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The Metro Bars & Clubs 2003 Guide [ San Jose Central | Campbell | Cupertino | Los Gatos | Mountain View | Peninsula | Santa Clara | Saratoga | Sunnyvale ] Rack 'em Up: Cuetopia may be a pool hall, but there's always room for beer. San Jose Outskirts/South of San Jose 5th Quarter Sports Bar & Grill 1373 -B Kooser Rd, San Jose; 408.265.7033 Hours: Daily 11am--2am Crowd Age: 25+ Music: DJs, New and Classic Rock Decor: Casual Signature Drink: Jagermeister shot in glass of Red Bull Amenities: Big screen TV, video games, pool, darts As its name implies, the 5th Quarter goes into overtime as a lively destination. Located in the south part of San Jose, it's popular with sports-loving crowds, especially during football season, not to mention a hot spot for both Gen X- and boomer-aged booty-shakers on weekends. Alex's 49er Inn 2214 Business Circle, San Jose; 408.279.9737 Hours: Daily 6am-2am Crowd Age: Older, mixed crowd Music: Background Decor: Basic comfort Signature Drink: Two-ounce shots Amenities: Pool tables, dartboard, video games If the last thing you want in a bar is to overhear someone crying into their Pernod about their stock portfolio, Alex's 49er is yer place. Here, old-school drinkers mix with old- school socializers--the kind of people who appreciate the conversational lubrication of double shots poured for the price of one. Almaden Feed and Fuel 18950 Almaden Rd, SJ; 408.268.8950 Hours: Bar: Sun-Wed 11am-11pm, Thu-Sat 11am-2am Crowd Age: Mixed Music: Live bands, karaoke, jukebox Decor: Stagecoach stop Signature Drink: They're developing a Margarita to die for Amenities: Darts, jukebox, golf video game, big screen TV and other TVs, Touchmaster Infinity video game, patio Down past the affluent neighborhoods along Almaden Road sits the Feed and Fuel, a rustic place with a copper-top bar that dates to the 1800s. An antique tractor contrasts with the Harleys out front. Managing partner Thomas Oldknow says it has the old Almaden spirit and a new Almaden image. Popular events include family-style barbecues every Sat-Sun 11am-4pm; live rock, country and blues bands every Fri-Sat, 9pm-1am; and karaoke on Thursdays. For country music fans, the Feed and Fuel's jukebox can hardly be beat. B Street Billiards 164 South B St, San Mateo; 650.343.1875 Hours: Mon-Thu 5:30pm-midnight, Fri-Sat 2:30pm-1:30am, Sun 2:30pm-midnight Crowd Age: Late 20s Music: DJ plays hip-hop and R&B Fri-Sat, Wed band open-mic Decor: Upscale pool hall housed in old bank building Signature Drink: Microbrews Amenities: Pool tables, dartboard, TVs This is not the type of pool hall that Fast Eddie would have frequented in The Color of Money. No hustlers--but plenty of first dates and groups of work associates chalking up the sticks and enjoying a wide selection of fancy microbrews. Bamboo Lounge/Island Grill 1355 N. Fourth St, San Jose; 408.392.2468 Hours: Daily 11 am--midnight, later on weekends Crowd Age: 21-40 Music: DJ Decor: Modern day tiki bar Signature Drink: Sneaky Tiki Amenities: TVs, waterfall, outdoor putting green Newly opened in the Park Plaza San Jose Airport hotel north of downtown, the Bamboo Lounge brings a tropical air to the valley, with island chic and a menu of specialty rum drinks. With free parking and a pool and putting green outside, the only thing missing is the ocean. Weekends draw a younger crowd, with dancing to the beat of DJ BB Hayes, among others. Brookdale Lodge 11570 Hwy 9, Brookdale; 831.338.6433 Hours: Bar Mon-Thu 3pm-closing (usually 1am or 2am), Fri-Sun 10am-closing Crowd Age: 21-65 Music: Live bands, jams and jukebox Decor: Old Hollywood fantasia Signature Drink: Homemade Bloody Mary Amenities: Jukebox, pool table, Megatouch game, TV, cages of zebra finches, fish aquarium With its labyrinthine interior, this historic mountain lodge, restaurant, lounge and concert hall is eerily evocative of The Shining. Not surprisingly, rumor is it's haunted. Built in 1890, the Brookdale Lodge hosted celebrities like Marilyn Monroe and has been immortalized in song several times. The Gilbert family, who bought it more than 13 years ago, has been steadily remodeling. Cozy up to acoustic music in the bar Tuesdays and Thursdays. The main room has a fire pit and a black and white tile dance floor. Big-name artists like Country Joe, Big Brother and the Holding Co., Edgar Winter and even Jerry Garcia and Merle Saunders have played there. Cuetopia Billiards Cafe 4700 Almaden Expwy, SJ; 408.266.POOL; www.cuetopia.net Hours: Sun-Thu noon-midnight, Fri-Sat noon-2am Crowd Age: All ages Music: House choice Decor: Comfortable pool hall Signature Drink: Mochas (espresso) Amenities: Darts, foosball, bar-type food, plenty 'o parking You don't have to be a pool shark to rack 'em up at Cuetopia, according to Rich and Joyce Matsuura. Taking over the former site of Almaden Billiards and Diamond Billiards, the Matsuuras repainted, changed the carpets and added a lounge with plenty of sofas and a high-performance espresso machine, so you can get a shot before practicing your shots. Har. The Drying Shed 402 Toyan Ave, San Jose; 408.272.1512 Hours: Daily 11am-1:30am Crowd Age: 35-50 Music: Fri DJ Decor: Rustic with white linen appointments Signature Drink: Tony's Old Fashioned Amenities: Appetizers in the bar For 25 years, The Drying Shed has embraced hard-working adults seeking potent refreshment. On weekends, the action picks up under romantic shadows and dialogues hum along the bar stools at high volume. Lend a ear and listen, or get involved. Eavesdropping promises many revelations, from the secrets of a perfect golf swing to falling in love without commitment. One of Tony's Old Fashioneds or Denice's margaritas and an appetizer paints the world a light shade of cherry. Garden City Casino 360 Saratoga Ave, San Jose; 408.244.4443 Hours: Daily 4pm-2am Crowd Age: 35-50 Music: Live piano most nights Decor: Alpine contemporary Signature Drink: Martini Amenities: Gambling More than just an annex for the card sharks, the club in the Garden City Casino is a cool hang out for the martini crowd. Fun commences at cocktail hour, when solo adventurers and couples in nice dress trickle in. Old school bartenders shake up superlative martinis--bone cold and dry as the desert--while offering tidbits of information from the Federal Budget to the latest fashion in shoes. The easy pacing of this lounge lulls the world weary into peaceful meditation. The Glen 1180 Lincoln Ave, San Jose; 408.288.9422; www.the-glen.com Hours: Tue-Wed 4-10pm; Thu 4-11pm; Fri-Sat 4pm-midnight; closed Sun-Mon Crowd Age: Late 20s-early30s Music: Satellite radio, live music on Saturdays Decor: Classy country club without the attitude Signature Drink: 15 microbrews on tap Amenities: Huge sports bar with 13 TVs. pool tables. stone fireplace, saltwater fish tanks, electronic dart board If Willow Glen had a designated rumpus room, The Glen would be it. Three separate bar types--the billiards parlor, the brewpub and the sports bar--beckon patrons. Upstairs you'll find eight handcrafted pool tables with burgundy felt; downstairs, a sports facility that rivals casinos. Harry's Hofbrau 390 Saratoga Ave., San Jose; 408.243.0434 Hours: Daily 11am-11pm Crowd Age: All ages welcome Music: No music Decor: Bavarian Meadehall Signature Drink: German Beer Amenities: ATM; Banquet facilities The front door swings wide at this Bavarian gathering place--everybody comes to Harry's, sooner or later. Many styles of malted beverage, mostly German, are drawn from taps rigged to a wooden bar that extends way into the back. Five TV monitors hum with sporting events. Not just a place to eat, Harry's bar often hatches odd liaisons. For most, a hot turkey sandwich and a mug of cold beer is enough to pass the time. Henfling's Firehouse Tavern 9450 Hwy 9, Ben Lomond; 831.336.8811 Hours: 11am-closing (usually 2am Fri-Sat and midnight Sun-Thu) Crowd Age: 21-90 Music: Live bands nightly Decor: Sturdy wooden shack Signature Drink: Mudslide with swirled chocolate, whipped cream and a cherry on top Amenities: Heated, covered outdoor deck with TV, ATM, horseshoes It has a reputation as a bikers' and blues joint, but Henfling's hosts an international folk series that attracts a variety of people. Its live music calendar is impressive with local and national blues, bluegrass, folk, jazz, world and singer/songwriters taking the stage nightly. Calendar-worthy local firemen also hang out here. Henfling's serves breakfast, lunch and dinner on weekends. Jack's Place 167 E. Taylor St, San Jose; 408.293.8995 Hours: Sun-Thu 9am-Midnight, Fri-Sat 9am-2am Crowd Age: 30s Music: DJ music on Saturdays Decor: Bar 101 Signature Drink: Scotch Amenities: TVs, Dart machine, video game machines A sleepy Japantown neighborhood bar during the day, Jack's Place comes alive at night with the sounds of regulars continuing old conversations. A DJ spins tunes on Saturday ("I'm too old to recognize the music," says proprietor Oscar, "but there's some rock, some salsa, some rap"). And if you get hungry, there's Der Weinerschnitzel next door. Lou's Village 146 W. San Carlos St, San Jose; 408.293.4570 Hours: Mon-Thu 11:30am-10pm; Fri 11:30am-11pm; Sat 5-11pm; Sun 4:30-10pm Crowd Age: 40s and up Music: No Decor: Sports theme bar Signature Drink: Awesome bloody Mary Amenities: Big screen TV, shuttle service to the HP Pavilion, banquet facilities Fifty years of history decorate Lou's Village, in the form of framed photos of entertainers (including Lucille Ball and Lenny Bruce) who played there in the days when Lou's was one of San Jose's premier nightclubs. Today, the place is content to be a great seafood restaurant and a sports bar with a 19th hole type of feel--lots of dark woods, green carpet, a big screen TV and a larder stocked with every imaginable liquor. Maurizio's Authentic Italian Ristorante 17535 Monterey Rd, Morgan Hill; 408.782.7550 Hours: Lunch Mon-Fri 11:30am-2pm, dinner Mon-Thu 5-9pm, Fri-Sat 5-10pm, closed Sun Crowd Age: 30-55 Music: Thu live Italian music, Fri-Sat live jazz Decor: Comfy clutter Signature Drink: House red wine Amenities: TVs, attached Italian restaurant Maurizio's bar is as expansive as Maurizio himself--two TVs blare sports or the Food Channel, and mementos to jazz are scattered throughout. A corner stage hosts live jazz and traditional Italian tunes. Pacific Palms Grill & Bar 1380 Main St, Milpitas; 408.934.4999 Hours: Daily 11am-1:30am Crowd Age: 25-35 Music: R&B, hip-hop, karaoke Decor: Cheers meets California sitting room Signature Drink: White wine, Lager, Seabreeze Amenities: Big-screen TV, darts, billiards, trivia, karaoke Pacific Palms is a karaoke-intensive club (Sun-Tue) but adds an interesting twist to its Tuesday-night empty orchestra: Four song sets are broken up by a music trivia contest with each round winner receiving drink tickets and the night's main winner receiving a cash prize (around $50). Wednesday is dedicated to regular trivia (no off-key versions of "My Heart Will Go On" thankfully); Thursdays are DJ dance nights; Fridays and Saturdays are cover bands. Rings Club (formerly Riff's Lounge) 1811 Barber Ln, Milpitas; 408.943.0100 Hours: 5:30pm-9pm Crowd Age: 30-50 Music: Live jazz band on Fridays Decor: Hotel Signature Drink: Crimson Tide Amenities: Widescreen TV This shiny grown-up bar adjoining the Sheraton Hotel has an exhaustive selection of hard liquor, particularly single-malt Scotch, although the house special, Crimson Tide, could knock you on your ass just as well. Two TVs and one wide-screen broadcast the fight or the race of the day. While the location and ample amount of tables generally guarantee a seat, the Friday-night live jazz nights pack a crowd. The Saddle Rack 42011 Boscell Rd, Fremont; 510.979.0477; www.thesaddlerack.com Hours: Wed-Fri 7pm-1:45am Crowd Age: 21-50 Music: Country house band, concert schedule Decor: Country fair Signature Drink: In-mouth Margarita from the infamous barber chair Amenities: Live country music and dance lessons Wed-Fri, two dance floors, mechanical bull ($3 a ride), game room with pool tables available for private parties In its new digs in Fremont, the Saddle Rack continues its 25-year legacy under the watchful eyes of managers Gary Robinson and Andy Buchanan. The club has expanded to 14,600 square feet, and fans of the old San Jose Saddle Rack will be pleased to see the Margarita Chair and mechanical bull maintaining their residency. New to the club and conveniently located next to the barber chair is a Hitching Post ready to perform spontaneous weddings valid for 12 hours for any couple in lust. Vaquero's 1010 El Paseo de Saratoga, SJ; 408.871.1114 Hours: Tue-Sun 4:30pm till late evening, depending on crowd Crowd Age: Wide mix Music: No Decor: Luxe Western Signature Drink: A dozen specialty Martinis at $8 a glass Amenities: Two TVs The emphasis at Vaquero's at the El Paseo de Saratoga Shopping Center is on the dining side, where the heavy wooden tables sit underneath steer-horn and antler chandeliers with a view of a stylized rodeo mural and a partially open kitchen area in the back. The menu features hearty fare: pasta, salmon, steak, ribs, even meat loaf. At the front end, the 11 seat (plus a couple of tables) bar provides a congenial spot to stop for an after-shopping Martini. Metro Bars & Clubs 2003 Features Five Terrifying Minutes of Fame: Friends don't let friends sing, "Dude Looks Like a Lady" ... and other karaoke tips. Caffeine Nation: A list of coffeehouses--the cream of the crop. Thanks, Designated Driver!: An appreciation, and some tips, for the nondrinker. 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