Music & Nightlife - Breweries

Los Gatos Brewing Company is a lively part of the Los Gatos bar scene, drawing crowds for happy hour or for a night on the town with friends. The brewery's roster of seasonal beers - including Pale Ale, British Mild and Sherman Stout - has gained a loyal local following, as has the award-winning wine list. The restaurant's menu of small plates and upscale pub fare quells brew-laden appetites and the pub's elegant atmosphere offers a sophisticated space for revelry.

BJ's Brewhouse, since it opened in 2007, has quickly become a brewery institution in Cupertino known for decent prices and awesome beers. While at first glance this place may seem like a brewpub version of an Applebee's, the quality of food and selection of suds far surpasses anything that most other chain restaurants can offer. The environment has taken on the life of a local bar, with a constant supply of regulars glued to barstools and busy Friday nights filled with the drunk and flirtatious.

Beer lovers unite! Faultline Brewery sports an impressive selection of over 25 ales and lagers, and caters to a variety of palates with a decent offering of cigars and a top-notch wine list. The menu features a creative collection of food that's south of gourmet but still palatable, especially when paired with any of the home-brewed happiness in a pint glass. One of Faultline's highlights is the massive outdoor patio, a killer spot to chill out with a cold one on warm summer nights.

Gordon Biersch is a local institution known for some of the tastiest fresh brewed suds around. Consistently a top rated beer producer, GB's brewpub in downtown San Jose is known for offering excellent German-style microbrews and tasty restaurant fare. This huge restaurant also has one of the finest year-round beer gardens in town, giving locals a huge place to kick back with friends and indulge in good food and good beer on a regular basis.

Kinda makes sense, don't it? One of the most happening bars in suburbia pops up in a shopping center. This fun fact comes to light after spotting that Rock Bottom Brewery tucked back in the Pruneyard overflows with young folks nearly every night. Microbrew lovers keep coming back for the Rock Bottom's five standard and select specialty brews on tap, freshly procured onsite. And the food, oh the food—noshing on hearty helpings of pizza under the stars in the outdoor patio—'tis a Silicon Valley dream.