Fluid510 is the hottest place to be in the East Bay. The LGBTQ bar and event space spent the summer establishing itself as the coolest place to hang out with friends. A space for everyone, people can dance, watch a drag show, or grab a drink and bite to eat any time of the day.
Opened in downtown Oakland in May, last month it launched its bottomless mimosas brunch, and the evening Jush Sunday, a drag cabaret hosted by "RuPaul's Drag Race" contestant Jasmine Masters (Season 7). Launched on June 4, it has brought in appreciative fans on Sunday nights. Masters brings the best of the best drag competition show contestants along with local performers to the stage for the weekly nighttime event.
Sean Sullivan, who co-owns Fluid510 and The Port Bar with his business and life partner Richard "Ritchie" Fuentes, said they banked on Masters and Jush Sunday. The two men believed Masters and other "Drag Race" stars would bring people to Fluid510 on Sunday nights, "because it just doesn't happen in San Francisco."
There was no weekly drag show that featured stars seen on TV on either side of the bay, Sullivan said. Jush Sunday changed that. Since the June 4 launch, it's brought in crowds on a night that in the past would be sleepy.
"Monday is going to be such a breeze because you had a good time on Sunday night," Masters told me before the show. "And you can tell your co-workers about what happened Sunday night."
My friend and I enjoyed local talents with out-of-towners from Florida and Texas who came to the show that night. Masters, LuLu Ramirez, Delilah BeFierce, and Melissa BeFierce of Dragula were on fire putting a little Spanish, twang, and R&B into their lip-synched performances. Masters flirted and played with the crowd throughout the night.
Sullivan said Jasmin Masters "has a great way of connecting with the audience."
"It's always fresh, new, and just a lot of fun," Jasmin Masters added, saying the show is never the same each week.
The two-and-a-half-hour show is possibly one the best drag shows I've seen in a long time. The queens were top-notch, from the costumes to their makeup to their performances, and the cocktails and food were excellent.
I sipped Fluid510's Mandarin 75 cocktail, a slightly sweet and refreshing concoction of Grey Goose orange vodka, St. Germain, lemon juice, and Campo Viejo Cava. My friend enjoyed the Gin Refresher. The cocktails paired perfectly with the Mediterranean pizza, arancini balls, and meatballs.
Brunch bunch
Fluid510 offers a variety of menus (snacks, pizza, and lunch) depending on the event and time of day and vegan options too. They don't only serve afternoon and nighttime fare. Last month, the bar and venue launched its weekend brunch service with bottomless mimosas on Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
My friend and I indulged in the truffle benedict, which featured two eggs poached to your liking over focaccia bread dressed in a truffle hollandaise sauce with an arugula salad. I also added prosciutto. My friend chose the vegan French toast, brioche dipped in oat milk with coconut cream frosting dressed in seasonal berries. Cheering with our mimosas, we dove into the dishes sampling each item.
If you are a truffle lover, you will love the truffle benedict for breakfast. I could smell the truffle as the dish neared our seat at the bar. That alone told me I was going to have a good breakfast. The bread held up as a perfect spongy platform for the creamy eggs dressed in the truffle hollandaise sauce.
My friend's French toast was amazing. The bread was lightly crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside and it wasn't too sweet even with the powdered sugar sprinkled on top with a pile of berries and fruit.
We topped off brunch with the beignets in a swirl of chocolate and dusted with powdered sugar. They were incredibly light and fluffy with a smooth cream filling. They'll melt in your mouth.
Fluid510 is nailing it in Oakland. There is something for everyone whether it's a club night, brunch, a drag show, or casually dropping in for lunch or happy hour.
Tickets for the 9pm Jush Sundays start at $10 for general entry to $250 for full bottle service. Sunday brunch 10am-2pm. Reg, hours Wed.-Fri. 4pm-2am, Sat. & Sun. 10am-2am. 1544 Broadway, Oakland. www.fluid510.com
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