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Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Wednesday Wishlist: Seeking Ideas for New Bar/Restaurant

Alright guys, I need your help today! Let's throw out a hypothetical situation and say a new bar is coming to a key corner in Downtown San Jose. Let's also say it will serve some food, but will be more bar than restaurant. What do you think would make it a key attraction Downtown? Here are some ideas to help you get the gears turning:

  • Interactive art (ability to write on the walls, etc.)
  • Video games
  • Live music
  • Unique drinks from all around the world

What would you like to see? Please post your ideas in the comments!
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11 comments:

  1. ericMarch 30, 2011 at 10:58 AM

    although the things you mentioned sounds somewhat interesting, what we need downtown is a bar. a plain old bar with a limited menu. for grown-ups... not mini-skirt skank lined up outside with multiple overly agressive doormen. yuck.

    this is my wishlist. i have lived in REAL cities... and i don't get why we don't have this. it's certainly not rocket science:

    --a good, chill dj
    --low lighting
    --good quality, standard drinks
    --nice interior design & furniture

    i would say that tanq comes closest, but that's in the lobby of a marriott for crying out loud. bleh.

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  2. JonathanMarch 30, 2011 at 11:09 AM

    Eric, check out Single Barrel. No DJ, but it meets the other criteria you listed. I also like Hedley's (still no DJ).

    Here's what I'd like to see:
    1. Big selection of eclectic beers on tap. Yardhouse may be coming to Santana Row, but there's room for more than one place to try new beers.
    2. A stage for live music that promotes local rock/alternative bands. Like what you see in Austin.

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  3. ericMarch 30, 2011 at 11:42 AM

    single barrel is cool, but have you seen the line on a weekend? ridiculous. and hedley's... old folks.

    if we don't have a cool, decent bar or a small collection of em, why would we need interactive art, video games, live music, etc. sure all that could be cool, but let's start with the basics. this line of thinking is why everything seems to fail here. look at billy berks. it does really well, because it's not some crazy hookah joint or trying to "be" something unique.

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  4. AnonymousMarch 30, 2011 at 12:31 PM

    I really don't care for single barrel because of the the whole speakeasy gimmick. It's really cool and all, but it's just another gimmick. As someone who is a member of the Art Deco Society of California it kills me to even say this.

    But I agree, there needs to be a nice bar, a place without a dance floor. Almost like V Bar in Santana Row. Like the place at the Four Points. Hell, a Santana Row is what Downtown needs. Shopping and dining.

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  5. ericMarch 30, 2011 at 3:31 PM

    my thoughts exactly, anonymous. gimmick is the perfect word to describe what we don't need.

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  6. JonathanMarch 30, 2011 at 4:39 PM

    Great drinks and a cool interior easily make up for the unnecessary uniforms at single barrel. I did not notice the crowd being old at Hedley's, but I was there to listen to jazz. I'd like to think I'm not the only one under 30 who listens to jazz... :)

    Not a huge fan of V Bar, but a place like it would add something to Downtown. I wish the drinks were better for what you pay.

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  7. Joshua SantosMarch 30, 2011 at 5:02 PM

    I love Jazz and I'm just over 30 ;)

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  8. AnonymousMarch 30, 2011 at 7:51 PM

    A place that won't dilute/water down my cocktail/drink and still have the nerve to charge me $10 for it!

    It's amazing how so many swanky (or, rather, aspiring) places do that.

    S. Cruz

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  9. AnonymousMarch 31, 2011 at 10:19 AM

    Must be original, in the same flavor as Singlebarrel, but not using that exact theme (obviously). Should include projected art visuals using flat screens, and for the sake of being Silicon Valley, perhaps installing touch screens on selected tables where individuals can order their own drinks and have them brought out without having to take a trip to the bar. Just a thought.

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  10. CourtneyApril 1, 2011 at 9:08 AM

    i'd love to see a dualing piano bar. low lighting, plush interior design, and talented musicians dueling over covers to current songs.

    dueling piano bars are in a lot of other "big" cities and draw in a great crowd. may seem a bit cheesy but it would definitely be better than something like club miami or whatever that place is...

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  11. MandyJune 28, 2011 at 10:36 AM

    Great drinks,great music, great staff & great food - where all there is..

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