so if there are so few fine dining options in san jose, why are the few that are here struggling to survive?

GFleener, they are struggling because the stupid geeks down here (I'm one, I can call us that) think that only computers are important. Food is irrelevant, and drinking is mostly evil.

The area will grow up... I just don't know when.

OK, tried to go to Stratta and 71 St. Peter... both were closed for the holiday weekend. Instead had a pretty good meal at AP Stumps. My impression is that 71 St. Peter is more "reliable" than AP Stumps; for example, my daughter's smoked glazed Pork Chop was outstanding; my son's stuffed Sirloin was not very good. In general, an excellent experience. Going to have to dine out more to do my part to support the good restaurants in the area.

BTW... any thoughts on La Fondue in Saratoga? I've never been.

"BTW... any thoughts on La Fondue in Saratoga? I've never been."

This is my least favorite dinning suggestion in the area. I'd rather stay home, eat a corn dog, drink my own wine and toss a $100 bill in the fireplace. Same experience.

Thanks for starting this thread Gus. I worked in downtown San Jose for awhile a few years ago (changed firms because commuting from the city to San Jose was nuts) and it would have been very useful then. Still interesting now even thought I don't get to the South Bay much anymore. You are so right re PF Changs.

I agree with tlily about La Fondue.

The food is good but no better than you could easily do at home and the prices are more that outrageous. You'd be a lot of money ahead burning a couple of $100 bills at home.

The place is packed every night though.

Just an update, had dinner at Le Papillon Friday night. Service was excellent, food was poor. Not just poor for the price, but plain poor. Started off with several tasting dishes that were wierd and/or yucky. A mussels dish was almost inedible. A halibut-based mousse creation tasted fishy. I would steer clear of this place for the time being. An extreme letdown.

I remember when this place was "THE" place to go in San Jose. Thanks for the warning Randy.

Yesterday I had one of the best lunches in AGES. Los Altos Grill. No wait at all for lunch. I've had some excellent dinners there as well, but this lunch was superb. Very high recommendation if you are in the area... or even if you aren't. I'm going to have to make it up to Los Altos more often.

LoL @ La Fondue. I agree 1000% with the "throw your $100 bill in the fireplace" comment. $150 for TWO people at dinner w/o wine and I have to cook my own damn food? Cracker, please.

I'm a steakhouse kind of guy, so Birk's is clearly one of my favorites. Take the kids to Great America and then treat yourself to a bone-in ribeye. Corkiage is $15, which isn't bad. Sundance Mine Company is a lot like the Grill (see below), but I like the atmosphere better. Levanda (Palo Alto) is one of my favorites and they have a great wine list. A little too exotic for lunch, but dinner is good. Evvia (PA) is also great if you like Greek food, and you'll always see some valley tech-players in there at dinner. Nobody else on this list is going to agree with my last recommendation, but I LOVE El Burro in the Pruneyard (Campbell), especially their chile verde. I'm flying home next weekend and guess where we're going for dinner... By the Bucket (Santa Clara) has the best garlic cheesey bread on the planet, and the rest of the food is tolerable. Go there for lunch and get a philly cheesesteak and a side of cheesey bread, then go see your doctor, because your cholesterol will go up 90 points.

In terms of downtown SJ specifically, 71 St. Peter is great as well, nice hole in the wall place. Go during the Friday Farmer's Market and sit on the patio. The Grill is just the grill. Great place for cocktails, but unless you've got an expense account (can you say Uncle Ernie's Amex card?), it's really not all that exciting. I was underwhelmend with AP Stumps, although they have some good salads at lunch time. I do have to say you guys are way overrating Chacho's, at least from what I've seen with their Chile Verde. I've gone a couple of times and the chips have been stale and the food has been mediocre. Even worse, you're sitting at those uncomfortable little tables that are shoe-horned in next to each other. Tied House is a cool place to go for a beer and decent food, and is less crowded than Gordon Biersch. Saw the unemployed line in your post - try El Grullense. It's right down the street on San Carlos by the 85 overpass. It's a Mexican McDonalds, but the food is great considering it's like $2.00 to get a chile verde quesadilla. Hey, you can't eat Filet every night...

I have to violently disagree with any positive remarks about Arcadia. I've been several times (including during the invite-only opening) and the food has been sub-par at best. Who wants to pay $19 for a "slider" (mini-burger) and a small bowl of soup? The lobster corn dog was not exciting in the least and the Kobe Chicken Fried Steak was about as tender as an astro-turf welcome mat. I'd sooner go to the old Hamburger Mary's than Arcadia... but I'll admit the cocktails are good. Maybe you can just sit at the bar, get liquored up and stumble over to El Grullense down the street?

If you want some more info on the SJ area, PM me...
DREW

Drew,

20 years ago I would go to the PruneYard La Fonda and get the Chile Verde at least twice a month. Still love it but just don't make it that often. I will say the place (or the food) hasn't changed on iota in25+ years.

Birk's is good but I never think about it. My old bud Birk McCandlis built the place but since he got a divorce 10+ years ago I havn't seen much of him.

I've got a new favorite place for Mexican food: Pizza Jack's. W. San Carlos and Sunol. Great Chile Rellenos!

Top Chili Verde for me is Andale in Los Gatos.

Anybody have any good leads on home made corn tortillas? There is one place out on iirc 31st and McLaughlin that is pretty good for tortillas.

There's a place on 14th and Julian (or very close) that makes homemade corn tortillas - it's a combination bakery and mexican restaurant. Big time hole in the wall, but delicious Mexican food and pastries, go figure).
Birk's was an Internet Bubble icon. I can't tell you how much money I dropped in there...

I'll find it and try it! The more "hole in the wall" the better!

Birk himself is a developer and continues to do well. His pop started the company McCandlis Construction. They built the e-bay campus at Hamilton and Bascom amongst numerous other buildings. Almost as big as Barry Swenson.

What part of this area are you from Drew? What's your old 'hood? NCVL is over off McKee. Tlily is in Blossom Valley. Gus just moved to Morgan Hill from SJ. Randy is in Willow Glen. I'm in Los Gatos.

and ormbee is from almaden valley.

well, at least for the last 5 years

I knew that. Sorry Ormbee.

Grew up in Campbell, moved to Hollister 5 years ago because it was the only place I could buy a house. Still worked in San Jose (and Palo Alto), of course. After 5 years of the commute from hell, I said screw it and moved to Oregon. Daughter turns 1 year old this weekend and we made the decision that I'm not going to spend half of her life driving my car to and from work. On the bright side, made a bunch of money on the house :-)

Flip side is that 99% of my family and friends are in the bay area, so we're back in SJ all the time anyways. Nothing more ironic than getting all of my calif wine sent to Oregon ("Why do you need California crap when we've got the Willamette Valley here?" *rolling my eyes*) and then having to schlep the stuff back to SJ for the dinner/drink-a-thons whenever I go back.

BTW - Gotta love Los Gatos. Some of my favorite greasy spoon places are in LG, which surprises most people. Southern Kitchen is GREAT and the Cafe is a guaranteed heart attack on a plate (yes, you CAN cover everything in Hollandaise and get away with it), but the cash only thing kinda bugs. If you haven't been up lately, you should check out Testarossa Vineyards. They redid the tasting room over the novitiate, and other than the flashbacks to 20+ years of Jesuit education, it looks really cool. Was impressed with the Gary's pinot he was putting out, although kind of miffed he started dumping his stuff at Costco. Bert (Joseph George) dropped all of his stuff because of that :-)

DREW

El Burro over Chachos? spoken like a true Mexican from Campbell try going across the street to Taco Bravo, YIKES !!! just kidding, don't do it I think I tried El Burro once before but it isn't one of our regular stops. When I was eating chile verde I really liked the Burrito Factory, they now have a few locations, and El Amigo in South San Jose. Let us know the next time your in town Drew.

The place with the panaderia downtown is on 17th street and Julian, and is called Casa Vickys. MadameNCVL really likes CV's but I would prefer the place across the street, I couldn't even tell you the name of it though.

Mexican fast food? ....... El Grullense isn't bad but I prefer Super Taqueria, Burrito Factory or even Royal Taco. We have some great taquerias in San Jose but sorting out the good from the bad can be tough, and scary.

Okay, you want hole in wall? I'm assuming you guys know at least a little spanish to get through a menu and aren't going to be all worked up if your waitress doesn't speak English. Check out El Pirrin on San Antonio for the best seafood cocktails ......... AWESOME!!!! fish, oysters, octopus, shrimp, etc ...... This place rocks! and if your a little nervous about going just give us a call and we'll join you anytime.

I haven't found one Mexican restaurant, or taqueria, that fits the bill for all my favorites. Salsa and enchilada sauce is better at one place, mole better at another, fajitas someplace else. We're always trying new and different places and always looking for the ultimate hole in the wall.

There must be 2000 Mexican restaurants and Taquerias in San Jose. Problem is figuring out which one is good and which is frightening. I cannot imagine what goes through someones head on these places... "You know what San Jose needs? Another Taco joint!"

I am very very white... so I can't go into all the places. I still like the taqueria/burrito place at Santa Clara & 1st.