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The Lake Chalet
The Lake Chalet
Gondola Room
Gondola Room
Pier- Outdoor Entertaining
Pier- Outdoor Entertaining
Pier
Pier
Pier
Pier
The Lake Chalet
The Lake Chalet
Fine Dining
Fine Dining
Dining
Dining
Private Dining
Private Dining
The Lake Chalet
The Lake Chalet

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The Lake Chalet

About

We Want to Celebrate with You!

The Lake Chalet sits gracefully on the edge of Lake Merritt, offering captivating views of one of Oakland’s most beautiful landmarks. With stunning water vistas from all of our event spaces, our venue provides a truly spectacular setting for your special occasion. Celebrate your love with a stunning waterfront venue nestled along the edge of Lake Merritt in the heart of Oakland. With sweeping views of the lake, elegant indoor spaces, and the charm of a historic boathouse, our venue offers a truly unforgettable setting for your ceremony and reception.

Lakeside Ceremonies or Cocktail Receptions

Say your vows with Lake Merritt as your backdrop—where shimmering waters, lush greenery, and the city skyline come together to create a naturally breathtaking scene. Our outdoor ceremony spaces place you right at the water’s edge, providing picture-perfect views and an atmosphere of serenity and romance.

Receptions with a View

After the ceremony, move seamlessly into one of our event spaces designed to highlight the beauty of the lake. Whether you're hosting a sunset cocktail hour on our dock or dancing the night away in our waterfront dining room, you'll be surrounded by panoramic lake views and the warm glow of twinkle lights reflecting off the water.

Indoor beauty meets Outdoor Charm

For couples who prefer an indoor setting without sacrificing the view, our indoor event spaces feature floor-to-ceiling windows that frame Lake Merritt like a living painting. Guests can enjoy all the comfort and elegance of a stylish indoor reception while staying visually connected to the stunning outdoor scenery.

Customizable Spaces for any sized event

Whether you're planning an intimate gathering of 25 or a grand celebration of up to 800, The Lake Chalet offers flexible indoor and outdoor spaces to fit your vision. Our historic venue is ideal for weddings of all sizes—romantic elopements, lively receptions, or chic rehearsal dinners.

Whether you're planning a wedding ceremony, reception, rehearsal dinner, or engagement party, we have the perfect space for you. Choose from a variety of indoor and outdoor areas suited for everything from intimate gatherings of 25 -- to grand celebrations for up to 800.

Seasonal California cuisine with a focus on locally sourced seafood complements the event perfectly. Enjoy expertly crafted cocktails at our three bars, and an extensive wine list designed to complement your menu and enhance your celebration.

Share with us your style - formal, romantic, casual or playful and we can create a proposal for a starting point.

We look forward to helping you create an unforgettable event at The Lake Chalet.

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Frequently asked questions

Do you have a site fee for wedding receptions at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during peak season?

$1,500

What is the starting site fee for wedding receptions during off-peak season?

$750

Do you have a site fee for wedding ceremonies at your venue?

Yes

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during peak season?

$1,500

What is the starting site fee for wedding ceremonies during off-peak season?

$1,000

Which of the following are included in the starting site fee?

Chairs
Flatware
Glassware
Linens
Tables

What is the starting price per person for bar service?

$3,000

What is the minimum number of guests required to book your venue?

10

How many event spaces or rooms does your venue offer?

10

Describe your venue:

Boat/Yacht
Marina
Restaurant
Waterfront

What kind of settings are available?

Indoor
Covered Outdoor
Uncovered Outdoor

Which of the following wedding events does your venue service?

Ceremony
Reception
Bridal Shower
Engagement Party
Elopements
Rehearsal Dinner

What event services do you offer?

Bar Services
Catering Services
Pet Friendly
Wifi

What catering services do you offer?

Buffet
Cocktail Reception
Dessert
Family Style
Hors d'oeuvres
Outside Cake
Plated
Server(s)
Stations

What bar services do you provide?

Bartender(s)
Cash Bar
Champagne Toast
House Beer
House Liquor
House Wine
Limited Bar
Liquor License
Open Bar
Premium Liquor
Signature Drink
Specialty Wine

What event items are available?

Chairs
Tables

What food and beverage items are available?

Barware
Flatware
Glassware
Linens

What transportation and access is available?

Valet
Wheelchair Access

What months are included in your peak season?

April
May
June
July
August
September
December

What months are included in your off-peak season?

January
February
March
October
November

Reviews of The Lake Chalet

Write a review
Write a review
The Lake Chalet - 1
The Lake Chalet - 2
The Lake Chalet - 3
The Lake Chalet - 4
Eliza
Eliza Sent on 09/30/2025
5 out of 5 rating

Dreamy Wedding

I had my gorgeous wedding here at Lake Chalet back in May. The set up and the panoramic view of the lake was beautiful! The execution of my event by the events department and staff on-site was professional and communicative. Booking their outdoor space was a dream and the best decision my now wife and I could have made. Thank you Lake Chalet!
Kristi
Kristi Sent on 09/30/2025
5 out of 5 rating

What a great Experience!

The process leading up to the event was super easy, and the Event department was on top of everything. We had a challenge a week before with some guests who could not make it at the last minute, and they worked with us to make sure we weren't paying for nothing The event itself was so beautiful you can not beat the views and the food was great. We had a buffet, and it was delicious. All in all a good value, less expensive than we thought and great photos! We had a Gondola Ride which really was great.
C
Christine Sent on 05/28/2019
4.8 out of 5 rating

Beautiful view of the lake, delicious food, and wonderful service

We chose to host our wedding reception in Lake Chalet's Gondola Room, which is a private dining room that can seat between 90 to 120 (depending on how many tables in your floor plan). It has nearly 360 degree views of the lake through its beautiful windows, and after a recent light revamp they've got chiavari chairs as well!

Tiffany, the event coordinator, was very responsive to my e-mails and answered all of my tiny, detailed little questions from how many hors d'oeuvres I should order for my guests to whether the ahi tuna crudo could be made gluten-free. I swear, I sent this woman a list of 50 questions and she answered all of them promptly and kindly. Thanks so much!

The process of planning is very organized, as Tiffany provides an event order and a floor plan layout to work from, which makes it really easy to to collaborate and see what is covered in the contract, as well as an estimate of your final bill.

On the day of, the manager on duty, the wait staff, and the bartender were excellent. Many of my guests told me that the wait staff was prompt and friendly, and the bartender did a fantastic job with our signature drinks. Everyone was delighted with the food as well. My husband and I had gone to the Lake Chalet for lunch prior to booking the venue and felt that their food was good, but they really stepped it up a notch for our wedding. Thank you so much for that!

Thank you again for making our wedding day unforgettable. We are so glad we chose Lake Chalet for our reception!
  • The Lake Chalet - 5
  • The Lake Chalet - 6
Radomir
Radomir Sent on 05/18/2023
3 out of 5 rating

Beautiful view, disappointing service

We hosted an intimate wedding reception at Lake Chalet gondola room last month. The space is beautiful - full of natural light, lots of windows showing a panoramic view of Lake Merritt, a balcony to step out on for fresh air. The Gondola room has its own private bar and bathroom.

We were planning with event staff for months. Communication was hit or miss; sometimes it would take a while to get a response or not at all. Despite asking for it weeks before, we were not given a layout of the event until 2 days before and even then there was confusion about whether or not they would be able to fit everyone. The event coordinator numbered the tables arbitrarily without asking us but luckily the day-of event staff helped correct this before the event started. In general, it seems there was poor communication between the coordinator and all parties involved. They also seemed understaffed. We were told there would be 2 bartenders but there was only 1 out serving drinks and it started late. They didn’t know what beers they had at first and had to print out drink menus at the last minute. However, the event staff there did try to make up for it and for the most part, guests did not notice the lack of coordination.

Parking is not great and we feel that the hosts of such a large event should not have to pay for the valet parking.
  • The Lake Chalet - 7
  • The Lake Chalet - 8
T
Tiffany Sent on 11/06/2016
2.5 out of 5 rating
It was a beautiful venue. The event coordinator was really great and super organized. But we did have multiple customer service issues with the staff on the day of my wedding.

I think my biggest issue was that we caught the bartenders charging people for drinks that we had already paid for (we had the option of buying an unlimited drink package for the event.)

I had also requested to take home some of my wedding cake so I could freeze it and we could eat it on our one year anniversary. But I was told that we didn't have anymore. We had actually bought two cakes (enough for 120) and only had 100 guests. So there definitely should have been some left over. I later saw some of the bartenders sneaking cake behind the bar. Which I thought was a little unprofessional, considering they had already told me that there was none left.

The lady who organizes everything isn't actually at the venue on weekends, which I think is part of the reason why things didn't run very smoothly on the day off.

There was a manager there, who was great, but he had to manage the restaurant portion as well (we rented their private event room) so he wasn't actually present during the whole event.

I did bring this all up to the event coordinator, and she ended up giving me a generous gift card for the service we received.

One of our guests had their car broken into. He parked on the street, and his date had wedged her purse under the seat. Keep in mind that although the restaurant is beautiful, it's still Oakland. There is a very small parking lot. All those spots ended up going to people that had to be there early (DJs and some relatives) and everyone else had the option of valet. It's $8 for valet, which you can cover or just have the guests pay on their own. The restaurant rents out a private lot big enough to hold everyone in your group. I would recommend that if you book here, you encourage your guests to use the valet service.


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Awards

5

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The Lake Chalet frequently asked questions

The Lake Chalet includes the following items and services for wedding events in its starting site fee:
  • Chairs
  • Flatware
  • Glassware
  • Linens
  • Tables
The space offered by The Lake Chalet for wedding events is known for:
  • Boat/Yacht
  • Marina
  • Restaurant
  • Waterfront
The Lake Chalet offers the following indoor/outdoor options for weddings:
  • Indoor
  • Covered Outdoor
  • Uncovered Outdoor
The Lake Chalet offers the following types of wedding events:
  • Ceremony
  • Reception
  • Bridal Shower
  • Engagement Party
  • Elopements
  • Rehearsal Dinner
The Lake Chalet offers the following services for wedding events:
  • Bar Services
  • Catering Services
  • Pet Friendly
  • Wifi
The Lake Chalet offers the following furniture and decor items for weddings:
  • Chairs
  • Tables
The Lake Chalet is recommended by 82% of couples who have used their services. Their overall rating is 4.1 out of 5 with the following breakdown: 4.2 in flexibility, 4.1 in quality of service, 4.1 in average response time, 4.1 in professionalism and 3.8 in value.
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