Blue Note Lounge

Smashed a cockroach on the bar last time, and that was it for me (gone bi-​monthly for the past year).
I wanted to like this place SO badly, because it’s so close to home… but I can’t. Don’t get me wrong, I love a great time with older people in good company. It’s just really greasy.
Kat and Michelle (bartenders) are great people, and they deserve better!

I had this page bookmarked for a couple years and I finally came in to check it out with a friend on Sat around 5ish? We were greeted by Kat the bartender and I can honestly say she was great. The place is very dark lighting but still yet welcoming. There were a couple people in the place but we left before they had their DJ come in. They had a juke box and we were playing music of course from Reggae, hip hop and country which was cool. We met a older very friendly gentleman I believe his name was D? Omg I swear he chopped it up with us the whole time for about an hour or so speaking wisdom and everything. He made me feel like the bar was home. I told him it was our first time here and he bought us 3 rounds and he also bought us food from next door and omg the phillycheese steak was so bomb. Thank you D!
Long story short if you’re looking for something chill and a different vibe, and a sense of calmness and enjoy an older crowd definitely check it out. I was told Thurs is karaōke I don’t sing but I will checking it out.
If you run into D he is such a funny and friendly man. Ahah he was flirting with Kat but you can tell they have an awesome relationship and he’s been there for quite sometime. Oh yes I will definitely be coming back with my folks so they can experience it thrmselves. Oh and yes I’ll be also visiting next door for some great food.

Cool chill place! The prices are cheaper and the bartender is very nice. I always past by this plaza and been making a side note to go one of these days. I finally went and I do not regret it! To add they have themed events for the seasonal holidays! They don’t make lounges like these anymore!

Had such a great time, very nice and hospitable crowd. Keep it simple, go with the flow, and enjoy the music.

It’s an interesting place to get a few drinks and chill. The little shop is pretty relaxing in a sense and the drinks are decent! Beer on tap in super cold mug? Awesomeness in a mug. It’s snuggled between the pizza place and I believe the water store? I honestly can’t remember but hopefully you can’t miss it!
I’d probably grab dinner at the best pizza place next door, the Colosseum then walk on over to grab a drink to let my food digest.

Rudest female bartender ever! I was there from out of town and stopped in for a few cocktails. Never again

Nice space. Got my favorite tasting Manhattan here. 2 tvs viewable from practically anywhere. Will come here again.

Went in one night with two friends. Security gentleman at the door seemed like a nice chill dude. We went to the bar and the bartender, a young lady, was chatting it up with two older gentlemen, the only other customers in the house. After finishing her conversation, she proceeded to stand in the same position, back leaning against the counter, and clearly disinterested if we wanted anything to drink. My guests and I gave each other confused looks and I decided to call for her from the other side of the bar. She walked over to us with her nose in the air after having us wait for 10 minutes to be acknowledged.
First drink: midori sour.
Bartender: «what?!»
My guest: «um.midori sour?»
Bartender: «what’s that?!»
We looked at each other in disbelief at her rude demeanor and lack of knowledge.
My guest: «I’ll just have a Sierra Nevada»
Bartender: «ok»
Second drink: dirty martini, well vodka, extra olives
Bartender: «what is that?!» she said with a disgusted face.
Me: «it’s vodka and olive juice…»
Bartender: «I’ve never heard of that…»
She rolls her eyes and attempts to make the drink. When she finishes, she places it in front of me.
Bartender: «is it like that?!»
No olives in there. I asked for olives again and she threw them in with attitude.
Third drink: Manhattan
Bartender: «what’s in that??» She was so over being asked to do these «difficult» requests…
My guest: «never mind, I’ll just have a (brand) whiskey neat»
Bartender: «what’s that mean?»
Yeah, seriously. I don’t even need to express how I feel about this experience. If you don’t understand how ridiculously lame my experience was, then go enjoy yourself at Blue Note.

Sat in a corner and it smelled like throw up. I had to leave or I will throw up too.

Good place to go for a beer when you are waiting an hour for a table at the Kickin’ Crab!

Don’t go here for the beer or he drinks, come for the environment and the events. Tuesday jazz night totally rocks! Older crowd with experienced musicians! Still jamming it out like they’re 21! Oh yea!

I’m sure it’s a perfectly decent place. Not too far from the great mall, in a sleepy neighborhood. I was gonna meet with a male friend for a beer. We showed up, and I immediately felt out of place. The bar was pretty packed, with outgoing, friendly people, but they were all over 40, and all black. I and my friend (asian guy) felt a bit conspicuous. We were really looking for somewhere quiet we could avoid people and chat, and this wasn’t really the place. nothing personal blue note!

Great place to chill an. Drink. And after
collessioum pizza next door to munch.

I Came here w/​a friend who lives in Milpitas and frequented this place last week. It was a Thursday night (9pm) and it was a Chill atmosphere w/​the majority of the patrons being an older crowd. It wasn’t as busy when we arrived but around 10pm it was almost a full house. Although I initially liked this spot, the low rating is because of the experience I had w/​a bartender.
My friend & I had been sitting at the bar for a couple of hours buying drink after drink and making sure to tip the lady bartender after each round. When we were ready to go, I asked if I could get some water and when she proceeded to give us bottled water I said tap water was fine. She completely ignored me and put the water down in front of me. I asked if I could get tap water instead and she shook her head no. What kind of establishment denies their customers tap water? They Definitely lost 2 customers that night.

Probably the most memorable bar I’ve been to in the San Jose /​Milpitas area. Great service, friendly patrons, and classic music. I’ll definitely be back!

Great spot! I have been going to Blue Note for a bunch of years. And before that it was 3 plus 1. Steve, the owner, knows how to throw a party. Great staff. Kat, Sharon, et al has been 5 star servers for a while. Comfortable. For GrownUps.

Small, Dark, Bands have been ok, and the Tuesday night jam just can’t seam to get going.
I would check out other places in San Jose, Santa Clara or Campbell for live music and Jam sessions.

It’s just a little hole in the wall. The people are friendly. They have different things, we went for the blues one night which was awesome. The people there, it’s an older crowd. Everyone is just mellow and chilled.

On the TV above the bar, the Giants were unfortunately going down to the Cards in the opening game of the National League play-​offs, adding just the right note of melancholy to leaven the otherwise whoop-​de-​doop mood folks were feeling at the the weekly Sunday Night jazz jam in the pleasantly darkened confines of the Blue Note Lounge.
Like one of the previous reviewers noted, this is a black hangout. Billie Holiday and Jackie Wilson posters. Barack Obama cut-​outs tacked on the walls. On Sunday evening at least it’s mostly an older person’s black hangout. Or not really, but a hangout for anyone who appreciates some nice club jazz. The Gus Owens quartet, the house band, does its thing for about an hour and then they start letting guests up to the mic.
The crowd is pretty friendly if you pop up to the bar for a drink. If you ask for time at the mic, they are, uhm, *nice* enough, and if you show you can hang with the band, they acknowledge that with whoops and hollers. And lots of good singing and instrumentalists. so lots of whoops and hollers
Five dollars cover for the jam at the door.
If their TV had shown the Giants *winning,* I’d be giving this place six stars.

Having lived in the area for years, I have to say my boyfriend and I have passed by this place a million times and have never been inside.
Yesterday was my birthday and we were looking for a place to have some celebratory drinks and listen to some good music. We agreed on karaōke and went looking for something local. The first place we went to turned out to be surreal (private rooms, older men with very young dates and exorbitant fees) so we left. I looked up karaōke on my smart phone and The Blue Note Lounge popped up, so I called and asked them if they had karaōke. Yes, they have karaōke but, it’s only on Thursday. What to do? We finally decided to go to the bar that we pass all the time and see if they were open. It turns out the place was The Blue Note Lounge! LOL!
This place is a neighborhood gem tucked away in a strip mall that is reminiscent of times gone by. We settled in at the bar and were warmly greeted by Kat tending bar and the local clientele. The atmosphere was cozy and the jukebox was amazing! We grooved to Donny Hathaway, Charlie Wilson and Sade, while sipping champagne. We had the best time conversing with people, dancing and making new friends. This is definitely going to be our go to place during the week from now on. We found out that Thursdays (karaōke) and Sundays (jazz/​blues) are the days to stop by. I totally recommend this lounge for people who want to kick back some drinks and enjoy a good hang with friends. What a great find!