Saturday night out was a blast! Huge shoutout to bartender Q for making the atmosphere so much fun. Super entertaining, personable, and provided excellent customer service all night long. Q truly elevated the experience and made the evening memorable. We will definitely be back, if you stop by, be sure to ask for bartender Q! read more

55 South - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

came w coworkers on a Friday evening, parking was a bit annoying as per usual for downtown inside vibe was kinda nice tho didn't get pictures of half the stuff nor do I remember the names of whatwe got but it was all pretty good milk punch (the fruity one?) - 9/10 coworkers said it looked like ice cream which was funny - was good tho there was some refreshers looking fruity drink that just tasted like juice and some orange juice drink that also tasted juicy but was def on the sour side one of the drinks had hojicha & I actually really liked the tea taste old fashioned was standard chips thing was good, maybe too little chips for the amount of dip tho pork belly bao had a very slight kick of spice but actually turnt out liking it more than I thought I would read more

55 South - milk punch - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

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This place should be a bar, nothing else. The first red flag was we were the only 3 people in the establishment for dinner while other surrounding restaurants were busy. Despite that, we sat down and a waiter came by to take our order with a trainee. We gave him our drink order and needed a minute before ordering food. While looking over the menu, the training waiter is explaining the "do's and don'ts" of the restaurant to trainee right next to our table which was distracting to us and clearly uncomfortable for the trainee. Once decided we order and then the trainer was explaining to the trainee how it's their policy to receive payment after ordering (keep in mind we haven't received food or drinks yet and the starting gratuity was 20%). We pay and give looks to each other after the cards are charged because at this point we are wondering what is going on here?!?!?! The drinks come out 10/10...then the food. I have seen prosciutto look different in Spain and other establishments BUT NEVER have I seen tan/khaki tipped prosciutto. Then once I decline my order (we ordered 2 charcuterie boards and they brought out 1 at a time) the waiter said "we can't reverse the payment so we can give you something else of that value." I looked at the menu and didn't see anything else that looked appealing. When looking at the reaction from my friends, they suggested we leave because the food was either reaching the expiration date or surpassed it. Pros: if you're ever in San Jose the drinks (we only had one each but the ones we had were great) and whiskey selection is grand. Cons: food, the service, and payment policy. I expect to pay fast food establishments before receiving the meal, but never have I been charged (including starting gratuity at 20%) before receiving the meal. read more

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Bar hopping one night and stumbled upon this place. Cool little spot, very nostalgic with the cartoon themed drinks. Not sure if the drinks rotate but maybe it does. This place like all other bar in San Jose gets really packed in the weekends. If you want to have a more chill night I would suggest going on a weekday night. Overall great experience and drinks were tasty and fun. read more

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We had our double date last night here. It became pretty busy on a Sunday night. Lol We got there about 7:00pm, and we snag the last booth that was open. The place was decked out in Christmas decor galore! My man and I got the Pineapple Upside Down drink, Sippin Santa & Cheesy Olive Bread. The festive mugs are very adorable! The drinks were strong, but tasty! And OMFG.... I love the Cheesy Olive Bread!!! It's super yummy with the soft and crunchy bread with scrumptious cream cheese! Mmmmm... Then for round 2 we got the Secret Santa & Merry Mai Tai. Again very cute cups! Mermaid Santa?!?!?! We also got the charcuterie board, which was pretty good. I enjoyed our time there. It's so festive, and they played Christmas music. Our server was friendly and pretty attentive. The bathroom was pretty clean. I would definitely return again to this spot. :) read more

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Came in during the Halloween season to experience the holiday vibe and drinks. The place was decorated like the series, Stranger Things. They really went all out and added lots of touches from the series. Welcomed to Stranger Drinks in the upside down. It was a slow night so service was great. read more

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This is one of my go to places whenever I'm downtown. They change up the menu frequently and always new dishes to try. We came early on a Tuesday evening and it wasn't packed at all. We thought it didn't open yet...it was nice since we could really catch up and hand out. The service was great. Staff was attentive and checked on us frequently. Food: cauliflower dish was so good. Flavorful and cauliflowers cooked with tenderly but not mushy. They had some sauce on sides of dish that has a good kick. The black latte drink wasn't my favorite but the others ones were strong and tasty. read more

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This is such a fun bar and a must for the holidays!!! It's decorated so amazingly, I love all the lights! There is wait service when you sit at a booth and you can order food/ drinks. The Christmas drinks are so so good, some of my favorite out of all the Christmas bars in the area. The Jjnglebird was really yummy. I def wanna be back before the holiday season ends! read more

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Updating my review to 5 stars because Chastin provided awesome service and I realized they have more than just two bathrooms. Also really enjoyed frosting bite with vodka! The decor is still on point for Christmas too! read more

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I haven't been to 55 S. in such a long time, I wanna say it was before the pandemic! Lol particular Saturday night I was rather surprised to see Post Street shut down permanently, and there were a bunch of outside vendors. It looked really well lit and very Friendly to walk down. As we got into 55 south, they were mixing with the live DJ and some people are dancing and hanging out in boots. We went up to the bar and ordered our drinks. I got a lemon drop and my friend asked the bartender to make something with tequila and he made this beautiful concoction with a macaroon on top!! She said it was delicious, but had no idea what it was! Lol Our drinks were good! People were interesting, and the music was live. I will definitely come back again!! read more

55 South - Lemon drop and some special cocktail the bartender made topped with a macaroon ! N - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

Cozy spot with low light and decent bites. Super recommend the cauliflower! It certainly stood out amongst everything! The staff was polite and helpful in accommodating my bigger than average group. Beware this place is popular and tables run out. So keep that in mind if you are coming in late in the evening. The only complain I have is that the bathrooms have no paper towels. You either use the air blower to dry your hands or whatever cloth you have in your body. read more

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Definitely a fun place, especially for those 30ish & under. Came with my niece and her husband and it was a very festive environment as it was the weekend before Thanksgiving. It was full on Christmas decor & Christmas themed drinks & glassware. It was crazy packed, but managed to ger a spot at the bar. Bonus that there are street vendors selling food outside, so once you finish your drink, fill the tummy with some food before heading home. read more

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This place is pretty chill and great for a short hanging out. Vibe is pretty chill. Service was great. Good variety of beers. The bread is a must try. read more

This was a restaurant that a friend recommended that we check out before a comedy show at the San Jose Improv theater, as the location is quite close to it. The interior is fairly spacious and dimly lit, but we were able to be seated as a party of 4 right away. The service was good and the waiters were friendly, with nice recommendations for what to get. For their food and drinks, I got the Night in Cancun cocktail, their Chicken Tinga hot pocket, and also The Bear sandwich. I have to say, all of these were delicious and definitely surpassed my expectations. The cocktail is pretty creative, with a tasty hibiscus foam on top that gives it a unique look. The Chicken Tinga hot pocket is probably the best hot pocket I've had in my life as it bursts with flavor and has a great crispiness to it. The Bear was also delicious, with really tender and juicy meat inside. If you are looking for a place to eat in Downtown San Jose, 55 South is not a place that you should miss if you want some great food. read more

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Raymond was an exceptional server. He bantered with us and engaged in our conversations in a way that really made us feel like we were hanging out in our living room. I tried their house cocktail with Luna tequila. At $15 dollars a drink it felt like such a great find in the local area considering how expensive drinks can get when it's not happy hour! Such a great spot to catch up with friends. On a Thursday night the vibe was quiet enough to chit chat but still a fun spot to grab a drink read more

55 South - Luna Tequila house margarita - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

Lunar New Year pop up at 55 South! It's really great that the bar took time to decorate and create a cocktail menu for Lunar New Year. There are 8 specialty craft cocktails on this menu to celebrate the holiday. We had a great time trying these creative cocktails. A few really stood out. Rice Cookie - top favorite! Shochu, black sesame, sweetly fermented rice. This cocktail had great balance. First Banchan - for the adventurous ones Gin, cucumber, sesame, and kimchi sour. This one surprised us. It's on the savory side but subtle. Reminds me of kimchi cucumbers. Such a fun drink! Coconut Candy - nostalgic Cocchi Americano, coconut, jackfruit, tangerine. On the sweet side but reminds me of the Asian coconut candies we used to eat during LNY! Don't forget about food! This was the first time we've really tried the food. So good! Our top favorites were the cheesy olive bread, chicken tinga hot pocket, aloha shrimp tacos, and duck confit sandwich. We were told that the LNY pop up usually runs for one week but was extended it to 2 weeks this year. Last day to check it out will be February 9th! read more

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Super friendly staff that really make the vibe and overall experience amazing. Drinks were a solid 10/10, and happy hour is definitely the time to go for the best deals. All the food was delicious, but the bao buns and chicken tinga were the group favorites. read more

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I've recently been to 55 South twice because of their Lunar New Year limited menu (I think that's available through Sunday 2/2!) and I was very pleasantly surprised! It's been so long since I've been there, and they've really stepped it up! They had special decorations up for lunar new year and it was absolutely gorgeous. We liked the drinks so much last Friday that we made plans to come back yesterday again. Service was fantastic. Both times we were there relatively early in the night (7-8pm) so it wasn't too crowded. The first time we sat at the bar and the bartender was really friendly. He told us that the Lunar New Year drinks menu is the work of Nikolai - who will also be coming up with a special menu for their 12th anniversary next month! We'll have to come back for that too! The second time, we snagged a booth and the staff was really good about coming around to get our drinks orders. Drinks: Herbology milk punch - my absolute favorite - and the one they have limited supplies of and they sell out of it! It's mostly jasmine forward, and you can't really taste the tequila or the lemongrass. First banchan - second favorite - it literally tastes like a refreshing spicy cucumber banchan. One of the people at the table said it was like drinking soy sauce so definitely more on the savory side - but me and another person really enjoyed it! Lucky treasure shots- a little big in my opinion. I had it last Friday and they were a bit more Cointreau forward, but last night one of my friends had it and said it was more lychee/vodka and a bit bitter. I've had more of the other drinks but found the coconut candy to be a little too sweet for my tastes. Vietnamese mojito was nice and tart. Food-wise, the glazed pork belly baos were my favorite - really flavorful and the pork belly was juicy! Nice balance with the sauce, pickled cucumber and meat. I was a little let down by the crispy duck confit sandwich last week because I didn't feel like the balance was there (maybe too much bread, not enough sauce/pickled cucumber?). Basque cheesecake was very tasty. Overall, had a really great time both the nights I visited and I will come back again to try some of their other menu items! They really had some unique drinks that I will be sad to not see again (unless they add to their regular menu). read more

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I was a student at San Jose State this was a best spot for older kids to go when we didn't want to be around the younger crowds. I recommended the garlic bread and Mac and cheese you can't go wrong with that. Food has great flavor and so do the drinks as there are many options to choose from. I recommend the clover club as a nice drink it is fruity but not overly sweet. read more

55 South - Clover club and garlic bread - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

Finally got around to visiting this spot! Excited that it was during their Christmas themed! Love the decor and festivities. Service was a bit slow and very packed! They had good music and a few tables to sit down. My friends and I got lucky because we were standing near the tables and a girl approached us asking if we wanted their table since they were leaving. SCORE!! Such cute Christmas cups and decor. I enjoyed the Yule Tide so much that I ordered 2! Overall great vibes and drinks here. read more

55 South - Christmas themed drinks 11.23.24 - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

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Have been to This place earlier as well and it's always GR8 !! The drinks are mind boggling and so is the service. Maggie was so nice and helpful !! She helped us select the drinks and had gr8 recommendations ..... Give 5 stars to this place Will come again ... read more

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55 South has a great happy hour filled with great drinks and delicious bites. There is something for everyone on the menu. All of the food and drinks on the happy hour and regular menu are reasonably priced. The workers at 55 South were very friendly and really made the overall experience amazing. All the food that I shared with the table was so delicious. All of the food was perfectly cooked. Each dish that my party ordered was delicious and had unique bold flavors. What my party ordered: Preserved Lemon Hummus Pork Belly Boa Buns Tarzan Carnitas Tacos Baby Back Ribs Chicken Tinga Mac n cheese The Lemon Hummus, Boa Buns and Chicken Tinga were my personal favorites. Can't wait to go back 55 South and try more items on the menu. read more

55 South - Tarzan - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

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The Sippin' Santa has arrived in San Jose for 2024! Stopped by 55 South for a pre-wedding event and I felt like I was taken back to Hawaii with the holiday decor and Mele Kalikimaka sign! Each of the holiday drink comes in a cute colored mug that is also purchasable to take home as a unique souvenir. The Sharkey cup was tempting to take home! The Mai Tai was really delicious, fruity and easy to drink but packs a punch! The Surf Nut was creamy, but the alcohol taste shown through so I didn't like it as much. Both were strongly made; I didn't need any other drinks to keep going! The cheese bread we ordered had generous white cheese flowing from the cuts and easy to share. Overall great experience and would love to return again. read more

55 South - Mai Tai (left) and Surf Nut (right) - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

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55 South is one of those go-to spots in Downtown- from the comfy atmosphere to the cute themes!! It is one of my favorites to catch up with a colleague after work or hangout with my girlfriends before a night out. Tonight, 55 has a watercolor theme! I ordered the So Oolong & Goodbye, which is marked by a Totoro on the menu- so cute!!! The drink was smooth, a creative twist on the lemon drop- with notes of honey and passionfruit. Basically a better version of a lemon iced tea!! It also came with a mini macaron on top, a adorable touch. I also got the Chicken Tinga Hot Pocket- sometimes you need a good balance of savory with sour- and this was the perfect combination. The hot pocket came perfectly crispy- and left me feeling warm and fuzzy after taking a bite!!! Def would recommend getting this combination if you come here on a night out!! Staff were super friendly and quick with rollout of drinks and food! I came early on a Saturday night- so the fellow customers here are on an intimate date or catching up with friends. Janet and Nina were amazing servers- so attentive and so friendly!! Thank you for the welcoming energy and makingmy evening special!!! read more

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I waited to order a quick snack and I waited so long in order for me to get someone's attention. I still Haven't been asked if I'm doing okay I am still waiting to place my food order and still no one asked me it's ridiculous, if they're this busy they should hire more ppl who can make drinks and order food. Seriously.. read more

55 South - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

Please never get rid of the braised short ribs or shishito peppers!! Am I allowed to request to bring back the SouthSide Tea?! 10/10, Milk Punch. Always a great visit with no complaints. Everyone there is pleasant. Convenient parking garage and lot. Other great places in walking distance. Definitely a bar hopping scene. read more

55 South - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

Late review, but I came here in December when they had Sippin' Santa which is when it turns into a Christmas Bar! We came here as part of a mini Christmas bar hop night before going to a Sharks game. I loved the Tiki Holiday decor! It was perfect to get in the mood for the Christmas season! I got the Holiday on Ice drink which was delicious. They serve the drinks in adorable Santa mugs. We ordered the cheesy olive bread which is a must! It's stuffed with cream cheese, it's so delicious! I can't wait to come back next Christmas! read more

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Food was fantastic!! Deven our waitress was absolutely lovely too! Drinks came out quickly and she even gave me a free drink because I was having a hard day. 10/10 recommendation for a cozy bite to eat and some gorgeous drinks. read more

This spot was a perfect stop for our holiday bar hopping on a Sunday night! It kinda full in there but there was still lots of space to move around and was not too hard to find a seat. I really loved all the Christmas decor and the cups that the holiday drinks came in. My friend and I both got the sippin Santa which was a little on the stronger side but perfect way to get the buzz going for the night! read more

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Came for the Christmas Bar on a Sunday night and had a great time! Decor and holiday themed drinks were on par! They were slammed but our server was kind and courteous even though we were kind of in a rush! Will definitely be back next holiday season! read more

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Visited this place with my fam around 630pm-ish on a Saturday evening. It was already super packed in here! Such a cute place that's dressed in holiday spirit!!! Luckily we found two barstools available at the bar to order drinks and sit down for a bit. We ordered the Holiday on Ice, Sharkey's First Christmas, and Yule Tide. Holiday on Ice- similar to an espresso martini, not as strong, spicy! It was pretty good. Sharkey's First Christmas- I enjoyed this one, I think it was the pineapple juice that made it yummy and it really masked the alcohol Vodka lol Yule Tide- pretty strong! But it was drinkable haha I'm not really a cocktail drinker but it was nice to give a few of these holiday drinks a try! Bartenders were really sweet as well as the rest of the employees. Props to them for dealing with a super busy place and customers blocking the bar entrance lol. They were super patient and nice. read more

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This spot is another one of my favorites when I'm hanging out with friends downtown. Not only do they have themed drinks that are delicious, their food is pretty good too! The first time I went here was with friends to get some content for our foodie IG pages. We were feeling snack-ish, but could decide what to get on the menu because everything looked so good! In true foodie fashion, we ordered almost one of everything and shared. Delish! I was shocked to find that everything was super good! Our server was nice enough to give us suggestions, as well. There were no regrets in regards to what we ordered. The food looked so good that I had some younger followers ask if you had to be 21 and over to get in if all you wanted was the food. Another nice thing is that their menu changes regularly to match the seasons. If you haven't tried this spot, I definitely recommend going. read more

1 star. Really disappointing experience at 55 South. I was there at the very start of my night on a date, completely fine, and the bouncer immediately assumed I wasn't fit to come in without giving me a real chance. It was embarrassing and honestly ruined the vibe of the night before it even started. I understand bars have to be careful, but making assumptions about people without cause is unprofessional. Definitely won't be coming back. read more

Great vibes all around! A go to spot for the older group, esp. on a FRIDAY. 90's on the soundtrack, great well crafted cocktails, and a lively atmosphere. Bathroom lines get cray for sure, and it can def. take a while to get a drink when it's a full house - but that's the usual bar scene in DTSJ overall. Also a seasonal plus - came here for their holiday experience finally this year && it was decked out and super fun/spirited! Nice Holiday inspired drinks and a unique Hawaiian holiday theme - which was fun. Unfortunate holiday cocktail were just OK for me... the holiday flavors were a little too sweet per my personal preference but still fun altogether! Personally love their regular cocktail menu much better! read more

55 South - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

I was in town to celebrate my friends 40th Birthday Day .We had a dinner and after we decided to come to 55 South for some dancing and drinks .They have a very cute outdoor patio with lights . We did not want to go to a night club or anything like that but we want to dance . So this place was perfect ! We got super excited to hear 90s music . That was the icing on the cake for us 40 year young's lol I was ordering my drinks at the bar and Scotty was my awesome friendly bartender! I felt like he was giving us a show every time he made a drink . Love his vibe ! I could tell he takes pride on what he does . The drinks were super good! I got the Bramble and the State of Grace drink but with Gin instead of vodka . I did not order any food since we had already had dinner I will have to try their food next time . We had a lot of fun we danced the night away till they closed . I recommend this place if you want some good drinks and do some dancing or just listen to some good music . I would definitely be back we had a blast .! read more

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Was super packed at 10pm and had to wait a few minutes in line before going in. Went to order at the bar and waited a good 10 minutes before I got my order taken. The drink I got was good - tastes like juice but still strong. The ambiance is pretty loud but they played really good music (throwbacks + pop/trendy music). All the tables were full so we awkwardly stood on the floor with our drinks. By the time we left, the line was super long. Drinks and vibes were good, maybe don't let people in if it's overly crowded and the bartenders can't tend to everyone in a timely manner. read more

55 South - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

I had a very disturbing experience at 55 South due to the behavior of their security staff. I was mistakenly standing in the wrong line while trying to use the restroom and was not aware of it. Instead of calmly explaining this, a security guard immediately became aggressive, cussed at me, and told me to "get the f*** out." I calmly told him that there was no need to speak to me that way and that I just needed to use the bathroom. At that point, the situation escalated. He got directly in my face, screaming at me with spit flying, and attempted to put his hands on me while calling over other security to escort me out--despite the fact that I was not being aggressive or disruptive. He even insulted me calling me orange and "stupid asian bi***" This was completely unprofessional, intimidating, and unnecessary. No customer should be treated this way over a simple misunderstanding. Disgusting behavior, and I will not be returning. He was of hispanic race and overweight. read more

HEALTH HAZARD! The drinks they serve in ceramic cups are MOLDY! The bartender swore it wasn't after explaining it happened in the dishwasher, meaning it literally is mold. I felt queasy after. They didn't even offer a refund for the unpleasant experience. read more

55 South - MOLD IN CERAMIC CUPS - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

I love coming to 55 South for their holiday drinks! Their cups are cute and I like how their drinks are different from Paper Plane or Mini Boss. Their food here is decent as well. Their Mac and cheese is standard, cauliflower is good and their bread was ok. I would come again just for the drinks! read more

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Yelp helped me find another really cool spot! We were not far away at 5 point when I felt like life is to short to drink all my drinks at one place, so we walked over to this place and while it was packed to the hilt we managed to immediately find two chairs at the bar. Jesse our bartender was polite, and made us some very nice drinks. He answered all my questions (which can be a lot sometimes) and efficiently did all the things a good bartender does. The place itself was like a physical manifestation of what celebration would look like. Can't imagine anyone walking in and not immediately feeling their mood lighten up! The festive ambience and well made spirits at this bar really make a person feel joyful. We had the green tea whiskey shots, the jingle birds and the secret Santa (which was my fave). Looking forward to going back! read more

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