It really depends on what microclimate within the Bay Area you live.

Washington Navels require more heat than Valencias to sweeten up properly.

Down here, where zones 15 and 16 meet, Navels do well when they're planted in a warm situation, usually against a south-facing wall or surrounding by hardscape (e.g., patio, walway, asphalt driveway). Most Navels here simply rot on the tree, uneaten. But those with a warmer microclimate seem to do well.

A good kumquat for you would be 'Meiwa' and some good tangerines are 'Clementine', 'Pixie' and 'Owari' Satsuma.

Joe

I have 'Owari Satsuma' in south San Jose, and it performs admirably. It was bit slow to take off, but worth the wait, IMHO. It fruits for me reliably and the fruit is sweet and juicy and virtually seedless. It holds on the tree well, too. I'm still picking the last of it.
It also survived last years freeze, still fruiting.

wanda

Gardenguru, wanda, thanks a lot. Gardenguru, can you please clarify "most navels rot on the tree uneaten"? Are they uneaten because they do not ripen? Or do they come in such an abundance? :-)

Anyways, thanks to Wanda for sharing the info on Owari satsuma. I definitely have plans to add a mandarin to my collection. I got a Four Wind Growers' Valencia, a Wash. Naval and a Nagami Kumquat on a whim. I am really looking forward to growing them in the containers; however, I might plant them in the ground a couple of years later depending on how they are doing, since I certainly bought the oranges for eating and not just for display. If I can find any more room, I would love to get Mandarins as well, next year.

I'm in the Bay Area.
I have found that growing orange trees in containers does not allow them to grow to their full potential. Lemons do real good in containers though.
And if you need more heat, the suggestion to plant your tree so that it is near reflected heat from a house or fence is a good one. This also gives some frost protection. I have a mandarin tucked in under the eaves and boy oh boy does it like that spot. It is loaded with fruit and although the fruit is not ripe yet, I can tell you they are delicious. No seeds either. I'll try to find which variety it is and report back.
The selection of citrus at the big box stores is pretty good these days and if you shop carefully, you can find some real nice specimens.
I have recently planted a Cara Cara orange (no fruit yet) and I also have a mature navel and a valencia that produce real good. The navel oranges are ripe now. They are very good and I can assure you that none rot under the tree cause we eat them all. The tree is 30 years old. All my trees are dwarf varieties. Despite the occasional nasty frost some years in this area, orange trees in this area do very well once established.

When i was much younger my aunt had planted a navel orange in her family's backyard in Fremont off of Mowry. The tree looked great as years went by,the fruit were big and juicy. I just remember they were never sweet. At least not as the better store bought Oranges are.But,fresh off the tree they were far better in texture and juice than any store fruit i ever had. A tradeoff...

We had a Washington Naval in our yard in downtown Santa Cruz that would about every five years have sweet oranges. Our Calistoga oranges were never sweet enough to eat and frosted to the ground in 1990 and the roots we dug out. We still have a Marsh white grapefruit that bears lots of fruit too sour to eat and will be removed. It is a beautiful tree but without good fruit it just takes up space and covers the ground with molding fruit. Al

Gardenguru, I disagree with you on the navels require more heat then valencias. Everything Ive ever heard is that valencias need TONS of heat.