The Sunnyvale Sun

Dining

When the clock strikes midnight

Late-night restaurants where diners can eat and keep the party going

By ANNE GELHAUS

A good late-night eatery has to offer more than just "fries with that." Diners who venture out in search of a nosh in the midnight hour or later are usually looking to keep the party going, or at least keep themselves awake for the drive home.

To do this, they need lights, noise and bright colors, not to mention memorable personalities, be they staff or fellow diners. While good food is a bonus, the menu is often second to the atmosphere.

Bowlers and pool-players will get a bonus when they check out the newly renovated 300 San Jose in Westfield Shoppingtown Oakridge. The former Oakridge Lanes has been transformed into a place to "dance, drink, laugh, eat, mingle, flirt and bowl."

The venue provides plenty of places to do all of this. The 300 Grill offers Angus steak burgers, pizzas and appetizers. Two bars--including a sports lounge with three big-screen televisions--serve "big bowl" mixed drinks of every stripe, from margaritas to Bloody Marys, as well as beer and wine. Bowlers trying for a turkey on the lanes can have their turkey tea--Wild Turkey and Absolut Citron--and turkey club sandwich delivered to them while they're rolling.

The Cardinal Coffee Shop & Lounge is a another prime example of a restaurant designed to help diners stay awake. The Meridian Avenue restaurant is open 24/7 and features a pages-long menu with everything from prime rib to moussaka to Belgian waffles to lasagna. But when asked what makes the Cardinal stand out, customers cite the "diner-meets-Vegas atmosphere," from its sparkling, red vinyl booths to its friendly waitresses and their unusual uniforms.

Owner Anna Marie Koutoulas says it's not only late-night nibblers who appreciate the Cardinal's being open 'round the clock.

"We have many customers that come to me on Christmas Day or Thanksgiving day and thank me for being open," she adds.

Holiday or not, Cabritos Mexican Bistro in Sunnyvale strives for a festive atmosphere. The restaurant is open until midnight on weekends, and on Friday and Saturday nights, mariachi stroll through the dining room.

Cabritos is party-ready, with a dining room that can hold up to 250 and a large dance floor and DJ booth to get them moving once they arrive. The full bar features agave tequila margaritas for those who need a little liquid courage to boogie down.

The restaurant is painted in vibrant colors and decorated with artifacts from various regions of Mexico. The menu also pulls from different Mexican locales, with Oaxacan-style chicken molé and camarones de Veracruz.

Cabritos gets its name from its signature dish, cabritos a la parrilla, Monterrey-style goat steak fajitas. Regular customers give the dish rave reviews.

Others appreciate the margaritas and the appetizers.

"The mariachi," says one customer, "is an excellent bonus on the weekends."

300 San Jose, 5420 Thornwood Drive, San Jose, 408.578.8500. Open Monday-Thursday and Sunday, 9 a.m.-2 a.m., Friday-Saturday, 9 a.m.-3 a.m.

Cardinal Coffee Shop & Lounge, 3197 Meridian Ave., San Jose, 408.269.7891. Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Cabritos Mexican Bistro, 685 E. El Camino Real, Sunnyvale, 408.738.0517. Open Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m.-10 p.m., and Friday-Sunday, 9 a.m.-midnight.