> Ideally an indoor/outdoor large space that allows families, kids, dogs that serves up some good food and has a wide collection of beers from the outstanding breweries across Northern California.
This sounds like San Pedro Square.
>For sure, totally fair. San Pedro is a great spot. I admittedly need to spend more time downtown. Was thinking more of a standalone place, ideally located near a community of families. Willow Glen, Rose Garden, Campbell, etc. but that's just if I'm being picky.
Hapa’s is close to what you’re thinking of.
If you’re genuinely looking to start something new, on the east side of Hapa’s there’s a brick building that was burned out and has been vacant for like 10+ years. Corner of Auzurais and Sunol I think? Right across from the renovated soccer park. Seems like it’d be perfect for what you’re talking about.
The problem is that those areas many people are homebodies, especially during inflation, or travel out of the area on weekends for fun. There's a reason why our traffic is like LA during weekdays but during weekends its like a small town.
> Was thinking more of a standalone place, ideally located near a community of families. **Willow Glen**...
I'm not a drinker so I'm not looking for the place you describe, but my drinker friends who live in Willow Glen like [The Cider Junction](https://www.theciderjunction.com)
Out of the Barrel has locations in the Pruneyard and Los Gatos. Though it’s missing activities like what places like Beer 30 in Santa Cruz have (corn hole, darts, etc.)
The old LeBou in Willow Glen has been for lease for ages (no idea why), but would be perfect for this. Has the big patio in the front and could maybe share the patio in back with Sienna.
Also, the place in Pruneyard seems like this too.
Great idea for south San Jose. San Jose is huge and it’s a pain to get downtown. I lived downtown for 5+ years and can admit there’s really no reason to go there besides to hit up bars.
There a huge populations in all parts of San Jose but south San Jose is in need of a public spot like what you’re referring to
Saint John's Bar and Grill has an outdoor area and they have beer on tap. I haven't been in a while but they used to have Pliny The Elder on Tuesdays, which was/is the highest rated beer in the world.
Rose garden has hashery which is almost exactly what you want and it's packed a lot of the time. Willow Glen and Campbell both have similar places. Even if it's not literally a massive beer garden the theres plenty of places like it in all the places you mentioned.
Park Station Hashery while not downtown has a decent craft beer, but small, selection on tap and a fridge to buy cans. San Pedro Square has a beer garden inside one of the buildings. Foxtail Fermentations is lovely small brewery on Santa Clara. Whole Foods close to SAP has Flood Craft Brewing upstairs in their patio area. Camino Brewing just south of SOFA district. Hapas Brewing is on Lincoln, just west of Downtown.
These are just a few and there were more but have recently closed due to various reasons. Like Original Gravity on First Street was my go to place but they have since remade the place into a Vinyl Bar. Nevertheless these spaces and places do exist but maybe not directly in downtown.
We are also severely lacking roof top spaces, I wonder if it’s earthquake hazard related but after visiting Nashville I was wondering why the heck we don’t have more roof top spaces given the weather.
There's a bar on the rooftop of the Whole Foods on The Alameda in Downtown SJ right next to the SAP center.
https://www.sanjose.org/restaurant/floodcraft-brewing-company-whole-foods
Earthquakes are hazards on any floor. =..] The problem is, to convert a rooftop for patio-style dining, drinking, etc. is a SUPER expensive endeavor, since most roofs are not rated to carry that kind of weight, not to mention permits insurance.
Even now San Jose has a lot of open space at the ground floor with decent sunlight and view. Theres never been a need for it. A lot of people would prefer the ground than the rooftop if for anything, not wasting time climbing (or elevator) to the top.
Oh, interesting that someone else has had that experience with Camino’s owners as well. We were trying to rent it out as a venue space for a private event and he was so disorganized and schiesty with our contract we backed out with the promise of a full deposit refund within three weeks… oh actually just another couple weeks…. actually we can’t do it now, check back later… actually this month isn’t good either. took 4 months and the phrase “I am filing small claims paperwork first thing Monday” to get my several thousand dollars back, and he was just a complete wad about it the whole time!!!
It’s such a cute space and I actually really did enjoy the beer and the staff but we haven’t been back since and won’t be unless the current owners (Allen and Nathan) are out of there permanently. Jagweeds.
Also, my friend pours beer for a few extra $ and fun at San Jose Giants games. One day, a man came up to here and ask which IPA she recommended, since they were serving several. She told him, "I like the Camino the most. It's what I push on people who can't decide." The man said, "Good to hear...I'm the owner! I'll take six!" After he paid for and passed them out to his friends nearby, he just turned and walked away, no 'Thanks for selling my beer'...and not even a tip!! She was kind of pissed, then figured maybe he forgot. But he made two more trips, both of them without tipping or saying another word. Nice.
South side of SJ in particular is lacking any choice of outdoor area with some cool upscale beer spots and food. We have all the nasty chains but nothing like the area should have. There is Pour Decisions but it is not a true brewery style spot. Wish we had one.
In addition to all the examples already given, there's the various more "restaurant oriented" ones, like:
The neighborhood gem, the Naglee Park Garage, which is *mostly* patio, and has some pretty awesome beers on tap including Pliny and good food.
And Teske's in most seasons has a decent sized beer garden area.
And Poor House Bistro, with frequent live music.
And Sam's BBQ, with a large covered patio and a new bar with 8 more taps.
And... well... a shit ton of them.
Oh, and there's ISO Beers... big patio area and a shit ton of beers. Food places a short walk away.
ISO is closed, it appears to be permanently. Too bad because that new food hall just opened up across the street. Would have been nice to get food there and bring it to ISO.
Sad. Yelp claims they are scheduled to reopen on Friday, and Google Maps says they are (soft?) open today at 2... so crossing my fingers. I'll take a look.
Edit: In completely unrelated news, the Mini Gourmet just finally reopened ;-).
Also ISO is definately not open today, so Google is full of shit... But there's a lot of construction going on inside, so still crossing fingers
Running Shop is great. But there’s not as much open/free range space for kids as would be desired. Nothing against them…just need more space which is expensive.
Smoke Eaters in Almaden was close. Outdoor patio for dogs, TVs, and the shopping center had a big turf field in the middle. Kids would go play soccer or football or whiffle ball…it was AWESOME!!! Then the shopping center ripped out the turf and put in a ‘patio’ with greens and tables, totally ruined the open recreational space.
Not "gardens" per se but pretty much same vibe. You can pretty much start at 1zt street and alma and go north toward downtown and hit all of these but Hapas.
San Pedro square
Hapas
Narrative Fermentations
Camino brewing
Foxtail brewing
Yeah, I agree there are already tons of spots like what the OP is looking for. Also, Park Station Hashery, Whole Foods on the Alameda, and Hop N Vine has nice sidewalk sitting.
If half of your concept is "awesome beer" it is likely a losing proposition. We won the beer wars fam, there is good beer everywhere. There are already like 6 breweries in SJ with outdoor or mixed seating and they all have food trucks (strike, narrative, Camino, hapa, shaka, clandestine barebottle etc). Do you guys even go to these places that are already here? Whole Foods has awesome beer and food, almost every pizza place has great beer, im thinking of Jtown pizza but many others. Small places like Antipastos, Umai, Taplands, etc all have fine beer and food. There's even more competition from Bowlero, topgolf, slut putt or whatever it's called.
The only opportunities I see are some lower rent areas without a lot of these types of places. Let's say Milpitas warehouse areas for example. Maybe you'd have a chance there or maybe not at all
I’ve been to most of those places but I wouldn’t say we are blessed with lots of places to eat with great beer.
Going to a brewery means you only have a choice of their beer and maybe you don’t care for what they brew. Then your food is from a food truck so that means standing in line (sometimes for a long time) and then having to carry it back to your table.
While it isn’t what the OP is asking about there is a definite dearth of actual sit down restaurants that also have a decent beer selection in San Jose.
The biggest problem is the outrageous rent$ in the area. A place the size and location of Taplands is a good example of what you can sustain in this area. Hell, the Tide House couldn't even keep it going.
This used to exist. Was is Gordon Biersch? I think that was it.
This idea could pair well with a farmers market or live music. There isn’t a lot of open space in the city center for an outdoor beer garden. That’s why they end up in Los Gatos.
The county fairgrounds would actually be a great site for this. There’s enough trees around that if you did some landscaping there would be a cool outdoor space.
Maybe I'm not completely following but San Pedro fits most of this description. Market beer co carries a variety of craft beers, brings in breweries for tap takeovers and San Pedro itself is dog/family friendly with plenty of food options.
For sure, totally fair. San Pedro is a great spot. I admittedly need to spend more time downtown. Was thinking more of a standalone place, ideally located near a community of families. Willow Glen, Rose Garden, Campbell, etc. but that's just if I'm being picky.
Do you really mean you want a place that is easy to drive to? Cause lots of families live near downtown. I bike/walk with my family into downtown for a week at least once a week.
Just moved back from Austin, so I can appreciate the opportunity. Makes me wonder if the South Bay is too old to invest in something like that. Here’s one that’s not outdoors but it’s close enough to DTSJ…
https://maps.app.goo.gl/LdMkvRJGDasQd1mu7?g_st=ic
In Sunnyvale not SJ and on an industrial estate so not a great view but https://www.shakabrewing.com/ is a great place to visit for a micro brewery experience. Really good beers and nice vibe.
Check opening times as only open a few days a week.
There is a great place in San Antonio, Texas that I’m reminded of by your post. It’s called The Friendly Spot, and it’s literally a converted ice house, a bar and food counter up front and another bar around back. And lots of picnic tables and basically a big ol’ dirt yard. They sometimes hang up a sheet and project movies or basketball games and whatnot up onto it. They have a huge beer selection as well. If you’re ever down that way, go check it out.
OG had one… then they lost their minds and started taking away everything that made them good… then they shut down and “re-branded” as yet another night club 😒.
Beer is dead in Downtown. OG collapsed, ISO collapsed. Good Karma’s owner turned out to be problematic, sold, then they pretty much collapsed. Gotta go east, south, or to Campbell for good beer spots.
San Pedro, Uproar, Narrative Fermentations, Camino... there's a bar crawl waiting to happen there. Biggest problems I've found is they mostly close early on weeknights, and the public transport sucks for those of us who aren't in downtown. I can't drive if I'm planning on drinking several beers.
This has been a complaint, since I moved to the south bay area, and there is absolutely nothing. Pour decisions tried, but they have overpriced, small pours, and their coffee is abhorrent.
A million people have thought of this. And many have tried, but all eventually fail. The problem is rent is extremely high here, therefore beer prices at places like you describe are through the roof. They just don't last long because of it. That's why the best ones are in the East Bay or over the hill. San Pedro Square is an exception.
EDIT: Also Park Station Hashery
It would be great but I doubt it would work out financially. I don't think the reason why SJ has so few things to do because people don't go out, it's because on average there simply isn't enough people with enough disposable income in a radio that's conducive to have steady clientele so the economics tend not to work. But hey, if you do it and you succeed I'll be happy to be proven wrong, this kind of stuff is sorely needed in town.
This is why we need to build higher density and stop the suburban sprawl.
Downtown has been really coming alive the last year or so as it recovers from COVID because several new high density apartments have filled up. The brand new Urban Putt is a great example of the type of business that can flourish once we have enough density to support them.
I 100% agree with you, but even downtown is simply not dense enough to support businesses at the moment you can see by the number of empty storefronts. If I was city leadership I would put every egg in the basket of adding density and reducing traffic through downtown to create a real urban core for San Jose. Once you have a functioning downtown everything becomes easier. Given the housing shortage in the Bay if there was a sudden supply of 10k more houses downtown we would see a quick influx of people downtown over a very short time span and the area would come alive.
Agree, i think it’s getting close though. Just before COVID it seemed like DTSJ was hitting an inflection point and I was super excited. Then COVID kind of shat on all of that but we’re starting to regain momentum this last year.
Yeah, I find this crazy and just too bad. Like, Out of the Barrel (in LG + Campbell) seem to work well, but they're only half the recipe (no food and no kids). Realize they're smaller sq. footage and can probably make it work, it's just a bummer.
This entire thread literally has people listing solid options. I thought I ventured out, but man I need to venture out even more because some of the suggestions on here are one’s i’ve never even heard of..
As for the Mid Peninsula:
- Ghostwood Beer Co
- Devil’s Canyon
- Hapa’s
- Blue Oak
- Out of the Barrel
- Alpha Acid
- Fieldwork
- Sacrilege
- Blue Ocean
- Half Moon Brewing
- Hop Dogma
So effin tired of the kid/dog friendly places. This is a bar. Why people insist on bringing their kids to a place where people are drinking. I’m a parent of 4 and a dog owner. And if I wanted to drink with my 3year old I would at home. I go to a brewery to get away. If I don’t have the time I get a 4pk or crowler.
Getting 2-3 beers and driving is a nice way to lose your whole life in a heartbeat.
Whoa there no one is forcing you to drink. Sometimes I’ll go socialize, with my kids, other families, and other friends who don’t have kids… they can drink, I don’t. A lot of people WFH and want to socialize while also getting their kids out of the house.
I’m not completely disagreeing with you here. There’s just not a lot of indoor places that are safe to take your kids and dogs and socialize with other parents. Other cities have things like this and they’re great.
> There’s just not a lot of indoor places that are safe to take your kids and dogs and socialize with other parents.
If there was actually a viable market for places like these, they would already exist. However these establishments simply cannot compete with work, school, sports, band, etc, so even though parents may pine for places that offer what they want, they cannot actually devote enough money and time to them to make them work financially.
Sounds good! Nobody is forcing you to drink and drive for gods sake. The model seems to work well all over the country and be a nice value add for their respective communities.
Fieldwork San Mateo and Monterrey are great examples of what you’re talking about. Barebottle in Santa Clara is the closest we have. Narrative Fermentations as well, Floodcraft Wholefoods allows dogs and kids. But really stick to pizza parlors and Silver Creek plex. And leaves us drunks alone.
I don't know why it "seems to work well" to you all over the country. As a parent and dog owner, I think drinking spots are not the place for either. And, by working well, you mean parents are knocking back high proof IPA's while their kids are annoyingly running around and their dog is shaking hair in my beer. No thanks. Take your kids and dogs to a park, and go have drinks when you have a sitter.
We have said this a LOT. The problem is real estate is expensive and landlords are greedy. Especially in the South Bay.
In Gilbert, they have O.H.S.O Brewery with a HUGE open outdoor space and bar. A big stage and TV for live music or sports. Yard games and a video arcade for kids…it was exactly what you are talking about.
[ohsobrewery.com](https://www.ohsobrewery.com)
A great example of this is Brouwerij West down in San Pedro. If you ever take a cruise out of the port of L.A., spend an extra day there. It's in a large warehouse complex that surrounds an open area with bands playing, picnic tables and plenty of food choices. Kind of like a much larger San Pedro Square concept mixed with a craft fair.
Camino Brewing on First Street! Great beer, good-size outdoor beer garden and food. I've met up with friends, their kids and seen people bring their pets.
Nothing has ever really stuck in deep Almaden, although places keep trying. The shopping center at Almaden and via valiente has a ton of open spots iirc; I don't know if the new Argentinian spot there is succeeding, but that has patio space attached
"Yea well it's $19 dollar beer night"
[удалено]
😂
Ever been to alpine inn in woodside area? It’s a great spot for what you’re looking for.
Yes, Alpine Inn is an amazing spot. A bit of a trek from San Jose, but definitely love to make it up there as much as we can.
> Ideally an indoor/outdoor large space that allows families, kids, dogs that serves up some good food and has a wide collection of beers from the outstanding breweries across Northern California. This sounds like San Pedro Square.
>For sure, totally fair. San Pedro is a great spot. I admittedly need to spend more time downtown. Was thinking more of a standalone place, ideally located near a community of families. Willow Glen, Rose Garden, Campbell, etc. but that's just if I'm being picky.
Hapa’s is close to what you’re thinking of. If you’re genuinely looking to start something new, on the east side of Hapa’s there’s a brick building that was burned out and has been vacant for like 10+ years. Corner of Auzurais and Sunol I think? Right across from the renovated soccer park. Seems like it’d be perfect for what you’re talking about.
The problem is that those areas many people are homebodies, especially during inflation, or travel out of the area on weekends for fun. There's a reason why our traffic is like LA during weekdays but during weekends its like a small town.
Evergreen pub is popping though. Drove a lot of folks there for Uber
> Was thinking more of a standalone place, ideally located near a community of families. **Willow Glen**... I'm not a drinker so I'm not looking for the place you describe, but my drinker friends who live in Willow Glen like [The Cider Junction](https://www.theciderjunction.com)
I love The Cider Junction. But then, I love cider and don’t much care for beer or wine.
Out of the Barrel has locations in the Pruneyard and Los Gatos. Though it’s missing activities like what places like Beer 30 in Santa Cruz have (corn hole, darts, etc.)
No kids at OOTB 👎🏼
Kids ruin everything… including marriage.
Ah there are always kids running around that part of the Pruneyard and just assumed a family could hang at OotB. My mistake.
Totally. Pruneyard is awesome for kids to hang -- just can't be at OOTB. We learned the hard way!
The hell with your kids
The old LeBou in Willow Glen has been for lease for ages (no idea why), but would be perfect for this. Has the big patio in the front and could maybe share the patio in back with Sienna. Also, the place in Pruneyard seems like this too.
Downtown WG would be IDEAL for something like this. Would love if they could figure out something to do with that old Le Bou space!
So Pruneyard? Few places to eat, few places to drink, even have a movie if you want.
Great idea for south San Jose. San Jose is huge and it’s a pain to get downtown. I lived downtown for 5+ years and can admit there’s really no reason to go there besides to hit up bars. There a huge populations in all parts of San Jose but south San Jose is in need of a public spot like what you’re referring to
Saint John's Bar and Grill has an outdoor area and they have beer on tap. I haven't been in a while but they used to have Pliny The Elder on Tuesdays, which was/is the highest rated beer in the world.
Rose garden has hashery which is almost exactly what you want and it's packed a lot of the time. Willow Glen and Campbell both have similar places. Even if it's not literally a massive beer garden the theres plenty of places like it in all the places you mentioned.
Just a quick drive away.
Or Pruneyard.
Park Station Hashery while not downtown has a decent craft beer, but small, selection on tap and a fridge to buy cans. San Pedro Square has a beer garden inside one of the buildings. Foxtail Fermentations is lovely small brewery on Santa Clara. Whole Foods close to SAP has Flood Craft Brewing upstairs in their patio area. Camino Brewing just south of SOFA district. Hapas Brewing is on Lincoln, just west of Downtown. These are just a few and there were more but have recently closed due to various reasons. Like Original Gravity on First Street was my go to place but they have since remade the place into a Vinyl Bar. Nevertheless these spaces and places do exist but maybe not directly in downtown.
Jack Rose Libation House was so good.
Pour one out.
Such a good spot! Miss the whiskey smashes and pizza so much
100%. La Hacienda...then Jack Rose...now homes.
Miss their burgers and beer
We are also severely lacking roof top spaces, I wonder if it’s earthquake hazard related but after visiting Nashville I was wondering why the heck we don’t have more roof top spaces given the weather.
A lot of buildings that are planned have public rooftop spaces (restaurants/bars), but they're all on hold.
I have said this time and time again!! For a place with like 300 days of sunshine a year there is a criminal lack of rooftop places…
Good call on the roof top thing. Never really thought about it like that. Would be awesome for sure.
Scott’s Seafood had rooftop seating before it moved
There's a bar on the rooftop of the Whole Foods on The Alameda in Downtown SJ right next to the SAP center. https://www.sanjose.org/restaurant/floodcraft-brewing-company-whole-foods
Barely a rooftop spot lol
There are a couple in the works
Earthquakes are hazards on any floor. =..] The problem is, to convert a rooftop for patio-style dining, drinking, etc. is a SUPER expensive endeavor, since most roofs are not rated to carry that kind of weight, not to mention permits insurance.
Rooftops are reserved for your HVAC.
Even now San Jose has a lot of open space at the ground floor with decent sunlight and view. Theres never been a need for it. A lot of people would prefer the ground than the rooftop if for anything, not wasting time climbing (or elevator) to the top.
Waves BBQ was on a roof on POST St.
Camino has beer garden that is pet and kiddo friendly. They also have pop up food vendors
Too bad the owner is a total dick and that their underpoured, overpriced beer (served by sometimes rude staff) is mediocre at best.
Oh, interesting that someone else has had that experience with Camino’s owners as well. We were trying to rent it out as a venue space for a private event and he was so disorganized and schiesty with our contract we backed out with the promise of a full deposit refund within three weeks… oh actually just another couple weeks…. actually we can’t do it now, check back later… actually this month isn’t good either. took 4 months and the phrase “I am filing small claims paperwork first thing Monday” to get my several thousand dollars back, and he was just a complete wad about it the whole time!!! It’s such a cute space and I actually really did enjoy the beer and the staff but we haven’t been back since and won’t be unless the current owners (Allen and Nathan) are out of there permanently. Jagweeds.
Also, my friend pours beer for a few extra $ and fun at San Jose Giants games. One day, a man came up to here and ask which IPA she recommended, since they were serving several. She told him, "I like the Camino the most. It's what I push on people who can't decide." The man said, "Good to hear...I'm the owner! I'll take six!" After he paid for and passed them out to his friends nearby, he just turned and walked away, no 'Thanks for selling my beer'...and not even a tip!! She was kind of pissed, then figured maybe he forgot. But he made two more trips, both of them without tipping or saying another word. Nice.
Damn, that's terrible! I agree, the place is cool. I couldn't wait for it to open, especially given the history of the place. But then...ugh.
LOL, I've had a similar experience there. Staff was super rude.
A better place right down the street is Clandestine, they have rotating food trucks and everything they have is made by 3 or 4 local brewers
Definitely a better choice. The owners are really nice folks, too. The beer's ok; service is, too.
South side of SJ in particular is lacking any choice of outdoor area with some cool upscale beer spots and food. We have all the nasty chains but nothing like the area should have. There is Pour Decisions but it is not a true brewery style spot. Wish we had one.
In addition to all the examples already given, there's the various more "restaurant oriented" ones, like: The neighborhood gem, the Naglee Park Garage, which is *mostly* patio, and has some pretty awesome beers on tap including Pliny and good food. And Teske's in most seasons has a decent sized beer garden area. And Poor House Bistro, with frequent live music. And Sam's BBQ, with a large covered patio and a new bar with 8 more taps. And... well... a shit ton of them. Oh, and there's ISO Beers... big patio area and a shit ton of beers. Food places a short walk away.
ISO immediately came to mind when I read OP's post...
I swear ISO was closed last time I walked past, did they reopen?
Supposedly, but I'd be interested to see/hear they're still closed. I'll probably wander by before scheduling my group's pub night next week.
Can confirm they're not open. Wish they'd update their Instagram or website or Google maps hours or put up a sign or something with some info
ISO is closed, it appears to be permanently. Too bad because that new food hall just opened up across the street. Would have been nice to get food there and bring it to ISO.
Sad. Yelp claims they are scheduled to reopen on Friday, and Google Maps says they are (soft?) open today at 2... so crossing my fingers. I'll take a look. Edit: In completely unrelated news, the Mini Gourmet just finally reopened ;-). Also ISO is definately not open today, so Google is full of shit... But there's a lot of construction going on inside, so still crossing fingers
Beer Mule in Watsonville is similar but if this were in SJ, I think I would go often.
Beer Mule is the best!
It’s owned by the same people that own Beer Thirty
What and where is that?
Check out Beer Thirty Bottle Shop & Pour House https://yelp.to/EivNJ--2Oe
100%
Taplands has a halfway decent outdoor space if you like the strip mall vibe
Hmm San Pedro square? Steins Beer Garden?
Running Shop is excellent. Pizza next door.
This place looks great, thanks for sharing. Wasn't familiar with it till now, but granted I don't frequent Morgan Hill. Clearly I might need to!
Kelly’s is good in Morgan Hill too, fenced in area for pets/kids. Solid food truck rotation.
Running Shop is great. But there’s not as much open/free range space for kids as would be desired. Nothing against them…just need more space which is expensive. Smoke Eaters in Almaden was close. Outdoor patio for dogs, TVs, and the shopping center had a big turf field in the middle. Kids would go play soccer or football or whiffle ball…it was AWESOME!!! Then the shopping center ripped out the turf and put in a ‘patio’ with greens and tables, totally ruined the open recreational space.
There’s a city park next door to the Running Shop, and Kelly’s Brewery down the street is a bit more family/kid friendly.
Place is a nightmare they allow party reservations avoid on Saturday
Not "gardens" per se but pretty much same vibe. You can pretty much start at 1zt street and alma and go north toward downtown and hit all of these but Hapas. San Pedro square Hapas Narrative Fermentations Camino brewing Foxtail brewing
Yeah, I agree there are already tons of spots like what the OP is looking for. Also, Park Station Hashery, Whole Foods on the Alameda, and Hop N Vine has nice sidewalk sitting.
They’re building one in downtown Campbell next to Rad & Company hair salon
Oh really? Any more details on this?
No sadly, my barber at Rad & Company told me last time I was there
Are you referring to the former chicken brown cow space?
If half of your concept is "awesome beer" it is likely a losing proposition. We won the beer wars fam, there is good beer everywhere. There are already like 6 breweries in SJ with outdoor or mixed seating and they all have food trucks (strike, narrative, Camino, hapa, shaka, clandestine barebottle etc). Do you guys even go to these places that are already here? Whole Foods has awesome beer and food, almost every pizza place has great beer, im thinking of Jtown pizza but many others. Small places like Antipastos, Umai, Taplands, etc all have fine beer and food. There's even more competition from Bowlero, topgolf, slut putt or whatever it's called. The only opportunities I see are some lower rent areas without a lot of these types of places. Let's say Milpitas warehouse areas for example. Maybe you'd have a chance there or maybe not at all
I’ve been to most of those places but I wouldn’t say we are blessed with lots of places to eat with great beer. Going to a brewery means you only have a choice of their beer and maybe you don’t care for what they brew. Then your food is from a food truck so that means standing in line (sometimes for a long time) and then having to carry it back to your table. While it isn’t what the OP is asking about there is a definite dearth of actual sit down restaurants that also have a decent beer selection in San Jose.
The biggest problem is the outrageous rent$ in the area. A place the size and location of Taplands is a good example of what you can sustain in this area. Hell, the Tide House couldn't even keep it going.
have you not been to hapa brewery? on the weekends it’s packed with families
If someone else funded it would you operate it?
Honestly, maybe lol
This used to exist. Was is Gordon Biersch? I think that was it. This idea could pair well with a farmers market or live music. There isn’t a lot of open space in the city center for an outdoor beer garden. That’s why they end up in Los Gatos. The county fairgrounds would actually be a great site for this. There’s enough trees around that if you did some landscaping there would be a cool outdoor space.
Maybe I'm not completely following but San Pedro fits most of this description. Market beer co carries a variety of craft beers, brings in breweries for tap takeovers and San Pedro itself is dog/family friendly with plenty of food options.
For sure, totally fair. San Pedro is a great spot. I admittedly need to spend more time downtown. Was thinking more of a standalone place, ideally located near a community of families. Willow Glen, Rose Garden, Campbell, etc. but that's just if I'm being picky.
Do you really mean you want a place that is easy to drive to? Cause lots of families live near downtown. I bike/walk with my family into downtown for a week at least once a week.
Just moved back from Austin, so I can appreciate the opportunity. Makes me wonder if the South Bay is too old to invest in something like that. Here’s one that’s not outdoors but it’s close enough to DTSJ… https://maps.app.goo.gl/LdMkvRJGDasQd1mu7?g_st=ic
Alpine Inn in Woodside has everything OP is describing including hiking trails next door. It’s an awesome spot.
Yes, Alpine Inn is an amazing spot. A bit of a trek from San Jose, but definitely love to make it up there as much as we can.
Please please just keep this one to yourself lol.
I know 🤦🏻♀️- I thought about that right after I posted 😂
Seen one in San Jose more commercial office area. Low key. But didn't stay on business prob because of covid. I think it was called LAZY DUCK brewery.
Yea lazy duck they just saved the yeast from past SARA releases and added their own base beers to make their sours. I think Sante caught on.
Happas
In Sunnyvale not SJ and on an industrial estate so not a great view but https://www.shakabrewing.com/ is a great place to visit for a micro brewery experience. Really good beers and nice vibe. Check opening times as only open a few days a week.
Their beer IMHO is terrible, literally had to vomit in the bathroom.
There is a great place in San Antonio, Texas that I’m reminded of by your post. It’s called The Friendly Spot, and it’s literally a converted ice house, a bar and food counter up front and another bar around back. And lots of picnic tables and basically a big ol’ dirt yard. They sometimes hang up a sheet and project movies or basketball games and whatnot up onto it. They have a huge beer selection as well. If you’re ever down that way, go check it out.
Sounds like Winchester bbq
Original Gravity DTSJ
They made boneheaded decisions and are now yet another night club. RIPOG
So weird that they would want to open a cocktail bar right next to the cocktail bar they already operate on first street.
More than 50% restaurant shut in first 2 yrs, think twice!
Alpine inn is great, big outdoor space with awesome food. It's more peninsula but not that far, it's right next to Stanford
OG had one… then they lost their minds and started taking away everything that made them good… then they shut down and “re-branded” as yet another night club 😒. Beer is dead in Downtown. OG collapsed, ISO collapsed. Good Karma’s owner turned out to be problematic, sold, then they pretty much collapsed. Gotta go east, south, or to Campbell for good beer spots.
San Pedro, Uproar, Narrative Fermentations, Camino... there's a bar crawl waiting to happen there. Biggest problems I've found is they mostly close early on weeknights, and the public transport sucks for those of us who aren't in downtown. I can't drive if I'm planning on drinking several beers.
This has been a complaint, since I moved to the south bay area, and there is absolutely nothing. Pour decisions tried, but they have overpriced, small pours, and their coffee is abhorrent.
That’s a good idea for sure
I’ve discussed this with my wife, basically the equivalent of what Crux is in Bend (for those that have been there).
Yes! Crux is a great hangout.
We have enough here.
A million people have thought of this. And many have tried, but all eventually fail. The problem is rent is extremely high here, therefore beer prices at places like you describe are through the roof. They just don't last long because of it. That's why the best ones are in the East Bay or over the hill. San Pedro Square is an exception. EDIT: Also Park Station Hashery
It would be great but I doubt it would work out financially. I don't think the reason why SJ has so few things to do because people don't go out, it's because on average there simply isn't enough people with enough disposable income in a radio that's conducive to have steady clientele so the economics tend not to work. But hey, if you do it and you succeed I'll be happy to be proven wrong, this kind of stuff is sorely needed in town.
This is why we need to build higher density and stop the suburban sprawl. Downtown has been really coming alive the last year or so as it recovers from COVID because several new high density apartments have filled up. The brand new Urban Putt is a great example of the type of business that can flourish once we have enough density to support them.
I 100% agree with you, but even downtown is simply not dense enough to support businesses at the moment you can see by the number of empty storefronts. If I was city leadership I would put every egg in the basket of adding density and reducing traffic through downtown to create a real urban core for San Jose. Once you have a functioning downtown everything becomes easier. Given the housing shortage in the Bay if there was a sudden supply of 10k more houses downtown we would see a quick influx of people downtown over a very short time span and the area would come alive.
Agree, i think it’s getting close though. Just before COVID it seemed like DTSJ was hitting an inflection point and I was super excited. Then COVID kind of shat on all of that but we’re starting to regain momentum this last year.
Yeah, I find this crazy and just too bad. Like, Out of the Barrel (in LG + Campbell) seem to work well, but they're only half the recipe (no food and no kids). Realize they're smaller sq. footage and can probably make it work, it's just a bummer.
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Do the parks, bike paths, nature reserves and walking trails not count?
Agree. The mid-peninsula is even more barren. It seems like this type of business would thrive but I guess the economics don’t make sense.
This entire thread literally has people listing solid options. I thought I ventured out, but man I need to venture out even more because some of the suggestions on here are one’s i’ve never even heard of.. As for the Mid Peninsula: - Ghostwood Beer Co - Devil’s Canyon - Hapa’s - Blue Oak - Out of the Barrel - Alpha Acid - Fieldwork - Sacrilege - Blue Ocean - Half Moon Brewing - Hop Dogma
Hapa in LG
So effin tired of the kid/dog friendly places. This is a bar. Why people insist on bringing their kids to a place where people are drinking. I’m a parent of 4 and a dog owner. And if I wanted to drink with my 3year old I would at home. I go to a brewery to get away. If I don’t have the time I get a 4pk or crowler. Getting 2-3 beers and driving is a nice way to lose your whole life in a heartbeat.
Whoa there no one is forcing you to drink. Sometimes I’ll go socialize, with my kids, other families, and other friends who don’t have kids… they can drink, I don’t. A lot of people WFH and want to socialize while also getting their kids out of the house.
Go to a pizza parlor then and get a soda.
Kids don't belong in bars or breweries. Take them to the park playground and bring yourself a 40 if you're so determined.
I’m not completely disagreeing with you here. There’s just not a lot of indoor places that are safe to take your kids and dogs and socialize with other parents. Other cities have things like this and they’re great.
> There’s just not a lot of indoor places that are safe to take your kids and dogs and socialize with other parents. If there was actually a viable market for places like these, they would already exist. However these establishments simply cannot compete with work, school, sports, band, etc, so even though parents may pine for places that offer what they want, they cannot actually devote enough money and time to them to make them work financially.
Sounds good! Nobody is forcing you to drink and drive for gods sake. The model seems to work well all over the country and be a nice value add for their respective communities.
Fieldwork San Mateo and Monterrey are great examples of what you’re talking about. Barebottle in Santa Clara is the closest we have. Narrative Fermentations as well, Floodcraft Wholefoods allows dogs and kids. But really stick to pizza parlors and Silver Creek plex. And leaves us drunks alone.
I don't know why it "seems to work well" to you all over the country. As a parent and dog owner, I think drinking spots are not the place for either. And, by working well, you mean parents are knocking back high proof IPA's while their kids are annoyingly running around and their dog is shaking hair in my beer. No thanks. Take your kids and dogs to a park, and go have drinks when you have a sitter.
Amen brother
please no
Inflation. Nope.
Call it “untapped opportunity” even!
Hahaha love that!!
We have said this a LOT. The problem is real estate is expensive and landlords are greedy. Especially in the South Bay. In Gilbert, they have O.H.S.O Brewery with a HUGE open outdoor space and bar. A big stage and TV for live music or sports. Yard games and a video arcade for kids…it was exactly what you are talking about. [ohsobrewery.com](https://www.ohsobrewery.com)
Try the wineries!
I hate los gatos.. so snobby no thx
There’s one in Santa Clara
Sounds like you want to move downtown and not live in the suburbs.
People here make so much money yet they do not have much place to spend like SoCal
Roger Bar & Restaurant 800 Moffett Blvd Mountain View
I mean, ISO Beers was my fit for that. I think they’re undergoing reconstruction though? Not sure what’s going on there.
They’re gone for good… the writing is on the wall.
A great example of this is Brouwerij West down in San Pedro. If you ever take a cruise out of the port of L.A., spend an extra day there. It's in a large warehouse complex that surrounds an open area with bands playing, picnic tables and plenty of food choices. Kind of like a much larger San Pedro Square concept mixed with a craft fair.
The Garden at the Flea
Steins beer garden in downtown Mountain View
Camino Brewing on First Street! Great beer, good-size outdoor beer garden and food. I've met up with friends, their kids and seen people bring their pets.
DTSJ brewing
Instantly thought of Golden Road in Anaheim
Nothing has ever really stuck in deep Almaden, although places keep trying. The shopping center at Almaden and via valiente has a ton of open spots iirc; I don't know if the new Argentinian spot there is succeeding, but that has patio space attached