The Top 5 Cocktail Bars Near Ramen Champ
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Rank 1. Goodtime Bar
Californian
A natural wine bar tucked into a downtown alley that's somehow become the most exciting room in San Jose. The space is barely bigger than a studio apartment, so expect to get cozy with whoever's at the next table, usually the kind of creative-class crowd that has opinions about orange wine. Small plates lean punchy and globe-hopping, and the wine is the zippy, slightly funky stuff that goes with all of it.
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A vegan brewpub downtown where the whole thing revolves around fermentation, and they mean it. The menu is full of shareable plates with a funky, acidic edge, and almost everything comes with a rotating selection of house ferments on the side. The crowd leans plant-based and curious, the kind of people who genuinely get excited about kimchi variations. If you fall hard for one of the ferments, you can take a jar home, which tells you everything about the vibe.
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Rank 4. Coconuts
Caribbean
Caribbean comfort food in a sit-down setting, with a rum bar to keep things interesting. The kitchen does jerk chicken the way it should be done, properly seasoned and falling-off-the-bone moist, and the braised oxtail is the kind of thing that makes you understand why people braise oxtail. The crowd is mostly locals who already know the deal and order without looking up. Come hungry and let someone else drive home.
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Rank 5. President's Terrace
Californian