Diners' Choice: Lively restaurants in San Jose / Silicon Valley

OpenTable

Updated May 05, 2025

Looking for restaurants that have the most vibrant bar scenes in San Jose / Silicon Valley? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

The Vesper

4.7

4.7 (85)

$30 and under

Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service

Campbell

About the restaurant

The Vesper is an American craft cocktail bar focused on artisan cocktails and delicious food. We are located in Downtown Campbell, just around the corner from the historic Campbell Water Tower.
Multi level dining room, with seating on the patio and inside. Private events for up to 150 people, and small get togethers cool for walk-ins.

Top review

Matsuko

Dined on Apr 16, 2025

They made our anniversary such a special one, so grateful truly!

JOEY Valley Fair

4.7

4.7 (88)

$30 and under

American

Santa Clara

About the restaurant

JOEY Restaurants is an award-winning, globally inspired brand with a collection of elevated yet comfortable restaurants. JOEY Restaurants’ thoughtfully crafted menu features recipes representing cuisine and hospitality standards from across the globe, curated from journeys by the brand’s leadership and culinary teams. From fire-torched sushi and premium cuts of steak to comforting bowls, burgers and handhelds, JOEY Restaurants is committed to blending local culture with innovative and fresh techniques, resulting in delicious harmony of ingredients. Each JOEY Restaurant location is unique, but they all have plenty in common: great food, lively environments, and exceptional dining experiences.

Top review

RonaldVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Great ambiance, amazing food. Evening as much better but just over all an amazing place!

Bazille - Nordstrom Valley Fair

4.6

4.6 (334)

$30 and under

American

San Jose

About the restaurant

Enjoy a delightful dining experience at Nordstrom restaurants, where you can savor chef inspired dishes, using locally sourced and sustainable ingredients. Come and try our signature handcrafted soups, entrees and desserts and pair it with a Nordstrom crafted cocktail, wine or beer. Call (408) 261-5787 to place your order or get delivery via DoorDash or Uber Eats. Offering Brunch until 3pm on Saturdays & Sundays.

Top review

LindaVIP

Dined on May 6, 2025

Good food and a great place to take a break while shopping.

Discover more

Popular dish

White Chocolate Bread Pudding

Experience

Weekend Brunch 11am-3pm

Experience

Happy Hour at the Bazille!

La Más Querida Cantina & Cocina

4.6

4.6 (48)

$30 and under

Mexican

San Jose

About the restaurant

Coming Soon!

Top review

Geneva

Dined on Apr 26, 2025

We enjoyed our visit and the food was excellent I would definitely return

BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse - San Jose

4.5

4.5 (66)

$30 and under

American

San Jose

About the restaurant

Time counts at BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse. Since our humble beginnings back in 1978, we've continued to refine our brewhouse experience to make BJ's a place where you can make the most of any meal. We want BJ's to be a place where the moment you leave is the moment you plan on coming back. We pride ourselves in our craft and attention to detail. Our guests come here for our award-winning handcrafted beer. They come here for the Southern California twist we've put on the Chicago-style deep dish pizza. And they come here for our Pizookies®, our world-renowned dessert. But above all we know people come here to make their good times better. So in many ways we haven't just crafted a brand, but a mindset. And our guests are the reason for this. And it's because of them we're continually striving to make sure every moment they choose to spend with us counts. Welcome to BJ's, a restaurant with a Brewhouse soul.

Top review

VelmaVIP

Dined on May 7, 2025

We really enjoyed our cocktails, meals, shared pizza and pizookies. Always a fun time. And watching the warriors play with the sound on was a bonus

Willow Street Pizza & Taproom - San Jose

4.5

4.5 (282)

$30 and under

American

San Jose

About the restaurant

If no times are available-we have tables set aside for walk-ins.
Call the restaurant for parties larger than 6.

Top review

Kerry

Dined on Apr 30, 2025

Great cocktails and service in the bar before dinner. Server Ben provided good dinner recomendations and a fun experience.

Sushi Confidential - Campbell

4.4

4.4 (97)

$30 and under

Sushi

Campbell

About the restaurant

Randy Musterer, better known to sushi fans by his alias Sushi Randy, is embarking on a venture of foodie proportions. Drawing on American style sushi and Asian fusion influences, Sushi [Confidential] offers a unique dining experience through innovation, education and artistry.

Sushi Randy is bringing modern Japanese cuisine to downtown Campbell CA. He draws upon his training at multiple sushi bars in Northern California, as well as his life experience working in the sport fishing industry off the coast of San Diego.

Sushi [Confidential] design by Dennis Baldwin Interiors evokes the beauty of the Japanese design elements with contemporary ease. The interior will also feature works from local artist Lorraine Lawson and Anthony Trayer to further Sushi [Confidential] sleek feel.

Top review

BarbaraVIP

Dined on Apr 26, 2025

Fun dinner! Great drinks, delicious sushi—our waiter was so cool.

Mezcal

4.4

4.4 (761)

$30 and under

Regional Mexican

San Jose

About the restaurant

Located in Downtown San Jose, Mezcal boasts one of the most distinctive dining rooms in San Jose. The brick exterior, metal work and indigenous Mexican motifs, sets the restaurant apart from its neighbors. Although the design is urban upscale, there is nothing watered down about the menu. Mezcal proudly serves authentic Oaxacan regional cuisine utilizing family recipes passed on from previous generations.

Top review

MichelleVIP

Dined on Apr 19, 2025

Food was excellent. The mole negra was rich and luscious. Take a step outside the box. I highly recommend trying the crickets. High in protein salty and smoky. Jalapeño margaritas had a nice amount of heat. Definitely recommend.

Dr. Funk

4.4

4.4 (172)

$31 to $50

Cocktail Bar

San Jose

About the restaurant

We invite you to Dr. Funk where you, too, can escape.

Dr. Funk's offers a relaxed vibe that transports you into a 19th Samoa tiki venue with signature cocktails that include our Mai Tai and the Dr. Funk. Our Signature dishes include our Dr. Funk Burger and Hawaiian Ribs.

We are located near O'Flaherty's Irish Pub and the Old Spaghetti Factory in the heart of downtown San Jose.

Trader Vic and Donn Beach invented the tiki motif at their California restaurants of the 1930s that would entice generations for nearly a century. Our eclectic décor, too, draws influence from both Trader Vic and Donn Beach.

Both Trader Vic and Donn Beach sought not to create a fantasy world that was hinged on any single location; but rather one that encompassed the concept of escapism by incorporating and embracing elements from the Caribbean, to the South Pacific, China, Singapore and beyond!

In doing so, they created a backdrop that was thrilling, fascinating and alluring—one we wish to pay homage to.

Top review

SamanthaVIP

Dined on Apr 29, 2025

We absolutely love Dr. Funk. The drinks are so good and the vibes are so fun. However, our last several visits we have found the service to be painfully slow. We were seated for about 20 minutes before anyone came to our table. And then it was about 30 minutes between each table visit. This has been the regular pattern regardless of the crowds or if there is an event. They need to figure out the pacing of their service because it is starting to minimize the frequency of our visits and the amount we could be spending while we are there.

Hercules Draft House & Cantina

4.4

4.4 (61)

$30 and under

Mexican

Los Gatos

About the restaurant

STEP INTO THE WORLD OF GOOD TIMES AND GREAT EATS AT HERCULES DRAFT HOUSE & CANTINA, LOCATED IN THE HEART OF LOS GATOS, CALIFORNIA. OUR LIVELY BAR AND RESTAURANT IS THE PERFECT DESTINATION FOR FRIENDS AND SPORTS ENTHUSIASTS ALIKE, OFFERING A FUN ATMOSPHERE, DELICIOUS FOOD, AND THE BEST PLACE TO CATCH ALL THE BIGGEST GAMES ON TV. WHETHER YOU'RE LOOKING FOR A NIGHT OUT WITH FRIENDS, A PLACE TO ENJOY A GREAT MEAL, OR A SPOT TO CHEER ON YOUR FAVORITE TEAM, HERCULES DRAFT HOUSE & CANTINA IS THE PLACE TO BE. SO COME ON IN, GRAB A COLD DRINK, SINK INTO A COMFORTABLE SEAT, AND GET READY FOR A TRULY UNFORGETTABLE EXPERIENCE.

Top review

JohnVIP

Dined on Apr 24, 2025

The street tacos are fantastic. Love Love Loved the wedge salad! Definately coming back soon.

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