Enter to win a $50 gift certificate to District San Jose in Downtown San Jose.

District San Jose is located in the heart of San Pedro Square and just a few blocks from SAP Center, District pairs a menu of globally inspired shareable plates with a thoughtfully curated wine and whiskey program. The result is a memorable tasting experience that you can share with friends and family in a place that feels like home.

Visit this participating restaurant during Dine Downtown Restaurant Week from July 13-23, 2023!
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Drawing Date for this Giveaway is Wednesday, August 9, 2023.
Winners notified by email and have 48 hours to respond or forfeit.
Must be 18+ to win.

Enter to win a $25 gift certificate to Academic Coffee in Downtown San Jose.

Academic Coffee roasts globally sourced coffee right here in downtown San Jose. With every roast you’ll know where it came from and how it was processed. They buy coffees from producers who care about quality and people. Academic Coffee started as a cafe in a tiny corner of SoFA District but also wholesales locally to select restaurants and corporate offices. They love serving coffee and always will.

Visit this participating restaurant during Dine Downtown Restaurant Week from July 13-23, 2023!
View Special Menu »

Drawing Date for this Giveaway is Wednesday, August 23, 2023.
Winners notified by email and have 48 hours to respond or forfeit.
Must be 18+ to win.

Enter to win a $50 gift certificate to Devine Cheese & Wine in Downtown San Jose.

Devine Cheese & Wine is a neighborhood restaurant that offers the most extensive list of cheeses in the Bay Area. They feature local and fresh ingredients and have a range of small to large plates, incredible charcuterie and fresh pasta. The focus is on the quality of the ingredients first—knowing the producers, how they produce, and the integrity they bring to their products. Located in the heart of downtown San Jose, Devine offers a fun dining experience where you can try something new, find your new favorite wine, and fall in love with cheese—again.

Visit this participating restaurant during Dine Downtown Restaurant Week from July 13-23, 2023!
View Special Menu »

Drawing Date for this Giveaway is Wednesday, September 6, 2023.
Winners notified by email and have 48 hours to respond or forfeit.
Must be 21+ to win.

Enter to win a $25 gift certificate to Fox Tale Fermentation Project in Downtown San Jose.

Fox Tale Fermentation Project is a business based on the passion and exploration of unique and specialty Beers, Fermented Foods, and Beyond. It is highly socially and environmentally conscious, and it is deeply rooted in its community. It is a space to see friends, kick back and relax with a book and a beer, or a space to gather with your local chapter of an organization.

Visit this participating restaurant during Dine Downtown Restaurant Week from July 13-23, 2023!
View Special Menu »

Drawing Date for this Giveaway is Wednesday, September 20, 2023.
Winners notified by email and have 48 hours to respond or forfeit.
Must be 21+ to win.

With 2020 firmly in the rearview, a new generation of bars and clubs have taken root in the South Bay—alongside many time-honored favorites. 

Whether looking for something New, something To Do, something Bold, something Brewed, or something True Blue, this list has a little something everyone can raise a glass to.

New

Silicon Valley is always changing, and the same goes for its nightlife. This year, there’s some new flavors on the bar menu.

386 Lounge

386 S 1st St, San Jose 

408.564.0224

386 Lounge moved in quickly on the former home of Good Spot in San Jose’s SoFA, converting the former eatery into a neon-lit nightclub ready for drinking, dancing and a whole night out (check that late night food menu). And just as quickly, 386 also established itself as a home of live hip hop and R&B in the South Bay, hosting shows from locals and traveling artists alike. (MH) 

Añejo Cantina and Kitchen 

3132 Williams Rd, San Jose

408.261.3714

Only authentic Mexican cuisine here! Latinx owners Christina and Roquel got back to their roots nearly a decade ago having changed the menu from classic American diner (formerly “The Thundermug”) to delicious Mexico flavors. Elevated plates and beverages mingle with modern twists on cultural classics in this fun and spicy environment. (JP)

Good Time Bar

30 Fountain Alley #160, San Jose

408.256.1266 | goodtimebarsj.com

Wine culture is always changing, and a new bar downtown is currently poised at its bleeding tip. Good Time Bar in downtown San Jose’s Fountain Alley offers a wide selection of natural wines (wines made from grapes and grapes alone), ranging from reds and whites to oranges and bubblies. Glasses pair well with the bar’s forward thinking snacks, ranging from olives to tinned fish. (MH)

Hula Bar and Kitchen 

30 E Santa Clara St, San Jose 

408.216.9648

What started out as a popular Filipino-Hawaiian food truck aptly named Hula Truck, expanded last spring into a full-blown restaurant that serves up dishes of Pacific Island flavor toying with a NorCal twist. The Gorospe family serves up tasty dishes from Rib Eye Tapa Rice Bowls, to Lechon Sisig, to Pineapple Chili Wings, to Spam Musubi and everything in between. (JP)

VinoVero

326 N Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos

408.442.5913 | vinoverousa.com

Love some vino, company and good eats? With a name that translates to “true wine,” VinoVero has a selection of honest fine wines and Italian-inspired “cicheto” (finger foods). The Italian eatery offers authentic cuisine hand-crafted by Venetian-born owner, Michele Bevilacqua, within a “bacaro” setting, which translates to a cozy wine bar where people meet for chatting, drinking, wine and eating classic Venetian. (JP)

Brew

In the South Bay area, a constellation of breweries celebrate beer’s bandwidth, exploring bold flavors in Pilsners and IPAs, Saisons and Porters—and all that lies between.   

Hapas Brewing Company

460 Lincoln Ave #90, San Jose

408.982.3299 | hapasbrewing.com

All coming in under 10% ABV, Hapas’ extensive list of craft beers covers flavors ranging from light to wheat to sour to red and everything in between. They pride themselves on maintaining a friendly environment that provides open air and natural light. A good time awaits all because their locations are pet-friendly. (JP)

Camino Brewing Co.

718 S 1st St, San Jose

408.352.5331 | caminobrewingshop.com

Situated on First Street right near the 280 overpass, Camino Brewing Company is a bright and comfortable brewery serving a variety of tasty beers and meals, often of the food truck variety. Come for the small but compelling selection of beers on tap, stay for the ambiance and its famous beer slushie. (TM)

Faultline Brewing

1235 Oakmead Pkwy, Sunnyvale

408.736.2739 | faultlinebrewing.com

An aesthetic delight, Faultline Brewing Company in Sunnyvale is a beautiful building both inside and out. With a fine selection of beers, a good offering of foods and outdoor seating by a lake, Faultline provides what many brewing companies provide, but with a certain j’ai nai se quoi vibe that is simply immaculate. (TM)

ManyFriends Brewing Company

14482 Big Basin Way, Saratoga

669.232.3585 | manyfriendsbrewingcompany.com

As its name suggests, ManyFriends Brewing Company plays host to good company and good brews. They make small-batch, premium craft beer, which they expect patrons to share with friends. ManyFriends offers small bar snacks as well as growlers and packaged beer to keep the fun going. They are a Type-23 Small Beer Manufacturer with a tasting room. (JP)

Narrative Fermentations

101 E Alma Ave, San Jose

408.288.5181 | narrativefermentations.com

Narrative Fermentations pride themselves on their bold flavors, each brew a story unto itself. Take, for example, the Kiwiana, a New Zealand style Pilsner with enough hops to qualify for an IPA. That’s a flavor that speaks more with each sip. NF is also one of the few places where fans can reliably catch live wrestling in the South Bay, hosting many events for the UGWA at the brewery. (MH)

Off the Rails

111 S Murphy Ave, Sunnyvale

408.773.9500 | offtherailsbrewing.com

Located on historic Murphy Ave just off the Caltrain tracks, Off the Rails brews up a host of classic flavors for the modern palette. The Murphy Lite and Kolsch are refreshingly crisp, while the Trappist ale and Saison explore the bold, Belgian flavors—with the Raspberry sour sitting comfortably between. (MH) 

Out of The Barrel

1875 S Bascom Ave Ste #560, Campbell &

201 Saratoga-Los Gatos Rd, Los Gatos

outofthebarrelbeer.com

With locations in Campbell, San Carlos and Los Gatos, beer lovers can whet their palate all over the South Bay. Out of The Barrel offers a taproom full of rotating draft, canned and bottled beers from an array of breweries. IPAs, lagers and stouts are among the many brews that you can find on the list at any given Out of The Barrel taproom. (JP)

S27 Alehouse & Brewery

461 Perrymont Ave, San Jose

408.599.2739 | buy.s27.beer

From the brew masters themselves: “We are focused on true to style continental beers and interpretations of modern styles.” Some of S27 Ales’ current beverages include fruit smoothies, basic beers, pilsners, ales and margaritas, to name just a few. With a sleek and sophisticated style, S27 Ales certainly delivers the magic bubbly in style. (JP)

ShaKa Brewing

170 N Wolfe Rd Unit 220, Sunnyvale

408.475.7233 | shakabrewing.com

Sunnyvale’s ShaKa Brewing has a modern, open interior reminiscent of a coffee shop. Founded by beer buds Shawn and Karl (thus, “ShaKa”), the duo graduated from speakeasy style tastings to full on brewery status in 2020 and now sling an assortment of sippable suds. The Gemini Summer Ale pairs Jasmine with Peach, while the robust Riley Red celebrates the malty side of life. (MH)

Strike Brewing Co.

2099 S 10th St #30, San Jose

469 E Campbell Ave, Campbell, CA

strikebrewingco.bevv.com

Strike was one of the first of the modern breweries in San Jose, and they remain a perennial favorite. Located one foul ball away from Excite Ballpark (and also in Campbell, between downtown and the Pruneyard), Strike’s beers come down the center like a fastball and land right in the sweet spot. The now classic selection includes IPAs like the Double and the Screaming Hand, as well as more recent curveballs. (MH)  

True Blue

They don’t call them classics for nothing. With so much rapid change in the Bay Area, it’s a comfort to know some South Bay bars and clubs have survived  

Black Watch

141 N Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos

408.354.2200

The closest thing to a time machine in the South Bay. When I first turned 21, my friends and I stumbled in at the end of a very fun Saturday night. The tiny tavern was smoky, dark, packed and full of laughter. Of course, we ordered the famous Kamikaze pitcher. I still remember that first taste of citrusy perfection….and not much else. Walk in today, and you get the same fun atmosphere, same perfect Kamikazes, and possibly the same regulars.  Young newcomers are equally welcome: it’s a South Bay rite of passage. (LP)

Beefy’s Cabin

693 Grape Ave, Sunnyvale

408.736.7141

Originally founded in Kowloon Walled City, Hong Kong, the inimitable Beefy’s Cabin is known as a dive bar par excellence to those in Sunnyvale. Much like its original location, Beefy’s is a tiny hole in the wall with more atmosphere than the Minneapolis hip hop scene. There’s darts a’ plenty and pool to be played, but like all good dives, it is cash only. (MH) 

Blue Max Lounge

828 W El Camino Real, Sunnyvale

408.746.9500

A lively little joint on the El Camino Real, Blue Max packs in the fun with karaoke and a DJ on the weekends. Come in hungry as they offer a wide variety of sports bar food in a fun and neighborly setting. They even offer special events and one-off parties once in a while. (JP)

Branham Lounge

1116 Branham Ln, San Jose

408.445.1716 | thebranham.com

First opened in 1969, this neighborhood tavern keeps it mid-century modern with sumptuous leather seats, retro red velvet wallpaper and a deluxe fireplace front and center. Refurbished in 2011, the dark-but-clean lounge has unobtrusive TV screens, a photo booth and a dog-friendly outdoor patio. Young and old patrons mingle over a generous selection of beers on tap and tasty, solidly-performing cocktails. Check out their live stand-up comedy night on Sundays. (LP)

The Caravan Lounge

98 Almaden Ave, San Jose

408.995.6220 | caravanloungesanjose.com

Caravan, light of my night, fire of my thirst. My sin, my soul. Ca-ra-van: the back of the tongue taking three steps around the mouth (almost drunkenly), as it works the syllables. Ca. Ra. Van. Whether looking for an ever-present Pabst tall boy or for some of the best punk, metal, grindcore and burlesque shows in the South Bay, this humble bar no longer attached to a hotel will forever have its arms open, and be known by the name Caravan. (MH)

Effie’s

331 W Hacienda Ave, Campbell

408.374.3400 | effiesrestaurantandbar.com

Karaoke still reigns supreme at Effie’s, Campbell’s little roadhouse on Winchester. Six nights a week, the South Bay’s amateur, aspiring and ascendant singers alike all share the mic, dousing their voices in reverb and belting out the best by 4 Non Blondes and Montell Jordan. Though the bar has been remodeled, the Effie’s experience remains refreshingly unchanged. Hang on. Hold my beer, I think I’m up. (MH)  

The Fountainhead

387 S 1st St, San Jose

408.642.5270

Tucked behind Tres Hermanos and Habana Cuba in the back of SoFA Market is a little bar with a lot of flavor. The Fountainhead dispenses draft beers and craft cocktails with an elevated stoner flair, pairing well with the generally well curated hip hop house music. The back patio is an oasis on the block, a great place to hide away for an hour and let the afternoon flow. (MH) 

Jack’s

167 E Taylor St, San Jose

408.287.5225

Located in the heart of Japantown, Trials is a true dive bar with a rugged but warm soul to match. Enter into the dimly lit room and feast your mouth on affordable beers on tap and entrance your eyes on the one of the many art shows they put on year round. (TM)

Last Round Tavern

354 E Santa Clara St, San Jose

408.286.9710

Founded by a former boxer, Last Round Tavern is a neighborhood bar in the guise of a pizza place—with a left hook to match. One of the last stops on the lonely stretch of Santa Clara St. before it transforms into Alum Rock, the Last Round is one of San Jose’s greats for fight night, an ideal place to sidle up to the bar with a slice and a draft, and catch the upset of the century. (MH)

Loft

90 S Second St, San Jose

408.291.0677 | loftbarandbistro.com

Long a staple of downtown, Loft was one of the last bars to reopen after lockdown. Now back in the swing of things, the beloved upstairs dance club has staged a welcome return to form, with DJs and dancing on the weekends and $5 well drinks all the time (who else has that downtown?). Loft remains a reliable way to elevate the night out. (MH)  

Paul & Eddy’s Monta Vista Inn

21619 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino

408.252.2226

A suburban sports bar with a Bennigans-type vibe of fully adorned walls, Paul & Eddy’s is a neighborhood staple. With a good selection of drinks, meals, pool tables and darts, loiter here long enough and chances are you’ll run into someone you know–a serendipity for which Paul & Eddy’s is famous. (TM)

O’Flaherty’s Irish Pub

25 N San Pedro St, San Jose

408.947.8007

Few Irish pubs can hold an artisanal wax candle to O’Flaherty’s. Now serving pints on San Pedro for more than two decades, the little public house has all the wood paneling, front patio seating and seisiún sessions of any spot in Dublin. With an alarming 50+ beers on tap and more than 20 Irish whiskeys to choose from, O’Flaherty’s gets patrons saying sláinte—even if they have no idea how to pronounce it. (MH)

The Office Bar & Lounge

2306 Almaden Rd, San Jose

408.266.2415

Tucked into a strip mall, this unpretentious South San Jose lounge walks the line between dive and sports bar. Walk in on a hot day and be greeted by an icy blast of deliciously conditioned air. Beers on tap and strong cocktails top the list of features, as do Taco Tuesdays, live music Sundays, and a cozy private patio. Try the Office Mule before heading to the nearby movie theater. The bartenders are unfailingly warm, but also entirely uninterested in your bullshit, so leave your attitude behind and you’ll feel right at home. (LP)

Trials Pub

265 N First St, San Jose

408.947.0497

Unlike say more corporate Anglo offerings, Trials pub is a real deal, meat and taters British style pub. Situated in a historic and landmark building on North First Street, the establishment offers up the best British drinks and meals, acting as a home away from home for our Colonial cousins and a delight for the American punter. (TM)

Woodham’s Sports Lounge

4475 Stevens Creek Blvd, Santa Clara

408.244.2899

A true character on Steven’s Creek, Woodham’s Sports Lounge is a haven from the everyday. With the feel of a neighborhood bar and the price point of a dive, there’s a little bit of a Cheers feel to this self-declared Sports Lounge. And with one of those best comedy open mics in the South Bay (every Monday) Woodham’s is a place where it’s entirely possible everybody might know your name. (MH)

Bold

Anyone looking for something different need look no further. From honkeytonks to oyster beer, the South Bay has no shortage of bold flavors. 

7 Bamboo

162 Jackson St, San Jose

408.279.9937 | 7bamboolounge.com

A staple of Japantown since the mid 1970s, 7 Bamboo is arguably the premiere karaoke bar in San Jose. With a healthy selection of food and various liquid courage, 7 Bamboo provides the ideal spacious yet intimate setting to get up and belt out the showtunes you’ve been harboring in your heart for years. (TM)

Cash Only  

78 E Santa Clara St, San Jose

408.288.5252 | cashonlysj.com

Lovers of Johnny Cash and legal tender unite, Cash Only in downtown San Jose has something for both of you. Also known as a “West Coast honky tonk,” this literally cash only bar pays hefty tribute to the late Johnny Cash in its music and decor, and keeps drinks firmly lodged at a pre-2020 price. Come for the frozen Irish coffees and, before you know it, you’ll have heard all of “I’ve Been Everywhere” as it loops in the bathrooms. (MH)

Cider Junction

820 Willow St #100, San Jose

669.234.2751 | theciderjunction.com

Beer and cocktails have had their revolutions, and natural wine is shaking up the grapevine, but the humble cider remains too often unsung. Made from fermented apples, ciders are naturally sweet but can disply surprisingly complexity—a complexity on full display at San Jose’s Cider Junction. Whether on the hunt for a classic, single apple varietal or something more bold, like a silky lavender black currant cider, the apple doesn’t fall far from this Junction. (MH)

Dr. Funk

29 N San Pedro St, San Jose

drfunksj.com

San Jose’s recently opened tiki bar Dr. Funk offers some potent concoctions and an equally potent atmosphere. From tiki classics like Mai Tais and zombies, to local reinventions and gigantic bowl drinks, Dr. Funk’s dizzying drinks match its neon lit thatched roofed interior. And with a patio looking out on San Pedro, this is one of the most comfortable doctor’s offices in San Jose. (MH)

Fox Tale 

30 E Santa Clara St #120, San Jose

408.216.0158 | foxtalefermentationproject.com

Paper Plane isn’t the only bar winning awards in San Jose. Hop Culture Magazine recently named Fox Tale Fermentation Project 2022’s Best New Brewery, celebrating the cozy brewpub for its innovative flavors and neighborhood approach. They’re not wrong, Fox Tale is surely one of the few places one can order a red corn lager—or a saison made with oysters. (MH)

Haberdasher

43 W San Salvador St, San Jose

408.792.7356 | haberdashermenu.com

A true mixologist’s bar, Haberdasher offers up some of the most bedazzling cocktails and signature drinks in the area. Coupled with its smooth, almost erotic basement type atmosphere, Haberdasher is the type of place to come and lose yourself in its magical concoctions or even woo a date. (TM)

Nomikai

48 S 1st St, San Jose

408.287.7199

With its modern lighting and wide variety of sakes, sojus and Japanese inspired cocktails, Nomikai is like a little Roppongi in downtown. If you squint hard enough after a few Japanese Old Fashioneds, you might even be able to see Tokyo Tower in the distance. Here’s hoping for a 2023 return of their city pop vinyl night. (MH)

To Do

Going out isn’t just about drinking, and the options for entertainment are wide

Art Boutiki

44 Race St, San Jose

408.971.8929 | artboutiki.com

With its funky seating and Giallo-like lighting, Art Boutiki is a venue with the air of a supper club. Hosting a cross section of South Bay music from jazz to rock to this month’s International Surf Classic, with a comic shop in the front, Art Boutiki packs a whole lot of character into its little storefront on Race St. (MH)

Cuetopia Billiard Cafe

4700 Almaden Expy, San Jose

408.266.7665 | cuetopia.net

My dad took me here 20 years ago so we could bond over brews while he slaughtered me at pool. Jovial and rough-around-the edges, Cuetopia was a fun place back then. In 2023, all made over, it’s even better: 25 pool tables, regulation foosball, arcade games, air hockey, over 40 beers, decent wine and freaking delicious hot dogs. Early in the night when it’s slow is a perfect time to bring the kids for some games—or just an opportunity to chill with a beer and a dog. (LP)

Guildhouse

420 South First St, San Jose

guildhouse.gg

There’s plenty of sports bars around San Jose, but there’s only one true esports bar. Guildhouse in SoFA is a gamer’s delight, with countless consoles, board games, a LAN center, card tournaments and more. A favorite during conventions and a home away from home midweek, Guildhouse is the only bar where it’s appropriate for a bartender to say “It’s dangerous to go alone. Take this!” (MH)

LVL 44

44 S Almaden Ave, San Jose

408.331.8419 | lvl44.com

Ambiance is the key word with LVL 44, and this club has it in spades. A rooftop venue with a picturesque view of the San Jose skyline, LVL 44 is a close quarters club with unique drinks, well-paired meals, and an atmosphere that is raucous, and at times, straight contagious. (TM)

Mama Kin

374 South First St, San Jose

408.664.9303 | mamakinsj.com

It ain’t easy living like you want to, but at Mama Kin, it feels like it is. The bar/restaurant/venue features live music six nights a week and pairs it with a mix of classic dining and cajun options—all with a Latin twist. Located in the former jazz club Cafe Stritch, Mama Kin retains the relaxed vibe of the former while expanding the musical selections into rock, Latin, hip hop and more. (MH) 

Miniboss

52 E Santa Clara St, San Jose,

408.520.4909 | sjminiboss.com

Though they’re far from the first to throw an arcade cabinet in a bar, San Jose’s Miniboss was the first in downtown to fully commit to the barcade aesthetic. With a host of games ranging from pinball to racing simulators, classics cabinets like The Simpsons and NBA Jam to newer inventions like Killer Queen, it’s the best use of a roll of quarters in downtown. (MH)    

Noite

399 S 1st St, San Jose

noitesj.com

Not to be confused with the Noid, the Dominos mascot who famously ruins pizzas, Noite is one of downtown San Jose’s newest dance clubs. With salsa nights on Thursday, house music on Fridays and a monthly reggaeton party every first Saturday, this lofted club above Aura brings a fresh view to downtown dancing. Everyone deserves to have a good noite out. (MH)

Rec Room

1 E San Fernando St, San Jose, CA 95113

recroomsj.com

Since opening in 2020, Rec Room has quickly established itself as a vital part of San Jose nightlife. Boasting an Instagrammable interior, tasty cocktails (that Hennessey.based Rec’d Juice…) and regular DJ nights from local beat maestros like Cutso, Miles Medina and the OTW Collective, Rec Room has everything needed for a whole night out—all with the coziness of your friend’s parents’ basement. (MH)

San Pedro Social

163 W Santa Clara St, San Jose, CA 95113

408.222.1100 l sanpedrosocial.com

San Pedro Square got a massive refresh when San Pedro Social opened this past spring. The multipurpose bar/gaming hall/karaoke venue/bowling alley is the first of its kind on the square, bringing a bevy of evening entertainment options to one centralized place. Hang out upstairs, where the drinks fly as fast as the skee balls, or head downstairs for some private karaoke or a lane on the alley. (MH)

Tabard Theatre

29 N San Pedro St, San Jose, CA 95110

408.679-2330 l tabardtheatre.org

Despite announcing the theatre company’s closure earlier this year, Tabard Theatre remains a venue that promises to continue delivering high quality entertainment and show.stopping performances. Their full bar remains intact even as their repertoire company disbands. Check out their upcoming lineup of events. (JP)

The Brit

173 W Santa Clara St, San Jose, CA 95110

408.278.1400 l thebritsj.com

Patrons who haven’t entered the Brit since its remodel are sure to emit a hearty “wos all ‘is ‘en?” when they see the longtime watering hole’s swanky new patio and filigreed walls. No longer the Britannia Arms, the Brit remains reliable for a pint and some fish and chips. And for the sports fans: flat screens as far as the eye. (MH)  

The Continental

349 S 1st St, San Jose, CA 95113

408.982.3461 l thecontinentalbar.com

Since 2015, San Joseans have been getting down at the Continental, one of SoFA’s most reliable purveyors of the DJ dance night. And with its plush interior and tasty concoctions, this club has more going than just its dance floor. Still, every Thursday, the floor is known to fill up, when local production crew Universal Grammar host their popular DJ event the Changing Same. (MH) 

The Ritz

400 S 1st St, San Jose, CA 95113

theritzsanjose.com

Arguably the most interesting live music venue in downtown San Jose, The Ritz is a sanctuary for the most authentic, avant-garde, and cult-followed acts. Hosting everyone from seminal punk bands to up and coming art freaks, The Ritz caters to the less traveled musical path, and bless them for it. (TM)

LGBTQ+

While most of America celebrated Pride in June, Silicon Valley holds its own Pride celebration in August. Get ahead of the curve with a visit to one of the South Bay’s fine LGBTQ bars today.

Mac’s Club

39 Post St, San Jose, CA 95113

408.288.8221

Probably best known as the oldest gay bar in San Jose, Mac’s Club is quaint and friendly. The location offers a warm vibe that welcomes all. It’s relaxed and inclusive; a perfect place to spend with friends moving from afternoons into the night. (JP)

Renegades Bar

501 W Taylor St, San Jose, CA 95110

renegadesbar.carrd.co

Not only does this LGBTQ-friendly joint host a monthly drag show that boasts itself on being both crazy and campy, but it also offers a males-only underwear party called Trousers Down semi-monthly (among many other things!). There is so much to do in this bar on a nightly basis, that one might confuse it for an events venue over a neighborhood bar. (JP)

Splash

65 Post St, San Jose, CA 95113

408.292.2222

Oh, if these walls could talk! Splash is something of a second home for the LGBT+ community in San Jose, with two full stories of dance floors, countless trivia nights, live music performances, drag performances–you name it–Splash has probably hosted it and has created an enduring, fun, and safe atmosphere in the process. (TM)

More Bars & Clubs of Note

• Acopio
• Aji Bar
• Be.Steak.A
• Bears
• Braise
• Bywater
• C&J’s Sports Bar
• Cardiff Lounge
• Carrie Nation’s
• Cedar Room
• Club Caribe
• Club Fox
• Court’s Lounge
• El Jardín Tequila Bar
• Five Points
• Fred’s Place
• G6
• Henry’s High-Life
• Hukilau 
• Khartoum
• Labyrinth
• La Oficina 
• Left Bank Brasserie
• Los Gatos Lodge
• Los Gatos Soda Works
• Mike’s Place
• Number One Broadway
• Orchard City Kitchen
• Original Joe’s
• The Oxford Kitchen
• Petisco’s Adega
• Steamer’s
• The Cats
• The Plex
• The Province
• The Rose and Crown
• 3rd & Bourbon
• Quarter Note Bar & Grill
• Rocco’s Ballpark
• Rosie McCann’s
• Tony P’s Bar & Grill
• Torinon Panino
• Sidecar Modern Tavern
• Sideline Sports Bar
• The Sportsmen’s Lounge
• The Vesper
• Wild Rose
• The Willow Den (Public House)

It’s 2013 and an upbeat resident walks down a sun splattered patch of First street in downtown San Jose. They reach in their pocket for the tangle of wire and begin the daily ritual untying their headphones. They open Pandora. MIA comes on.

With the economic crisis firmly in the rearview, downtown feels hopeful as they stride towards Post Street to peruse the selection of pneumatic tools and guitar effect pedals at the pawn shop—or perhaps to try on some of the fine fashions at downtown’s premiere clothier: Hammer & Lewis. 

A noiseless Tesla startles them, entering their periphery and silently rolling past. It’s the first one they’ve seen in real life. A little further ahead lies the Melting Pot, a fondue joint destined to be consumed by the relentless pressures of the block north of San Fernando, a seemingly cursed thoroughfare where few businesses thrive.

That’s how things were a decade ago. The block of First Street between San Fernando and Santa Clara had a bit of charm and a vibe all its own, but other than the now sadly shuttered Lido Nightclub, it certainly wasn’t fertile ground from a business perspective. It would take a special place and a special crew to install an operation to break the block’s curse. 

One day in 2013, that crew emerged.

It was a trio, George Lahlouh, Dan Phan and Johnny Wang, who conspired against the forces of apathy and mediocrity that held the block in a death-grip. Phan and Wang had already staked their claim on First Street with a game-changer, Original Gravity Public House. Lahlouh, meanwhile, had spent years bar managing in downtown. With Lahloud in the mix, they set their sights on even boozier horizons.

The plan was simple enough. As George puts it: “we were out to open a bar for the modern-classic cocktail revolution.” 

Now nine years in, Paper Plane’s role in the revolution has undoubtedly been successful. In a testament to its success, the bar was recently honored with a Spirited Award, a venerated distinction in the industry, named in the top 10 for Best Bar Team in the Western US.

Back when Paper Plane was getting its start, there were plenty of other bars with similar goals. However, Lahlouh, Phan and Wang had an extra ingredient in their recipe that helped make their vision a natural fit for San Jose: upscale craft cocktails with an unpretentious demeanor and welcoming vibe. 

“Let’s make it a neighborhood bar where we can take what we do seriously, but not take ourselves too seriously,” Phan recalls saying.

With those simple parameters in mind, the trio began the arduous task of making their dreams a reality. The goal was to keep the mood light, to cultivate a casual atmosphere where patrons could reliably stop in for some well executed cocktails and dishes. 

There were many inspirations guiding their early creative compass, but one perfect balance of bourbon, Aperol, Amaro Nonino and lemon juice cemented their destiny. Thus, Paper Plane’s beloved house cocktail, the Paper Plane, was born, inspired by a now classic recipe from mixologist Sam Ross.

Lahlouh remembers seeking out their signature cocktail, a process he calls “bar recon.” 

“At the time, we were trying to figure out what to call the bar. Myself, Dan and Johnny had been doing cocktail bar recon, visiting a lot of bars and drinking a lot of cocktails. One of the drinks that stood out to all three of us was called a Paper Plane, a drink that years later would be considered a modern classic.”

Beneath the rigorously prepared cocktails, at its core, Paper Plane is a neighborhood bar with a great kitchen. Built on a foundation of classic techniques and modern flavors, the Plane has managed to glide along the vanishing point between past and future that we call the present. Even its prices, once considered on the hefty side, now, for better or worse, are standard for downtown.

Inside, the room is long and tall, an intimate atmosphere with ample space. Roomy but not cavernous. A large, warmly lit wall is wholly dedicated to a lexicon of libations. Bottles stretch from floor to ceiling—an inviting menagerie promising endless combinations. 

For a cocktail enthusiast, it’s everything one could want in a bar: it has just enough ambiance to make it a destination, stopping short of being showy or pompous. Though its menu is ever-evolving, new drinks sit alongside the comfort of perfectly made classics. 

Here, it’s common to see Old Fashioneds sitting right alongside espresso martinis, vegetable garnishes and drinks mixed with imported Picon. Retro concoctions also remain a favorite. As evident from their recent honor, the bar’s staff are experts, all of whom go through thorough training and testing before ever pouring drinks. 

Weekends are still crowded at Paper Plane, which means weekdays are best for visitors who prefer a little more personal space. Either way, you’re sure to be rewarded with an exceptional cocktail for your effort. Since opening in March of 2014, Paper Plane has been staying afloat, sailing on a current of cocktail technique, tradition and innovation.

These days, the trio behind Paper Plane have settled on new ground as well. Lahlouh, Phan and Wang are currently at work creating the upcoming restaurant Eos & Nyx, named after the Greek goddesses of dawn and night. 

“We plan to launch in the first quarter of 2024. The food will be elevated casual with cultural influences from Italy, Spain and the Mediterranean with a heavy focus on utilizing our indoor woodfire grill and woodfire oven,” Lahlouh says. The space promises bold flavors and an environment that is “open, airy, and minimalistically extravagant.” 

There’s also the iconic Original Gravity, which the owners are now developing into two spaces: the new listening lounge Still O.G. and Alter Ego cocktail club. Still O.G. will operate out of the former Original Gravity’s entry space and front bar, with Alter Ego Cocktail Club being a “hidden gem bar located toward the interior of the space,” Lahlouh says. “Still O.G. will be a Hi-Fi listening bar with a top of the line sound system spinning classic vinyl—no digital music—going all analog with the soundwaves to create a truly authentic vibe. Alter Ego Cocktail Club will be tucked away in the back, and will comfortably seat around 40 guests.”

Compared with the days when George Lahlouh was eying the vacant Melting Pot space as a potential location for what would help define San Jose cocktail culture, we’re in a pretty good spot these days.

My father ate lunch in the same cafeteria that Nikita Khrushchev once visited and now it’s a dump.

One of the most vibrant innovative sites in the entire global history of the computer industry, the old IBM Plant on Cottle Road, no longer exists, but at least one structure still remains. 

IBM Building 11, as many still call it, was once a gargantuan cafeteria, eventually serving over 10,000 employees during the plant’s peak. Innovative for its time, the building has been abandoned for years now, but that didn’t stop me from poking around the chain-link fence that surrounds it, especially now since the structure made the PAC*SJ “Endangered 8” list for 2023.

Designed by John Bolles who later designed Candlestick Park in San Francisco, the IBM Cottle Road plant was a sprawling campus of one-story connected buildings, several modern art sculptures, reflecting pools, patio dining and innovative landscaping. In contrast to the dark, enclosed research labs of the day, the IBM was open, airy and a predecessor to today’s sprawling campuses. Various glossy magazines featured the plant because it was a mid-century architectural wonder. 

Back then, the term “Silicon Valley” did not yet exist and what’s now the whole southeastern quadrant of San Jose did not either. Orchards and cattle ranches dominated the scene. When the researchers at IBM’s Cottle Road plant worked on pioneering hard drive technology, nobody, especially not the suburban politicians of mid-century San Jose, knew the researchers’ work would transform the valley and the entire world.

Then, in 1959, less than two years after the plant opened, the world’s most popular communist showed up. In a now famous story, Nikita Khrushchev, Premier of the Soviet Union, first visited the US that year. His Bay Area itinerary included the IBM Cottle Road plant because it was a vibrant global epicenter of innovation. According to the State Department’s official record of the journey, Khrushchev “said that had he been in charge of the construction of the IBM plant, he would have built it as a two-story structure because, in his view, this was more efficient and economical.”

Footage of this visit was even included in a PBS documentary. We see Khrushchev arriving at the IBM plant and then in the cafeteria. The USSR did not have self-service cafeterias, so the Premier was quite impressed. He didn’t care about the hard drive technology. He was blown away by the food service.

Accounts of the visit were mentioned in a few books, including Khrushchev’s own memoirs, a book by his son Sergei, and also a book by then IBM president Thomas J. Watson, Jr., the son of IBM’s founder.

In the early ‘60s, my own father even worked at the IBM plant as a programmer. I’m positive he ate in that cafeteria.

Nowadays, not much else of the old IBM plant remains. Fifteen years ago, another historic structure did remain, the iconic Building 25, likewise featured in glossy mid-century magazines, but thanks to San Jose politicians and their real estate buddies, we now have a Lowe’s home improvement monstrosity, plus cultural attractions like Applebee’s and Chipotle. 

These events didn’t happen easily, of course. San Jose has a long history of buildings suddenly going up in flames right when a developer wants to do something with the property, and this is exactly what occurred. As usual, the fire was blamed on homeless people. The charred remains of Building 25 were then demolished and the whole neighborhood was developed so suburban nuclear families and tech workers could then hit up Lowe’s to browse for lawnmowers and ceiling fans.

You’re probably way ahead of me on this, but I wish we could bring Khrushchev to the Lowe’s home improvement store. Imagine the scene. He would laugh out loud if he even saw the place, saw how San Jose, the self-proclaimed “Capital of Silicon Valley,” has repeatedly destroyed its own unique identities, over and over again, destroyed its most meaningful historical buildings and landmarks, and then replaced them with the most embarrassing, tasteless aspects of crass American chain-store capitalism, and all just so real estate developers could make a fortune.

After Lowe’s, I’d take Khrushchev to the nearby Applebee’s and the Chipotle. I wonder what he would order.

In a move to protect reproductive rights in California, the Electronic Freedom Foundation (EFF) and the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) sent demand letters to 71 California law enforcement agencies in 22 counties last month—including Santa Clara County—urging them to comply with existing state law and stop sharing data collected by Automatic License Plate Readers (ALPR) with other states. 

“The people in our community that we are talking to in the post-Dobbs era are very concerned about how law enforcement is going to use surveillance technology to punish people for obtaining abortion,” says Adam Schwartz, senior staff attorney for the San Francisco-based EFF. “Now is the time to lock this data down,” he said. 

Sharing license plate data with states that have bans could affect women traveling to California for abortions and residents who assist them. 

A joint letter to each department on the list of those sharing out-of-state information, called for the law enforcement agencies to release said organization’s name, ALPR data, as well as “hot lists.”

“We want police departments to unclick a box to unshare license plate data with departments in other states, and then we want them to create a share report that shows all the police departments with whom they are sharing their data,” said Schwartz. The report will show if law enforcement departments have stopped sharing the license plate data, creating accountability and communication between law enforcement and civil rights groups.

California currently prohibits law enforcement agencies from sharing information obtained in ALPR systems with out-of-state agencies as well as sharing abortion-related information. If allowed, third-party software used by police can gather information like recent locations and could be used to track patients at medical clinics. These cameras capture license plate numbers and upload the time, date and locations of the plates to large, searchable databases. 

Sometimes the scans capture photos of the driver or passenger – something you know if you’ve ever been mailed a ticket with a photo of you mid-violation. Cameras are mounted on overpasses, street poles and vehicles. 

EFF’s Director of Investigations, Dave Maas, says that some companies who provide the service make the information available to private investigators, allowing anti-abortion activists to continue compiling their own license plate data access.

Although this is concern to pro-choice activists, “we do not know that data in California has been used by anti-choice police departments to identify people who left an anti-choice state and came to California to enjoy our reproductive freedom sanctuary here,” said Schwartz, adding that we do know that police investigating illegal abortion in other states are aggressive and sophisticated with surveillance technologies.

“We shouldn’t have to wait for the other shoe to drop in terms of them going through the gate that is wide open here in California,” Schwartz commented about the current ease of sharing this information. 

Vigilant Solutions and Flock Safety are two of the top plate-reading tech platforms used by law enforcement. Because of the cloud storage available, users can store data for long periods of time, collect and even save data on people who are not committing any crimes.

Law enforcement agencies argue that sharing this data can be used to track violent criminals, trafficking victims, child support defaulters and interstate drug dealers. They advocate for wise use and have demonstrated positive stories of ALPRs: apprehended murderers, recovered stolen vehicles and found pets. 

According to the Associated Press, among those stories of misuse are an Ohio officer who pleaded guilty to stalking an ex through ALPR; a Michigan officer who looked up home addresses of women he found attractive; and two Miami-Dade officers who ran checks on a journalist after he aired unflattering stories about the department. 

San Jose City Council passed a law in 2022 banning police departments from using ALPR technology to sell any license plate data, using that information for investigating a person’s immigration status or monitoring legally-protected activities like protests or rallies.  

The San Jose Police Department website features a flock safety transparency portal detailing their policies and procedures for this data. SJPD’s posted policy on ALPRs limits sharing to specific law enforcement purposes. Data can be kept for 12 months or “the length of time required by the Department for official purposes – whichever is shorter.”

Gilroy was the only South Bay department named in the report.

Aquarius season was in full swing when beat maker mint.beats returned home from work exhausted on the eve of their 27th birthday.

Attempting to battle fatigue with creativity, Mint pulled out their guitar and SP-404 sampler. Out flowed a four minute instrumental featuring a looped ambient guitar riff over a combination of woozy beats and tripped out synths. Mint remembers thinking at the time that it was the best beat they’d made in their life.

“It became something that I was really proud of, as far as the composition,” they say.

Now, a year later, the song (appropriately titled “Aquarius”) serves as the outro track to LVLZ, Mint’s second album as a solo producer. Released this summer on cassette by San Jose label Needle to the Groove, the 20-minute, thirteen track compilation of lo-fi beats is a perfect document of Mint’s personality, musical background and lived experience throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“My vision for [LVLZ] was to create a soundscape that resembled one’s subconscious, a place where things don’t always make sense as they unravel,” Mint says in the album’s press release. “The tracklist was meticulously arranged to transport the listener from one immersive environment into another.”

All written over the course of 2020-2022, the tracks on LVLZ are what Mint calls “journal entries.” Up until a month before the album’s release, each was simply titled with the date it was written.

“I really wanted to document my journey through the pandemic,” Mint says. “I wanted to be able to look at a date and know how I was feeling on that day.”

Having lived in San Jose for the past decade, Mint grew up in a musical family in Fresno.

“I was just a young kid, maybe five years old when [my dad] started his band with my uncle,” Mint says. “My dad bought me a toy drum set that he set up in the garage at our house. He let me come in and play with them sometimes during their practice.”

From there, Mint was drawn to the guitar. By middle school, they were teaching themselves to play their favorite songs. One day, their dad bought a “shitty beat machine” already programmed with several beats. Mint remembers learning how to manipulate those recordings, playing guitar over them.

When Mint moved to San Jose for college in 2013, their musical world grew larger. Mint was a founding member of indie rock band Swells & the Lünatics, who opened for the likes of Shannon & the Clams. In 2019, the band released a record, but Mint was soured by the studio experience.

The engineer wasn’t “speaking the same language as me as a producer,” Mint recalls. “I remember being really helpless in that moment. I had to surrender my artistry. I remember walking out of the studio and saying, ‘I never want to have that feeling ever again.’”

When the pandemic kept everyone at home, Mint bought their SP-404 and took to hashing out beats. With that feeling of helplessness fresh in their psyche, Mint wanted to own the entire creativity process, from conception to release. That same year, they did exactly that, independently releasing their first solo album and several singles. Since then, they’ve also produced three other albums with three other artists.

Impressed with Mint’s beat work on San Jose-based rapper Gatsby’s 2022 album Butter, Allen Johnson (a.k.a. DJ Albert Jenkins) felt the beat maker was a good fit for Needle to the Groove.

“Musically, we really liked what Mint was doing and the sound they’re coming with,” Johnson says. “Whether it’s a video game sci-fi kind of joint or it’s just a really laid-back jazzy kind of chord progression, it’s tasteful.”

“It’s kind of surreal working with Needle to the Groove,” Mint says. “They were really hands off, allowing me to just put together the project.”

In the album’s press release, Needle to the Groove compares Mint to beat legends Black Milk, Ras G, Knxwledge and even Dilla, something that Mint found “unbelievable.”

“I just have so much more I want to do. I really just want to focus on creating my own legacy as an artist and try to influence or inspire others like those folks did to me.”

LVLZ

mint.beats

Out Now

Needle to the Groove Records

https://theemintbeats.bandcamp.com

Not only is Lydia Lunch a Gemini—the sign of the twins—but she herself contains a twin. This is what the multidisciplinary performer and self-proclaimed “apocalyptician” tells me, recounting how she was conceived with an apparently male twin that died in utero.

“You know how when you have a living twin that dies, you feel an absence? Well, since I might have strangled the little bastard in the womb, I have a double. I’m doubly Gemini….I feel as male as I do female, I’ve always been that way,” she says. “I guess I absorbed him.”

Like fellow Gemini Walt Whitman, Lunch certainly contains multitudes. Rising to notoriety in New York’s 1970s No-Wave scene as frontwoman of Teenage Jesus and The Jerks, Lunch has written books, appeared in films and recorded with dozens of musicians.

Lunch will perform Murderous…Again in Palo Alto this Saturday, a spoken word and “psycho-ambient jazz noir” piece with saxophonist Matt Nelson and bassist Tim Dahl. Hosted by Earthwise Productions at Mitchell Park Community Center, the current iteration of “Murderous…Again” runs for six shows in Northern California and Seattle.

It’s just one project of the handful she currently juggles. Lunch co-hosts a podcast, also with Dahl, called Lydian Spin. She recently finished filming a documentary for which she interviewed 25 artists across disciplines (including her own literary agent) on depression, anxiety and rage. 

Spoken word, while just one of Lunch’s many creative tendrils, is a form that allows her to express that multiplicity with particular ease. 

“In this format, I can have many different types of my writing put into one concept. A little poetry, a little ranting, a little whispering, a little shouting….get it all out!”

When prompted on the art’s various titles and genre labels, Lunch has some feelings—the title of “poet” gets a strong “Nah,” with a shrug.

“I like ‘spoken word’ because it’s so generic. I prefer ‘confrontationalist’ to ‘performance artist.’ I don’t even like the term ‘musician.’ Just a…creative irritant. I just thought that up, but it sounds good,” she says, making herself laugh with each sentence.

Lunch’s co-conspirators on Murderous…Again are similarly mercurial in their work. Nelson became known playing with Oakland indie group tUnE-yArDs, and has toured and recorded with several other bands as well as releasing a solo album, Lower Bottoms. Dahl, who made his name as a member of the noise-rock band Child Abuse, joins Lunch not only on the Lydian Spin podcast but in their band RETROVIRUS.

“They can go anywhere and everywhere,” Lunch says of the two musicians. 

The project known as Murderous…Again began in 2020, during Lunch’s “absolute boredom over COVID,” when she took some instrumental tracks of Nelson and Dahl’s and recorded her own words over them at home. Enjoying the results, Lunch shared the reworked tracks with both artists, forming a basis for the trio’s live collaboration.

Opening for the trio is Eugene Robinson, of experimental/noise-rock band Oxbow. Lunch has also worked with Robinson. “I’ve sung with Eugene, performed spoken word with him, I once brought him to the Barcelona International Poetry Festival, I’m very excited he’s on the bill. We have a lot of crossover, Eugene and I…plus I love to wrassle him.” 

Wrassle? 

“I love to wrassle him! I know he can kick my ass, but I know his weak spots. He always shows me a deadly maneuver that I never need to use, but then of course I have to use it on him.” (She also informs me of Robinson’s nonfiction author credit, Fight: Everything You Ever Wanted To Know About Ass-Kicking But Were Afraid You’d Get Your Ass Kicked For Asking.)

While Lunch works from a set text, the shape and sound of “Murderous…Again” has evolved over the last few years. 

“In this configuration, I’ve been encouraging Matt to start with something very filmic noir,” she says. “Kind of a sexy-dirty-alley sax sound, which is not really where it goes, then, because it just goes more improv-jazz-Satanic….sleaze ‘em into the world, the reality we’re exposing them to.”

While the performance changes each time, this world remains consistent with Lunch’s darkly funny, raunchy and purposely abrasive aesthetic. 

“I may go off the page, but there are things I need to and will say.”

Lydia Lunch

Mitchell Park Community Center, Palo Alto

Sat, 8pm, $25