On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Mon-Sun. 9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
MixMaster Jay is incredible with knowledge of the different drinks, liquors, history, etc. I would recommend asking him to make you something that he is working on. I used to be a bartender and I can clearly see the difference between an average bartender (me), and the King of the Hill (Jay). The drinks here are EXCELLENT.
Pros: good service.
Cons: no food at all.
Great, knowledgeable bartender. Probably the best bar in San Jose. Perfect Vodka Tonic (Goose). Fun to pretend you aren't stressed before a flight. Sip, look at the watch. I wish it was on the outside of the security gate so I could drink without a care in the world.
Sadly, with the security gate move, Martini Monkey has ramped back and no longer has its extended drink menu. Now it's a run-of-the-mill airport bar.
This may be the best bar in San Jose. Martini Monkey makes a vast array of drinks, and follows the… Read more »
Take a seat and enjoy a drink - "Knob Creek Manhattan up, please."
Chat up the cute bartender - "Any interesting stories in here lately?"
Flirt with another traveler - "too bad we aren't going to the same city".
Watch the people going by - "I wonder where that couple is going."
I used to hang out here before going through security at this end of Terminal C. I'd watch the line to make sure it didn't grow and enjoy a drink or two. With the recent changes, it's now behind security. So now I can enjoy my time in here a little more without the threat of a long security line ahead of me.
Good drinks, friendly bartenders, nice décor. And you don't have the push and shove crowd you get at the place further inside the terminal. Maybe it's the darker décor and the mural on the wall, people seem more relaxed in here.
This place has changed ownership as of today, June 1st. It was a small business and the owner was bumped out by the large company HMS Host. The name Martini Monkey is being used by HMS Host until terminal is ready for demolition. I am unsure of the specifics on the new policies of the bar, but I expect much of it to change.
I can't really compalin too much, it's a bar. If I leave happy then they have done thier job. Double Goose Hounds (Grey Hound made with Grey Goose) are the choice for me here at this tiny bar with a ridiculous name and not so lovely atmosphere.
There is only one thing to do at SJC if you are waiting to catch a flight or picking someone up.… Read more »
I would honestly say this is probably THE BEST bar in SJ. Sadly enough, that says a lot about the bar scene around here...and I actually live in this town! Seriously, though, each time I've flown out of the SJ Airport (and it helps that I used to live 5min away on The Alameda) I make it a point to get there in time to sit and enjoy a few drinks at Martini Monkey. Personal favorite is the Aviator, especially if I have an AM flight...
This bar is behind the airport security ticket barrier. You can't just go there on a whim. A year ago or so you could get to this area of the airport without a ticket. As far as the drinks go, it's ok and the prices are high. The abmiance is that of a tiki lounge but the size of a place would make a Togo's look large. Not a place to put down as a 'must see' in San Jose.
UPDATE: After some recent travel this last week to Las Vegas, I have a greater idea of what I would look for in an airport bar. My original assesment of the MM was colored by my overall displeasure with SJ Airports constant changes over the last years. I cannot visit that airport twice in a week and have the road routes be the same. With that in mind, my original two stars were all about location and nothing about service or cleanliness. If the MM was on any street corner in San Jose, I can easily see it being a watering hole for this camel.
In comparrison against name brand airport bars which charge almost twice as much at the airport than they do at their establishments, I rate the MM as better. Also, in comparrison against another airport bar in Las Vegas which had me gagging from sewer smell every few minutes, the MM is clean. Finally as to service, I never have had anything but a fast beer at the MM and it was pulled correctly. To have your beer pulled by a bartender who does nothing but foam it up and then pour out the foam is alcohol abuse.
So in favor of the Airport Bar venue specifically, I would give the MM four stars. It would never have been part of my SJ nightlife as it is still in an Airport location, but when I go to an airport, I need a drink. The MM fullfills that with five star service.
I LOVED this bar! Pre and post flight some friends and I went here and both times had a great time.
The place is right when you come in after security. Dimly lit, about 5 little tables line one side, a bar lines the other. A colorful mural paints behind the bar - very tropical, lines line the other side of the bar and reflect well on the room. It was clean, simple and had a good vibe to it.
Coming up to the bar, a male bartender took our drink orders and was pretty friendly. He made a great margaherita! Strong, well blended and with extra fruits and color straws - very cute way to start a weekend trip to LA. He even took our photo which was nice, without complaint and genuinely took a good photo. Drinks for three were about $25 for 3 people including tip.
On the way back from LA, we all decided on a celbratory drink. Double shot margaheritas! The woman there came to our little table, took our drink orders and was silly and fun. She managed to slosh around the drinks every where - but they were strong and filled to the brim. She took our photo as well, very friendly and super nice.
Awesome for an airport bar! I'd hang out here again . ..
I've been here three separate times whilst waiting for flights and every single time I've silently felt compelled to skip my plane and change my travel plans around the bar's schedule.
It's so rare to find something even REMOTELY unique or interesting in a fucking airport (especially from an airport in San Jose), so the Martini Monkey is a real respite from all the bitchy families with screaming brats, yuppie-bastards, and flavorless eatery kiosks that make up the fabric of the American airport.
Often have I considered driving to the airport with the sole purpose of getting wasted at Martini Monkey. Someday..... s-o-m-e-d-a-y.
It's great to find a San Francisco lounge right in the heart of San Jose's Airport.
Even with the brutal construction going on outside, this place is a respite from the ridiculous TSA, the uncaring ticket counter agents, and the baggage handlers who think your bag would be perfect for Jai Alai.
They have all the liqueurs you can think of, every gin out there, and all the other high quality goods you'd expect from a real bar. You can order an Aviation, a gin fizz, corpse reviver, and plenty of specialty cocktails.
This place makes it worth going to your flight extra early so you can belly-up and join in the calm little center of The Universe.
What an odd place to find in an airport these days. It's like something from a 1960's melodrama where Elizabeth Taylor, with a sable coat covering her transparent silk negligee and heaving bosoms, would meet - I don't know - a besotted Tony Curtis at the bar and throw a glass of champagne in his face for calling her a tramp. I watch too many old movies...
So I'm not sure when I'll ever be back here. Not because I didn't like it here but hey, this little martini bar is in old, fading Terminal C - not even the main part - in the San Jose International Airport. Yeah, you read that right....so you'd have to bear the shifting Arrivals and Departures stop-and-go traffic (especially bad now with all the construction going on)...and then you have to park in a lot that takes a dollar from your wallet every twenty minutes...and the lot could be full at any given time. Why the hell would you do that? Unless...
...you find yourself waiting for a friend whose Delta flight has been delayed an hour and you were not anal enough to check the flight status online before you bolted from home. Not that I would know. But here I was waiting for Jamie W's flight from Atlanta last night and facing the eternal dilemma of the road not taken. Do I go for a scoop of Lappert's ice cream from a very tired-looking Filipino woman with an age-inappropriate uniform ...or go for the unexpected tiki haven that is Martini Monkey replete with an exotic mural behind the bar. Hmmm...decisions, decisions.
I had a very tasty mojito here, and it turns out the resident bartender Jay really hones his craft to make the cocktails world-class. I have to say he succeeds. And you can shield yourself from the sea of mullet-heads passing by on their way to Burger King. Seems a bit of a shame that Jay's expertise cannot be shared a bit more easily for locals who just want an urban cocktail in the depths of Silicon Valley. Ah well, departures should arrive a little early and arrivals should let their luggage go-round the carousel a few more times. The meticulously prepared libation is worth it.
DRINKS - 4 stars...a fine, refreshing mojito...hopefully I can have another some day
AMBIANCE - 4.5 stars...Tiki Cool in Terminal C ...sixties vibe ...Liz in fur ...call PETA
SERVICE - 4.5 stars...custom made cocktails
TOTAL - 4 stars...maybe I'll just hang out at the airport when I need to tie one on...a sad picture
I travel for work...a lot. Mostly to the east coast. Since I live in SJ, I loathe the notion of trying to get to SFO. Martini Monkey has been a life saver for me when faced with a 6 hour flight to NY. I usually get to the airport a little early, grab a burrito from Senor Jalapeño, and hunker down for a finely crafted margarita (or two...or three.) When taking a red-eye, a few of those Aviators ensure a restful slumber to my destination. Friendly and skilled bartenders that don't let an empty glass stay that way for long. I wish there were more cool places like this on the "outside".
Now, the bad news. The last time I was there, I overheard the daytime bartender say that the lease was coming up and was not renewed. I did not catch the timing for this, but it sounded like it was around the same time the new terminal was supposed to go online. They've been in that spot for over 10 years, so it will be a sad day when Martini Monkey closes up shop.
Can't wait for constructions to end!!! Have to try the pomagranate martini or is it sour?
Jay, hope you're reading this!!! Still trying to send you mjore imbibing patrons...
Claire...
Martini Monkey is almost everything you could possibly ask for in an airport bar.
(The instant they put in wireless net, I'll give them five stars. And I'll stop flying out of SFO.)
Airport bars are, by and large, terrible. Imagine a sports bar in a shopping mall. Or a bland lobby bar in a Courtyard by Marriott. Beige couches if you're lucky; boring bar stools (that don't spin) if you're not.
Martini Monkey should be called Tiki 2001. Or Purple Airport Oasis. It's the first airport bar I've ever seen that even approaches being suitably dark, and the decor is retro-exoticism meets moderne kitsch -- whoever thought lucite and bamboo could co-exist?
Their prices are exceedingly reasonable, and Jay, the bartender, is friendly, speedy, and knows to ask if you'd like sweet or dry vermouth in your Manhattan. They have a standard selection of regular and top shelf liquors, and a good range of beers. (No Belgians, but, at an airport you're doing well to find anything besides Bud.)
Overall, it's a comfy place to settle in if your flight's delayed, and they've even got a few plugs scattered along the back wall for laptops. Now all they need is wireless net...
Hands down the best airport bar I've ever seen. Great decor, nice dark little cove. After a drink or two you may completely forget you're in an airport at all.
Not the greatest Tiki bar in the area by far, but certainly better than anything you're going to find in Connecticut.
The best airport bar, by far!
We usually wind up flying out of the new terminal, but whenever we wind up flying in or out or picking someone up from the old terminal we let out a resounding "Woo-hoo! Meet me at the Monkey!!"
Well, maybe I'm the only one who actually says that outloud, but we're all thinking the same thing [grin]!
There are not enough great drinking establishments in San Jose. Sure, there a lot of bars, places where you can get a cold Budweiser on tap and some peanuts, but there aren't too many places where you can get a quality drink served by a knowledgeable mixologist. The Martini Monkey is by far the BEST drinking establishment in the city and it's worth a trip out to the old terminal at San Jose airport just so you can taste a properly mixed Cosmo or Mai Tai.
Just to show off how serious I am about serious drinking and hopeful give a little extra oomph to my recommendation of this place, I own a small graphic novel publishing company and as a side project we published three tropical drink recipe books (Beachbum Berry's Grog Log, Intoxica and coming later this summer Sippin' Safari). I offer this up not as a plug for the books, but mainly to establish that I consider mixing cocktails something of a lost art. The bartender at the Martini Monkey knows his stuff. He mixes drinks in a precise manner taking care not to turn a suffering bastard into a zombie. He also takes a moment to find out what his customer is looking for, he asked me if I wanted a regular Mai Tai or a Trader Vic's Mai Tai for example, and he knows when to chat up his customer and when to leave them to their drinks.
The atmosphere is surprisingly classy given the environment and it does a nice job of shutting out the noisy terminal. The lighting is dark, but not to the point of depriving you of your vision (the second Cosmo will do that) and there is a nice mural on the wall. The only thing this place needs is a large tiki pole and it would easily be the closest thing to a classic tiki bar in Silicon Valley.
So, go there when the airport isn't busy and have the kind of quality cocktail that is just so hard to find these days.
Personally, I think Shiho F.'s review to be the most accurate and unbiased. Prior to me flying into SJC for the first time, I hit up Yelp to research some of the so called nightlife and bars. I thought it was interesting that an airport bar got such high ratings from many of the locals, so I wanted to see this place for myself. Seriously, it's just an airport bar with airport prices. In fact, I've been to many airport bars that have had better selections of liquor and drinks than this.
With that said, it's a decent sit down bar if you want to partake in some liquid courage prior to a flight. But unless you have a lot of time to kill at the airport I don't see why a person would make it a point to come to SJC just to hit up the Martini Monkey. Please keep in mind that the pictures available here are also a bit misleading. This place is smaller than most dive bars and airport bars I've been to.
Sure, give this place 4/5 stars if you think the bartenders are "cute." Hell, give out 5/5 stars due to the simple fact you were able to get sloshed pre and post flight. Sorry, but I'm not going to mislead fellow Yelpers with such asinine reviews. This place is what it is - At best, it's a mediocre airport bar that has some serious accommodation issues when traveling in groups.
Terminal C @ the San Jose International Airport. It's like the red-headed step child of Bay Area Airports. (I've got nothing against red-heads... i actually think red-heads are kinda hot... Hi, girl-whose-name-I'm-omitting-for-sake-of-discretio n!)
And yet, tucked away at the far end of Terminal C just before Baggage Claim, there's Martini Monkey, possibly one of the best bars tended one of the most talented barkeeps in San Jose.
Drinks here are concocted. Crafted. Created by one part recipe, one part artistry. With alcohol masked, and flavors subtley hinted at, the drinks you can get at Martini Monkey are classic and classy cocktails, meant to occupy the passing time and dull the rough edge of travel.
Mind your time though... you wouldn't want to miss your flight!
I'd been here a couple of times before, either before flights or waiting for somebody, and always found it very acceptable in every way.
The girl, having a thing for tiki lounges, wanted to venture out there last night. And I have to say, it's one of the best bars in SJ period. No airport qualifier needed.
First, the bartender works his ass off, and seemingly pays attention to everybody, no matter how many people there are in the place. No one had an empty glass for very long. This is a big plus for me.
Second, the drinks are reasonably priced, as far as lounges go. Martinis were in the $7-8 range. Pints of beer were around $5. I ordered a martini first, and it tasted a bit watered down, but at least my glass was full, as compared to some other places I've reviewed (ahem, Fahrenheit, I'm talking to you). I stuck with beer and shots the rest of the night, and did just fine.
Third, and I realize this is totally subjective, the music is very cool. A mix of downtempo, samba, reggae, and exotica. It was good to hear Finley Quaye being played in a bar.
The bartender said he's working with the airport on getting validated parking, but it's a cheap light rail ride from downtown anyway.
This place is what downtown SJ so desperately needs. Not divey, not head-up-its-ass pretentious, just a good, cool bar.
Stopped here on my way to Amsterdam after hearing some good stuff. Since I like Trader Vic's so much, I thought I'd give Martini Monkey a shot. I forget the name of the drink I ordered, but it was excellent! The bartender was attentive and courteous and you can tell he knows his stuff. I just wish this bar wasn't in the airport :(
This place is unique. This is probably the only bar I have ever seen that closes EARLY on Saturday nights. Their hours are 9-11 except for Saturdays they are only open 10-10. Weird huh? Well... maby not. This is San Jose International Airport after all.
I would recommend you stop by here and have a drink after your flight arrives and prior to picking up your luggage at baggage claim. It is on the way. Besides, would you rather stand around baggage claim looking like a dork waiting for your bag -- or having a drink it a bar with character? Don't worry about your baggage, it will wait for you. Besides, who actually steals cheap suitcases full of dirty underwear from baggage claim anyway?
I've never actually had a drink here. But the place always seems to be crowded, so it must be good.
Sorry for the lame review. I'm trying to put together a list of all the businesses at the San Jose airport and I can't figure out how to add this to my list without reviewing it!
I love this bar because it's located right smack before you go through security to get to your gate. Why not get drunk before you fly!???
As a frequent traveler out of San Jose, I have become a regular of the Martini Monkey. I have brought friends here, made friends here, and recommended it to fellow travelers. Grab a stool at the bar, have a few quick drink (Cosmos when heading to Vegas, Bourbon when heading to Denver) and enjoy your flight.
This was a pretty sweet little bar in the airport terminal my fiance and I stopped in before we caught out flight. What a great way to begin your vacation than with a cocktail!
Terrific place - great bloody marys, perfect for the first leg of the three legged hungover flight to Paris. Only thing that gave me pause was the size of the celery stalk in the glass. More of a tree than anything else, but it provided a solid hour of entertainment while we nursed ourselves back to (mostly) human. I highly recommend this place - too bad you have to go through security and have a ticket to get there, I'd voluntarily go there on my own time. Can't beat airport people watching.
A while back my brother and I were delayed 3 hours for a flight so we decided to stop off here to pass some time. The bartender was knowledgeable in his drinks and when he noticed that we were sampling from his single malt collection offered several sample tastes of other scotches and rums aged in cognac barrels that were top shelf.
Over those three hours I think we had a dirty martini, a classic daiquiri (NOT the stuff you get at chain bars), a Manhattan, and several scotches as well as the samplers. All of the mixed drinks were excellent and he knew his Scotches as well. Every time I hit terminal C I can't help but to pay another visit.
the bartenders are so nice and always chit chat with you. good place for an airport drink.
if you have to be-
in san jose
at the airport
waiting for a plane
There is no better place then the martini monkey. its the diamond in the rough to my flights out of SJC, I have been known to arrive extra early so I can enjoy a few- before the flight and before the taxi back home.
One word: Aviator. Best drink I've ever had. The second one was just as good.
The pomegranate martini I had last night at the airport was amazing. That's all I have to say.
When a high functioning alcoholic has to take to the skies, it is usually with a heavy heart. Generally speaking airport bars are about as welcoming as the Lynndie England Abu Ghraib glee club. However, this drink devotee has to agree with fellow Yelpers that Martini Monkey is a chimp among chumps. Stylish, sleek, and fully stocked with potent potables, it's the perfect place to down a couple to tide you over until you get to cruising altitude. The big question......when they pull down this ancient crumbling temple to air travel....will Martini Monkey swing over to the new airport terminal?
yay! i'm a BIG fan! it's beautiful in there. im an addict when it comes to din romantic lights for a nightclub/bar scene!
Happy Hour prices from 4:00 -…
San Jose, CA
$2 Drafts every Friday Night
San Jose, CA
San Jose, CA
Category: Dance Clubs
San Jose, CA
Category: Dive Bars
San Jose, CA
Category: Cinema
San Jose, CA
Category: Pubs
Milpitas, CA
Category: Lounges
Ah yes, Karen's alter-ego shows up at these places…
Some of my favorite dining destinations in the…
My local dry cleaner, watering hole, deli, cafe,…
Loading...
