From the Spartan Daily
Online exclusive
By Laura Rheinheimer
Date: 3/3/06 Section: Entertainment
The bars and clubs on South First Street run the gamut for party-goers. In the past year, many of them have switched ownership and atmosphere. This semester's smorgasbord of venues offers new themes and some bars and clubs offer something for all types of celebrators.
Whether looking for a rowdy sports bar, high-energy dance club, cool night of billiards or urban experience, the South First Street establishments should meet the needs of the San Jose bar and club scene.
Scores Bar and Grill, 417 S. First St.
Scores Bar and Grill, formerly known as Zoe's, has an atmosphere that implies more than keeping sports tallies. The bar managers, two San Jose State University alumni, draw from their experience at other bars, engaging bar-goers in group shots and shouting.
On "Sunday Funday," David Brenner, a former SJSU Pike, got on a microphone and called for everyone to drink together.
"The bar is open now, but the real fun will begin when the mechanical bull arrives on March 14 for the grand opening," said Regina Evans, general manager of Scores. "For now, there's a boxing ring onstage, air hockey and dancing poles on the bar."
The management hopes to establish this newly opened bar as a hotspot for SJSU students.
"This is the only sports bar downtown for SJSU," said bar manager Johnny Escobar.
He says that students will always get a discount if they show their school IDs.
Scores is the "Coyote Ugly of San Jose," said Evans.
Sofa Lounge, 372 S. First St.
Up a narrow stairway, Sofa Lounge has the feeling of an old jazz club from prohibition times. The décor is part vintage, part modern, and the dimly-lit rooms lend to the urban feel.
The velvet couches and bed in the back room allow for people to lounge and escape the thumping decibels. The stage and bar in the front room make some nights feel like a crowded, trendy club.
Co-owner Tim Middlefield said he and partner Michael Borkenhagen opened the lounge a year ago for "people looking for a San Francisco vibe."
Sofa has varying genres of music on different nights of the week, including an '80s-themed Wednesday night and a jazz workshop on Sundays.
On Thursdays, the usually open area is split into two separate spaces for "Velvet Shop," when the front room tends to fill up and feel like a trendy, crowded bar, and the back room allows some breathing room.
Sofa, with a view overlooking the street, brick walls, modular furniture and modern wall art, captures the feeling of a bar on San Francisco's Fillmore Street.
Angels, 400 S. First St.
This high-energy dance club caters to professional partiers. The style and atmosphere of Angels feels like a dance club in Ibiza. From the glittering sign outside to the white leather seating inside, Angels presents a place for a hard-core club experience.
Angels Lounge is not for the weak-hearted. The techno and dance music thumps at high volumes and is very dance-oriented.
The club also offers many VIP spaces and holds private parties and cocktail parties for special occasions.
Clubbers be warned: Go to Angels for the experience, not for an inexpensive place to get a drink.
South First Billiards, 420 S. First St.
South First Billiards is a large, clean space with 29 pool tables and plenty of space left for seating. The tables are spread out, allowing ample room for the professional pool player and the amateur. There are also separate spaces for a more private setting. The billiards offer $10 flat rate pool to students on Wednesday evenings.
The front of the 14,000-foot space serves as a lounge and offers a full menu, 12 beers on tap, a full bar and disc jockeys and live music on the weekends. There is also an 18-foot TV screen.
South First Billiards, which has been around for 12 years, is an ideal setting for friends looking for a clean, classy place to play pool and enjoy a beer.
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