Only been on a few Friday nights and has a chill vibe with good hip/hop r&b from the 90s, stuff you can actually move to, not the trash that is considered music today =( Good bar selection, some of the more hard to find stuff too. read more

WOW... I was looking forward to visiting this place since it opened; however, after finally testing out their food, I'm not sure what I was originally excited about. During my first and only visit, I ordered a Caesar Salad ($6) and a Banh Mi pizza ($13). The salad -- listed as "Caesar salad with creamy wasabi dressing" -- was weird... ...aside from its unique presentation on a wooden cutting board, the salad dressing had an overpowering wasabi/horseradish flavor. I usually don't mind wasabi; however, the problem was that they used too much wasabi, which meant it was impossible to taste the other ingredients. The pizza -- which included marinated pork, pickled daikon, carrots, cilantro, and sliced jalapenos toppings -- was soft and undercooked, drenched in sauce, and wasn't worth its $13 price tag. Picking up each slice of pizza was difficult to say the least; I had to eat each slice as if it were a soft taco. The only positive things to say about Nomikai is that they have great customer service, and it seems like a good place to hang out and have a few drinks. The security man, the waitresses, and the server were all extremely nice and helpful. I definitely won't return for their food, but I might return for some drinks at some point in time. read more

See all

I give this place 3.5 stars but ill just put up the four stars. so I came here on a Friday and thought I would have to make reservations for 7:30pm but that is unncessary. There were empty tables around so no need to plan ahead. I wanted to get there before 8:30 so I can check out happy hour and we ended up ordering only one food item for happy hour. So I guess if you are there for drinks, you can save yourself two bucks but the appetizers that are on HH are whatever. I was at Temple next door one night and I saw how cool Nomikai looked like from the outside so I had to check it out. Social Starters on HH -KimCheese pizza with kimchi and cheese- fries were thin and crispy and the cheese got a little cold but still worth it for $5. -sweet chili chicken wings- nothing crazy for these four pieces Pizza (not on HH) -5 spice duck pizza- everyone raves about this one and it is good and unique but I preferred the other -pork belly kimchi pizza- I reall liked this one and the texture of kimchi. The pork belly was part fat part meat and it was crispy good. I would definitely order this one over the ducky **TIPS** 1) Happy hour is 5:30-8:30 Wed-Sat. $5 social starters 2) Reservation for dinner are not necessary because it does not get packed but go ahead and do it on yelp if you want to 3) It gets more packed for actual drinking happy hour around 10pm or so. 4) Enjoy the food and the cool ambiance! read more

See all

This review reflects their late hour/bar/lounge atmosphere only! Came here as a pit stop with some friends and was really impressed by the decor. Modern, sleek, and pretty open despite its small space. There was plenty of couches and seating area and the bar in the back is lit up. The cool lights set up the atmosphere. Bartenders here were super cool and friendly and there is a small, but decent selection of beers on draft. The music here is loud, but I kind of liked what they were playing. It wasn't exactly slow house/lounge music, but not too crazy upbeat where it might seem forced. The crowd here was fun and we met some awesome people here in the short time that we stayed. Maybe this is where all the cool people hang out while sleazy folks hang out at Motif? read more

Maybe this place is good during dinner, but for nightlife, it's horrible. Came here on a Friday night, this place had a huge line going out the door so my friends figured there must be something good right? It wasn't a long wait, but it was a wait nonetheless so we were expecting something good. Get inside, and the place is crowded with people shoulder to shoulder, no room to get around the bar without shoving into one another. The bar in the back was tiny and crowded. DJ music was pretty bad, including his sound system which was pretty fuzzy. Music was so bad and noisy you could hardly here anything or anyone. Line to the restroom was a mess. The crowd here was pretty rowdy. The floors were notably very sticky. Horrible experience, 10/10 would not return. read more

Nomikai - Long lines on weekends... - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Jose, California

PORK BELLY PIZZA!!! So my wife and I came around 7:30pm on a Saturday evening just to grab a few drinks and some light finger food. It was still early for a bar so the place wasn't crowded. The atmosphere was actually really nice and soothing, especially with their bamboo centerpiece. We came during their happy hour so it was $5 drinks (select sake options only) and half off appetizers. We ordered 2 drinks, White Peach Bellini and Lychee Martini, the Sweet Chili Chicken Wings, and the PORK BELLY PIZZA. Oh, and check-in on Yelp to get a free order of Edamame! The drinks were tasty but there was barely any alcohol in them. For $5, I'll let that slide. The chicken wings were a pleasant surprise, served fresh from the kitchen. The skin was crispy and flavorful and the meat was tender and juicy. However, seriously though, $10 for 8 pieces and $5 for 4 pieces? Half off appetizer does NOT mean you can cut the amount by half as well. That's totally cheating... -__- But anyway, now about that PORK BELLY PIZZA! Why am I writing that in all CAPS? Because it's freaking DELICIOUS!!! If you come here, you have to get it! Honestly, it's probably super unhealthy but it's the kind of unhealthy-ness that's worth sacrificing for. It's pretty much a pizza topped with chunks of pork fat and sprinkled nori, flavored using kimchi and cheese. The spice was just right. As for the pork fat, they just melts in your mouth the moment you bite into it. Needless to say, we savored every bite of it. We would come back again just for the pizza. read more

See all

Remember that fishbowl you used to drink in college? Remember how sick is made you? Remember how you said "OMG never doing this again" the next morning? WELL. THINK. AGAIN. Walked in The Fishbowl Bar & Grill a very skeptical man. But now I'm glad to say that there is finally a fishbowl place in SF that brings me back to the sweetest moments of college without any of the hangovers. Three of my friends and me rolled in and got the lighting pink fishbowl. The amount of alcohol in each one of these was amazing. Plus, happy hour until 8ish? Thats the latest I've ever heard of in San Jose. Will definitely be going back! Maybe I will actually try some of their food next time too! read more

Nomikai - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Jose, California

Came here during happy hour to try their fusion food. I tried the edamame pizza and nori fries along with some cocktails. Everything was pretty good, although the portion sizes are a tad small. The ambiance is dark and modern. They have comfy cushioned couches to relax on or a big communal table to drink at. I love despite their dark interior they have a light at the center of the table. Perfect for photos! I'll be back to try their punch bowls and other bites! read more

Nomikai - Didn't have the photo so I screenshotted my ig - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Jose, California

Great new restaurant that makes me easily forget about the place that was here before. I've been here a few times now and can safely give them the review that they deserve. New fresh choice dishes which for the most part taste great and are reasonably priced. HH until 8:30pm M-F FOR THE WIN! One of the few places in downtown that will have a HH that goes until that late. I remember walking down the street not too long after they opened and a girl who actually worked there tried to lure my friend and I in there to eat but we ended up at OG instead. I suppose the food may not have been perfected during their early opening days but I can vouch for the : ***Chicken wings, flat pizza, the pork belly cubes, garlic bread, and even the delicious fresh Tomato Basil Cheese Salad*** Even the free Yelp Check-in Edamame is good. I usually have beer here and have no personally really tried the punch bowls, although we did have a UYE going away party here this summer which seemed to go well with them, haha. It's also a great spot for a date or even business meetings. It may get loud later in the evening with the music or more people that move in to eat and drink. Overall, all the servers I've interacted with are very friendly and not overbearing. I enjoy downtown so much more when they have more quality joints like this that are being turned around. The sake lounge that it was before was terrible and the new and improved Nomikai should continue to be great staple of the burgeoning South First St. read more

See all

Ambiance Nomikai is a really nice little small bar in downtown SJ. We came here for dinner before a concert. I can see this place making nice drinks and it being very chill to hang out. Food Sweet chili chicken wings -Nice small kick for the sweet chili sauce that tastes very good. These wings are lightly fried. Privilege sumo -Very sweet drink. Duck Pizza -Crust has a bland taste as it doesn't taste like there is butter on it. This is Chinese sausage with duck. This is salty and more towards the tame side of taste. Manny P Pizza -Garlic with pesto is a very oily pizza. Service The service was really slow the one night we were there. It sounded like they were down to one cook that night. read more

Totaling out to 3.5 stars, definitely a pleasant surprise with this place. Service- 4 Very attentive but not overly trying. Knowledgable about menu and drink options. Usually the worst service we've encountered is during HH at most other establishments, however Nomikai for sure changed that perspective. Food- 3 Average fushion finger foods, with an exception stand out being the pork belly appetizer. Deep fried served on a seaweed square. Crispy yet moist and flavorful. The combination blended very well. Five social appetizers and seven cocktails between the two of us. Not too shabby considering the consumption, however the portions appear to be downsized to reflect the HH pricing. read more

Nomikai - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Jose, California

SETTING: Chic and modern. Bar seating on the far side. Great place for Happy Hours and to hangout with friends. FOOD: Happy Hour basically overlaps with dinner time, and the deals are awesome as well. Basically you are getting a discounted dinner. Who doesn't want that?! My favorite was the chicken wings. Miso mac and cheese, kimchi fries were both good but also not standouts. We ordered one of the pizzas and it was pretty tasty. After cleaning off our plates, we decided to get one more round of the chicken wings, since we all enjoyed it the most. Food is definitely on the greasier side, so you will feel bloated. SERVICE: Good, but not the most attentive. I noticed a few of them hanging out and chatting with each other by the bar while waiting to deliver the food. However, food comes out consistently enough in short intervals, so you can always catch the wait staff if needed. IMPRESSIONS: Honestly, I thought it was odd how this place was not that busy on a Friday evening. I was here during the second round of the Warriors playoff series at peak dinner time. You would think that with the game on, very reasonable prices (and their generous Happy Hour time frame), with average/above average food that there would be more of a crowd. Didn't mind it though; kind of glad it was not too busy so I could enjoy watching the game and feasting on my Asian fusion comfort bar food at my own pace :) read more

Happy hour only review: I would go back for the super fine Asian bartender alone. She was not only cool and friendly, she served up some awesome drinks and was very attentive. Try the Mogi Mule, Nomikai's version of the Moscow Mule. I think it's even better with their in house fresh ginger concoction. Refreshing and very gingery without the bite and a touch of citrus. The Zengria is tasty but so small, maybe because it was so easy to drink. The Lychee Martini is a softer martini than most may be used to. Not overly sweet or strong with a touch of lychee. An actual canned lychee inside. The crispy pork belly was good, but I really liked the kimcheese fries. Slathered with cheese and topped with perfectly ripened minced kimchi, it was delectable! I never thought that combo would work, but I should know better. I already know kimchi and cheese are best friends: Korean fried rice, soft tofu stew/soup, instant ramen, kimbap rolls, etc. come give this place a try. The options are limited for happy hour, but it's worth a try. 5-8:30pm weekdays, there's no excuse not to try unless you're afraid of driving to downtown SJ like some people I know. It's NOT like driving to SF jeez! SMH I'll be back to try the pizzas. They look good. Almost as good as that bartender. read more

See all

I swear I am not old... But this place sure makes me feel that way. OK, that is a little dramatic. But I will say this, I don't think I've ever been anywhere, club, bar, or otherwise, where I have said that it was really loud in here. : ( I guess its all down hill from here ; ) As for the venue. The venue is pretty nice. Was here on a Friday night, and it was pretty packed. The drinks were strong. Had the chicken sausage pizza and the pork belly apps. I like the pork belly, but it could have been cooked a little less. I thought it was a bit dry. I do like the idea of this app though. It was tasty. The pizza was surprisingly good. They have pretty large tables here. The bad part, is that when the music is as loud as it was, you'll never be able to hear the person across from you. I was barely able to hear the person to my side. The waitress that was helping us was yelling pretty loud just so that we could hear. I'm all for loud music, but maybe do that when you're done serving food, and maybe you should get tables that are about 1/2 the depth. I will say this though, I was surprised to see a cool place like this in DTSJ. I thought I was in SF or out of the state for a bit there. Its good to see DTSJ's nightlife popping with some swank. read more

Great place for light appetizers and drinks with friends! Came here around 7 on a thursday night and it was basically empty but it seemed to pick up later on in the night after we left. Their menu isn't very big but the items we got were pretty good! Their happy hour has a bunch of great deals like $5 starters and $3 beers. I ordered the "Fruit Ninja" drink which is an alcoholic boba drink with some multi-colored fruit jelly pieces. This was a little too strong and too sweet for my liking and my friends agreed. As for the food, we ordered the Mac and cheese topped with Spicy chicharrones (3.5/5), pork belly with ginger jalapeño(4/5), Sweet chili chicken wings (3.5/5), Kimchi cheese Fries (3.5/5), and the Chinese sausage pizza (4.5/5). The pizza was delicious with a soft egg on top and slices of Chinese sausage, and the pork belly was cooked to perfection! On Thursdays they offer punch bowls (huge bowls of alcoholic punch for 3+ people) so I will probably be coming back with a big group to try that next time! Great find in dtsj! read more

See all

Stopped by here on New Years. The music was awesome. The bartenders were awesome. Wish I had a chance to get food because I bet it was awesome. Ran out of time on the night but the whiskey was crazy good and loved the infused drinks. Going back for sure!! read more

Nomikai - Hakushu Highball... Yum - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Jose, California

I used to come to this place when it used to be Koji Sake Lounge and some of the menu items I recognize from Koji's menu, like the lychee martini, the drunken lychees, and the nori fries. Came in for happy hour, so we could get $5 lychee martinis. We arrived when the place opened and by the time we left around 8 or 830, the place never got really full. In the beginning it was just our table, but people started trickling in as the hours went by. I imagine this place gets busier in the later hours. But because it wasn't full of customers, the service was very attentive. The manager came by and introduced himself - told us that the pork belly pizza and the duck pizza were his faves. Our server was great, filling our water glasses, asking if we wanted to get another drink, asking how our food was. She put our pizza in a box, and even wrote on it what it was and the date! For food, we ordered the wings and the pork belly + kimchi pizza. (We also checked in on yelp for a free bowl of edamame, but saw that they charged us a penny for it - I guess they got to put it in the system but don't have a way to make it free? No big deal.) For the first round of drinks, I got the lychee martini, which is my favorite cocktail. Round two, I got the peach sake bellini. The lychee martini was good - comes with a lychee and it's light and delicious. The bellini was really good too - also light and really refreshing. They're both made with sake, so they're not strong drinks, but that's how I like it. The wings were really good - they were a little sweet with a bit of a spicy kick to it. The sauce on the wings is good by itself that I didn't really use the sauce that came in the little bowl. The pizza was really good - lots of pork belly. It's pretty greasy though fyi. But the pork belly and the kimchi tasted really good. And this girl likes her kimchi. I thought the combination on pizza worked pretty well. It comes with 8 pieces - it's probably enough for like four people to share. I would definitely come back to try some of the other food items (like the duck pizza) and definitely for their happy hour to get my $5 lychee martinis. And the service here excellent - our server was pretty awesome and friendly, making sure we were taken care of. I also like that they call themselves a social eatery. That's cute. Nom Nom Nomikai! :D read more

Nomikai - Wings, edamame, and lychee martini - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

Last minute Birthday dinner plans lead me to Nomikai! I made reservation for my party here and were treated with fairly good service! They have a full bar and they even had a small space for a DJ set, which was a nice touch, but the music was so loudddd especially since we were seated right in front of the DJ! Their menu specializes in Asian fusion inspired starters and pizzas. DRINKS & FOOD: - Jalapeno cocktail - good the first couple of sips. - Kimchi Fries - The fries were seasoned, but it was served cold! Not a good start with the starters... - Pork Belly Starters - I love deep fried pork belly, but Nomikai's pork belly was super dry and the sriracha (or whatever the red sauce was) on top was just unnecessary. Maybe another dipping sauce would compliment the dry pork belly better. I had to scrape off the red sauce. - Duck Pizza - Very sweet sauce, but I thought it was pretty good and I liked it way better than the starters! - Pork Belly Pizza - This is Nomikai's house specialty but most of my party found it a bit disappointing. I didn't get to try this, but only a couple out of twelve of us actually liked the pork belly pizza. Food wise this place deserves two stars.... But I'll factor the good service, so 3 solid stars. Seriously don't expect the food to blow you away! read more

See all

Came here on a Friday night at around 6PM. There weren't that many people there, but there also weren't that many servers. We had to stand around for a good 5-10 minutes before someone came to seat us. However, she was really nice and let us know that the kitchen wouldn't actually be open until 6:30PM, although we could order drinks. We ended up grabbing an open table and ordering drinks. Happy Hour deals includes $3 beers and $2 off cocktails, but not on everything. Our waitress recommended we try their seasonal drinks. I ended up getting the Peach-Tea-Ni, and it was so good. It tastes distinctly like a Peach Black Tea you would get at a Boba place with a hint of alcohol at the end. Quite pricey, and not really strong, but I kind of like that. I also had a sip of my friend's Mugi Mule, and that was really smooth. The ginger flavor was quite distinct, but not overwhelming. I'm usually not a fan of drinks with ginger beer, but I quite enjoyed the sip I had. Our waitress came by a little later to grab our food orders, and we got two of the appetizers, each $5 during happy hour. We ordered the Kimcheese Fries and the Sweet Chili Chicken Wings. The fries were pretty mediocre, but we still finished them off--probably because we were starving. However I probably wouldn't order these again. The wings were really good though. I have really low spicy tolerance, and these wings were pushing my limits, but the sweetness helped to offset the spiciness. Overall the food is decent, but quite pricey for the quantity. Good for snacking, but we had to go somewhere afterwards for something for more substance. I really enjoyed my time here. If you're looking for a nice, laid-back environment to just chill with friends, come earlier like we did. However later on in the night we passed by again, and it was definitely much busier. So if you're looking for that environment, come later. read more

Nomikai - Sweet Chili Chicken Wings - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

Delicious drinks! Bartenders were so polite and funny! They made awesome recommendations and I had a great time. Looks like a fancy restaurant but plays some Bay Area music! Good choice for a date. read more

Nomikai - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Jose, California

Incredible drinks, food, staff & vibe. The cocktails were all infused with Japanese vibes, and they have tons of Japanese Whiskey. Get the wings! read more

See all

We were introduced to Nomikai from Janet O. who hosted a UYE Farewell Party for Janet N. and it was a blast. My husband and I are usually out and about with the kids, and I'm glad we were able to sneak a night out together. We both had a good time, especially trying the unique cocktails and food Nomikai had to offer. For cocktails, we had Coco Berry Nigor, White Peach Bellini, and Lychee Martini Lychee. My favorite drink was the Coco Berry Nigor. It wasn't too strong and the little coconut pieces, berries, and organic agave nectar made me feel like I was drinking a non alcoholic beverage. For food, we had edamame (free with check in), Nori fries with seven spices, Sweet chili chicken wings with dynamite sauce, and Crispy pork belly with ginger jalapeno x2. The crispy pork belly was Bomb Diggity! Kinda reminded me of my favorite Filipino dish, pork sisig, especially with the jalapenos on top. I will definitely come back to try out more of the menu =) **Wish they validated parking read more

Nomikai - UYE - Punch Bowl Thursday and Farewell Party to Janet N. 06/26/14 - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Jose, California

See all

Food: 3 stars (half good half meh) Drinks: 4 stars Service: 4 stars Happy hour 5:30-8:30! No discounts on pizza though. 5 Spice Duck Pizza ($14) tasted amazing! The Pork Belly pizza ($14) though was very greasy and heavy. Would not recommend. Pork Belly appetizer ($5 during happy hour) was meh. I mean, you can fry any piece of fat and it'll taste heavenly, this came with 4 pieces of nicely fried pork belly, but nothing that stood out. The wings ($5) was not worth it. 4 wings? Come on. Kimcheese fries ($5) was a pleasant surprise, large, shareable portion. Fries done perfectly. I didn't have any drinks but at $5 a piece, they kept my girlfriends happy, hence the 4 stars overall experience :) read more

See all

Cute place with good music. The hostess/waitress was extremely friendly. Mac n cheese tastes more like butter noodles but it was edible. We went in for the whiskey flights. Two of them tasted exactly the same and we were expecting more variety. Wasnt the worst and wasnt the best. I'd give this place a 2nd shot but definetly wouldn't repeat our order l. read more

The service here is A+. All the staff have always been very friendly and accommodating no matter how loud and drunk ya get. The drinks were alright, sometimes poured with too heavy of a hand for my preference as I like actual mixed cocktails. The majority of the food though is just so not worth it. Nori fries were dry, cooked to the core so there was no potatoey insides to change up the texture of the fries. The nori on top is a substitute for salt but dude, you need at least a little bit of salt. The sweet chili chicken wings were more like sweet gingery chicken. If you like American-Chinese food, here ya go. Kimchi fries was again, the dry thin cut fries with nacho cheese poured on top with some minced up kimchi. And some not so fresh, dry looking green onions chopped on top. It reminded me of movie theater food. Miso Mac n Cheese with Panko was super watery. Where was the cheese flavor??? Bread with cauliflower dip. The cauliflower dip was TASTELESS. What a joke of a dish :( Banh Mi Pizza. Each slice only had one piece of pork on it and then the top was DROWNING in the marinated pickled vegetables. Like it was such a massive amount of pickled vegetables... The pizza dough was chewy. Why? Trio Mushroom pizza was one of the actual dishes I liked. I'd recommend that one if you like mushrooms. Everything just looked and tasted so sad. I've given this place a try three times already but no more. read more

Food was good, no denying that. What frustrated me the most was the service. We had to wait a total of 20-25 min for the check to arrive, the person to pick up the check and bring it back again after billing. Add to that the fact that the pen provided to us didn't work at all. We had to go to the billing desk and find a pen ourselves to sign the bill. I hope it was a one-off thing and they dont make everyone do this. I think I should re-iterate good food. read more

This review is just for the late night bar on a Saturday night. This place is super small and only a certain amount of people are allowed (which is good since it'd be crazy if it was a free for all) It's dumb how it's a $20 limit (unless you keep your tab open) The bartender needs to learn how to make an AMF because that seriously tasted like straight patron. Didn't even finish it because how strong and disgusting it tasted. The Long Island were good though, tasted normal. The place itself was a cute little lounge to chill and drink, nothing too crazy. read more

Romantically modern! It's a quaint restaurant that's great for dates or hangouts with friends. I had the kale pizza with bacon and onions and it was delicious! The best part about it was the thin buttery crust. Also, the pizza was under $15 and was a filling portion for 2. The only thing that is robbing this place of a star is the drinks. I had the coconut berry soju cocktail and it wasn't quite my cup of tea. The flavors didn't mesh very well. read more

This place has the best customer service! We went here at happy hour and made reservations ahead of time. We originally made two reservations for 20 but even though less people arrived, we were able to seat right away and not get charged for not having the full amount. We were seated in the middle of the room at a huge table that could easily accommadate 20. She was even able to spilt up our checks individually so that we didn't have a headache at the end. We always kept the waitress updated though, and she would notice whenever a new person arrived and take their order right away so we got full advantage of the happy hour. It seems that after happy hour, it because more of a bar atmosphere and a bouncer is at the door. They were also having a liquor promotion that night so they were giving out free samples and shots, so I'm glad the waitress gave us a heads up so we didn't leave so early as to miss the free liquor! The food was okay, my favorite were the spicy chicken wings, but four wings for $5 definitely didn't fill me up, so I ordered more. The dishes that were up for happy hour were mainly appetizers so I should've probably eatten beforehand. The drinks were also slightly lightweight, but they weren't bad. My favorite was probably the cocoberry because it was like a coconut water alcoholic drink which wasn't too sweet. The zengria is just a basic sangria, and the litchi martini was much like the others I've had before. I enjoyed the five spice duck pizza, and wish all the pizzas were on Happy hour, but all in all it wasn't a bad Happy Hour. I felt like the server made the night mostly because she was so friendly and accomdating. But the food and drinks were A-Ok. The environment was very sophisticated though, and reminded me very much of the old location that was previously there. It's pretty cool that Cream is located just across the street too so you can't enjoy some dessert after your drink fest with you friends. read more

Went during happy hour, very small, and quiet. We were 1 of two parties of 4 there and still it was hard to get our waitress's attention most of the time. We ordered the fries because we wanted to see how it'd taste wit the seaweed on it but it seriously lacked salt, flavor, and hard fries but not hot fries. The wings were way better because the glaze was tasty and there was a nice crispy texture but they were just a tad on te small side. three drinks to go around and during happy hour our bill was about $36. Everything was ok but I think I'd like this place when it's more lively and social. read more

When I first walked into this lounge, I thought, "Wow, this place is pretty damn nice!" It has this fancy yet casual feel to it. Perfect to bring a lady friend next time. Customer service was excellent. We were immediately greeted and offered a table promptly. Food and cocktails were delicious and tasty. I was really impressed with the chicken wings. It was cooked perfectly and the sauce had a sweet savory taste that was absolutely mouthwatering. We also ordered the basil and chicken sausage pizza. It was delicious! A few cocktails we had were Salaryman and a Japanese Old Fashion. Good if you're a whiskey drinker like myself. Definitely will be coming back! read more

This little gem of a restaurant has seen a few different owners over the years, but they finally got it right. Downtown location, near parking, and nicely done up aesthetically for a rather tiny space. For someone like me, I love that I get to have the best of the best all in one place. From the flatscreen TVs showing the games, to great music streaming in the background, to really tasty bites and last but not least, TDF cocktails! Even better are the prices during Happy Hour which runs until 8:30 pm. I cannot say enough about how reasonable it is. Bravo to the owners, manager and staff for providing a cool atmosphere, awesome service, creative small dishes and for throwing in the rest for patrons to enjoy. read more

See all

I reserved a table here for my cousin's bachelorette party. Gustavo was a great bartender. I worked with Kathy and she accommodated my requests. I had asked Kathy if I can store my cousin's bachelorette cake in their fridge. This was a great place to get drinks. We had the 4 punch bowls, we were cut off after ordering these. The punch bowl with jalapeno was not good. I didn't like the spice. We finished 2 bowls, one was grapefruit and the other had blue shark gummies. The music and atmosphere was great also. read more

Nomikai - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Jose, California

We came here late on a Tuesday night. Their kitchen was almost closed so there were some foods that weren't available. We ordered the Nori Fries with Seven Spices, the Kimcheese Fries, wings, and a pizza with bacon, pepperoni, and mushroom (I forgot the name of it). Their food was perfect for a late night snack. My favorite were their wings. They were soooooo good and sweet and had a nice crunch to it. I also liked the pizza and their homemade dough and the kimcheese fries. Their Nori fries were the same as the kimcheese fries (which I wish they told us) the only difference was one had cheese and kimchi but I thought it was going to be two different fries. We also had a couple of drinks which were OK. But overall this is a nice hangout spot and the servers were very nice. I will be coming back for sure for some wings and to try their mac and cheese since it wasn't available that night. read more

See all

Service is outstanding, I was here to meet up with a friend. I didn't see her, and when I was walking outside to call her, the waitress came outside to let me know that my friend is waiting for me. The drinks are good, kind weak, but good The food, however, is outstanding. We ordered the Kimchi Fries and Duck Pizza. I have to say, I wasn't expecting much, but both dishes were outstanding. Overall, a classy joint, good drinks and excellent food. read more

See all

Really fun! I wish the bar had a little bit more space! Can't ever leave the line without spilling the drin

My husband and I had just flown into San Jose and were looking for a cocktail and a snack around 10pm on a Friday night. Nomikai hit the spot brilliantly. We were a little skeptical coming in, since the place looks more like an Asian club with a DJ pumping loud music and a busy bar. But food options were limited at that time of night and we were very pleasantly surprised. The cocktails were delicious - like really really delicious. I ordered the Spring Fever - an amazing blend of gin and a jalapeno thyme mix. The drink was smooth and completely unique in flavor. My husband went with the Salaryman - a whiskey based drink with apricot and also smooth and stiff. Perfectly infused. We got the free edamame with our yelp check in - nothing notable here but who doesn't love free edamame. To munch on we ordered the chinese sausage pizza and it was such a unique tasty treat. Flavors that you would never expect all on a pizza. Highly recommend this place - reasonably priced, super friendly service, very thoughtful and well crafted cocktails, and unique tasting food. Definitely a great alternative to your standard late night bar food options. I don't know when (or if) I'll be back in San Jose, but whenever I am, I can't wait to try the other asian pizzas at Nomikai. read more

Nomikai - Amazing cocktails! Salaryman on the left and Spring Fever on the right. Highly recommend both! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Jose, California

Went there during Happy Hours on Friday nite. Everything is very average. Good happy hour price for selective beers for $3.00 and selective cocktails for $5.00 and small starter plates for $5.00 We ordered Pork belly, Nori fries and Sweet chilli chicken wings during happy hour, so each dish for $5.00. When it was served, it came all in one dish, so seems even smaller. Drink value during happy hours: good! 3-star worth Food value during happy hours: 2-star worth Recommend for couple of pre-drinks during happy hour. Vibe: Dull, semi-loud music, no special entertainment during happy hours. Overall, not much of vibe or weekend bar feel during happy hours on friday nite. read more

Nomikai - Pork belly, chicken wings, nomi fries (3 dishes served in one plate) - during happy hours - Cocktail Bars Near Me - San Jose, California

Its always lit when I come here. Thursdays are their fish bowl nights! It gets extremely crowded later on in the night, so get those reservations! The bouncer also stamps your wrist too once the place gets super crowded and begins to check ID then. Space is quite limited, only a few tables, one lounge in the front by the window and a long booth table in the middle + bar. Nomikai of my favorite places to go when I'm in downtown and bar hopping (: Their green tea martini is pretty good with a matcha rim on the side. Food is excellent here as well! Pizzas are quite greasy, but the service is always the best! Drinks are quite tasty here (: Nice alternative if Paper Planes is too crowded. read more

See all

This was a nice little place for happy hour and the food is so good! It's intimate and definitely worth the prices. Best part is that happy hour doesn't end until 8:30 pm on weekdays! We ordered the lychee martini for drinks and got kimchi fries, Mac n cheese, and sausage pizza. Everything was super flavorful and delicious. read more