I come here fairly often and usually have a good experience, which is why I was so disappointed by what happened last night. I arrived before 10 PM and was on the guest list, so I entered without paying. I had stepped out and later returned. When I tried to come back in, security told me I had to pay $20 and wait in line again because they "didn't see me" enter earlier. That doesn't seem reasonable. I had already been admitted to the club, and whether security happened to notice me when I entered shouldn't determine whether I'm allowed back in. A simple wristband or hand stamp system could easily prevent situations like this. What made the experience worse was how it was handled. The security staff were rude and dismissive rather than trying to resolve the situation professionally. I don't expect special treatment, but I do expect basic courtesy and respect when speaking with customers. read more

We had our name in guest list. And During adding us in guest list, the website said it is from 10pm to 1:30am. But they didn't allow us using Guest list. Why did they have guest list tickets available in their website if they don't honor it and ask for $20 dollar per person? It was really annoying. read more

Nova Downtown San Jose - This photo shows that they said the guest list is from 10pm to 1:30am - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

My experience at Nova was super enjoyable! I have been retired from the club scene but occasionally step out. I brought my cousin here for her bachelorette night. We chose Nova because it was super vibey and a small venue. Sammie was our bottle service baddie and she did not disappoint!! Sammie was super attentive, very sweet with us and gave us the red carpet treatment. I loved the dj because he was playing new and old school bangers. The security was very thorough and I felt safe to dance without being worried about the atmosphere. The bartenders were nice; I really like that they had male & female mixologists. I would come back and will definitely request Sammie the bottle service baddie! read more

Nova Downtown San Jose - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

Came here for my birthday back in November, probably would never go back just because how small it is and how you can just go across the street to loft for free read more

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Went for my bachlorette and security was so rude. Pushing everyone and not saying excuse me. Do not go here! They charged a cover charge of $20, what is this Vegas? If I could give zero stars I would. Please do better if you want to stay in business. read more

Venue was interesting. Just a hallway shaped room with a bar and a bathroom. No cover was nice, and fun music. The bartender had conveniently "forgot" it was happy hour for a drink. Tried to charge full price to me, after my friend had gotten the same thing for half off, a few seconds prior. Stand ur ground lol, sneaky bartenders in this area for sure. read more

SCAMMERS!!! This place is a joke. Security guards get physical with their patrons and are on some crazy power trip. They hold the line on purpose so it looks like it's crowded. While I understand checking pockets and other safety precautions before entering, this club ain't even nice or upscale like that. They took my husband's ID and refused to return it. You can't just take someone's ID for no reason and before you say anything - no it's not a fake. It's a LEGITIMATE CA drivers license. You are literally preventing someone from their livelihood - getting to work, dropping their kids off, getting ANYWHERE or doing anything really. You have no right to withhold someone's ID just because you're on some weird doorman power complex. Owners - talk to your staff and return the ID. read more

We had a terrible experience at Nova Night Club during Halloween night. There was no organization at all and no clear lines for entry. It was very dangerous because a train would pass through while everyone was crowding the door. There was no control or safety in place and people were being pushed around. We have been to this club many times before and the entry fee is usually around $40 per person. The Halloween flyer did not mention any entry price, so we assumed it would be the same. However, once we finally got to the front they told us it was $100 per person without any notice or warning. That meant it would cost $400 for my friends and I to get in which was unreasonable, so we decided not to go in after waiting for two hours. During that time we were getting stepped on and pushed from all directions and it was extremely uncomfortable. If you know Halloween night gets busy there should have been much better planning and organization. The situation felt unsafe and very disappointing. You put a lot of people in danger last night and it was not worth the money or the stress. read more

Ugh. Hate to write this but recently went here for a birthday and the bottle service was terrible! A mandatory 20% gratuity that is charged before you even get your bottles and once we did the girl only passed us shots and then didn't serve us at all for the rest of the night. The only time she came around again was to see if we wanted to buy another bottle. Clearly not if the birthday girl was the one making all the drinks for everyone. Should have gave her the $130 gratuity instead. Also when l booked the table, they said we would get a complimentary champagne bottle to "kick off the birthday celebration" we never got it. Girl said she would ask about it and then never heard back from her. The music was really good but definetely not upscale if that's how they treat "VIP" read more

Music is very good the Friday night I went! Probably the best music of any club I've been to--it's R&B, rap, a little pop. The space is quite large, so there will be an awkward empty dancefloor if you go early. I recommend going no earlier than 10:30 pm. The only thing deterring me from going back is the emptiness. I like dancing when it's crowded. The lighting could also be darker. There is a cover charge of $20. The drinks are also really good. Bathroom is small, but clean. read more

Don't come here the security said it was ok for me to come inside with my hat and all of them said it's ok because it wasn't a sports hat soon I go inside the owner said no hats at all inside I tried to explain to him that it's a custom cursive a hat he misunderstood the whole thing and I said well I don't care about the hat he said then you can't come inside then the security grabbed me and threw me outside and put his hands on me being rude and they all was rude They are not professional and they don't have no proper business skills. Don't come Here they don't respect people's money they took my money before I can even come in and kicked me out over a hat that wasn't even a sports hat when all the security said it was ok read more

I was in a rush to find a table for my birthday because it's summer and it usually fills up quick. Nova responded and I was able to secure my table! The ambiance was great, music kept me and my friends dancing all night! The bottle service ladies were so kind and checked in on us frequently and kept the shots pouring Thank you Nova for hosting my birthday, it was truly one for the books read more

Went here on 12/6 the line was short because we got there Early one bartender young white guy with a Santa hat on refused to give us extra lime with our 7 shots we ordered. Then he just walked away without explaining why we couldn't get another one. Everytime we went up to the bar he ignored us the other girls were nice I will say but that guy in the Santa hat had a BIG attitude problem. This was first time here so it makes me hesitate going again it's not about the money but I'm spending 100 on some shots and I can't get a lime and a get a big side of attitude read more

To enter, it's $20 (cash) per person and the drinks are overpriced. This place is too tiny and crowded to where it was not enjoyable. Music was awful and the remixing was unbearable. Staff is decent. Literally go anywhere else downtown for a better time. read more

I would never come back to this place. It was the worst place to go last night. The security guards are assholes and have no respect for their customers. Management are uneducated people with not respect either. I would highly recommend you stay away from this place! I got pulled by a security guard and got home bruised, this is totally unacceptable and unethical. read more

Nova Downtown San Jose - Bruise by security guards at Nova. - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

This place is an absolute disaster. My friend was blatantly over-served, and when she asked for water right before close, the bouncer asked her why he should help her when she was just a "random bitch." As if that wasn't enough, his twin grabbed her, and when I tried to pull her away from him and the club, he tried to grab and fight my boyfriend! The level of aggression, unprofessionalism, and outright disrespect was disheartening. This club has absolutely no respect for its patrons' safety. The fact that they still carry a liquor license is outrageous. read more

Came here with a group of friends to celebrate a friend's bday and this was all our first time here! The outside looks nice and there's a huge sign so you won't miss it. The lines were a but confusing since there were two with no indication of which one is for bottle service and one line just to get in. We finally asked and got in a line to get in and the admission was $20 each. Inside the club was nice and whatever drinks my friends got were good. Most of the space inside the actual place are for bottle service, so the space to walk and dance is very small and narrow. So when it gets later in the night, everyone is like sardines and it's hard to navigate through when half the place is reserved for mostly bottle service. The music was okay, when they played good songs it was usually a remix. Overall this place was alright, I personally wouldn't choose to come here, only if someone were to invite me. read more

Nova Downtown San Jose - Outside - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

Music is great! different djs all the time, drinks are bomb! but I recommend get bottle service from the number that Nova provides. do not get it from Ramon"bowtiekillaa" he expects you to bring your friends and sleep with one of you when you are paying for the bottle service. always asking to bring friends so he can sleep with someone all the time. Me and the girls noticed he does this every weekend. Then after when one of his friends or clients needs bottle Service he provides girls and bottles and he's going to hit you up and it becomes a chain. Be safe ladies stay within the owners and everyone else. read more

Went to Nova for the first time this weekend. The bartender made my drink just the way I like it, music and vibes were on point. I had a great time and security guards are so cute here! Lol I'll be back read more

Never coming here again. Went last night to support the new business. The bouncer yelled at us for walking to the wrong roped area even though there were no people in either line. One bouncer pretended to be on the phone and told the other bouncer to make us wait until after 10pm to come in (15 minute wait) so we would have to pay the cover to get. I miss you Tres Gringos RIP to a real one read more

I've came to this club multiple times with my girlfriend and her friends and countless of times the security has disrespected them and has gotten very aggressive. This last weekend I witnessed these two security guards (looked related) harassing a group of girls and putting their hands on them. It got to the point where I had to step in and protect them. While I stood up for these poor girls the security guard told me to shut the fuck up. The girls weren't being aggressive at all towards anybody. This is very unprofessional and I've read multiple reviews regarding the security guards being aggressive and rude especially towards women. read more

I dropped $3K for two tables, only to end up sharing them--meanwhile, others got their own without paying a dime. The DJ was absolute trash. Bottle service? More like a scavenger hunt. I had to ask six times before they finally admitted they were closing. Security? A joke. If people didn't pay to be in our section, why were they there?! Do your job. read more

This place is poppin and I mean hella poppin! I've been here a few times now for the dinner which starts at 7pm and let me tell y'all it's a good place to catch up with the homies before the turn up! The whole spot has class! My favorite is the steak tacos and the guacamole with plantain chips. I also got bottle service after. It's such a nice place and San Jose has been needing this for a long time. You can stand on top of the seats! The lights and ambience is the VIBES! Music has a pretty good assortment with hip hop, some reggaeton, and edm. They even have some canons! Everyone that I brought definitely loved it. It's definitely like a mini Vegas so expect some type of dress code. No hats, shorts, and sneakers. Get there early if no bottle service. Bottles are decent price starting from 300 depending on the type of bottle. Try to book bottle service in advance because the tables gets booked fast and the lines outside to get in are pretty long as this is one of the newest hottest spots. Definitely my new go to spots and I'll definitely be hosting some celebrations here. read more

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I LOVE IT HERE I was honestly shocked to see multiple 1star reviews and kinda wished there was a "disagree" button rather than "useful", "funny", or "cool" because some of them just seemed salty which is none of the button options listed. Plenty of clubs require certain attire/dress code to get in, that is not shocking. In fact, it's nice to be in an environment where everyone is feeling themselves cause they look good as heck. Isn't that the point?? Then there's a review that says that this place is prejudice..... What???? when I was there, 80-90% of the crowd was of an ethnic background. That's part of what I loved about my first time at Nova! Such a cool environment. I'll definitely be back. Loved the aesthetic, the bartenders service, the owners hospitality, and again, such a cool environment overall. read more

Nova Downtown San Jose - View from the DJ booth - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

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Whether you are getting bottle service or hanging out at the bar, Nova is the place to be. Dope music, great atmosphere, and the staff works with you and goes the extra extra mile to make you feel welcomed. Nova is the club that Downtown San Jose has been needing! read more

Nova Downtown San Jose - Downtown San Jose, club, Nova, bar - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

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Nova fits the bill of a club in San Jose to a tee. It has a decent amount of space, bottle service with small sections for VIP folks and drinks that are a touch more expensive that they probably should be. I got there around 11:30ish, paid a cover ($20) and stood in line for about 10 minutes. Upon breaching the threshold I saw the club was around 60-70% full. Typical club behavior lol. A few folks behind me left the line due to the wait but I was meeting friends therefore I was relatively committed. I believe it was reggaeton night and although I didn't hear that as a main music type, they did sprinkle in some of the classics. The DJ was okay. They were playing a lot of the older hip hop club songs like swag surf, no hands etc. but the DJ would only play maybe 45 secs max of a song then try to mix a new song. A word to the DJs out there, if the club is vibing with a track LET IT RUN. The drinks were good and the bartenders were attentive. I didn't have a bad night but it could've been a little better but it's also a club in SJ so I'm neutral? I can't say don't check it out but I'd say bring a fun group. read more

Highly recommend ! Nova is definitely the best thing that's happened to SJ. Everything they've done to the space is just WOW - the attention to detail they have put to the interior such as the booths, bar, and ceiling accents have truly transformed what used to be Tres Gringos. Dinner has always been fantastic(try the Cauliflower Tacos, you won't be disappointed), and service during dinner & bottle service has been excellent since day 1, everyone is so attentive! Those who are complaining about the cover charge and dress code after 10pm, have you ever been to a club before? That is a typical standard across the board. The vibe & atmosphere overall is great and moving forward will be my go to spot in SJ! read more

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Trash. My friend came from out of state and was wearing a white tshirt. So my boyfriend let him wear a sweater over it. The STILL didnt allow him to come in even though he was already fully covered. They made him take off the white shirt and throw it in order to come in. We would've left but agreed to meet friends who were already inside. Cover is also $20 per person. Crowded, hard to walk, and just overall just a baaaaad experience. Never again. There's a reason why it has bad reviews read more

Worst club to go to! Reserved a section & spent way too much money here to get treated the way they do. They make you turn in your hat if you're wearing one & then they'll steal it. The owner of this place needs to do better with their security and overall service! Come here if you'd like to get your stuff stolen and then kicked out! read more

I would give this place 0 if I could. It's a Thursday!!!! No hoodies??? Makes no sense. It's cold AF in San Jose and you're tryna make this like a night club in Las Vegas. Y'all trippin. Never coming to this bullshit of a place. I get it if no hoodies in LV, but in SJ? y'all trying really hard. You're gonna go down for a club with this lame strict ass dress code. read more

Well recommend, staff is very friendly. Food music and service is top notch. Definitely give this place a try if you're new to the San Jose area read more

A good experience at Nova so far, many more visits to come, but I am thankful for how nice and responsive the staff have been and I hope to be a partner with Nova into the foreseeable future. read more

Nova Downtown San Jose - Lounges Near Me - San Jose, California

Highly recommend. The venue is designed to perfection. The lighting, color, furniture, and decor are all nicely put together. Everything is clean and makes you feel comfortable. The staff is very friendly and attentive. You can tell they put effort in hiring qualified people and training them. The food is great. The meatballs are amazing, definitely try them. The food was served in a timely manner and tasted fresh. The musics was everything! The best vibe that has been missing so far in San Jose. Also the crowd is classy and everyone was respectful of everyone's space. We did not experience any of the aforementioned encounters with the security team or discrepancy in cover charge. The three security guards who we came into contact with were all respectful. We had a great time. If you are in the South Bat and looking for a fun and memorable night out, visit Nova. read more

This place is too tiny and crowded, security guards are horrible. Save yourself the $20 entrance fee and go somewhere else

Had a terrible experience. I asked one of the securities to hold my purse and he stole money from it. I had also complained and heard that this isn't the first time he's done this and does it pretty frequently. If you keep an eye on him he goes through girls purses and takes their money. He also be touching girls very inappropriately and is super rude, especially if you confront him about stealing money. I'm not sure what his name is but he is tall, green eyes, somewhat buzz cut but uses a beanie sometimes, he has a twin that works there as well. This is super unprofessional especially as a security working at a high end club. Even the managers know what the security be doing and they don't care or don't do anything about it. read more

Cool new spot in downtown. Stopped for some drinks before going to the improv. I wouldn't say that this a must stop place but worth checking out if you are in the area. read more

It's not often when I get an outstanding response to a mistake that the business has done. I visited nova and the host miss placed my ID. The situation eventually got to the owner, Noah. He explained that he would look for it and contact me in a couple of days. They didn't find it. But what happen next was unexpected. He compensated me with bottle service which included one bottle and champagne. He even offered to pay for a new one. I can't express how appreciated i felt for being his customer. By far my favorite place in the bay area. Oh and it's lit all the time . Thanks Noah. I appreciate it and thank you. read more

The photographer took us multiple photos but never made it to their website. And when we emailed the Nova, they said that's all they have. I guess they erased the photos. Im kinda disappointed bc that night was memorable, I've been waiting for those photos lol read more

It was the worst experience ever. We boooked a table for my boyfriend's birthday and payed for 4 bottles. At 12am they tell us we have to go for no reason and they ruined our whole night. They are very unorganized. Don't book a table with them. read more

Very bad Security Guard was responding to my friend but not me even though he keeps looking at me, checking me out smfh. Very unprofessional and they were charging $20 to get in the music was bad. He can't even respond when I'm asking how long is it going to take to get inside? But he likes to stare what a weirdo haha. I don't even pay to get into most clubs I get in for free. The club looks very small from the outside. No thank you most likely will never come to this club. Have better communication with people that are trying to get in. I don't even know what we were waiting for look like there was no one inside the club and it was already 12 AM. Who wants to come to our place where they treat you like a little 21-year-old new to the club scene This ain't Sf or Oakland it's not poppin like that specially with that bad music that you could hear from outside of the club read more