When it comes to iconic San Jose joints, Vahl’s in Alviso sits pretty high on a very short list.
Originally opened by Eric and Amelia Vahl in 1941, the restaurant and cocktail lounge now lays claim to being the oldest bar in Santa Clara County. With Patty’s Inn gone and Cinebar closed since a 2021 fire, I can’t come up with any place that’s been serving drinks longer.
The Preservation Action Council hosted an event there a couple weeks back, and as I hadn’t been there in quite some time, I dropped in to see if it still felt like the same old Vahl’s. Little seems to have changed since Amelia Vahl died in 2004 and her nephews took over. The two big dining rooms are still pink and the tables are still covered with red gingham tablecloths. The decor blends kitsch with character, from the charmingly garish wallpaper — there are still birds everywhere — to the vintage ceramic liquor bottles on display.
A whiteboard just outside the bar lists the July birthdays of regular customers and one inside includes reminders about upcoming parties and a trip to Vegas. Every so often, a horn blows as a train barrels past on the tracks along El Dorado Street, but it’s doubtful the after-work regulars sitting at the horseshoe bar even notice anymore.
In other words, it’s still a fantastic hangout.
Frank Rebozzi, Amelia’s nephew, was serving drinks for the PACSJ event. He remembers when the restaurant used to be regularly packed with diners enjoying generously portioned meals, but that changed since the COVID-19 pandemic. The bar is still open every day but Monday, but the dining rooms are rarely used, usually just for special reunions or celebrations of life. Food is served in the bar on weekends, but the menu is limited to a few specials.
Elva Ruiz, who has been working at Vahl’s since 1984, gave tours of the dining room to the curious and shared her memories of the hectic crowds back in the 1980s and ’90s.
Preservation Action Council Executive Director Ben Leech said they launched the “Legacy Business Happy Hour” series to remind their members and the public about some of these classic places that are living historical monuments.
“These are the places you can’t find anywhere else, and a lot of people take them for granted,” Leech said. “Preservation is about keeping these places relevant. These are places that have served the community for decades and should be appreciated.”
The series started in at Teske’s Germania downtown and there are plans to gather at Henry’s Hi-Life in Little Italy in September and Palermo’s (in the former Paradiso’s Deli location on Auzerais Avenue) in November. You can check for updates at www.preservation.org.
SANTA’S SPEAKEASY: The guys and dolls were decked out in 1920s-style fashions last weekend for “A Merry Little Speakeasy” — Christmas in the Park’s annual summer fundraiser. There were lots of fedoras, pearls and flapper dresses among the couple of hundred guests; even Santa Claus traded in his standard hat for one of the flat variety and eschewed his regular red-and-white suit for a stylish red vest.
The Christmas in July event was held at the Leininger Center at Kelley Park, and that may have been the biggest revelation to the crowd. Few people seemed to know this venue existed, and using the various spaces kept everything from feeling crowded. Dinner was outside on the lawn, while drinks and food were served in the courtyard. Casino games — all for fun, of course — were played inside the main building, with the would-be Nathan Detroits trying their hands at roulette, craps and blackjack.
Another highlight of the night was the reveal of a painting, “Even the Grinch Believes in Christmas,” by longtime radio station owner Steve Snell. It depicts the Grinch standing buddy-buddy next to Santa. Prints of the artwork were given to supporters who pledged a $300 donation.
All in all, it was a successful night for Christmas in the Park and Debbie Degutis, who has announced she’ll be stepping down from her role as the nonprofit’s managing director. A search is well underway for a new Christmas Boss, but Degutis says she’s planning to stick around until this season is in the books. The next big date is Nov. 28 when Christmas in the Park opens at Plaza de Cesar Chavez.
PARTY THURSDAY: Have Thursdays turned into the new Fridays? It sure seems that way, at least in San Jose, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing if it’s getting people out to enjoy our “experience economy,” as Mayor Matt Mahan calls it.
This week should be especially lively with the San Pedro Block Party taking over San Pedro Square from 5 to 9 p.m. The free, all-ages event — sponsored by the Urban Vibrancy Institute and PG&E — features South Bay recording artist Danny V as the concert headliner.
SCHOOL SUPPORT: It’s only July, but the start of the school year is just a couple weeks away, and for many families that means the added stress of school supplies and backpacks that may stretch their budgets to the breaking point. That’s where organizations like Sacred Heart Community Service, Family Giving Tree and the African American Community Service Agency come in with backpack distribution events for families that need the help.
But those organizations need help, too, in the form of donations to make that happen. Sacred Heart Community Service plans to distribute 4,000 backpacks to registered families on July 29 and 31 but is still 1,200 backpacks short of being able to make good on that promise.
You can go to www.sacredheartcs.org/pab-2025 to find out how you can help, and learn more about the other drives at the website for Family Giving Tree, backpacksmiles.org, and the AACSA’s Amazon wishlist at bit.ly/2025pack-a-backwishlist.