Lamella Tavern is what happens when somebody actually gets it. You know what I mean? They get it…read more You walk in without a reservation--that's right, no performance art phone call where some 23-year-old with a headset tells you they might have something available three weeks from Thursday at 4:47 PM. You just walk in. Like a human being. Like it's 1952 and people still did things that made sense. So my friends and I--and by friends I mean other middle-aged specimens who've decided we're not quite ready for the Early Bird Special circuit--we meet up for cocktails and oysters. And here's where it gets interesting: Their Oaxaca Mezcal selection. Folks, I'm drooling. I'm a grown man standing at a bar, salivating like Pavlov's golden retriever. It's embarrassing. It's beautiful. But the Old-Fashioneds? Holy Toledo, the Old-Fashioneds. I don't know what kind of wizard academy these bartenders graduated from--Hogwarts School of Mixology?--but these drinks border on actual magic. Generous pours, crafted with the kind of care usually reserved for newborn babies and vintage automobiles. You can taste the integrity in every sip. The place itself? Perfect booths, actual art on the walls, ambience that doesn't make you feel like you wandered into either a nursing home or a nightclub where everyone's young enough to be your kid. It's just... right. Five stars. Go there. Bring your middle-aged friends. Try not to drool too much over the mezcal. You're welcome.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

the place was pretty cozy and intimate. though because of it being valentines day it was very busy,…read moreand i was surprised to see pretty much only one waitress taking care of all the tables. the food was very good! even though at first i was very confused about the Tapa, their oysters were on the smaller side but flavor was very strong, we liked them a lot. and the rest of the food and the drinks were more than amazing. would recommend!!! p/s: the drinks were very strong lol but when we were there a group of dinners were complaining about their wait time, then end up canceling their tab and left. so it freaked us out a bit. our food took a while, but once they started coming out, they were on the table at a good pace.

This place is absolutely fantastic! I happened to stumble across it when looking for a cocktail bar…read morewith a good vibe. Not only are the cocktails special, the small bites menu is super tasty including the Shishito pepper skewers and the Takayoki. The staff are also super friendly and the bartenders are some of the best mixologists in town.

Alter Ego and Still OG might just be the most cleverly conceived bar concept in the city. Small and…read moreintimate, yes -- but every inch of it is intentional. Let's start with the drinks. The cocktail menu is inspired by records, and you can feel the creativity in every sip. These aren't your standard bar pours -- they're clearly thought out and crafted with personality. If you're someone who appreciates a drink with a story behind it, you'll be in your element here. The live DJ on weekends takes the whole experience to another level. The music isn't background noise -- it's part of the atmosphere, and it hits right. What makes this place truly special is that you're getting two completely different vibes under one roof. Walk into Still OG up front and you get a casual, laid-back energy -- easy conversation, good company, no pretension. Then slip into the speakeasy in the back and the whole mood shifts. Alter Ego is a proper intimate lounge with their full bar, and it feels like a world away from the street outside. The transition between the two spaces is surprisingly seamless and genuinely fun to experience. And they're open late, which puts them in a rare category of places actually worth staying out for. Whether you're there for a chill night out or a proper evening, this place delivers both without making you choose.

I'll give the food 4 stars and service 2.5. We went for brunch. Although the restaraunt was…read morerelatively empty, we had to wait for almost an hour. Once seated, it took the waitress a good 10 minutes to come over to our table. When she finallty did, she was going to leave without asking if we wanted to order drinks, we had to call her back. The food took a while also. Not once did she come back to check on us to see if we wanted another drink while we were waiting. She was nice enough, and maybe this is her first wait job, I'll give her the benefit of the doubt. However, we noticed quite a few of the staff were just standing around. Hats off to the person who does their Instagram - they make the place look huge, but it's not. Everyone at the table said their dish was very tasty. You HAVE to try the ftench toast a try. It was absolutely delicious.

Had Keep Calm and Crab On, Stuffed French Toast, Chicken & Waffles, Pipikaula Ribs and Flatbread…read morefor appetizer. This is more than just eating; it's a dining experience. Keep Calm and Crab On is their version of Crab Benedict. Everything about this Benedict is special and unique. Instead of the traditional lemony hollandaise sauce, it had a brown butter hollandaise. The brown butter's nutty and slight sweetness complemented the crab flavor that you can still taste the crab instead of getting overpowered by the sauce. They use loose real crab meat; not the crab patty type so no fillers. Really good amount of minced crab meat that it's nicely proportioned with the biscuit. Instead of English muffin, they use a big scallion biscuit. The biscuit was toasty on the bottom and the rest was moist with little pockets of honey. The poached egg's yolk was a bit more cooked than the traditional jelly or runny yolk but it did not make this dish any less yummy. Crispy hashbrown on disk shaped. Every part was great. 5/5 stars. The best Crab Benedict I've had and I've had quite a few. The waffle in the Chicken and Waffle was very crispy but at the same time almost flaky. It was not the dense fluffy type but it was easy to eat. It's like a cross between a croissant and waffle. The syrup was lighter than the thick pancake syrup. The waffle is 5/5 stars. The Chicken part of this dish is basically like a Taiwanese popcorn chicken that you can get from a boba place. Bite sized dark meat chicken battered and fried. Served with Sriracha mayo type sauce and syrup. 3/4 stars. The Stuffed French Toast tasted like lemon meringue pie. Sweet lemony filling. The French Toast itself was fluffy but at the same time nicely soaked in custard. Slight cinnamon flavor. It came with a thick slice of bacon which is more like a slice of grilled pork belly that was buttery and umami. 4/5 stars. The Pipikaula Ribs plate had 3 slices of bone in short ribs, kimchee fried rice and two over medium eggs. The short ribs were grilled and looked like the sweet Korean BBQ short ribs but it's more savory with peppery flavor rather than sweet. Tender meat. The genorously portioned Kimchee rice was mostly spicy. 3.5/5 stars because the Kimchee was too spicy to fully enjoy the dish. The Flatbread appetizer had a good amount of mozzarella cheese melted on top soft fluffy flatbread with salty prosciutto slice in between. Topped with perfectly poached egg. Wish they offer fountain soda vs bottled ones. Each dish was eye so pleasing that couldn't wait to dig into it as soon as they landed on the table. Staff, Anna Lisa, was very pleasant and just made us felt comfortable; which was important because it's our first time dining here. Nice comfortable dining room with high ceiling and big windows. Great food with quality ingredients and thoughtfully put together menu, welcoming staff, relaxed ambiance. Will definitely return.

I love this place! Came here on a first date, me dressed up and he tall, dark, and handsome. The…read morecocktails were wonderful, and definitely put us in 'the mood'! The only downside was the doorman calling me "man'. Please respect!

very chill dim light dark bar and the bathroom gives 50s vibes i love :33333333333333333read more

Burma Roots is located in downtown Willow Glen area and was a great spot to try Burmese food! It…read morewas my mom's birthday and we wanted to get takeout from a yummy spot and this place hit the spot! I placed my order and they had the food ready in 20 minutes. I will say when we went to pick up the ambiance here was great and well suited for dining in which we will have to tru for next time. For food we tried: * Tea leaf salad - i did not have this, but it was fresh and the family loved it *Garlic noodles - the least favorite dish of mine, but flat noodles with plenty of chicken which was nice *Crispy pork belly appetizer - this was absolutely delicious, crunchy and with the perfect amount of fat. I loved the wait the pork was seasoned and it came with a nice sweet sauce * Sesame chicken - This was sweet and crispy and went pretty well with the garlic noodles. The hubby loved this dish * Cumin lamb - this was one of my favorites, the pieces of lamb was succulent and came with plenty of onions for a nice sweetness and crunch. Overall really enjoyed this along with coconut rice * Burma shrimp - I really loved this dish as well, this came with plump shrimp in a delicious sauce with Onions. I would definitely order this again Overall, the food came piping hot and in decent sized portions. I would order from here again!

Stumbled upon Burma Roots while walking through downtown Willow Glen and decided to give it a try…read more-- a new spot, a curious mind, and my usual approach of asking the server for their two best dishes. They recommended the tea leaf salad and coconut noodle soup. Both were genuinely flavorful and delicious -- Burmese cuisine done with clear intention and bold flavors. I was impressed by the taste. My only real complaint: the oil. Both dishes were incredibly oily -- even the salad was dripping -- and I didn't feel great afterward. It's the kind of thing that takes an otherwise great meal and leaves you with a heavy feeling you didn't ask for. That said, I'm not writing this place off. I'll be back to try their next best dishes and see if it's just those two or a pattern. A promising first visit with one thing to work on.

Popular American brunch spot, well-lit and decent indoor and outdoor seating. Servers are friendly…read moreand helpful. Didn't need a reservation to sit, but I assume it's much more crowded on the weekends. Parking was fine. Ordered French toast, avocado toast with poached egg, carnitas Benedict, and Churro waffles. Honestly, everything was a bit average and lacking flavor. The churro waffles were by far the favorite and the best deal, price to taste-wise. Definitely get it if you're gonna try anything here. Otherwise, Bloom was slightly lackluster for me. Nothing terrible, but I prefer Sweet Maple as a brunch spot.

Food portions are generous, the line for a table is LONG so plan accordingly!…read more We ended up getting our food to go and, as a Benedict snob, I had heard great things about Bloom's and was looking forward to trying it. But when I got my food there was no hollandaise with my carnitas bene which was supremely disappointing. I can't say I'll be back to give it another chance bc the wait just wasn't worth it for me

Such a cute seasonal theme bar that is located upstairs!…read more I love how the menu and theme changes seasonally. They had a Lunar New Year theme when I went earlier this month. All the workers were really nice and friendly. Lots of good cocktails to choose from and they were yummy & strong!

New bar that took over the avenue I believe. It's right next to haberdasher around the corner. I…read morethink it brings another solid cocktail spot to the area. The bar is from the same owners as 55 South or maybe it was paper planes I forget... But with those guys you can't really go wrong. The drinks were good. We went during super bowl weekend so it was a limited time menu. I felt all of em were pretty tasty. Looking forward to the new concoctions they come up with after this. I'll def be back!

Came to copita to try out food and drinks. The trompo tacos were my favorite, especially with the…read morepineapple. We wanted to check out the rooftop bar and got drinks with the bartender Samuel. He was friendly and makes great drinks! The roof has a nice vibe and we would come back again.

Sip Happens... and So Does a Solid Taco Night…read more My husband, daughter, and I were in the mood to shake things up with margaritas somewhere new, and our daughter pointed us toward Copita Tequileria y Comida. As we cruised by looking for parking, it was clear we had picked a lively spot--buzzing energy everywhere: inside, outside, and even upstairs. We were quickly seated indoors, though on such a beautiful day we assumed we'd be offered outdoor seating. No big deal--we asked, and they happily moved us to a shaded table with plenty of space. Much better. Drinks were first on the agenda: margaritas and a michelada, all refreshing and exactly what we were hoping for. Our server, Michelle, was friendly, attentive, and even shared some helpful tips about perks with our American Express Platinum Card--a nice, unexpected touch. We kicked things off with queso fundido, though a brief mix-up brought us chips and guacamole from another table first. Once we pointed it out, it was quickly handled--but honestly, it looked so good we ended up ordering it anyway. No regrets there--it definitely hit the spot. We hadn't planned on a full dinner, so we went with lighter bites. The tuna tostadas and halibut ceviche were a hit--fresh, flavorful, and perfect for sharing. I went with the tortilla soup, which was good and nicely presented... but didn't quite wow me. I've been on a bit of a tortilla soup tour lately, and this one leaned a little heavy on the tortillas (soaking up too much broth) and had more zucchini than I expected. That said, major points for serving it piping hot--something a lot of places miss--and the avocado was a great addition. One thing worth noting: I didn't catch it until later, but there's a 4% living wage surcharge added to the bill--and it's taxed. That caught me off guard, and I'm still not entirely sure how that works in California. Overall, a fun, energetic spot with great drinks, tasty bites, and solid service. Not perfect, but definitely good enough to come back for another round.

Had dinner at Casa Villa tonight. I've ordered food from them via DoorDash in the past, but tonight…read morewas my first time dining in the restaurant. We arrived around 5:30pm on a weeknight and the place was empty except for one couple. One of the first things I noticed was the music overhead was very loud. The waitress told us to sit wherever we wanted, so we grabbed a booth in the side room. Fortunately, the music was not as loud in there. I decided to try something I hadn't ordered previously and went with the chicken enchiladas with green sauce and rice. My companions ordered carne asada street tacos, chicken enmoladas, and a strawberry margarita. The food arrived quickly. My dish was nice-sized with three enchiladas, and while they were good, they were a bit too spicy for me. I could only eat about half of them. The rice was delicious and I would have liked more. Everyone else really enjoyed their food and kept commenting on how good it was. I asked if their food was spicy and they said no. They liked their strawberry margarita, too. I tried to order tres leche for dessert for us to share, but they were out. I've had it before at Casa Villa and it is scrumptious with lots of strawberries. The waitress then surprised us with a tiny piece she found in the fridge and three spoons. She didn't charge us for it. Overall it was a good dinner and I highly recommend Casa Villa. The restaurant is cozy with a warm, homey feeling and the service is excellent. I've had the fish tacos and quesabirria tacos in the past and they are delicious.

First time to this restaurant. I had a margarita and Birrira…read moretacos, my partner had chicken enchiladas. Overall food was delicious. My cocktail was great! Service was great, very attentive. We will come back here again.

I had such a great experience with 20twenty Cheese Bar, both because of the atmosphere and the…read moreincredible kindness of the staff. First, the food, wine, and music were excellent. It's such a cozy spot to hang out, and the vibe was perfect for a relaxed evening. The meatballs were especially delicious -- definitely recommend ordering them. What really stood out, though, was the service after my visit. I accidentally left my backpack there on Saturday and didn't realize until later. Even though they're closed on Sundays and Mondays, Tina went above and beyond to help me get it back. She responded to my email on Sunday and coordinated everything so I could retrieve my belongings. That level of care and responsiveness is rare and meant so much to me. I'm incredibly grateful and will absolutely be back. Great food, great wine, great music, and truly wonderful people.

We really liked this restaurant -- the food and the wine were excellent and the overall ambiance…read morewas great. Unfortunately, the service left us a bit disappointed. When I asked to taste two wines before ordering, our server Anthony commented that we "should have ordered a flight." If that's the policy, that's completely fine, but the comment felt unnecessary -- it would have been better to simply explain the policy or politely decline. When the bill arrived, he had already selected a 20% tip on the payment device, which felt odd since tipping should be the customer's choice. When we adjusted it to 15%, he told us that he had been nice to us all night and that we had been rude to him, which was uncomfortable and surprising. It's a shame because the food and wine were genuinely great, but the service experience took away from an otherwise enjoyable evening. I would really want come to this place again but due to treatment we got I would definitely think twice.