Dave & Buster’s at 55 Harrison, Oakland, Calif., on April 24, 2026.

Oakland’s Jack London Square has been eerily quiet lately, with some of the district’s biggest anchor businesses shuttering in the past few years. But that may change soon: The long-anticipated waterfront Dave & Busters is finally set to open on May 4, according to a sign posted in the window of the arcade bar chain at 55 Harrison that SFGATE spotted.

Inside, tables and chairs are already set up for bar patrons, and arcade games are flashing with colorful lights. “Training in progress,” read the sign announcing the opening date. Other signs in the window advertised a happy hour with drinks starting at $5, a private “high-tech darts suite” and a private shuffleboard suite. 

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SFGATE first reported the chain’s plans to open in the long-vacant building at Jack London Square in December 2024. The property at 55 Harrison was once slated to become a buzzy food hall, with star chefs like Reem Assil of Reem’s and Anthony Kresge of Shadowbrook, but those plans fizzled out during the pandemic. The six-story building has remained mostly vacant since it was constructed in 2009.

Despite a recent wave of prominent closures at Jack London Square, including the Waterfront Hotel, Forge Pizza and Left Bank Brasserie, the neighborhood is poised for a comeback. Reem’s is opening a new bakery soon in the former Timeless Coffee space at 85 Webster St., and New York Times-lauded tostada restaurant Cenaduria Elvira has been a hit since it opened in February. Senate Bill 304, a new law that went into effect Jan. 1 lifting restrictions on which types of businesses can operate in Jack London Square, could also soon inject vibrancy into the neighborhood.

Dave & Busters is aiming to hire more than 155 employees at the new location, according to a news release. The over 33,000-square-foot entertainment space will feature more than 100 arcade games, a food menu with items such as burgers and nachos, and a sports bar with a 40-foot TV screen. The arcade bar will be open late: until midnight on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday, and until 1 a.m. Wednesday through Saturday, according to its website. 

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