Los Gatos Soda Works — Restaurant in Los Gatos

Updated

Well, coming out of the pandemic and easing of restrictions for indoor dining has not been easy nor followed everywhere.... Thank you, Los Gatos Soda Works for helping us spend the first Friday in a long, long time, where we could have a decent sit-down drink at a bar. It was not just decent, it was fabulous!!

Our sincere thanks go to

Jason, Owner/Manager who made us feel so welcome as we waited outside for them to open. In our eagerness to enjoy the evening, we actually reached 15 minutes before they actually open !

Bryan, the person who took care of us that day, who made us feel so comfortable with his great personality, easy going demeanor and putting on age appropriate music for folks like us, seated inside. Boy, that I am really getting on in the years dawned on me as I hummed and tapped to "Let's Groove Tonight" by Earth Wind & Fire!

Alex, who won us over with her attentiveness and kind attitude towards all she was attending to that evening.

We enjoyed the following cocktails:

The Grand Larceny - my all-time favorite and as always, made best here Law Abiding Citizen - in keeping with the name and it connotations - while i ordered this drink, the better half loved it and I got only to taste it as she claims to be a more "law abiding citizen" than me ! Studio 54 - my better half's choice and she absolutely loved it.

As accompaniments we ordered the following:

The Charcuterie plate - We both absolutely loved everything that was served in this. Standouts for me were the Sopressata and the fresh apricot mash served alongside the Barely Buzzed Cheddar sticks Salmon Poke Cups - small but extremely fresh and tasty cups filled with Salmon. Reminded me why I would always choose to come here for their small bites that accompany their world class drinks Heirloom Tomatoes - Fresh and thick discs of Heirloom tomatoes served with Burrata drizzled with Aioli, a perfect execution of this simple yet so flavorful dish. Smoked Trout Rillettes - Trout pate served over toasted artisan bread slices and other accompaniments - another master creation which we both thoroughly enjoyed !

Feel like we are back in the Bay Area - Ah-mazing drinks! Excellent food served by some very great staff!

We could not ask for me... you need to come and enjoy Los Gatos Soda Works yourselves!

Don't take my word for it!

——————- Cannot give this place any higher stars as Yelp allows only 5, but I swear, this place deserves many, many more!!!

Friday evening , looking to celebrate the end of the work week.

Will let the attached photos do most of the talking about the astonishing food and drinks served here. In summary after a very long search we now have a clear replacement for Jack Rose Libation house, which closed down quite abruptly And then re-meeting Jason ( the magical mixologist from Jack Rose) here made it seem almost like providence!!

Finding parking may be a tad difficult and the place is pricey, but hey, food and cocktail lovers , you...

I really like Soda Works (SW) BUT now things are changing.

During the pandemic I was very loyal and supportive of SW and they were very very good. Now service, attitude and food are changing in the wrong way.

To the first two points, the following question says it all: How many waiters does it take to order a basket of bread? I don't know I stopped counting after 5.

On the third point on food, the management are following the tech trend by miniaturizing portions and swapping in lower quality ingredients.

Soda Works if you want to be so shrewd why don't you just serve the "essence" of the dishes you serve then you can achieve financial brilliance and no need to stock up on micro calipers. Just pass the plates in front of the food in the kitchen and serve those plates with a few paper labels with descriptions with what you are smelling.

Lastly, SW has a nice trick to up sell you on wine. Conveniently, when you wisely pick a wine, the usual routine is for lower price wines: not available. Apparently they are plagued with a supplier problem every week. Perfect for the SW business model to get customers to spend an extra $10-15 more/glass of wine.

I had some great times over the last 2.5 years at SW. After the last three visits and a change in SW management "philosophy", I don't need to feel a downer after leaving a place where I am supposed to have a nice time.

Good Bye Soda Works

PS: I pay for bread, I don't drink cheap wine and I have no problem paying premiums for excellent...

Front Desk : Racially biased mindset

We visited Los Gatos Soda Works on a casual Wednesday evening around 6:45 PM, as we were in the area dropping our child off at a nearby indoor soccer practice. Dressed casually, we entered a mostly empty restaurant with hardly any customers at that time. However, our experience left a bitter taste despite the delicious food and drinks.

When we approached and waited to be seated, we were directed to an isolated countertop seat near the bar—an area where finished dishes and glasses are typically placed. This was puzzling and disappointing, especially since multiple tables were empty throughout our visit. We stayed for an hour, during which no other customers arrived, yet the tables remained unoccupied.

We spent $200 on our meal, including a $40 tip, but couldn’t shake off the feeling that this seating arrangement was discriminatory. While the server and bartender were wonderful, the treatment at the front desk gave the impression of a racially biased mindset, which was both disheartening and unexpected in an otherwise reputable establishment.

We sincerely hope that this behavior doesn’t reflect the restaurant's values, as it tarnished what could have been a pleasant evening. Los Gatos Soda Works should address these issues to ensure every customer feels welcomed, regardless of how they’re dressed or...