Everett & Jones has been smoking meat in Oakland since 1973, and Dorothy Everett’s legacy still defines the place. Now run by her grandchildren, the restaurant maintains that same commitment to doing barbecue right—the kind of place where the smell of smoke hits you before you even see the building. The ribs are legitimately some of the best in the Bay Area, and the brisket and chicken hold their own too.

What matters for you and your dog is the outdoor patio, where well-behaved dogs are welcome. It’s a casual setup where you can sit at picnic tables with your dog nearby while you work through a plate of meat and sides. The atmosphere is relaxed and unpretentious—this is genuine neighborhood barbecue, not trying to be anything fancier than that. You’ll see regulars who clearly know what they’re ordering, families spreading out across multiple tables, and people from all over the East Bay who’ve heard the reputation and wanted to try it themselves.

The patio isn’t fancy, but it’s real. Your dog won’t feel out of place at all. There’s plenty of space, and the staff is used to dogs hanging around while their people eat. On warmer days it can get busy, especially if there’s a game on, but that’s part of the experience—you’re eating at an actual community spot, not a manufactured dog-friendly venue.

If your dog does well in social settings and can handle being around other people and dogs, this is the kind of place that feels natural rather than forced. You’re just grabbing serious barbecue on a patio, and your dog gets to come along. The food is worth the trip on its own, and the dog-friendly patio is a genuine bonus, not an afterthought.