The Top 18 Cocktail Bars Near Tacos El Compa
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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.
- San Francisco Chronicle 2026 · #87 · Top 100 Restaurants in the Bay Area
- San Francisco Chronicle Best restaurants in San Jose
- San Francisco Chronicle Best restaurants in Palo Alto, San Jose, the Peninsula and South Bay
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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
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Rank 6. True Laurel
American
- The Pinnacle Guide 2 Pins
- 50 Best 2025 · #64 · World's 50 Best Bars
- 50 Best 2026 · #14 · North America's 50 Best Bars
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- Punch Industry Icon
- Food & Wine 2025 · The 10 Top Bars in the US
- 50 Best 2026 · #100 · North America's 50 Best Bars
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Rank 8. Viridian
Northern Californian
- Spirited Awards 2026 · Top 10 Nominee · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar
- Punch 2025 · Best New Bartenders · Kat Parsons
- Spirited Awards 2024 · Regional Honoree · Best U.S. Restaurant Bar – U.S. West
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Rank 9. Kaiyō Rooftop
Peruvian Japanese
- James Beard Awards 2025 · Semifinalist · Outstanding Professional in Cocktail Service · Danny Louie
- The Infatuation The 21 Best Outdoor Dining Spots In SF
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Rank 10. Cavaña
Cental/South American
- Spirited Awards 2026 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best U.S. Hotel Bar – U.S. West
- Spirited Awards 2024 · Regional Honoree · Best New U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. West
- Spirited Awards 2025 · Regional Top 10 Honoree · Best U.S. Hotel Bar – U.S. West
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Rank 13. Wildhawk
Cocktail Bar
- Spirited Awards 2024 · Regional Honoree · Best U.S. Cocktail Bar – U.S. West
- The Infatuation The Best Martinis In San Francisco
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Rank 15. York Street Collective
Indian Cocktail Bar
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Rank 16. The Salty Pearl
Seafood
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Rank 17. Movida
Persian-inflected Mexican
Persian-Mexican fusion sounds like a fever dream, but Movida pulls it off in a stylishly dim restaurant-lounge near Oracle Park, complete with a DJ booth that earns its spot. The menu is small and genuinely creative, the kind of cooking where two cuisines meet and actually make sense together. Savory cocktails keep things interesting. The crowd leans date-night and pregame-dinner, both groups dressed a little better than they need to be.
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Rank 18. Base Camp
Nepali