I love Santana Row, though I don't play chess there very much.

Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you, if you are interested in Asian games, there is a little Japanese import store about 50 feet from the chess park where you can purchase shogi and go sets.

Santana Row is a wonderful place to hang out for the chess-inclined.  Nice environment, window shopping and good food all around.  Bring your own pieces, unless you want to use the two-foot-tall plastic men on the ground of the park itself.  Come for the scenery, stay for the blitz chess (which can last into the early hours of the morning on some nights).  There isn't much of a chess scene in northern California's corner of the world, but this park is a welcome oasis in the desert.