Despite the region’s enviable Mediterranean climate and 300-plus days of sunshine a year, only a few local restaurants offer a rooftop alfresco view of Santa Clara Valley.

The Capital Club requires a membership to dine on the 17th floor of the Knight Ridder building. Cielo, an open-air lounge, boasts a panoramic view of Santana Row from the seventh floor of Hotel Valencia. Finally, there’s Scott’s Seafood Grill and Bar, which gave its rooftop patio a swank makeover in time for the warm summer months.

The newly renovated lounge, which sits atop a six-story parking garage overlooking downtown San Jose, opens Thursday night and features a new sound system, lounge couches, late-night food menu and an outdoor bar.

“It gives you a whole new view of the city,” says Scott’s managing partner Marc Buhagiar. “You could see the Tech Museum and all the gorgeous architecture of the buildings around us. It’s a whole new atmosphere.”

Before, the patio was more an extension of the restaurant, with individual dining tables and the same menu.

“By switching it up with the layout, we hope to attract a new demographic,” Buhagiar says.

The late-night menu will include small plates, including filet mignon sliders, Caribbean-style halibut ceviche and lamb chops. The bar will feature an array of craft cocktails. Lounge hours run from 9pm to midnight Thursday through Saturday every week.

“In Vegas and San Diego, rooftop bars are huge,” Buhagiar says. “In San Jose, for some reason, there aren’t many places that offer it, even though the weather is perfect.”

Last year, he says, Scott’s kept the patio open for all but a month.

“Some nights the heaters don’t cut it,” he says. “But the rest of the time, it’s booked. Even in the first week of December.”

Given the restaurant’s proximity to downtown theaters, museums and the SAP Center, Buhagiar hopes to appeal to patrons of shows and sporting events, giving them a place to extend their night out.

“We want downtown San Jose to grow in general,” he says. “This gives people another place to go, another reason to stay.”

Grand opening of Scott’s Seafood rooftop lounge  9pm Thursday, 185 Park Ave., San Jose. Parking validation available. 408.971.1700.