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Cupertino Blue Pheasant Bar and Grill 22100 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino 408.255.3300 Hours: Tue-Sun 8pm-1:30am Crowd Age: 35-55 Music: DJ Decor: Clubhouse Signature Drink: Cosmopolitan Dancing: From the twist to the robot Games/Amenities: Tuesdays karaoke If you thought you'd seen a lot of swing on the golf course outside, wait until the dance crowd gets their thang on at the Blue Pheasant Bar and Grill. A daily DJ caters to the Pheasant's friendly middle-aged groovers by spinning hits from the '50s through the '90s. Generous happy-hour hors d'oeuvres and drink specials fuel the time machine in progress. If Your Bar Could Be Any Animal, What Would It Be?: "A lion, because the bar is like a lion's den," says Lona, the Pheasant's manager. The Britannia Arms 1087 De Anza Blvd, Cupertino 408.252.7262 Hours: Daily 11:30am-2am Crowd Age: 25-65 Music: Karaoke Sun night, Jazz Mon, live bands Thu-Sat Decor: British Pub meets strip mall Signature Drink: Captain Caveman Dancing: Yes Games/Amenities: Pool table, foosball, darts, dart leagues, nine TVs, Tuesday night trivia The Britannia Arms embraces (get it? "Arms?") all kinds of good-times seekers. Tuesday trivia draws a middle-aged crowd, while the weekends get down with rock & roll. The Cupertino branch of this chain of British pubs offers a warm ambience in which to quaff Guinness, get serious about darts or talk soccer (the soccer team sponsored by the bar drops by occasionally to celebrate or to drown their sorrows). Young students, professionals and older regulars all mix together in true pub fashion. If Your Bar Could Be Any Animal, What Would It Be?: A wolf--because they're pack animals The Coffee Society 21265 Stevens Creek Blvd, Cupertino 408.725.8091 Hours: Mon-Thu 6am-11pm, Fri 6am-11:30pm, Sat 7am-11:30pm, Sun 7am-11pm Crowd Age: 16-70 Music: Occasional acoustic acts Decor: Artsy nook with leather sofas and computer stations Signature Drink: Iced latte Dancing: Just the caffeine tango Games/Amenities: Paperback library If your sense of society ranges from college students to commuters, this independent coffeehouse is playing your tune. Artsy displays of sculpture, paintings and photographs enhance the bohemian atmosphere, and the next masterpiece may come from the tiny Jackson Pollock on the floor with the crayons. The Coffee Society has also lately begun featuring acoustical live music. It's almost like Vienna. If Your Bar Could Be Any Animal, What Would It Be?: A friendly, slightly hyper dog Duke of Edinburgh 10801 N. Wolfe Rd, Cupertino 408.446.3853 Hours: Daily, 11:30am-2am Crowd Age: 25-50 Music: Stereo Decor: Uppercrust British pub Signature Drink: Poison Apple (apple pucker, vodka, triple sec, sweet & sour, 151 shaken and served straight) Dancing: Not likely, guvner Games/Amenities: Two dart boards (corkboard, not plastic!), British foods The Duke of Edinburgh is all Brit with no stiff upper lip. Angie, who describes herself as a darn good bartender (no British reserve here, either!), says you'll get the royal treatment, with 13 European beers on tap and 15 to 20 more in the bottle or the can (that's can as in aluminum, not toilet--for that, you'll have to ask for the loo). The Duke's plush velvet booths and upholstered walls may seem awful classy, but the down-home regulars, outdoor patio where you can smoke and British grub keep things real. If Your Bar Could Be Any Animal, What Would It Be?: "A laughing hyena," says Angie. "There's a lot of laughing around here, that's for sure!" Peacock Lounge 19980 Homestead Rd, Cupertino 408.777.0812 Hours: Mon-Fri 11-2am, Sat-Sun 10am-2am Crowd Age: 25-50 Music: Stereo and jukebox Decor: Sports casa Signature Drink: Red Bull and vodka Dancing: No Games/Amenities: Darts, foosball, pool and video games Past the frilled Tecate flags, under the glow of the orange jalapeño lights, one thing becomes clear: Sports and beer were made to go together. This is the implicit motto of a Peacock regular, most likely expressed en español, as a third-beer challenge from leaguer to leaguer. If Your Bar Could Be Any Animal, What Would It Be?: Large bird, big tail TGI Friday's 10343 N. Wolfe Rd, Cupertino 408.257.2050 Hours: 11 am-1am Crowd Age: 16-40 Music: Top 40 Decor: Kitschy Americana Signature Drink: Friday's Freeze (orange sherbet, OJ and Smirnoff) Dancing: Birthday boys and girls only, please Games/Amenities: Electronic Trivia at Bar Two happy hours a day (4-7pm and 10pm-1am) mean that every day is Friday at this well-known chain establishment. The waitstaff keep the fruity booze comin', and the kitchen keeps the greasy food fresh. As a result the place is packed from noon to midnight with happily soused college kids and bachelor parties. Don't be surprised to see a garter belt hanging from a brass tuba on the wall. If Your Bar Could Be Any Animal, What Would It Be?: A monkey Send a letter to the editor about this story . [ Silicon Valley | Metroactive Home | Archives ]