Paper Plane (San Jose)

[honkman]

Another cocktail bar we enjoy in San Jose is Paper Plane https://www.paperplanesj.com/ - the owners are involved in a number of bars and restaurants in San Jose including MiniBoss and Alter Ego.
Paper Plane isn’t really an intimate cocktail bar but has more a large floor plan with several booths and tables but a place at the bar tends to be best option. The quality of cocktails is high and often quite creative. We also like their approach of a cocktail menu map which visually shows you the different types/flavor profiles of cocktails on their extensive menu

Taco Truck - Nixta, Ancho Reyes Verde, Espolon Tequila Blanco, Pineapple, Lime, Orgeat, Kummel

Two Smoking Barrels - Laphroaig 10 Year Scotch, Amaras Mezcal Verde, Orange Curaçao, Scappy’s Celery Bitters, Bitter Truth Orange Bitters

Jupiter Jazz (N/A) - Melati Classic, Passion Fruit, Orgeat, Lime

Cocktail Map

Inside

Outside

[bbulkow (Brian Bulkowski)]

Another place that has been doing that “cocktail map” thing is Rooh in Palo Alto. Although I like the drinks at Paper Plane, your comment about the “open floor plan” is kind. You’ll find me at MiniBoss or Dr Funk or Haberdasher or Petiscos, none of which might have quite as good drinks but better combinations of drinks, food, and atmosphere IMHO (not saying that all of them have food, but the sum of each eclipses the rather limp vibe at Paper Plane, again in my opinion).

But realistically - between Rooh, Ettan, Zola, San Augus, it’s hard to get out of Palo Alto for drinking. President’s Terrace, Union Local, NOLA deserve mention but aren’t in the same league. Ethel’s Fancy I haven’t tried (a dire oversight on my part).

It looks like Bar Underdog (offshoot of Protoge) on California Ave [ PA ] is open, which also hosts Sekoya and (cocktail-underrated) Naschmarkt. Often one doesn’t think of popping into Protoge for a quick one either, but one can.

Menlo Park lost Canteen, of which I’m still sad, but Burma Love and Eylan make up for it a bit. Left Bank is OK if you order carefully, Bar Loretta / Bistro Vida I’ve tried hard to like but, well, don’t, Camper I’m trying to warm to. Clark’s (new oyster bar) is on the list to try but I have only moderate hope. BBC is on my shit list for removing the great atmosphere and great old bar, but I’ll admit the cocktails are at least mid, maybe a little better.

Flea St, while not in the downtown part of MP, almost carries the city itself. The few-seat bar area is a secret treasure, and I’m assuming that guy who has been mixing there for the last 15 years is still behind the stick.

By comparison, Redwood City’s not great for cocktails, with the best of the lot probably Nighthawk. RWC has some OK eats, but cocktails, it hasn’t yet fielded a team.

[honkman]

@bbulkow

between Rooh, Ettan, Zola, San Augus, it’s hard to get out of Palo Alto for drinking

I like all of these places for their food and they have good cocktails but I don’t think any of them has great cocktails (as it often tends to be with cocktails in restaurants vs cocktail bars) with Zola being clearly the best of those places for cocktails. For us Palo Alto is a great place for dinner but than we are on our way to SF for cocktails

[bbulkow (Brian Bulkowski)]

While i will agree there are a few better places (maybe even quite a few) in sf (who doesn’t love true laurel), i like each of those places listed for different reasons, and feel pretty happy with the choices, enough that i will motivate to sf when i have more reasons than a simple urge for a well mixed drink (usually music, the peninsula has few choices). In that game, one ends up optimizing parking and food and music and cocktails, so it’s “the best cocktails within a walk of x music joint” (although i have started to do more of “within a 10 minute waymo”).

Zola is an odd duck. If it’s not busy, I’ve had nice talks with the bartenders and they will mix me something bespoke which is often amazing, but it’s usually crowded now and the regular menu is pretty good but not great (not as good as paper plane). I admit the crowd factor has me not visiting much.

Rooh has more consistently interesting flavors, as does ettan / elyan. Sometimes they work, sometimes they don’t, which isn’t the sign of greatness.

I might even say nighthawk in rwc, if you like the more complex and interesting mixes (still not at the level of the best in sf). That little blocked off street is doing quite well, between mazra, vesta, zareens - none of which has cocktails and vesta and mazra with waits. Lv mar has a good cocktail plus food score, although we end up with the three i mentioned far more. I would agree that if cocktail is the primary goal, it doesn’t match up. I do play the sum of the parts with cocktails, certainly, and with that, i find myself well served in the greater pa área.

I keep wanting to have a reason to try the little lounge in san carlos. I just don’t love the b food choices in san carlos generally ( exceptions saltbox and refuge ) so would have to rather plan an outing.