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Sunnyvale
Aruba's Island Grill
Hours: Daily 2pm-midnight
The residents of this Island are primarily hotel guests, though live music and a beach party theme do bring in some locals. With patio seating by the pool and bright decorative choices, Aruba's often seems more like a resort or a cruise ship than a bar--come here to get your plastic hula on.
Hours: Daily 10am-2am
Beefy's Cabin moved from its longtime West Washington Avenue locale to the former Scotties' haunt. Crowds from both have now come to peacefully commingle and continue to enjoy the bar's smoking policy, as it's a family-run operation in which smoking is legal.
Hours: Daily 6am-2am
When the jukebox is blasting and the three pool tables are all in use, the Blue Bonnet Bar seems more like the kind of rumble-waiting-to-happen roadhouse that one sees in movies. But the friendly bar staff instantly put the uninitiated at ease, and the 50-cent microwave popcorn is sure to hit the spot.
Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-2am, Sun 10am-midnight
Forget American Idol--the nation's widest range of vocal stylings really warbles up at Blue Max's karaoke nights. Everyone from the solo singer who can nail newer country numbers to the pairs of buddies who sincerely work through classic rock and newer pop take a shot. The bar's unassuming shopping corner locale gives its patrons a respite from the bustle of El Camino Real.
Hours: Sun-Mon 6pm-midnight, Tue-Sat 6pm-2am
Blink and you might miss its minimall location, but turn your block-rockin' beat radar up and you'll have no trouble finding this local saloon. Regular guys hold up the bar during the day; the kids come out on the weekend to dance to house and techno.
Hours: Daily 10am-2am, entertainment 11:45am-2am, lunch 10am-2pm
The dancers at the Brass Rail keep their private parts covered--barely, sometimes--and even at midday one can find up to three of them dancing at a time on individual stages. There's a no-pressure atmosphere here, and creative drinks are offered periodically; try the months-new Viagra, which goes down as smooth as a chilled lemonade.
Hours: Daily 11am-2am
Giving punny meaning to the term "strip mall," the Candid Club anchors an oddball shopping center alongside Indian groceries. Inside, a small stage features women in smaller bikinis. If the entertainment's not your style, feel free to turn your back and view one of the sports-cemented TVs instead. Drinks are half off from 11am to 1pm weekdays; no cover charge.
Hours: Thu-Sat 8:30pm-2am
Remember throwing house parties when the parental units were out of town? Club 155 provides all of the fun of those taboo days without the mess of getting grounded. A diverse mix of party-goers 18 and over can get down on the large dance floor; those wishing for a mellow hangout can head upstairs. Smokers enjoy nicotine on the balcony overlooking Murphy Street. A no-sports-apparel dress code is enforced. Cover is $5 for 21+ and $10 for 20 and below.
Hours: Daily 11:30am-1:30am
It's an oxymoron often used in advertising, but casual elegance does come to mind at Fibbar McGee's. The surroundings and menu are more formal than at most area bars, but the atmosphere certainly isn't. Fibbar McGee's is an Irish bar in America, with all the conceptual morphing one might get reading Finnegans Wake while sunning in a California backyard.
Hours: Doors open at 9:30pm; dress code
Spread over 15,000 square feet and three floors, the Forum began as a glamorous movie theater before being transformed into the equally glamorous Palace supper club. In 2001, the space was taken over by SF Clubs, a San Francisco-based promotions company. SF Clubs recreated the Forum as a European-style nightclub that offers beautiful people an upscale DJ dance environment. It is youth-friendly, with 18-and-overs allowed on Tuesdays and 18-and-unders on Sundays.
Hours: Daily 11am-2pm
Attractive women dance in very minimal bikinis to a nearly exclusively male crowd at the Hiphugger, where quiet conversations and solitary reflection are not the norm. Patrons tend to gather with their buddies, while a few inexplicably play electronic games of skill and chance.
Hours: Mon-Thu 7am-9pm, Fri-Sat 7am-10pm
What it lacks in flash, Josline's gains in homestyle touches. Chef Harold Welch, a Barbados native, serves Creole favorites tricked out with Caribbean touches. Jambalaya is the house specialty with a generous helping of shrimp, fish, sausage with an added curry kick. On weekends, Josline's hosts live jazz at 7pm.
Hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am-10pm, Sat-Sun 5pm-10pm
The art of the deal seems alive and well at the Lion and Compass, which serves its share of business clientele. The restaurant and bar are easy to speed by when driving on North Fair Oaks but worthy of a stop for a sophisticated drinking experience.
Hours: Mon-Fri noon-2am, Sat-Sun 10am-2am (9:30am during football season), daily happy hour noon-7pm
The length and openness of Murphy's Law give it the feel of a restaurant or microbrewery as much as a bar. The love of sport is apparent throughout, as is the vibe of what life might've been in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Come on in, exhale and enjoy.
Hours: Daily 9am-2am; happy hour noon-7pm
There's a sense of the casual hang with a good-looking but low maintenance crowd at this Sunnyvale institution. "Just come as you are. It's a laid-back bar," says "Princess" Maria, one of the bartenders. She adds that Paul & Harvey's trademark drink is a Hooter, which contains "a little bit of this and a little bit of that."
Hours: Daily 10:30am-2am
Notoriously tricky to find, the Quarter Note is worth the hassle. Tucked away in a nondescript location in Sunnyvale with plenty of parking, the comfortable bar and grill serves finger foods like taquitos, calamari, potstickers, hot spicy wings and beef ribs for lunch and dinner. A small stage hosts live music seven nights a week.
Hours: Wed-Thu 7:15-10:30pm, Fri-Sat 7:15pm-1am
After a long day of work, what's better than drowning one's sorrows with a night of standup comedy and one of Rooster T. Feather's signature martinis? The South Bay's longest-running comedy club hosts comedians featured on Comedy Central, HBO, Leno and Letterman. There is a $12 cover and a two-drink minimum.
Hours: Daily 11am-2am
This casual no-frills Irish pub features a small dance floor for patrons to enjoy live bands on Friday and Saturday nights. On weekdays, sports fanatics can throw back a Guinness while scoping out the latest sports scores on television. Every Tuesday is trivia night, and Wednesday is Irish night.
Hours: Daily 10am-2am
Park your Harley, sit down at the bar and order a round of shots. Patrons can unwind with a game of pool, a favorite tune on the jukebox or a good smoke on the patio. Sports fans can root for their favorite sports team on the big-screen while betting rounds of beer on the game's outcome.
Hours: Parties Thu 7:15-11pm, Fri 7:15pm-midnight, Sat 8pm-midnight, Sun 7-11pm
Love is in the air, and the path to romance is just a box-step away. Starlite holds dance lessons throughout the week before opening up the three dance floors on the weekends. This comfortably wholesome club is a place that even grandparents can enjoy.
Hours: Mon-Fri 11am-10pm, Sat-Sun 3-10pm
Casual and spacious, unassuming and clean, Stoddard's brews a variety of its own award-winning beers. A great place for friendly get-togethers, Stoddard's has a cafe feel but with stronger drinks. Sundays host live reggae music. Happy hour is every day from 4 to 7pm.
Hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am-10:30pm, Sat-Sun 5-11pm
Tarragon exemplifies Mediterranean hospitality with a martini menu 50 drinks long. Live music on Fridays and Saturdays intensifies the European illusion while patrons wine and dine in simple elegance. Tarragon is the ideal place for an intimate romantic dinner or girl's night out. Martinis are $3 on Wednesdays.
Hours: Lunch Mon-Sat 11:30am-2pm, dinner Mon-Sat 5:30-10pm. Wine bar and cocktail lounge is open during normal lunch hours, Mon-Thu 5pm-11pm, Fri-Sat 5pm-midnight
Exotic martinis and an extensive wine bar paired with world-class Indian cuisine--a perfect trifecta. Brian Joseph, co-proprietor and general manager, proves he knows how to tantalize the palate by hiring executive chef Arvind Bhargava, a favorite of President Clinton's.
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