One of Oakland’s most beloved venues is closing indefinitely. Since 1974, Eli’s Mile High Club has hosted events ranging from a weekly blues night to punk rock shows to choreographed bar fight nights.
One of the club’s most prominent features appears to be the reason for its closure. The club’s expansive patio has been a locals’ favorite; however, it has drawn criticism from neighbors and the city, and ultimately seems to be why the club will shutter at the end of October, which the venue announced via Instagram.
The venue said in a story posted Wednesday it hopes to reopen when its patio is “all fixed up.”
The patio area of Eli’s Mile High Club walled in. (Monica B via Yelp)
Code compliance for the patio has been an ongoing problem for several years. In November 2024, the venue was red-tagged by Oakland code enforcement officers, leading to the patio’s closure, despite claims from owner Matthew Patane that fire marshals and health department officials approved the use of the space.
In 2025, Oakland spokesperson Jean Walsh told SFGATE that the patio was closed for “safety and encroachment issues” arising from unpermitted patio structures.
“The City has issued several ‘stop work’ orders due to continued construction of unpermitted structures despite lack of approved plans, permits and inspections, and has directed Eli’s to close the back patio to public assembly until multiple safety and zoning violations are addressed,” she said in an email.
A view of the back patio of Eli’s Mile High Club. (Stephanie O via Yelp)
The closure of the patio forced the venue to cut back on hours and downsize employment. Patane also launched a GoFundMe that drew the attention of Green Day’s Billie Joe Armstrong, who donated $2,000 to the cause. The campaign raised $77,900 of a goal of $150,000.
In addition to drawing the attention of code enforcement, the patio also caused a stir with a neighbor. Greg Barron, owner of the neighboring building, alleged in a 2025 lawsuit that the design of the patio led to flooding on his property, resulting in $166,900 worth of damage.
In an Instagram post, Eli’s said it hopes to reopen once issues regarding the patio had been resolved. Operators also asked fans to reach out to the Oakland City Council and the mayor’s office to show signs of support.
Eli’s Mile High Club and the city of Oakland did not respond to requests for comment by time of publication.
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This article originally published at Beloved Oakland music venue Eli’s Mile High Club to shutter, for now.