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Antonio's Nut House
Hours: Daily 10am-1:45am
"People like to call it a dive bar, but it's really a neighborhood bar, or maybe a cross between," says bartender/manager Kelley Gorman. A local hangout for 30 years, Antonio's is a sprawling, informal place, with its trademark peanuts shells scattered all over the floor and a caged mechanical gorilla in the corner ("The owner's wife," chips in Gorman). Drinks are inexpensive, and there's a grill when hunger calls.
Hours: Various Sun afternoons, Sat evenings; visit www.bachddsoc.org for calendar
Set atop the cliffs overlooking Miramar Beach, this unique venue flaunts dramatic scenery, first-class jazz, classical and world musicians and Pete Douglas, a charming host and a real character. A converted beach house offers a casual social atmosphere with a lofty weathered wooden deck; inside, curl up on the couch in front of a crackling fireplace. Bring a picnic to enjoy outside or indulge in the catered buffet, which is designed to complement the music of the night. A small bar sells wine, beer and soda.
Hours: Lunch Mon-Fri 11am-3pm; dinner 5pm-10pm; bar open Mon-Sat 10am-2am
Blue Chalk's grand central staircase, sweeping up to the balcony bar, belies the cafe's relaxed and airy quality. The building was once an English tea house. Nowadays, the food is down-home Southern cooking, and the place is packed on weekends, says bar manager Meiling Warmkessel. A downstairs billiards room is a prime spot to hang out.
Hours: Daily 11am-1:30am
The BBC is a throwback to the heyday of empire-building, replete with Tiffany lamps, stained-glass windows, red leather couches, buffalo heads and an early-1900s mahogany bar. A smaller bar and the sports room are upstairs. "We have a friendly, diverse crowd--I'd call them splendid," says Tommy the bartender. On Friday and Saturday nights, the tables are cleared away to make room for dancing, American-style.
Hours: Lunch Tue-Fri 11:30am-2pm, dinner Mon-Sat 5:30pm-midnight, closed Sunday
Owner Fred Maddelena, white-haired and elegant in his suit and tie, personally greets every patron who passes through the doors of his small, Old World supper club. It's Maddelena's trademark graciousness that makes this club buzz, as well as the live jazz and blues. "We're teaching young people about cabaret," says Maddelena, formerly of Club Indigo in Toronto (where he showcased stars such as Tony Bennett, Sarah Vaughan and Harry Belafonte). Classic movie posters adorn the walls, on loan from cafe regular and Stanford Theater owner David Packard.
Hours: Sun 11am-10pm, Mon-Wed 11am-11:30pm, Thu-Sat 11am-midnight
If the kids are hungry but dad needs a beer--and he needs to choose from 24 imports and microbrews on tap--then sidle up to City Pub. Find a seat inside the brick brewery style interior, or cop a squat at a sidewalk table and watch downtown Redwood City go by. At night, the place embraces a more yuppie drinking crowd, but patrons can still order from the full meat and potatoes menu.
Hours: Sun-Tue 11am-midnight, Wed-Sat 11am-2am
Everyone from grandpa down to little Jimmy can bust a gut at the Dutch Goose, where they offer a variety of hot sandwiches and burgers. The Spicy Deviled Egg is the perfect accompaniment to an icy cold draft beer. Both patios are roomy and would accommodate a family birthday party or frat house reunion.
Hours: Tue-Fri 11am-midnight, Sat 4pm-midnight; Sun 5pm-11pm
People who have been coming here for years mingle with people who have been coming here for decades. This is the spot for serious drinkers who value familiarity over fashion trends. This is where the other half drinks on the peninsula.
Hours: Restaurant: Mon-Thu 5-10pm, Fri-Sat 5-11pm, happy hour 5-8pm, free buffet 6-7:30pm; bar: Tue, Fri 9pm-3am, Sat 8pm-3am; doors usually open at 7pm for live shows
The Icon Supperclub is a distant memory now that the Edge is back in action. This all-ages rock club has been through some significant changes but now stands as a new and improved version of the old Edge, with a nice restaurant that serves California cuisine with a rock & roll flair. Two-dollar Tuesdays, Friday night dance parties and Salsa Saturdays make up the weekly dance nights, alongside rotating touring nationals from Meshuggah to Bad Religion to Zakk Wylde's Black Label Society.
Hours: Bar Mon-Fri 11:30am-1am, will close early if slow
The Empire Grill & Tap Room is a double shot of big-city class. The restaurant boasts a 45-foot solid mahogany bar, straight-backed wood booths and an upscale ambience. The garden patio takes visitors to a different world: tables sheltered by heat lamps, a bubbling stone fountain, heavy wisteria draped over the trellis. The bar features 16 beers on tap.
Hours: Tue-Wed 4pm-when it seems right, Thu-Sat 4pm-1:20am
This nondescript, brick-walled bar/nightclub gets seriously jumping on weekends as cover bands crank out Top 40 funk and disco, and rowdy partyers spill out into the street. But don't worry, those seeking a bit of peace and quiet can retreat to the patio and bar out back. In a whimsical touch, Fanny & Alexander's owner Doni Malaise named his establishment for Ingmar Bergman's film.
Hours: Tue, Fri-Sun 9pm-2am
Now this is a nightclub. Mirrored walls, flamingo-adorned entryways--consider the stops pulled. Sashay through the bar to the dance floor, where the house band, Los Trancos, parlays all styles of Latin music. Ladies can "dance real sexy" and win $100 on Tuesday nights. The men have their chance on Sunday.
Hours: Depends on event
Redwood City had a problem. It lacked an entertainment venue--a place with comfy chairs that could attract headliners and customers the way the Circle Star used to. In 2001, Mike Monte and John Anagnostou realized a four-year dream when they reopened the opulent Fox Theatre. The duo hooked up with the folks at Montalvo, and the stages came alive with great music from names like Tony Bennett, Tom Jones and B.B. King. The dream didn't stop there. Last summer the ribbon was cut on the Little Fox, an adjoining venue with a capacity of 240. The intimate space is perfect for quirkier acts, the bookers know where to find 'em and the town now has a potential jewel on its hands.
Hours: Sun-Wed 11:30am-11pm, Thu 11:30am-midnight, Fri-Sat 11:30am-1am
The unpretentious, friendly atmosphere of Palo Alto's Gordon Biersch is characteristic of the entire 16-restaurant chain, but this establishment can lay claim to being the very first Gordon Biersch, opened in 1988. The restaurant brews its own lagers, with four in-house beers available at all times. Specialty beers include pilsners, dunkles, marzens and seasonal beers such as hefeweizen. Co-owner Dan Gordon (who is said to be the living, breathing embodiment of Norm from Cheers), went to brewery college in Germany; Dean Biersch is the restaurateur.
Hours: Daily 7am-2am
A spider web covered "Ode to Beer" hangs on the wall at the Island, while the regulars hang on to their seats like gambling grannies at the Vegas slots. Liquor, 10 varieties of cigarettes and an assortment of beers stock the bar. A perfect place to go to chase a shot of nicotine with a shot of whiskey.
Hours: Bar, Mon-Sat 5pm-midnight
In Havana, La Bodeguita Del Medio was the favorite hangout of Ernest Hemingway; in Palo Alto, this was the destination spot for President Bill Clinton, back in the day. The bar offers some 50 premium aged rums. If the din gets to be overwhelming, check out the quiet, soothing cigar room and patio in the back, where cigars are also sold.
Hours: Lunch Mon-Sat 11:30am-3pm, dinner Fri-Sat 5-11pm, Sun closes at 9pm
The 1-year-old Lavanda's mahogany and marble bar offers a chic spot at which to sip fine wines. Connoisseurs can choose from 30 wines by the glass. "It's a comfortable place for people to meet in an upscale and sophisticated environment," says co-owner Bruce Schmidt (noting this is especially true for single women). The bar also offers a tapas-style menu.
Hours: Daily 11:30am-10pm
While the doors close at 10pm, the wild crowd is still going until 11 or midnight, standing on chairs shouting, "Sake bomb, sake bomb!" as they pound it back like good college kids should. Jump-start a small group of friends via contact high or gather 20 of your closest pals for a special event--either way, Miyake is an instant party in a box.
Hours: Daily 11am-2am
No, they don't actually grow beer here, but they do make a pizza with ranch dressing--and they'll even make it for you at midnight! Stanford students, jocks of all ages and their families and friends watch sports or shoot the breeze in giant wooden booths carved with the initials of anyone who's ever been there. Roll on in for video games and America's pastime: Getting drunk and eating pizza, that is.
Hours: Sun-Mon 11:30a-11pm, Tue-Sat 11:30am-2am
The Old Pro fits sports fans like a well-oiled baseball glove, but anyone can slip right in and enjoy the game with this eclectic, campy crowd. Lisa recommends the ribs and will pour you a cold one to wash it all down.
Hours: Bar, Mon-Fri 11:30am-10pm, Fri-Sat 11:30am-11pm
The Pavilion Bar at Spago is a separate open and airy room with patio tables and a long bar, a retractable roof and French pastel murals adorning the walls. The entire Spago menu is served, as well as a bar menu featuring burgers, pizza, Caesar salad and other snacks. Despite the fact that Spago is the creation of world-renowned celebrity chef Wolfgang Puck, the bar itself is casual and relaxed. "It's not stuffy, and the crowd is very eclectic," says bartender Mike Wray.
Hours: Sat-Wed 4pm-2am, Thu-Fri 11:30am-2am
While Q Cafe has TVs showing sports and several pool tables, this place is mainly an pickup spot for young peninsula playas looking to get freaky on the dance floor. The clientele changes slightly with the music, which ranges from Top 40 on Wednesdays to hip-hop on Sundays, but the one constant is that clubgoers must dress to impress if they are looking to get it on at Q Cafe.
Hours: Daily 11:30am-1:30am
This cozy Brit-style pub smack in downtown Palo Alto sustains its own little tight-knit community with live jazz (a new offering), standup comedy and its ever-popular quiz night. "All the cool people hang out here," says Rose and Crown's owner, Tony Babb. The bar, which offers beer and wine, features a cluttered mix of Guinness posters, mirrors and stained-glass windows. There's also a back patio with funky picnic tables and umbrellas. Food includes burgers, salads and "the best fish and chips anywhere," adds Babb.
Hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am-2am; Sat-Sun 2pm-2am
"Cheap food, warm beer and lousy service" is the guiding motto of Rudy's Pub, a hangout at the outer edge of Palo Alto. "It's a friendly, laid-back getaway from downtown stuffiness," says Los Altos resident and carpenter Chip Tate, a Rudy's regular for some 14 years. The music is loud, the dance floor in back is packed, the crowd is mixed and there's no room for pretentiousness. Play dominoes with the bartender, but the price is steep. Loser has to do push-ups--no joke.
Hours: Dinner Sun-Thu 5:30pm-9:30pm, Fri-Sat 5pm-10:30pm
Nestled between two run-down motor inns, the Straits Café is a clandestine treasure. Stop in and have a delicious, designer drink made from one of the house infused vodkas or sample the chile crab while hobnobbing with the diverse, well-educated crowd. The patio provides an exotic setting for a romantic escape or a break from the standard happy-hour meeting spot.
Hours: Bar, Mon-Fri 11:30am-11:30pm, Sat-Sun until 12:30am-1am
Zibibbo's cozy wood bar up front (there's also one in back) embraces a dozen small tables and is a peaceful setting to kick back and enjoy the passing scene. The full menu is offered at both bars, as well as selections from a 600-strong wine list. There's also courtyard seating. "There's a good ambience here; it's very relaxed, almost loungy," says bar manager Darryl Wong. "And we have James Bond glasses," says one bartender, holding up their supersized martini glasses.
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