Mac Rating: 5.00 | Votes: 1 | Date: 19/06/2026 22:34:00

Opened in 1948 as the Gay Theatre, the building at 400 South First Street has been a fixture of downtown San Jose's entertainment district for more than three quarters of a century. Named after the daughter of the promoter who conceived it, the cinema anchored the southern end of the First Street theatre row, screening films for decades before the changing fortunes of downtown sent it down a more colourful path. In the 1970s it became the Pussycat Theatre, part of a chain of adult cinemas, before closing as a movie house. As downtown San Jose revitalised, the building was reborn as a succession of nightclubs, operating over the years as F/X, The Usual, Spy and Angels Ultra Lounge and Cabaret, its marquee variously restored and stripped as the venue changed hands. Since 2015 it has operated as The Ritz, a nightclub and live-music venue in the historic SoFA District, two blocks from the San Jose Convention Center. The roughly century-old building has been fitted with a modern DJ and live-music sound system, a large stage with big-screen projection, a sizeable dance floor, two top-shelf bars, a raised VIP section and green rooms, with room for around 500 standing or 375 seated. The Ritz runs shows most nights of the week, hosting touring bands, DJs and club nights across genres, alongside private events and corporate functions for which it offers in-house catering and production. Centrally located among hotels and restaurants, it has become one of downtown's busiest nightspots. By layering a contemporary club and concert operation onto a historic theatre shell, The Ritz continues a long tradition of entertainment on the site while serving as a flexible venue for live music, dancing and events. Its mix of a sizeable stage, full bars and a downtown location keeps it central to San Jose's nightlife.