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Agenda Lounge
Categories: Nightlife Restaurants American (New) Nightlife, American (New) [Edit]
399 S 1st StSan Jose, CA 95113
(408) 287-3991
- Hours:
Wed-Sat 5:30 pm - 2 am
Sun 9 pm - 2 am
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- No
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Late Night
- Music:
- DJ
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Wed, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Loud
- Good For Dancing:
- Yes
- Ambience:
- Trendy
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- No
132 reviews for Agenda Lounge
Review Highlights
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"...used to host these free hip hop events that were always fun..." In 19 reviews -
"HOT SPICY SALSA ON WEDNESDAY NIGHTS." In 4 reviews -
"Its got a pool table and awesome bartenders." In 9 reviews
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132 reviews in English
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Review from Daniel L.
San Jose, CA
2/23/2012
Salsa Night is amazing. A lot of people who can really dance come out for this so it's a little intimidating, so I recommend coming with a partner.
The lesson in the beginning is awesome, Its an hour and a half and you learn the basic step a few more move and one advanced move. This is good if you can find someone to help you refine the moves but not if you're solo. I had the misfortune of asking someone who had been dancing for 15 years and she was very nice to teach me a few things but I felt such a fool. I later went looking for partners who were as bad as me in the lesson and that was soooo much fun.
I recommend any and everyone go to salsa here. -
Review from Dmitriy S.
San Diego, CA
4/28/2012 1 Check-in Here
After a round of drinks at singlebarrel on a Saturday night, a couple of friends and I decided to head over to Motif. Unfortunately, their cover was $20, which is way too much for a mediocre club in San Jose. We decided to head next door to Agenda, but by the end of the night I was contemplating whether it was even worth it to leave Motif.
First of all, it was pretty empty throughout the whole night. If you factor in the fact that it was Saturday, it was deserted. The rain might be to blame, but all the other places nearby had the average sized crowd.
They decided to do us a "favor" and charge $20 for the 4 of us, instead of the original $40. When you have an empty club, doesn't it make more sense to get more clientele in without cover? They'll end up spending more at the bar anyway.
Speaking of the bar, theirs is one of the worst I've experienced. $10 for a rum & coke in a cheap plastic cup filled halfway with ice. Do these guys think they're fancy ass bartenders making alcoholic masterpieces? The drinks were too watered down and not even close to being worth it. All the bartenders had an extreme attitude as well, which deters the mood even more.
Music was alright but the song kept changing so often you couldn't get into them. The DJ picked some good old school stuff that is always a crowd favorite, but the guy seriously needs to learn how to transition. With an empty dance floor, it was a bit awkward as well. You just have to pretend like it's poppin and keep yourself and your dance partner entertained.
Probably not coming back again. There's much better options in downtown SJ. -
Review from Brandon Y.
San Jose, CA
3/27/2012 1 Check-in Here
Oh dear, Agenda...
Showed up with some friends on a Saturday night and decided on Agenda over Motif b/c of less of a line and less cover charge, but wasn't really even worth the discounted charge we got of $20 for 4 (would have been $40 for 4...but they caught us before we walked off). Upstairs, it was pretty deserted, and there was tons of space on the dance floor. Music was basically snippets of Latin music, old school hip hop, some top 40, and oldies, which I appreciated to an extent, but the mood changed so quick that you couldn't really get too in to a song before the scratchy/shaky transition to the next one began.
The drinks, though, were a bit of a let-down. I've never seen a bartender use "Long Island Mix" from a plastic bottle make a Long Island Ice Tea and then charge $10 for it. It literally tasted like watery coke and didn't do a thing. We were a bit ticked off at that...Drink fail.
Overall, would have definitely preferred to stay at Single Barrel had I known Agenda would have been just "meh." Thank goodness for good company (Dmitriy S., Tory L, and dance patnah Kathleen W.) or else I would have been frustrated with myself for paying to enter... -
Review from Karla Emm N.
San Jose, CA
Updated - 2/8/2012
I'm updating....
This place had really good music. Seriously, I felt like dancing to most songs. It's a smaller space so I don't think I would come if it was crowded. Especially since you have to go up the stairs IN HEELS lol
The place isn't toooo fancy at all but like I said music is good. And I'm here to dance not look around.
There was a nice vibe there too, not jammed with creeps or people making out in the corner lol
I had a good time, I would def come again for a salsa fix :) -
Review from Kathleen W.
San Francisco, CA
8/7/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Had a pretty awesome night with my coworkers at Agenda Lounge Wednesday - Salsa night! I am a newbie at salsa and social dance in general. Seriously all I knew before coming here was the forward and side step (which took me a good hour to learn). Thankfully, from 8-9:30pm, they offer salsa lessons that are fun and more or less easy to follow.
The structure of the lesson is perfect. After learning the basic steps: forward step and left/right pivots without then with music, the class quickly jumps into some more intermediate moves and combinations. The instructor teaches us exactly the moves to succeed in this social dancing situation. Particularly, how to detect the beats in each song and signal your partner to a next move. The guys rotate to their a new lady partner every set of dance moves so I got to dance with at least 6 people!
After the lessons, the dance floor is open for everyone to try out their hip moves. By that time, I was already super tired! Learning how to dance is hard work. As my first time in a salsa club, I can tell you that guys are generally nice (aka no ass grabbing) and cordial even when you are totally hopeless at this dance style. Just say "it's my first time" and they will try to help you out!
Plenty of room on the dance floor. Average drinks. Fun crowd. Chill venue. Oh, did I mention that you can wear whatever?! :) -
Review from Jay B.
8/6/2011 1 Check-in Here
Came here with a bunch of friends to celebrate a Birthday.
1st Friday of the month featured "Workout". We were there early enough to have the dance floor to ourselves :) It wasn't as packed so we had fun..
Good company = Fun times :) -
Review from Christopher T.
San Jose, CA
5/14/2011
Free drink tokens from the cute bartender plus very attractive door lady inviting us in = bi-winning
It's a bar/lounge, it's only as fun as the people you bring with you so as long as it's not a total crap hole it's all good!
They should probably work on their beer selection though. Not everybody wants to get a cool buzz off cheap liquor or pay 10 bucks for a shot of the good stuff. -
Review from Ian U.
Morgan Hill, CA
1/4/2012 1 Check-in Here
This place is amazing on the first Friday of the month "Workout Dance Night". Hope to go every month ;-)
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Review from Lynn R.
San Jose, CA
12/29/2011
Only on the Workout! Which is every first Friday. Electro- Indies mixes. Great music, great crowed, and the dance floor is fab. I can't vouch for the other nights.
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Review from Ryan T.
Campbell, CA
7/30/2011
We went on Friday, 7/29/2011 for a friend's birthday.
Bad
1) $10 cover charge for men and women
2) Around 20-30 people in the club
3) DJ was playing the censored versions of songs
4) Last call and kicked out shortly after midnight so they could get ready for a private event on Saturday night
5) Three or four photographers getting in the way of everyone (see #3 below)
6) Only a few people dancing, including one creepy old guy by himself
Good
1) Five minutes of 2-for-1 drinks at one point
2) Lots of open seating
3) Two cute chicks and a ripped dude in their underwear taking pictures with guests
We won't be going again. -
Review from Bruna D.
Los Gatos, CA
1/23/2011
Nice salsa lessons....:) every wednesday night! at 8pm
had fun with my friend..but we couldn't stop laughing...:) good place for beginners like us..totally worth for 5 bucks...lol wanna go back...
and after the class..u have the chance to practice with your new salsa friends...not just salsa..but another ones too...some of the guys are there for something else..but it's fun though...lol -
Review from Farrah F.
3/26/2011
4.5-rounded-up-to-5-stars. :O
Honestly, it doesn't get much better than this. $5 for uh, 6 hours of dancing that includes a free lesson? Unless it's free, there's little that can be improved upon.
[I docked half a star because there was a slightly intoxicated asshat there who repeatedly tried to manhandle the woman next to me. :/ She was a trooper though, and shoved him away, so I inwardly did a fist-pump in my mind for her.]
Definitely not a place I'd want to go to alone, unless I happened to be itching for a reason to go postal on a creeper. (Most of the people there seem pretty chill, but there's always that one...) But if you were to go with someone, you have nothing to worry about! This place brings new definition to the term I've been seeing all over Yelp (Man Jose).
But anyway, to restart. There's usually free parking on the street, and you can get in with just $5 on Wednesday nights for salsa! (You have to be over 21 though.) The bouncer seems to be a pretty nice soul (unless he's forced not to be, I guess). The lesson starts somewhere at or after 8 p.m. and you have the option of rotating and dancing with everyone, or if you came with someone, you can stick with him because he's cool/good lookin'.
Since my watch curled up and died on me not so long ago (it was apparently running on magical powers, but it ran out), I have no idea how long the lesson ran til. It was most likely until 9-ish p.m.? It gets really effing hot in there, but luckily for you, there's an elusive (free) pitcher of iced water near the back! "Elusive" is probably misleading. I was just blind/hadn't wandered to the back yet, so I didn't see it (it's by the coat check, which is apparently $1). The bartender gave me a bottle of water for free though! (Whatta kind soul!) There are also a number of really comfy couches near open windows though, so if you migrate to that general direction you'll be fine.
The margaritas were $5. I can't comment on anything other than the fact that they're kinda small, but I mean, it is a club and drinks are almost always over-priced. (I say this like I know what I'm talking about, but really, I've never ordered a drink at a club, as they aren't places that I ever frequent [although I'd hella frequent this place]. Ignore this paragraph.)
It was pretty crowded here, especially for a sporadically rainy Wednesday night, so it's always a good idea to take care not to slam into other people (if you can help it). My memories of this place are rather positive, so I'd want to go back. :]Listed in: Outside/Going Places
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Review from Sole M.
San Jose, CA
Updated - 1/3/2012
NOT SURE WHY THIS GOT FILTERED BUT I WILL POST AGAIN BECAUSE MY EXPERIENCE WAS SO BAD HERE: I went here for New Years 2012. Worst Lounge experience of my whole life. This place is pathetic and needs to shut down. The drinks are watered down and way to sweet. The crowd was horrible and I will NEVER go back! A fight broke out right after midnight and we left but please do yourself a favor and do not give this place your money!!! Worst place in downtown SJ and that says a lot considering downtown SJ is pretty bad to begin with.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/1/2012
I went here for New Years 2012. Worst Lounge experience of my whole life. This place is pathetic and… Read more »
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Review from Nadine L.
Gilroy, CA
12/31/2011
Not too long after my initial post I received an email that there was a mistake on the confirmations and they were not sent out. All is forgiven. I give the Agenda 4 stars because we've always had a good time whenever we visit. Can't wait to celebrate 2012 tonight!
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Review from Betty N.
10/15/2010
**HOT SPICY SALSA ON WEDNESDAY NIGHTS**
I have never salsa-ed in my life.
Group of girlfriends wanted to, so here I was.
$5 got us in at the front door and $10 for a shot of Goose was the name of the game.
Not used to super aggressive men, but hey, they were here to dance.
I salsa-ed, tangoed, and had a great time.
It was a very warm night and everyone was sweaty. Betty sweaty. The place could definitely invest in some A/C units.
And wow, the men's colognes were out of control. Please ban them at the front door.
Good times with friends, but I wouldn't go here alone. -
Review from Connie C.
San Jose, CA
Updated - 10/13/2010 1 Check-in Here
Salsa Wednesday here is what's up in downtown SJ. Just follow the lively beats blaring out of the upstairs windows. The energy is contageous! If you're not used to the scene, it might seem as if the men are super aggressive, but they only have one motive: to dance!
Such a fun way to let loose mid-week! Leave all your inhibitions at the door... And it doesn't matter if you have two left feet - just have fun and groove with the music. Plus someone will teach you the steps if you don't know them!1 Previous Review: Show all »
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12/16/2008
We had half an hour before heading to see "Every Christmas Ever Told" at SJ Stage Co (which was… Read more »
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Review from Becky U.
8/11/2011
AHH Agenda, came here to grab some drinks and hang out with some friends. That night they were playing Indie music, which wasn't bad. Dancing to it, it's like a straight workout! Huge open space with chairs and sofa in the back end. Bartenders were pretty responsive that night. No complaints there.. lol... I had a great time.
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Review from lisa v.
Sunnyvale, CA
6/21/2011
This review is for salsa night (Wednesday) only....
I love to dance salsa and hadn't been in a while to Agenda so off to SJ I went. Let's just say it will be my last time at this place for salsa.
Someone decided to put couches/tables/chairs right in the middle of the dance floor, so now there is only half the dance floor for all of us to dance on. Hello manager, salseros need as much room as possible to dance and your place is small to begin with! We don't need cushy couches to sit on, small chairs at either end of the club will suffice.
Pro's: cheap cover, good dancers, free water
Con's: small dance floor (less space to dance now with the couches), too hot inside, filthy bathrooms -
Review from Cynthia D.
Los Gatos, CA
5/16/2011
Had my birthday here and it was just straight up a blast.
I didn't ask for VIP or anything like that, but i had everyone meet here and it was perfect. Pretty much had the place to ourselves and i thought it was going to suck, but NO it was great!
I liked the fact i didn't have to worry bout someone stepping on me with their high heels or some creepers eyeing you and trying to dance with you. It was awesome just having friends being able to hang out.
The bartender gave me a free shot too, she was really sweet. Best part is NO DRESS CODE ... at least i think no dress code... dont quote me on that hahaha.
if you want a place where u can dance with just u and ur friends, go here. -
Review from Kathy D.
11/21/2010 1 Check-in Here
I came here on a Saturday night and I believe it was a funk techno night kind of thing. This was a random pit stop since our friend was able to get us in for free at around 12:30am. We just had left Single Barrel and wanted to do something random. BOY this was random.
The place was pretty much empty except for like 12 people. You had your artistic performing arts guy dancing all over the floor. You had your casual girls dancing in a group, and you had your boys standing on the side just chillin' and looking around.
This place only got 2 stars for me because me and my friend took advantage of the night and was just dancing everywhere on the dance floor, being silly with the incredibly SPASTIC and FAST music they were playing.
I have heard about Salsa Wednesday nights so maybe someday I will go and check that out. -
Review from Stephanie R.
San Jose, CA
2/12/2011
I don't even know how to begin this!
Came here on a Friday.
The boyfriend and I were looking for The Cellar but we ran into this place where people were standing outside. They were like "Only 3 minutes left! Before 9 you get a free drink!" Well we're not going to pass up a free drink so we went up these stairs and into The Agenda.
We went up to the bartender and we told him about what the people said outside. Apparently others were there because of they said. The bartender was not happy because apparently you had to have bought some kind of ticket it wasn't made clear. He wasn't happy. He said to make up for it he'd give us only one free drink.
We weren't mad or anything and said that was fine. We apologized for the miscommunication. He seemed taken about by the apology and he calmed down and was nice again. He said he was sorry for being kind of rude. He then gave my bf a heart sucker for his apologies and told him to give it to me. ^.^
So we took our drinks and took a seat on their nice couches. The set up was cute because it was decorated with Valetine's stuff. It was only 9 so it wasn't totally hopping yet. The music was good. It was mix of R&B, hip hop, rap, top 40's. It was a good mix and the DJ moved things smoothly.
The bathrooms were clean and easy to get too.
My only problem was the drink. Which if you're a night club/dancing lounge this is a big problem. I ordered a vodka sour. It was more like a vodka water. It was extremely watered down due to I believe too much ice. The whole cup was full of it. My boyfriend's jagerbomb was really good because there is no ice.
So if you want a good drink don't get a mixed drink. They need to learn to back up on the ice a bit.
I'll probably go here again since I had a lot of fun dancing. The people was a good mix and good looking...Except for the odd Asian man with long hair, baggy white shirt, and khaki pants and was just all over the dance floor. He didn't try to dance with anyone. He just felt like dancing I guess! LOL -
Review from Justine G.
Hollister, CA
4/4/2011
Review for salsa wednesday nights:
Went for the $5 salsa lessons they offer at 8 with my friends. The instructor is very cool and knows his salsa but some moves were a lil confusing. He starts of with basic steps but soon moves up to intermediate levels and then have everyone dance with partners. I was having trouble learning but still had fun and the men were helpful showing me what to do. After the lessons they have a dj and a live band and it gets really crowded. I would go back again for salsa -
Review from Jamal G.
San Francisco, CA
4/11/2007
Ok, a perfect example of why we need more black folks on Yelp reviewing spots. If you want to know where the majority of Black folks are at in San Jose.. they are here at Agenda. I'm not sure you'd be ready for it but the #1 time to visit would be on a Sunday where the following Monday is a holiday. I might not head back to San Jose for much but I'm there on those Sunday's. When it's crackin they have 3 floors... upstairs, downstairs, and basement... sometimes they'll have a reggae band playing outside. It's a place to have fun, dance, shoot some pool, lounge, and most important... drama free. Which means they welcome non black folks as well ;0)
If you like to dance to Reggae, dance hall, and hip hop... Agenda is the place to be when in San Jose. Again, the best time are on the Sunday's I described above.
Friday's and Saturday's are a toss up with every other club in San Jose (hit or miss).
Plenty of free parking in the area as well. -
Review from Lubs Y.
San Jose, CA
8/19/2008
I was feeling bloated and skanky since I had just gorged on fondue and happened to be wearing leggings for the first time ever in public. Then I looked around the line and realized I had nothing to worry about. Not a very good looking crowd.
On the dance floor, a fight broke out and suddenly it felt like I was in a running of the bulls or something. WTF.
On the plus side...the drinks are pretty strong and there's plenty of seating available around the dance floor. But I don't think I would come here again. So on goes the search for a decent SJ club... -
Review from Edgar N.
11/23/2010 1 Check-in Here
Ok, credit where it's due - these guys get an A for effort. (Hence three stars instead of two).
They bring a pretty wide array of entertainment to San Jose, from salsa during the week to electro-house on the weekend with events like "The Workout". No one else in the area is really doing that, so props to 'em.
That said, this place could use some improvement.
First off, the drink sizes are way too small for the prices. C'mon...if I'm paying adult prices for an adult drink, give me an adult-sized cup. Secondly, they need to work on their sound (that, or have their DJs keep the main volume from peeking) - at times, it got pretty distorted from the sound getting pushed too hard. Third, the security guys. Granted, they're there to keep the peace, not win Miss Congeniality. Still, there's no reason to cop an "I'm tougher than you" attitude if you're just checking my ID.
So yeah...if they can work on those few things, I can easily see this place becoming a regular spot on my weekend itinerary. -
Review from Charissa I.
San Jose, CA
11/19/2008
This place is really hit or miss. Some nights it's packed up the ass with lines going around the corner and people trying to get in through the cellar with a cover charge to match... other nights they're letting people in for free.
Even during my heavy partying days I could never put my finger on which day was their most cracken. But for the most part their music selection on the nights I've gone were always pretty good-- old school, hip hop, r&b, soul..
In spite of me not coming here very often, I hold this place very special in my heart since it's the first 21+ spot I got totally fucked up in over long island iced teas and lemon drop shots. And yes, I ended up paying for it by the end of the night.
Since it's such a large venue, I'd suggest coming when there's an event being hosted. That way the place is some what packed and you don't feel like you're the drunkest one on the empty dancefloor.
Oh, a tip for the underaged kids-- unless it really looks like you on the id, I'd advise you to hold on to your precious borrowed or fake ID and use it elsewhere. I'm of age and they even make me do all the tests-- signature included. Sure, I may look young but I clearly look like the bitch on the ID. -
Review from Boo B.
Milpitas, CA
1/23/2008
I used to come her back in my pre-sexy mama phase...I never came to dinner as I didn't quite make it as we were still getting hoochied out...that no time for dinner...
We went on Thursdays for Hip Hop and Sundays for Reggae. Then once in a while they will have live bands. I would go if it was Felonius or Native Elements.. It's cheap to get in unless there's a special event...
Make sure to get the VIP card...you get in free plus ONE guest. They renew yearly, so if you are an old card member...get renewed this Friday or Saturday...OR print out this pass and get in for free (before 11pm)
http://agendalounge.co... -
Review from Cristobal T.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 12/7/2008
Holla front for getting in for free at midnight with my VIP Agenda Card that they gave us after the KRS-ONE show a few weeks ago. Saved me and my homeboy $15 each.
But god damn son. I felt like I was walking on the floor of a nymphomaniac adolescent boys room. That floor was so freakin sticky icky with beer spilled all over it. Damn wedding party drunks. Who the hell has a wedding party at Agenda of all places?! At least be more classy and do it like at Wet or Vivid if you gotta settle for Downtown Man Jose.
But damn. Last night was hella sausage festivities. I guess a lot of girls are allergic to temperatures below 50 degrees outside and just stay home. I'll give the DJs props though for playing some koo music. And like VooDoo Lounge and Temple in Downtown Man Jose, Agenda's usually got good DJs spinning on Hip-Hop nights too.
But god damn...Too many sausages! If I wanted to go to the meat market, I would've just got drunk at home for free and logged onto MySpace.
But yeah, another negative on Downtown Man Jose, is a group of 4 decent, not that ugly nor hot looking girls dancing by themselves and one of our homeboys with a girlfriend just comes up straight up to them and was like we're just trying to enjoy ourselves and have a good time, would you ladies like to dance with us. Not even hitting on them. But these girls gave a straight up bitch remark back like they was some hot shit and their shit don't stink. Maybe that's a reciprocal of the Man Jose effect?! I guess that's why those same girls are always crying and bitching about getting fucked over by guys, cause they want guys who lie to them and cheat on them, vs. just being straight up. Breezies!
I understand the concept of GNO (girls night out), but how about the concept of GUYS NIGHT OUT. And no! Guys do not dance with each other like how girls do, but we all kind of do at the club when we make circles and dance by ourselves getting all hyphy and poppin our collars and what not, since there's no girls to dance with, or they're too good to dance with the opposite sex cause they got to keep their GNO strictly to the girls, even though they decided to go out in MAN JOSE. Man Jose I tell you, too bad so sad. - Can a brother get some love?
San Jose has 17% more men than women amongst it's population. So it's roughly 41.5% women and 58.5% men. And with a population of roughly 1,000,000, that translates to about 170,000 more men (that's a lot of sausages) than women living in this city, which is a good means to thus rename San Jose to MAN JOSE.
But yeah, kudos to the bartender for only charging me $10 for a shot of Patron and a Blue Moon on tap, when he was charging everyone else $10 per shot of Patron. But oh well, he made me get an extra drink with their $10 credit card minimum. - One good thing about Man Jose, is that all us mans know each other, so I was able to get trashed with only spending $10 on the night, cause people were throwing shots in my face left and right and calling me a bitch if I didn't take them. Downtown Man Jose is a recovering alcoholic's nightmare and a broke man's haven to get a pair of beer goggles for cheap.
PACQUIAO COUCH!!!
De La Hoya got Mexicutionized last night! Golden Boy ain't so golden anymore.
Oh and depending on who the promoter is, they probably won't let you in with a baseball cap on.Listed in: The Places I Go Out
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/23/2008
I'll be honest. I only really like going here on Fridays or Saturdays when either S4F… Read more »
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Review from watani f.
San Jose, CA
3/26/2008
UNDER NEW OWNERSHIP!!!
=======================
--------agenda lounge paragraph--------
good venue, lots of charm and character. lots of brick out and inside. has basement, main floor and the lounge upstairs. enough seats. guinness on tap and pool table (upstairs). cool bartenders (if you want your drink strong, tell them). medium sized dancefloor upstairs, main floor, and small in the basement. bouncers are hit or miss.
--------reggae/dancehall paragraph--------
sundays is reggae dancehall. has been for so many years. pretty good, but, not as vibeful back in the robert rankin/spliff skankin days (in the beginning). but it's sooooooo relaxing to know that the original owner, a straight up asshole, is long gone and 2 new guys are on the scene running this prime real estate in the sofa district. new ownership, comes more reggae? yessssssss!!! i think it's one friday a month (it just started). not sure which friday it is though - i'll update this in a bit. maybe, now that asshole is gone, we'll get robert and spliff back on the decks for us to wind-it-up-on-de-dancefloor-SIN!!! when monday is a holiday, all floors are open AND jam packed! get there early, like 10pm if you don't want to wait in line and jeopardize your entry due to a packed house. any later, wait in line. after 11, good luck.
--------history paragraph--------
krs 1, slum village, guru (of gangstarr), jeru, dwele (yes he was here), ?uestlove, pete rock and countless special guest dj's. -
Review from Ben G.
San Mateo, CA
3/1/2011
My girlfriend and I went here on a Saturday to try the downtown San Jose nightlife and I thought this place was a lot of fun. I have been looking for a good hip-hop style club and was pleasantly surprised to hear a lot of great music from the last couple of years coming from the DJs all night. The drinks are fairly standard but slightly overpriced for what you get.
I found the staff to be very nice and they even gave us vouchers for free drinks when we accidentally sat down in a VIP area and were asked to move elsewhere. Unfortunately, a fight did break out later in the night, but the bouncers were on top of it and dealt with the matter quickly.
Overall, I would definitely come back again for whenever I need a good place to dance to some hip-hop. -
Review from Danna L.
Santa Clara, CA
9/15/2008
The lighting was dim, the walls red and it smelled of musky furniture and vodka.
The crowd was sparse but everyone who attended was there for a reason.
It had the vibe of a social gathering of a similar interest than a dance party at a nightclub.
Most of the goers were intermediate salsa dancers but there were a few who were shy of the dance floor.
Clusters of friends and acquaintances sipped their alcoholic beverages.
Most eyes were directed to the dance floor, directed to anyone who moved gracefully.
I observed a beautiful petite Venezuelan girl talking to a shorter Spanish man about how to move his hips and shoulders. As she explained to him the steps, she stood by his side while showing him the art of salsa -
Review from Jill O.
Hayward, CA
12/27/2006
A few years ago I used to frequent the downtown area of San Ho with my then boy toy. However (and between you and me), I'd rather haul my ass 45 minutes into the city where shit is jumpin' a helluva lot more than San Ho where the night may be as lonely as a wolf howling at the moon (no offense SJ residents).
But last week my girls convinced me to take a trip to Club Agenda to see my boy MC with his group, Marvel Team. The club is this upstairs quaint, dark wood, velveteen-upholstered spot, complete with a medium-sized dance floor and mini stage and an immaculately kept pool table. The bartenders were heavy-handed, with the exception of one (a tall, skinny-ass white boy with bleached-out hair) and normal prices. Most of the music is hip hop and draws a rather hardcore underground hip-hop crowd. But, if you're not feeling the music you can always go across the street to a couple of other digs that looked more techno/house.
All in all I had a good time. And, as always, one too many drinks. -
Review from Malley D.
San Jose, CA
3/31/2011
Kinda empty when we got in at 11pm, but started to get crowded around 11:30-12pm..they have a $5 cover, but drinks are super cheap, they did a buy one get one deal a few times which was sweet, and the drinks were pretty strong, though we did have one bartender the whole time who was really cool so I can't speak for all of them.
Liked the vibe they had in there, and the music was majority good. At the least, it's way better than Motif and at best, it's a good place to chill with less expensive drinks than the other SJ clubs/bars. -
Review from Jacqueline N.
Morgan Hill, CA
9/14/2011 1 Check-in Here
Went here during the zombie crawl. They gave us free curly fries! Awesome-ness. There's an upstairs and downstairs, but I guess for tonight it was just downstairs open. Definitely a chill place. Not crazy club-like like Studio 8. There's a bar, loud music and tables to the side. Nice to grab a drink and chill. Upstairs they had a live band before during West Coast Live.
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Review from Grace Y.
8/19/2008
Hmmm. This place was so-so. I've been to some pretty shitty clubs in SJ, so in comparison this wasn't the worst experience I had.
A friend and I hopped into line and waited about 20 minutes to get in. We were a few minutes too late to make their guest list, which was annoying and had to shell out cash to get in. There weren't many friendly people in there, and I didn't quite dig the music they were playing. The drinks are really strong, which is a plus.
Most of the dancing here is more crowd humping, and I spent most of the night trying to perfect my evasive maneuvers. (Mental note, work on these skills more.) I ended up trying not to be a bitch to someone who wouldn't go away, tried to avoid the fight on the dance floor, and not melt from the heat.
I don't think I'll be going back here and I wish they would stop spamming me with their events.Listed in: Things to do that don't…, Life...of the night....
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Review from Crys B.
Sunnyvale, CA
2/7/2008
Since I've been trying to learn to salsa dance lately, a few friends and I went to Agenda for their Wednesday night salsa lessons. This is the 3rd place I've tried, and definitely the worst of the three, and the only one of the three to charge.
Problems with the lesson:
- No MUSIC through most of the lesson. How are you supposed to learn to dance to the rhythm of the music if they only play one song during the entire hour-long lesson?
-Level not for beginners. The first 10 minutes may be for beginners, but after that they segue into more intermediate moves, without showing the more basic moves that lead to them. When a student asked to see the basic move that would lead you to the intermediate move, they showed us twice, then moved on.
-No line of sight. If I'd wanted to learn the intermediate moves, I wouldn't have been able to, since I couldn't see the instructor, and I wasn't that far away from him.
-Constantly pausing. Salsa is an 8 count dance, but the instructor constantly counted on 3 steps and made you repeat those 3 steps over and over again, then went on to the other 3 steps, rather than learning the full 8 step pattern and practicing that, as in other classes.
For anyone interested in taking a beginner class, I highly recommend the lessons from J Smooth Salsa on Thursday nights, at the Miraido Studio in Japantown, they are free and the teachers explain everything wonderfully.
Problems with the venue:
-Plastic cups. Admittedly, most people might not care, but I dislike the use of plastic cups in all of their drinks, and all I can think is that I sincerely hope they recycle them, otherwise there are a ton of plastic cups heading into the landfill from this place, daily.
-Smoke. This is by far the worst part of the night, for me, at least, as I am severely allergic to tobacco. While there was no smoking in the club, there were 2 men smoking right outside the front door, which is kept open, and which the smoke flows right through. After a while in the bar I started coughing badly, and that was when I noticed the smell of the smoke. Needless to say I had to leave, and have ended the night having to use an inhaler and allergy medicine, and still feel horrible.
I will definitely NOT be back to this venue! -
Review from Margaret p.
San Jose, CA
7/6/2010 1 Check-in Here
WORKOUT DANCE PARTY
Came here on first friday with a few fellow dancin' fools and was pleasantly surprised. The music was killer, the crowd friendly and fabulous, and the space was clean and not overcrowded. my kind of dance party. $5 well drinks are a bonus because when the music is pumping that good. it's easy to get out of hand. nice to know i won't necessarily go home broke. -
Review from Ydania M.
New York, NY
7/12/2008
I come here on Wednesday nights, their Salsa night, on the second floor.
Disclaimer :
My friends Edmundo & Ruby Rumbera are the teachers so this review Might be biased.... but hey what in life isn't???
OK, now the review:
Agenda has the BEST FLOOR to dance salsa. I know about floors and dancing. I don't dance salsa with SPECIAL salsa shoes. I dance with 4 inch high heels shoes. This is that perfect type of floor that you need to dance salsa.
The crowd here takes their salsa dancing very serious. Most of the people who come here are salsa teachers and/or part of a salsa dance group. Most come regularly on Wednesday night. So the vibe is very friendly.
I can come here all alone and I will know someone and I will definitely dance all night..
But there is no HEAVEN on earth!!! It gets really crowded and the dance floor gets DANGEROUS!! I have battle scars to prove it. I have been stepped on so hard (2 times and counting) that they have drawn BLOOD, no joke!!
I am a warrior at heart !
I will keep going and dancing my salsa!!Listed in: The Places I Go Out
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Review from Anya R.
2/12/2010 1 Check-in Here
Maybe I went on a major off night for this place because even Motif next door was dead.
My one time experience there was that the music was kinda eh. Everyone was standing staring at each other awkwardly and then all of a sudden some nerdy looking kid started break dancing?!
Yeah I wanted to go elsewhere but friends were celebrating a bday there and had bottle service so they just kept getting smashed.
Oh downtown San Jose nightlife. Step your game up! -
Review from Melanie R.
San Jose, CA
3/15/2009
This place is okay for being like a second-choice spot across from club Wet.
The atmosphere is pretty hip once people start coming in.
The video they were playing on the back screen was some lame 80's/90's black dance club shit though.
The drinks were pretty expensive, but made very well. 2 AMFs and 1 kamikaze came to $28. It was $7 for a single blow job shot.
Breezy productions made the experience as good as it was though. The DJ kept the place hopping.
But on the negative side, someone swiped my digital camera from my guy's back pocket. Plus, a fight broke out that led to a spray of blood trailing the floor. That's ghetto. Plus, there was no photo coverage like was promised.
Anyway, I don't have any pictures to add because of my missing camera. Whatevs.
