I'm flying in out of state and attending fanime for the first time this year and I'm curious about the food accommodations.
What are some of the best fast food or even restaurant places to eat at in San Jose? (that are in the downtown/near the convention area)
I've seen the list provided by Fanime's main site...I would just like to hear what you personally find tasteful and delicious!!!!
Lucky you, the convention center is center to a bunch of great places within walking distance! I haven't checked out the food list, but I have two stops I have to make each and every year. The Tandoori Oven is right behind the Fairmont hotel in that shopping strip, just a little bit beyond Johnny Rockets. Their Chicken Tikka Masala is amazing, and the portions are large enough (while reasonably priced!) I always have leftovers! Stop #2 is in the opposite direction, a family style Chinese restaurant called Bo Town. Love their wanton soup. And because it's family style, the more people you have go with you, the cheaper the meal gets! :)
Going to add Pho 69 and Amichi's which are both within walking distance. Gordon Biersch is another good place within walking distance but is more expensive than the others suggested in this thread.
phr34kish: oh gah you made my mouth water. Definitely going to have make sure I go to the tandoori oven for sure!
Thanks for the input!
Don't forget some of our hometown favorites fast food joints like La Victorias (La Vic's for short) for an awesome and inexpensive burrito. Or if youre lucky, you can score a Korrito (Korean Burrito with bulgolgi) from the Mogos Food Truck if it stops by again this year! ;)
If you are into pizza I have the place for you. It's classy, upscale and it's a good place to relax with a group of friends.
Amici's East Coast Pizzeria
225 W. Santa Clara St. (Downtown SJ)
San Jose, CA 95133
Tell em' N.E.R.V.agent220 sent ya. XP
Johnny Rocket, or Peggy Su's for american style dinner. those are well with in 2 blocks. For Pizza there is Pizza my Heart just down the street, and the other mention one, both good. The is Psycho Donuts next to Pizza my heart if you want some morning treats.
But really there is like any kind of restaurants within 4-5 blocks. San Pedro Square Market had something for everyone.
Here is a pdf list of near by restaurants provided by San Jose visitors guide. I'm sure this will help.
http://acc50ad50b0a158506f1-71006246e58029c32f0fd6371ca59bf9.r77.cf2.rackcdn.com/Dining%20Map.pdf
For those on a budget there are a few grocery stores within walking distance. Cheap restaurants are near San Jose State.
(https://forums.fanime.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi66.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh263%2Ffirstcultural%2Fmarkets_zpsdbc198cb.jpg&hash=e85ddfaa7763fa60295510904800c42ce7adee9a)
San Jose Japantown, one of only 3 in the US, is a short drive or 4 stops on lightrail away.
(https://forums.fanime.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi66.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fh263%2Ffirstcultural%2Fjapantown_zps5595d12b.jpg&hash=6e4af053f4a344fa9359d8c01482941e96869b85)
More info here: http://www.jtown.org/ (http://www.jtown.org/)
Thank you everyone that's replied. I'm actually excited to try out any if not all these food places! Hoo yeah!!!!
I agree with thread starter. I'm driving in from out of state and I have only been to San Jose once(I was with a boring crowd so we didn't go anywhere exciting)
But now that I have a new crowd we want to explore and try new places we wouldn't get elsewhere. So thanks for the replies as well.
Hey everyone! as an SJSU student, I'd like to share some of my experiences with the local food areas/spots.
If you look at culturals map, SJSU is in brown. A little to the top left, it says Philz Coffee (on my map its marked as that POINT A) that area is a fairly safe, highly lighted up area because its inbetween condos. Philz Coffee is great for the hipster life and theres TOGOS there as well as smaller french cafes. Theres also Quickly's Boba Tea and Snacks (CASH ONLY). They have a Happy Hour after 5 pm but I'm not sure if they're planning on removing this promo during fanime (i need to check this and if it applies on weekends. ill take a picture of this promo monday)
For people that need 7 Elevens!
(https://forums.fanime.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi763.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fxx278%2Faceditor%2F7elevenmaps_zpsb97270a8.jpg&hash=de98ff8b41a12bd690de47ec309a250cea6b44b6)
Marked in red is the two closest 7 Elevens walking distance.
The farthest 7 eleven, marked here below, is inbetween other cool food spots (a local hotdog joint, a bagel shop, cafes etc). It's also really close to all the frat houses.
(https://forums.fanime.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi763.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fxx278%2Faceditor%2F7elevenbetter_zps2193c7dc.jpg&hash=f4895beb142a847cd3ce7470890c4295e825831e)
From personal experience, this one is safer than the one on S Sixth Street, which is REALLY shadier at night.
BTW - If you go on campus, it's usually safe but it gets really shady by the area where it says "wellsfargo atm". this is because many city people, besides students, use the atms there and honestly, there have been an increase in robberies on campus as of recent.
If you are on campus and dont feel safe, there are blue towers throughout campus that have a red light on top of them. they are phones connected to our police and anyone can use them
OK! so those are my updates for now. I'll post more when i get back to school :) - the more you know, the better you feel :)
not sure if stated, But Iguanas has excellent mexican food, and a 20 dollar Burritozilla the size of mans arm!
and i recommend also the indian restaurant stated above and the pita pit.
One of my favorite places is Naglee Park Garage on 11th and San Carlos (on Hakaru_chan's map). Everything there is hand-crafted and most of their ingredients are grown in their backyard garden. It was also seen on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives on Food Network and there is a Guy Fieri autograph inside the restaurant. My favorite is their brussell sprouts, because it's steamed and infused with olive oil and bacon. Not everyone likes brussell sprouts, but I love theirs.
I also love Supreme Dog next door to Naglee Park Garage.
There is this great boba place (Quickly or something I believe) that sells spectacular spicy calamari!
Original Joes has some pretty bomb Italian food. It's a family owned place and the servers are really friendly towards con goers. However the menu can be a bit on the expensive side (not sure what your budget is) but if you have the cash the pasta is sure worth it! :) It's also right next to the Saint Claire if you are staying there.
It's a bit less conveniently located than some other options, but the San Pedro Square Market (http://www.sanpedrosquaremarket.com/) is wonderful and provides a food court style environment in an upscale way, which is perfect for a group that wants to eat together but is having a conflict of tastes.
The prices are comprable to most sit-down restaurants in the area, sometimes a bit cheaper.
As far as distance goes it's about 5 blocks away from the convention center.
My favorite places in the market are the Little Chef Counter and TreatBot! Everything I've had so far has been delicious.
More Food Notes for the Hungry:
(https://forums.fanime.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi763.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fxx278%2Faceditor%2FIMAG0277_zps051a001f.jpg&hash=1aa0be4b09b49cca9796b442fcb9a69a35c2f1fd)
The Subway that's in the same Fairmont plaza but on the other side of the building of the Johnny Rockets, Tandoori Oven; and on the same side of the Starbucks, House of Siam, and Icebee Yogurt apparently delivers!
(https://forums.fanime.com/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi763.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fxx278%2Faceditor%2FIMAG0278_zps46e2d118.jpg&hash=c853fc63d1156f2b378b5f22458f2c102ca0be6d)
Here is another image of the Quickly's promotion I was talking about. I'm hoping they will have this special going on during Fanime!
That last picture looks like me especially the jacket.
Are there any good Japanese food places within walking distance besides the one at the Fairmont?
Quote from: mariotheotaku on May 10, 2013, 11:32:29 PM
Are there any good Japanese food places within walking distance besides the one at the Fairmont?
There's the Quickly just mentioned. It's at 140 Paseo De San Antonio. 20 different bento boxes! Everything from hamburgers and hot dogs to eel and fried octopus.
Quote from: aetherltd on May 11, 2013, 02:26:27 PM
Quote from: mariotheotaku on May 10, 2013, 11:32:29 PM
Are there any good Japanese food places within walking distance besides the one at the Fairmont?
There's the Quickly just mentioned. It's at 140 Paseo De San Antonio. 20 different bento boxes! Everything from hamburgers and hot dogs to eel and fried octopus.
How's the service there? It seems to have fairly mixed reviews on Yelp.
Quickly fans- has Quickly done ok with food supplies in the last couple years? I last went there at the con maybe 2, 3 years ago and by Saturday night they'd completely sold out of the more gaijin-friendly foods like teriyaki chicken. It was their first year doing their 24-hour promotion so I'm guessing they got more swamped than they expected. Has that happened recently?
I'm pretty sure ALL restaurants and stores in (downtown) San Jose know about this little thing called "FanimeCon" where it attracts big businesses to the area. I'll be surprised if they're not prepared for the con and the influx of people. I remember seeing Walgreens on 2nd St with "Welcome FanimeCon" signs on the front windows and some eateries on 3rd St/San Carlos with food promos if you show your badge.
I can go for some In-N-Out right now...
Quote from: Otakuya on May 12, 2013, 07:42:53 PM
I'm pretty sure ALL restaurants and stores in (downtown) San Jose know about this little thing called "FanimeCon" where it attracts big businesses to the area. I'll be surprised if they're not prepared for the con and the influx of people. I remember seeing Walgreens on 2nd St with "Welcome FanimeCon" signs on the front windows and some eateries on 3rd St/San Carlos with food promos if you show your badge.
I can go for some In-N-Out right now...
Aye, I suppose you're right. In my experience the only shortages are in the 1st year of the eateries "embracing" Fanime with offers. Like that bento box Psycho Donuts did two years ago. Line around the block and utterly wiped out within hours, if I remember right. Last year's selection was significantly better and they still had bentos when I went.
Fanimecon banner or no, though, it didn't keep customers from blatantly stopping and staring at a King Dedede cosplayer that stopped by. :P
You know what I've been doing? I've been signed up for Groupon deals for San Jose for the past few months and when I go to Fanime I already have 4 meals paid for! ^^
Quote from: Avairrianna on May 12, 2013, 10:01:44 PM
You know what I've been doing? I've been signed up for Groupon deals for San Jose for the past few months and when I go to Fanime I already have 4 meals paid for! ^^
Heh I'm actually staying away from Groupons for a coupe reasons: 1) my roommate and I never plan out what we're going to eat until we're actually hungry, 2) the one time I DID buy a Groupon it was wasted. I got a 2-for-1 thing on Groupon for the pho place just down the street, and my roommate and I figured we would go for it Saturday night. It was jam packed, so we skipped it, and decided to try it Monday before heading back home. Turned out the place was closed due to the owner having to take care of family stuff, so no deal. I was only out $10 from it, but buying it and then not even getting to use it annoyed me.
Quote from: Dare9179 on May 10, 2013, 04:51:45 PM
That last picture looks like me especially the jacket.
Twinses? Lol BTW - Another update from me about food, this time concerning Johnny Rockets.
Last year, I went to Johnny Rockets in the afternoon when it was packed. Instead of being offered the regular menu I see at every Johnny Rockets, they gave me, instead, a one page laminated menu with just four items, all combos. I asked for the regular menu and they said that these menus were specifically for this weekend. It was their "specials".
Of course, this isn't true. Not only were the four combos their basic sandwiches, they were overpriced as well.
Be warey! :)
Quote from: foester on May 12, 2013, 02:27:41 PM
Quickly fans- has Quickly done ok with food supplies in the last couple years?
When I've been to a Quickly, it's been staffed by one or two people. They could easily be overloaded.
Quickly has a Twitter feed. (https://twitter.com/QuicklyUSA) Someone could warn them.
Does anyone have an idea if there will be any food trucks this year?
Quote from: aetherltd on May 14, 2013, 09:17:44 PM
Quote from: foester on May 12, 2013, 02:27:41 PM
Quickly fans- has Quickly done ok with food supplies in the last couple years?
When I've been to a Quickly, it's been staffed by one or two people. They could easily be overloaded.
Quickly has a Twitter feed. (https://twitter.com/QuicklyUSA) Someone could warn them.
I'm sure they'll have more people on hand than usual or at the very least know that they're going to get swamped, but it won't change the fact that they WILL be swamped. I've actually avoided Quickly's the last couple years because they always have a line going out the door and sometimes down to the sidewalk with next to no standing room while waiting for your order.
Quote from: Mi Feng on May 09, 2013, 05:09:02 PM
Original Joes has some pretty bomb Italian food. It's a family owned place and the servers are really friendly towards con goers. However the menu can be a bit on the expensive side (not sure what your budget is) but if you have the cash the pasta is sure worth it! :) It's also right next to the Saint Claire if you are staying there.
Not to mention the portions are huge at OJ's. I always split with my boyfriend, or we get a doggie bag and eat the rest later for dinner or the next day.
I've lived in SJ all my life and have lived in downtown for 5+ years now. I quickly made a google map that lists a few places I think Fanime attendees would enjoy. A mix of cheap eats, grocery stores, new hot spots, etc. (No I don't work for any of these establishments, I just enjoy their good food!)
Top of the list, and some of my personal favorites!
Original Gravity
Some of the best food in DTSJ. Gourmet hot dogs, duck fat fries, I think they still do a mean grilled cheese. Tons of craft beer if you're old enough to drink. Lots of outdoor seating in the back patio. You can still dine in if you're under age. Tell em' Sonny sent you!
San Pedro Square Market
Probably the best place for groups. Tons of options for food, snacks, coffee, etc. Everyone will end up finding something they like and you support the local businesses. Pretty much a big building of food vendors with tons and tons of seating. It's gonna be hot. They have ice cream, nuff said.
Japantown
If you can make it to Japantown (Take the ligh trail or other forms of public transit) it's totally worth it. Tons of places to get your sushi fix, there's a Japanese market for bento boxes or snacks from Japan, Banana crepe serves SHAVED ICE!
https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=206388391728856303611.0004dd53c9347d282ff98&msa=0&ll=37.33653,-121.890049&spn=0.005195,0.009645