The Fountainhead

Fantastic Evening at The Fountainhead I recently visited The Fountainhead, and it was an outstanding experience. The ambiance is a perfect mix of modern and cozy, with great lighting and music. The staff were incredibly friendly and attentive, making sure we had everything we needed. The drink menu is impressive, with a wide selection of cocktails and wines. Both drinks were very delightful! Overall, The Fountainhead is a fantastic spot for a night out. Excellent service, great drinks, and a welcoming atmosphere make it a must-visit. Highly recommend!

We had a fantastic time for a friend's birthday! The drinks at the bar were awesome - we all loved our cocktails, and the atmosphere was great. There was even live music that night! We'll definitely go back; it's a great spot to meet up with friends, and there are lots of food options in the same locale.

The Bartender who worked on Fri at 7pm is on drugs or something. Looks directly at us, and i thought he sees us. A minute later, he is again serving another customer who came after us. This goes on for 20mins. We just left. Preposterous. And then we catch him chilling and sitting on the side. Mind you, there is a huge crowd at the bar.

Watch your receipts Myself and another separate party of two were having drinks here a couple of weeks ago. We would eventually figure out one bar tender left early. By the time the next bar tender came in the other party was done waiting around and went to grab their credit card to settle up later. The new bartender happen to show up just then and after they left started threatening to charge them 20%. Threatening to steal from your customers because y'all having staffing issues?!

It's the nonsociable bartenders that make this "bar" a flop. Honestly, I don't know why stools are in front of the bar. Customers are treated as if they're in the checkout isle. And I've never seen them wipe the sticky bar down. Looking at your phone must be more important. Who keeps hiring these kids??

Great little hidden bar at the back of SoFA Market surrounded by excellent eateries to avoid too much consumption of alcohol on an empty stomach! The bartenders are experienced to serve you house drinks and cocktails in a loud, lively atmosphere with plenty of seating in a communal setting. The bar and eateries complement each other, so if you are meeting with friends for a quick drink and like a great variety of food choices, SoFA is the place to be.

Enjoyed this space within SoFa - the bar is decently sized and beautiful and the service was great as well. From time to time, though, the bartenders may step away and you may have to wait just a little bit. The ambiance is relaxing and the space is beautifully inviting - there is even seating outside as well. Very interesting cocktail options and a fairly decent variety of beers available. Cocktail prices are a bit high but they are crafted well. Perfect for those alone, duos, and groups.

Definitely not a quiet place. But if lively, bustling, and loud crowds is to your liking, then this is your place. It's located inside the SOFA Market at the back half. Plenty of communal seating, and a few eateries around to avoid drinking on an empty stomach. Good, though small selection of beers on tap or in bottle. Full bar as well.

Date: Wednesday, June 19th, 2024 Time: around 3pm What: Drinks *Kanpai ($14) *Cheers ($17) *Henhouse IPA ($8) A friend and I were wandering downtown looking for a place to dink. Happy we found The Fountainhead Bar since most places didn't open until 4pm. I think there was only one other person when we got here, so we easily grabbed two seats at the bar. I'm a manhattan / old fashioned kinda girl, so I decided to try the Cheers cocktail. It's definitely more of an old fashioned with an herbally hint to it. I did like how the drinks are named after ways to say cheers in different languages. I actually have a weird fascination with learning how to say cheers in different languages so it was like this menu was geared towards me! Lol! The vibe here is chill. It was a rather quiet Wed afternoon so I was able to catch up with my friend. The bartender was also great! Friendly and attentive. Thing to note, we grabbed food from one of the stalls and brought it here, so you can eat at the bar as well since they only serve drinks. Glad I stumbled upon this spot. REVIEW #3472

I went here with a friend to check out the drag brunch. It's held the first Sunday of every month. Not sure why I thought the brunch was held at a restaurant. Took me by surprise when the SoFi market was the mini version of San Pedro square. The bar was located at the far end of the market. There's an outdoor patio with not much shade. It's not a large area. Service wasn't bad. It was a pretty busy Sunday. They serve bottomless mimosas for $24. In my opinion, that's the best part of the bar. I didn't order food as the bar is shared with other food vendors. So you can buy food elsewhere and eat it here.

The Bartender who worked on Fri at 7pm is on drugs or something. Looks directly at us, and i thought he sees us. A minute later, he is again serving another customer who came after us. This goes on for 20mins. We just left. Preposterous. And then we catch him chilling and sitting on the side. Mind you, there is a huge crowd at the bar.

Terrible service. We waited for some time but the guy never took the order. We just left after 30mins.

Went to the Continental and then came here. This is inside of the sofa market and just judging it based on drinks the quality and prices were way better. Randy is a great bartender.

Inside of the SoFA market, which has solid food all around, came just before the last call for The Barragán and The Aalto - both delicious but not mind blowing. Would we return? Probably to check out the rest of the dranks. We appreciate the architecture themed drinks and the ambiance of the bar

This is a great bar to hang out in this busy food court. I got the pineapple cider, it was delicious!! Plenty of space to sit and space out. The bartender and owner are super nice and so friendly. They can also recommend drinks to your liking, if somehow what you want ran out of they happen to not carry them. The bar area is very spacious and they have plenty of TVs for all the sport enthusiasts. They are also at the back end so if you want to do outdoor, you can go outside using the door at the place. Would definitely recommend!

If you open at 12, it should be open at 12 and ready for business. We waited for it to open as we were dining at the various small restaurants. At 12:05 someone comes and turns on the lights and takes away the closed sign. We excitedly went up to order and the guy, looking like he just rolled out of bed said he could only serve us beer. We asked if a vodka soda was simple enough and he didn't really respond... just walked back and forth and came back and said yeah I can do that. He charges for a shot 12.00 and 2.00 to top it with soda. Never been charged like that but whatever. Point is, opening at 12 means everything should be prepped and ready for customers at 12 especially on a Saturday. Guy behind bar needs better customer service.

Located in the SOFA market, where there are a ton of places to eat, but not a ton of places to get a good ole drink. Service here was pretty quick and they do offer a happy hour. Drink I had was pretty good, but tasted a little watered down. Still, it was good. I did have a weird experience, as the entire bar was completely empty and some dude decided to sit next to where I was standing and was literally an inch away from me. The bar was completely open dude! Still, I enjoyed the drink and the service was good. I'd give it another shot.

Friendly bartender, but the cocktails were watered down and overpriced. Ambience is pretty basic too and not comfortable. I just don't like drinking $20 cocktails and sitting at a picnic table. Beware.

Buyer beware. Drinks are watered down; bartender was adding water to bottles of alcohol. Good service but not worth the cost for drinks that should have included booze with no alcohol in them.

Nice bar inside the back of SoFA market! Heard pretty good things about their cocktails, especially the presentation of The Postmodern cocktail. So of course I ordered that drink! Came on a weekday at the end of the workday (5pm). To our group's luck, that meant it was happy hour! Which if from 5-7pm (M-F). I believe happy hour was $2 off for their cocktails if I remember correctly. Overall, great service! Our bartender had to remake one of our drinks because she knew she messed it up and didn't want to serve us a wrongly crafted cocktail. I really appreciated her honesty! Trendy bar with some good drinks for reasonable prices! Plenty of seating. And not too far from a parking garage for downtown SJ. Also, there are many food options within SoFA market, so you can definitely get something to munch on while drinking with friends.

Just an average bar located in a modern/attractive newer space in SoFA district of SJ. Drinks aren't spectacular, but overly dressed and look nice in photos. They have food options, but because it's located in the Market, why eat at a bar when you can have other options like pizza, poke, etc. It's basically a space just like San Pedro Square Market. Came here to meet with a girlfriend after dinner time, and we were hoping to get some beautiful and tasty drinks. Instead, we got some beautiful drinks that weren't that good. On paper they look so interesting...I particularly was drawn to the green tea and whiskey one "The Greene and Greene." My bf joined us later and got the "Post-Modern" which was gin based and basically a G&T with blueberries. We both looked at each other after one sip and agreed that both drinks were way too sweet and tasted like soda. The idea for the drinks seem really yummy and creative, but they weren't made well...maybe the proportions are off or the ingredients aren't as fresh as those used at Paper Plane or Haberdasher? Not sure. I do like how they have a variety of seating from long bar tables for groups to smaller duo tables for couples or solo patrons. There weren't many people there on a weekday night, and we weren't even approached by anyone at the bar once we took our seats at the long bar tables. We basically just looked around, gazed at the bar, then looked at the menu before walking up to our bartender gal. Service was just not there. The bar itself is pretty and clean-looking, which is a relief since the Market is on the newer side. Restrooms are shared with the entire space, which are very clean and easy to access. If I were to go to SP2 Market or SoFA Market, I'd still go to San Pedro Square. Their bars in the market actually make tasty drinks with personality, not overly dressed and dive-bar-status drinks.

I am very disappointed with my last visit. The cocktails were not nearly up to the same standards that they were my last visit. There are still a variety of beers on draft, if that is more your speed. However, For the price point and quality, i would now call this place a pass.

I've been coming to this place for a few months for their Trivia night, it is a lot of fun and there are lots of regular. They have a decent selection of drinks, though I wish they updated their selection more often as the beers and cocktails they have have not changed in the past 4 months. They recently ran out of stuff, so hopefully they'll get something new. There are a lot of restaurants nearby to get food from, so you will always have a diverse selection of good food options to choose from. The ambiance is nice and friendly with outdoors and indoors sitting.

Totally great. I've been here a few times and although the drink menu doesn't seem to change much, if at all, it's solid and there's something for just about everyone. The bartenders are nice and I like the whole vibe of the SOFA market anyway. Everyone can choose their own adventure. No arguing or debating over who wants what to eat or worrying about everyone's dietary restrictions. A win all around.

The drink here was on point. I got the prairie which was delicious. It was just right. The staff is super friendly. Would highly recommend this place. Great ambience.

It's a bar, and it serves alcohol. It's a bar that serves alcohol in a market in the SoFA district. It's a bar that is pretty hip and serves pretty drinks. The drinks are good, and they are pretty. Pretty good, pretty pretty drinks. There's not much else to say. If you're in or around the market, stop by for some pretty, pretty good drinks. I ordered the post-modern, and it was very crisp and delicious. The ice had a flower frozen inside of it! Neat. After moving to the SoFA district, I've made a point to explore the bars in the area, and I must say that this is my favorite.

I like this place especially it's location! It's a bar with food court ! Their drinks are awesome and trendy. Their staff are cool!! Been here twice and ambience is just ultra modern. Had their crafted beer and a shot of Jameson =). Parking around the area is not bad. I parked at the big parking lot with fee and if you're lucky enough to park on the street with parking meter it's free after 6 pm.

13 guys walk into a bar. Ok so this is no joke. I know COVID times are tough I and feel for the owners, but hear me out. We started the evening with a pub crawl here at Fountainhead. We've visited this establishment before and so we decided to go here again. Mistake #1! The place was empty, I guess it was early around 6:30pm so it was 13 of us and maybe one other couple and the owner at the bar. We ordered several rounds of beers (selection offered was really nice). I asked the bartender for her recommendation on my first round and she recommended a beer which I enjoyed. She did her job and we did tip her nicely. For my 2nd round, I asked for her choice of something lighter. She poured me some watermelon IPA or whatever is. I had a few sips, took it back and apologized to her as it wasn't to my liking. Then walks up the rude owner. He decides to lecture me. He says to me, "I'm not in the business of throwing away beers." I told him that was not my intention and so I apologize but I just didn't like the watermelon ale. I even told him that I would pay for it, and oh by the way, they charged us for anyway on the chit. He started to get even more rude and tell me that I just need to look at the menu and order from there. At that point I was irked. Anyways, I decided on a Mystic IPA as a replacement and walked away. When we were leaving, I told the guy how rude that was for him to come over to me and lecture me about what happened and he started to get even more huffy about it and almost like he wanted to throw down. Even gave me the vibes that he didn't want me as a patron anymore (easy choice for me). I explained to him that we had 13 guys ordering rounds of beer when there was no one else in the establishment and this guy was complaining about tossing one beer? Talk about lack of customer service. I think he needs to take sensitivity training and to learn how to operate a bar and be cordial to his guests. Well, we enjoyed the night and spent at least 5X as much at O' Flaherty's (much better service) and ate a nice dinner afterwards. Sorry to say, but the owner was a total jackass. For an $8/beer that I was charged even though it was tossed, he is getting this wonderful review that I cannot pass up the opportunity to write. A pompous ass of an owner ruined the time there for sure. So moral of his story. Drink up even if you don't like it. Cause the 50cents he pays for the beer on tap is more important than happy customers.

My sister treated me to some drinks here after dinner and I'm definitely a fan! The place is in the back of the SoFA Market with plenty of seats/tables and some large TV's. We shared The Barragan & The Allto which looked amazing and had a taste to match it. The Barragan was a Tequila mixed with citrus and ginger beer garnished with fresh rosemary. The Allto was a horchata infused vodka with cream garnished with mint and a cinnamon stick. Both of these tasted great with just the right amount of alcohol to pack a punch. Pricing is somewhat pricey for the quantity, but hey you get a quality drink! Overall, if you're looking for a not so crowded place to grab a beer/drink, you should give this place a try!

The Fountainhead Bar is a small, casual but trendy bar inside of the SoFA (South First Area) in Downtown San Jose. It has a decent selection of beers and a unique cocktail menu. I'm a beer gal, but I tried a cocktail here for the first time today. Since it was a hot outside, I wanted something quenching and ended up settling on a cocktail called "The Gaudi." I was immediately sold on the cucumber base of this cocktail. I'm also a fan of spicy cocktails; the Gaudi is made with jalapenos. I thought that the drink was heavy on the tonic water, but the flavor combinations of this drink worked really well together. It was everything I needed in a refreshing cucumber cocktail. I've been to the Fountainhead Bar several times, but I just noticed the back patio seating area for the first time today as well. (Lots of firsts going on today!) It looks like the alley way between buildings was converted into a long, outdoor lounge. While the lounge area is cool, the seats are not ergonomic. Just a heads up, the cushions are not stationary! I kept slipping in between them. Furthermore, resting against the wood back support of the benches gets uncomfortable over time while you're slipping and sliding from the cushions lol. It's also too bad that Aura is right next door. I could hardly hear the people I was conversing with over the obnoxious club music playing next door... and it's like 3pm in the afternoon. Every time I come to The Fountainhead Bar, my experience with the bartenders has always been positive. The bartenders in general are very nice and accommodating, even on busy nights. This place gets super packed during the NBA and NHL playoff seasons. There are only 2 or 3 small TVs and not enough stools in this entire seating area, but the open seating fosters a strong sense of patron camaraderie. Fun times!

Just an average bar inside of SoFA market. Don't get me wrong, the drinks are so pretty and trendy but that's all that they really are. I was hoping for some beautiful and deliciously put together drinks but I only received some pretty drinks for some pretty pictures. The menu made the drinks sound interesting but what we had was watered down cocktails... Come here for the aesthetics, just don't be surprised when your drinks are meh

Cool vibes/thoughts: + Cool ambiance, vibes, & set-up to this bar. Similar to San Pedro Square. + The times that I have been there, it has not been extremely busy. Which is nice sometimes. + Outdoor seating is cool. I dig it when it is not busy. It's outside but enclosed by a bunch of taller, downtown buildings. + Bartenders are always super friendly and attentive to detail. - Expensive drinks. Not strong. - No happy hour. - It would be cool if there were events surrounding this place. This place has a ton of potential. Bands? Food pairings with the restaurants that are in SoFA Market?

Watched game 6 here... wow, that was an intense game. The workers here - two guys and one lady were really awesome. They were very professional. Even though they were working in the middle of such a close game they never ever took their eyes off the needs of their customers for more than a few seconds. They really were the best - and I could tell they were fans too. Walk up to the crowded bar and almost instantly they come up to help you. The bar itself is beautiful. Well decorated and modern. It is in a market that makes food choices so convenient. Ramen, a decent burger... so much more. All at your finger tips. A perfect place to hang with friends. Update: Went here for Game 7 too on 5/30/16 as I wholeheartedly believed that the Warriers winning would depend on me being at Fountainhead. The place was eeirily quiet compared to game 6 just a couple days before. Lots of the restaurants were closed too for the holiday. Sure enough the Warriors were taking a freefall until I arrived just in time for them to make a comback and it ended 96 to 88.

From the awesome bartender (I think his name is Dave), to the super delicious, very smooth, carefully crafted and tasty drinks, I give this place 5 stars. It's so refreshing to visit a bar where you can see the bartender taking care of the pours and taking time with making a yummy drink. The recipe for each drink too are pretty unique. The ambiance in this place is still pretty mellow since it is tucked away in the back of SoFa Market, but the drinks this place gives you will wake you up real quick! We ordered the Prairie (Tanqueray Limited Edition, Fresh Lime, Mint, Passion Fruit) and the passion fruit was FRESH! Awesome. We also ordered the Greene & Greene (Nikka Japanese Whiskey, Ginger Liqueur, Fresh Lemon, Green Tea) because we wanted to taste the Nikka Whiskey, and that was equally delicious. It went down very smooth and this may be one of my new go-to drinks. Lastly, we tried the Julia Morgan Paradise (Pitu Cachaca, Fresh Lime, Barenjager Honey LIqueur, Muddled Strawberries). This was a little on the sweeter side, and the strawberries added the fruit twist to it. This is my new go-to bar (even though I've only been here a couple of times) but I feel like I need to get my visits in before more people hear about this awesome spot and I get kicked out of my regular bar stool! Definitely recommended. Two thumbs up, Five stars, this place is about to be the next hot spot in the area, for sure!

This is a cute little bar inside the SoFA market. The drinks are "architecturally themed", which is basically all marketing spin. Still, I appreciate a theme as much as the next person so I gamely gave it a shot. Unfortunately it closes down pretty early. It says midnight on their hours, but the market closes early, and according to the bartender last night the bar closes "when people are out of the market". The bartender actually switched off the lights on me a bit after 9:30... which was not so subtle. I thought it was later actually, but checked the time stamp on the photo I posted with the bar lights completely out and the bartender gone... and that was 9:43pm. And seriously, their hours say midnight. I definitely felt rushed out. And granted it was a Wednesday but still... not cool. The drinks I had here were good... but not entirely mind-blowing. I think I need to try out the ones that others have recommended. I got the Vitruvian and the Ronchamp... and they were ok. Vitruvian was smooth, and the Ronchamp tasted strongly of alcohol. I didn't know if that was on purpose or if it wasn't in the right proportions. To really figure out what's what here I would probably have to return and try *all* the drinks... but that's a lot of effort for my poor whiny liver. I may space it out. One *big* plus is that there's great-looking food nearby... poke... ramen... yum yum. I hadn't really been inside SoFA market before. The drink descriptions are pretty amusing. What the heck does "commodity" mean as an architectural virtue, anyway?? I asked the bartender and he drily replied, "...I usually just stay away from the drink descriptions" That's super duper ultra polite bartender-speak that translates as "Oh for F's sake, just shut up and drink your drink ok?" Lmao! I think your experience here largely depends on what bartender is working that night. I would try this place again, in particular when I return to try out the ramen place next to it.

If the first drink is any indicator, this place is the bomb. Ambiance is nice, decor nice, drink 1 is the Vitruvian and it is awesomeR.

Hip, minimalistic, and spacious place to grab a drink with friends. Fountainhead Bar is located at the back of SoFa Market. As a result, you get a ton of food vendors to choose from if you get hungry :) They have a cute open air patio, which I'll definitely use when the nights get warmer. For drinks, I tried the Barragan (tequila-based), Prairie (gin/vodka-based I think), and Post Modern (gin-based). I wasn't impressed with the Post-Modern since it tasted like a normal gin and tonic. My favorite was the Prairie which has a refreshing passion fruit flavor. Wanted to try a different scene from my usual visits to sp2. This place worked out great!

Fountainhead Bar is definitely on the small side but there's plenty of seating shared by the other eateries within the venue. We came in the early afternoon and there were only a handful of people there but the bartender (and I am guessing the owner!) took his time breaking down the drinks and letting us know what kind of whiskey's he liked, didn't like, etc. Very nice guy I might add! I enjoyed learning this information too as I want to stay up with the times and be HIP like other socialites! Needless to say, the drinks were pretty tasty too. Had some Old Fashioned's and one of their specialty cocktails. You won't find $3/$4 well drinks here, pricing was fair and similar to what you would find at other bars in the area. They also had some beers on tap if you wanted something lighter to sip on. Either way, I enjoy supporting local businesses and would pay an extra $1-$2 to places like FountainHead! If you're looking to stay away from the crowds and how hectic San Pedro Square can be, definitely stroll over to the SOFA District and stop by FountainHead. Final Piece of Dirty Donovan Life Advice? Nice "sleeper" spot to catch the game! They also got some screens as well.

If you like rude management, horrible customer service, and over-priced drinks, Fountainhead is your place! I have never encountered such HORRIBLE management and will not be going back to this bar - which is a shame because the venue in general is great. I had reached out to the "manager", David, with questions about reservations and accomodating a large group. His responses were passive-aggressive, condescending, and just plain RUDE. He clearly is not interested in attracting or retaining customers.

On vacation in the area, I happened upon the SoFA Mart and was pleasantly surprised to find The Fountainhead Bar nestled in the back. The bar itself is crafted of rustic wood and aesthetically placed accent lights that were very inviting. Happy Hour is 4-7pm M-F for $2 off every drink. Can not pass up a such great deal! I had 3 different local beers over the course of the night I was there. I sat in the open air part to the side of the bar with high top tables & comfy cushioned benches amidst fresh greenery was a perfect way to unwind after a full day of sightseeing. Beers I tried: Santa Clara Valley Electric Tower IPA -- this was my favorite, owning to the fact that I am an IPA gal bred through and through. Light tones of citrus meddled with strong hops was magic to my taste buds Golden State Brewery Poppy Pale Ale -- I tried this one out of curiosity for the "poppy" and it was exactly that: floral tasting light pale ale which was refreshing and hit the spot. Drake's Bavarian Hefeweizen -- this was heavier than the other two but not by much. Banana undertones mixed with a creamy aftertaste. The only qualm I had was the wifi did not reach to the open-air side sitting area, when I tried to open up my Ipad to study some lectures, but I took that as a sign to just enjoy my vacation at that moment so you go, Fountainhead Bar for forcing me *to be in the moment*.

Awesome bar! Inside sofa market with a bunch if food places, plus a front (on 1st St) and a back (rear of building) patio. Also super nice that they still serve beer in glasses unlike most bars these days

The Deets Saturday 7:00 pm With my Fiancé Came for food ended up drinking Pros It's in the Sofa Market, so there are food places and such. They have about 6 taps, but they don't really change much (this could be a pro or a con depending on how you look at it). Staff is efficient, but not always the most personable. Cons Only 6 taps, that stay the same, relatively (this is a con for me). Staff doesn't seem to know much about the beer they serve, which is something I tend to look for at places that serve craft beer. Can get busy depending on the day. We came after a day full of drinking beer. They served a decent old fashion. They weren't the most personable, but service was efficient.

This is the only place I've tried in the SOFA market so far. I came on a Sunday night & was surprised that the bar opens until midnight. Naturally @ 10 PM on Sunday, the place was empty. They have a TV @ the bar area as well as a small outdoor space. All the tables inside are high bar style tables meant for communal sipping. The cocktails are architecture themed so you'll see references to architects or design lingo (words like Gaudi, post-modern can be seen on the menu). I don't really get the theme of the menu with the architecture or how it relates to drinks but nevertheless, the drinks were great. I tried the passion fruit cocktail made with real passion fruit (the Prarie) as well as the Julia Morgan paradise (made with a rum that tastes like tequila). Both cocktails were delicious & refreshing. They were equally aesthetically appealing & light.

The first time i tried to go here it was closed. Seems like the bar is at the whim of the SoFa Market space. Even on a weekend night it was quiet as theyre out in the back. It's not too crowded but i think the crew is slightly overwhelmed. Decent selection of liquors and im alway glad to see new watering holes in the area. Perhaps it will pick, up but i think SoFa needs to stay open later or let them lock up after?

We came here while SoFa is still under construction. I would have never guessed there's a bar open inside if my friend didn't tell me. The drinks are decently priced and the bar itself is a cute place to hang out with friends for a few drinks. I see a lot of potentials in this place once the whole area opens up for business. The place reminds me a lot of San Pedro Square which I'm glad because we need more places like that in DTSJ! Will be back here again when I want to avoid the crowds from other hot spots in DTSJ.

Good local spot | Good drinks $$ Good place to hit up with a friend or coworker at night! I really like the location because across the street is The Studio and it's in this big indoor spot with other 'fooding' places. Like, my husband walked two feet away from the bar to grab some ramen from this new business next to it. NEAT. I wish we had more places like this up in our area, but I think it'll catch on slowly. At least it seems to be common in more urban areas. My friend had a Vitruvian drink. I tasted it and it was one of the best drinks I've ever had. Whoever the bartender was did an excellent job. It didn't really burn my throat, it was kind of sweet. (after tasting her drink, I was tempted to grab one myself... but i wasn't really into paying the price lol) I just ordered an 805 :) Nice sitting area. I like the whole feeling of the Fountainhead. I'll be back again.

This is such a cute little bar tucked away behind the Sofa Market! Some neat details that others haven't mentioned would be that I'm pretty sure this place is named after the famous novel The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, which is a story about a young architecture and his endeavors after being expelled from architecture school. Each communal table also has various issues of architecture magazines next to the menu. These clues along with the well designed space and small attention to details (both in the crafted cocktails and interior designing) tell me that the owner is probably an architect and/or really intended for this place to be themed around architecture! Additionally, the cocktails are apparently made with local, organic ingredients, based on seasonal offerings. Now onto the drinks themselves, they were well-made, strong, but smooth. My group got the Prairie, Vitruvian, and Julia Morgan Paradise and we all agreed Prairie was the best out of the bunch--fruity and refreshing, yet you can still taste the alcohol. Made with real passion fruit! Julia Morgan Paradise had a weird, artificial, almost soapy after taste, but wasn't a bad drink by any mean. Vitruvian was the strongest out of the bunch, the subtle fruitiness had a nice taste. Only downside was that the drinks took quite long to come out, and the place wasn't that busy. Oh, and the wooden tables have some uneven surfaces so if one isn't careful, drinks may spill. The place provides a warm atmosphere to the other wise currently sterile Sofa, as it is still under construction. Spacious and charming, Fountainhead is a great addition to the arsenal of bars in DTSJ. Definitely not the type of bar to "turn up" in, but a great place to have a few drinks and catch-up with friends.

After living down the street from the SOFA district, I can FINALLY say I've made my way to visit Fountainhead Bar. This place is now for sure one of my favorite places to go to in San Jose for cocktails. They have an amazing selection of speciality cocktails to make any person happy and a nice little outdoor area to enjoy your drink. Another thing I can really appreciate about this place is that they customer service is great. Every bartender that I've talked with seems very happy and personable. Not to mention they make all the drinks look absolutely beautiful (and you won't get skimmed on alcohol here either!). No, they don't offer food here, but if you come early enough there are plenty of other places to grab food at within the same market area. I only wish that this place was bigger because I can see it getting packed easily on a weekend. Regardless, you can be sure that I'll be making my way down to Fountainhead Bar more often :)

Nice little bar (full alcohol) in this courtyard set up reminds lot of SF. Grab some food all varieties ""in the courtyard suck down some suds at fountain bar then go dancing at the Continental!

Drinks here are good and creative. I went when it was brand new so I felt like the vibe was still developing. There's definitely room for improving the atmosphere. I thought the bartenders were very attentive when I was there. i think that because it's so relatively new, they have yet to become jaded. it's hidden all the way in the back of the market so don't be like me and walk passed the front 3 times before walking in. :)

Cute bar with lots of seating inside the SoFa market. They have mixed drinks, wine, and plenty of local brews on tap. The local brews are yum!

Great service, nice touches to the drinks, menus, and lighting. Follows the theme of Ayn Rand's The Fountainhead book series with a bit of throwback to the 1920s. Loved their version of a gin and tonic, the Post-Modern. It had Hendrick's Gin, dried blueberries, and Seven Trees Tonic Water. The presentation was unique and lovely. An ice cube with a frozen flower of some sort, a spiral of lime peel, and an unusual fish bowl like glass. A bit pricier than other bars in the area, but I think it's well worth it for this lovely new spot that's definitely become one of my favorite go to places. It's a plus that it's in a mini version of San Pedro Market Square, but with Konjoe Tei ramen, Hawaiian Poke Bowl, a burger joint, and a coffee shop (more coming soon). If it gets crowded here it'll definitely kill some of the buzz I have about this place because it's in a space that, in my opinion, won't hold crowds well. Parking is parking as usual in downtown San Jose. Find it where you can on the street or in a nearby parking lot (must pay). Overall: it's pretty nice and worth the visit

I was prepared for the sparse "market" area, but the bar itself was smaller than expected. If it hadn't been relatively quiet for a Saturday night, I can imagine it being a looong wait along the narrow bar to order and get a drink. The cocktail list is short but sweet, with everything sounding interesting and with high quality liquors/liqueurs. The drinks are so strong that my friend had to ask for extra tonic water, which our bartender kindly added without judgment or complaint. The presentation was great too, with flowers embedded in the ice. There is a nice back patio area - tables are oddly low though - to sit and chat with friends, but otherwise there isn't much else going on.

Hands down my favorite cocktail spot in San Jose. Located within SOFA Market, this architecturally-inspired bar space has a great selection of unique beers, open seating, and some pretty unique cocktails... some will definitely put some hair on your chest. My favorite at the moment is the one that's basically a super alcoholic horchata. Flavorful and potent, this beverage will put you in the mood to party or put you in the mood to take the best nap of your life, depending on if you're over/under 35 years old. The bartender was super friendly and I was impressed with how quickly he whipped up my multi-drink order being that they're all made from scratch and he was the only dude on duty. No food sold at the bar but luckily SOFA Market has a ice-pop shop, coffee & pastry shop, poke bowl vendor, healthy sandwich & smoothie vendor, ramen shop, and a burger place just feet away to order and get your eat on. And, as an extra bonus there's an outdoor patio in back where you can take your drinks and chill with your friends if the long communal high top or bar seating options don't vibe with you.

The Fountainhead Bar is still a relatively new addition to the SOFA market, but I was pleased to see that they've moved in and are starting to make their mark. Stopped by on a very quiet Saturday night and got our drinks in a flash. I grabbed a Greene & Greene ($11 or $12) which was super refreshing and light for a whiskey based cocktail, and my man got himself some whiskey cocktail with gold flakes and fernet which was totally my jam. I'm excited to go back again soon and see how things progress, it seems like they are still coming into their own a little bit. I definitely appreciate another addition to the craft cocktail scene in DTSJ.

I'm updating my review here because they finally got some regular hours at Fountainhead. They're still closing way too early for me, but at least they're open at lunch now and stay a little later until the play starts to thin out. The cocktails are decentbut just a smidge pricey. The service has improved for sure.

Drink review only. Beer selection was weak. Drink size to price ratio was ridiculous. (~$15 for a Tito's Mule, 10oz, with 50% of it being ice) ( $7 for an average tasting beer, 10oz, not even a pint glass) I actually could overlook most these faults above as the place is new and trying figure out it's footing; however our bartender (male wearing a Pharrell like hat) was one of the worst bartenders/servers I have encountered. It wasn't in the sense that he was a jerk or cocky, it was that he barely acknowledged us, only after prompting that we wanted a drink after sitting at the bar for about 5 minutes. I don't even think he said more than 5 words to us the entire time. Never "How is your day?", "How is your drink?", or "Do you mind if I use my bare hands to pick and hold the blueberries for your mix drink?" Regardless, I/we will not be retuning, unless there is a staff change, AC fix (it was hot) and price change. Sadly, we were excited about a possible San Pedro Market rival. We will have to keep looking; and this bar won't last if it stays like this.

Ugh the drinks always underwhelm me. They are often too sweet and pretty weak. I am pretty much always disappointed. And you would think for his weak the drinks are, the price would be cheap but $9 bucks for a crappy drink during happy hour is not a deal. Only thing this place really has going for it is its location. The market is fun and hip and it does business to the bar. But with how rich with bars the downtown area is, I question why you would chose to go here