James Bond often drank a martini known as The Vesper. That knowledge alone can help you fit in with the hipster vibe at the Campbell bar named after the cocktail.

A hodgepodge of used chairs and furniture are squeezed into the layout of the ground floor. It’s a bit of a tight fit and they seem to have no problem finding occupants for these seats on a Friday night. Upstairs is an even more eclectic mix of brightly colored crushed velvet and floral patterned sofas. These elements—along with paintings scattered about—made me feel as if I was in Gatsby’s library and his grandmother used it to store her old couches. At the end I left thinking that it’s weird, but it works.

The odd décor creates niches for a diverse range of patrons. From our seat on the top floor, we could watch bartenders mixing up magic in the form of $10 cocktails like the Setting Sun with jalapeno infused El Chorro tequila, pineapple and Angostura bitters. For non-alcoholic drinks, a category ignored by too many bars, Vesper offers two mocktails, colas, ginger beer and housemade sodas. I was impressed with the Josie mocktail ($5), which took just as much attention to make as a cocktail. It had house made orgeat (almond based syrup), pineapple and lime juices, and a basil garnish. The taste was fruity and sour with the orgeat providing a white oily sheen from the almonds.

Expect nothing less than a tasty menu when the restaurateur is Jim Stump, of The Table fame. The deviled eggs ($4) with speck (a type of prosciutto) have a strong but nice mustard flavor in the creamy blended yolk. The three halves make a great appetizer. Served in a petite cast iron cocotte, the escargot ($9) in hot garlic herb butter paired with warm bread is a surprisingly exotic treat for an American bar. The tender mollusk mostly absorbed the flavor of the garlic herb butter and has a bit more bite than an oyster would.

For heartier fare, the summer menu ranged from three fancy grilled cheese sandwiches to a poke bowl. At least they stick to their eclectic theme with an equally assorted menu. Nola style barbecued shrimp ($15) with yellow grits featured three excellently executed and seasoned large prawns. The braised short ribs ($20) with cauliflower puree, pea tendrils and pickled purple cauliflower must have taken hours to cook. There were no bones and each generous portion of meat was fork tender and juicy.

I had misgivings about The Vesper upon entrance, but if the food and drinks all hit the right notes, hipster décor can attract any walk of life.

The Vesper
394 E Campbell Ave, Campbell.
408.680.0401.