WhiteHorse Bar

For all the queers fleeing San Francisco for the more affordable East Bay, Oakland remains surprisingly bereft of a gay scene. In business since at least 1933—Prohibition-era records being imperfect—the WhiteHorse Bar is a notable exception, and a Rockridge institution where karaoke nights and dance parties rule. The crowd is racially diverse and the bar is as dark as a 1950s closet case could desire. Where else are you going to find a second-drink-for-$1 special on a Friday night? Not in San Francisco, that’s for sure.