Five Points — Restaurant in San Jose

I recently attended and planned a team bonding event at 5 Points in San Jose for a cocktail class. Unfortunately, despite the potential for a fun evening, the experience was largely negative due to poor customer service, with the exception of the Event Coordinator, Stacey.

First, the event was quite expensive at $75 per person for just one cocktail. Scheduled from 5:30 to 8:30, we were taken aback by a strict start time of 5:45, which wasn't mentioned in our contract. We were not permitted to enter the room until the start time, and when we had questions before the event, we were told to wait twice, which was frustrating.

The Event Coordinator provided a menu beforehand, but it differed from what was actually served. We were incorrectly informed that half of the menu could accommodate vegetarians, but in reality, everything was pre-made, leaving few options for our group. We also faced difficulty when trying to accommodate a last-minute guest. The manager refused to help, even when I offered my spot, claiming that setting another place would require a complete room reconfiguration—despite the simplicity of the place settings.

The bartender commented on the new chef and Michelin-star menu, yet they failed to accommodate our party of 15, mostly vegetarians. One guest had a grapefruit allergy, and despite informing both the bartender and manager, the response was dismissive.

We requested family-style dining, but the food was served individually, causing confusion. The plates were appetizer-sized, and vegetarian options were severely limited. The mushroom curry over seasoned rice lacked any mushrooms. In an attempt to create more enjoyable options, I asked for seasoned rice on the side to pair with chicken skewers and coconut shrimp. However, I had to repeatedly ask before receiving a response from the manager, who stood across from me at the bar during the menu review.

The Bowery room was advertised to fit 25 people but felt cramped for our group of 15. Despite these issues, the Event Coordinator was sweet, attentive, and communicative. However, the on-site manager offered no guidance or reassurance, leaving us feeling disrespected.

After discussing this experience with a friend, I discovered that poor service and management are common issues at 5 Points. Additionally, I found out that the Event Coordinator works offsite, which highlights a lack of communication between them and the on-site manager. This disconnection, along with the manager's unprofessional demeanor, contributed to a...

Renaissance- An era of cultural and philosophical rebirth among other things, right? When you walk into Five Points your reminded of this amazing period of time at every turn. From the wooden structure of the place it’s self, it’s library, the long wooden bar, rails and tables, the paintings, and even some of the words on their menu like labyrinth or pergola. In my opinion it resonates of an older period in time,and the mood is set to unwind, have a drink and dialogue. You won’t be drinking any new or rare ingredients but is definitely a rebirth of flavors in the way they’re conceived and presented. Beautifully made with- too bad I didn’t take a picture of labyrinth- reasonably fresh ingredients. As majority of local establishments you gonna be paying market price high. Roughly spent 80 bucks on four drinks and fondue. The whole experience that was exquisitely thought out has been tainted though. Sadly is like a white sheet of paper with a black dot in the middle. Although it only covers a tiny percent of the sheet it captures all of your attention. The black dot at Five Points is the bartenders- hence my three stars-seems as if they where working on speedy auto pilot, apathetic and lackadaisical. I believe there was 3 or four of them behind the bar and three small groups of people sitting. I don’t want to generalize but from my interactions and what I observed with others-at different levels-they all displayed the same attitude. Obviously they’re just doing a job but you gotta embrace what your doing and put some joy in it. That’s my opinion…. It won’t stop me from frequenting the place but I do hope they improve because I really want to love Five Points. I will possibly update if I see it fit. As for now if you want to be transported in time and have a beautiful and delicious drink with a twist “ leave a kiss but in the cup”….- Ben Johnson Would recommend Labyrinth, under the pergola, or flight of...

I've gotta say, this may be one of the best bar ideas and executions (no pun intended) that I've ever seen. Five Points is based on the real life characters and happenings portrayed in the movie Gangs Of New York. Not only is the decor stunning, but the cocktails are out of this world. I came for Happy Hour and loved it so much, I stuck around for the jam band Jazz session later in the night, and then proceeded to shut the place down!!! I had the Blood, List, and Diamonds, their slightly different take on a Vieux Carre. It was smooth, not too sweet, and strong. And the addition of a luxardo cherry puts it over the top. Tyler was an incredible host and bartender and gave me the history of the place and decorative style. There's even a little speakeasy room where you can have private events, or they open if it gets crazy on the weekend. Even the bathrooms are decorated with hand painted scenes from the gangs. Because they do not serve food on Monday, they are pretty relaxed about letting you bring munchies from outside locations. I did have to run out to get something to eat, but I was back for the music. Every time I'm back in San Jose, I'm definitely going to drop...