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HOUSE MUSIC.... in San Jo? Finally Found It!!!!
Can't believe I wasted all of that time at Blowfish Sushi- never again! Their dj's are too inconsistent. Seems they always have some dude who plays "I'm on E/coke" music or someone who has an obsession with monotenous acid jazz. The anime also got kind of old. Watching anime and listening to bad trance is not my idea of a good evening.
Skip Santana Row and stick to this joint if you're looking for dance/house music. They have consistently good djs (I'm now partial to the cool bald guy that looks like Moby- he RULES!). The crowd is also friendlier and much less pretentious.
I have to disclose that the main owner of this place, Paul, is my friend from high school and that I've held my own nightly event there in years prior. So you might think that my review is biased, but it's also the truth.
The Cardiff Lounge has had San Francisco's best house music DJs since the very first day that it opened in early 2003, and they soon after added other nights - real hip hop, funk, soul, etc. This is the place for true music aficionados of these music forms and especially for people who like to see their DJs in small, intimate settings rather than in a big club. I've seen artists such as Julius Papp, Miguel Migs, David Harness, Lisa Shaw, Peanut Butter Wolf (to name a few), and the like perform here on a regular basis, without ever a cover charge - something you would never find especially not in San Francisco.
It's a GREAT alternative to the melee that downtown San Jose is sometimes.
Cardiff makes me wish I didn't move up the peninsula. I've been here 3 times in the past two weeks on account of birthdays and shenanigans (note: those aren't exclusive). Let me give you the low down on this place in exactly one sentence. Places this good aren't supposed to exist in the Greater San Jose Area.
I've been here on a Tuesday night and seen this place packed to capacity. I've danced away a Friday where the line's out the door 20 people deep. Their secret is to just be really good at what they do. From the decor to the DJs, this is quickly becoming one of my favorite places to go chill, drink, and dance. The first thing you'll notice when you walk in is that you didn't pay a cover. Right through the doors is the dance floor and there's always a lot of people out getting their groove on. Somewhere in the back is a more lounge-like area, but I've never made it back there because I get caught up in all the energy at the front.
Talking cost, there's no cover to get in, and the drinks are well priced (plus on the strong side). So, we've got this no-cover place with good drinks, good music, good decor, and busy all week long. How can you not love it?
Updated from my review from two years ago
Where barely babies meet cougars.. WTF happened..
Still three stars for amusement factor...
I ate at Chacho's and watched the whole fiasco
For some reason I can slightly tolerate people at this spot as opposed to others. I love the DJ set… Read more »
Why this place is packed on a Friday night is beyond me. It's a dive bar with an identity crisis.
1. The bar/lounge is dark and poorly lit. It's not sexy. There's no mood lighting or accent lighting whatsoever. Ambiance is a big part of a decent lounge atmosphere and the Cardiff is laughable in this respect. (Normally, this would = dive bar). Attitude is served up from both patrons and staff. Dive bar it is not.
2. Dive bars embrace their shittiness. The Cardiff does not. They try for more with hot bartenders. But then they fail to test these girls on making basic drinks well. Real bars make good drinks. And do it quickly.
3. No seating aside from a line of bar stools. Don't try to pass off as a "Lounge" with nothing to lounge on. And that dirty velour bench on one wall does not count.
4. With no windows or ventilation, the a/c should be blasting. We finished our drinks with the quickness, just to get outside (where it was still 80+ degrees...at night).
5. They have a "coat check" which is not manned by anyone and is simply a hole in the wall with a rod and hangers. Multiple reviewers talk of their coats being stolen. (A "hang at your own risk" sign would be appropriate). This would work better at Butter in SF, where irony is the name of the game.
The Cardiff used to be really bad. It was better then - before this botched face lift.
Ah, Cardiff!
House music, darling. It's all about the house!
There are too many stories to tell that stem from the Cardiff, and I'm sure you've heard them all. (Like my 40-something year old girlfriend that had a 20-something boy trying to make out with her all night! Good times!) Just a fun place to get your groove on, have a drink, and people watch. Nice.
They would receive 5 stars if somehow they could call on the *bathroom fairy* to do something about the INSANE bathroom! It's about the size of a gumball, and if I was doing as many drugs as Lindsay Lohan, I too might be able to squeeze in one of their 2 stalls. Make sure you tinkle somewhere else before heading over.
I still manage to drag all my friends there, *just for ONE song!* since the beauty of house is that *song* never ends!
Love it!
Our group came here around 11PM after Aqui's on a Saturday night and it was pretty much empty. We stayed for about half an hour or so as we finished our drinks and decided to leave. The DJ was ok, but I could not distinguish what kind of music it was...
Plus side, no line or cover charge and pretty strong drinks for an average price, 2 vodka tonics + 1 vodka cran for $27 with tax+tip.
I came here with some friends this past Friday night after my b-day dinner. I've been here before numerous times. Cardiff Lounge is one of the few spots to listen to some good house music. This past Friday night Julius Papp was spinning an awesome set. This place usually has a good vibe and is a nice spot to chill or dance it up a little. They have a few couches in the back area for people who like to chill. Outside in the front is a smoke area for those who need to light one up. This place is generally very chill and offers a very mixed crowd.
The only bad thing I can say about this place is that it's pretty small, so it can get pretty packed and insanely hot on busy nights.
Summary: Good house beats, chill crowd, and no cover!
I came back for a friends birthday last night and had a good time. I still would like the music to be more diverse and wish the bathroom door stall wouldn't touch my knees when I am in the stall. But I shouldn't complain much because it was decently clean and had plenty of toilet seat covers and tp. I'll give Cardiff 4 stars on this visit for the strong drinks that made me flow with the night.
My friends are a big fan of this place, it's okay in my book. Too much house/ high energy music for… Read more »
Great spot for some refuge from the Top-40 scene plaguging the South Bay. Good looking people, effecient bartenders making great drinks, and great DJ's mixing house beats are the recipe for sucess.
First time there, last time there!
So I came down with a couple of buds and a girl, I should've known things were wrong when I saw people wearing tennis shoes and t-shirts. Apparently there is no dress code. I only had a collared Kenneth Cole shirt, but it might as well been a 3 piece suit. Atleast my group was dressed well. So we ordered tapas and they came out quick and tasted pretty good. When I tried to order a PATRON cocktail, the waitress actually tried to down sell me to 1800 or Dom Julio tequila, saying "we're out of PATRON, try 1800 or dom julio". Are you kidding me! How can any club try to up sell(or down sell) Patron, telling me "it taste better anyways" There was clearly some kind of commission being paid for people not to sell Patron. Kind of sad, we thought as we left. But not before we had 4 Grey Goose and Tonics. Total $70. We left to Santa Row, which was awesome. But i'll Yelp that later!
When you walk into the Cardiff, well actually about a half block before you actually get to the club/lounge, you will hear the "boom boom boom" of the dance/house/trance music bumping from the open club doors.
The place is more like a lounge to kick back, have a few good drinks, and chat with your friends.
I have always had a good time here. Although the music isn't necessarily dance worthy, I still make a fool of myself and tear up the dance floor.
The place is not huge, and seating is limited but the crowd is generally mature which makes me come back again and again.
Girls night out - Here we come Cardiff!!!!!
Pretty lame setup, and a big bro-bound fight broke out while I was there...
I've been to Cardiff several times and the experience has been hit or miss. I liked the fact that people here seem to be more laid back and there is a pretty good mixture of crowds here. It's not overly young, overly white, or overly Asian. I would have given the place 4 stars if the incident below didn't occur at my last visit.
I was there with a group of friends on a Saturday night. We left a bit earlier than usual, and stupid me forgot to grab my jacket from the coat check. My friend came back an hour later to get it back for me. He had to explained the situation to the bouncer in order to get back in... Here is the rude response from the bouncer: "WHO THE F**K CARE?!"
At the end my friend still managed to get in and got my jacket back. Still, I think it's fair to take 2 stars off the 4 stars I was going to give them anyway.
The drinks here are strong.
The crowd is a good mix.
The bartenders have big boobs, as my friend kept pointing out.
The bouncers are very pleasant and friendly.
No cover charge :)
Parking was easy to find on a Friday night at 10:30pm.
And I was way too drunk and did many bad things. The end.
Good house music, no dress code, no cover.
Used to be better; these days it's hit or miss. The crowd can suck hard on certain nights, some nights there's good dancing vibes. I never come here on weekends because it gets stupid packed and the crowd is not really the dancing crowd. Also, sometimes the owner/bouncers make people line up outside when it is empty inside for whatever stupid reason.
I stopped coming here about a year ago when the place got overrun by douches and a shady crowd; the last straw was when my jacket got stolen. It's too bad... I used to like this place alot.
I ended up at Cardiff Lounge after a long night on the town. No hassle at the door. The bouncer quickly checked my I.D. and let me in. I did a quick walk through. The music was booming but there were too many people just standing around (it was after 12). I ended up spending most of my time out on the smokers patio (I don't even smoke). This seems like a good summer spot. Parking nearby wasn't a problem. No cover is always a plus. You just have to remember to bring your own dance loving friends.
It's "so-so" in so many ways.
6th Year Anniversary party with Miguel Migs, so I stopped by.
Place was packed. Bartenders were slow and clueless. But that is OK, I am forgiving. I still consider this place a DIVE BAR and there is nothing fancy or swanky about it. Dark, lounge chairs, and house music.
The front area is sectioned off for smokers.
I guess I am too old or I've had enough of the Cardiff.
I went home at midnight.
I have never had one good experience at the Cardiff except the one time when the blond bartender… Read more »
If u love to Groove then Tuesday nights are the SH*$! There are a lot of dancers here Tuesday nights. It is really fun if ur into dacning.
There were like 3 circles and I danced in every one of them. YOu can groove to urself, but going in the circle is a lot funner.
Other then that the crowd is really mixed. We got the white people who are there for mainly socializing and a lil two step.
Then we got the asians, mexicans and bruddas and sista's who are always in the circles.
People seem very drama free here and everyone here just wants to have a good time. Security lets you breakdance and they don't kick u out.
Hella fun times me and my boys were rippin it! They have in and outs so just go to your car whenever u feel like CHeefin a LIL WEEd. Then go back in and rip up the circle.
Till next time Yelpers
Peace
I have been going to the Cardiff since it was a neighborhood dive bar that catered to the local drunks and punk rock bands, and believe me the Cardiff that is here today is a vast improvement from the Cardiff of 6 or so years ago. I enjoy the Cardiff because it is the only place to go to in the South Bay to consistently hear quality House music and a good crowd comes in here. Over the years I've been going here, I've never see any thugs or ghetto folks, nor have I ever seen a fight break out.
The problem with this place is that it's incredibly small, it can get ridiculously packed, and insanely hot. On a busy night, you are not going to get in unless you get there early (before 10:30pm) or you personally know the owner.
Overall, I give the Cardiff a generous 4 stars: 2 stars for the music, 1 star for never charging a cover, and 1 star for the crowd...
Tuesdays are legit. Great dancers, awesome music.
Nice cool friendly spot, that plays house music. Not the biggest house music fan, but its cool to get away from the pop and hip-hop scenes sometimes.
The ambience of this place is good, and the crowd was tame compared to other spots in the 408.
I like to just chill out and drink at spots like this.
I used to like this place...
Until I lost my entire wallet..
..I blame it on them
for getting me so drunk.
I give it a 3 because..
the bathrooms are EXTREMELY cramped!
What i do like about this place is EVEN…
Read more »
This is my favorite place to go in the South Bay for good house music, good vibes, and great dancing. They consistently have the best house music in the area!
I haven't been here in the past few months, and just went again last night. Nothing has changed. It's still a great place with great people. Everyone is really friendly, and are just out to dance or vibe to the music. It's not meat markety at all. Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever been picked up on here.
-1 star for only having one bathroom stall and for the bouncer making us go around the rope when we were coming in, even tho there was not one person in line. When we said something, he held the line for about 5 minutes just to power trip, and then play with his phone. But whatever, door bouncers are losers anyways. $50/night and they think they're club gods. Umm....yeah, whatever....I wouldn't give you the time of day if it wasn't for having to talk to your fat balding a$$ at the door.
The good:
No cover.
Strong drinks.
Packed.
Casual.
Good music.
Great service.
The bad:
Too many dudes. Even for me. Just saying.
Cardiff is pretty small, and it got crowded really quickly (on a Thursday night too). The crowd seemed a little older (late 20s, 30s) but the house music was a refreshing and fun change.
On Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, there's a mini bar open in the back where you can get a shot + a beer for $10. I think you can only get a shot of Don Julio or Jager, and you can choose a bottle of beer.
Overall: Very crowded, but with no cover, cheap alcohol, and good music.
I really dislike this place, but then again I can't stand fake places either. My friends usually have to drag me in there kicking and screaming and definitely very drunk, because I will do anything to stay out of there. I think the only reason I have ever had a decent time there was because I was wasted, the line is always long, the place is too small, the music isn't that great and it's like the club and the people are trying too hard. I have met a few people I like who love it, but I think it's because they really enjoy the music and they love the Campbell college aged atmosphere.
FOXY Thursdays = FUN FUN FUN
When I'm itching to get the weekend started early or my feet want to tap to a funky beat Cardiff is my answer. Always a good time, good vibe, and great place to meet new company. I've never been let down here.
I'll always keep coming back for more.
**side note - the ladies restroom stalls are quite small and cozy. I swear I hit my head on the door every time I use the bathroom.
The good: Cute girls come here. I have seen a few pretty ones here and there. Sure, they tend to be snobby and pretentious but at least they are cute enough to pull it off.
The bad: The snooty crowd. It's really small. It can get crowded fast. It's in Campbell. If it sucks, there aren't many options left.
The ugly: The constant house music. It gives me a headache.
Immediately upon walking into the Cardiff Lounge, I was overtaken by a mental replay of the the Family Guy episode with Jasper (Brian's gay cousin) and his soon-to-be husband dancing to Stewie making "Uhn-Tiss- Uhn-Tiss-Uhn-Tiss" sounds at the dinner table.
There weren't any animated characters present nor dogs, nor babies...but the House music was so unexpected and overwhelming that it was the only parallel that I could draw.
Not bad. I came here for the first time last night for a friends birthday and I actually had a lot of fun!! My friends and I were not planning on going out earlier that day and our attire was pretty casual. Luckily for us, there was no dress code! Leggings and uggs all the way haha... The crowd was different than the usual downtown SJ crowd, noticeably a lot less Asians (which I don't mind at all).
They played house music which I prefer a little bit more than mainstream hip hop/rap that you usually get at all the clubs and bars. Bathroom was surprisingly not crowded at all but a little bit on the dirty side. Drinks were made strong and at a decent price. Security was friendly and helpful (We never been to downtown Campbell and we were trying to find another bar).
Over all a good way to start the night. I now have a different opinion of downtown Campbell.
The Cardiff Lounge looks so fab on the outside. I love the 60s throwback vibe. The inside is small and cozy. They have a great soundsystem for the size of the place and the music is almost always good. This place caters to the 25-35 crowd, which is nice for folks in that age group.
One big nit: the drinks are not made very well. The mixed drinks are always off in some way - too strong/ soda is flat/ etc.
I wish wish wish they would offer up more specialty cocktails instead of the run-of-the-mill dive bar drinks.
I LOVE CARDIFF! Haven't been in so long though. I usually hit up Foxy Thursdays.
I miss the days when I would get tipsy and dance all night to some soul. Ah Cardiff you hold a special place in my heart.
Beware, the venue is as big as your thumb and it's usually packed. It's called Cardiff "Lounge" but no one is sitting around, unless they're like me by the end of the night: wasted and tired.
I hear Tuesday nights are poppin', I have yet to find out.
This is my girl's favorite spot and she has her reasons.. ek hem.
I have never had a dull moment. We always walk up to the front and get in even if there's a fat line.
So I hate you Cardiff because even a midget would struggle to take a piss in your small ass bathroom stalls. HOWEVER, you rub my back so I rub yours and you are definitely cooler than Katie's.
The music is consistently house music. I wish they would switch it up though.
The owner Sammy is a sweetheart and he owns the pizza joint next door.
The bboys and breakers frequent here often. If you are into that go on a Tuesday.
I'm still holding strong at 2 stars here. Before the night got busy it took me 10 minutes to get a beer. She took my order then proceeded to flirt with two men sitting at the bar for longer than needed. Then she came back to tell me "we're out of blue moon" ... so i ordered something else.... fifteen minutes later i watched someone walk away from the bar with two nice bottles of blue moon.... grrrrrr..... i'm sooooo over this place! barstaff needs to get their act together.
I really was hoping that after my third visit my view would change. I have given this place a fair chance.... i don't have high standards for bars...
call me crazy, but I never have a good time when i go here. I went here last summer and it was just… Read more »
Wow, from the outside you'd think that this place is a biker bar, and about 8 years ago it was. I remember I walked in here when it was still a biker bar and remembered seeing pickled hard boiled eggs in a big jar behind the bar.
Now its completely changed. They have made it into more of a lounge. The music is good and the bar tenders are friendly and have good pours.
The crowd is very diverse and typically pretty friendly. It can get a little stuffy in the place and since its not too big if youre clostrophibic you'd better take a valium.
Overall if you're in campbell d and want to grab a drink I would recommend to give this place a try.
Cardiff is great for house music. I've seen a lot of local DJ's that are on the up-and-up trying to get their chance to spin there. This place is great if you're into the house/breaks/hiphop scene, or just like to dance to high-energy/bpm music.
The crowd is very mixed. Depending on the night you go, you can see the whole range of night-lifers. Bouncers are generally pretty chill.
3.5 stars to be exact.
Bathrooms are in need of an extreme face lift.
Dance Floor if you can call it that, is very small.
Crowd is a hit or miss.
Yes the bartenders are attentive and I usually have a fairly nice time when I come here.
Feel like shaking your feet around a more mature crowd that simply wants and loves to dance?! Or, do you simply want to listen to music that makes your brain cells jump and not worry about dressing up? Well...this is the place!
This is my favorite place to dance! Gosh - I've never loved dancing at a lounge as much as I enjoy dancing at Cardiff.
Drinks are great - a little more expensive than your typical bar. The music is great - specially if you simply want to "dance like no one is watching" (trust me, people will be watching tho).
I don't know why, maybe it's because I'm back in to the single life - but this place has some pretty good looking men. So single ladies out there: if you know how to dance - trust me - you won't be left dancing alone at this place.
Perfect place to hang out with friends, a date - but make sure they know how to shake their feet. It's a must!!
The ONLY spot in the south bay to hear GOOD House music. Especially when they got DJ Rated R spinning or other great talent to provide the sexy groovy soulful funky hed kandi. Some other key points:
-Never a cover.
-Bartenders are very friendly, make the drinks strong, and don't try to charge you different prices.
-Technically there is room to dance, but don't count on it when the place gets shoulder to shoulder.
Cardiff gets 4 stars and not 5 however for the following reasons:
-Place IS small... but you can't really fault them for that.
-Too many old people. By old I'm referring to if you're pushing towards 40+
-I'm pretty sure also 75% of the crowd doesn't come here for the house music, or even knows what house music is. Shame.
San Jose, CA
Category: Dance Clubs
San Jose, CA
Category: Dance Clubs
San Jose, CA
Category: Dance Clubs
San Jose, CA
Category: Dance Clubs
Campbell, CA
Category: Nightlife
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