Pacific Renaissance Plaza

This is a clean, decorated plaza with seating, a library, and lots of businesses. There are two levels aboveground and three levels of underground parking. This place also has a police station on the second level. There's seating and a fountain in the center with lanterns hanging above. Overall, this is a nice place to spend some free time.

The PRP is the center of Oakland’s Chinatown and it houses the Oakland Chinatown library, The Oakland Asian Cultural Center, The Oakland Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, a number of restaurants and cafes, residential apartments and a variety of other establishments. It’s a large building taking up an entire city block. There’s also a public underground parking if you are unable to find street parking. Oakland’s Chinatown is one of the oldest in the nation (since about 1850). Unlike many others, Oaklands Chinatown still functions as an immigrant hub and less of a tourist destination.

Chinatown is located here. There was a lot of people out and about on a Thursday afternoon. Lots of shops, restaurants, boba places to check out. Abundant meters parking and garage parking. Worth checking out if you're into asian food.

Unusual court in Oakland where testing and reading are encouraged (the Asian library). Clean, where the different generations mix. We should have more of it in the Bay.

It's a really vibrant and simultaneously very relaxed place where you can comfortably both walk around and enjoy a meal.

Beautiful and peaceful Asian plaza! With deli, library and backers!

Very nice plaza. A lot of restaurants. Security personnel and OPD gives this a nice and safe environment.

Good venue for graduation too even with about 60 graduates. Parking at the back, made it very convenient too.

A bunch of stores and restaurants - asian branch library - underground convenient parking garage. Very convenient place to have everything together with residences very near and built around. Great concept to have convenient living. Parking garage is convenient for people visiting the area from a little ways away. A lot of China town is closed in the evenings - very early. After 5pm things are closed down. There were two police cars stationed around the Plaza. Very safe feeling. Good parking too. That felt extra safe - so much better than parking in the streets. Overall the place needs a little new life brought into it. Some reimagining and maybe new trendy stores.

Located in the heart of Oakland Chinatown, the Pacific Renaissance Plaza has a lot to offer!! First off, they keep this place super clean all the time. And even if you're not here to shop, it's a great place to kick back for a while, seems like a good meet up place for people in this area. There are a mix of all types of businesses located inside and on the outside of this plaza, which also includes a paid parking garage underneath, with the centerpiece here being the water fountain, which is really cool. I always enjoy coming here when I'm in Oakland Chinatown, great vibe here!!

Pacific Renaissance Plaza is home to a wide array of businesses including restaurants, banks, a library, drink and dessert shops, etc. I see many reviews only referencing the number of establishments within the inner portion of the plaza but according to the directory, all the places facing the streets along the outer edge belong to the plaza as well. As such, this plaza has a lot of great places to go to. The times I've been here was typically to grab boba with some friends and just kinda hang around the inner portion of the plaza which is quite nice. The center fountain has a very modern and calming design with a good amount of seating around the edge. There's also a good number of benches here and some nice greenery. Compared to what I am familiar with from SF Chinatown, I find this plaza to be surprisingly clean and spacious in comparison. The open nature of it which allows a lot of sunlight to shine through on a sunny day is quite nice. There's also a parking garage here which I've never used so I can't attest to how it is. All things considered, this plaza is a wonderful spot in Oakland Chinatown which acts as a perfect meetup/gathering spot.

The Pacific Renaissance Plaza is a mixed use complex of residential, commercial and open public space located in the heart of Chinatown and occupies most of the area bordered by 9th and 11th Streets between Franklin and Webster Streets. Underneath the Plaza, there's a three level underground public garage, which I use when I drive into Chinatown. At $1 for half an hour, it's very reasonable. With residential units above, there are restaurants, shops, banks, and service businesses in the ground and second level of the Plaza. The Asian Branch of the Oakland Library and the Oakland Asian Cultural Center is located here as well. At the center of the Plaza is a fountain with several benches. The Plaza has become a gathering place for the community and is a location for civic activities. You've probably seen press conferences on the news held in the Plaza.

Date: 8/21/2017 Time: 4:50 PM 81° Partly sunny The Pacific Renaissance Plaza is the meeting place (in front of the Oakland Public Library/Asian Branch) where two of my sisters and I get together for our visit to Oakland Chinatown. We all have been here numerous times in the past for events at OACC, Chinese New Year festivities (Toisan lion dance troupe, folk dancers, etc.), lunch at Gum Kuo or CM Bistro and banquet dinner at Peony Restaurant. The plaza's courtyard has four long benches facing the fountain. Other businesses include a Bank of America, The Sweet Booth, a pharmacy and on the second floor are a health care center, Sakura Bistro and a dental office. There is parking in the garage. Then I don't drive, so I would not know how much the charge is for one hour. I usually get drop off at the plaza by my husband or use public transportation (AC#51A) from Alameda. Today's visit is for the Friday Streetfest. It's also the third Friday for this event. August 28 is the final Friday. There is social distancing and everybody here is mask compliant. The Oakland Chinatown Streetfest is happening every Friday from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM. The event is okay for the time being. It is at least better than being in a crowded beach or crowded park. Finally, it has been a while since I have been here at the plaza. COV-19 has curtailed a lot of my social activities. Whenever this pandemic crisis resolves, I can only hope for a lively atmosphere at the plaza.

Pacific Renaissance Plaza is an underrated dining spot, marketplace, and shopping center! Great place to spend a day. Some faves I've always enjoyed visiting are the Asian branch of the Oakland library, Gum Kuo for BBQ meats, Restaurant Peony for dim sum or banquet dinners, and I-Tea for honey brown rice milk tea with boba of course! Support local Chinatown businesses!

Pacific Renaissance Plaza is a mixed-use development that takes up two city blocks and sits near the western edge of Oakland's Chinatown. It's also pretty much smack dab in the middle of downtown Oakland, only about seven blocks west of Lake Merritt. Though not located geographically in the center of Chinatown, Pacific Renaissance Plaza sort of acts as a central hub for Chinatown. Opened in 1993, the plaza is home to the Oakland Asian Cultural Center, the Oakland public library's Asian branch, banks (Bank of America, HSBC), and numerous shops, restaurants, and other businesses like doctors and insurance offices. I've been to Pacific Renaissance Plaza a handful of times over the past eight years, always to eat, though my sister has visited the bank too. It's not the newest, nicest, nor cleanest property around, but it's got it where it counts (at least to me) and that's good to great food and drink and plenty of parking (relatively speaking). The plaza is bound by 11th St to the north, 9th St to the south, Franklin St to the west, and Webster St to the east. Metered street parking is available on all four sides of the plaza. There's also an underground garage. You can read more about the garage and see parking rates on the garage's own Yelp page here: https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/pacific-renaissance-plaza-parking-oakland. I'll get around to reviewing it some day. As far as a few recommendations on what to eat and drink in the plaza, I recommend the following: * Peony Seafood Restaurant (https://www.yelp.com/biz/peony-seafood-restaurant-oakland) - for delicious dim sum -- great * Gum Kuo Restaurant (https://www.yelp.com/biz/gum-kuo-restaurant-oakland) - for authentic Cantonese BBQ and Cantonese cuisine; their menu is huge -- great * i-Tea (https://www.yelp.com/biz/i-tea-oakland) - for Taiwanese bubble tea and smoothies -- very good * Sobo Ramen (https://www.yelp.com/biz/sobo-ramen-oakland-2) - for Japanese ramen noodles -- OK/good Because of the way the plaza was designed, not all restaurants have their own restroom for customer use. This is kind of annoying. Gum Kuo is an example. If you need to use the restroom while dining at Gum Kuo, you have to get a card from the staff which gives you access to the employees-only back hallways of the plaza. It's a maze with business tenant mailboxes and back entrances to all of the storefronts. Overall, the property is old and not in the best condition (including the tenant restrooms). The commercial section of the plaza is two levels with both covered and uncovered sections. There's a nice center courtyard with a working fountain and bench seating. A lot of elderly Chinese people like to hang out here. The high-rise on the property is residences. There are about 250 condos, 50 of which are supposed to be affordable housing. I recently saw sales of condos at this plaza going anywhere from $429,500 to $680,000 per unit in 2018.

Pros: Bank of America (for ATM) I-tea around the corner Peony Restaurant (for dim sum) Post office Asian Branch Library Cons: Paid parking

Pacific Renaissance Plaza was a wonderful idea when it came about decades ago.(not voluntarily). they had to include space for a cultural center and an asian-centric library ABC Bakery, Peony, GumKuo, and the sushi place was refreshing. After awhile Pacific Renaissance and the whole of chinatown became stagnant and outdated. not entirely their fault. investors weren't interested in a commercial space(s) that only drew outsiders only on weekends, not weekdays.

Lots of shops, Asian restaurants, Bank of America, cell phone store. Peony and Gum Koh are my two favorites.

My family always ends up parking in the garage that is connected to the plaza so it's only natural for us to have done some exploring around the plaza. There's a bank, small drug store, random family owned shops (like a candy shop, clothing stores, hairdresser, jewelry, phone store, etc.), and restaurants. There's also the public library and a few other random things here. They do have security during the day time, but I'm not sure what their hours are. I don't think they really do much except tell kids to get off the fountain~I wouldn't rely on them for much. There used to be no security for a LONG time. No public restrooms. You have to get a key to use the bathroom, your best bet is to ask the library (who will ask for your library card/credit card as security) because none of the shops will give it to you. If you dine in with a restaurant, they'll give you a bathroom key for a separate bathroom from the "public" bathroom. WATCH OUT FOR: The candy shop that is located in the same area as the jewelry store. The boss lady is a major b***** Also, the ice cream shop isn't the best place either. Not that they're rude, but they're overpriced for the quality that they produce.

A great central location filled with restaurants and specialized businesses. This place hosts several performances and book sales in the center of the plaza during festivals. There is also a lovely fountain in the middle of the plaza, which many patrons sit around. This spot is a nice meeting place to gather a group at when deciding where to eat! The newly renovated Peony's restaurant is on the second level next to the Oakland Asian Cultural Center that features the Wa Sung Community Center office. Be aware that there are no public restrooms available. Parking is available in the attached garage, but watch out on the hours. If your time goes over 1 minute, you will have to pay the next price above the amount. There are multiple signs posted up on the parking kiosk windows, but it can be a bit confusing. Just make sure you get clarification after you park your car so you know how much time to allocate when you're in Chinatown. Remember, parking is free after 6 p.m. on weekdays!

I remember that I used to come here a lot when I was a little kid with my family to go to the public library and restaurants around here (dim sum, juk place...). And now, I may come here at rare times to sit down at this nice plaza (either by the steps or benches around the fountain), and have a quick lunch break with a boba drink from iTea. There's even a parking garage if you need a place to park at in Oakland Chinatown, or feel free to come by public transportation (via bus, Bart). It's a close walk from 12th Street Bart station.

So much vibrancy at Pacific Renaissance Plaza, with the fountain, the benches full of people, the restaurants and shops, and now a new quartzite fountain top and incredibly beautiful mosaic art of the 12 Chinese Zodiac Animals. Ongoing fundraising for more mosaic zodiac animals...please donate at the PRP Art Beautification Project GoFundMe page. Thank you!

Grew up watching this place get built, and then seeing all the changes to the businesses come in and out of Chinatown. First off, the parking in the garage is okay, I would rather park here than search for a spot on the street. There are 3 levels for parking, I usually go all the way down to the 3rd level to get away from all the Asian ladies in S-class and 7series that try and park in the compact spots. I had my car hit one time in a compact spot, I will stay away from people who can't read the English words that are painted in between the lines. You can stand on the top level overlooking the fountain in the plaza area and people watch, there's tons of people here on the weekend. Overall, I like the parking garage when it is not a heavy day, if it is, I just don't go to Chinatown that day.

This is a nice place to sit and chill while eating some dim sum or banh mi or sip a milk tea while taking a break on my dog walk. And I use the HSBC bank here, and I love that the Chinatown library is right here. Dango likes to watch people and pigeons here. And meet funny little kids whose parents think Dango is going to eat their children. And he saw his first escalator here and was dumbfounded by it. His head just kept bobbing up and down following the steps that kept magically popping out of the floor, like whoa, I don't get it! The only minus is that you have to really make an effort to get the bathroom key.

Like Chinatown in general, I'm not certain what to make of this. It's largely Chinese versions of Western business, including the Chinese branch of the Oakland library. I'm not sure I'd ever go into any of the stores, but there's a nice fountain and it's a nice thoroughfare.

It's a Good plaza to get some Chinese food during lunch time. It has pretty decent parking at the parking garage.

Renaissance is about the coolest place in Oakland Chinatown...... Always nice to walk through to get to the other side, seeing all the elderly folks enjoying their seats and watching all of us just scatter around..... Cafe 88, best bbq roast duck and bbq pork in the house..... Chinatown library for all your Chinese literature and daily newspapers........... Then you have the pharmacy, post office, pay your utilities, and western union all in one.... And the best dim in Chinatown, Peony upstairs........

This place brightens up Oakland Chinatown with the cool water fountain and spacious design. I've seen kids run around and play - throwing coins in the fountain, grabbing ice cream at The Sweet Booth and enjoying it in the nice Summer weather. There's also security monitoring this place.. REALLY?

Disappointing. I thought it was a shopping center. But instead it's just a few stores. Nice fountain though.

This is a great plaza/center located in the heart of Oakland Chinatown. If you ever find difficulty finding street parking at Chinatown which happens often when you start seeing double-parkers or even triple-parkers (leaving only 1 or 2 middle lanes available for driving), consider parking at the Pacific Renaissance Plaza which has underground parking (2 levels). It's approx. $1.25/hour or so. Parking spots are often available. Entrances to the parking lot is located on Webster Street and Franklin Street. There are 2 levels to the plaza. The plaza also has many gift shops, restaurants, a Bank of America. Plans to visit Chinatown? Definitely check out the Pacific Renaissance Plaza!

If I could give this place 0 stars I would. My rating is based on the leasing office for Pacific Renaissance, I never made it into the Plaza, so maybe this is a misdirected review? Basically I called Tiffany with questions regarding renting any available studio or one bedroom for my boyfriend, who is recovering from being hit by a truck and needs a wheelchair accessible short term lease. We discussed me coming in that day, and I'm gathering there was a miscommunication. I told her the time she requested wasn't possible, and she told me to just swing by and the receptionist would call her. I did.... She wouldn't talk to me on the phone, but told the receptionist to have me come back the next day at 1:00. I requested she call me so I could ask about later that same day. I didn't say no to the 1:00 appointment and in fact, left her one of 4 voice mails I would leave over the course of the next two days trying to set up a viewing. I DID show up at 1:00, she HAD been in the office, so I assume she'd heard the two messages I'd left at that point. She didn't meet me, didn't return the calls I'd made (I should've known) nor did she return the other two messages I left still trying to work it out. If she rented the apartment, common courtesy should still have driven her to take 3 min of her time seeing as how I drove to her office and parked TWICE. Bad, bad customer service and she's probably a crappy person considering I explained the details of what I was doing. Like I don't have enough to do in this difficult situation without worrying about some flaky leasing agent giving me the run around.

I have to say, this place do have good place to eat, and parking is easy. But the restroom requires good clean up, the smell is bad, no paper wipe, electric hand dryer need some work to get it going.