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    Evolution Bar & Cafe

    3.3 (71 reviews)
    ModerateSports Bars
    Closed 11:00 am - 10:00 pm

    Evolution Bar & Cafe Photos

    EVOLUTION BAR & CAFE ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Moderate noise
    Casual
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Evolution Bar & Cafe

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    Breakfast Menu
    Dexter D.

    Okay for a captive audience but not wallet friendly in any sense. Service was good and friendly. The Breakfast Buffet was mostly okay. There was certainly a reasonable selection of hot and cold foods. The menu offered Omelets & Eggs any style, but we weren't told where that was done or how to order them. Wasn't a big deal because we rarely order Omelets, but a couple of over easy eggs would have been nice. I think that the waitstaff were overwhelmed by the number of guests and didn't have the time to let us know that we could order omelets and eggs from them. We enjoyed the Orange Juice and hated the coffee, despite the fact that it was Peet's, our favorite. The saving grace was that both were included in the $28 price. Yes, $28 for Breakfast Buffet. Remember, you're in a hotel. Would I do it again? Well, I refused to pay again on Sunday, but probably yes, in a pinch. Of the food that I had, the Scrambled Eggs, Breakfast Potatoes and Thick Cut Bacon were good and enjoyable. The Chicken Sausage was very firm and dry. The Danish was just that, a Danish. It was a one plate breakfast for me because the Chicken Sausage sat like a lump in my belly.

    A notice of the 6% surcharge is buried in the fine print at the bottom of the menu.

    Be aware that this bar adds a 6% surcharge to all tabs. The only notice of this surcharge is buried in the fine print at the bottom of the menu: "Your check includes a 6% surcharge to help offset the cost of state & city minimum wage increases." When I asked the bartender about this, he said that the money goes to the State of California, and it's because of Gavin Newsom. If that were true, then every bar and restaurant in California would have the same surcharge; they don't. I have no problem with a bar raising its prices in order to pay its employees a living wage. However, they should be transparent about their pricing instead of engaging in this deceptive practice. I suspect that Evolution Bar believes they can get away with this because they're located in a hotel, and therefore many of their customers are tourists. Rating two stars because the gastropub-style food is actually pretty good.

    Inside
    dana b.

    Located inside the Hyatt hotel in Santa Clara (San Jose), it's right inside by the entrance to the hotel so it's an interesting ambiance of finding a table towards the quieter side, or people watching towards the busier entrance side. They have a decent to small selection of food prepared fresh and served to the table or sushi bar seating. Good ingredients and overall taste was enjoyable. We had the Beet& Burrata salad which was on the sweet side & really delicious and also the chicken and portobello sandwich, unfortunately the chicken was dry but the flavor was good - not sure I'd recommend it. The California roll was as expected and the Dragon roll was a nice portion & well prepared. Prices are average to what you'd expect at a hotel restaurant. (See menu photo) The servers were all polite and respectful.

    The food was mediocre. The service was fine. The prices on the menu are expensive for what you get. What upset me was adding 6% to the entire bill to "offset the cost of minimum wage". I looked at the menu again and theres tiny print saying 6% will be added to your bill and its not gratuity. Just raise your prices 6% so I know what the actual price is when i read the menu. I left angry and wont be back.

    the menu
    Juan V.

    This was a good spot to grab some food after an event at Levi's Stadium. I enjoyed the Ube sliders and the mozzarella sticks. The service was great. I wish they had more food on their menu that evening. I was looking forward to the filet mignon but it seems the food was more on the bar side of food offerings. Good atmosphere.

    Buffalo Wings
    Phi N.

    The wings were pretty good and saucy but my sandwich was terrible; super dry and bland. Service was pretty slow, granted a conference was in town and the place was packed. Still doesn't mean I should be getting up to find my waiter every time I want to order food or drinks.

    Beyond burger - 100% plant-based
    Sherry C.

    Located in the Santa Clara Hyatt Regency, the Evolution Bar & Cafe is literally connected to the Convention Center. So just a short walking distance, one has a choice of a much wider meal selections than what's being offered at the Convention Center. Saw Beyond burger listed on the lunch menu for $15 (with the option of fries or salad) so decided to give it a try. The slightly charred burger is topped with melted Provolone and comes with lettuce, tomatoes and avocado and a lightly spicy sauce. I was amazed by the texture, flavor and moistness of this Vegan 100% plant-based burger. Also was impressed by how much it tasted like beef, and a much healthier one to boot. Right now it's a bit pricey for regular consumption but hopefully the price will come down and I can enjoy it more often.

    Mmm!  Hard Cider!
    Chris R.

    It's not the lowest cost burger, but I definitely found it to be a tasty burger! Paying $28.90 for a burger and hard cider is not something I do everyday, but when i do I want to feel like I have gotten some value for the bill. I am happy to say the TusCA Burger is good enough to justify eating in if your time is limited, or you just want to refrain from travelling off site. The ingredients: + 100% grass fed Strauss beef, + Pesto Aioli, + Mozzarella, + Onion Jam, + Tomato, + Arugula, + Brioche Bun, + Parmesan Truffle Fries Everything comes together to make a really tasty burger and fries. All the ingredients are quality. The quantity is also excellent as well For both individual items such as the huge Mozzarella slice, and for the overall plate. I opted to drop some bacon on my order. But in the end I thought the bacon was just "gilding the lily" so to speak. That is saying a lot for a burger when it does not benefit all that much from adding in bacon. The bacon itself was two and large and thick slices of quality maple smoked bacon I have rarely seen pop up at a good deli or meat market, much less at a hotel. So if you opt in for bacon you won't be disappointed. Parmesan Truffle Fries are every bit as good as you might be imagining. Make sure you get them. But if you want plain fries or a side salad then those options also come with the burger. The hard cider on tap made a perfect compliment to the burger itself. Refreshing and just sweet enough to give you the taste of sweet to go along with the salt and spices of the burger. Just enough alcohol to clear out your mouth for the next bite. Even the water is a little better with lemon for every glass. I would expect this kind of thing at Evolution but it's nice to know you don't have to think about it. It jost comes and compliments the meal. As mentioned the quantity is excellent. I would say two average people could split the plate of burger and fries and still be ready for an afternoon out full of activities. So in the end the value is actually quite good for a hotel burger. Service was friendly and quick. I really enjoyed the bartenders and waiters at the Hyatt's Evolution Bar & Cafe. The staff has it together on all fronts for offering just the right amount of queries without being intrusive. Great timing too. Overall it's a win!

    Calamari $12

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    1 year ago

    Best customer service with excellent staff and staff are very helpful in serving. Also, the bartender was really nice. Food was very tasty.

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    1 year ago

    I only got the chicken wings there, but they were served in reasonable time and very well fried.

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    Fairway Zone Sports Bar and Lounge - Popcorn chicken and French  fries

    Fairway Zone Sports Bar and Lounge

    4.5(153 reviews)
    4.7 miNorth Valley

    If you're new to the game or are too self conscious to visit a more serious setting, fairway zone…read moreis the perfect place to start. This is more of a sports bar setting with TV's everywhere so you don't have to worry about judgmental staff or uptight players. Chances are everyone is too busy watching "the game" to notice your crappy swing. The sim, although tricky and hard to read if you've only played real courses, is accurate and offers a ton of feedback. Gameplay supports up to 4 players unless you set up the golf range setting, then it's basically open season. Only 2 bays available by reservation so plan accordingly. There are some loner clubs if you don't have your own otherwise bringing your set is recommended. We had a bunch of appetizers that were all excellent. We came on a slow night too so no issues with drinks/food orders but I can see that being an issue when it gets lively(then again what restaurant doesn't have this issue when busy?). To my understanding this place just went through a menu/renovation refresh so look to the newest pictures for the most up to date info.

    The ambiance and décor are nice -- and that's about where the positives end. When we sat down and…read moreopened the menu, several items were crossed out or scribbled over, so the food options I had seen on Yelp were no longer available. We had two different servers come to our table who didn't seem to be communicating with each other. As a result, we never received an order of sliders, yet they still appeared on our bill. The bartender also struggled with very basic cocktails. A simple cosmopolitan and a lemon drop -- both extremely common drinks -- seemed to cause confusion, which was surprising. As for the food, it was nothing memorable. One friend ordered a smash burger that was so smashed it included the bun, which I've never seen before. The wings I ordered were small and underwhelming -- five wings for $15 felt overpriced and disappointing. Overall, I don't understand how this place has a 4.5-star rating on Yelp. I left pretty disappointed. The only thing that seems to keep people coming back is the scantily clad servers rather than the food or service.

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    Eureka! - Bison Burger with Truffle Cheese Fries

    Eureka!

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    Michael is a wonderful waitress, friendly, welcoming, and incredibly patient. She took the time to…read moreexplain everything on the menu and helped us decide what to order when we were unsure. :) We had a great experience during Happy Hour, which was honestly unexpected because our first visit last year was a little disappointing. Thankfully, we decided to give this place a second chance, and we're so glad we did. The food was tasty and delicious, and the service was fast as well. We will definitely be coming back!

    The staff made my dad's 80th birthday perfect…read more I organized a casual drop-in gathering for my dad's 80th -- no private event, no deposit, just a large group coming and going over four hours. Toni worked with me over the phone to make it happen, and when there was a small miscommunication about the vibe I was going for, she course-corrected instantly -- not just in communication but in the actual setup. That kind of pivot is rare. The outside area was ideal for our group of roughly 60 throughout the day -- a mix of high tops, low tops, and couches that gave everyone somewhere to land. Heat lamps on when we needed them, off when we asked. Ellie and Shailyn were exceptional the entire time. I had to leave before I could personally thank the staff, which I regretted -- so I'm saying it here. This was exactly what I hoped it would be for my dad. Thank you, Toni, Ellie, and Shailyn. -- Anton

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    Big Al’s - Bowling

    Big Al’s

    3.2(845 reviews)
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    Nice place to go bowling, watch a sports game, and just hang out. There's a fairly big arcade too…read more There's a small bar in the front and then a bigger sports bar/dining area in the back. Plenty of TVs to watch games. The few bowling alley's in the front are meant for parties. Last time we went bowling, the service was nice. They have QR codes on the tables so that you can order when you're ready and it links to what aisle you're in. You can keep the tab open until you're done. Food was pretty good. The platters were way larger than we thought, but I guess we should've known from the price...Beer is about $10 for 16oz. Depending on if there's games or parties, parking can be harder to find. Overall, I do like this place and I'd rather come here than D&Bs.

    I had never been to Big Al's before, but attended a groups function there in the back bar area and…read moreit was a blast! Our group had a private area roped off and a plethora of food laid out for a buffet feast. There was salad, chicken kabobs, plates of antipasto, cheese, peppers, hummus, and of course nachos. Everything was delicious, as well as being lovely to look at. In fact, I think it was the first time in my Yelp history that I was so busy eating and having fun that I forgot to take photos! *eyes crossed* The area we were in had pool tables and shuffle board. I think there was pingpong too. I didn't interact much with the servers since it was a buffet and I was there for a function, but we had everything we needed while there. Be prepared for a lot of noise when you go. We had to use a karaoke machine in order to hear our main speaker. Lots of TVs blaring sports, video games and music. It's a great place for families or groups.

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    Neo is good at bowling. Killed me!

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    Evolution Bar & Cafe - sportsbars - Updated May 2026

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