The Garage

As a student at San Jose State and an active member of Greek life I spent an exorbitant amount of time on 11th street in downtown San Jose where many of the Fraternity houses are located. About 5 years to be precise. We frequented the 7-11 on the corner of 11th and San Carlos streets just about every Thursday night. For a whole semester I had weekly bagel dates with a close friend at the bagel shop there! But never in all of my 5 years did I experience the Garage restaurant at Naglee park. Something I now hugely regret! Just a few weeks ago my mom invited me to join her, my dad and some family friends for a small birthday dinner. Our friends are avid followers of Triple D (Guy Fieri's Food Network Program Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives). They often seek out restaurants that have been feature on the show. Foodie friends of mine had previously posted the youtube clip of the segment and had visited the restaurant giving it rave reviews. Why had I been dragging my feet all these years? It's hard to say but now that I know this treasure exists I will absolutely be back. They hit the nail on the head as far as fresh local and sustainable goes. For goodness sakes they make their own in house ketchup (which is a major treat with their thick cut steak fries). There is nothing I enjoy more than dining out with fellow food lovers- and here's why, it is an unsaid rule at the table that everyone must order something different, and everyone's plates are available for a taste test. We managed to sample the majority of the menu: their flagship burger, Pork Ribs, Herb Roasted Trout, a Butternut Squash soup topped with Roasted Brussels Sprouts, Mussels in White wine, Shrimp, Roasted Seasonal veggies, and Roasted pears with melted Gorgonzola. YUM! everything was fantastic with a nice clean rustic presentation. They also have a great selection of beers and wine. One thing I found the most surprising and delighting was their relatively low price point. Similar dishes in larger establishments would easily cost 25 - 30% more, but I'm guessing with their high popularity and relatively low overhead (small space, small staff, limited hours) they are able to give their guests a great deal on some really quality dining. Word to the wise though, their dining room is charming but tiny so get there early, or wait till it's warm out and enjoy the much larger patio (I know I plan to as soon as a nice 80 degree day hits!) If you would like to view their current menu's or read more about the restaurant click here- Garage