50 Best Cocktail Bars near Los Gatos

“Let me break this down for you.Food: small plates, giant flavor. Everything I’ve ever ordered, (8 of their dishes), amazing. You know what pairs well with food? Drinks… allow me to elaborate.Drinks: tried 5 cocktails off the list over various visits, and I was always just captured by the layers each cocktail displayed. Now what is the thing everyone wants when they go to a restaurant with great food and drinks?Service: let me name names of those who encapsulate amazing service, care, and passion for both the food they serve and the experiences they deliver:Alissa - our waitress was phenomenal. She paid attention to everything and was incredibly polite, helpful, and charming.Jason - the bartender of dreams. He knows the bar and his mixers like the back of his hand and can make you a drink that would blow your mind. He came out to check on a custom drink we ordered to make sure we loved it (which we did!!! Three exclamations intended)All staff: everyone is kind, attentive, and truly cares about making each experience memorable and truly enjoyable. All around, this place is a wonderful establishment.“

“We stopped here randomly to kill a couple hours. Sat and ate loaded tots, drank refreshing beer, and listened to Lavender Fields Band play. We could have sat here all night if it weren’t for our flight. Great place, I’ll come back next time I’m in the area.Parking: Parking is easyKid-friendliness: Saw plenty of kids running around while we’re here they seemed right at homeWheelchair accessibility: Fully wheelchair accessible“

“This place was good and I mean like really good food. I'm giving it a four because I think it would be more appropriate to call it a "lounge", not a tavern. Everything is highfalutin, which accompanies the prices. A tavern should be cheap, mainly serve beer, and probably have a pub food list. Again, this fits the stereotypical image that wants to be painted in this part of CA.“

“The detailed description calls this a “bare bones bar”. I guess that’s sort of accurate. It seems that if one doesn’t have a modern gimmick then it’s “bare bones”. This is a bar. It seems to have everything going for it in that way. Every bar tender I’ve ordered from here has brought me a drink in a professional way. The locals are friendly enough. Not sure that I will ever find my new best friend here or fall in love with a stranger but they’ve always been a cordial bunch. If what you want is a non-pretentious bar in a town that prides itself on snooty bullshizen and an overflow of new tech money and attitude, then check this spot out. You might meet the inventor of online credit card software or you might meet a roofer after a hard days work. You might meet some twenty-something girls who think that they are out slumming it. But this is no slum. This is a clean bar that is well kept. When the lights are low it seems to have a bit of a dark and a faintly seedy feel. Like a memory of my favorite places in the 1970s, but when the lights are up you can see the pride of ownership as everything is in its place. The glasses are clean, the floors are clean too. I’d bring my mother here or my mother in law. Or my wife. 3 totally different people. Why would you even read this review? Just pop in for a drink. And, please take my advise, or don’t. However, avoid fancy drinks. Stay classy. If you require both a sprig of fresh sage as well as thyme in your signature gin and tonic that tastes nothing like gin or tonic then perhaps try another place. I’m sure you can get a 25$ G and T somewhere in this town.“

“Discovered this quaint little restaurant on Friday, March 21. Happy hour runs from 3 to 5 PM made it just before they changed over to their dinner menu. Very nice and inviting environment. Jesse was our bartender. He was very attentive. We decided to sit at the bar area. Old-fashioned was delicious, the brussels sprout appetizer cooked well and the Chipotle Aloli was complimentary to the dish. The spring wraps were very fresh . Shareable portions. Nice place to come to relax after a long week and have a cocktail and a couple of appetizers.“

“Friendly staff.Loud noisy environment.Indoor and outdoor seating.Mostly focused on drinks and they do have some food.Small menu with quality fresh ingredients, however during my last visit every dish was very salty Vegetarian options: A few vegetarian options, clearly marked on the menu.Parking: Sometimes it is difficult to find parking. Best to go around back to the lot there.“

“My sister and I came in here last Saturday to reunite before Christmas Eve over a drink (or three). They had the warriors game playing in the background which was a bonus. The bartender, Jason? i believe, did an amazing job handling the whole bar by himself and providing amazing service! My sister ordered a casa amigos soda and I got a stoli soda. He poured strong, garnished our drinks, and switched out the glassware after every drink even though I wouldn't mind the same glass, this was definitely a treat! Needless to say, it was a busy night there, but Jason made us feel like vips! Definitely will be back when I am in town to try out a hot toddy (yes they have those!!)“

“I've always loved the patio here, going back to when the location was California Cafe. A friend and I visited Teleferic Barcelona for the first time for lunch in late March 2024. It has a very interesting menu of mostly smaller plates to share; everything we had was tasty and well presented.Adding up the small plates becomes pricey, but still in the range one would expect around here. Four of their delicious, small empanadas $15, three excellent ahi tuna tacos $15, Paella Bombs $6 ea., Basque talos $12. A wonderful sangria Barceloneta $12.A 20% service charge is included in the check, and I appreciated our server pointing that out. I would certainly come back here.“

“The food was tasty and made with high quality ingredients. They had the best cocktails and Andrés was kind enough to make great recommendations and explained to us the different cocktail components. Service was superb and now that I know they also serve breakfast, we will be back soon. Highly recommended!!“

“EMA Karaoke & Bar in San Jose is a vibrant spot for a night out, offering both an open bar area and individual rooms for rent. The karaoke experience here is a blast, with a diverse selection of songs to choose from. However, if you're expecting gourmet cuisine, you may find the food to be just average. As the night progresses, the bar tends to get crowded after 9 pm, so it's best to arrive early to secure your spot. Despite the crowds, the energy is infectious, adding to the overall excitement.“

“This place is straight out of a book and or movie, really cool setting! The drinks go hand in hand, everything from the food to the cocktails are all curated so perfectly and the service is top notch and very helpful when it comes to deciphering which cocktail(s) you may like most.“

“Great atmosphere for a date night! We ordered the salmon tartare, rose tteokbokki, and kfc cauliflower for appetizers. All of them were great but I was most impressed by the tteokbokki!We followed with the short ribs and the basque cheesecake dessert. They were good but the appetizers were more impressive. I was also disappointed that they no longer did the sweet potato chiffon cake :(“

“Love this place. Although it is in San Jose downtown which is a rough area but San Pedro Square stands out.They have multiple food options, various cuisines from different countries, coffee shop, bars, a small shop etc. Everything is self service.Tons of seating options both indoor and outdoor.Also they have quite a few security guards near outdoor seating area for your peace of mind.I always love the vibe of this place. Weekends are buzzing here with occasional live music and bands.There’s a parking garage right next to it.Great to come here either with friends or with family. It caters to everyone.“

“Have been dying to come here and finally made it! Went with my friends and we all had a great time. It's super pretty inside. Our waiter was very friendly and attentive, but didn't hover and let us chat and catch up. We had the scallops, beet salad, risotto, chocolate cake, key lime pie and then of course the drinks! Had to get the kiss the bubble drink (Instagram worthy), snow storm, kiwi do you love me, and cantarito. The meal was good, but the drinks and desserts were what we would come back for. The chocolate and the key lime were gorgeous, presentation wise, and so good! Definitely make a reservation as it fills up fast. Can't wait to go back!“

“Varied menu and good service. The menu includes several gluten free entries. The staff are knowledgeable about special dietary requirements. I had Chilean sea bass and it was delicious! The only drawback is that it can get quite noisy.Dietary restrictions: Gluten free and vegetarian options.“

“I absolutely love The Vesper! The decor is so beautiful, the vibe is fun, and the drinks and food are outstanding. It feels like you are sitting in someone's swanky living room with a bunch of your good friends. You can sit at the bar, a table, or their comfy couches at the front.....All dishes are shareable so that is a fun vibe too. Will be back!“

“The ambiance and service here is top notch and we really enjoyed our meal. Unfortunately the food was just a little bland and the Chorizo Benedict tasted much more like a tomato sauce than chorizo but the chilaquiles were very good. The drink menu was the best part with great bloody Marys and non alcoholic options.“

“This place is cozy and very cute! They have a nice happy hour with delicious drinks. They may be a bit understaffed but they have nice service (just takes a while). I liked the drink and food options during happy hour. Seems like a fun place to get wine and live music as well.“

“We split the crabcake appetizer, which was moist and delicious and then split the Prawns in a cream sauce. The entree came as two dishes with 3-4 prawns each and generous portions of rice and mixed veggies. The only negative comment is that prices continue to rise.“

“Great seafood, great staff, cozy ambience. Recc try some of the oysters, clams and toast. Seafood pasta was good but didn’t stand out in particular. Pasta took a little longer to come out so our server brought us a crème brûlée on the house which was delicious.“

“Delicious and savory food, one item that stood out to me was their elote wich was fried, I never tried it like that before and it was so good. Kind of disappointed when I ordered the churros and at the picture they present an ice cream and it didn't come with it, when I called the server to ask for it he said they didn't even had the ice cream, and it was just for the pic, so keep that in mind ?Staff is okay, place is a little loud but it's understandable for a bar“

“Really great oak cabinetry around the bar. You can tell it's very old school and not like antique to where it's noticeably older. Whoever is the one that keeps up with the bar and keeping the wood and great shape is amazing. I really like that place. Customer service is awesome. Bartenders are awesome, very quaint place to kind of chill and relax on a date“

“Supports local comedy. Karaoke. Pool table. Fun vibe. I have been to the Plaza so many times, and I would've never thought that I would find a bar like this in the middle of this Plaza. It's got a pool table in the back. There's a little stage for local talents. The owner is super cool. He completely supports local entertainment and arts. He's really easy to work with. The bar keeps are all chill and easy to get along with. Tiffani is so sweet and has such a good heart. Dan has been so helpful and has gone out of his way to make the experience here. Absolutely amazing. I know I'm gonna keep coming back.“

“Had a wonderful lunch here. Sat at the bar where there's a demonstration kitchen. Great food. Had an avocado turkey club with a salad that was refreshing. The sub sandwich had wonderful flavors.Also had a cucumber refresher that was delicious.“

“The bar setting in the middle of a beautiful hotel gives a very warm open feeling. It was surprisingly empty but I attributed that to being spring break week. Everything we ordered was amazing. We have the beef skewers which were cooked to perfection, the salmon skewers were on the sweet side but great, shishito peppers were prepared in the most unique way I’ve seen, tempura was perfectly light and the fried avocado was very unique and tasty. Cocktails were on point. Live music started right as we were leaving which is a nice touch. This place should be crowded given the quality of the food and the location. But the lack of energy made the atmosphere feel too quiet. Overall fantastic culinary experience however.“

“An absolute hidden gem! My husband and I weren't feeling the food court food and found this place on yelp. It took forever to find, but luckily, with some help from the yelp reviews, we were able to find it. There was only one other table inside and we were glad for it since we wanted to get away from the mall crowd. Our server was super friendly and attentive and predicted our needs before we even had to ask. The food was delicious. We got the tiger prawns with garlic noodles, mango salad, and the open faced banh mi with soft shell crab. Highly recommend checking out this place! It's a great place to bring some friends and have some drinks and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere and good food :)“

“Came in on a Tuesday morning a few minutes after they had opened . We were greeted right away & were able to order quickly once seated - The decor is so cute & modern. I had ordered #25 bun bo hue & my mother had ordered #20 rib bone phone along side with some fried rice (#34) . Everything was excellent, the meat was so tender & the broth had such a great umami flavor to it that it was damn near addicting which made every bite bursting with flavor . Will definitely be coming back, with more people to enjoy“

“It was my first time here since new ownership, I wasn't even aware the restaurant had changed from Benedicts. Alot of the menu is the same with some new additions. The food was wonderful and so was the service! Can't wait to come back & try more things on the menu!“

“Had this place in my want to try list for a while. I'm so sad I've missed out on eating here sooner!! Phenomenal food, friendly and fast service. Everything you want from modern Mexican food, unique and flavorful but still true to the classics. We ordered the fried elote (I will be dreaming of this for a while), carnitas street bowl, and surf n turf burrito. The meat was incredible in each item and the flavors were bold and fresh. Loved their garlic aioli“

“I visited during a company outing host by a local corporation. We were treated to aspread that allowed a taste of almost everything on the menu. The descriptions are accurate, and the ingredients all tasted fresh. I would definitely bring friends and family there on a personal trip.“

“We enjoyed a lovely dinner on the patio. The cheese beignets were pure molten deliciousness. The craft cocktails and burgers perfectly hit the spot. Our server gave exceptional recommendations and we ended with house made vanilla ice cream with apricot sauce and nut streusel.“

“Americanized Italianish comfort food with an excellent selection of beers and good cocktails. The front of the house staff is surprising nerdy. I'd trust the staff on a video game recommendation before a beer recommendation, but that's why I love them“

“Lovely and so much fun! Friends and I came in for our bdays brunch. The service, food, drinks and the atmosphere were top tier! The group do what they can to make your day the best experience you can have! We had a fantastic time!! ??? chef’s kiss!“

“It's been at least 10 years since I'd visited Jack's, so I popped in real quick because I was in the area. I ordered a couple of beers and a whiskey from Monica the bartender and I must admit this place looks better than before with the remodeling and outdoor patio. It was how I like a bar to be, dimly lit, sports on Tv's and music playing. I would definitely stop by again when I get a chance.“

“Redwood Grill is my favorite place to go. The staff there makes me feel so welcomed, they already know how we like our food and our favorite drinks. I like to escape with my husband and have our time together. Sometimes to watch a sports game, sometimes to talk about business, or to have a date night. Other times I bring the whole family and even my friends after a PTO meeting. I have celebrated several family events at both locations. This restaurant has become a tradition to me. My favorite dish is the beet salad with a nice grilled salmon on top. My kids love the wings and bacon burger. My favorite drink is called “By the fire” this isn’t on the menu but sometimes I get spoiled and they prepare for me. I hope you can enjoy this restaurant as much as we do.“

“Ok. So, this is an older crowd for sure but I had the best time here. The band was great and everyone was dancing - recipe for a great night. The bar had two bartenders that Friday night . Plenty of seating area but I didn't check out the restroom situation so idk. I would go back“

“Secco at SJ downtown hikton was great restaurant. The ambiance was modern and unique. The ordered entrée all came and served on timely and the food quality all exceeded our expectations. The restaurant staff were very friendly & attentative, definitely recommend anyone thinking about hosti a g birthday or anniversary dinner.“

“Nice Sunday afternoon on the patio with great live music. Spit out to the breaux show band you got to check them out. The food was great we had the muffuletta, beignets, and red beans and rice. All the food was great. Never been to New Orleans but heard from others it was the best they had outside of the. The only knock is the servers didn't come around to check on us much other than to pass the tip jar around for the band but whatever. It was still a great time and will be back again soon. Check them out!“

“Fun and friendly place with an eclectic crowd! Even though this was our first time here, the DJ who was running karaoke greeted us and asked if we wanted to participate (we were happy to just hang out, but next time for sure). My husband enjoyed his Blue Moon with a fresh orange garnish and my vodka soda was nice and strong. The place was clean and they had decor up for the holidays. Would come back for sure!“

“Went to this neighborhood bar for a quick drink and some feel good fun and this place didn't disappoint! Drinks are reasonably priced and the bar tender was friendly, inviting and attentive. Added bonus, we met the owner and he was super nice. Great time! Will come again ?“

“Aloft Sunnyvale on its own is good enough value for money spent. However, what truly stood out was the customer ser ice of its front desk. Shoutout to Michelle for helping me out a ton when I was trying to extend my stay. No excuses were made and she found a way to get it done even under difficult circumstances. Roy was also great with the room upgrade when he saw that I had brought a friend and might have needed a bigger bed. 10/10 Customer Service!“

“I absolutely love the Asian-inspired cocktails at this place, especially my favorite, the lychee martini. During Christmas, they introduced some festive variations on the drinks, and they were delicious! The music is always lively, mostly playing hip-hop. The venue tends to get quite crowded, probably because it's on the smaller side. The crowd mainly consists of young Asian Americans and ABGs (if you know what I mean).“

“Mitesh and Gabriel were just fabulous! The vibe was so great! Food was delicious we got DIY bowls and the paneer tikka, chicken tikka and tilapia Kathi rolls were delicious. The desserts were so good too! Won an Instagram contest to try this place (thank you desi) and will definitely be coming back for date night. We were with kids and they accommodated non spicy which was amazing but next time we come back will try their awesome cocktails!! Thanks so muchKid-friendliness: They were very kid friendly and accommodated non spicy which was great!“

“The Ravioli Di Aragosta was perfectly cooked and very flavorful. Will definitely order again The Scialatielli Scarpariello was mediocre with very chewy hard to eat pasta. That was a waste of my money. Should have ordered something else as I barely ate it. Had hazelnut gelato for dessert which was perfecto!“

“It's really refreshing to see businesses like this open in shopping centers like the one they're in (falling apart and turning into another homeless encampment). I hope you guys thrive and become the go-to neighborhood bar/restaurant.“

“When I visited on a Sunday night, there were not too many people, and the wide space made me feel comfortable (a friend said it was very full on Friday and Saturday nights)!The bartending, meals and service are impeccable, and the guards at the door are strict and kind-hearted, giving people a sense of security while spending time here. After all, the security in the city... you never know what will happen in the next second!Next time I will try to sit at the bar during happy hours and get together with friends here again!“

“Great Ambiance with a beautiful patio and bar and friendly staff. The food is limited and they close the patio too early. It would be perfect if they expanded the menu. It always seems uncrowded, which is crazy because it's such a cool place.“

“The boyfriend and I stumbled across this hidden gem by accident -- and, we're so glad that we did.For starters, we were able to grab a seat immediately upon walking in on a Saturday night. Our bartenders were absolutely fantastic -- very fun, engaging, and entertaining. I wanted a cocktail but didn't care for the way it's traditionally made so they got creative for me, and the drink was soooo good. Refreshing, and very light -- even the boyfriend was impressed. He had a couple beers on tap and shared that they were also good. The menu is unique in that there are skewers of all kinds offered. It's not something you see all the time and the variety is pretty cool. We even got to sample one on the house, and it was really good!Here are the options offered as of October 2022:Lamb Skewer $2.85Chicken Skewer $2.85Beef Skewer $2.85Hot Link $2.85Green Chili Skewer $1.95Mushroom Skewer $1.95Eggplant Skewer $1.95In addition to the skewers, the menu also offers small bites to pair with your drink of choice.Corn on the Cob $2.85French Fries $3.95Chili Fries $7.95Garlic Fries $4.95Chili Bowl $495Dumplings $4.95Cucumber w/ garlic $4.95Vegetable Egg Rolls $4.95Onion Rings $4.95Must admit, the prices are more than fair for small bites in downtown San Jose. We had a few drinks before Ubering home. Shout out to this joint for an incredible experience. We'll be back to visit soon!“

“Came here for our anniversary dinner. Excellent mole enchiladas, and my wife had birria tacos. I ordered a variant of an Old Fashioned called the Anticuado, spiced with chile pasilla. Our waiter Aaron was awesome and friendly. Will definitely go back!“

“What an incredible vibe and a staple for the downtown San Jose area. People are always going to have some input, but.. If you know you know. This is always Poppin and the mixologists along with the selection is just top-tier. That's right these aren't just bartenders here. If you are about advanced selections and especially Japanese whiskey level cocktails, don't sleep on this spot.“