5.6 out of 10

Lakeshore

37.8148051036877 -122.241737499894
Great for
  • Eating Out
  • Internet Access
  • Public Transport
  • Shopping Options
  • Parks & Recreation
Not great for
  • Nightlife
  • Peace & Quiet
  • Resale or Rental Value
  • Childcare
  • Clean & Green
Who lives here?
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+

Reviews

3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 3/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Eating Out 3/5
  • Shopping Options 3/5
  • Lack of Traffic 4/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Medical Facilities 1/5
  • Schools 1/5
2yrs+

"The more north...the better"

Lakeshore is predominately a pleasant middle-class community complete with rolling hills, chain restaurants and a neighborhood movie theatre. It is a small district squeezed in between Crocker Highlands to the east and Grand Lake to the west sharing many of the same characteristics--that is because it is organized with more expensive houses perched on the northernmost hillside while the cheaper residences lie towards southernly Interstate 580.

The district is largely residential. The homes are pretty, with lush green sidewalks, windy roads, tidy front lawns and trimmed bushes painting the rest of the community. As stated previously, the homes on the upper-echelon of the district could be considered upper-middle class with many of the homes built atop two car garages. As you walk up the hilly neighborhood, it seems each property has more space than the home before it. On many hilltop home fronts, you can get a great view of the Oakland skyline along with beautiful Lake Merritt (the city’s natural retreat). This area is also convenient to both to upscale Piedmont and busy downtown Oakland.

On Grand and Lakeshore Avenues, the streets are lined with chain businesses, complete with Starbucks, a Trader Joe’s and a Dominoes Pizza. Sprinkled in between, are a myriad of middle-of-the-road restaurants, wine bars and small businesses. Grand Lake Theater is one of the biggest attractions in the neighborhood edging the southern tip of Lakeshore. The grand theater boasts four large movie screens.
Pros
  • Great Views
  • Quiant Neighborhood
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • Families with kids
  • Retirees
  • LGBT+
  • Students
  • Country Lovers
  • Beach Lovers
3/5 rating details
  • Neighborly Spirit 4/5
  • Safe & Sound 3/5
  • Clean & Green 4/5
  • Pest Free 4/5
  • Peace & Quiet 3/5
  • Eating Out 4/5
  • Nightlife 3/5
  • Parks & Recreation 4/5
  • Shopping Options 4/5
  • Gym & Fitness 4/5
  • Internet Access 5/5
  • Lack of Traffic 2/5
  • Parking 3/5
  • Cost of Living 4/5
  • Resale or Rental Value 3/5
  • Public Transport 5/5
  • Medical Facilities 4/5
  • Schools 3/5
  • Childcare 4/5
2yrs+

"Near the Lake"

Lakeshore is the triangular Oakland neighborhood that stretches out to the south of Grand Avenue, right by where the Grand Lake Theater is. Lakeshore is the main drag in this neighborhood (not surprisingly). Most of the stores and restaurants here are pretty mediocre (a cheese steak place, an accountant, a car repair place) but there are a couple of notable exceptions: Easy Lounge, a chill little bar, and Mezze, a great Mediterranean Food place where the food is so good, you will tolerate the often terrible service.

In terms of living here, this is a pretty good choice if you like the lake. I had a college friend who lived here briefly about ten years ago and he really liked it. Many of the homes, like his have views down to the lake and proximity of it also makes for a great place to go for a jog or a walk.

Lakeshore is a roughly middleclass neighborhood down in its lower sections, but the farther up you climb, the wealthier it becomes so that, about the point that you cross Kenmore, you also cross into the tax brackets for those making six figures. It is actually a bit surprising when you drive up into these areas actually, since the homes themselves don’t really feel like the kinds of places that the superwealthy live in. They are nice—and the hills always add a lot to the value of an area—but to me, this neighborhood just seems over valued.

Despite this, there definitely are some nice places to live and some quant older apartment definitely worth mentioning.
Pros
  • Great Views
  • Quiant Neighborhood
Cons
  • Noisy
  • Property Crime
Recommended for
  • Professionals
  • Singles
  • LGBT+
  • Hipsters
  • Students
  • Country Lovers

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