Ten Places to Eat and Drink in Sacramento, CA

Its my hometown, its where I lived the first twenty-one years of my life. Its not exactly a tourist destination, especially when you have Lake Tahoe and San Francisco so close. Growing up, and especially in High school and college I wouldn’t say there was a lot of places to hang out. Going downtown wasn’t the easiest thing to do and the nightlife in the burbs wasn’t great. There’s a lot of cool stuff downtown and it wasn’t as bad to go downtown as I remember.  So, on the off change you get to make the trek through the State Capital I put together a list of some of my favorite places to eat, drink and be merry in Sacramento {a little bit of the burbs and a little bit of the city!}. You just might learn to love this little slice of the Sunshine State, where the weather is mild almost 365 days a year, there’s not a ton of fog, you never really feel the earthquakes and you are two hours to the mountains or the beach!

Hook and Ladder ~ 1630 S St, Sacramento, CA 95811

The name Hook and Ladder pays homage to Sacramento’s history and the Hook and Ladder brigade that worked hard to same Sacramento during the 1850s, and a series of fires that almost destroyed the city. Combine that with Sac Town’s rough start when it came to flooding, she’s a tough city. H&L embraces the city with his historic building, and its menu full of local breweries, winery’s, ranches and farms. The outdoor patio is so nice to sit on, or you can opt for the twinkle lights and soft pinks inside. Ether one is a fantastic vibe. If you go you have to get the Chicken AND the drink for two, The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Pineapple. Yummy! But H&L is more than a place to eat! They have a cocktail academy which a friend of mine says is pretty cool. So check that out on their website as well. Visiting Hook & Ladder is a wonderful window into the direction that Sacramento has taken with their dining options, focusing on a very local and farm to table vibe. You’ll find that, and more, here!

 

The Shady Lady Saloon ~1409 R St, Sacramento, CA 95811

Be advised that the tables are for those eating only, and it can get quite busy! But its a place to you should hit when visiting Sacramento. There’s a reason Esquire Magazine named it one of the top 25 bars in America. Its got a really cool vibe, full speakeasy feeling, but no need for special knocks or secret passwords. The ceiling was my favorite part of the decor, but I’m a sucker for a good tin ceiling. Also, the cocktail list is pretty cool. A plethora of uniquely titled drinks like the Galaxy’s Edge and The Flying Dutchman, with fresh ingredients that one has to try “for science”. Your dapperly dressed, or Victorian-inspired, bartenders can also whip up anything you want if you describe what you like (like my adorable mom who almost never drinks). It is in a great part of town, with cool murals and other bars to choose from, a perfect addition to a your night out list. You can also get brunch here, although with lunch and dinner, plus they have evenings with live music! It’s a unique little place.

 

Rick’s Dessert Diner ~ 2401 J St, Sacramento, CA 95816

Another on the list of “Must See Sacramento” is Rick’s Dessert Diner. Serving the best desserts in Sacramento since 1986, Rick’s Is THE place to go! All of the dessert are made fresh daily, and my mom and I fought over the last piece of lemon meringue. There WILL be a line and what you think you might want might be gone when you get up to the front, but you’ll have plenty of time to check out the case as you wait. My advice to you is ride the wave and please be kind to those behind the counter. I couldn’t believe how much grief and sassiness they were given. I thanked them and they were really appreciative. What do people expect with a place to busy? But think Seinfeld Soup Nazi. Don’t hold the line up with your indecisiveness…however at Rick’s they’ll serve it to you even if you can’t decide. Rick’s has indoor and outdoor seating and a great cup of diner coffee! I had one of the best Key Lime Pie slices I’ve ever had. You will definitely enjoy your visit.

If you love Rick’s that much and you happen to live locally, Rick’s also does specialty cakes and Wedding cakes!!

The Original Mel’s Diner {Home of American Graffiti}

From its origins in San Francisco in 1947, Mel’s is an American Classic. Mel’s is also a bit famous for having appeared in Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? and the tv show Alice, but most familiar is its feature in American Graffiti! You can now visit Mel’s in 22 locations in Northern California and Nevada.

While Mel’s isn’t something super fancy, it has its nostalgic and old Hollywood feel, a really good Cherry coke with the syrup in it and not flavoring, and a yummy loaded french fry. Their breakfast all day is top notch and Mel’s has been feeding me and my friends since high school. Many an after prom/dance was had at Mel’s and there are so many good memories. Bring the quarters for the juke box and enjoy the memorabilia and fun neon.

Carmelita’s ~ 4071 Howard St, Fair Oaks, CA 95628

Nestled on the outskirts of Old Town Fair Oaks is Carmelita’s, a Sacramento area staple since 1962. The second location, the one in Old Fair Oaks, was opened in the late 1980s and they are still serving Mexican food right from Grandma Carmelita’s recipes. It’s yummy, authentic and with something for everyone. They have a great enchilada, and tostada, which is my favorite. And the bar makes a super yummy margarita. It’s always busy, and you may have to wait, but trust me its worth it! After you eat, or before, spend some time walking the streets of sweet old town Fair Oaks, my true hometown, that has a sweet place in my heart. Keep your eyes out for the chickens and roosters because there will be plenty. They’ve been living there for my whole life AND my dad’s! Yes, second generation Old Fair Oaks!!! Its in my blood.

In and Out

If you’ve never been to the West Coast – or Texas – then you’ve never had In N Out, but you’ve probably heard of it. You probably have heard the debates – Five Guys, In N Out, WhatAburger. Depending on where you’re from the debate can get pretty heated. I’ve had them all, and currently am living without my beloved In-N-Out, but whenever I go home, or travel anywhere near one you can be sure I’m paying SEVERAL visits. I like my fries extra crispy and my burger plain. You really can’t beat the price, the simplicity of the menu and the fact that you can taste the freshness in their never frozen products. Its good stuff, I love it, and you really can’t convince me otherwise. In 15 days I had it seven times! It’s been two years since I’ve had it and it will likely be a little while since I’ll have it again, but to you In N Out I’ll always be true, no matter what side of the US I’m living on.

Bar 101 – 101 Main St, Roseville, CA 95678

Local bar in the older part of Roseville. It has live music and tons of seating inside and out. We opted for the pool table, which there is only one. Great servers and the live cover band was stellar! Its a chill, everybody knows your name type of feel. And if Bar 101 isn’t your cup of tea don’t worry, you’ve actually arrived in some sort of positive Bermuda triangle, because every awesome bar in Roseville just happense to be on this one corner so have a good night bar hopping!

 

Punch Bowl Social

For a more one stop shop, younger group, check out Punch Bowl Social. We visited the one located in Downtown Sacramento near the newly renovated Capitol One Center, Punch Bowl Social is literally serving up Punch Bowl’s of drinks for you and your friends. Full bar, open seating, full menu. You can also venture off into some more quieter areas for eating that are separate from the louder bar AND you can go bowling on several mini-lanes and rent the pool table for an hour or two. They also have board games, a huge connect four and a scrabble you play with giant magnets on the wall. Its a really fun place for spending the evening relaxing with friends without having to change locations. We had a ton of fun. If you aren’t in Sacramento check out Punch Bowl’s website because they lots of locations in 13 states including several in Texas, California, Ohio and Wisconsin! See if there’s on near you!!

Other favorite bars – Player’s Club – if you love Billards check out player’s club. No frills, good drinks and tons of pool tables. Check the locations, because there two! The smaller one up on Fair Oaks Blvd (9729 Fair Oaks Blvd)has like 10 tables, plus darts and ski ball! Its alot of fun.

Sully’s Bar & Grill – 4451 Pacific St, Rocklin, CA 95677 – Located in an out of the way area of Rocklin is Sully’s. Another no-frills bar with great service, a handful of pool tables, darts, modern day juke box music and indoor/outdoor seating.

Continue Reading

Visit Houston Part 4 – Six Seriously Good Eats in Houston

Continuing on with the Houston Love today I’m sharing six seriously good eats with ya’ll! Checking out good eats in Houston is a daunting task because there is just so much good food to be eaten. You could spend a whole trip checking off Burger joints. Then you’ve got BBQ, steakhouses, and Tex-Mex. There’s a never-ending supply of fabulous places to eat. Several places on the bucket list that I didn’t make it to were The 43rd Restaurant at Wedge Internation. I’m a bit of an architecture lover and eating here, with access to a balcony was going to be a fun treat. Unfortunately, it was closed for construction, but if you get a chance to check it out I would! {update: the 43rd is officially closed and will be reopening as Strato 550 this Spring! Y’all!! I am so excited, and it looks increidble. But it on your list} Add Niko Niko, Teotihuacan and Coltivare to your list. Those are on my Houston Bucket List! So, while the list is long you have to accept you just won’t be able to fit it all in. Between the amazing coffee shops with food, and bars (also with food) food can be the central point of your visit.

 

Ritual {602 Studewood Street}

Located in The Heights, is the rustic, home cooking, warm vibe Ritual. From the dark wood floors and walls, exposed brick, and the eclectic mix and match vintage plates – everything has been chosen to create the inviting atmosphere that you will find. Sit at the bar and enjoy the full menu which includes meat straight from the butcher room that you would have a great view of if you did sit at the bar. The Ritual Burger was amazing and I would add the Southern Street Corn and the Balsamic Brussel Sprouts w/Bacon to your list. The Old Fashioned was great. And just in case you were in the mood there’s a small collection of new vinyl you can purchase on your way out. Check the large board on the wall to check out the beers they have available because they do change. This isn’t the place to order your Budweiser or Coors. On Ritual’s bar list you’ll find local favorites like Lone Pint Yellow Rose, St Arnolds 5 o’clock Pils and Hoppy Witbier Real Ale White. After dinner head next door to The Ready Room for a drink and, depending on the night of the week, some good music.

Sit Lo in Finn Hall {712 Main Street}

Finn Hall is located in the JP Morgan Chase Building

Located in the newly opened Finn Hall, which I talked about in my coffee post, is Sit Lo – with its Vietnamese street food fare. Providing its customers with locally grown and fresh ingredients is an important part of the Sit Lo experience. If you’ve been downtown and seen a food truck called Bowl’D Up, those would be the same people that have now brought some of their best foods to Finn Hall as Sit Lo. Enjoy Southern Vietnamese fare from some of the most beloved family recipes. Their vermicelli bowls are worth giving a try, although the Imperial rolls were hit or miss. The choices at Finn Hall are many, so take a few visits and give each one a try. Let me know your favorite when you!

The Black Labrador {4100 Montrose Blvd #8}

If you’re looking for an authentic English Pub experience look no further than The Black Labrador in the Montrose area. I’ve been in several English pubs in different states and this one ranks near the top of experiences and food. The Black Lab is only second to Martin’s Tavern here in DC, which is one of my favorite places to eat. The Shepherd’s Pie was spectacular and is a must-try on the menu. The Black Lab is a large restaurant so even on a busy Friday Night seating wasn’t a huge issue. You can also choose to sit at their large bar area. When the weather is nicer they also offer outdoor patio seating. Grab a pint or a mixed drink, or choose one of their specialty UK libations like Pimm’s Cup or The Margaret Thatcher. When you’re done with dinner on a Friday or Saturday Night you can head upstairs for some music at Cezzane’s Jazz Club.

Surya {700 Durham Drive, Suite 200}

Chef-Owner Sheel Joshi brought his successful 10yr restaurant Surya from Beverly Hills to the Heights-area of Houston. You can see some remnants of Surya’s glitzy previous life with a Michelin guide recommendation as well as some famous faces with autographs on the wall. Bringing a little bit of glamour to Houston where home cooking and comfort food are well enjoyed. Sit back and enjoy this modern take on Northern Indian food, in a very modern atmosphere. I have maybe tried Indian food once in my life and didn’t consider myself to be a fan. This is one of the favorite restaurants of some of the people I spent time with in Houston, and there’s nothing better than having people who love something take you to try it and walk you through the process. Ordering here can a family-style event or you can order a personal serving. I favor the family style option for maximum testing of foods, and getting a little bit of everything you like. CSLblog recommended dishes – Aloo Gobi, Daal, Saag Paneer (this is the dish I was convinced I wouldn’t like but ended up being my favorite) and Chicken Tikka. I also can’t rave enough about their Naan bread! I’m a huge Naan fan and this was excellent and the portion size is huge!

Laredo Taqueria  {915 Snover Street}

My one Mexican food outing this round was this local’s favorite. Located in the Memorial Park is the place where locals know its worth it to stand in line for 25+ minutes just to get inside. I wasn’t sure about that part but I assured that it would be and they weren’t wrong. Just make sure to prepare yourself for the ridiculousness that is the parking lot and side street of this place. Not that I was actually ever in fear for my life, everyone is just apparently excited about this food that parking can be a bit tricky to navigate. Be ready for the portion sizes on the platters because I was definitely not! I actually laughed out loud when I got my Tostadas. I couldn’t resist trying the Fideo bowl as well, so needless to say I did not finish my meal. One of my favorite things is that you can get yourself a nice cold glass bottle of soda. Nothing better than drinking soda from a glass bottle.

Laredo has three other locations so make sure to check their website to see if another location is closer to you!

Pho Saigon  {2808 Milam Street}

On my “walking around Houston” day I found myself basically walking from one side of Houston to the other checking off things on my list that I didn’t get to see. It was my bonus “sketchy weather back home” day so I was bound and determined to get as much in as I could. I went to see the lanterns in front of the Toyota Center (which now seeing them at night and lit up in on my bucket list), a historical church that was burnt down and rebuilt, George Bush Park and whatever else I could find. The craving for Pho hit me so I looked up Pho in Houston. Pho Saigon is lauded as the best pho over and over again in my search and it was only another mile. I was working for my pho today! They did not disappoint. I’ve had a lot of pho here in the DC area and this pho was probably some of the best I have ever had. Service is quick and the pho inexpensive, two things I love about a good pho place. I will be honest and say the egg rolls were just okay, and I would pass on them next time. Also, weird note about the check. They leave it with you and you take it to the register, but I only realized that by watching people.

Check out the rest of my Houston posts!

Houston Bars

Houston Coffee

Houston Arts

Continue Reading