San Francisco and Oakland get most of the speakeasy attention, but San Jose has a few bars you will only find if you know where to look.
Alter Ego Cocktail Club
Alter Ego is at 66 S. First St. downtown, hidden behind a curtain inside the vinyl bar Still O.G., according to its OpenTable listing. The menu pairs Asian and Hispanic small plates with more than 20 cocktails. Parties max out at six and reservations are recommended. On Fridays and Saturdays, seated service ends at 10 p.m. and an "After Hours" session starts at 11 p.m. Through Oct. 31 the bar is running a Halloween pop-up called Dearly Departed, with 90-minute table times.
S Bar at Santana Row
S Bar is the hidden bar behind Suspiro, the restaurant at Santana Row. Santana Row's directory tells guests to "follow the star" to find it, and the bar takes reservations.
The Bowery Room
The Bowery Room is a speakeasy in the back of Five Points, 169 W. Santa Clara St. According to Five Points, it is open daily from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. The house signature is a smoked Old Fashioned.
What changed at Haberdasher
Longtime regulars may remember Haberdasher, at 43 W. San Salvador St. On its website, the bar says it closed its old speakeasy and started over. It is now a cocktail bar that does not require reservations. It is closed Mondays and Tuesdays and offers a $25-a-month whiskey club called the Bootlegger Whiskey Syndicate.
Hours and pop-ups change often, so check each bar's page before you go. For more hidden bars, see our San Francisco speakeasy guide.