El Paseo de Saratoga — Local services in San Jose

This review is for the shopping center as a whole, not individual businesses. There is plenty of parking at this time, and the array of businesses is diverse, including a few big names such as REI, Ethan Allen, and AMC Theaters. That's the good news.

The bad news (which is also exciting), is that the property is in a state of flux. About one quarter is fenced off as the owners prepare for partial tear down for a major mid-rise development. Regardless of any given political positioning, the new development will definitely change the dynamics of how the property is used. But for now, most of the commercial offerings are still available.

While there is great parking access, the flow-through for vehicles is poorly designed. When we first moved to the area, we hung out at a restaurant's patio entertained by the frustrated drivers. We called it the "car rodeo." It was particularly frustrating for drivers during the pre-pandemic period when the theater was busy. The parking design is not very accommodating for large groups. It may be different in this post pandemic world, but the overall design is still terrible, not to mention the behavior of some drivers.

New businesses keep coming in. The old Mimi's Cafe was torn down and is being replaced by up to three new businesses. Like it or not, the cafe had an architectural character. The new building is an "insert box here or anywhere USA," failing to redefine sense of place in any meaningful way. The end result is leading to a "no there, there" vibe. The property is convenient, and its proximity to many other shopping options makes it a destination, particularly on the weekends.

The property lacks a sense of place. The name implies walkable paseos with charming shops and outdoor places to eat. That ain't it. Convenience, yes, but don't put it on your bucket list. Time will tell if the new development will change its lacking style...

Great shopping/food plaza. Steep prices in places like REI and what not but that's expected. Come here all the time. Good food selection and fun to hangout around. Parking can be a hassle though. -1 star for the debacle of this location AMC 16 not knowing how to handle big premiere events. They don't separate the lines into the theaters for the big name movie. Instead they crowd everyone into two entrances and even if you're trying to see that movie that's 4 weeks old, you still gotta wait in line behind the opening-release people. It's ridiculous. AMC 20 in Mercado knows how to handle these situations. And they do it great. Separate lines for big movies. Short fast lines for all other movies. We came here to see Deadpool which had been out for a month already, and still had to wait in the same line for the 400 people trying to see Incredibles 2. We missed the first 20 minutes of the movie because of that. That's...

The AMC Theater- Clean with a friendly professional staff. REI- Awsome selection! Fun for kids, terrific sales. Ulta- Vast selection of cosmetics, hair products and a huge fragrance selection! Club Havana isn't just for people who enjoy a fine cigar. They have a great selection of beautiful, one of a kind Humidors and high-end Lighters. The staff is most helpful and friendly. Petco-Convenient, with new service options (curbside and delivered) plus weekly sales. The Shopping Center- According to plans, is slowly morphing into yet another state-of-the-art, something for everyone, high rise shopping center complete with a dog park. But don't load Fido in the car just yet. The stores that are currently there need your patronage, the new center is still...