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Announced 16 hours agoMon-Fri. 11:00 a.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sat. 4:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
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Great outdoor patio!
there's house music a couple nights a week... it's a refreshing environment, especially compared to the rest of Downtown SJ...
i really suggest grabbing dinner here...
i had the maui chicken sandwich ***** totally 5 stars for that (bacon and avocado? YES!)
my husband had the Ahi Tuna burger... it comes with the creamy wasabi sauce that actually tastes REALLY good on the sweet potato fries!
Ok, I am upping my previous ranking to 4 stars. I don't care what y'all say! I loves me some Smoke Tiki! Lol When all the Taste, Studio 8, Vivids and Vaults have gone by the wayside, Smoke Tiki remains a constant. They always have good music bumpin'; there's never a long wait in line; and I always have a good time when I come here! The crowd is just ehhh. You come here with your own group to have fun and let loose! If you come here with any other MO, you will be disappointed.
P.S. At least with bottle service here, you get your own cabana with plenty of room for people to sit, versus the tiny little booths, awkwardly placed on the dance floor that can be found at other lounges/bars/clubs.
People thought this was:
Smoke Tiki is definately small, but has a nice size outdoor patio. The music is always hip hop, top… Read more »
Smoke Tiki Lounge is cool...
While visiting my family in SJ, I'm always looking for a cool place to hang out and Smoke Tiki Lounge fit the bill.
There's quite a few friends and family members that I try and get together, so we plan to get together early. However, this place suited us perfectly. We we able to grab a table with no problem, and the service was very attentive and courteous. Drinks are great, food was good, and the music was amazing. An hour or so into the night, the place was jumping and in full swing. Friday night in downtown SJ was never this fun...I'll definitely be back the next time I'm town.
People thought this was:
I really liked this place cause 1 it wasn't over crowded like those other bars where you buy a drink and you end up spilling it because you can't walk through the crowd. I would come back just because it's not a trendy place where 21-23 year old kids go. I enjoyed my time at this place.
People thought this was:
Tiki Lounge is located within a fair walking distance from the rest of the nightlife.
There used to be a great patio area with seating, however, it has been removed. This place has changed over the last year and unless there is a great event being heavily promoted, this place is EH.
Security there is super friendly if you know them.
From a professional standpoint, I would not do business with them unless there is a contract.
People thought this was:
I used to come to smoke all the time for happy hour. Best poke around.
Currently sitting out in the patio area and have two observations.
#1 the server/waitress Mandy seems completely put out when performing her job. There are only four party tables, so waiting a half hour for a beer is sorta ridiculous.
#2 I understand smoke is under new management and so changes need to be made. That said, new manager Travis listened attentively to our to our concerns and took immediate action.
People thought this was:
With my friends in tow, we discovered the Smoke Tiki Lounge in downtown San Jose. Great live music followed by a DJ later in the night. And, awesome ahi poke. The place has a great mix of indoor & outdoor areas.
The new owners and their employees are attentive and go out of their way to make sure you have a great time.
It's my new go-to spot when in downtown San Jose!!
A cool bar that was the perfect spot for our unofficial SJ Jazz Fest Afterparty.
Located just a block away from the SJ Jazz Fest Salsa stage, Smoke is a short walk to a non-cover bar lacking the "snob" feel of some spots in downtown San Jose.
The drinks were mixed well. The price was about right.
The night we were there a houseband was rocking the night away with tunes from a wide source.
However, you need to be aware that Smoke's outside bar/lounge happens to be located in the bus parking lot of the San Jose Greyhound station.
This means, on occassion, you will a nose full of diesel fumes as one of those big Greyhound buses revves up. But hopefully you'll be too drunk to notice. lol
People thought this was:
Roaming around downtown San Jose and not knowing what to eat but nothing too big since we weren't that hungry. I then remembered that Tiki (Smoke Tiki Lounge) serves food. I've been here once before for a dinner then night outing and remembered food was decent. We went here on a whim and it was pretty dead although I can see that that there was a party in the patio area so it did get busy later. We were planning to order just appetizers to munch on but decided on two appetizers and one entree.
ahi poke- pretty good, but was overwhelming with the tons of wasabi sauce they had on the plate. We didn't mind too much since we are fans of spicy things and such but i must say it was even overwhelming for me if i wasn't careful. i wish it had more of a sesame taste all i tasted mostly was the soy sauce and wasabi
lumpias- looked more like an eggroll...unfortunately it was also burnt so it was just ok. dipping sauce was nice..a bit of sweet and sour w/ a hint of spiciness.
bbq pork sandwich w/ side of sweet potato fries- i heart sweet potato fries so this was just great for me. sandwich was kind of dry but sauce and flavors were nice.
overall food was ok. nothing wowed me. i know it's under management (or so it kind of looked) so that could be why service was kind of strange (not bad but strange---waiter had a hard time remembering what we ordered and came back a couple times to check on what we had). it's a casual fun place and maybe dinner service is different. still has so much potential. i really want to like this place more
Great place to have lunch... if they were a bit faster at it...
Menu:
I've been here before and it looks like the menu shrunk. Its seems like a fusion of Hawaiian and Mainland BBQ. They have items like ahi poke for appetizers. I had the Kalua Pig sandwich. It was rather bland and dry. probably the worst kaluah pig i've ever tasted (even worse than cheap luaus i've been to). Other items that are not so Hawaiian are the tri tip and brisket meals.
Drinks:
Full service bar here with several types of beer. The disappointing thing about the drinks was they didn't have a drink menu?! I was with several people that usually order cocktails, but no menu to choose from.
Price:
Price is decent. I think it's a bit on the expensive side. It's about $15 per person for food plus drinks.
Service:
For lunch it was a bit slow... and there wasn't even that many people there. We did have a big group when we went, but even asking for a refill took way too long.
Ambiance:
Very casual vibe. One of the great things about this this place is the nice size patio outside. Great place to have lunch with friends or co-workers on a warm day.
Location:
Parking is horrible. Not much parking around the area. Took us a while to find parking
People thought this was:
Why haven't I written an update for this yet.... it might have something to do with the following weeks of hell that I can only now remember this night...
dun dun dun
Rolling through here with ODB, Naders, Sparrow, Thater, Pchan, and D-nyce. Got there right after dinner and began to imbibe the numerous libations that the talented mixologist behind the bar continuously made us. After much posturing the stakes got higher and higher when one of our number, a mixologist in her own right decided to question the other's potency. The alcoholic milk shakes were being made and crazy things being done with cherries. It was a good time that night.
Fortunately soon enough the birthday girl showed up and joined in the fun. And fortunately for her she arrived int he nick of time to avoid the cover charge to get in. I forgot that they charge after a certain time.
Many drinks, cocktails, beers, and shots later the girls were dancing and the beats were pounding and the place filled out with other revelers soon enough.
Sheila, Louie, and Cobbler rolled through later that night to join in the fun. And that's all I remember really.
XD
People thought this was:
I won't lie - I know the guys who used to promote the thursday events....
The venue itself is…
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I went here last Thursday night. Good music, but total sausage fest.
Guys that go to Tiki: Lay off the Cool Water. You reek.
People thought this was:
This place is kind of slow for lunch. It seems like they only have 1 server, who I think is the owner, but it definitely isn't enough to accommodate the lunch crowds (which really, are not that big).
The food is good though, and pretty cheap for what it is. Beef brisket is excellent, ribs could be a little more tender.
My main complaint is the speed of the service.
People thought this was:
so i am recently 25 and me and my friends partied A LOT during my "breakup summer" so now its time for us to take it down a notch. long gone are the days of getting dressed to the nines, finding the highest heels in the store and drinking till enibriation. hello days of kick back, partying in pumas and sweatshirts! so we re-visit smoke tiki lounge. i remember from before that it was pretty chill with a nice layout so we give it a try. this place is pretty fun if you are just trying to chill. there is a bar inside and outside on the well heated patio. the dj was freaking awesome!!!!! the crowd is pretty diverse which is always a plus. it was not too loud at the bar so you can actually talk to people. it did not get too crowded either. so this will be on the list of kick back spots from now on!
People thought this was:
I don't get it. Seems like people are expecting a lot from this place. I went for lunch one day and was served by some nice folks who took good care of me. I had a barbecue platter that was very tasty and that is a big statement for this part of the country. Barbecue in Northern Cal is pretty bad (I'm from the Midwest,) this is the best I have had here so far, except in my backyard.
I am going here tonight with a bunch of friends, I hope that it is as it was when I had lunch here. Just a nice place with some nice folks, serving cold beer and good food. That's all I am really expecting, if you don't like this place it could be that you are expecting too much.
I'd stop in for a drink, but I would not chill here. The bathrooms are soooo small and the sink is right next to the door so it is nearly impossible to wash your hands or check yourself in the mirror without some drunk chick swinging the door into you.
This place is okay as long as it is the first stop when you go bar hopping.
If you are 25 and older.....you will feel old ;)
Definitely the college crowd here. This place isn't horrible....I was with good friends so that made it better. Parking isn't bad especially since San Pedro Square parking is a block away. Free to get in before 10 (or 11 if you are on the guest list).
Bartenders and DJ were friendly. I ordered a rum and Coke and for $7 it was huge.
I didn't think this place was thuggish or ghetto (at least it wasn't last night). Guys weren't creepy either so that was a plus!
I still felt old.....=P
People thought this was:
I used to really like this place but I changed my mind..this place is okay.
It looks run down on the outside and the interior is a cheesy hawaiian theme. Its cool to chillax out on the patio. It feels too bright to dance out there though haha. However, I do give kudos for one of their lady bartender for being determined to find two girls to take shots off of my cousins body haha. She was awesome!
I would go back but only if I had to, otherwise, its off to less cheesy places hehe.
Each and every time I come here the DJs suck! The only other time they had decent music here was when my favorite live band performed on Thursday nights one summer.
I was here last night and I was surprised that they actually charged cover. Granted, a cover was pretty decent at $5, but they never used to. As they really shouldn't, since the venue is as big as my garage!
The patio used to be nice, but they took away the bamboo huts. To make more room I suppose.
I would only suggest coming here if you have a good group of friends to party with. Otherwise, you'll be dying of boredom.
People thought this was:
Tiki Lounge? The most significant thing that stands out every time are the female bartenders. Wa wa we wa. I'm a female myself, but those girls are sexy. Besides their looks, they are super friendly. I never have to wait more than ten minutes to order drinks, on a Friday night during prime hour, too.
Alright, back to serious business, when going to Tiki, try to get there before 11PM, they have drinks special, i.e. kamikaze $2, cosmopolitan $3, etc. I used my cosmopolitan as a chaser after taking a few shots of Goldschlager, bad idea... they do not go cheap on their liquor even though it's their drink special.
The club has a mix crowd of people. The dance floor inside is considerably small. I normally stay outside on the patio, where they have an additional bar. Two styles of Djs spinning. The night I went, the Dj inside focused more on Top 40/House and patio Dj was spinning Urban hip-hop/ Reggae.
The only bad thing about Tiki is their lavatory. Hardly any stalls, and the line can stretch for miles. The male/female restrooms are next to each other, when it gets crowded, there are hardly any moving space to squeeze yourself out of the hallway (not sure if I can legitimately call it a hallway, it's excessively small).
Overall, I rather go to Tiki vs. Wet night club anytime.
*edit- loving the casual dress code.
People thought this was:
Nadia L, Peggy C, Ali T.
Donna Y, oh-oh, eh!!!
I've had a little bit too much, much
All of the people start to rush, start to rush by
A dizzy twisted dance, can't find my drink, oh man (Cobber L)
Where are my keys? I lost my phone, phone (John Michael)
What's going on on the floor? (Here comes Sarah)
I love this record baby but I can't see straight anymore
Keep it cool, what's the name of this club?
I can't remember but it's alright, a-alright (Mikey U)
Just dance, gonna be okay, da da doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, spin that record babe, da da doo-doo-mmm
Just dance, gonna be okay, d-d-d-dance
Dance, dance, just, j-j-just dance (Jackie D)
http://www.youtube.com...
=========================
- Five stars for that Baskin Robbin Kalua drink from the bartender.
- Free to get in before 10:00PM.
- Park at the Market St. garage for $3.00 then walk over two blocks.
- Minus two stars. The crowd gets very thuggish after 11:00PM. And muffin tops come out at night. * shivers *
People thought this was:
3 stars, not much has changed over here.
Bouncers holding up the line outside to get in to make the club look more crackin that it really is, but it was actually better than I expected last night for it not being the summer yet and all.
Thursday night AZN nights, so errrybody knows errrybody else up in hurrr or at least always sees everyone around at parties and Downtown and what nots.
Some shitty music that shouldn't be played in the club mixed in with some good music.
Edging your way around puddles of flooded toilet water inside the cramped up bathroom.
Watching out for cigarette burns in the cramped outside patio area.
Wannabe go-go dancers dancing/walking on top of the bar.
Watching fights emerge in the street outside afterwards.
But $5 for cover over here, are you kidding me?! I remember when there was no cover over here, or when it was only $2 or $3 at times at most. We're in a freakin recession right now. C'mon...Help us out a little!
People thought this was:
This place used to be the shit, but died down. I think it had something to do with the promoters.… Read more »
Came here for Jackie D's b-day at the behest of dear Cobber. I have passed it several times and heard about it from people but never stopped by.
It is a cute spot with a large patio area for you to chose your stomping ground. Overall it was a decent spot to just hang, have fun, dance and what not. The crowd was a decent mix just heavy on the MALE side of course...SO i have to mention the man circle....you know how females sometimes dance in a circle when there are a lot of them...well 4 men were doing this, seriously they were...Kevin got a video of this...this alone should earn this place 5 stars because of the entertainment value of that as far as I am concerned....
HOWEVER
I am a drink person and I felt that our drinks were all on the rather light side. I have a vodka tonic, vodka redbull, AMF and Tokyo Tea all of which were extremely weak. Now the last two drinks are supposed to be a bit on the hard side but they were seriously lacking. I am BIG on the drinks in a night spot and this place did not deliver in that respect...we resorted to goose shots instead in order to get our money's worth in alcohol...FAIL.
Other then that it was cool...man circle, long line for the mens bathroom...ahhhh man jose...
OH and when you come dancing here just watch out...there was a girl here hosting her own version of you got served where her main move was to squat to the floor and commence convulsions..woot woot...XD
People thought this was:
I cannot believe I forgot to write about this night. I have to edit a little because other parties were involved and seeing as it was my sister I will be kind. HA HA - for once.
I have to say that the 2 women bartenders we got served from had to have been hired STRICTLY based upon looks or being friends with someone. I had to teach them how to make a drink and I don't technically or professionally tend a bar. My friend who used to be a bar tender offered to come back to make the drink because the girl had messed up on the same drink 3 times. Let me tell you how hard this was:
Friend asks" Can I get a Vodka, Water and splash of Rose's Lime please?"
Bartender "Sure no problem"
Too bad it was the hardest thing in the WORLD for her to make. Imagine something like a long island....
I won't be back and having to pay 5 dollars for an empty place drives me nuts you should want us to come in for free! If the guys we were with didn't pay I would have walked somewhere else. (Like to my house for the Belvedere that was awaiting my return)
People thought this was:
I came here on a Saturday night.
My favorite part about this place is how inexpensive drinks are before 11 PM. I can't remember the specific list of drinks and prices, but I THINK Sex on the Beach and Long Island Iced Teas were only $5, and cosmopolitans and similar drinks were $3. Great deal for it being past happy hour. There's also no cover charge, which is only a small $5 anyway, for anyone arriving before 10 PM.
Oh I just looked at my pictures and realized I took a photo of the drink specials. Score!
I didn't try any food, but I plan to in the future.
I tried a Long Island, Sex on the Beach, a couple Jager bombs, and some other pretty strong drink that was served in a huge margarita glass. All were pretty good except for Sex on the Beach - but that was my fault because I didn't know it had mango. (I despise mango.)
The decor is, of course, tiki themed. It's fun and laid-back. The music is also rockin' with some fairly talented DJs.
There's a main outside area and a main inside area - both with their own bars. It's really "chill", as another reviewer said.
It was also fun because one of the female bartenders got up on the bar and started dancing. It was awesome.
The only downside I found was the messy bathroom and semi-oldies in a lot of the crowd. But there are worse things.
I'll be back.
People thought this was:
The music was bumpin and I wished I had some friends to bust some moves with yesterday night for the short time I was there..
It was my friend's promoter company's event so I got to be in the special side line and got in for free.. thank you friends.. I wouldn't of wanted to stay in line for ages because of the maximum capacity that they reached all night long.
I was surprised it was very packed inside.. and it's making me thinkk.. I should go back there soon sometime!!
People thought this was:
for cheap cover, cheap drinks. this place isnt bad. i haven't been there recently though but i hear… Read more »
This Review is only for the Nightclub/Lounge:
I really like going to here to avoid all the Vietnamese spot and also with mix crowd that have Asian. I like the vibe here because people just seem to enjoy themselves and having fun. The dancefloor is quite small but there's a bar when you walk in. There's also an outside patio that's cool to hang out at and another bar outside. The bartender are usually cool and you get your drinks fast unlike other places that's super packed. This place has the right amount of peoples because I hate crowded places. The DJ spin a lot of good music as well.
People thought this was:
My hubby and I had a destination wedding out of the country and thought it would be nice to throw a little get together for the folks who couldn't make the trip but still wanted to celebrate. We decided to do a happy hour party at Smoke and it turned out great. We got started initially with the help of Tom who is awesome, then finalized the details with the new owner Tim. Our guests had a great time and the food and drinks were great. The chicken wings were the biggest hit of all! Tim was very accommodating to our group all throughout the night. We were so glad they allowed kids since many of our guests have little ones and it would be hard for them to attend if they had to find a sitter. The kids had a blast running around and getting their groove on too! The band playing that night is called The Peelers, they are a cover band and they had a killer set list which included crowd pleasers like: California Love, Love Shack, and Freaks of the Industry. We danced the night away and I have the calluses on my feet to prove it (darn heels!).
The food did come out a little slow, but Tim was very apologetic about that. However, it worked out since people were coming in waves and there was fresh food being put out every 10-15 minutes. Overall, everyone had a good time. The staff was great and the ambiance is definitely conducive to a good time! I have also been there once for the night club thing which is not really my steeze, but it was cool for people who like the crowds. Supposedly, they are remodeling and changing in to more of a music venue. I am sure it will be pretty awesome, but I kinda like the decor as is. The metal bamboo privacy fence is so cool!
People thought this was:
Total meh. Has potential for me, but pretty dead and lame everytime I've gone here....but then again it is San Jose. I'm a wee bit biased.
People thought this was:
Why i love this place so much:
#1) Their drinks are only $7
#2) I asked the bartender to make me a fruity drink with pineapple and she made a HELLA GOOD ASS FUCKEN DRINK
#3) Its super Chill
#4) The bartender gave me a free drink which is the best part of all.
YEAHHH!
Thursday nights here can resemble a bit of a cock fest.. but other than that... This place is usually the hotspot during hot summer days.. might be due to the outdoor patio area.. and their casual attire dress code.. If you want a more relaxed and chill vibe.. this is the spot for you..
Usually cover is $5 on Thursday's guestlist.. but I'm not sure how much it is other night's.. my friends are promoters here so we get the homie hook-up :) The venue is a bit small so it could get packed pretty quick.. They also have $5 drink specials all night long..
People thought this was:
I like this place because it's chill. I would like it better if it was free.
I never feel like I have to be super dressed up or try to hard. I can just hit it up with my friends and not fret about a thing. Bonus points for being close to my job so I can always park really close using my work parking pass! YAY!
People thought this was:
San Jose needs to learn that when it comes to drinking venues you are only as good as the people that frequent your venue.
The place has so much potential. They have a good layout, with a nice enough inner bar and a cool patio outside. Too bad the crowd sucks.
This place is very Asian. Oh yeah, and not very fun.
So if you have a yellow fever and look forward to not having fun when you drink, then by all means come here, tool boxes.
People thought this was:
On a Saturday night in March..........
- $5 at the door (we were supposed to be on the guest list for a bday shin-dig)
- somewhat of an asian crowd: so what?
- casual, mixed crowd; too many dudes hoping to get lucky (NOTE TO SELF: attractive party people do NOT come here)
- no milk or cream for a white russian: BOO!
- music: average
- patio area: the main event
- security: friendly and trying their best to intimidate
- body shots on the bar: HELLO! The crowd is supposed to care and get into it instead of trying NOT to look!
- table service: SUCKS!!!
- Mike from MikenTribe: they must be paying him because he was the life of the party (but dude, Hennessey for table service?! take me back to Vegas!!)
- being forced to leave because someone in your party accidentally/tipsily walked into the wrong gender's bathroom (which was DISGUSTING and just as scary as the correct gender's bathroom):
Daniel (General Manager), we'll be sure NOT to drop a few
hundred on alcohol here again. Oh, and that F-YOU that your
security got was personally meant for you since you were
shaking behind them.
People thought this was:
Definitely not my crowd or style but seems like a fun place.
Everyone looked like they were having a good time.
Good music.
Spacious patio area.
4 Stars is a high grade, but it is deserving.
Smoke, has a mellow vibe and a cool locale. It happens to be the only bar that I will go to in Downtown San Jose. The decor has a beach kind of appeal, with tiki torches spread about, and bright lights that contribute to ones inebriation. The drinks are fairly stiff and the bartenders are down-to-earth. Past 11, the place turns into a club, which is normal at most watering holes, as people start feeling the effects of the suds and begin grinding their hips to the music.
There is a large concentration of people with Asian descent here. So if you are racist or Xenophobic, then stay away. Fortunately, I have some Pacific Islander in me and like Nas says in one of his beats, "he's got a mixed heritage - blends in everywhere." Thanks Mom and Dad. Anyway, prepare to peep out some cool eye-candy and have an enjoyable experience at Smoke Tiki Lounge.
People thought this was:
Enjoyed the service, great wait staff, love the happy hour deals, awesome sweet potato fries, but cold n' lackluster smoke meats kinda hurt the experience. Though, the portion for the 3 meat combo is very decent, and can potentialy be enough for 2.
On our first visits, our briskets and tri tips were cold to room temperature. But, we always enjoyed their raw mahi mahi (forgot the exect name on the menu, but it has an asian/hawaiian feel to it and was fresh, some soy, scallions, and sesame seeds.
As far as meat plate goes, the 3 meat combo comes with two side dishes. AND, I will always
"Skip the corn, but double me up some sweet potato fries."
Will likely visit again - mostly happy hours only, and never after a Sharks game (they might run out of certain items on their menu).
This place is going though some kind of transformation. The food has gone from decent to terrific. The Ahi Poke has always been good, but now the chicken is juicy and tender and (according to my friends) the ribs are really great. Be sure to try the Mac and Cheese and the Cole Slaw. Both are very unique and worth the trip all by themselves.
The best thing about Smoke Tiki is the relaxed atmosphere on the patio. Its got an island getaway feel to it.
I came here with my girlfriends before the cover kicked in. We happened to go on a night where there was a birthday party for one of the bartenders goin on. We got some huge drinks which were 15 dollars each but A LOT of alcohol. They were basically soup bowl sized cups filled with a tokyo tea remix. They were great and it gave us a great buzz before we headed out.
This place is a little out of the way from the rest of the commotion but it is a good place to just grab a quick drink and leave. We didn't stay for the rest of the DJ set up/etc.
The bouncers would be great in the Gestapo.
The drinks weren't poured too badly.
People thought this was:
San Jose, CA
Category: Lounges
San Jose, CA
Category: Bars
San Jose, CA
Category: American (Traditional)
San Jose, CA
Category: Dive Bars
San Jose, CA
Category: Pubs
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