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[whitespace] Bars, Clubs and Coffeehouses 2000

Cupertino

Blue Pheasant Bar and Grill
22100 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino 408.255.3300

Hours: Tue-Sun, 8pm-1:30am
Crowd age: 35-60
Music: DJ plays dance music from the '50s through '90s
Decor: Old-school charm with a golf-course view
Signature Drink: Butterfinger and Cosmopolitan
Dancing: Oh yeah
Games/Amenities: The dance floor, baby
Ambience: Get it on! The Pheasant is the place to see and be seen, particularly for the post-40 crowd looking for some good, good lovin' and a place to "cut loose." Expect glam, glitter and heavy cologne/perfume to bombard your senses while you try and elbow through the thick crowds--this place goes off just about every night. (Leaving the parking lot is a nightmare.)


Britannia Arms Cupertino
1087 De Anza Blvd, Cupertino 408.252.7262

Hours: Daily, 11:30am-2am
Crowd age: Mid-20s to retired regulars
Music: Karaoke Sundays, jazz Mondays, live bands Thu-Sun
Decor: Classic British pub
Signature Drink: Scooby Snacks, Captain Caveman, Knicker-Ripper
Dancing: Yes
Games/Amenities: Darts, dominoes
Ambience: The place for complete U.K. soccer coverage, the Arms caters to sports fans and beer-swillers alike, as well as anyone with a hankering for some bangers and mash (nudge, nudge, wink, wink). Along with the pub vibe, the Arms offers a full restaurant catering to an all-ages clientele and a very casual atmosphere in which to toss back a pint and unwind.


Coffee Society
21265 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino 408.725.8091

Hours: Sun-Thu, 6:30am-11pm, Fri-Sat, 6:30am-midnight
Crowd age: Late 20s to mid-30s inside, teens to mid-20s outside
Music: Eclectic house-made CDs inside, impromptu live sets outside
Decor: Comfy couches and laptop outlets
Signature Drink: Killer Man Java (KMJ) Iced Mocha, the Gritty Kitty, the Witch Hazel
Dancing: None
Games/Amenities: Book lending library, free DSL hookup
Ambience: Perfecting its offbeat bohemian utopia since 1989, the Society not only serves up culture with the java, it's rumored that at least 27 Internet startups were born during fevered, caffeine-fueled meetings in the comfy (recently renovated) back room. Lingering is encouraged, artistry is revered and there's no better place to hang out and study, work or catch an impromptu jam session on the patio.


Duke of Edinburgh
10801 N. Wolfe Rd, Cupertino 408.446.3853

Hours: Daily, 11:30am-2am
Crowd age: Late 20s to late 40s
Music: Eclectic jukebox--Abba to U2 to traditional Irish jigs
Decor: Authentic British pub with full restaurant
Signature Drink: English imports on tap
Dancing: None
Games/Amenities: Darts
Ambience: Foamy pints, authentic British decor and a menu that would make the queen mum feel right at home (kidney pie, Yorkshire pudding, bangers and mash), the Duke is so decked out in U.K. 'tude you might be swayed into thinking you'd crossed the pond if it weren't for the fact that you're in a Cupertino shopping mall surrounded by dotcommers.


Paul & Eddie's Monta Vista Inn
21619 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino 408.252.2226

Hours: Daily, 10am-2am
Crowd age: Late 20s and up
Music: Eclectic jukebox--mostly rock
Decor: Dark and home-style with pictures of patrons gracing the walls
Signature Drink: Monta Vista Martini
Dancing: No
Games/Amenities: Two pool tables, two dartboards, video games.
Ambience: The epitome of a neighborhood bar, Paul & Eddie's has been providing stiff drinks and a casual atmosphere to its regulars since the days when Cupertino was better known for apricots and cherries than it was for Apple. Grab some free popcorn and cue up: This place is a pool jock's haven, with 50-cent games and a smoking patio out back.


Peacock Lounge
19980 Homestead Rd, Cupertino 408.777.0812

Hours: Daily, 10am-2am
Crowd age: 30-45
Music: No live music
Decor: A gamer's paradise
Signature Drink: The Peacock Feather--a fruity summertime drink
Dancing: None
Games/Amenities: Eight TVs, two pool tables, three dartboards, shuffleboard, foosball, video golf
Ambience: With eight TVs, four satellites, 12 microbrews, 30 kinds of tequila, and bar games galore, the Peacock is, to quote the owner, "a foxy little place" with a little something for everyone, particularly those with short attention spans. The weekend breakfast specials pack the house (especially during pigskin season).


The Peppermill
10690 N. De Anza Blvd, Cupertino 408.996.7750

Hours: Daily, 10:30am-2am


Crowd age: College to business crowd
Music: Background mood Muzak
Decor: Dark '70s vibe with a cozy fireplace
Signature Drink: Scorpion (ice cream and grenadine with a zip)
Dancing: None
Games/Amenities: Free happy-hour appetizer spread 4-8pm
Ambience: The perfect place to corral your co-workers for an off-site business meeting, the bar at the Peppermill has a mellow, meeting-conducive vibe that attracts business folks and De Anza College students alike. A floating fireplace grants the place some swank, along with its dark disco decor and drink specials.


Santa Barbara Grill
10745 N. De Anza Blvd, Cupertino 408.253.2233

Hours: Mon-Fri 11:30am-10pm, Sat 5-10pm, Sun 5-9pm
Crowd age: Young professionals
Music: No live music
Decor: Casual, beachy
Signature Drink: Cosmos, margaritas
Dancing: None
Games/Amenities: None
Ambience: Tucked a bit out of the way, the Santa Barbara Grill, with its tasty menu and weekday drink specials, caters to the nearby Apple and Hewlett-Packard crowd escaping their cubicles in search of food and libations. Join the tech-heads for the weekday happy hour (4-7pm) with foofy drinks and appetizer specials.


South Seas Hide-A-Way
10031 Judy Ave, Cupertino 408.252.0684

Hours: Mon-Thu 11am-10pm, Fri-Sun 11am-1am
Crowd age: 40 plus
Music: Live music every other Friday
Decor: Cheers-like, for the post-40 set
Signature Drink:
None
Dancing: Yes
Games/Amenities: Pool, darts, pinball, computer video games
Ambience: With regular pool tournaments (every Wednesday) and constant dance-floor action, the South Seas provides the perfect, comfortable atmosphere for those with a couple of decades' head start on the dotcom twentysomethings frequenting other Silicon Valley watering holes. The clientele is a crowd of regulars, and their daily happy hour (4-7pm) packs the house.


T.G.I Friday's
10343 N. Wolfe Rd, Cupertino 408.257.2050

Hours: Daily, 10am-2am
Crowd age: Mid-20s to mid-30s
Music: Mainstream popular
Decor: Neon, stripes, wacky buttons and lotsa color
Signature Drink: Friday's Freeze (frozen screwdriver)
Dancing: No
Games/Amenities: National Trivia game
Ambience: The waitstaff at this national chain must be specially schooled into believing that every day is, indeed, Friday. The McDonald's of the nightlife scene, at least you get what you expect at T.G.I.Friday's--buffalo wings (plus a vast array of other finger foods), frilly mixed drinks and the famously perky waitstaff. The Cupertino branch of this national change is also known to be quite the research facility for those studying arguably inept pickup lines.


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From the June 22-28, 2000 issue of Metro, Silicon Valley's Weekly Newspaper.

Copyright © 2000 Metro Publishing Inc. Metroactive is affiliated with the Boulevards Network.

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