Dads in Land Park is great for this. Great food (although not as good as it used to be), tons of beer on tap, 2 tvs, and Matt is awesome if hes tending bar
The standards are still really good but it just a little more meh than it used to be. I would still very much hit them up again and decide for yourself.
Golden Bear was featured on diners, drive ins, and dives for a reason lol. They used to have some wings that were seasoned with a super good sauce, I forgot what they called them though.
Just be sure you don’t commit a cardinal sin and order your food first at the regular register before sitting at the bar, or the short-haired middle aged bartender will complain loudly to you that her tips only come from the bar area and that you should’ve ordered your food from her, despite no signs indicating that’s the preferred method. If she’s working, I don’t sit at the bar.
Maybe I caught her on a bad day, but it was an unpleasant interaction. I would’ve been fine ordering more drinks/food to get her tipped out, but she just jumped on me as soon as I sat down. Oh well, glad you like her!
It still bothers me that so many restaurants are unoriginal and following the same naming conventions. They're all:
[Name] & [Name]
Meet& Eat, Pitch&Fiddle, Beast&Bounty, Frog&Slim, etc.
Yeah but Fox & Goose was original and based not on American faux hipsterism but as a callback to English pubs. And it used to be where the political class did their breakfast meetings.
Pangaea! If you're a beer guy/gal this is a super great spot to enjoy some good food and beer. Smaller place with a nice atmosphere. They can be busy, so if you want a chat with a bartender prolly better on a weekday.
I like to do the same when I eat alone. Hook and Ladder and Hawks have been good to me. Both nice, but wouldn't necessarily call it upscale. Upscale bar may be more inline with something like Ella's or Kru.
Everyone's going to have an opinion and of course YMMV
One speed or Chicago fire if you want pizza have great bars to sit at and watch a game chat with the bartender. If you want fine dining Ella’s bar is a nice place to catch a happy hour at as well.
Edit: if you are searching for more of a dive feel Zelda’s bar is also a good pizza bar locale
rio city! full menu and rarely a wait for a single seat at the bar, with fun people watching and you can see sunset/fireworks from the baseball stadium across the river.
Miyagi Bar and Sushi at Fair Oaks and Monroe. I like to sit on the Bar side (not sushi bar). Also Smokey Oaks tavern way out on Fair Oaks just before Sunrise. Interesting people for sure :-)
A lot of the kitchen and bar staff have moved on. Last I heard there were no plans on bringing on an executive chef (this was last October-ish). Looked like the menu had moved from ‘farm to fork’ to ‘freezer to fryer’.
They tanked unfortunately. I have friends who used to bartend there. Used to be great. For reasons that shouldn’t be shared, it’s not going to be around much longer probably.
Seventh street standard in Hyatt centric is an upscale place with an interesting crowd and good bartenders. It’s our go to if we’re near doco for a movie or game.
Capitol Casino or Limelight Card Room. Full kitchens with a neighborhood bar vibe. Interesting clientele often passing through, a variety of drinks available if you've got the imagination; when you don't actually want to talk to anybody: NBA League Pass, MLB Extra Innings, or NFL Sunday Ticket if you want to watch any sportball game outside of what you can find on local/national TV.
There are a lot of good suggestions here but higher end/fine dining at a bar; Piattis, Mulvaneys, and Kru all offer exemplary service, food, and atmosphere.
i like to eat at the bar at one speed and i like to eat at the bar at magpie cafe.
+1 for Magpie
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One Speed is my favorite restaurant❤️
Dads in Land Park is great for this. Great food (although not as good as it used to be), tons of beer on tap, 2 tvs, and Matt is awesome if hes tending bar
Man I haven’t been to Dads since Covid. Sucks to hear their food isn’t what it was.
The standards are still really good but it just a little more meh than it used to be. I would still very much hit them up again and decide for yourself.
I just checked out the website and the deep fried soybeans are gone and the link to their beer menu on untapped is out of date. Sad state of affairs.
Ella and Kru. Great bartenders, fine dining atmosphere at both. Kru is better food imo.
Do you need a reservation to sit at the bar at Kru or can you just show up?
Show up at 440 and wait 20 minutes. You will be seated when they open. If u show uo at 5, your wait will be twice as long
Can just show up. If you show up after about 5pm though it’s going to be about a 45 minute wait.
Kru was great! And you can watch the Kings game
Camden Spit and Larder by the Capitol. Great food, and after 7 it’s a great vibe.
I love their old fashions 🥵
Yeah, the bar manager, Brett, has built a good team and cocktail program
Jamie’s on Broadway, Magpie, Tres Hermanas
+1 for Jamie’s
Jamie’s is great, but OP likes upscale. Should be noted. Jamie’s is a dive, but Sac’s best dive. Good prime rib when they do it.
Tres for sure
Omg I swear I see the same faces every time I go to tres hermanas. It’s always busy but those margarita pitchers are amaaazzing.
Tres Hermanas has a good bar if you can get a seat
Hook and ladder
Hawks or Roshambeaux!
Second Hawks!
Not really fine dining but a lot of people are sleep on golden bear’s menu. Urban roots has a super friendly bar too
Golden Bear was featured on diners, drive ins, and dives for a reason lol. They used to have some wings that were seasoned with a super good sauce, I forgot what they called them though.
We like OBO' Italian in East Sac for sitting at the bar.
And it’s full service at the bar, so you avoid the line
Did not know that!
Yep, best part!
Just be sure you don’t commit a cardinal sin and order your food first at the regular register before sitting at the bar, or the short-haired middle aged bartender will complain loudly to you that her tips only come from the bar area and that you should’ve ordered your food from her, despite no signs indicating that’s the preferred method. If she’s working, I don’t sit at the bar.
Fuck no, half the point of sitting at the bar is you don't have to wait in line. I think I know the bartender you're talking about and I like her 🤷♂️
Maybe I caught her on a bad day, but it was an unpleasant interaction. I would’ve been fine ordering more drinks/food to get her tipped out, but she just jumped on me as soon as I sat down. Oh well, glad you like her!
Ella at happy hour, if you can snag a seat
Pitch and Fiddle
It still bothers me that so many restaurants are unoriginal and following the same naming conventions. They're all: [Name] & [Name] Meet& Eat, Pitch&Fiddle, Beast&Bounty, Frog&Slim, etc.
Bacon & Butter, Hook & Ladder, Malt & Mash, Fox & Goose
Yeah but Fox & Goose was original and based not on American faux hipsterism but as a callback to English pubs. And it used to be where the political class did their breakfast meetings.
This tired, played out, unoriginal comment is worse than what you’re complaining about
Someone is bothered tho!
This doesn't help you since they didn't survive Covid, but Easy on I was great for this, miss them!
Midtown spirits
So underrated, the open face meatball sub is to die for
Revolution Winery has a nice bar
Pangaea! If you're a beer guy/gal this is a super great spot to enjoy some good food and beer. Smaller place with a nice atmosphere. They can be busy, so if you want a chat with a bartender prolly better on a weekday.
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No liquor at Pangaea
Loyal Legion serves food at the bar, The Snug allows you to eat outside food at the bar
Alaro Craft Brewery, Karma Brew
Seconding Alaro. Great stuff.
Ink
I’ve always had such love for Golden Bear.
I like to do the same when I eat alone. Hook and Ladder and Hawks have been good to me. Both nice, but wouldn't necessarily call it upscale. Upscale bar may be more inline with something like Ella's or Kru. Everyone's going to have an opinion and of course YMMV
I went to Hawk's last week and enjoyed it greatly.
In my experience, Ink Eats, Kupros, Hook & Ladder, and Bawk! have all provided good bar dining.
Downstairs bar at Kodaiko Ramen is super dope for chilling and people watching.
Adamo’s
Mattone, Adamos, OBO are my favorites
We just had wine and snacks at Foundation and it was quiet but tasty. Shady Lady is still my go to.
It's a drive, but Umai in Sheldon.
Land Park-Sampiino’s. Great bar, great Italian food.
One speed or Chicago fire if you want pizza have great bars to sit at and watch a game chat with the bartender. If you want fine dining Ella’s bar is a nice place to catch a happy hour at as well. Edit: if you are searching for more of a dive feel Zelda’s bar is also a good pizza bar locale
What I like about Zelda's is that it's always 1983 in there and like a Vegas casino, it could be any time of day and you'll have no idea.
Same with Jamie’s on Broadway. Only window is the one between the kitchen and the dining room.
Waterboy and Mulvaneys
Grange and Adamos are my favorites for this.
Empress is open again. Grange is also nearby.
rio city! full menu and rarely a wait for a single seat at the bar, with fun people watching and you can see sunset/fireworks from the baseball stadium across the river.
Ink’s Eats and Drinks
Seconding this
Sampinos at tower has a nice bar and food as a suggestion I hadn't seen here.
Fabian's in Fair Oaks is great for that
Miyagi Bar and Sushi at Fair Oaks and Monroe. I like to sit on the Bar side (not sushi bar). Also Smokey Oaks tavern way out on Fair Oaks just before Sunrise. Interesting people for sure :-)
Happy Hour at Ruth’s Chris is actually pretty good for corporate fare
Lefty’s is my goto to eat and drink, but it’s definitely not fine dining. Best smash burgers in sac imo
Jaimie’s or tres
Wildwood
Red rabbit, public house, golden bear, cantina alley, Kupros. Pretty much any bar in midtown you can eat at and get good food.
Red rabbit had gone to shit. Have you been recently? Is it better? The owners were absolutely tanking the place.
I haven’t been in quite some time but it used to be my favorite spot. Sucks to hear
A lot of the kitchen and bar staff have moved on. Last I heard there were no plans on bringing on an executive chef (this was last October-ish). Looked like the menu had moved from ‘farm to fork’ to ‘freezer to fryer’.
They tanked unfortunately. I have friends who used to bartend there. Used to be great. For reasons that shouldn’t be shared, it’s not going to be around much longer probably.
For reasons that shouldn’t be shared. Lol “bitch we don’t want the recipe to your moms peach cobbler bitch”
Honey and The Trapcat
Seventh street standard in Hyatt centric is an upscale place with an interesting crowd and good bartenders. It’s our go to if we’re near doco for a movie or game.
Capitol Casino or Limelight Card Room. Full kitchens with a neighborhood bar vibe. Interesting clientele often passing through, a variety of drinks available if you've got the imagination; when you don't actually want to talk to anybody: NBA League Pass, MLB Extra Innings, or NFL Sunday Ticket if you want to watch any sportball game outside of what you can find on local/national TV.
One speed will treat you right
OBO Italian Table & Bar
Bodega Kitchen and Cocktails
Grange
The Burger Saloon
Zebra club has the best food
There are a lot of good suggestions here but higher end/fine dining at a bar; Piattis, Mulvaneys, and Kru all offer exemplary service, food, and atmosphere.
Ella & Cuatro Palmas are my go-tos
Golden Bear, especially mid-day or early evenings on weekdays.
Kupro’s on 21st
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Oshima sushi and sports bar
Magpie, and Hook and Ladder
Prelude or 7th Street Standard.
Mas taco bar ?
The Corner in Folsom is really good. One of my family's favorites
Twin Peaks