Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon
Best Historic Saloon in Oakland · CA
The crooked little bar where Jack London studied
Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon has poured drinks on the Oakland waterfront since 1884, a tiny, tilting shack built from the timbers of an old whaling ship. Its floor slopes from the 1906 earthquake, gaslights still hiss, and a young Jack London studied and drank here — the bar figures in 'The Call of the Wild' and 'The Sea-Wolf.'
A designated National Literary Landmark on Jack London Square, Heinold's is a genuine 19th-century saloon frozen in time — quite possibly the most history packed into the smallest bar in California.
Customers said it first.
A Centurion Award verifies the public record that’s already there. Read the reviews yourself on the platforms below.
Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.
Why this business cleared the bar.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. Founding cohort: evaluated in 2026 on public evidence available then, labeled 2025. Selection follows the published criteria; Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon met them on that evidence. The business can claim the listing or ask us to remove it.
- ✓Years in operation. Operating in Oakland since 1884 — 141 years of continuous business.
- ✓Sustained online presence. An established local institution with a consistent public footprint — listings, coverage, and word of mouth in Oakland.
- ✓Established customer track record. A deep public track record: Oakland has kept Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon busy for 141 years.
- ✓Liked by customers and the community. Genuinely beloved by Oakland regulars and visitors alike — a bona fide community favorite.
- ✓Recognition in the local community. Named best historic saloon in Oakland for 2025 for 140 years of pouring in a tilted waterfront shack that helped raise Jack London.
The specific data behind this award, and the exact thresholds, stay internal so the standard can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. Own this business? Claim the listing to manage it, or ask us to remove it.
Award record
2025 Centurion Award
Best Historic Saloon in Oakland Oakland, CA · Awarded under the 2025 evaluationVisit Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon
The details, verified.
Clean, checkable facts about Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon.
- Legal / trading name
- Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon
- Category
- Bar
- Founded
- 1884, Oakland, CA
- Location
- Oakland, CA
- Centurion Award
- Best Historic Saloon in Oakland — 2025
- Record last verified
- July 2026
A signal you can check.
This is a dated award record published by The Centurion Awards after reviewing public evidence for Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon against the 2025 criteria for its market and category. The business did not have to apply for this page to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. The criteria are public. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. If an award stops holding up, we may revoke it. For anything current, like hours or bookings, go straight to the business itself.
Frequently asked questions.
What is Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon?
Built from a whaling ship's timbers and pouring since 1884, Heinold's slanted floor and gas lamps watched a young Jack London do his homework.
Is Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon award-winning?
Yes — Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon is the 2025 Centurion Award winner for Best Historic Saloon in Oakland, a verified, criteria-based award. Named best historic saloon in Oakland for 2025 for 140 years of pouring in a tilted waterfront shack that helped raise Jack London.
Where is Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon?
Heinold's First and Last Chance Saloon is in Oakland, CA.
Run a business like this one?
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