This review is for Alter Ego, OMG. If you can get in for the Halloween pop-up RUN! The service from…read moreElias and Fernando was so good. And the drinks were even better. So well crafted, no batch cocktails. The appetizer was absolutely delicious and really fit with the vampire theme. I recommend making an early reservation so you can get in when no one is there and enjoy the quiet and spooky vibes.

Finally made it to alter ego. We had reservations and the ambience is beautiful inside - darker…read morespeak easy vibe. Cocktails were good and there is a limited food menu. Tried a few of the apps and a few cocktails - everything was good.

Hands down my favorite restaurant in San Jose. The food is always excellent, and their cocktails…read moreare delightful. I have never once been disappointed with a dish, and I love trying new dishes on their menu. The staff is awesome, and the place has a cool astehtic vibe. I highly recommend, just know that it is a bit pricey but the experience is totally worth it. P.S. they give you palate cleaners snack in between courses for free. I had hibiscus herbal tea and and an adorable mini waffle cone, filled with crème fraîche, and topped with caviar (honestly never thought I'd like caviar before trying out this place for the first time).

We came here to celebrate our wedding anniversary with our daughter, and it was the perfect choice…read more The ambiance is posh, trendy, and lively. It instantly took me back to the restaurant scene in DC, and I absolutely loved it. Our server was extremely kind and attentive, which made the whole evening even more special. As a family of avid foodies who love trying new restaurants and hunting down great food, we're not easy to impress, and this place completely won our hearts. We ordered several appetizers, pastas for our mains, and finished with dessert. Every single dish was satisfying, from start to finish. Whether you're planning a date night or a fun night out with the girls, I highly recommend this place!

Here is one of the coolest gems in Downtown San Jose. This…read moreis not your standard bar this is the place to get drinks made properly. Every ingredient is fresh not pre made unless you get the on tap cocktails. When you walk in it has an inviting atmosphere and the Kaylen who is the bartender is welcoming to both regulars and those who are new to the bar. I had a drink called the Macintosh which is so refreshing but not overly sweet which I enjoyed.

Walking into haberdasher always makes me feel like I'm going back in time. It's beautifully…read moredesigned and has amazing staff. My husband and I had a baby free night out to celebrate my birthday and haberdasher did not disappoint. We went soon after opening so there was no line but I know they tend to have one later in the evening. We were greeted warmly at the door by the attendant who checked our ids. I was even wished a happy early birthday. When going into the bar, you walk down a staircase into a space that makes you forget you're in downtown San Jose with beautiful reds and burgundy decor. The staff is all smartly dressed; the bartender and bar back were both sweet and funny. I ordered a jack rose (my all time favorite), their seasonal watermelon waltz (this may be a new favorite for me, nice and refreshing) and one of their zero proof cocktails called a Mariposa which was soooo good as well. My husband ordered a couple old fashioned and a watermelon waltz for himself. We had an amazing time and look forward to coming back in the future.

I come to Blossom & Bourbon all the time for special occasions! One of my favorite restaurants, and…read moreI love the ambiance here! Let love blossom cocktail: lovee this drink, I would even be down to drink the non alcoholic version of this. The drink has ginger and citrus flavors, super refreshing and light and you don't taste the alcohol at all. *forgot what drink* - the red drink next to my cocktail wasn't bad, but wouldn't order this again. Appetizers: Mini lobster roll - I loved these! They're fun to eat, the bread rolls were soft and buttery and they give you a good amount of lobster meat. I love that they give you lobster bisque in little cups. Truffle fries - loved these fries, devoured the entire plate. Could use more truffle, but they were still amazing. Ribeye steak: the steak was cooked to perfection, perfect medium rare and super juicy inside! Very tasty too. Salmon with potato puree and broccolini: the salmon was cooked to perfection, I never order salmon at fancy restaurants but the cook on this salmon exceeded my expectations. It melts in your mouth! The flavors were just okay though (for me.) Service is great, all of the servers are so friendly and welcoming! You also get a free birthday dessert - their delicious bread pudding (huge slice & great for sharing!)

I really enjoyed Blossom & Bourbon..the food was delish! The place has a great feel to it, however…read moreif you go on a weekend it is very packed and you can barely hear your date, who's sitting across from you, it's soooo loud. If you don't mind the blaring noise of people talking and the rush of people coming in and out and wait staff running around. I haven't been on a weekday, so I'm not sure. The food I have to say was impeccable as far as presentation and the taste. It had the right balanced of umami and protein ratio. The portions were also very generous considering you can order as a solo or shared dish. I wanted to try more so I started with an appetizer and a main entree. I was more than full but I wanted to try more dishes to share and see which ones piqued my interest. I would definitely recommend this place and I will try to go on a less busier night and not sit closely at the bar. I might need headphones or noise cancellation because I had a hard time even listening because it was so loud. Besides that, really cute place and delicious food.

I hate bars like this (past experiences with tiki bars have been less than good; and we're not…read morecollege kids anymore), which is why I've avoided this place consistently over the years. but we finally decided to just do it. I was all-around pleasantly surprised. drinks are great, bartenders are fantastic. adding this one to our list of frequents

We came on a Friday and it was busy. The music was way too loud to hold a conversation and the…read moreservice was really slow. The decoration is nice but the drinks were overpriced and didn't really deliver. Puka Punch ($65): Pretty small bowl for the price and not even that strong. It was mostly ice and is made for 2 to 3 people to share. If you like fruity and refreshing drinks this is the one for you but I wouldn't say it's worth the price. Phoenix Rising ($20): A mezcal based drink with a fire garnish which was a fun touch. It tasted okay but nothing special.

The first year they did a Halloween pop-up and it really hit! The decor was so fun and love the…read morecreative drinks and cups. Service was friendly and very attentive. Thank you Sabrina! The Brussels sprouts tacos were so good! Also gotta get the truffle fries.

I have gone to Paper Plane for ages but had never written a review (a few pictures immediately auto…read morepopulated for this review but I think they might be from a good 3+ years ago!) Recently, we've gone a few times for their Tuesday Prime Rib Dinner and for their Halloween menu. The prime rib dinner is honestly a pretty good deal ($19.99 with purchase of a full priced drink - can't be a HH drink) and it's delicious! All three of us cleaned off our plates! For drinks, my favorite is still probably the milk punch. Their regular drinks menu can sometimes be a little hard to go through since they use some pretty specific ingredients that you won't regularly encounter (like, what is RinQuinQuin from Luck of Lucien?) but they've always put their drinks in quadrants (adventurous, refreshing, comforting, spiritous) to give you a sense of where the drink will fall. The Halloween menu is a little bit more straightforward. Speaking of Halloween, their Halloween decor is super cool and definitely provides a spooky vibe! Drinks came in themed cups - I had to point the clown one to face the wall bc I don't need to keep looking at it lol. They check your bags on the way out (cup thefts?? I don't need that clown in my life no thank you). It's always worth checking out what Paper Plane is up to, and would definitely come back for their Prime Rib dinner!

I've been here a couple times now and they have both excellent spirit-forward and refreshing…read morecocktails. They sometimes rotate themed menus depending on the holiday. The Bowery has their own menu. There's a bit of a wait to get inside and can get crowded, but it's worth a stop if you find yourself in DTSJ.

The ambience in here is really amazing and it's definitely more of a dark aesthetic vibe. This is a…read moregreat place to go out with your friends and also centrally located in your San Pedro Square so you're able to barhop. There's also the SP parking across so it's 90 minutes of free parking. I definitely recommend coming here and trying a couple of their drinks and you'll for sure have a good time.

I think The Pressroom has been such a great addition to the San Pedro area! I work in the area, and…read morethis has become one of my top choices for team lunches, celebrations, and work outings. It's also great for a girls' night or date night, so there's a lot of versatility here. The vibe is probably one of my favorite things about this place. The newspaper theme is super cute, from the actual menus to the names of the dishes and cocktails. They always have something going on and have decorations up, which makes it fun to come back throughout the year. I love that new menu items pop up, too, so there's always something new to try. The cocktails are great, and every time I've visited, the service has been solid. Food-wise, I'd describe it as a good overall experience rather than somewhere I'm necessarily coming for one specific dish. Think JOEY at Valley Fair, but in downtown San Jose -- nice aesthetics, good drinks, solid food, and a fun atmosphere for a night out. I know some people feel the prices aren't justified, but honestly, for the location, ambiance, cocktails, and overall experience, I think the price point is fair for downtown SJ. You're paying for more than just the food, and that's part of the appeal. Pressroom is definitely Instagram worthy. The bar seating is also a nice option. Lots of outdoor seating as well. It is right next to the street so cars are always driving by but the restaurant has a gate and glass up so it's not too windy. Patio umbrellas out in the summer as well. There are plenty of nearby parking options. Some ParkSJ lots offer 90 minutes of free parking, which is always a plus when you're coming downtown. When NVDIA GTC was here, the whole restaurant was booked out I believe. I was very jealous... Overall, I'd definitely recommend The Pressroom to anyone looking for a fun place to eat or grab drinks in DTSJ.

Came here for a friend's birthday brunch. This restaurant is very vibey with a good location right…read morenext to San Pedro Square. Love the themed menu and decor. However the food was fairly mid, none of the dishes we had really stood out aside from the beignets. The Bloody Mary was fantastic though, so I would recommend this spot more for drinks vs. a proper meal. Also they did give birthday boy a free dessert so that was a nice touch!

Came around 6:30 on a weekday and only had to wait a bit for an inside table! The interior is…read moredecorated really nice for Halloween. I wanted sweet wine and even though they didn't have any, the bartender was really accommodating and tried to provide backup options. The bucatini was delicious! A little too oily at the bottom but the crunchiness really added to the dish. Overall a really vibey place to chill at!

A hidden gem for the food, wine, AND company…read more Goodtime Bar is one of those spots I'm always recommending to people before they even ask for recommendations. Any place can serve wine, but it's the food, atmosphere, and community that make Goodtime Bar always a good time. The menu has creative flavor combinations that make it fun to try a little bit of everything. The serving sizes vary from smaller bites to sharables, so it works out great. My favorites I order every single time are the tom yum bucatini, steak frites, and tostadas. As for other items I've tried: oysters are flavorful and thoughtfully put together. The crispy fingerling potatoes with seaweed mayo are criminally addicting. I think the chips and dip are made fresh in house so they have that great real potato texture and flavor. Pro tip: GET THE BREAD. Perhaps a secret menu item. An order comes with a few slices of perfectly toasted buttered bread. You'll want it to dip into the tom yum bucatini sauce. TBH it can be used for all the sauces... in the prawns is great. The chef is a master of sauce. And don't skip dessert! The creme brulee is my guilty pleasure at the end of the night, with a perfectly crisp, crackly sugar crust every time I've had it. The steak frites and a bottle of wine make for a perfect girls' night. There's a nice selection of wines at different price points, and the staff are friendly, attentive, and knowledgeable. You can even taste their house wines before committing to a glass, which is a great as someone who doesn't know much about wine. The space works for different moods, too. Inside feels intimate and lively, with a fun buzz that adds to the atmosphere. Outside is lovely when you want open air while catching up with friends over food and wine. Disco ball nights inside are especially vibesy! One of my favorite things is the community here. Their Monday 6 PM run club brings together a welcoming crowd, and the post-run wine-glass offer is such a fun touch. It's a great way to meet people, and the friendly energy makes it easy to feel included even if you come solo. I've gone a couple times when time permits and everyone is sooooo friendly. All paces are welcomed and they have a few people appointed to help direct and make sure no one gets left behind. They also have options beyond wine, including a yuzu cocktail and nonalcoholic drinks like Hiyo. There's a few nearby downtown SJ lot with 90-minute free parking. TL;DR: Come for the food, stay for the wine, and leave loving this DTSJ hidden gem. Whether it's a girls' night, a necessary glass after work, or a Monday run-club meetup, Goodtime Bar is one of my favorite spots in SJ. Rightfully deserved my first Yelp food review.

This place is located in a basement kind of a place. We went on a Friday and they had a…read morewine/whiskey tasting. My husband tried the whiskies and liked all the selections. We then tried a Negroni and beer. Everything was good. I am very critical about the Negronis but this bartender made it very well. They don't serve food but you can order food from one for the restaurants next door and eat it at the cellar. Overall a great experience. I will be amiss if I don't mention the friendly service. It was a very casual atmosphere and the staff was very friendly and informative.

You'll easily find the speakeasy next door to Poor House Bistro. There's signage outside the green…read morebuilding that says, "speakeasy entrance, bar, cellar." The stairs are under the large vertical sign that says Italian Cellar. Walk down a few steps and enter through the wood door. The crowd was about 45 years and up, everyone was in their own group. Good cocktail prices. There was a $1 membership fee added to the bill. Clean place, nice bartender, the limoncello gin collins was refreshing. It was a nice place to start before visiting the other speakeasies nearby: Haberdasher, Alter Ego