San Jose Restaurant Guide - Downtown San Jose, CA Restaurants

Downtown San Jose is no longer the culinary ghost town it once was. With high-rise condos and new development in the works, downtown now has a legit food scene. At the high-end, restaurants like Arcadia, La Pastaia, Paragon, Vung Tau, and 71 St. Peter are star attractions while downtown's wealth of low-priced Mexican and Vietnamese satisfy the discerning diner looking for cheap eats.

Fahrenheit Restaurant

99 East San Fernando Street, Downtown San Jose
1.408.998.9998     Email Fahrenheit Restaurant
World Cuisine. Downtown San Jose has a plethora of fabulous dining options and Fahrenheit is the only downtown restaurant that serves World Cuisine. From Grilled Cabernet Steaks to Garlic Noodle dishes, dinner reservations at Fahrenheit are truly a treat. Their relaxing atmosphere and tasty menu selections make it hard not to become a regular. Fahrenheit is perfect for banquets, meetings and large group events. Make reservations online or email Fahrenheit’s Private Event Coordinator.

Arcadia

100 W San Carlos Street, San Jose CA 95113
1.408.278.4555   Email Arcadia
Steak Restaurant. Executive Chef Michael Mina describes as Arcadia's cuisine as "modern, innovative twists on classic American dishes." Some of these new takes include entrees such as Dry Aged Slow Roasted Prime Rib or Michael's signature entree the 'Lobster Pot Pie.' . Arcadia is located in the San Jose Marriott hotel.

Loft Bar and Bistro

90 S. Second Street, San Jose, California
1.408.291.0677
American Restaurant. With two exquisite granite-topped bars, upstairs and downstairs dining and a beautiful rooftop garden patio the Loft Bar and Bistro is Downtown San Jose's newest hot spot. The menu consists of unique and familiar dishes such as Panko Crusted Chicken Breast, Scampi Prawns and Braised Lamb Shanks. Enjoy free Live Jazz every Thursday night and call ahead to reserve a table.

Cuccini

72 North Almaden Avenue, San Jose CA
1.408.287.1737
Mediterranean Restaurant. Serving familiar favorites and also focusing on unique Mediterranean cuisine, Cuccini in the San Pedro Square is well known for their Falafels and Kabob dishes. With a large garden patio and spacious dining room, Cuccini can accommodate large private dinner parties. Call for reservations and mention SanJose.com.

Smoke Tiki Lounge

152 Post Street, Downtown San Jose, California
1.408.292.4266
Hawaiian Smokehouse. Smoke Tiki has perfected the art of smoking meats. Serving familiar Hawaiian dishes for lunch and dinner, the Smoke Tiki tropical atmosphere is a perfect match for the cuisine. Offering a great catering service to local businesses and residences, this San Jose smoke house can deliver super tasty food to any Silicon Valley location.

Island Grill

1355 North Fourth Street, San Jose, California
1.408.392.2468
Island Cuisine. San Jose's Island Grill is a tropically- themed restaurant that has perfected several island recipes. No need to take a Hawaiian cruise or book a flight to Hawaii, just travel to downtown San Jose for a great island paradise experience. Located North of Japantown, the Island Grill is attached to the Clarion airport hotel.

Spencer's for Steaks and Chops

2050 Gateway Place, San Jose, California
1.408.437.2170
Steak House. For traveling business people, Spencer's in San Jose is a familiar steakhouse located on the ground floor of the DoubleTree near the airport. Conveniently situated near several Santa Clara County cities, this traditional American restaurant offers a touch of creativity to the tempting menu selections. Their USDA Prime Midwestern corn fed & well-marbled beef is aged for a minimum of three weeks to achieve maximum tenderness and flavor. Spencer's Steakhouse offers a wonderful dinner menu and is also a great place for business lunches in San Jose. Call for reservations and mention SanJose.com.

City Bar and Grill

300 Almaden Boulevard, San Jose, California
1.408.947.4444
Classic American. Big-shouldered food in handsome surroundings is the rule. The steaks are big and juicy, the pot pies better than Grandma used to make. Offering an exquisite catering service, the City Bar and Grill can deliver wonderful cuisine to family functions or business events. Located in the heart of the Downtown San Jose Hilton, there is plenty parking in the hotel and the restaurant will validate the parking fee.

La Peñita

601 S. First St., San Jose, CA.
1.408.295.0434.
Mexican. La Peñita restaurant serves not only good Mexican standards such as tacos, burritos and enchiladas, but also a number of first-rate specialties that make it a local favorite. The house specialty at La Peñita is the wonderful soup, caldo de camaron, menudo, pozole, albondigas and the excellent cocido de res.

The Naglee Park Garage

505 East San Carlos Street, Downtown San Jose, California
1.408.286.1100
Neighborhood Bistro. Open lunch and dinner, the Naglee Park Garage serves rotisserie meats, smoked seafood and accents each dish with seasonal vegetables. Their bistro style restaurant also prepares wonderful gourmet sandwiches and side dishes for quick bites. The Garage has a fantastic Sunday brunch that includes baked egg dishes and their signature French toast. Tell them that SanJose.com sent you. Enjoy!

Tied-House Cafe

65 North San Pedro Street, San Jose, CA.
1.408.295.2739
Brewpub. Burgers and California cuisine mix well with housemade beers. The Tied House is especially fun during sports events and happy hour. Large banquet facilities indoors and outside on their patio makes the Tied House in the San Pedro Square perfect for big dinner parties with family or friends. Plenty of parking is available at the San Pedro Square garage.

La Pastaia

233 West Santa Clara Street, San Jose, CA.
1.408.286.8686
Contemporary Italian. La Pastaia restaurant is the place in downtown San Jose for rustic yet sophisticated Italian food. The elegant dining room is situated on the ground floor of the Hotel De Anza. Reservations recommended.

A.P. Stumps

163 W. Santa Clara Street, San Jose CA
1.408.292.9928
Chop House. If Jules Verne had designed a restaurant, this would be it. The setting is gorgeous and the entrees are perfection. Their wine list is superb and one of the best in Downtown San Jose, featuring Californian and imported wines from around the world. Reservations recommended for A.P. Stumps Chop House.

E & O Trading Company

96 South First Street, San Jose, California
1.408.938.4100
Southeast Asian. You don't have to be a trader to dine like one. Entrees come on playful serving dishes and are beautifully spices with multi-cultural flavors, from Bali to Ceylon and back through Malaysia. The unique appetizers and entrees have people revisiting E&O over and over, experiencing new cuisine each time. Call for reservations.

Emile's

545 South Second Street, San Jose CA
1.408.289.1960
Contemporary French. Features white-tablecloth amenities without the stuffiness, and a first-rate menu combining classic, nouvelle and minceur cuisines. Emile's is closed on Sundays and Mondays and reservations are required.

House of Siam

151 South Second Street, San Jose, California
1.408.279.5668
Thai Restaurant. This popular establishment has been serving wonderful Thai treasures fro years in downtown. From fried sweet potatoes to noodle and curry dishes, House of Siam has been creating standards for Thai restaurants in the Bay Area for years. Their distinctive ambiance and tasty food makes this San Jose Thai restaurant memorable and enjoyable to all.

Paragon Restaurant and Bar

211 S. First St., San Jose, CA.
1.408.282.8888
New American. Paragon restaurant is located inside the recently remodeled Hotel Montgomery, giving it an urbane, big city sensibility. With its good looks, reasonable prices and satisfying food, Paragon is a downtown hotspot. Fish, like the pan-seared halibut served atop a jumble of morel mushrooms, leeks and barely cooked English peas, is the restaurant's strong suit.

Scott's Seafood

185 Park Ave., San Jose, CA
1.408.971.1700
Seafood Restaurant. Culture lovers and power brokers alike find impeccable sourdough, a sea of marine treats and other entrees, and a panoramic view. For maximum pleasure, get there at sunset and relax while the stars emerge from the night sky. Call for reservations and mention SanJose.com.

Spiedo Ristorante

151 W. Santa Clara Ave., San Jose, CA
1.408.971.6096
Regional Italian. With its sexy two-story interior, Spiedo brings a sleek presence to the downtown restaurant scene. Its zesty menu highlights rotisserie dishes. Dinner nightly; lunch weekdays. Full bar.

Agenda

399 S. First St., San Jose
1.408.287.3991
New California. Housed in a downtown landmark, Agenda features a fully-appointed restaurant at street level. Entrees include buttery filet mignon perched atop potato puffs, and roasted rosemary chicken expertly paired with a mushroom risotto. Call for reservations and mention this SanJose.com ad to receive $15 off your next meal at the Agenda in Downtown San Jose.

Kubota

593 North Fifth Street, Downtown San Jose, California
1.408.279.8440
Japanese/Sushi Restaurant. Located in the Japantown region of downtown Kubota has a beautiful dining room that serves exquisite rice, luscious ribs and top-notch sushi. Known by the locals as one of San Jose's finest Japanese restaurants, Kubota serves great Bento Box lunches and exquisite entrees for dinner. Call for reservations and don't forget to rub the over-sized polished boulder in the middle of the dining room for good luck.

7 / Seven Restaurant & Lounge

754 The Alameda, Downtown San Jose, CA.
1.408.280.1644
American Classics. 7 / Seven Restaurant & Lounge is Silicon Valley's new hot spot, featuring Contemporary American cuisine and a hip, energetic lounge. The restaurant's magnetic ambiance balances industrial sleek design with warm fabrics and textures for a casual but hip dining experience. While the atmosphere is energetic, the fare is simple and elegant, prepared using classic French techniques.

Gordon Biersch

33 East San Fernando Street, San Jose, California
1.408.294.6785
Brewery Restaurant. Specializing in hand made micro-brews, Gordon Biersch is a local favorite. Serving familiar cuisine like wood-fired pizza and classic meat and pasta dishes, everyone will be pleased with the menu selections. Regularly hosting local bands on their patio stage, G.B. is a wonderful restaurant for live music and scrumptious eats. Call for reservations and mention SanJose.com.

Sonoma Chicken Coop

31 North Market Street, San Pedro Square, San Jose, CA.
1.408.287.4098
Inexpensive Excellence. Ordering at the counter is the order of the day at the Chicken Coop, but if you don't mind carrying your own tray and fighting for a table you'll be rewarded with hearty spit-roasted chicken that requires at least six napkins. Pasta, Wine Country duck and hockey-themed desserts round out the menu. The Sonoma Chicken Coop is perfect for dining in or take-out.

Bella Mia

58 South First Street, Downtown San Jose, California
1.408.280.1993
Italian-American. One of downtown San Jose's most attractive eateries, Bella Mia serves regional dishes with flair. Located between Santa Clara Avenue and San Fernando Street on First Street, there is a convenient parking garage across the street from Bella Mia. Call fro reservations and mention SanJose.com.

McCormick and Schmick's

170 South Market Street, Downtown San Jose, CA
1.408.283.7200
Seafood Restaurant. McCormick and Schmick's has brought an alternating bounty of the sea to downtown San Jose from domestic and global waters. Their menus are printed twice daily, which is a sure sign of freshness and availability. For the oyster lovers, McCormick and Schmick's in San Jose will offer anywhere from 7 - 9 different types of oysters on any given day. Call for reservations and mention SanJose.com.

Chacho's

18 South Almaden Avenue, Downtown San Jose, CA.
1.408.293.1387
Mexican Restaurant. Enjoy delicious Mexican cuisine at Chacho's. Serving traditional Mexican dishes and like chile rellenos and flan, Chacho's is open for lunch and dinner. Flowers, murals and friendly servers provide an equally enjoyable ambiance. Closed on Sundays, reservations are not required.

Hunan Taste

998 North Fourth Street, Downtown San Jose, California
1.408.295.1186
Hunanese Restaurant. Hunan Taste was the first in the South Bay to offer real Hunanese cooking. Joanne Song, the chef and niece of Henry Chung who opened the ever-popular Hunan in San Francisco, created a menu that hums with the spirit of her birthplace, the village of Lile in the Hunan Province.

Hunan Taste

998 North Fourth Street, Downtown San Jose, California
1.408.295.1186
Hunanese Restaurant. Hunan Taste was the first in the South Bay to offer real Hunanese cooking. Joanne Song, the chef and niece of Henry Chung who opened the ever-popular Hunan in San Francisco, created a menu that hums with the spirit of her birthplace, the village of Lile in the Hunan Province.

The Melting Pot

72 South First Street, Downtown San Jose, CA
408.293.6020
Fondue Restaurant. It faded from the scene in the 1970s along with CB radios and Burt Reynolds' popularity, but the hot pots of molten cheese and chocolate are enjoying a revival of sorts. The quality of food at the company's downtown San Jose location is mixed but the sexy atmosphere and fun crowd can make for an enjoyable evening. Reservations are suggested.

White Lotus

80 North Market Street, Downtown San Jose, California
408.977.0540
Vegetarian Restaurant. White Lotus showcases a strictly meatless and eggless menu, offering a wealth of dishes. For Silicon Valley vegans, the White Lotus is a dream come true. Indulge yourself with delicious vegetarian cuisine in Downtown San Jose. Open lunch and dinner, reservations are not required.

Original Joe's

301 South First Street, Downtown San Jose, California
408.292.7030
Classic Italian. Known as a staple for San Jose residences this classy and classic rat-pack-style diner, featuring tuxedo-clad waiters is one of a kind. From the homemade chicken soup to the Veal Scaloppini, Sinatra would be right at home. Open from 11am-1am daily, O.J.'s is perfect for lunch and late night eats.

Paolo's

333 West San Carlos Street, Downtown San Jose, CA
408.294.2558
New Italian. Filled with artistic spins on California-meets-Italy, the kitchen turns out elegant entrees spearheaded by seasonal vegetables. The impeccable service compensates for the modest portions. Call for reservations and mention SanJose.com.

71 Saint Peter

71 North San Pedro Street, Downtown San Jose, California
408.971.8523
French and Italian. Cozy 71 St. Peter restaurant has a worn charm that draws you in right away. Steamed mussels and clams, roasted garlic and bacon vinaigrette, spinach salad with goat cheese and pears, and pan-seared foie gras all make great appetizers. Wild mushroom risotto, dry-spiced grilled lamb sirloin and roasted duck are all great, too.

Vegetarian House

520 East Santa Clara Street, Downtown San Jose, California
408.292.3798
Vegetarian Restaurant. This restaurant-cum-temple provides a slew of spiritual paraphernalia along with a menu offering vegetarian dishes from around the world. Located moments form San Jose's new city hall, the Vegetarian House is a great lunch idea for conscientious business people.

Wing's

131 East Jackson Street, Downtown San Jose, California
408.294.3303 or 408.998.9427
Chinese Delivery. Wing's belongs in an old movie with gumshoes and low-brimmed hats and cigarette smoke drifting in dark alleyways. The food is complemented by an exotic dining room with sequestered seating equipped with hanging beads and doorbells, and other miscellaneous peculiarities of a bygone era. Always a fun place to visit. Open daily.

Habana Cuba

238 Race Street, Downtown San Jose, California
408.998.2822
Cuban and Brazilian. A culinary oasis full of good flavors, Habana Cuba exudes cultural delights. Sensuous foods from the Caribbean and Cuba, long on tomato and peppers, slow-roasted meats and earthy black beans. Located on the out-skirts of downtown, calling ahead for reservations is suggested at Habana Cuba.

Hawg's Seafood Bar

150 South Second Street, Downtown San Jose, California
408.287.9955
Seafood Restaurant. Next door to the San Jose Rep Theatre, Hawg's Seafood Bar offers simple seafood and convenience for theatergoers. Hawg's offer many seafood and pasta combinations. The linguini clams and sautÈed scallops are full of garlic and rich flavors.

Hukilau

230 Jackson Street, Downtown San Jose, California
408.279.4888
Hawaiian Restaurant. Hukilau is a prime example of true Hawaiian: simple, slightly salty, stomach-filling foods with an Asian Pacific attitude. "Local food attitude" means all daily specials come with a scoop of macaroni salad and steamed rice. Skip the quesadilla and nachos and head straight for the Ahi poke. Hukilau features live music on weekends, with tropical drinks to match.

Shalimar

167 West San Fernando Street, Downtown San Jose, CA
408.971.2200
Indian Restaurant. Shalimar opened a few doors down from the San Jose Museum of Art--a good location for drawing in lunchtime diners in search of a generous and tasty buffet. Vegetarian and clay-oven specialties are featured. Call ahead for dinner reservations and mention SanJose.com.

19 Market

19 North Market Street, San Jose, California
1.408.280.6111
Vietnamese Restaurant. Looking for a new dining experience? With fantastic service and an elegant atmosphere 19 Market is becoming one of the greatest Vietnamese restaurants in San Jose. 19 Market has been awarded "Best Vietnamese Restaurant" by both the The Silicon Valley Metro Newspaper and Wave Magazine. Reserve a table online or email for banquet inquiries.