The walls have been stripped of the jerseys of the greats — Otto, Sistrunk, Plunkett, Blanda, Chester — and the historic sideline photo of Madden and Stabler. Also gone are the display cases filled with helmets, pennants, programs, “Reserved for Al Davis” and “Commitment to Excellence” signs, a “JST WIN BBY” license plate and other Oakland Raiders memorabilia.
But the legendary Ricky’s sports bar in San Leandro has reopened, three years after its beloved founder died, giving Raider Nation a home to call its own again. Customers had feared that the business, which Sports Illustrated had famously named the No. 2 sports bar in the nation, wouldn’t survive the death of owner Ricky Ricardo and the pandemic shutdown.
“It was awesome,” said Tim Pinney, of San Leandro, who wore Raiders gear on his first return visit. “I look forward to going back there for more sporting events, especially Raiders games.”
That’s the sort of “wow” response new owner Ramonn Smith has been hearing. A Richmond resident who was raised in Oakland, he had rarely set foot inside Ricky’s but knew of its renown. “I came in twice — in 2004 and once maybe eight years later,” he said. He’d previously co-owned a Berkeley restaurant and had always wanted to have a sports bar.
He started talking with Tina Ricardo, Ricky’s widow, a year ago, then bought the business and set about renovating the interior and upgrading the infrastructure and menu in November, with a plan to “transition to a sports bar for all fans but keep that Raider base.” The bar has been in its current location on Hesperian Boulevard since 1960, though Ricky Ricardo’s father, a San Leandro native, opened the business in 1946.
“I wanted to make it more 2023ish,” said Smith, who transformed the dark, neon-lit bar into a fresh, airy space. “Now you can see from one end of the bar to the back room.”
There are 40 TVs, including two large screens for big sporting events outdoors. In the room he calls the Fantasy Lounge, where 11 screens are mounted, “the true Fantasy League fan can sit and watch all the games at once.”
He also changed the original name and the spelling, Ricky’s Sports Theatre & Grill, to reflect the beginning of a new era while still paying homage to the founder. It now sports an “E” in the name and is called Rickey’s Sports Lounge.
Members of Raider Nation — some still fans, others no longer since the team’s move to Las Vegas — were back in the house Wednesday evening, though the emphasis was clearly on whether that other former Oakland team, the Golden State Warriors, would come roaring back against the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA playoffs. There was lots of support for the new Rickey’s look and management.
“It was great,” said Oakland native Chris Dobbins, co-founder of Save Oakland Sports, which used to hold its meetings at the old place. “I like what Ramonn has done. It’s a lot lighter. And the food’s better.”
He expects the Oakland group will resume meeting there.
“This was my oasis,” said Brandon Jones, of Oakland, who started hanging out at the bar when the team moved back from Los Angeles, though he was always “more of a Jerry Rice fan than a Raiders fan.”
“Ricky is gone, so it’s not the same. It looks a lot different from the way it used to look.
“But it’s still cool.”
Details: Inaugural hours for the new Rickey’s Sports Lounge are Wednesday through Sunday from 3 to 11 p.m., with expanded hours planned for summer and when football season starts. 15028 Hesperian Blvd., San Leandro.
