Surfergirl

Some nice person started this thread for Los Angeles. As some of you know, I've been coming up to Sacramento annually for the last 3 years (this weekend is my 4th). Sorry not requesting a GTG this time -- had fun the last 2 years, but my Friday night this time was booked with work. Next year, for sure!

Meantime, I'm hoping some of you locals will start working on this thread and provide a great tool for others coming to Fodors looking for a good meal.

Since we stay in midtown without a car, all the places we've gone are within that area. So others can build on that.

Nice spots I met our Sacramento Fodors crew at the last two years were:

Paesano's -- fabulous pizza and Italian
Rock Pizza -- more great pizza!

Friday night we joined a group of about 12 very snugly in the "Snug Room" at Mulvaney's B&L, a great little midtown spot at 19th & L. Upscale, well presented California cuisine.

Last night we tried out Lucca, a very reasonably priced brick restaurant with an indoor/outdoor (although the outdoor portion is fully enclosed!) themed place, where the owner serves his own Lucky Dog fresh beef. We had killer roasted mussels to start (I've never had roasted mussels before!), followed by a house salad, fish of the day, and profiteroles for dessert. There wasn't a bad dish or even boring dish between my husband and I. It gets very crowded here, so it's not a place for those who like quiet. We'll definitely come here again. It's also within spitting distance of where the Governor resides (not the mansion, his actualy residence).

Now I'll go back to my notes on other places we've been that were recommended by the Sactown Fodors crew!

Toefood

http://tequilamuseo.com/

Last time we were in SAC, we met several Fodorites here and it was loads of fun and very good!

sf7307

We happened upon this Thai place driving up to Tahoe and we really enjoyed it:

http://www.bangkokgardencuisine.com/

Surfergirl

Last year we dined at Zocalo at 1801 Capital Avenue, recommended by my Sactown Fodorite peeps. A nice, fresh, Mexican styled restaurant, very lively, long waits, and pretty loud. It is very trendy, good food, ok service, lovely atmosphere.

Aioli Bodega. 1800 L Street. Great to eat at, even at the bar. Aside from the really great service, the food is superb, especially if you're into the Spanish tapas/Algerian Moroccan style food (we are!).

janisj

You've mentioned some good ones.

a few others:

Waterboy - upscale, really good
Ella - even more upscale.
Mikuni mostly for the sushi
Hot Italian
Tapa the World -- not 'fantastic' but a reasonable tapa experience
Moxie
Cafe Rolle is a bit east - closer to Sac State than midtown but a really neat little French Bistro

TravelinFeet

Sac actually has a nationally rated Italian Restaurant -- biba-restaurant.com It's expensive, but there is, I believe, an early or late dinner fixed price. I ate there last year and the spaghetti a la carbonara was hands down the best I have ever had.

I second Tapa. Cafe Rolle is supposed to be wonderful, but I haven't made it there yet!

The "jumpin" spot is now renamed, used to be Hamburger Patties?? but last I looked is still there. Someone help me out here with the name? (You do know that this is the Gay part of town right?)

You can totally skip Crepeville and Bistro some number or other lol...

Cafe Bernardo is your average American place, but always fresh, always safe.

HTH

TF

janisj

"You do know that this is the Gay part of town right?"

it isn't segregated you know . . . .

sf7307

I ate at Biba - i'm wondering who "nationally rated" it? I thought it was fine, but no better than your average white tablecloth Italian restaurant.

janisj

Biba is good -- at one time one it was one of the best in town. But now it is just good and definitely reliable. Many other places have opened since and we really have some amazing restaurants. The two very best are probably the Kitchen - but difficult to get into - which is a current James Beard nominee, and Ambience which is Amazing but stuck in a strip mall out in Carmichael and not convenient for visitors.

Tomsd

If you want a little variety and to see a cute/Victorian/historic place - try nearby Folsom. Near it's old downtown area are a number of places - including some good Thai.

Tomsd

Here's some info on Folsom restaurants in the historic area - and Thai Siam was very good, and Hop Sings Palace is also good for Chinese:

http://www.historicfolsom.org/food.cfm

Tomsd

Here's a little more on these two places. One of my old ski buddies lives in Folsom - and we love the Thai place. There is another one a bit further away - across the bridge - which was also very good - but I can't remember the name of it. We also had fun during a bike race around the old town area - dining at Hop Sing Palace. And his son loves Pizza from a place near there - whose name also escapes me at the moment. It was pretty good. Might be Ciros - but I can't be sure.

http://www.thaisiamfolsom.com/ and http://www.stylemg.com/Style/Februar...p-Sing-Palace/

http://www.cirospizza.com/?gclid=CIr...FQ1jhwodQW_UAw

Tomsd

Juat to be safe - here is a list of other Pizza places around Folsom. Years ago - one used to have live jazz on Friday nights, but think that one has closed?

http://www.folsomliving.com/modules/.../42/Pizza.html

MichelleY

If you want to eat "like" locals, head to the Club Pheasant in West Sac. Not anything special food wise but a long time hang out far and wide.

BarbAnn

Another restaurant in Old Town Folsom is Sutter Street Steakhouse. I had dinner there recently. It has fabulous food and the wine selection is great.

The Kitchen is well known in the Sacto area. I have not eaten there, but my son (23 yr. old) has eaten there numerous times. He and his girlfriends family are foodies and declare it the best. It is pricey.

sf7307

The menus for the The Kitchen and Ambience look fabulous!

toncasmo

The Kitchen just got nominated for a James Beard award!