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San Jose 'Burbs AJ's 393 Lincoln Ave, San Jose, 408.292.3445 Hours: Mon-Sat 10am-1am Crowd Age: Mid-20s to late 30s Music: DJ Décor: It's a strip club Dancing: Not by the patrons Games/Amenities: Video games, full bar, half-naked women Ambience: Of all the bikini bars in the South Bay, AJ's consistently offers the hottest dancers. For $5, a bloke can sit on center stage (with hands behind the back) and get a closer look at his favorite girl for a couple of minutes. The bar is pricey (a bottle of Bud hovers near $5), but then, so is everything else in Silicon Valley. Alberto's Mexican Food 956 Park Ave, San Jose 408.288.5928 Hours: Sun-Thu 10am-10pm, Fri-Sat 10am-10:30pm Crowd Age: 30s-50s Music: Jukebox--Country & Western and Spanish; Mexican Trio on Friday evenings Décor: South of the Border, down to the tablecloths and signs in Spanish (and English for gringos) Signature Drink: Margarita Games/Amenities: Lotto game machines. Happy Hour Mon-Thu 2pm-4pm, free appetizers Tue-Wed 4pm-6pm Ambience: Mexican neighborhood cantina/restaurant with a classy wooden bar, located down at the dusty end of Park Avenue. Full service (except for no draft beer) with killer margaritas. The restaurant offers traditional Mexican food that is irresistible. On the bar, a decorative Plexiglas tube of water, electrified to produce bubbles, and shot with colored lights, has been filled with plastic fish that appear to swim. It is very hypnotic, especially after the second margarita. The crowd is mixed and the mood neighborly. Alex's 49er Inn 2214 Business Circle, San Jose 408.279.9737 Hours: 9am-1am Crowd Age: Older, mixed crowd Music: Background Décor: Neighborhood Signature Drink: Two-ounce shots Ambience: Not for the suit-and-tie kind of guy, Alex's 49er Inn seems to attract the diamonds in the rough. No matter, this place is quite famous for at least one thing--the potent shots that could lead one's butt from the bar stool to the floor. This joint serves up whopping 2-ounce shots to its patrons. Do not enter without a high tolerance. Almaden Feed & Fuel 18950 Almaden Rd, San Jose 408.268.8950 Hours: Sun-Wed 11am-midnight, Thu-Sat 11am-2am Crowd Age: Over 30 Music: Bands on weekends, and whoever shows up on weeknights Décor: Dark wood, bar kitsch Signature Drink: "Most people here order beer" Ambience: This may be the closest thing to the mullet capital of the valley. On a recent weekend afternoon, six of the famed sho-lo hairstyles were spotted in a one-hour period. And indeed, all hairstyles are welcome at what feels like the last stop for a break, out at the valley's end of the earth. Almaden Feed & Fuel sits right on Almaden Expressway, past the strip malls and the dense neighborhoods, at the turnoff to New Almaden. Pay no attention to the motorcycles in the parking lot. This is not just a biker bar. In fact, all kinds of people stop in here on their way home to the far reaches of the valley or after a day of hiking around the trails of New Almaden. American Pizza & Sports Bar 1070 Leigh Ave, San Jose 408.292.1662 Hours: Sun-Thu 10am-10pm, Fri-Sat 10am-1:30am Crowd Age: 25-35+ in bar, rug rats and older in game area Music: Jukebox--varied selection Décor: Sports, with heavy accent on Red & Gold and Silver & Black Signature Drink: No (but think beer) Games/Amenities: Large game room with two pool tables (tournaments on Friday), video games, big-screen TV, Lotto "scratcher" at the bar and abundant TVs Ambience: Sandwiched between Bob & Louie's Cutting Club Hair Styling and a liquor store, this joint is brimming with sporting regalia and odd knick-knacks--whether it be Niners or Raiders flotsam, photos of Hollywood stars (Tippi Hedren) or collectable key chains--including one of Gumby. But make no mistake--this is a Raiders bar. There are nine flavors of draft beer and pizza to munch on as you watch the latest gutting of the Niners. There is no shortage of autographed photos of gridiron heroes--even some Niners for the whiners. Feels very much like a lunch counter converted to sports bar, with poolroom in the back. Children's crayon renderings hung in the game room indicate a good-hearted joint. Angeleno's Arena Cafe 11 Race St, San Jose, 408.295.7765 Hours: Mon-Thu 11am-2am, Fri-Sat 11am-midnight Crowd Age: 21-81 Music: Live music Décor: Knowledgeable sports bar Dancing: Yes Games/Amenities: Pool table Ambience: SCENE: Inside Angeleno's dimly lit sports bar at the corner of Race and Alameda. A framed picture of a young Mike Tyson hangs next to the cash register. Bartender: "Hey, Johnny, what year did the Giants come to Califor--" Johnny, glass of red wine in hand: "1958." Bartender: "You sure? It wasn't 1959?" Johnny: "Please. It was '58." Bartender: "OK, OK--'58. Just like I thought." Bay 101, The Dolphin Lounge 1801 Bering Dr, San Jose 408.451.8888 Hours: Thu-Sun 8pm-12am Crowd Age: 25 and up--way up Music: Live, superlative lounge/ballroom dance music covering the gamut from waltz to country to golden oldies Décor: Faux colonial, with a hint of noir and a nonrotating disco ball thrown in for good measure Dancing: Oh yes. Fri-Sun, slow dance, waltz, samba, tango, other (the Fred Astaire dance club shows up from time to time to glide across the parquet) Games/Amenities: No time for games here, we got real music and dancing going on Ambience: On the surface only a ballroom dance floor surrounded by tables, but when the lights are turned down low on Friday night, and Black Pearl croons "Key Largo," the experience becomes far greater than the sum of the tables and disco ball. Also known as The Dolphin Café, The Dolphin Lounge is located inside Bay 101 Casino and shares a wall with Sutter's Sports Bar--a sliding wall that sometimes opens to create one really big room. The entrance is a doozy, past spouting-dolphin water fountains and into a foyer that suggests a Las Vegas den of iniquity--gamblers to the left; gamblers to the right. But go straight ahead--into the Dolphin Lounge. There you will be safe. Bay 101, Sutter's Sports Bar 1801 Bering Dr, San Jose 408.451.8888 Hours: Daily 6am-2am Crowd Age: 21 and up Music: None, though music drifts in, ethereally, from the Dolphin Lounge Décor: Chic streamlined sports (only notable jerseys need apply) Dancing: None, but the Bay 101 Dolphin Lounge is next door--samba on over Games/Amenities: Big-screen TV and well-placed small ones. During football season, seven games are displayed simultaneously. Ambience: Sutter's Sports Bar is located within the Casino confines, smack dab between two palatial card rooms filled with colorful tables and eager players. (There are 137 cameras tied to VCRs focused on the parking lot and casino interior. This is probably the safest place in San Jose.) Sutter's displays very high-end sports paraphernalia under glass--a basketball signed by Rick Barry, a lithograph of Joe Montana, a Steve Young jersey, and a placard signed by the SF Giants. San Jose Sharks material is being readied to go up soon. Unbeatable Happy Hour specials change daily--for food and beer. This is a user-friendly, professionally manned (and womaned) sports bar located in the eye of the storm. Free parking and plenty of it. Brandon's 1800 Barber Lane, Milpitas 408.432.6311 Hours: Mon-Sat 11:30 am-midnight, Sun 11:30 am-10pm Crowd Age: Late 30s and up Music: Background Décor: Sports and elegance, combined Games/Amenities: TVs, pool table Ambience: Loosen up that necktie and unbutton that collar when entering the door into this post-work zone. Talk about work or, instead, talk about which beer will fill that soon-to-be empty glass next. Anxiety-filled workdays come to an end after a few gulps of cold beer or glass of wine. If happy hour is just not enough of a distraction, pool tables and plenty of TVs for sports fans can also help take the edge off. Branham Lounge 1116 Branham Lane, San Jose 408.265.5525 Hours: Daily 9am-1am Crowd Age: At the bar: 35 and up. The rest: 35 and under. Music: Jukebox Décor: Red room lounge with warm fire-pit. Games/Amenities: Darts Ambience: There was a time when the Branham Lounge was a cozy cave for the neighborhood old-timers who dropped by, sipped a few drops of dark bourbon and moseyed on down the road. No one knows exactly when the youngsters started showing up, but someone said something about the movie Swingers, the New Economy and the lack of good bars south of downtown. Pretty soon, the hipsters filled in the lounge and nicknamed the place the "B.L." Now, the old-timers still saddle up to the bar, but they let the whippersnappers party at their backs--and it's still a cozy cave. Cardinal Lounge 3197 Meridian Ave, San Jose 408.269.7891 Hours: Daily 11am-2am (restaurant open 24 hours) Crowd Age: 35+ Music: Live pop, rock and disco music and karaoke Décor: Swingin' Dancing: Yes Games/Amenities: Jukebox, cable TV Ambience: A real change of pace, this established restaurant and lounge hearkens back to another era with its '50s noir décor. While restaurant diners kick back in shiny, candy-apple-red, vinyl booths, the dark, mirrored lounge kicks with live music and karaoke seven nights a week. Though the hipster joint generally attracts a more mature crowd, younger patrons are frequently drawn into the inviting atmosphere of this cool watering hole--particularly in those hungry, early morning hours when the sky turns that peculiar shade of blue signaling that dawn is on its way. Club Max Doubletree Hotel 2050 Gateway Place, San Jose 408.453.4000 Hours: Daily 4:30pm-1:30am Crowd Age: Boomers Music: Karaoke, Top 40 bands Décor: Casual classy Dancing: Yes Games/Amenities: Two big-screen TVs, pool tables Ambience: There's a cover charge on weekends, but those who can convince bouncers they are guests of the hotel can slide by the $10 rite of passage fee. Either way, there are live Top 40-type bands on the weekends, and music, so patrons could find themselves dancing to Britney Spears' newest single. On Wednesdays, hotel guests can embarrass themselves in front of strangers with a bit of karaoke. Big-screen TVs entertain sports fans, too. Dave & Buster's 940 Great Mall Dr, Milpitas 408.957.9215 Hours: Sun-Tue 11am-midnight, Wed-Thu 11am-1am, Fri-Sat 11am-2am Crowd Age: 20s to early 40s Music: Background Décor: Chuck E. Cheese during a rolling blackout Games/Amenities: Pool tables, TVs, shuffleboard, video games Ambience: Where else can one play ski ball without having to fight off toddlers and adolescents? Located inside The Great Mall, adults can act like kids here and enjoy a full bar among 200 video games, more than a dozen pool tables and four, yes four, shuffleboards. A night here is a night to remember, no matter how many adult beverages one has consumed. Drying Shed 402 Toyon Ave, San Jose 408.272.1512 Hours: Daily 11:30am-1:30am Crowd Age: 30 and up Music: Live bands Décor: Farmhouse Signature Drink: Long Island Iced Tea Dancing: Weekends Ambience: This old-time East San Jose favorite, tucked under the foothills, never loses its flavor for locals. The bar lights up on Friday and Saturday nights when regulars strain their vocal chords with karaoke microphone in hand. Friendly bartenders have even been known to pick up the mic once in a while, too. Bartenders also insist that, while the Long Island is a popular beverage, they don't serve anything special. To make up for that minor faux pas, bartenders insist they'll make up any old concoction their patrons desire. Edgie's Billiards 235 S. Milpitas Blvd, Milpitas 408.942.9500 Hours: Mon-Thu 11am-2am, Fri and Sat. 11 am-4am, Sun noon-2 am Crowd Age: Mixed crowd of pool sharks Music: Jukebox Décor: Pool hall Games/Amenities: Pool, billiard and snooker tables Ambience: Pool sharks chalk up their sticks at this billiards club near Milpitas' Great Mall. Edgie's attracts pool players of all levels--from the professional to the wary beginner--at more than 22 pool, billiards and snooker tables. Players call up their tunes of choice at a jukebox while the anti-pool players spend quarters on video games. Espresso Garden 814 S. Bascom Ave, San Jose 408.298.0808 Hours: Mon-Wed 8am-9pm, Thu-Fri 8am-11pm, Sat 7pm-11pm Crowd Age: Old enough to drink coffee Music: Every night but Sunday. Décor: Florence meets strip mall Signature Drink: Almond Moo Games/Amenities: Board games Ambience: Walking in from the noise and congestion of Bascom Avenue, one is greeted with Hunter fans, a beautiful trompe l'oeil interior and, most nights, live music. It's a welcome--and calming--respite from the urban blues and offers plenty of hot and cold drinks, including wine and beer for the stressed and distressed. The Garden also offers a nice line of luscious munchies for the sweet tooth, as well as light meals. Fifth Quarter 1373 Kooser Rd, San Jose 408.265.7033 Hours: Daily 11am-2am Crowd Age: Late 20s and up Music: Live bands Décor: Sports-fan wet dream Signature Drink: Bud Light Dancing: Weekends Games/Amenities: Big-screen TV, video games, pool table, darts Ambience: The fifth quarter, first down or top of the ninth inning, it doesn't make a difference here. Whatever the score, whatever the game may be, there are definitely sports fans here cheering and booing, yelping and, yes, screaming obscenities. When sports scores aren't flickering across a big- screen TV, live bands jam on the weekends. Garden City 360 Saratoga Ave, San Jose 408.244.4443 Hours: 24 hours, but the drinking stops at 2am Crowd Age: 30s and up Music: Live piano, jazz Décor: Viva Las Vegas Signature Drink: Martini, nothing but Games/Amenities: Card room Ambience: In Las Vegas, the lights are bright, the drinks are bottomless and cigarette smoke rings seem to float above heads like halos. But this isn't Vegas, this is San Jose, and Garden City may just be the next best thing. Sure, the drinking stops at 2am, but the card games go on. And though it may not be the signature drink here, most everyone should be caught sipping a martini with a green olive submerged. Inside this 24-hour nonstop card room, the crackle of cards being shuffled seems somehow louder than the live jazz music. Gasthaus Steak and Stein 1380 S. Main St, Milpitas 408.946.6141 Hours: Mon-Sat 11am-2am, Sun 11am-7pm Crowd Age: Swingin' 40s Music: Rhythm and Blues, karaoke Décor: Western Signature Drink: Spaten, of course Dancing: Yes Games/Amenities: Shuffleboard, pool tables and video games Ambience: Lounge lizards love slithering their way into the dimly lit lounge at Gasthaus. Yet there's more to this joint than getting sauced up over a juicy steak. Aside from the German restaurant, there's a sports center where fans can cheer and high-five one another under TV screens. Live rhythm and blues bands play while regulars keep their taste buds moist with Spaten beer. The Glen 1180 Lincoln Ave, San Jose 408.288.9422 Hours: Sun-Thu 5pm-11pm, Fri-Sat 5pm-midnight. Crowd Age: 21-35 Music: Cover band on Saturdays Décor: Ski lodge with fireplaces and saltwater fish tanks Signature Drink: Microbrews and cosmos Dancing: Saturday nights after 9pm Games/Amenities: Pool tables with burgundy felt, 12 large-screen televisions with satellite hookups Ambience: On the Saturday night before Mother's Day, The Glen closed early to prepare for Willow Glen's brunching moms and their devoted offspring. The night before Father's Day, when we paid a repeat visit, it was hosting the bacchanalian frat-party-style aftermath of Willow Glen's annual street fair. Dress leaned toward Hawaiian shirts and shorts, with tennies and sports caps. The aroma of barbecued meats wafted from buffet tables, and kegs lined the wall. It's not like this every night, but visitors can count on a strong selection of microbrews and beers by the glass, surrounded by colorful carpet, comfortable upholstery, stone fireplaces and TV sports. God bless America! Goosetown Lounge 1072 Lincoln Ave, San Jose 408.292.4835 Hours: Daily 10am-2pm Crowd Age: 27-50 Music: Karaoke, sports announcer Décor: Oak-trimmed family den with fireplace Signature Drink: Bud Dancing: Sure, why not? Games/Amenities: Projection television Ambience: Next door to the Café Adriatic, an off-key Madonna wannabe swoons beneath a spinning mirror ball and gyrating laser light projection. The bar's top shelf features liqueurs in every color. During the week, it's a quiet neighborhood bar for Willow Glen regulars. On Fridays and Saturdays, it's a karaoke lounge. Founded four years ago by former casino manager Gary Rovai, who's been in the hospitality business since age 15, Goosetown takes its name from a one-time ethnic slur for the part of San Jose inhabited by Italian immigrants where the poultry ran loose. The San Jose native honored his heritage with the historical reference, though he admits, "Some of the old-timers still get offended by the name." Hard Work Cafe 1620 Old Almaden Rd, San Jose 408.289.9675 Hours: Mon 11am-2am, Tue-Thu 6am-2am, Sat-Sun 7am-2am. Crowd Age: 20s to 30s Music: Techno, Latin, funk Décor: Casual, post-work Signature Drink: Anything goes Dancing: Or else Games/Amenities: Pool tables, video games, darts Ambience: Everyone has those days, when the big hand ever so slowly tick-tocks to 5pm. Hard Work Cafe opens at 6am daily and serves country-style breakfasts to those getting ready for the daily grind. After work, though, a cold beer seems to relax tense muscles that make their way onto bar stools. On weekends, techno music, Latin groove and funk play while crowds submerge themselves in margaritas and mixed drinks. Harry's Hofbrau 390 Saratoga Ave, San Jose 408.243.0434 Hours: Daily 11am-11pm Crowd Age: 20s and up Music: Background Décor: Oktoberfest Signature Drink: Beer Ambience: Located along bustling Saratoga Avenue in San Jose, life slows down inside Harry's Hofbrau. The quaint bar serves up a variety of beers, though favorites among regulars are the frothy German beers that are nearly a meal in themselves. With steins scattered throughout Harry's, all that's missing are the lederhosen to set the perfect Alpine mood. The crowd varies, but the smell of roasting meat doesn't. Jack's 167 E. Taylor St, San Jose 408.293.8995 Hours: Sun-Tue 7am-12am, Wed-Sat 7am-2am Crowd Age: 20-40 Music: Jukebox Décor: Classy Signature Drink: Hard liquor Dancing: On occasion Games/Amenities: TVs, darts Ambience: Flavored-martini joints, tapas restaurants and trendy theme bars may come and go, but places like Jack's will never fall out of style. With early hours perfect for hiding away from the traffic jam blues, a steady stream of friendly regulars and plenty of TVs for zoning out on sports, Jack's offers up old-fashioned, alcohol-soaked camaraderie all day long. JJ's Blues 3439 Stevens Creek Blvd, San Jose 408.243-6441 Hours: Crowd Age: Mature Music: Live blues Décor: Down home Signature Drink: Well drinks at happy hour Dancing: Always Games/Amenities: Pool table Ambience: Thank God that JJ's, like one of those timeless farmhouses standing next to the freeway, has refused to budge. What dotcoms? W-w-w-what? At this holdout in midtown San Jose, people continue not to give a shit about the outside world and its illusions of change. Nothing matters here but the music, from community jam session nights to chair-rockin' shows by the likes of Corby Yates. A friendly place run by June Stanley, the patrons at JJ's can't be afraid to rub elbows: getting to the restroom alone requires a narrow squeeze past the bar. Kubota Restaurant 593 N. 5th St, San Jose, 408.279.8440 Hours: Nightly 5:30-10pm, lunch Mon-Sat 11:30am-2pm Crowd Age: All Music: Breezy jazz Décor: Japanese Signature Drink: Sake Games/Amenities: Full bar, sushi bar. Ambience: OK, so this isn't the place to slam-dunk sake bombs and suck raw fish from the floor. The Kubota restaurant has a more familylike setting and calls for something a little bit more reasoned. Go ahead and order sushi rolls at the bar and take in some fine Japanese pilsner. Act civil. The Kubota is a fine first-date destination. Lou's Village and Shark's Cove Bar 1465 W. San Carlos St, San Jose 408.293.4570 Hours: Daily 11:30am-11pm Crowd Age: 30-65 Music: Muzak Décor: Sports bar in a submarine Games/Amenities: Shuttle to San Jose Arena Ambience: Lou's is a San Jose institution when it comes to hosting banquets, roasts and wedding receptions for the city's power establishment, so it's no surprise that many of the elite have dunked their livers inside this little bar. On weekends, some come back to talk turkey, or city planning. The aesthetic inside the quaint cove--ESPN meets Atlantis--is an unusual setting for deal making, but hey, San Jose is an unusual town. Patty's Inn 102 S. Montgomery St, San Jose 408.998.4566 Hours: 9am-2am Crowd Age: 20s and up Music: Jukebox Décor: Sports friendly Signature Drink: Macrobrews Dancing: Those who feel like it, do Games/Amenities: Karaoke Ambience: Bartenders make strangers feel like regulars at Patty's Inn. Friendly barkeeps here have also been known to pour the regulars some stiff drinks. So while a little extra vodka with that tonic may be a myth, an indisputable fact is that the bar originally opened in 1933. The bar has a pool table, but bartenders warn it's off limits come Friday night when the good old karaoke machine gets going. Many people stop by to load up at Patty's on their way to a night at the San Jose Area for sports or concerts, where beers cost an arm and a leg. Red Stag Lounge 1711 W. San Carlos St, San Jose 408.292.6777 Hours: Daily 6am-2am Crowd Age: 30-60 Music: No live music Décor: Miniature classic cars Signature Drink: Hard alcohol Games/Amenities: Lotto Ambience: The Red Stag may be surrounded by strip malls and construction sites, but inside the bar glows with the warmth and love of a home--probably because the patrons and bartenders spend more time together than many a biological family. The Stag offers Lotto tickets and beef jerky, but most come to drink and socialize throughout the day and into the evening. This cozy bar has an impressive collection of vintage miniature cars for sale and some of the most convenient hours in town. Riff's Lounge 1811 Barber Lane, Milpitas 408.943.1110 Hours: Mon-Wed 11am-11pm, Thu-Sat 11am-2am Crowd Age: 20s Music: DJs, live Spanish rock and Top 40 Décor: Dark, dance hot spot Signature Drink: Fruit martinis Dancing: Oh yeah, baby Games/Amenities: Big-screen TV Ambience: Hang on to that fruit-filled martini while squeezing through sweaty bodies in tight shirts and black vinyl pants at Riff's. On Saturday nights, ladies are in luck because male strippers strut onto the stage with oiled-up bods. Other nights, Spanish rock, Top 40 and house music keep the crowd on its toes. Friday nights are clean and sober nights, but the place is packed with tube tops anyhow. Saddle Rack 1310 Auzerais Ave, San Jose 408.286.3393 Hours: Wed-Sat 7pm-2am Crowd Age: Young fillies to old cowpokes Music: Live bands, Country & Western Décor: Neon-lit honky tonk. Signature Drink: Beer 'n' shots Dancing: And plenty of it Games/Amenities: Mechanical bull, pool tables, video games Ambience: With three separate dance floors, the venerable Saddle Rack is one of the biggest country music venues in the region. For lovers of Garth Brooks to Brooks and Dunn, this cavernous dance hall is the place to boot-scoot and shake that Wranglered booty. Word is, the Rack will be looking for a new location by mid-July, so check it out before things change. Seven Bamboo 162 Jackson St, San Jose 408.279.9937 Hours: Tue-Sun 6pm-2am Crowd Age: 20s and early 30s Music: Karaoke Décor: Pacific-rim dive bar Dancing: On the stage Games/Amenities: Karaoke Ambience: Put the microphone in the hand of a college student who has had one too many screwdrivers and get ready for a long night of singing and, sometimes, really bad singing. Conveniently located inside San Jose's own Japan Town, this local dive is swimming with fun. Ask bartenders what night the karaoke machine is blaring out tunes and they will be surprised that anyone asked. Seven Bamboo is just about the only place in town that welcomes amateur and professional singers up to the mic every day, except Mondays, when the bar is closed. Sharky's of Willow Glen 1151 Lincoln Ave, San Jose, 408.279.0996 Hours: Mon-Sat 11am-midnight, Sun 11am- 8pm Crowd Age: 30 and up Décor: Neighborhood bar Signature Drink: Lemon Drop Games/Amenities: Darts Ambience: Tucked away between Lincoln Avenue's trendy yuppie venues, Sharky's attracts a more working-class crowd that comes to shoot the breeze or toss a couple back while watching the game. The people are friendly and the atmosphere is laid-back. The bar itself is located in the back of the building. In front there's a grill with tasty barbecue. South Side Cafe 7028 Santa Teresa Blvd, San Jose 408.226.5424 Hours: Daily 10am-2am Crowd Age: 35ish, up and down. Music: Live music, weekends Décor: Sporty fun place Signature Drink: Bottled beer Dancing: Yes Games/Amenities: Pool, darts-- lots of darts Ambience: The South Side Cafe is a lot like South San Jose: vast, airy and populated with nice, nice people. On weekends the joint gets a-jumpin' with good 'n' fun cover bands. The patrons range from dudes who just got off the boat and out of the lake to ladies who come to chat about their kids, schools and the suburban way. Large, roomy, shoulder-high booths allow plenty of space for the whole gang to party, or lots of room to hide and make out with someone friendly. T's Cabaret 1984 Old Oakland Rd, San Jose, 408.435.3066 Hours: Mon-Sat 11:30am-2am Crowd Age: mid-20s and up Music: DJ Décor: Darkened den of iniquity Dancing: By the dancers Games/Amenities: VIP lounge, full bar Ambience: Located near North San Jose's high-tech cluster, T's bills itself as "Silicon Valley's favorite gentleman's club." For a little extra money ($5 before 7pm, $10 after 7pm), patrons can enter the VIP room, which offers a more intimate setting with the dancers and provides couches to sit on. In the front of the club, dancers rotate through three stages. After 6:30pm there is a $5 cover charge. Three Flames 1547 Meridian, San Jose, 408.269.3133 Hours: Mon-Fri 11am-2am, Sat-Sun 6pm-2am Crowd Age: 35 and up Music: Yes Décor: Lounge Dancing: Yes Ambience: At the Three Flames the waitress calls her patrons "Honey," the drinks come tall and the band takes requests. This lounge was designed with care and comfort. The cocktail chairs swivel, roll and tilt. The booths are high-backs, safe for hiding out. Each table has the standard candle and the overheads are kept on dim. So be warned: The Three Flames has a way of turning one for the road into two for the show. Vahl's Restaurant & Cocktail Lounge 1513 El Dorado, Alviso 408.262.0731 Hours: Wed-Sun 11am-11pm Crowd Age: 35-90 Music: Jukebox, actual vinyl, 45-rpm records--magnificently frozen in time; live music on Sat in the form of Margie and Aldo's Sing Along Décor: Elegant Midwestern--pink walls, ducks and a parrot motif in the dining room. Shades of David Lynch wrapped in Steamboat Slough in the bar--including a stuffed pheasant atop the TV Signature Drink: Martini Dancing: On Saturdays with Margie and Aldo and those singing along--perhaps even the mysterious red-headed woman of Alviso Games/Amenities: No props or "amenities" needed here Ambience: This place has atmosphere down to the marrow. And if it ever goes away, the entire world will be cast into a hellish vortex of Disneylands and Taco Bells. Amelia Vahl, at 92 or 3 or 4, still answers the door, guiding eaters to their table with a smile. The menu harkens deeply to 1950, plus or minus. In the bar, Union Pacific trains and the Ace Commuter rumble by about 25 feet from the barstools--or so it seems. And just beyond the tracks the Alviso Slough carries the collected sediment from the mighty Guadalupe River and decadent San Jose out to the bay. No draft beer, but Martini or Old Fashioned or Crème de Menthe Frappe prepared to perfection. A very localized core of regulars at the bar, but a friendly spirit pervades. Willow Glen Coffee Roasting Company 1383 Lincoln Ave, San Jose 408.297.9077 Hours: Mon-Thu 6am-10pm, Fri 6am-11pm, Sat 7am-11pm, Sun 7am-8pm Crowd Age: High school to senior center Music: Live music Fri and Sat Décor: Southwest meets Pacific rim Signature Drink: Frappanilla Dancing: Why not? Games/Amenities: Board games, eclectic reading material Ambience: Unlike certain world-dominating coffeehouse chains--one of which is located directly across the street--Willow Glen has its own unique charm and attracts a less yuppified crowd. The coffee's roasted right there, wooing in regulars and Starbucks defectors with its wafting aroma. A few seats outside allow folks to enjoy a cigarette with their cup of Joe, and inside seating is cooled off with lazily twirling Hunter's fans. Listings by Geographical Location: Campbell | Cupertino | Los Gatos | Mtn. View | Peninsula | Central San Jose | San Jose 'Burbs | Santa Clara | Saratoga | South County | Sunnyvale | South County | Bar and Club Locator Features: Light's On, Door's Open: What makes a bar a favorite hangout the world over? One writer aims to find out. I'll Have What She's Having...: What's new and what's cool when it comes to the latest cocktail twists. Reviews: Senoritas and Margaritas: Left at Albuquerque--blame it all on Route 66. Scene Stealer: All the animals come out at night... to the Camera Cafe. Saddle Up: Sangria Restaurant, where sitting at the bar is a gripping experience. Retro Groovin': At the DancePlex. partygoers relive the '70s, '80s and... this morning! Flash and Dash: Mardi Gras and other surprises at Nola Restaurant and Bar. Knight Dreams: Black Watch--where swords cross and Stoli freezes over. United Nations: Lido's Nightclub, where world beat has a whole new meaning. Taste the Music: The Icon Supperclub is the new incarnation of the Edge. Mineral Wealth: Mining for meaning under the Cinebar's disco ball . In the Pink: All in a dogone day's work at the Pink Poodle. Rod's Roadstop: Britannia Arms at Almaden wears it well. [ San Jose | Metroactive Central | Archives ]