Guidebook for Mountain View

Kevin
Guidebook for Mountain View

Food Scene

Great, great, coffee. One of the hubs of Mountain View's burgeoning startup scene -- check out all the future Zuckerbergs upstairs!
84 locals recommend
Red Rock Coffee
201 Castro St
84 locals recommend
Great, great, coffee. One of the hubs of Mountain View's burgeoning startup scene -- check out all the future Zuckerbergs upstairs!
Upscale Vietnamese
44 locals recommend
Xanh
110 Castro St
44 locals recommend
Upscale Vietnamese
I dare you -- DARE YOU -- to order the large pho bowl and actually finish it!
Pho Hoa
220 Castro St
I dare you -- DARE YOU -- to order the large pho bowl and actually finish it!
Small place with affordable, tasty sushi!
Yakko
975 West Dana Street
Small place with affordable, tasty sushi!
Never been there, but I keep hearing great things about it, and the constant lines are a good sign.
75 locals recommend
Sushi Tomi
607 W Dana St
75 locals recommend
Never been there, but I keep hearing great things about it, and the constant lines are a good sign.
Hole-in-the wall cheap-but-good Indian take-out joint with a few tables for a sit-down meal. Often a line. Stock up on Indian snacks and treats! A bit far, but definitely worth the drive if you're looking for good cheap Indian food.
Rajjot Sweets & Snacks
1234 S Wolfe Rd
Hole-in-the wall cheap-but-good Indian take-out joint with a few tables for a sit-down meal. Often a line. Stock up on Indian snacks and treats! A bit far, but definitely worth the drive if you're looking for good cheap Indian food.
Small place; great, affordable Indian food.
23 locals recommend
Sakoon
357 Castro St
23 locals recommend
Small place; great, affordable Indian food.
To-die-for tapas! Reservations recommended
99 locals recommend
Cascal
400 Castro St
99 locals recommend
To-die-for tapas! Reservations recommended
Often have amazing, well-priced buffet lunches and dinners. Delicately spiced food, attentive waiters. Can't go wrong!
7 locals recommend
Turmeric Restaurant
141 S Murphy Ave
7 locals recommend
Often have amazing, well-priced buffet lunches and dinners. Delicately spiced food, attentive waiters. Can't go wrong!
Good high-end Indian food.
13 locals recommend
Shiva’s
800 California Street
13 locals recommend
Good high-end Indian food.
Great, simple breakfasts. Highly recommend the Mexican omelette. Or the weekend menudo, if you're feeling adventurous.
21 locals recommend
Taqueria La Espuela
854 W Dana St
21 locals recommend
Great, simple breakfasts. Highly recommend the Mexican omelette. Or the weekend menudo, if you're feeling adventurous.
Great lamb or vegetarian tagine. Order the spicy cucumber salad for a starter -- but have some water ready! Great decor. There's often a belly dance or a magician.
Morocco's
873 Castro St
Great lamb or vegetarian tagine. Order the spicy cucumber salad for a starter -- but have some water ready! Great decor. There's often a belly dance or a magician.
Vegan restaurant, great prices.
Yam Leaf Bistro
699 Calderon Avenue
Vegan restaurant, great prices.
Delightful, if somewhat pricey, coffee shop and bakery.
35 locals recommend
Alexander's Patisserie
209 Castro St
35 locals recommend
Delightful, if somewhat pricey, coffee shop and bakery.
Best friggin' breakfasts in town. Long lines on weekend mornings
40 locals recommend
Crepevine
300 Castro St
40 locals recommend
Best friggin' breakfasts in town. Long lines on weekend mornings

Drinks & Nightlife

Nope, not misspelled : It's "Tied House", not "Tide House". Great for happy hour or dinner fare. While you're there, learn about why it's called Tied House.
27 locals recommend
Tied House
954 Villa St
27 locals recommend
Nope, not misspelled : It's "Tied House", not "Tide House". Great for happy hour or dinner fare. While you're there, learn about why it's called Tied House.
Classic bar experience!
19 locals recommend
Fibbar MaGees
156 S Murphy Ave
19 locals recommend
Classic bar experience!
German beer garden, opened in the last half year. I've never been, but it seems like quite a happening place!
65 locals recommend
Steins
895 Villa St
65 locals recommend
German beer garden, opened in the last half year. I've never been, but it seems like quite a happening place!
At the bottom end of Castro Street, right next to the Caltrain Station. Great selection of wines.
24 locals recommend
Savvy Cellar Wine Bar & Wine Shop
750 W Evelyn Ave
24 locals recommend
At the bottom end of Castro Street, right next to the Caltrain Station. Great selection of wines.
Classic Irish pub, right next to another Irish pub, St. Stephen's Green.
44 locals recommend
Molly Magees
241 Castro St
44 locals recommend
Classic Irish pub, right next to another Irish pub, St. Stephen's Green.
Classic Irish pub, right next to another Irish pub, St. Molly Magees.
31 locals recommend
St. Stephens Green
223 Castro St
31 locals recommend
Classic Irish pub, right next to another Irish pub, St. Molly Magees.

Parks & Nature

Great walks and easy to moderate hikes. Small working farm within the park. Remote control airplane flying site.
168 locals recommend
Rancho San Antonio County Park
168 locals recommend
Great walks and easy to moderate hikes. Small working farm within the park. Remote control airplane flying site.
A popular gem right at the end of Shoreline Blvd. Great views of marshlands, inlets, estuaries, and other neat features of the Bay. Lots of birds -- geese in particular (watch out underfoot!) You can rent boats. Two nice restaurants: Michael's at Shoreline, and Shoreline Lake American Bistro. To get there, you have to drive through Google's campus, so avoid rush hour.
96 locals recommend
Shoreline Lake Boathouse
3160 N Shoreline Blvd
96 locals recommend
A popular gem right at the end of Shoreline Blvd. Great views of marshlands, inlets, estuaries, and other neat features of the Bay. Lots of birds -- geese in particular (watch out underfoot!) You can rent boats. Two nice restaurants: Michael's at Shoreline, and Shoreline Lake American Bistro. To get there, you have to drive through Google's campus, so avoid rush hour.
Large park with playground.
Sylvan Park
600 Sylvan Ave
Large park with playground.
Up in the Santa Cruz mountains, next to its big brother, Big Basin State Park. Iconic walks through magnificent California Redwoods.
Little Basin Concession Group Campground
21700 Little Basin Rd
Up in the Santa Cruz mountains, next to its big brother, Big Basin State Park. Iconic walks through magnificent California Redwoods.
Up in the Santa Cruz mountains, next to its little brother, Little Basin State Park. Iconic walks through magnificent California Redwoods.
230 locals recommend
Big Basin Redwoods State Park
21600 Big Basin Way
230 locals recommend
Up in the Santa Cruz mountains, next to its little brother, Little Basin State Park. Iconic walks through magnificent California Redwoods.
Small neighborhood park. A great place to meet the families who live nearby.
10 locals recommend
Mercy-Bush Park
10 locals recommend
Small neighborhood park. A great place to meet the families who live nearby.
Huge park with large fields, a sizable playground, picnic areas, and a Veterans' Memorial. Only a few blocks from downtown Mountain View.
25 locals recommend
Eagle Park
650 Franklin St
25 locals recommend
Huge park with large fields, a sizable playground, picnic areas, and a Veterans' Memorial. Only a few blocks from downtown Mountain View.

Entertainment & Activities

Cheapest (but quite good!) massage in town. You stay fully clothed, in a quiet room with other guests and good ambiance. Your feet get massaged first, then your back, etc.
Happy Feet Foot Spa
3731 El Camino Real
Cheapest (but quite good!) massage in town. You stay fully clothed, in a quiet room with other guests and good ambiance. Your feet get massaged first, then your back, etc.
Classic amusement park with lots of rides and a water park.
299 locals recommend
California’S Great America
4701 Great America Pkwy
299 locals recommend
Classic amusement park with lots of rides and a water park.
Great place for the family. Wonderful water park.
40 locals recommend
Raging Waters San Jose
2333 S White Rd
40 locals recommend
Great place for the family. Wonderful water park.
A bit of a drive, but worth it for a full day of fun family activities.
63 locals recommend
Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park
3050 Hecker Pass Hwy
63 locals recommend
A bit of a drive, but worth it for a full day of fun family activities.
Conveniently located workout venue
35 locals recommend
24 Hour Fitness
550 Showers Dr
35 locals recommend
Conveniently located workout venue

Essentials

Hard-working, amicable, local proprietor. Good selection of foods, fruits, vegetables, meat and fish. Support local businesses!
53 locals recommend
Ava's Downtown Market & Deli
340 Castro St
53 locals recommend
Hard-working, amicable, local proprietor. Good selection of foods, fruits, vegetables, meat and fish. Support local businesses!
Great prices, great selection, great meats, fish, and vegetables. Mostly Chinese selection, with some Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Filipino, and other Asian
44 locals recommend
99 Ranch Market
1350 Grant Rd
44 locals recommend
Great prices, great selection, great meats, fish, and vegetables. Mostly Chinese selection, with some Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Filipino, and other Asian
Nearby Safeway.
71 locals recommend
Safeway
570 N Shoreline Blvd
71 locals recommend
Nearby Safeway.

Shopping

Farmer's market on Sundays right by the Mountain View Caltrain station. Fresh produce from around the Bay Area so you can stock up on arugula, kale, and fennel. Also bread, desserts, and music!
47 locals recommend
Mountain View Farmers Market
600 W Evelyn Ave
47 locals recommend
Farmer's market on Sundays right by the Mountain View Caltrain station. Fresh produce from around the Bay Area so you can stock up on arugula, kale, and fennel. Also bread, desserts, and music!

Arts & Culture

Unknown, off-the-beaten-tourist-track little museum about San Francisco's iconic cable cars. It's free and a truly fascinating look at the history and the more-than-a-century-old technology that's still in use: miles of thick cable running under San Francisco's streets.
207 locals recommend
San Francisco Cable Car Museum
1201 Mason St
207 locals recommend
Unknown, off-the-beaten-tourist-track little museum about San Francisco's iconic cable cars. It's free and a truly fascinating look at the history and the more-than-a-century-old technology that's still in use: miles of thick cable running under San Francisco's streets.
Mountain View's own performing arts center, with productions by numerous local troupes and acting companies. In downtwon, right next to City Hall and a delightful public square.
47 locals recommend
Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts
500 Castro St
47 locals recommend
Mountain View's own performing arts center, with productions by numerous local troupes and acting companies. In downtwon, right next to City Hall and a delightful public square.
Wonderful overview of the historical events and inventions that have made Silicon Valley what it is today.
255 locals recommend
Computer History Museum
1401 N Shoreline Blvd
255 locals recommend
Wonderful overview of the historical events and inventions that have made Silicon Valley what it is today.
Wonderful museum highlighting the innovations that have made Silicon Valley what it is today.
267 locals recommend
The Tech Interactive
201 S Market St
267 locals recommend
Wonderful museum highlighting the innovations that have made Silicon Valley what it is today.
Great place for kids to learn about basic science, "hunt" for dinosaur bones, and play in an ambulance and fire truck!
141 locals recommend
Children's Discovery Museum
180 Woz Way
141 locals recommend
Great place for kids to learn about basic science, "hunt" for dinosaur bones, and play in an ambulance and fire truck!