Sacramento Restaurant Update?
 

Searched past threads and found the most recent (2012), while comprehensive, addresses downtown restaurant possibilities. I'll be working near the I-5/Del Paso Road interchange next week and am looking for a good place for dinner on Friday night while waiting for traffic to abate before driving to Tahoe for the weekend. Quality of the food is more important than ambience. Please share your suggestions.

Only chain restaurants in that area. Downtown and mid-town the best bet. High end and wonderful: Biba, Mulvany's, Ella, Waterboy. We also like Zocalo, Paisano, Luca, Esquire Grill. Old Sac has the Firehouse and other various dining.

While MichelleY is right about mostly chains - there actually are a few decent places. For on/near Del Paso Rd - Bella Bru is quite good - in the Raley's shopping center at the Truxell/Natomas-Del Pass intersection. http://bellabrucafe.com/natomas.php

Malabar feels chain-ish but isn't and is pretty good next to the Holiday Inn Express at I-5 and Del Paso. http://www.malabaramericancooking.com

Either of these would probably be better than fighting the traffic in/out of the central city.

I really like Bella Bru.

Thanks for your replies. A little change to the plan: I'm meeting DH at the Amtrak station late Friday afternoon and will be downtown (or is that mid-town?). We're not especially interested in high end for this particular meal. Is there anything good within walking distance of the Amtrak station? Preferably small, family-owned?

Janis, I've eaten at Malabar and like it. May try Bella Bru on one of the days I'm working out there.

Amtrak is way downtown - and quite a ways from mid-town.

But it is a short walk from Old Sacramento that has several restaurants. Rio City Cafe is right on the river and has a huge waterside deck As long as it isn't 110F like today).

http://www.riocitycafe.com

Or possibly Fat City (nothing to do w/ girth - it is a prominent local Chinese family's name but it isn't a Chinese restaurant)
http://www.fatsrestaurants.com
http://www.fatsrestaurants.com/Menus/FatCityMenu.aspx

Or a longer walk up J street is Grange at the Citizen Hotel and up K street are several good restaurants between 10th and 13th streets.

I don't particularly care for Rio City Cafe. I have never had a good meal there. I would pick DH up and head to mid town for more dining options. Or go and check recs in Old Sac.

There are several nice restaurants in Old Town Sacramento.
Wander around Old Town and if it is not time for your meal, spend an hour or two in The California Railroad Museum.
If you're looking for a cheap but nice place to stay, I like the HI hostel at the corner of 10th & H across the street from City Hall.
If you have luggage you don't want to drag along you can check your bags for a fee at the Amtrak station.

Thanks all. I'm driving to Sacramento to work for a couple of days (near I-5 and Del Paso Rd.). DH is taking the train up from the SF Bay area and will arrive late Friday afternoon. I'll pick him up at the Amtrak station, and we're hoping find a casual place not too far away to have dinner. A little later, after the commute traffic settles down, we'll head north on I-80 to Tahoe for the weekend. No luggage or accommodation worries. I'll check out the Old Town recs.

>>we'll head north on I-80 to Tahoe for the weekend. <<

That would be <i>east</i> on I-80.

On Summer Fridays the heavy traffic runs through at least 7:30 PM. It is extended because of all the Bay area people heading up to Tahoe all funneling through Sacramento/Roseville.

Oops, of course it's east, not north. We'll give those Bay area folks plenty of time to clear out while we have dinner. Thanks, janisj.

Betsy, are you taking Amtrak? There is also Megabus that is around $5 each way. They started from $1, I guess the price is up by popular demand :))

Haven't taken it yet, but thinking I can just hop up for a lunch with Sacramento folks (a non-Fodorite friend moved there also)

Hi Faina. I'm driving up at the beginning of the week. DH is taking Amtrak (Capitol Corridor) from the South Bay. Looks like Megabus only goes to LA from the South Bay.

What time shall I pick you guys up and take you to Bacon and Butter, Golden Bear, Hook and Ladder or Pizza Rock? O-)

...oops...Bacon Butter b'fast and lunch only. Boooooo

Hey Kalka! Thinking about you but haven't seen you around the boards for awhile--I don't usually hang out on the US board. Would love to get together with you and delightful Marisa (sp?). Any of the above restos would be lovely! Since we'll have wheels we can drive over and meet y'all for dinner, and you can point us back to I-80 after. Cool!

GTG!! >:D<

A Friday for dinner in The 'ville?
Janisj is right next door to The 'ville and Suzie is a local too.
Some nice hotels if the BA gets near a "point oh" limit.

Friday night in the 'ville' would be great . . . <i>except</i> . . . getting there from Amtrak late friday afternoon isn't the <i>funnest</i> drive on Earth.

The whole point was to avoid the traffic - BUT how about (??? ) a GTG one of the other nights while Betsy is up here? Just a thought . . .

Other nights won't work very well, but Friday night in the 'ville sounds great. We'll work on the logistics. DH arrives late afternoon; I'm not sure what time I'll be free--could be as early as 4:30ish, so we'd have time to wend our way to the 'ville. Alternative would be for us to overnight in Sac Friday night (I have a rez) and y'all could come downtown for the GTG.

If the GTG is downtown, I'm in. Not going out to the 'ville with Friday traffic from down river.