Looking for the essential San Jose bars for a night on the town?
As the cultural centre of Silicon Valley, San Jose is the land of innovation, startups, and technology history. But it’s not all Facebook-type innovators – there’s a great food and drink scene here.
SanJo has craft beer bars, stylish cocktail lounges, rooftop bars and plenty more. You just need to know where to find them… Which is where we come in.
Best bars in San Jose
How do these rankings work?
1. Haberdasher
Haberdasher specialises in the finest craft cocktails served in an intimate and inviting basement atmosphere. This isn’t the place for a boring G&T – get into the Prohibition-era vibe and ask the highly skilled bartenders what they recommend.
2. Five Points Bar
Try a hint of dangerously good whiskey at Five Points Bar, named after the romantically notorious 5 Points neighbourhood in New York. They bring a little bit of old school New York to downtown San Jose by serving old favourites and new creations alike.
3. 55 South
Live music and big screen TV’s combine for a homey yet high-end night out at this casual bar. 55 South is the sort of bar you wish you lived right next door to. Be sure to catch bottomless mimosas and French toast kebabs on Sundays!
4. Original Gravity
Beer lovers, listen up: this is San Jose’s first (and dare we say best) craft beer bar. Original Gravity offers 35 rotating draughts of incredible beer, cider & mead in addition to a small but mighty can & bottle selection. They put an emphasis on local, independently owned breweries and rotate the beer list daily.
5. San Pedro Square Market Bar
Drink your way around the three bars in this superb downtown market. You can also feast on pizza, Latin American food, craft beer, sushi, fusion hot dogs and much more. Plus, pair your tipple of choice with patio dining (dog-friendly) and lots of live entertainment.
6. Cielo
Cielo Rooftop at the Hotel Valencia Santana Row has stunning views of the Santa Cruz Mountains. An essential San Jose bar for those warm summer evenings; after sunset, gather around the glowing fireplace or under one of the many patio heaters for extra warmth. Grab a cocktail and you won’t want to leave the terrace all night.
7. Paper Plane
Classy without being pretentious, the vibe here is bustling but chill, with the artisan-style cocktails are always perfectly made. The menu has 26 signature cocktails (six of which are on tap!) that change every six months. Paper Plane is ideal for any night out in San Jose, be it a casual catch up or swanky date.