Formoli’s Bistro

We went here because it gets good reviews, plus we could actually get in at 6pm on Sat night! We LOVED the goat cheese and date appetizer. The salmon entrée was excellent and my husband really enjoyed the pasta special. We split the apple crisp dessert, which tasted great though the apples could have used a tad more cooking. But overall, a great experience — great food and good service.

Fantastic! It was my mom’s 80^th birthday and we were looking for a place to handle 20 people. Formolis was recommended to me from my sister who lives near by. I contacted Suzanne through email and she was able to get us in with short notice. I Found out later they actually opened the restaurant early to accommodate us! We were greeted with smiles and happy employees. Soon after we arrived appetizers were served. We noshed on amazing goat cheese, pancetta stuffed dates and polenta cakes. Beautifully displayed and they tasted even better. We had very attentive service, water glasses filled, drink orders and refills came quickly. Our main courses could have had a standing ovation. I think we picked one or more of everything on the menu. The Salmon and the Whiskey Burgers were big hits. I had the Cioppino with house made sausage. Loved it! I’m a big Cioppino fan and I’m very picky about it. So well done! On to dessert! My wife enjoyed the pumpkin bread pudding. She said it was delicious! In a mouthful of Apple Crisp I believe my bother could be herd saying the words «I am eating a piece of Heaven». Overall, This place is fantastic! I got to meet the owners Chef Formoli and Suzanne, What great people, and what a great staff!
Thank you for help making my moms 80^th a day to remember!

Stopped in for dinner the other night before walking the Fabulous 40’s Christmas lights displays. As always, the staff and service were fantastic. My dinner on the other hand was somewhat disappointing. I ordered Mary’s Chicken and my friend ordered the Salmon. The Chicken breast looked beautiful; the skin had great color, crispness and flavor. The meat was very moist. It was served on a bed of slightly undercooked barley, overcooked (burned) carrots, and perfectly cooked fingerling potatoes, of which there were too few on the plate. The lemongrass broth lacked salt and other seasoning and there was too little of it. My friend said the salmon was moist and tasted good. It was served with three batter dipped and fried mushrooms. The batter was too thick. The mushrooms would have tasted fresher with a lighter tempura type batter than the heavier flour version used here.
In spite of the minor missteps here, this is still one of my favorite restaurants in town and I will return soon!

Delicious food and great service. Always order the dates Perfect blend of savoury and sweet. Enjoyed the braised pork belly, kale and apple over creamy polenta. Yummy

I am an extremely picky eater, and I’ve never been to a restaurant where I loved every dish on the table until I came here! This place is delicious! I live in the Bay Area and I still want to go back just to get my hands on their appetizers and entrees. The only problem was that I was starving after not eating anything all day, and I found that their food portions are small. By the time we ate the appetizers and entrees, I wasn’t even full (No I’m not fat, I’m actually underweight). Then again the restaurant is European and Mediterranean style, and Europe does serve food in small portions. On the other hand, they served you just with what you need and you won’t feel bloated.
⁴⁄₅ Stars personally because I was starving and didn’t get fully satisfied. Taste Buds completely and fully satisfied, stomach was not.
This place is delicious!!! I will most definitely return when I get in the area!
Heads up: They can run out on certain items!

Attended a recent family event here. There was 21 in our party and the food had not been pre-​ordered. Impressive service given the size of the party.
I had the Cioppino. The spicy tomato broth was sublime. The perfect level of spiciness tickled all of my taste buds. The clams, mussels, and shrimp were cooked perfectly. My only complaint was that the fish was cut into very small pieces and ended up being over cooked.
The burgers looked HUGE and I was told they were very good.
I wasn’t a big fan of the mushroom that came with the salmon. It needed acid or salt.

Super good bistro on J Street. Always an interesting menu such as fig & apricot salad, stuffed dates or lamb shank. Knowledgeable and attentive wait staff. Classy little place with a neighborhood establishment feel.

A Jem of a restaurant in east Sacramento ! I love the ambience of this casual yet hip and classy little place. They have an excellent menu of delicious foods. I got to try a few different dishes on my visit. The mussels as an appetizer was phenomenal! The osso boco was so flavorful and rich. I couldn’t stop eating it. But then I ate the last bite and I had no choice but to stop. The whiskey burger was so a winner, tasted like a well made classic burger … Just not sure why they named it the whiskey burger. Nothing all that whiskey about it. But still so delicious !

So.
After years and many recommendations to try Formoli’s infamous Whiskey Burger, I left the city with high expectations. When I use to live in Sacramento, I had never had the opportunity to try it so now that I was in SF, had to make a priority to make reservations.
Initially, I had reviewed the menu beforehand and possessed the inclination to order the pork chop because it sounded so fabulous. I was disappointed that despite my booking for a 5:00 pm dinner reservation, they were already out of it. The dinner had barely started for that day and the establishment was out of a popular item. I had to elect for the Whiskey Burger, medium rare.
When it arrived, my high expectations were made mediocre. My medium rare burger was medium well and the bottom bun was either stale or sat on the grill too long and dry/​crunchy. The whiskey demi was either non-​existent or it had evaporated because the burger was bland. In addition, the grind was interesting since I found my burger crumbling when I cut into it afterwards with a fork. I was truly disappointed given I make it a priority to try a new spot every time I visit Sacramento but perhaps I just came on a bad day.
On a plus, I am a huge fan of their Peruvian style poutine. Although it was not indicative of the typical poutine I’m use to, the flavors and steak were amazing. Savory and strong.
The service here is great, with an attentive staff. The interior is a little too dark since I prefer to see my food, but overall the mood pleasant. I would definitely come back for their pork chop because it sounds amazing on the menu and perhaps the burger again.
Great spot in East Sac for local jaunts for breakfast/​lunch/​dinner options and the seasonal changing menus a welcome way to introduce new flavors and dishes to the changing landscape of Sacramento.

Whenever I am in Sacramento to visit with my brother Greg for a boys night out on the town, we like to start off with a nice meal. And from what I have seen over the past couple of years the number of restaurants that make it into my book for a nice meal has increased significantly. Formoli’s Bistro amply makes that cut, and is now on my bookmark list for a return visit. Given that it is just around the block from my brother’s place that is a guarantee.
The space is comfortable and warm, with seating at the bar (our choice) and outside as well. Our server was friendly, and recommended trying the Suzanne appetizer, which at $ 30 for two was a good deal indeed, considering how generous the portions of Marrow, beef tartar, foie torchon, pickled stuff and ground mustard, brioche toast and chicharonne. Everything on the plate was delicious.
My entrée was the Cioppino which was chock full of Prawns, mussels, clams, cod, and house-​made sausage in a spicy tomato broth. The broth was very rich and flavorful, and not overly spicy in my opinion. Had to sop it up with some bread — yum!
My brother had the pork Osso Bucco with farro, rutabaga, sorrel, gremolata and capers topped with fried pig skin. There wasn’t a bit of it left on his plate.
They have a very nice wine and beer selection, with several by the glass options for the wine. I opted for the 2012 Freemark Abbey Cabernet, which reflected the quality of that vintage very well. With a beer for my brother the total tab came to $ 102 — quite reasonable and an excellent value in my opinion.
We had no room for dessert, think the richness of the appetizer plate did us in, but next time will try to save room.

I came to Formoli’s tonight with my girlfriend. I hadn’t been here in quite some time and was really looking forward to the burger. Started off with some heavenly stuffed dates. They’re incredible. Pop one in your mouth and I think that’s what heaven tastes like. Simply incredible.
I was disappointed to see the bun had changed from brioche to ciabatta, but I trusted Chef Formoli so I didn’t want to hold a grudge. And it’s good I didn’t. The bun was incredible, the patty was cooked perfectly (medium rare, of course) and I added bacon (the gf added an egg).
I can’t believe I hadn’t been back to Formoli’s in such a long time. This burger is simply the best one I have ever had. That’s a fact too, not an opinion. As I left, I thanked Chef Formoli for his creation and told him it had changed my life. Best. Burger. Ever. If you haven’t been, you MUST go. Do yourself a favor!

I almost feel bad for writing this review. But… I just got one question. What the heck was everyone smoking when they gave this place such high ratings? Cause I need to find me some of that! Took my friend here for her bday who is new to the East Sac area. Boy, we were quite disappointed. Every single dish was a fail. Sadness.
Here’s everything we ordered:
beef tartare
beef lengua tacos
spicy calamari (this was on the house)
whiskey burger (medium rare)
Upon tasting everything, our first thought was that everything was insanely salty! Couldn’t even finish a whole plate of anything. The spicy calamari had too much batter and just didn’t seem fresh. The beef lengua tacos weren’t bad — probably my fave dish of the night but it was just ok, the flavors were mediocre and nothing stood out. I was overly disappointed in the whiskey burger because everyone raves about it! I left the restaurant thinking I could’ve made a much better burger myself, and I don’t even cook [not that you need to have any cooking skills to throw together a burger… hmm, get my drift here??]
Happy hour prices aren’t that great for the portions you get.
Absolutely no ambiance here whatsoever.
Decorations are a bit weird.
I was confused what kind of restaurant I was at, was it american or italian?
Employees were friendly! Unfortunately not friendly enough to where I’d want to return.

I have no reason to give anything less! We had a great server who was attentive but not overbearing. The sample tasting of the salad (bacon/​grape/​peach) was enough to bring me back alone.
Although small and quaint it was fitting. I would only change the long HVAC tubing dripping from the ceiling, but let me tell you about the food I had…
Spicy calamari to start paired with a French Chardonnay. The spice lasted on my tongue but not in a fiery way, it was more of a lasting spice flavor that didn’t over power the battered calamari. The subtle taste of Chard paired well with this appetizer.
Whiskey burger with homemade fries and homemade ketchup was delicious. Even the oil for the table bread had its own original and flavorful taste.
Ultimately I appreciate the chef’s effort and creativity working towards flavorful dishes that use local and seasonal ingredients. Thank You! I’m a fan!

Could not find a thing wrong with our visit to this cute little restaurant. First things that caught my eye were all the unique mixed media artwork adorning the wine-​colored walls and there’s a trail of masks on the way to the loo. Before I even mentioned my name, the host said it as if they were already waiting for my party lol. Our server Monte was wonderful throughout our meal and was very knowledgeable about the menu. The Stuffed dates were an exquisite blend of savory and sweet on a bed of endives. Oh and the house-​made catsup is super good and not sugared up like most and go perfect with the crispy herb fries. I just have to say we are coming back.

I purchased a Groupon for Formoli’s that, when redeemed, gave customers two burgers and a bottle of wine. That’s a pretty good value, since the menu items are pretty pricey as is. My only reason for not giving this restaurant five stars is that I ordered my burger medium rare and it came out well done. Ugh! If there’s one thing a restaurant needs to guarantee, it’s that meat is served to the customer as ordered. Big disappointment there. The focaccia bread that came with the burger was a bit much, as I found myself eating plain bread by the end of the meal.
We were also given fries with the burger which were ok. Nothing special there. The aioli sauce that came on the burger was bomb, as was the housemade ketchup and dijon mustard with which we were also provided. Big thumbs up on the ketchup. The tomato flavor was superb.
In addition to the burgers and wine, the server provided us with some sourdough bread and oil as an appetizer. The oil was excellent and not too heavy at all.
Our server, Monty, was fantastic. He was very friendly and helpful. He, as well as the manager on shift, made sure we were always taken care of.
The atmosphere in the restaurant is very comfortable. The choice of red on the walls is smart, as are the 3D paintings. The bar looked great with its impressive wine display, although I’m pretty sure they were mostly the same type of wine. Furthermore, the bathrooms were very clean. Big thumbs up on the layout.
Apart from the overcooked meat, I was pleased with my visit and I’ll definitely be coming back.

While walking my dog last night we cruised past Formolis and to my delight they have happy hour until 7 pm! I rushed back to my place, grabbed my roommate and off we went!
The happy hour menu was small (5 – 6 food items and the same for drinks) but had a decent variety. I noticed the small plates included a lot of pork belly and one dish was tongue. Yuck. We opted for the spicy Calamari and I had the Syrah and she chose the Chardonnay. The calamari was good. Almost had a spicy buffalo taste. The wine was ok. Nothing spectacular. They ran out of the happy hour Chard so they offered my roommate a different one. She said it was just ok.
After cruising the menu and deciding we didn’t love anything we opted for a non-​HH dish and got the stuffed dates. Oh. My. God. They were SO good. Probably one of the best things I have ever had. See pics for ingredients!
We are definitely coming back for our burger fix soon!

My boyfriend and I went here tonight using a Groupon ($ 29 for $ 54) and had a great experience. The service was great and the interior was really lovely.
The deal gets you two burgers and a bottle of wine. The burger was slightly dry, but I definitely recommend Formoli’s!

Good location with parking and easy access.
Tasty food, but small portions for the price. I had to eat extra btead to satisfy my hunger.
Friendly, prompt service.
Recommended for a great local evening inside or on the patio.

Just flew in from San Diego and my Brother’s friend was blowing him up on the phone and wanted to go eat a hamburger. He said the best burger in town is from Formoli’s and we had to try it. Hey, it’s in East Sac so it’s close so we checked it out.
Love the décor and the open area (they also have outdoor seating in the front of their buidling) and the staff greeted us warmly and they all looked pretty hot.
The Guys got the Whiskey burgers and fries, they were HUGE. My brother only ate half so I ate a couple bites of his burger. Super juicy and tasteful. I ordered the Butter Leaf Salad which had just enough dressing on it, just how I like it. I just ordered an appetizer since I knew I couldn’t finish a hamburger, the kabobs. These were damn good, I think it was better than the hamburger, the flavors where bangin’ along with the cucumber dip it was just enough for me.
My favorite thing to drink is water (other than vodka of course) and they had cucumber spiked water and it was delish. I asked our server to just leave the pitcher in front of me. It’s sometimes just the little things.
Protip: They usually have a groupon offer so check out the app prior

I really like it when a plan comes together, which it did in spades when I cashed in my Amazon Local deal; $ 49 for a three-​course prix fixe dinner with wine.
Per the deal, you had to call and make reservations and mention you were using the deal. No problem with that and got our preferred reservation time with no worries. When we drove up to Formoli’s there in East Sac, we apparently lucked out because found street parking almost right in front. Yay! Good start!
We got in a bit early, but our table was ready, so we sat down. Already on our table was our Amazon deal menu, which was very nice! It was actually kinda nice not having to think too much about what we wanted; our choices were right in front of us. We were also surprised by the offering of a scrumptious amust bouche; a salmon salad… sooooo good! Then, one Cab and one Chardonnay to choose, so that was easy. One salad, pear and green bean (tasted lovely, to my surprise since I would never put those ingredients together) which we both had. Entrée had two choices; hubby got the seafood bisque and I got the roasted chicken. Easy! Then, one dessert to share, which was chocolate three ways; a divine chocolate mouse, two yummy chocolate truffles, and a chocolate meringue. ALL the courses were delicious!
The service could not have been better! We had three different gentlemen bringing our food, bussing the table and refilling our drinks, and checking up on us to make sure our experience was up to snuff.
I have to say, we hadn’t been to Formoli’s before, but we are mos’ def’ gonna be back due to the food and experience we had the other night. I’m looking forward to coming in for lunch and trying that famous Whiskey burger!
Thumbs up to Formoli’s, and I recommend y’all give it a try, with or without a coupon :)