroverts (arts & crafts, comedy, pop-ups, talks, art openings, live music, festivals, street fairs, cultural events, block parties & more).
Oakland Matchmakers, East Bay Matchmaking Services
Don’t make the mistake of hiring a matchmaker before you read this guide. Many services scour profiles on dating apps, thus duplicating efforts you may have already exhausted or go on dates with people you left-swiped. Read their reviews, see who left them (friends, business partners or people who attended a free event or were matched for free i.e. didn’t pay to retain services).
One of the best ways to meet single people is through existing and new hobbies and interests such as classes, volunteering, social events, talks, pop-ups and more. Below you can find my free weekly email newsletter with curated events, things to do each week to meet people organically to match your interests and vibe. Sign up below.
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Dating in Oakland
Dating in Oakland is often easier for folks than San Francisco and places in the Peninsula and South Bay. For one, Oakland is more diverse, quirky, eclectic and fun.
There is usually more sun than SF, more density than the peninsula and more night life, bars, restaurants than places in the South Bay. There are more creatives, artists and people who are visible in the community vs folks who are more homebodies in other parts of the Bay Area.
Oakland is not for everyone but for those who are open-minded, love to explore and want to build community, it’s a great place to live and date.
Related guides on Eddie’s List:
Best Places, Bars To Meet Women, Men In Berkeley
Everyone thinks that it’s impossible to meet people in Berkeley if you are not a student - that couldn’t be further from the truth. Sure, meeting people in school, via classes and repeated interactions is great for meeting singles but it’s not required.