More than a month after California’s reopening, nearly all of the South Bay’s nightlife spots are now either opening back up, opening for the first time, or preparing to open soon—and we’ve got your guide to the night’s happenings.

But before you head out, remember to charge your phone ahead of time—you might need it.

New Spots

Rec Room
1 E San Fernando St, San Jose
www.recroomsj.com
Rec Room has been quickly making fans for its comfy atmosphere, well-curated music and tasty cocktails. Cozy downstairs and spacious above, the bar also includes the patio area from the former Gordon Biersch brewery, leaving plenty of room for dancing, lounging, or just sipping a Rec’t Juice, the house Hennessy sangria.

Guildhouse
420 S First St., San Jose
Guildhouse.gg
San Jose’s newest home for truly dedicated gamers, Guildhouse provides explorers of all classes with glowing potions at affordable prices. Grab a house “anti-craft” cocktails (aka, a good drink without all the rigmarole) and play a round of just about any game there is, from console classics like Mario Party to tabletop revolutions like Settlers of Catan. Soft opening Friday.

NOVA
83 S 2nd St, San Jose
The former Tres Gringos recently received a glow-up in the form of sleek new dance club Nova. Featuring regular DJ nights with notable local talent, like the Bangerz’s Goldenchyld, the lounge/club will fit the bill nicely for those looking for a new place to dress up, dance or get some bottle service downtown.

Top Golf
10 Topgolf Drive, San Jose
408-404-6436 | topgolf.com
Giving new meaning to the term “golf club,” the gigantic Top Golf entertainment center in Alviso is like a mix of driving range, arcade and club. No one’s saying you have to swing a 5 iron to have a good time here. Decked out in neon and packing some strong drinks, on a Friday night the bar is more hopping than a Titleist.

S Twenty Seven Ales
461 Perrymont Avenue, San Jose
408-599-BREW | s27ales.com
Tucked in a cloister at the end of Perrymont Ave, S Twenty Seven Ales is one San Jose’s newest breweries. Opened just two weeks before lockdown, the Franco-Belgian inspired alehouse slings a diverse selection of delicious and daring brews, from hefty Imperials and Double IPAs, to the crisp and refreshing Margarita Lager.

Be.Steak.A
1887 S Bascom Ave, Campbell
408-963-2092 | besteaka.com
The much anticipated Be.Steak.A from Chefs Jeffrey Stout and Patrick Capurro’s is a masterclass on how a steakhouse should be done: oysters, caviar, koji-aged steak, handmade pasta—a menu that demands multiple visits. Beyond the stellar dinner offerings, the elegant bar has a selection of 100+ vintage amaro and spirits for those looking for an upscale drink.

Flowers
14577 Big Basin Way, Saratoga
408-647-2727 | flowerssaratoga.com
Flowers’ opening in the middle of the first softening of dining restrictions proved it a hit addition to Saratoga. With a focus on visually striking elements—from their long tufted pink banquet, to their beautiful stone bar top—form and function meet with equally stunning food and cocktail presentation. Well worth the wait and a delight for multiple senses.

Out of the Barrel
201 Los Gatos Saratoga Rd, Los Gatos
408-827-4090 | outofthebarrelbeer.com
With its outdoor patio and prime location, Out of the Barrel is an ideal spot to meet with friends, or just post up alone and people watch. The 28 rotating taps boast a wide variety of beers brewed all around northern California, including multiple fruited beers perfect for summer sipping.

LVL Up San Jose
409 S 2nd St, San Jose
thelvlup.com
Opened just in time for the pandemic doldrums, LVL Up’s patio has quickly become one of San Jose’s go-to destinations for live hip hop, hardcore, EDM and a whole lot more. Inside, there’s arcade games, craft brews and house cocktails like the refreshing Aperol Spritz. Don’t forget to bring quarters.

Strike Brewing 
469 E Campbell Ave, Campbell
408-796-7810 | strikebrewingco.com
Opened in Fall 2019, Strike Brewing’s second location in Campbell barely got a chance to get going before shutting due to the pandemic. Now really open, they’ve gotten back to slinging signature brews like the malty Colossus of Clout red, and the bitter and complex Double IPA.

The Emerald Hour
1625 N Shoreline Blvd, Mountain View
650-420-2600 | theemeraldhour.com
Situated poolside at the new Shashi Hotel a stone’s throw from Google, The Emerald Hour is all about luxury. Kick back and lounge with a high concept cocktail like the “Snap Pea on the Rock”—a gin and snap pea combo—which are made to pair with food from the michelin-starred chef.

Improved Spots

LVL Uproar
439 S First Street, San Jose
uproarbrewing.com/
In a recent collaboration with quickly growing barcade chain LVL Up, Uproar Brewing recently rebranded as LVL Uproar. Now, brewery patrons can enjoy the drama of 4-person Pac Man while sipping a First Street Drama, Uproar’s flagship Kolsch, or just go hard on carnival games like skee-ball and Down the Clown while everyone else compares IBUs.

Jack’s
167 E Taylor St, San Jose
408-287-5225 | jacksbar.com/
Small but mighty, Jack’s has been the local for locals north of downtown since long before its current owners bought it in 2007. And with its newly redesigned patio space, outdoor bar and new QR menus, visitors would be forgiven for thinking it a recent addition to Japantown. Either way, Jack’s is now more spacious and accommodating than ever.

55 South
55 S 1st St, San Jose
the55south.com
Always known to keep the party going, 55 South has made the most out of their modestly-sized corner cocktail bar. When outdoor seating was allowed and Post St. was closed to traffic, the little bar began fabricating a giant wooden ship outside. The patio was a labor of love which exemplifies what 55 South does best: keep the party going.

Original Gravity Public House
66 S 1st St, San Jose
408-915-BEER | originalgravitypub.com
With their nine year anniversary coming up, Original Gravity prides themselves on change. Originally offering bratwurst, they’ve shifted to smash burgers and fries, and switched to table service with QR code menus to keep guests feeling safe and comfortable. They do however still offering 20 rotating taps—plus an expanded bottle and can list.

Camino Brewing
718 S 1st St, San Jose
408-352-5331 | caminobrewing.com
Dreamed up on a cycling trip through Spain, four years later, Camino is still trekking ahead with a taproom full of fresh beer and food from local vendors open six days a week. Enjoy a beverage in their new beer garden, with tents and twinkly lights set up among the socially-distanced tables.

O’Malley’s Sports Pub
2135 Old Middlefield Way, Mountain View
Described by one reviewer as “very Cheers-y, even when everybody doesn’t know your name,” O’Malley’s on Old Middlefield has long been a divey delight for pool, jukebox dancing and karaoke. Now with a new front patio area and food trucks slinging grub, they’re showing that making your way in the world today doesn’t have to take all you got.

Clandestine Brewery 
980 S. 1st St, San Jose 
408-520-0220 | clandestinebrewing.com/
Clandestine responded to the pandemic by taking personal space seriously, removing communal tables and giving beer-lovers added elbow room at the bar. That’s good, because with two Finnish Sahtis and a Juicy IPA made with no juice (it’s the hops), Clandestine has some of the most unique brews in the city.

Willow Den Public House
803 Lincoln Ave, San Jose
408-891-0212
Since remodeling with an all caps suffix (PUBLIC HOUSE), Willow Den has upped their game in a number of ways—though thankfully not all. Pool tables, cheap drinks and XL Jenga all still reside in the Den, joined now by an updated stage for bands nights and karaoke, and not one but two patios.

The Brit
173 W Santa Clara St, San Jose
(408) 278-1400 | thebritsj.com/
Under new management and very recently redesigned (we’re talking late June), The Brit is a complete overhaul of the downtown staple on Santa Clara St featuring new menu, interior redesign and brand new back patio. More comfortable than ever, the new Brit will have visitors new and old alike asking: “What’s all this, then?”

Fred’s Place
Mountain View
650-940-9838 | fredsplace.tv
From the outside, Fred’s on Old Middlefield might look small and unassuming, but inside it is packed with all kinds of good times, from Monday night trivia, to Thursday karaoke, to week-long pool tables, pinball and more. With its new back patio and food trucks, Fred’s remains the perfect place to post up for a round after work.

Classic Spots

Splash
65 Post St, San Jose
splashsj.com | 408-292-2222
One thing sorely missed during the pandemic was dancing in a crowded club, but miss no more! San Jose’s premiere gay bar has roared into 2021 with tons of events, including Drag Race viewing parties, Wednesday Latin Nights, and Power Hour Monday deals. Come for the dancing, stay for the complete joy that this space brings to the community.

Mervyn’s Lounge
236 Castro St, Mountain View
There aren’t many left like Mervyn’s Lounge. A step into Merv’s is a step into the glory days of the dives of yesteryear. Gone are $18 drinks featuring Amontillado Sherry, whole eggs and locally sourced herb essences. In their place are cold beers, hefty pours, and all the questionable camaraderie that comes with a proper drinking establishment.

Mac’s
39 Post St, San Jose
Mac’s may be small in square footage, but its impact is immeasurable for the local LGBTQIA community. The oldest gay bar in the south San Francisco Bay Area, Mac’s provides its regulars and newcomers alike the chance to kick back and enjoy a warm summer night in a friendly, open space—now including more patio seating in the parklets on Post St.

Hapa’s
460 Lincoln Ave #90, San Jose
114 S. Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos
With roomy (and comfy!) warehouse spaces in both San Jose and Los Gatos, Hapa’s lets visitors dip back into social life like the last two years were all a dream. Some long wait times are worth it for a hearty beer flight, corn hole on the back patio, food trucks and some furry friends.

Effie’s
331 W Hacienda Ave, Campbell
http://effiesrestaurantandbar.com | 408-374-3400
If scanning a QR code sounds painfully modern for your karaoke experience, Effie’s in Campbell hosts karaoke five nights a week (and offers bottomless mimosas on weekends), remaining a classic option for a night out with friends—or a comfy place to drown your sorrows and let it all out to “Unbreak My Heart.”

Woodham’s Lounge
4475 Stevens Creek Blvd., Santa Clara
twitter.com/woodhamslounge | 408-244-2899
Despite its updated facade, the interior of Woodham’s Lounge on Stevens Creek has remained blissfully untouched by development in recent years. From its nearly-hidden door, to its lone, no-frills pool table (currently no-charge, as well), the cozy lounge has preserved all its charming and trademark lack of pretension.

Trials Pub
265 N 1st St., San Jose
408-947-0497 | trialspub.com
The grand reopening of Trials Pub in June was a sigh of relief to their loyal regulars. While general upkeep and cosmetic fixes were made, the pub feels comfortably unchanged. Nearly the entire staff is back, handwriting tabs and giving the pleasant service they’re known for. And as they build momentum, features like their Monday night Trivia are a promised and welcome return.

Teske’s Germania
255 N 1st St, San Jose
408-292-0291 | teskes-germania.com
Guests can now come back inside the family-owned Teske’s to enjoy a wide selection of German beers and schnapps, as well as some hearty Germanic cuisine. Behind the bar guests will find the same friendly faces. Later in the evening, when Rush blasts in the background over a round of Jägertees, it’ll feel as if the last year and a half was all an illusion.

River Rock Taproom
155 S Murphy Ave, Sunnyvale
408-830-9837 | riverrocktaproom.com
One of the more recent classics on the list, the River Rock Taproom bakes social distancing into the pie by having all beer self-poured. All beers are charged by the ounce, and visitors can try as many of the 35 taps as they like, building their own self-guided brewery tour.

The Caravan
98 Almaden Ave, San Jose
caravanloungesanjose.com
For many, there is no watering hole in San Jose more classic than the Caravan. Once a hotel bar, and now home-away-from-home for many, the Caravan is no-frills in the best way possible, from the PBR tallboys, to the stage-less stage for music. Welcome back to the Caravan.

Carry Nations
8 N Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos
408-354-1771
Founded by the creator of the Pet Rock and ironically named after the leader of the Temperance Movement, Carry Nations is a true dive classic in Los Gatos. Post pandemic, they’ve implemented exactly zero QR codes, touchless ordering systems or rebrandings. Come in for a beer and shot—and leave happy. 

The Continental
349 S 1st St, San Jose
408-982-3461 | thecontinentalbar.com
House music, dancing and disco lights: these are the ingredients that make for a night out at The Continental. Since reopening, the SoFA District lounge has gotten right back to what they do best, filling the weekends with music from great local DJs, and filling thirty patrons with mixological magic all night.

The X-Bar
20990 Homestead Blvd, Cupertino
408-255-5700 | homesteadbowl.com/the-x-bar
Located in the front of Homestead Bowl, The X-Bar is one of the South Bay’s best and most unlikely homes for live music. And since upgrading their stage a few years back, shows here look better than ever. The bar, meanwhile, has remained refreshingly non-trendy. How about a Budweiser?

Goosetown
1072 Lincoln Ave, San Jose
408-292-4835
For many in Willow Glen, Goosetown isn’t a bar: it’s a way of life. On weekends, the sound of revelers singing karaoke is often audible down the block, and during the week it’s a bit of a shelter from the workaday world. Like the movie says: “Forget it Jake, it’s Goosetown.”

Black Watch
141 N Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos
(408) 354-2200
There is Los Gatos, and then there is the Black Watch. Inserted between a boutique and another boutique, this affordable, dimly-lit saloon has remained pleasantly untouched by the area’s surrounding affluence for generations. Renowned for the kamikazes and loved for the atmosphere, the Black Watch is a divey respite from the world.

Branham Lounge
1116 Branham Ln, San Jose
408-445-1716 | https://thebranham.com
Hidden in a strip mall off Almaden, the Branham Lounge has long been juicing the South San Jose suburbs with hefty pours, great karaoke nights and unexpected performances from hip hop legends like Andre Nickatina. Cozy and comfy, the Branham has been leaning into the “Lounge” in its title since 1969.

Poor House Bistro
91 S Autumn St, San Jose
408-292-5837 | poorhousebistro.com
San Jose’s home of blues music and cajun cooking, Poor House Bistro’s iconic location on Autumn St is about to pick up stakes and come with them on their move to nearby Little Italy. In the meantime, they’re back open, serving up Po’ Boys, Hurricanes and great live music five nights a week. 

Oh man… We are just crawling out from under of our two-day hangover and checking out all these pictures we took on the Silicon Valley St. Patrick’s Day pub crawl from Palo Alto to Campbell. To us, the whole evening seems like one giant greenish black swimming pool full of Guinness, Jameson, Baileys and questionable decision making. But looking at these photos, we’re pretty sure we actually just had a blast and we don’t have anything to be sorry for.

We don’t have anything to be sorry for, do we? See if the following photos—taken by Metro photographer Greg Ramar at Antonio’s Nut House, St. Stephen’s Green, Lilly Mac’s, Rosie McCann’s, Dive Bar, O’Flaherty’s, Katie Blooms and Khartoum—bring any particularly putrid memories to the surface.

The goal of any good bar crawl should be to enjoy a variety of drinks in a variety of different bars with a variety of people, and make it home safely without needing to actually crawl. Unfortunately, this is rarely the case.

Many good men and women succumb to the toll that a bar crawl invariably demands, assuming the participants are drinking more than Zima or O’Doul’s. (Side note: Never trust a drink with two apostrophes or a “Z”—the latter tends to include the word “zombie,” and, really, who the hell would really like to look or feel like a zombie after a night of drinking?)

You’ll find other lists in this week’s Bars and Clubs issue that could make for a more eclectic bar crawl mix with the right combination of designated driver, light rail, cabs and Caltrain. But the bar crawl diary you’re about to read focuses on themes designed to shock the system, ping-ponging from sports bars and cocktail lounges to dive bars and bars where the women dive down poles for cash. It starts in the heart of Silicon Valley, downtown San Jose, as the San Jose Sharks were on their way to winning the final game of their season.

Britannia Arms
If there is a better place to pre-game for the Sharks, I don’t know about it. For the first hour before and after every home game at HP Pavilion, young and old fans congregate indoors and on the massive back outdoor patio. On this day, my comrades—a local bar manager, a rent-a-car salesman, an unemployed salesman, a local emcee who sells marijuana to collectives on the side and a green intern—stayed out of the sun and drank a blue elixir called Sharkaritas, which are basically margaritas with curacao. I had hoped to start at Johnny V’s or Freddie J’s, but the consonant brothers didn’t open their doors before 5pm.

Hedley Club
Every time I order a Moscow Mule, a refreshing mix of vodka and ginger beer, with a squeeze of lime, I’m reminded of the time I brought my mother to the Hedley and a drunk guy tried to fight me for her. Things looked grim until he and his boys gave up on waiting for me to leave. But not before one of them said to me, “You got lucky tonight,” and then proceeded to trip and nearly fall over a chair. (If you’re reading this, guy, my mom thinks you’re a douchebag.) This time on the back patio, a couple got married as the staff and I gawked from inside the window. It was lovely.

Caravan
98 S. Almaden Ave., San Jose. Few bars are as lovingly divey as Caravan, with its no-nonsense staff, heavy pours, cheap jukebox and live music. Rounds of Jack Daniels, Guinness and Miller High Life line the bar. Located next to the Greyhound bus station, it’s not unusual to see one or two gentlemen slumped outside on nearby benches. One of the worst Yelp reviews Caravan has received—and they were mostly very positive—was from a lady named Lisa B. “I used to wait outside here in my youth for someone to pick me up,” she wrote. And yet she was somehow more upset they didn’t accept her passport and allow her to relive those memories. Unbelievable. Viva la Caravan!

Myth Taverna and Lounge
A massive day party leaves the outdoor patio filled to the brim. The song “Everyday People” plays on the speakers. Coincidentally, the first CD I ever bought was by Arrested Development. We take shots of Jameson and acknowledge that the ’90s were awesome.

Single Barrel
The bouncer tells me that it doesn’t matter if this is a bar crawl for Metro, we’ll have to wait in line like everyone else. There were 10 people in line. There’s no way I was waiting an hour. That’s not an exaggeration. I once waited 45 minutes in line only to find out upon entry that there were six people inside the joint. We look for other options.

The Swinging Hookah
386 S. First St., San Jose. I’ve never been much of a hookah guy, but the flavored tobacco known as Ambrosia—a tasty fruit berry with a hint of lime—gave me a body high I won’t soon forget. They also have the same black leather couch that I bought for my office. My friends told me they are actually faux leather, but I refuse to believe them. Those couches are comfortable, and I love my couch. After the Single Barrel experience, it was nice to be greeted with a smile and a place to sit and relax.

San Jose Bar and Grill
I was told this is a college bar. It took me nearly seven years to graduate from college. Having already put in my time, we settled on one shot of Hornitos tequila for cheap.

A potent mix at Red Stag. Photo by Alex Stover.

55 South
I really can’t stop talking about how much I love this bar. Great ambience with the low-lit candles and corkboards blocking out the evening sun. A band played covers of Jay-Z and Kanye’s “Watch the Throne,” as well as Frank Ocean, and it sounded amazing. One of the owners, Paul, had Jameson shots and beers ready almost as soon as we walked in the door. I wish I didn’t have to leave.

Splash Video Dance Bar
Junior the bartender wouldn’t tell me everything that is in the signature cocktail, but it seems to be a mix of grapefruit juice, vodka, cherry and something else. Everyone is amazingly nice, but I won’t source that to some clichŽ about gay bars and straight dudes. Maybe it’s just because Splash is a great place
to dance and drink. And, hands down, there isn’t a better patio in downtown than the third floor overlooking Post Street.

AJ’s Restaurant and Bar
See what I did here? I went from a gay bar to a bar where women dance in bikinis for dollars. See that I didn’t go full nude. See that this mechanism is getting tiresome. My intern has been a trouper this entire time, but now he seems to be a guppy out of water. It’s his first strip club, or maybe “adult bar” is better terminology, since the ladies don’t actually strip. We order beers. Almost to the home stretch, I take the rest of my intern’s singles when he’s not looking and shove them into a dancer’s hands. It’s getting late, and the crawl is coming to a crawl.

Red Stag
We did sports bar. We did cocktail lounge. We did dive bar. We did day party. We did a bar where none shall pass. We did a hookah bar. We did a college bar. We did my favorite bar, which had live music. We did a gay bar. We did an adult bar. Now we do the only acceptable thing: karaoke. Red Stag is one of the few places where you can get your fix every night of the week. I sign in for my go-to song, Ray Charles’ “I Got a Woman,” and what do you know—my woman just walked into the place. She looks uneasy, as if she expects the real tab to be written later that night all over the bathroom floor and sink.

I throw back what’s left of a Rolling Rock and tell her I love her. I sing. The place goes nuts. At least I’m pretty sure that’s how it went down. No matter. We live to karaoke another day. Everyone says their goodbyes and crawls into separate cabs. I suppose that last act was unavoidable, but there’s no shame.
I never drank an O’Doul’s, and it was only in the morning that I hit real zombie mode. Viva la bar crawl!

Last Wednesday, the Britannia Arms Almaden held a private event celebrating its 25th anniversary, a huge accomplishment considering that 25 years is a lifetime in the restaurant and nightclub industries—and the Brit has managed to be successful in both arenas.

Back in 1988, when the place opened, it was serving a much more limited, strictly British menu—and for nightlife brought in bands that played traditional British and Irish music. Today, the menu has expanded to include American food, and the entertainment includes rock bands and DJs that spin hip-hop and Top 40. “There were a lot more Brits in the Bay Area when we first opened,” says co-owner Michael North. “We still have a lot of Brits, but we appeal to everybody.”

The Brit still fills a niche for Bay Area British ex-pats by serving common British pub food that’s not so common in the States, like shepherd’s pie, bangers, sticky toffee pudding and, of course, steak and kidney pie. “Because of trends in foods, not a lot of British pubs [in the United States] serve steak and kidney pies anymore. That’s one of the things that people drive miles for,” North says. There are a handful of other Britannia Arms in the South Bay, Capitola and Monterey, which are loosely affiliated, with some overlap in ownership and similarity in terms of menu and nightlife.

The club currently hosts live music every Friday and Saturday night, with karaoke on Wednesdays and Sundays, and DJs every Thursday. Tuesdays are reserved for a more distinctive British pub tradition: trivia night.

Some people know the Britannia Arms as the go-to location to watch soccer, hockey and other sporting events. During the World Cup or a Sharks home game, the Brit can get filled to capacity, and then some. What is truly remarkable is the way the club has given back to the community. For the past 15 years, for instance, the Brit has given turkeys to people around Thanksgiving and toys to children around Christmas. The club’s response to 9/11 was by far the most amazing. The Saturday after the tragedy, they raised $50,000 for Red Cross through sales and donations by patrons.

Britannia Arms
5027 Almaden Expwy; San Jose