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    Vahl's Bar and Coctail

    3.5 (98 reviews)
    Closed Closed

    Vahl's Bar and Coctail Photos

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    VAHL'S BAR AND COCTAIL ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Live music
    Juke Box
    Quiet
    Dogs allowed

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    Ravioli.
    Kim B.

    Husband saw Vahl's from the train and wanted to try it. Up for something new we headed down from Dublin. Vahl's has been around for years. The decor appears to be original. Though they have several TVs in the bar showing sports. It looks like they have a bunch of regulars. The staff was friendly. They only had a lunch menu available so we missed some items. Apparently they have steaks and chicken cordon blue. Would have like the larger selection. Our food was served quickly. Dinner included garlic bread and a side salad or soup. The salad was crisp and fresh, iceberg lettuce and tomatoes. The ravioli dinner had 8 round ravioli in a red sauce. The liver and onion included a scoop of mashed potatoes and veggies. The liver was tender and the onions were grilled well. I can see the attraction Vahl's is as a neighborhood restruant.

    Meg T.

    I used to come here for lunch and jumbo swirl lollipops as a kid in the 90s but now I love to frequent it for the bar and karaoke. If you've been here, you know it's a true gem. The selfish part of me wants to keep it secret, but honestly, everyone should be able to experience Vahl's.

    The back patio is the bulk of seating for now
    George S.

    This is probably the best restaurant in Alviso. I wish I got to experience it before Covid hit and I hope someday I can. They have a reduced menu but the ham sandwich I got was definitely better than expected. I went with my friend and Pet Morrigan. Everybody loved Morrigan, even the stray cats in the area and I didn't meet one grumpy, ill polite soul. Vahls has an older crowd but definitely a friendly group of commoners worth getting to know.

    Vahl's restaurant - retro in Alviso Old timers know and love Vahl's in Alviso, a san jose neighborhood next to Santa Clara. Once this was the place to celebrate prom nights, birthdays, and holidays. Though mrs Vahl passed at 99 in 2004, her spirit remains alive and well in the restaurant that hasn't changed over the years. Red check tablecloths, artwork from local artist, a wall sized European tapestry of parrots on one wall, and so one. They have excellent karaoke on the weekends, as well as one evening a week, usually with a keyboardist playing accompaniment. Put on your pillbox hat, your retro clothes, and come for casual, not crowded or noisy atmosphere and homey comfort food. If you want a nice place to go after church. Or an early dinner...they close at 8pm. Have a retro party or a laid back meal. Chat with Elba the gracious host waitress who had worked there since she was a girl. She tells wonderful stories about Mrs Vahl. Reasonable prices. 3 of us went for a meal, drinks. Appetizers, and dessert. $100! In summer I recommend the shrimp louis salad. A huge clam shaped bowl filled with abundant shrimp over lettuce. They also serve liver and onions, an old timey meal, a great calamari steak Yum! Travel down Lafayette to El Dorado, turn left, park and come on in. Closed mon and Tue. Bon appetit! 1513 El Dorado St, Alviso, CA 95002

    the outside of the restaurant
    Ann L.

    Three of us went to Vahl's to check it out 6/29/06. It's been in business since 1941 so it has a long history in the town of Alviso. It wasn't very busy when we went around 12:15pm for lunch. You get free bread w/ butter after we ordered. Then soup of the day which was french onion. I thought it was ok, not too salty. A slice of bread was in the soup, but I didn't eat it. Main dishes not too long a wait. Lunch special seem to change daily and what's on the menu is not what is available that day. I wanted baked lasagna or linguine w/ clam sauce, but both not available. I picked the meatloaf lunch special $10. My dish was pretty tasty. A small slab of meatloaf w/ gravy on top, small scoop of mashed potatoes (instant), and a scoop of zucchini-which was pretty good. I finished everything. Dessert included w/ lunch special. I picked the sherbet which was pretty light and refreshing. Credit Cards taken now. Ladies room had two stalls and was decent. Two sinks too. Would recommend if in the area and wanted old fashion American food.

    Vahls
    J F.

    OMG if you love kitch you have to come here. It's a throwback to... Well, a long time ago. There's karaoke starting around 5 or so and its a hoot with a very regular crowd of over 70 or so. The decor is fascinating. The whole dining room is pepto bismol pink with gingham vinyl tablecloths. Awesome. Have a drink in the bar and have fun. The menu is truly expensive for what you get. Pan fried steak with blanched zucchini and a tiny baked potato for $27?? The fried shrimp is actually coconut shrimp and imagine what that tastes like with cocktail sauce on it, just imagine. Let's say we didn't stay for dessert.

    Beef-Tongue Appetizer

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    6 years ago

    We LOVE Vahls! Frank and Elva are the best! The food is good but the atmosphere is everything! So glad we found this place!

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    Ask the Community - Vahl's Bar and Coctail

    Is Vahl's still open in 2021? And if so, is there a way to see their current menu online (since they don't really have an official website)?

    Vahl's is still open but the dining room is closed. The bar is open with limited food offerings, when I've been there the kitchen closes at 5pm. The menu seems to have 3 or 4 offerings, a hamburger, a linguica sandwich both with potato salad.… Read more

    Is it still open ? Old reviews and pictures

    Yes! Had great valentine's day dinner there. Closed monday and Tuesday. Otherwise open for lunch and dinner.

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    Valley Goat - Hamachi Poke

    Valley Goat

    4.3(615 reviews)
    3.0 mi

    ARE WE IN SILICON VALLEY? 4.5…read more One might never know this restaurant exists, tucked away near a Google business park just off Highway 101. You could stumble upon it through Yelp (as we did), discover it while staying at the adjacent Treehouse Hotel, or simply hear about it through word of mouth. The parking situation is an interesting one. After turning into the driveway from Mathilda Avenue, you have two options: turn right for valet parking or left into the Google parking lot. There are plenty of spaces available, though parking there is technically at your own risk. The restaurant told us they had not heard of anyone being ticketed or towed. We first dined here shortly after it opened in 2025 and were immediately impressed by the beautiful grounds. The hotel's eco-conscious gift shop, housed in a glass greenhouse and featuring a colorful vintage VW Bug, is a charming touch. The short walk to the restaurant feels especially relaxing on a warm, sunny day. This has become one of our favorite places to bring friends or host girls' lunches. With three distinct seating options: the dining room, bar, and patio, there's an atmosphere to suit just about any occasion, whether you're dining as a couple or gathering with a larger group. I would recommend visiting during lunch or dinner service and skipping the in-between hours. During that time, only the bar area is open and the menu is more limited. To fully experience what Valley Goat has to offer, lunch or dinner is the way to go. Despite the name, the only goat dish on the menu at the time of this review is the Goat Empanadas. My friend was initially hesitant to order them, but David, our wonderful server, and I encouraged her to give them a try. She was glad she did. There was no gamey flavor whatsoever; the meat tasted more like beef, and the accompanying sauce was excellent. Over several visits, we've enjoyed everything we've ordered and are delighted to have a restaurant of this caliber in our Bay Area backyard. Chef and co-owner Stephanie Izard, winner of Season 4 of Top Chef and an Iron Chef title, owns a total of nine restaurants, primarily in the Chicago area, along with locations in Los Angeles and one at Orlando International Airport. Since we enjoy traveling for great food, we'll definitely be adding some of her other restaurants to our list.

    Menu: They have 3 different menus. Weekday brunch (M-F), Brunch (weekend only), Dinner (M-Sunday)…read more Came here on the weekend (with a reservation) to try their brunch. We ordered a few items to share and each were spectacular. The shrimp salad in particular contained perfectly cooked shrimp (although there weren't many) tossed in the right amount of sauce. The grilled asparagus were delightfully sweet and smokey. The smoked salmon dip paired with pickles were just the right amount of savory, spicy, and sour. Ambience: very greenhouse vibes. The interior had many live walls (walls filled with viney plants), and ceiling decor of plants as well. Along the restaurant was a long line of monsteras, scattered with fiddle leaf plants throughout. Love how "fresh" it made the restaurant feel. Given their different menus I different times, would definitely try to come back and try their dinner menu. Price: food arrives in small plates (for sharing). A bit on the expensive side for the small plates. However, the taste of each dish is exceptional.

    Photos
    Valley Goat - DJ Booth?

    DJ Booth?

    Valley Goat - Goat Empanadas ($18) limey huacatay

    Goat Empanadas ($18) limey huacatay

    Valley Goat - Goat gibson ($22), blush spritz ($20)

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    Goat gibson ($22), blush spritz ($20)

    Casa Azteca - Happy Hour Bourbon Smash

    Casa Azteca

    3.9(1.2k reviews)
    3.8 mi
    $$
    Happy hour specials
    Sports on TV

    Came here early Friday after work. Pretty quiet (as the dinner rush wasn't in yet). Greeted by…read morefriendly staff who say the both of us at a high table. We ordered 2 super burritos wet (customized to our liking). Really solid food. It's a place I can see myself sitting at for a couple hours if I needed to get some work done on my laptop. Will definitely be back!

    I loved this restaurant. It was the closest thing left to El Burro in the Bay Area. I have ordered…read moreat least 10 times in the last 6 months. My previous order was supposed to contain all shredded beef, that was substituted without warning by shredded chicken. I'm allergic to chicken. But as I said, I loved this place, so I tried it again. Bad idea. Food arrived lukewarm despite being quickly and directly delivered. That's a big problem because the shredded beef is stewed. It should be at least 140f when the food was prepped. It was not. How do I know? Because when contaminated stewed meat is held below 140f dangerous bacteria (clostridium perfringens) develop and make people sick. All three people who had the stewed beef also had food poisoning and were tested to have this bacteria and it could have only come from Casa Azteca. I'm heartbroken. I loved this place. But when trust is lost, it's almost impossible to regain.

    Photos
    Casa Azteca - Freshly marinated chicken breast cooked with onions and bell peppers

    Freshly marinated chicken breast cooked with onions and bell peppers

    Casa Azteca - Chile Verde Super Burrito smothered with cheese and verde sauce.

    Chile Verde Super Burrito smothered with cheese and verde sauce.

    Casa Azteca - Tequila, Cayenne pepper, Honey, Lime, Triple Sec

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    Tequila, Cayenne pepper, Honey, Lime, Triple Sec

    Eos & Nyx - Dining Room

    Eos & Nyx

    4.2(679 reviews)
    8.1 miDowntown
    Locally owned & operated
    Takes reservations

    This is such a Nice Place! Food was Wonderful!…read moreService right on point! I recommend this Place to all. You won't be disappointed. Enjoy

    Date of Visit: 6/13/2026…read more We visited the Eos & Nyx located in downtown San Jose on a Saturday early afternoon for brunch. Eos & Nyx is a vibrant dining destination with outdoor patio and loft style indoor dining room and open bar and kitchen. The menu includes locally sourced produce and seafood, mixed with Mediterranean cooking techniques. Eos & Nyx has also a fascinating cocktail menu, with brunch focused cocktails. Trix Aren't For Kids $18 Two husbands ordered the brunch cocktail, made with gin, trix, rice milk, ginger, passionfruit, cream, lemon, and egg white. A bit too sweet. Strawberry Spumoni $17 I got the strawberry brunch cocktail with bitter aperitivo, strawberry, fluffy grapefruit, and tonic. Cute but not memorable. Filipino Grand Slam $24 We ordered the amazing grand slam with Filipino longanisa, on the side there was garlic rice, fried eggs, and decorated with spiced vinegar. Pipikaula Ribs $32 The other main course we got the smoked pipikaula ribs, with kimchi fried rice, sunny eggs, and sprinkled scallion on the top. Chilaquiles $29 Another main course we had was the confit duck leg, mole rojo on the side. And on top there were feta and cilantro sauce dressing and a sunny side up egg on top. Caesar with trout $26 We also got a Caesar salad made with bibb & gem, Parmigiano Reggiano, herbed crouton, and boquerones. There was an option to include chicken or trout as the protein. We chose the trout and it was great with crispy skin and tender meat.

    Photos
    Eos & Nyx - Dining Room

    Dining Room

    Eos & Nyx - Dining Room Staircase

    Dining Room Staircase

    Eos & Nyx - Mezzanine Bar

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    Mezzanine Bar

    Horsefeather - Fried Chicken & Three

    Horsefeather

    4.1(226 reviews)
    10.0 mi

    Horsefeather is a great option in Palo Alto, located in the Town & County Village with plenty of…read morefree parking available. I arrived a couple minutes early for my 7:15 pm outdoor reservation on a Saturday and was immediately sat by the kind hostess even though it seemed pretty busy. The waitstaff were extremely attentive and professional, I appreciated the checking in, and even boxing our leftovers for my friend and I. We ordered the Umami Fries to start, followed by two Miso Linguinis. Everything was absolutely amazing! I have not stopped thinking about that pasta. We will definitely be back when we come up to Palo Alto, highly recommend!

    This was my third visit to this restaurant, and unfortunately, it was a disappointing experience…read more We made a reservation, arrived on time, and were seated. At that point, there were only two other small parties in the restaurant. We were initially seated directly next to a group that was clearly enjoying themselves and being somewhat lively. Since most of the restaurant was empty, we politely asked if we could sit elsewhere. We were moved to another small table, and then asked if we could have one of the empty booths instead. The server said he would check with the manager, but the manager declined, even though approximately 90% of the restaurant was empty. We then placed our order. My wife ordered the salmon, and I ordered the mussels, along with the beet and strawberry salad. When the salad arrived, my wife noticed there were no beets in it. We pointed this out to the server, who said he would speak with the manager. The manager eventually brought out a corrected salad. Shortly afterward, however, the server informed me that they were out of mussels. This was especially frustrating because the mussels were the main reason we chose this restaurant--we had enjoyed them on a previous visit and specifically came back for them. To make matters worse, about ten minutes later, two families with children were seated directly next to us, despite the restaurant still being largely empty. Given the abundance of available seating, it felt unnecessary and made the dining experience less enjoyable. Overall, the combination of the seating situation, ordering issues, and lack of accommodation left us disappointed with what had previously been a restaurant we enjoyed visiting.

    Photos
    Horsefeather - Dining area

    Dining area

    Horsefeather - Deviled Eggs

    Deviled Eggs

    Horsefeather - Umami Fries

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    Umami Fries

    GIWA - Bread w/ Butter & Jams (came w/ the GIWA Scramble)

    GIWA

    4.4(1.3k reviews)
    5.3 mi
    $$

    Went in on a Sunday 12PM, waited for about 20 minutes. Our…read morewaiter Ashton was very kind and attentive. Cute ambiance with lots of flowers, you can also buy flowers inside! The Korean egg Benedict was yummy, especially the patty. The croissant waffle under the chicken was also very good. Honorable mention is the Pandan Latte and the freshly squeezed orange juice!

    How it started: traumatized a few staff with my #interrogator and accidentally insulted the owner…read more How it evolved: Kelly the owner recognizes me kindly as "Tina" out of the sea of generic basic azns. New staff hazing = sent to my table to get grilled on the menu Now: Basically my second home at this point. I think Kelly finally knows my name is Tian and not Tina. My go to spot for almost every occasion. The closest in terms of a total package with great food, amazing lattes, and beautiful setting for all the IG basics. FAVE ORDERS: - All the specialty lattes: black sesame latte, matcha latte, ube latte, panda latte, biscoff latte - Pistachio Prociutto Sandwich: my brain couldn't process the pistachio cream & prosciutto & burrata & rosemary garlic oil combination but my tastebuds understood the mouthgasm - Truffle Honey Egg Sando: too many of my fave keywords in one description - Rosé Tteokbokki: one of the best versions of this semi-rare to find dish - Fried Calamari: most distinctly calamari fried calamari I've tasted compared to the generic fried battered from every other happy hour menu - Mushroom Confit Salad SERVICE: - Incredibly busy for obvious reasons and the owner themselves work like a horse, expect slower service esp during peak hours and depending on how many IG models want their pics taken - Ash is the most capable service staff I've encountered in a long while, and I think he finally stopped trying to ignore my glares for attention half the time Misc: If they give you fireworks for your bday don't try to blow it out like a candle Instagram: TianTianEats

    Photos
    GIWA - Seating area

    Seating area

    GIWA - Dutch baby pancakes

    Dutch baby pancakes

    GIWA - Long prime rib

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    Long prime rib

    Bloom - Churro Waffle

    Bloom

    4.3(1.8k reviews)
    6.8 mi
    $$

    That would be our server, Emily. She was outstanding, no matter how busy she was, she made us feel…read moreHeard and appreciated she was terrific. Now, a couple of points to cover. 1. It will be busy you will have to wait, but let me tell you the turnover of the tables by the staff is its own ballet. And once you are shown to your table the wait will be worth it. Point number two order potatoes that are fried in duck fat and sprinkled with garlic and parsley. *if all. I did was return in the future for those potatoes and nothing more the trip is worth it. Now the place is loud and busy and you would not want it any other way the energy is contagious the "Ambiance" is simple you are glad to be there and the employees are glad you are there too.

    Popular American brunch spot, well-lit and decent indoor and outdoor seating. Servers are friendly…read moreand helpful. Didn't need a reservation to sit, but I assume it's much more crowded on the weekends. Parking was fine. Ordered French toast, avocado toast with poached egg, carnitas Benedict, and Churro waffles. Honestly, everything was a bit average and lacking flavor. The churro waffles were by far the favorite and the best deal, price to taste-wise. Definitely get it if you're gonna try anything here. Otherwise, Bloom was slightly lackluster for me. Nothing terrible, but I prefer Sweet Maple as a brunch spot.

    Photos
    Bloom - Brunch with my girl! Hee

    Brunch with my girl! Hee

    Bloom - Croissant French toast

    Croissant French toast

    Bloom - Carnitas Bene w/ avocado, pickled onion, house English muffin, poached eggs, salsas, house potatoes | $25

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    Carnitas Bene w/ avocado, pickled onion, house English muffin, poached eggs, salsas, house potatoes | $25

    Haberdasher - Kentucky Buck

    Haberdasher

    4.5(754 reviews)
    8.3 miDowntown
    $$

    Walking into haberdasher always makes me feel like I'm going back in time. It's beautifully…read moredesigned and has amazing staff. My husband and I had a baby free night out to celebrate my birthday and haberdasher did not disappoint. We went soon after opening so there was no line but I know they tend to have one later in the evening. We were greeted warmly at the door by the attendant who checked our ids. I was even wished a happy early birthday. When going into the bar, you walk down a staircase into a space that makes you forget you're in downtown San Jose with beautiful reds and burgundy decor. The staff is all smartly dressed; the bartender and bar back were both sweet and funny. I ordered a jack rose (my all time favorite), their seasonal watermelon waltz (this may be a new favorite for me, nice and refreshing) and one of their zero proof cocktails called a Mariposa which was soooo good as well. My husband ordered a couple old fashioned and a watermelon waltz for himself. We had an amazing time and look forward to coming back in the future.

    My friends and I went to several bars down the street and none really stood out but we saw…read moreHaberdasher and needed to check the place out. There was about a 10 min wait. And they don't allow outside food in even if the food was leftover in Togo bags from dinner. The place was busy when we finally went inside. But the bartenders were fast and we got two rounds of drinks as far as we could order. The dim lighting did look reddish. The large tables were reserved but there plenty of smaller high tops around. Memorable drinks were the perfect pear and the Andean Ascent. Perfect pear was not fruity at all and had a nice aroma and spice to it. The Andean ascent was a nice drink to start with, refreshing with a bit of fizz.

    Photos
    Haberdasher - Prohibition style speakeasy here we come! Hee

    Prohibition style speakeasy here we come! Hee

    Haberdasher - Back bar

    Back bar

    Haberdasher - Their bathrooms fit the theme very nicely.

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    Their bathrooms fit the theme very nicely.

    Vahl's Bar and Coctail - cocktailbars - Updated June 2026

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