Where we going tonight?

There’s this place with pitchers of cocktails!

Paper Plane tl;dr

In a city of more than a million people the need for a well made drink is more necessary than ever before. And with the rise in need for libations there have been an ever growing number of places to get any kind of drink on; some great and some not so great.

Even with the growing awareness of the craft beer scene and expansion of wine connoisseurs in the area, one venue has explored the recreation of the bar cocktail. And if it’s anything like it’s sister establishment, a beer and sausage spot called Original Gravity a few doors down, San Jose cocktails will never be the same again.

F8T Tip If you’re going to stay here all night, you might as well get a pitcher of a cocktail instead of waiting in line. 

Though be warned because you won’t find your stuffy hotel bar here nor will you find a menu of only drinks. Paper Plane has a dutiful kitchen on hand to satisfy your nighttime hunger pains as well as your alcoholic thirst.

This new venue has all the night lights one would want from a new yet not overly pompous nightlife space. They have music playing the background just loud enough for you to , enough high tables, booths, hidden spaces, and bar counter tops to go around. At any given time there are several bartenders at the ready to make your drink of choice. However if go at the wrong time, the place can be full as any other vaunted San Jose drinkery. Be as it may, I highly suggest going when there isn’t a line out the door to get in. The wait can be daunting at the worst of times and completely non existent at their best of times.

The Food

If you so happen to get here at a time that your stomach demands nourishment I can highly suggest;

• the Chicken Wings
• the Chick & Waffle Slider
• the Bone Marrow Vol-au-vent
• the Croque Madame – simply because I love egg yolk!
• the Pork Belly Chicharron

I might hold off on the Pork Belly Chicharron due to its fattiness unless you have a hankering for pork then by all means go on and order it. There are a number of other dishes that I’m dying to try like the Kennebec Tater Totem and their dessert called their very own namesake The Paper Plane. It must be good!

The Drinks

Now for the real reason you and I both go to places like this.. the drinks!

They have all kinds of drinks ranging from old school Royal Hawaiians to new school Root Beer Flips. And if cocktails aren’t really your thing then you’re not completely out of luck. They also serve a handful of craft beers and a number of refreshing wines. From the smiles and laughs and heavy flirting going around it looks like the drinks are doing their job.

And I do like the drinks that I have had however  I’ll be honest… I only two drinks here. Each other them a size of a pitcher.

Pitchers of Drinks

We have had both pitchers that they offer at Paper Plane; The Full Moon and Where There’s Smoke There Must Be Fire. While they are both very delicious and refreshing they also can not be any more different from each other.

Where the Full Moon is sweet and fruity holding down the title of the drink that will creep up on you till you’re too drunk, the Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire is not sweet at all but surprisingly crisp and smokey with a hint of ginger.

Paper Plane has definitely folded me up and sent me flying through the air. Whatever choice you make, just make it here at Paper Plane and you won’t regret it… unless you get stuck in line.

Actually, I’ll be heading there tonight!

Maybe I’ll see you there…

Paper Plane

• 72 South 1st Street, San Jose, California, USA
• Street View
• +1 408-713-2625
• Menu  |  Cocktails

What are your thoughts about this cocktail revival?

Which creations are your favorites?