Cool local pub with friendly faces and great beers. Cool dart board too! I haven't tried eating anything, but they always have a good selection of beers that fills me up just fine :) After a few beers, friendly conversation with your bar-mate to your right or left is definitely more interesting :) read more

Love this place! Rob makes the best chicken curry, ask for it "spicy as hell" and you'll be stoked! All of the bartenders are super nice and fun, if you haven't been to trials, you're missing out. Its the perfect bar to go chill with friends at a table with pub grub, a pint and a game of darts after. If you're looking for a wild time, this isn't the place, this spot is more for relaxing over a cold pint with friends and I'm all about relaxing these days. read more

Trials Pub stands heads above the sleazy, overpriced, LA-wannabe nightclubs/bars that give downtown SJ nightlife it's... unique... reputation. No sketchy thugs, no risk of getting caught in crossfire - just a fun, chill place to throw back a Boddington's on tap over some delish bar food, all at reasonable prices. I'm a fan! read more

It's always a holiday when you're at Trials! This place is like a second home: friendly, cozy, and inviting. Monday night trivia is always fun. I recommend the cask-conditioned beers and curry chips. Bartenders are super friendly and knowledgeable. Grab a board game and play by the fireplace. Music selection is top notch and no TV's. By far, my favorite bar in SJ. read more

I went here for a friend's birthday for drinks last month. At first whats up with the name..then looked outside and saw a couple court houses. =) Ok makes sense. Inside the pub, there's a long bar that wraps around the right side of the pub. Be prepared to squeeze your way if you want to get to the back of the room where the dining is because its quite narrow. this place has an older feel to it, but a nice hangout to drink with friends. There's also darts if your into that. I wished they had a couple big screens to watch games. I did not try any of the food here but definitely will come back for some. Side note: They friggin ran out of Guiness the night I came. boo! read more

Come as you are. Don't bother with the hassle of going out like you normally with in downtown san jose (like more or less your faking being in LA).Trials has good fairly priced beer. You can even sit by the fire or play darts. This place is super close to my house but perfect if you don't want to deal with the hassle of most San Jose bars. Only complaints is no sports. The food is good pub style and the bar tenders are always friendly and comically snarky at times. Great music nice people great escape from fake and "trying too hard" bars commonly found a mere blocks away. read more

i hate bars. i cant see over the counter and noone wants to take my order. its ok. so crowded. read more

Not a bad place overall. Could be better. They have a good drink selection. Come here for the drinks, hardly for the crowd. Not a great looking bunch and very cliquey. A lot of pseudo Europeans and college kids wanting to be sophisticated. Food's OK, not great, and kind of expensive for what it's worth. Good drinks though. read more

I have lived off First and Basset for almost 4 years now and I have to say that Trials is my favorite neighborhood place. Thayne, Bosco, Erin, Chris and the rest of the staff are the best.. We always get a warm welcome and can expect a great meal if we decide to eat there. It is a very cozy place in the winter- The fireplace and wood burning stove make a rainy cold winter night seem so delightful and the outddor seating during the summer can make a summer evening so joyful with laughter and beers! Even in this recession Trials is a great value.. I have been to many places in the world and there is no other place like Trials! read more

Everyone knows Trials is the best place to drink, and they have a great selection of beers and liquor, but let's not forget that they have awesome food, and a great menu (pub food) too. Great place to take a date, and stumbling distance to the rest of downtown San Jose. read more

Love this place. Good vibe, pretty good food (you're eating at a bar not Tavern On the Green), beer selection is best in the area and the bartenders are either worth talking to (Thang, Larry) funny but foolish (Bosco) or the Angry Chick (the Angry Chick). read more

Trials is my go to bar. Seeing as it is right down the street from my house. It is a great hole in the wall place to go and just hang out. They have a wide range of board games that I love playing with my friends. The bartenders are my favorite. They are so sweet very intentional about what they do. They always smile and make my day better! read more

trivvvia and old friends. I cant believe I missed the Phil Spector Question. Anyway. friendly staff but they were out of soup. Food looked good. read more

A pub with personality and authenticity. I've got to get my pint of Boddington's here everytime (it takes me about 2 pints before I start singing some song by Oasis). They've got a great selection of beer and a couple of cider's. The bartenders are really cool and crack me up. Anytime I'm in town, I make sure to come here to get away from the crazy downtown San Jose bar ruckus. Great place to meet a friend or date for a mellow evening. Not to mention their Bangers are effing good. read more

Im totally down for Trials Pub and Im not a huge downtown San Jose fan. I love the beer selection here and the pub fare? Not bad at all! The building its in is pretty nice, with brick walls. I also like the layout. It does get crowded before HP events so just make sure to get here early. read more

Hockey night in San Jose and we decide to try this place before the game. Bartender was friendly and helpful. Food was not bad, not great. Fish & Chips, the fish was pretty greasy but I guess that's the way it is supposed to be. English food is known for being mediocre at best. The thing that was really irritating and made me leave instead of staying for another round or two was the god-awful ridiculously grating angry young man punk music that continued song after song of pure shyte. Whoever picks the music for a supposedly friendly pub and plays "songs" that are basically screaming "I am angry and I hate everything so go away and die", needs to stop. Find another playlist or at least play a variety so that the toxic garbage only gets played occasionally. Maybe it was just bad timing on my part. Maybe some happy pub music is played at other times. I will never know for sure because I will never go back. Mr Pub owner: When you are selling great atmosphere, that includes all the senses. read more

great, friendly pub with a good selection of beers and spirits...the poutine (or canadian fries, as they call them) is excellent the music (mostly outstanding 80's brit-pop) is kept low so you can talk at a comfortable level the poutine and cask-conditioned porter will keep me coming back read more

I live a few blocks from Trials...one night Mike and I ended up here for a late nite drink...the scene is low-key and a lot of expats from various countries were in there, specifically some loud british soccer fan. Anyhow, all was well until I noticed that my newly served beer had a lipstick mark on the glass, before I could tell the bartender, we saw how they wash the glasses here...by simply dumping out the beer into the sink, and then dipping the pint glass into a bucket of water for 2 seconds, and then allowing it to dry on a towel. After doing some research, this is the common "pub" way to clean glasses...I think its sick and wrong. How can something get clean in 2 seconds of semi-clean soapy water? why don't they use a dishwasher which rinses at super hot temps to kill germs? read more

i think trials is wonderful. i started going here a few short months ago and found that once people saw your face a few times they are really friendly. seriously. i think everyone i know in san jose i got to know at trials. maybe i shouldn't say that out loud, maybe i should be embarassed by it, but i'm not. oh no. trials is comfortable and worn in. it's nice during the winter with their fireplaces. and they have old school darts. and a game cabinet. and the best guinness in town. and they have trivia on monday nights. and they have some of the nicest most smart-assical bartenders around. and the drinks are reasonably priced. and the food is some of the best pub grub you will ever ever have. how can you say no to that? YOU CAN'T p.s. the space is small so watch out for Friday nights when it gets wicked busy and crowded. pps - Holy shit balls the mediterranean plate is fantastical!!!!!! read more

I love this place. Great selection of beers (Strongbow on tap), no tv, friendly bar staff, and board games and occasionally a fire on cold winter nights. Highly recommended. read more

Stumbled upon Trials pub on a weeknight outing with the man. Nice atmosphere with a wide variety of people. Drinks are reasonably priced and they have a good selection of beers on tap. We'd return to this hidden gem in downtown San Jose next time we're in the area. read more

Our local watering hole. laid back with cool bartenders. It can get pretty packed but we manage usually. Sausage rolls are one of the best things on the menu. I think it's wrapped in filo dough then fried. Super good. read more

This is the best hole in the wall pub I've been to in San Jose. Great food and great service! Plus they have games!

Drinks! Trials saved us on a night when every other nearby joint was closed or overrun by Sharks fans (nothing bad about Sharks fans but we just wanted to drink and not be loud sloppy messes). They gots whiskey. They gots darts. They gots a nice long bar and a pretty ceiling. read more

Nothing to say besides go. I have been faithful for 7 years. It is legit. People who leave 1 star reviews walk in a place already upset. Fix your life before you rate a business read more

Being 23 I am over the Tres Gringos/SJSU bar scene and wanted to go somewhere hipster free where I can actually hold a conversation without shouting. Trials Pub was the perfect place for this, the 2 bartenders working last night were so friendly and made great beer recommendations for my friend and I who were clueless on what to order. The crowd was on the older side but I would come here again for a casual/mellow night out. read more

I tend to pay a visit to Trials on a Friday or Saturday night. Trials is a fun place...if you like to get your buzz on early. Last call is usually 1:00am- 1:20am and they won't think twice about kicking you out the door 5 min. after you order a beer. That sucks to say the least - customer service,anyone? That's my major gripe. Other than that, Trials is a great place to kick it with friends and I do like the fireplace in winter. The crowd is very nice - kick back, local, and no drama. read more

Trials is the place I compare all bars to. The service is awesome, the beers are big, and the food is delicious. What else could you ask for? If you are hungry, make sure you try the pub burger, Cajun Chicken Club, or the Bangers and Mash. The chicken salad is tasty too. read more

This is my favorite pub in the south bay. The food is decent, nice beer selection and great atmosphere. It's small, and usually crowded. It's not a club, it's not a place to hook up. It's a place you go to when you want to kick it with a few friends, drink a few pints and relax. It's out of the way but definitely worth a look. read more

Nestled by First Street and St. James, look for the lit up victorian style place. There's patio seating and when you go in, a small front area of seating with leather chairs, automans, a wooden bench, low table etc. Then walking further in the wooden bar top that stretches down to the back of the room. The room narrows as you go back and then opens up to the back part so it could get a little scrunchy in there. Monday night at 8:15pm they have trivia night which is cool. They can run out of seating real quick because it's a popular place to go to. You can also play darts in the back. The restroom for woman's is clean but one stall only. I've had fish and chips here once. It wasn't too bad. The fish was just ok for me. The beer selection is nice. They have chimay blue, red and white among a lot of things. Which makes me happy. Pricing was average (chimay was like $7.50 i believe), nothing exorbitant. The atmosphere was really chill. I didn't feel too particularly welcomed. The bartenders weren't dancing around for us or anything. They just did their job and basically looked like they were ready for the night to roll through so they can get home and rest. It can only be a little off putting if they forget to make your drink and you feel like you're bothering them when you have to ask them again for it. Which yes happened to me once. But i'd definitely come again if they'll have me. Last time i was there, in my buzzed little mind i felt like i was laughing too loud at my friend's jokes. So i totally thought everyone there was shooting daggers with their eyes at me. =X read more

Trials' barkeep staff and a long-time customer contacted us and noted that the unfortunate placement was completely accidental. The staff is removing the banana from under the photo. I appreciate the thoughtful communication and prompt action. read more

to put it simply, i adore trials. i went there yesterday to celebrate my friends graduation from SJ state. we were able to hang out in the back room of the pub, grub on yummy veggie fried goodness with falafel sandwiches, and play darts. the pub was really low key and we stayed there for a couple of hours. but i must admit, the main reason was trials is so awesome in my book, is all within those casket beers and lambic bottles. i haven't been able to find another place that has them in this town. read more

Whenever were looking for a well poured pint without pretension, we find ourselves at Trials. Trials has yet to disappoint.

This is the best pub in San Jose. The ambiance is great and a refreshing contrast to the cheesy clubs that are far too prevalent in this area. Far enough away from the University that you don't get the douchey jock crowd and close enough to walk or bike to if you live downtown. There are no tv's, so you don't have to worry about people pretending to be social when they really just want to watch the game. They have even been doing a trivia session on Monday nights which has been really fun. I wish the draft beer was more consistent in taste, and the food (while perhaps more honest to English "cuisine") leaves a lot to be desired. Definitely the place to go for more interesting beer options, down to earth atmosphere, and good punk rock and indie music on the playlist. read more

Best pint in San Jose! As someone who is married to an English guy who loves his pints, and who has herself visited numerous pubs in England, I have to say this pub is VERY authentic. You can't go wrong with a proper IMPERIAL pint. They are not overpriced like Britannia arms either. No gimmicks etc. Just authentic down to earth cool place. The food is great too - if you love pub grub -which we do! Just like in Pubs in England, you order and pay at the bar. It is cozy and dark- like a proper English pub. No TVs and though it gets busy and there are people talking and laughing it up, it does not get overly loud so you can still have a good conversation. We've been coming to Trial's pub for almost 5 years now and will continue to do so as long as it is around. Thanks guys! P.S. We love it when Thane and Larry are behind the bar- they are awesome! read more

If I ever move out of the Bay, this is the drinking establishment I will miss the most! The environment is great - whether it's on a weekday or a weekend, this place will provide you with solid drinks and great company. It's tucked away on N. 1st St., physically and socially separated from the rest of downtown SJ. The beer selection here is more about the quality than the quantity - you'll find a small but diverse range of beers, from the mundane Smithwicks to the tent-pitching Monk. My personal favorite is the Dragonslayer IPA, partly because I'm uncharacteristically drawn to lame, mythic-sounding names, but mostly because it's plain delicious. Don't forget to try the Monk too! The food is surprisingly good! I'm a fan of the curry fries, and their Pub Burger hits the spot. The fish & chips are very satisfying, and the sandwiches never fail. Couldn't ask for more from pub food! The clientele is very laid-back, which helps you settle into the seats next to the roaring fire, or the couches by the smaller, yet capable mini-fireplace. Board games are available too! They also have trivia, which I have successfully failed to attend on many occasions, but I hear it's great! Anyway, moral of the story: get yourself a pint, and immerse yourself in the best British pub. You'll feel like you've got fair skin and bad teeth in no time. read more

This place is simply fantastic. I am a big fan of British Pubs, and travel to England quite often for work. This was a great find in San Jose. It is now my favorite British pub in a city that isn't in England, and I have been to quite a few throughout the world. The beer was great. I had the Fat Lip, which is a nice amber cask ale. If you like hoppy British cask ales, definitely try the Fat Lip. The food was equally impressive, and the staff were very friendly. Felt like I was in England. I saw other customers fetching a board game from an old antique cabinet. All the furniture is old mahogany style, leather chairs, bar stools, etc. like you would fine in England. If you didn't know what city you were in, you could easily think you were in a real British pub. I'm here for two more nights, and am heading back both nights. No reason to try anywhere else. Great pub!! read more

Great bar! Great bartenders! Great pub food! Great beer! I love that this place has no televisions. The music on the playlist is fantastic and kept at a low enough volume for conversation. They also have some of the best curry I've tasted this side of the Atlantic. read more

I was just writing a bad review for another bar and had to ask my lady, "Do I like any bars in this town?" Trials is it. Bangers and Mash, Fish and Chips, Hoegaarden, Stella (and it tastes right), lots of good beers. It actually feels like you are at a bar!!!! read more

This is a great place to get away from all the noise of downtown and relax with a beer. It's not a bar for those that are craving the club scene, if you want that then try every other bar in SJ. I do wish the set-up was different so that you could easily pass by the bar to get to the back. People like to stand right behind those seated at the bar and then give you weird looks like you're the one in the way. read more