Bar & Bat Mitzvah Venues
Parent Q&A
1) Northbrae Community Church (non-denominational) - both our girls were Bat Mitavah'd there and it worked out great with the chapel and hall. We had a taco setup for one and pizza for the other, both in the parking lot between the chapel and hall.
2) I sadly can't remember the name of the guy we hired.
3) https://www.michellepattee.com/ Simply the best.
4) Enlisted a talented friend with a tripod and gave him a generous gift card when he refused money.
5) https://www.38northdesignco.com/
Mazel Tov!
Demon & Doyle dj hundreds of B’nai Mitzvah every year. Did both of my kids
- berkeley tennis club
- oakland & Berkeley state parks have several structures they rent out for events
- veterans building (?) on mt Diablo blvd Lafayette
Archived Q&A and Reviews
- Place for a Bar Mitzvah party close to Berkeley?
- Casual Restaurant for Bar Mitzvah
- Bat Mitzvah in Israel
- Where to have kids-only party for Bat Mitzvah?
- Bat Mitzvah Venue- Inexpensive
- Good place in Berkeley for evening Bat Mitzvah
- Afternoon venue in Oakland
- Party room for fifty 13 year olds
Place for a Bar Mitzvah party close to Berkeley?
Oct 2015
Any good ideas for a Bar Mitzvah Party in June? I'm looking in Berkeley or close to Berkeley. Ruth
Look at the Auditorium at the International House, just at the south-east corner of campus. It is a beautiful space. (Not an easy process) ......been there twice! Good Luck!
My friend's daughter had her Bar Mitzvah party at the JCC on Walnut Street. It was very convenient, being just two blocks away from Temple Beth El, and the caterer she hired (from Oakland) did a good job with the food. You can have the tables set up in any configuration you like. (It may not be as fancy as I-House, but it is probably cheaper, and parking on Walnut -- between Rose and Vine -- is many times easier than on Gayley Road!) ~ another option to consider
Casual Restaurant for Bar Mitzvah
Oct 2015
Hi, I am planning an evening bar mitzvah for my son at the end of April. Because it will be in the springtime with El Nino coming, we want an indoor space that can fit 125 people. Our ideal is a casual restaurant (like Picante or Café Leila) that we can rent out for the evening for the ceremony, dinner, and dancing. Or can you think of a large breakfast/lunch venue in the east bay, ideally Berkeley, Oakland, El Cerrito or Richmond that we can rent at night? We have thought about community centers and prefer to avoid needing to rent tables, linens, silverware, glasses, etc. Thanks in advance for your help. Debbie
Cafe Soleil in El Sobrante has a large banquet facility next door to their restaurant, they have great food and Jennifer is awesome to work with. La Strada in El Sobrante also has a banquet hall Salute in the Richmond Marina Hs Lordships in the Berkeley Marina Also, it's not a restaurant, but it has full service event catering - Rockerfeller Lodge in San Pablo is really nice. Kerri
Try this place. http://www.yelp.com.au/biz/rockefeller-lodge-and-party-time-catering-san-pablo It only takes about 10- 15 minutes from central Berkeley. Its not a restaurant but a fairly inexpensive event venue with everything on site. Its an old Rockefeller family hunting lodge so the grounds are a surprise find. They can handle Bar Mitzvahs and have had many. Had my son's wedding there. experienced event planner
Bat Mitzvah in Israel
Feb 2012
My twins will have their B'nai Mitzvah in two years. I'd really like to do this in Israel. Is anyone willing to share their experiences? We belong to a synagogue and our elder daughter did the traditional route. But I'd like to do Israel this time because it will be a good opportunity for the five of us to go and see the country together before the eldest leaves for college. Also our parents are still healthy enough to come and with a few years' notice, five or so of our family friends will be able to save for the trip and join us. So how exactly do we do this? We're talking about 30 people. Do we book a tour, encourage our friends and family to do the whole tour and make this one stop? Do we go to Jerusalem a few days early and adjust to the time then make this the first stop on a custom tour? Do we find a restaurant to host all for lunch or dinner after the ceremony? If so, how? Many thanks for any words of wisdom you may have for us. Berkeley MOT
To the person seeking to hold their daughters' B'nai Mitzvah in Israel in a couple years, I would like to highly recommend you contact Joel Abramson. He is a Bay Area native who now lives in Israel (made Aliyah several years ago with his family) and is truly gifted when it comes to putting together all aspects of this important and meaningful ritual. You may have heard of him (he's won numerous awards in ''J'' magazine.) Joel was involved in my daughter's Bat Mitzvah here in the Bay Area, before moving to Israel, and was an invaluable resource. Many guests told us afterwards that it was the best Bat Mitzvah they ever attended! I know he can handle all aspects and questions you raise about planning and carrying out a very wonderful celebration in Israel, because that is what he now specializes in. Not only can he organize great tours, he can even officiate the ceremony, if you like. Best of all, he is a wonderful musician and will make the experience truly moving and magical. (I had the fortune of witnessing him at a wedding in Israel... truly magical!) His business is known as, Joel Abramson Israel Connection-''the Bay Area Connection to Israel.'' His website is http://www.joelabramson.com/israel-experience/ Good luck with this exciting event! Naomi
Where to have kids only party for Bat Mitzvah?
Dec 2010
I'd like to find an indoor location for a mostly kids party after my daughter's Bat Mitzvah. I'd like a place where I can use a caterer so I need a kitchen; I need a dance floor and space for dining and I'd love it if the location was interesting or unusual in some way. I wonder if you could suggest someplace in Berkeley, Oakland or Orinda/Lafayette. Thanks in advance.
The UC Botanical Garden is a great place for party. They have an amazingly diverse collection of plants from around the world. It is a very special place. http://botanicalgarden.berkeley.edu/ anon
Bat Mitzvah Venue- Inexpensive
June 2010
Our daughter is having an afternoon Bar Mitzvah and we are looking for an inexpensive venue to host a buffet dinner and dance party. We would like to serve the adults beer and wine and the venues at Parks and Rec (Leona, Sequoia Lodge, etc.) do not allow alcohol for youth events. Any ideas greatly appreciated, and advice on how to go low budget in general would also be helpful! saving for college
Mazel tov to you and your daughter. First the obvious question, you can't have the party at your synagogue? If you need transition time just let guests go home (or to their hotel) for a nap and then return.
You could look into the Hillel building on Bancroft in Berkeley. I've been to bat mitzvah parties there. They have a kitchen for the caterer - it's a kosher kitchen so just be aware of that. And they have a great space for dancing.
There is a cafe, Z Cafe, across the street from Temple Sinai in Oakland and I've been to events there. They have a huge space that used to be a car dealership. They may have to provide the food for you to use the space.
Otherwise I would say, ask your DJ or band where they've performed. A lot of the synagogues have someone who will walk you thru all this. Or if you have an independent clergy person, they should also have knowledge of where they've participated in celebrations.
Have a great time! www.buildingjewishbridges.org Dawn
Good place in Berkeley for evening Bat Mitzvah
Oct 2006
Looking for a recommedation for a good place for Bat Mitzvah evening party around Berkeley. Also for fun ideas, DJ's. Please, share your experience. Thank you. Izabella
Hi, one of our staff members has this to say about LHS as a site for his son's Bar Mitzvah: I did my son's Bar Mitzvah this past September at Lawrence Hall of Science http://lawrencehallofscience.org/pubprogs/rental.html. I work at LHS, so I'm a little biased, but it was a fabulous location for a number of reasons. The special events staff are very helpful and flexible. There are several different large spaces, indoors and outdoors that can be used for different parts of the event. The views are incredible and the indoor spaces are both elegant and fun (among the exhibits). Several guests commented to us how much they loved the location, and that despite it being a science center, it has a beautiful, dignified, even awe inspiring feel to it. The challenge is, it is only available for special events when the museum is closed--after 5pm seven days a week, so it is only practical for an evening event. We used a somewhat untraditional format on a Friday night: we did the kiddush outdoors overlooking the entire Bay Area, came inside to a gallery for the Bar Mitzvah ceremony, then moved into the lobby for dinner--so we did the entire event in one place on a Friday evening, but one could do the ceremony in a synagogue or other location on Saturday morning, then have the dinner and party at LHS on Saturday evening Linda
Afternoon venue in Oakland
Jan 2006
We're starting to plan my son's Bar mitzvah for the end of March 2007. We're thinking an afternoon party. Any ideas for venue? I will have relatives from New York. Looking for good places to stay. We live in Oakland hills.
Have you considered Lake Merritt United Methodist Church in Oakland for an afternoon party? Right on Lake Merritt, near the Kaiser Convention Center, the social hall can acommodate up to 200 guests seated. A gated courtyard with a play area is adjacent, and makes a wonderful space if young children will be in attendance. The facility is available for group or individual rentals including parties, banquets, wedding receptions, etc. An open and welcoming kind of place to people from all backgrounds. Check out the website: www.lakemerrittumc.org. The main restriction is no alcohol is allowed. If that's not an issue for you, then I suggest you check it out. B Avalon
Party room for fifty 13 year olds
Feb 2005
I am looking for a room to rent to have my son's bar mitzvah party for his friends. It can be rustic as it is for the kids only, not for the adults, and we want to be able to provide the DJ and the food. One of the problems is that the event is May 14th, and we are cutting it close to find a place. It can be anywhere from north Oakland up to El Cerrito. Thanks for any suggestions.
It's been a while since we did the Bar/Bat Mitzvah circuit, but my daughters had their parties at the El Cerrito Community Center, and went to parties similar to what you are planning at the Kensington Youth Hut, Albany Community Center, Berkeley Yacht Club, and Arlington Park Clubhouse in El Cerrito. Judy
The Sportsman Lodge in Pinole, near Appian Way is a fabulous place for a kids' party. It is small enough to be intimate. It overlooks the bay from its perch close to the shoreline. This fabulous view of the bay might be appreciated more by the chaperones than the 13 year olds. The room is comfortable, casual, and has parking! Been there
Try herecomestheguide.com. They have tons of listings. It is hard to find a place where you can bring in your own food, but the guide will give all the specifics. Good luck.
Try the Kensington Youth Hut, across from the Kensington Library. anon
Check out the Kensington Community Center. It’s a beautiful site, recently remodeled, with both indoor and outdoor spaces. Located just above the Kensington Library on Arlington Ave.
If you want a low key venue that doesn’t charge a lot you could use Northbrae community Church? You could rent the smaller downstairs room and get affordable deli platters and have a nice family meal there.
We’re invited to a bar mitzvah at Plank in Oakland this fall. Maybe that would work for you too?
The faculty club on the UCB campus is a wonderful site where you can do the bar mitzvah and then have a meal and party. The surroundings are green and lovely. You can rent space at Berkeley Hillel as well. You might consider a late afternoon bar mitzvah with a family dinner afterwards and then a party with his friends another time. OR a morning bar mitzvah with a family lunch afterwards although it's awkward not to have lunch offered at kiddush afterwards, and then a party with his friends in the evening. Babette's has an outdoor patio space but isn't cheap. There are community centers to rent where you'd have to figure out the set-up but that's probably the cheapest for the party. I totally support your approach to keep it modest---it's just a challenge to put it together. Good luck!
We used Sequoia Lodge in the Oakland Hills. Old, wood lodge. Beautiful, private setting with large outdoor deck and kitchen. Nice but not fancy. Low key. Rent from the city of Oakland (very reasonable). https://www.oaklandca.gov/topics/sequoia-lodge
I immediately thought "Albany Bowl" and went to see if they have "party" rates and it seems they have closed? I clearly was not keeping them in business.
I recently went to a mini-golf spot in Novato that looked like it would lend itself well to a low key party.
The pinball museum in Alameda seems super cool and might be able to accomodate?
There was an all ages birthday party happening last time I was at the East Brother Tap Room in Richmond -- I wonder if other beer garden type spots might have a mix of space for games and hanging.
I've definitely watched movies at Armistice Brewing, but I don't know if they are all ages.
I went to a wilderness first aid course in the hall at Camp Herms. I think the boy scouts own it. No idea what the rental fees are like but it seems like a pretty no-frill space.
I attended a lovely bar mitzvah at the Temescal Beach House. After they ate, the kids played wiffle ball and Frisbee on the beach. The adults hung out inside and on the beautiful patio. It was a fantastic event. One of my favorites ever. https://www.ebparks.org/reservations/event-venues/beach-house