River City Saloon

Sacramento, United States

3.5

Open now

20 reviews

Accepts Credit Cards

Contacts

QR code, vCard

Telephone:
+1 916-443-6852
Website:
therivercitysaloon.com
Address:
916 2nd St, Sacramento, CA, 95814
Downtown, Old Sacramento
Nearby public transportation stops & stations:
430 ftCalifornia State Railroad Museum
0.2 miJ St & 4th St (EB)
0.3 miSacramento Valley Station
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Bussiness info

Takes Reservations
No
Accepts Credit Cards
Yes
Parking
Garage, Street
Bike Parking
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible
Yes
Good for Groups
Yes
Ambience
Divey
Noise Level
Average
Good For Dancing
No
Alcohol
Full Bar
Happy Hour
Yes
Best Nights
Thu, Fri, Sat
Coat Check
No
Smoking
No
Outdoor Seating
No
Has TV
Yes
Has Pool Table
Yes

Today

Today 11:00 am – 2:00 am
Open now
Local time (Sacramento) 18:23 Wednesday, 11 June 2025

Business hours

Monday 11:00 am – 2:00 am
Tuesday 11:00 am – 2:00 am
Wednesday 11:00 am – 2:00 am
Thursday 11:00 am – 2:00 am
Friday 11:00 am – 2:00 am
Saturday 11:00 am – 2:00 am
Sunday 11:00 am – 2:00 am

Description

Specialties

River City Saloon is the last old west saloon in Sacramento. It’s menu consists of great deli sandwiches, a full bar, and $ 0.25 cent Sarsaparilla. Kids are welcome till 9pm.

There is also two pool tables in the back of the saloon, and FREE wi-​fi is available.

History

Established in 2008.

It has had a long history in Sacramento. It originally was an early framed wood building that was replaced with brick in 1857. In 1861, it was one of the original houses of «ill repute“owned by Johanna Heigle. Shortly after that it became Parker French’s Saloon. It was owned by Mr. Parker French who was a colorful Sacramento Newspaper man that wanted a fun place to go after work. The saloon was also known as an unruly place at times. Many stories of people being Shanghaied and taken out to sea have been heard. During Prohibition, it would be continually raided as it insisted it was only serving Sarsaparilla and alcohol for medicinal reasons.

In the 1960’s, the saloon had fallen to hard times as the area had become the worst skid row west of the Mississippi. In 2007, the saloon was remodeled to its original grandeur. The bar is a 1905 Triple Arch Brunswick just like the one that stood here in 1871. It was originally in a New York hotel that was demolished and then salvaged by Red

Meet the Manager

Sean D.

Manager

Sean is the guy that’s there to run the business and get you to enjoy your time in Sacramento’s Last Old West Saloon. He loves to slide 25 cent sarsaparilla’s down the bar to kids and keep those free peanut baskets full of nuts.

He has been in the bar business for over 20 years and also has been awarded many times for the best Bloody Mary in town. He says the secret is the bacon…:)

He loves to talk travel stories with visitors from out of town and tell all about the history of the saloon and the surrounding area.

When visiting tell him your a yelper and he might show a little extra love.

River City Saloon also recommends

Fanny Ann’s Saloon

385

reviews

American (Traditional)

,

Burgers

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Bars

Sean D. says,

«Just a rocks throw from River City Saloon, this saloon has a great staff and great food. Make sure you check out all the levels of rooms in this joint»

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20 reviews of River City Saloon

No registration required
Place rating: 5
Sacramento, CA
Crystal!!! You was great like always. She’s the best at making bloody Mary’s and customer service. She keeps me coming in
Place rating: 5
Stockton, CA
Absolutely my favorite bar in Sacramento. The bartenders are great. My favorite day to go is Saturday. Karaōke starts at 10pm on Saturdays.
Place rating: 5
Dublin, CA
garlic fries is awesome. they are a super tasty, burned just right.
Place rating: 3
Hidden Hills, CA
We had a blast here! It’s dark, the bar is sticky, and I turned right around when I thought about using the restroom. But for our quick weekend trip to Sacramento and wanting to have the old town saloon experience — this place was awesome! We even bought the shot so we could have the glass!
Place rating: 2
Vallejo, CA
Me and my sweets use to enjoy coming to this place. We got there and waited for a single waitress on Black Friday she was the only one there green hair and all… Smh. Anyways us being the only colored person at the bar waiting she promptly went around us and served others after telling us to she would be serving us. I will never go again… We mentioned we were next and she copped a mild attitude. Bad customer service… Our first experience like it at this particular saloon/​bar.
Place rating: 2
San Jose, CA
We showed up here after a bad experience at the Coconut Grove up the street. We still wanted a few more drinks, maybe a bite to eat since everything else around had closed up shop at like 6pm.
We showed up, grabbed spots at the bar. My husband made a joke to the bartender, to which she didn’t laugh, no smile, not even a fake ha ha «what can I get you» type BS you give people. She just looked at him, dead face, and made a smart ass remark that was rude. Obviously she can’t take a joke!
We ordered drinks and apps. Decided on mozzarella sticks, chicken wings, and garlic fries. Gross, gross, and gross!!! The only redeeming thing was the free basket of peanuts they give you to snack on, and throw the shells on the floor. Ugh. The wings were weird tasting, only had 1 and called it quits. Took 1 bite of the mozzarella sticks, and they tasted like they weren’t even done being cooked!!! The garlic fries weren’t half bad. My brother and husband snacked on what they could and we ditched those… gross!
We took a spot at the back at a pool table once it cleared up, and played a few rounds. That was the only thing that kept us from leaving.
The waitress/​bartender continued to be rude and have the attitude as if she were being bothered by the people at the bar. Look, I know working in the service industry is difficult, and bartending even more so adding to the element of drunk people. I’ve been there, some days are better than others. On the bad days is when you have to smile through it even when you don’t want to, and she just couldn’t. She was responsive to me when I ordered more beers, however my brother and husband, she would LITERALLY roll her eyes when they ordered something!!!
After people watching, drinking, and playing pool for a while, we paid and left.
Place rating: 5
Sacramento, CA
Best Bloody Mary in town hands down. Just get one. Don’t think of getting any other drink than the bloody mary. I got myne made with gin and it was on point. Just enough spice without being over powering, a little smoky, with a but if tart. You won’t be disappointed. We liked them so much we got 2. Oh and don’t forget the bacon! Enjoy!
Place rating: 1
Sacramento, CA
I would prefer to have been able to make this place half a star. This is the second time to this bar and the service is terrible. The bartender kept forgetting what drinks we ordered, not bringing them, etc. She didnt put our food orders in, we had to tell her a second time. It took her 10 minutes when our friends showed up for hee ro evwn coe say hello.
There was also a hypodermic needle on the floor, in the peanuts, that I stepped on (I don’t know if it was for insulin or dirty, but it doesn’t matter). Day before my wedding… glad I didn’t break it. Be very careful should you choose to go there.
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
So we were in town for TBD fest and staying near Old Sacramento. The first night we walked in to River City Saloon, ordering a drink was a pain, the karaōke was nearly torturous and we immediately turned around and left.
Two nights later we went back in and we really enjoyed our time. Free shot glasses with shot purchase (who doesn’t love that), bar games, great prices, super chill spot. Highly recommend going if you are ever in this part of Sacramento.
Place rating: 4
Peoria, AZ
This place is pretty cool inside. Still looks an old saloon. Red velvet wallpaper and metal tiled ceiling. Friendly staff and great service. Bloody Mary and Sacramento sunset were great tasting cocktails.
Place rating: 5
Santa Cruz, CA
I’m just gonna go flat out and give this place five stars.
For the following reasons:
Whisky ON TAP! okay, sure it’s jack daniels, but it’s jack daniels in a keg on tap. How cool is that?
It’s a fricken old west saloon, complete with sawdust on the floor and barrels for tables.
The drink specials. With a beer you can select a two dollar shot. Call in to work first though.
The staff-​the bartender I had was super awesome at navigating an eclectic happy hour rush.
Caveats for my five star review which I’m overlooking temporarily as I had a really really great time here:
The keg for the jim beam can go some time before it gets swapped out. If you come in at the tail end of an old keg that jack daniels may have… er,…more unusual flavor then you might expect.
If you come in expecting the bartender to fawn over your request to break a hundred for the cheap hotdog place next door… that may not happen. Unless you buy a beer or something.
Bringing in your children to play on/​with the arcade games in the back. This is a bar people! Not the most child friendly place in the world.
But if you want a few or more drinks while exploring old town this place is the bomb.
Place rating: 4
Sacramento, CA
After the owner read my review he sent me a message which just made me want to return, and i have returned multiple times since then and my experience had been great.
This house now become a traditional place we go to for my friends Birthday parties along with when ever I am in Old Town Sacramento.
Last we were there again with a large party and we had a blast playing pool and drinking, music was great :)
Place rating: 4
San Francisco, CA
Very nice bartender and got our drinks right away. She had long hair and was very friendly.
We ordered fireball shots and sailor jerry (which comes with the free shot glass you can bring home) and she gave us sasparilla to chase it down. Thanks!
We’ll return in the near future!
Place rating: 5
Sacramento, CA
A group of us recently went on the the booze bike (Off the Chain), and this is the second stop on the ride. Of the three stops, this place was the easiest to get drinks at, and the service was wonderful. They were very fast, friendly, and accommodating to our crowd. They offer a $ 6 shot of Sailor Jerry (if memory serves), and you get to keep the shot glass.
They also have a decent selection of beers on tap, and for $ 2 more, you can add a shot of Jack Daniels’ solution to Fireball. I don’t touch the whiskey anymore, no sir, but it was an easy way to get myself a beer and a cheap shot for one of my friends. Win-​win!
I’m tempted to give this place 4 stars instead of 5 because after I closed my tab (signed the receipt, left a tip, and all that jazz), they didn’t give me back my credit card. I didn’t realize it at the time, and luckily, I had another one with me (I packed light because of the bike ride). I was able to call at our last stop and confirm they had my card, and went back the next day to pick it up.
Picking it up the next day proved what a fun watering hole this place is. We grabbed my card, and ordered a couple of Bloody Marys, and sat and chatted with the bartender on duty that day, Ryan. He was very friendly and funny, and helped us to cure our hangovers. There was a strange man in there that kept trying to chat with anybody that would or wouldn’t listen, and as Ryan said, «He THINKS this is his bar, but it isn’t!» Ha!
Go for the Bloody Marys, stay for the fun!
Place rating: 1
Davis, CA
Horrible, horrible service. March 18 at about 11 PM, my boyfriend and I came to grab a bloody mary and the female bartender there was just awful. She had rude, short responses and was completely uninviting.
Rude service from female bartenders seems to be an affliction here, all the females give atrocious service. The only way I’d ever set foot in this place again is if the older male bartender is working. otherwise, screw it. I’m not tipping a scowling, unpleasant person for their substandard service.
Place rating: 3
Vacaville, CA
Me and my friends went there on a day not many people were in the bar yet our service was horrible. We ordered a few drinks but the bartender did not pay attention to what we order exactly and messed the drinks but did not offer to make another. He also talked to his co-​worker more that pay attention to other patrons not just us. The thing that ticked me off the most is that I’m pretty sure for the tip with my card I wrote 0.00 because I did tip a bit in cash. I guess he thought he did a better job than that because he charged an additional 3.00 to my card. Maybe one of the zeros looked like a three but I don’t think so.
The only reason Im giving this place three stars is because every other time I have ever been here the service was excellent.
Place rating: 1
Sacramento, CA
The owner of this place must have a learning disability or just be plain stupid. I was approached by security while there and asked to leave because a regular didn’t like that I had offered a girl some cake. He said he, she thought I was calling her fat and then tried to pick a fight with me. The guy was a total fucking tool and a drunken ass hole. After he left me alone the security asked me to leave. I told him I didn’t do anything wrong and I wasn’t even drinking. He told me that the other guy was a regular and he knew the owner and I had to leave.
If you are the owner of this bar, fuck you. I can’t imagine running a bar where you let your regulars treat customers poorly. The only reason that should have ever happened was because it was the first time. The fact that your security was so quick to side with the drunk guy picking a fight with me tells me that this is not the first time. Your regulars are the people who should be getting more clients into your place, not picking fights with random people. I hope your bar goes under and you lose your house to foreclosure with your shitty customer service. And as for your douche regular I am sure he will get the shit kicked out of him one day for his behavior. Karma is a bitch.
Place rating: 3
Sacramento, CA
You’ve definitely got to be in the right mood for River City Saloon.
I suppose a Santa-​Con Pub Crawl would warrant a stop at this dark and dirty bar. I will say, I’ve always been a fan of peanut-​shell ridden floor, and packing tens of Santas in one room makes the whole experience of smashing peanut shells on the ground that much more fun. It’s like you’re shoving it down society’s throats that you’re on the naughty list this year — and you’re cool with it, as you celebrate and knock back a whiskey shot with the bartender.
Also, prepare to embrace the strangest music videos you’ve ever seen and share a beer with the stiff at the end of the bar.
Come here if you’re in the mood to get on the naughty list — everyone that comes through the door is getting coal for Christmas.
Place rating: 4
Sacramento, CA
This is a cute narrow saloon that dives straight down with the bar right up front as you walk in. There’s a mannequin sitting in the first seat. I mistaken it as a real person initially when my friend was patting him on the back, in my head went «why on earth is Gai patting some stranger’s back.» until I realized the plastic stare back at me. Kinda creepy, but neat lol.
The night I came here, they were hosting a birthday celebration for Jack Daniels. Me and my friends got to try a variety of cocktails and shots with JD in them. My favorite would have to be the honey peach fizz (Jack Daniel’s Honey, peach schnapps, sprite and a splash of OJ).
Plenty of entertainment for the celebration of Jack’s birthday. With live band playing (ACA’ DACA) and raffle giveaways. I am happy to say that I won twice with my raffle ticket! The staffs here are super friendly, not to mention gorgeous. The waitresses took pictures with me and my friends and also other groups who were here at the saloon. They have a nice pool table in the back and some arcade games. At the bar, there’s a touch screen gaming system operated by inserting dollars and coins. Be wary of the peanut shells all over the ground. Expect to see a floor similar to those at a steak roadhouse. Overall I am glad I got to come here with my friends, I had a fun night drinking JD although I must admit that whiskey is not my strong suit.
Place rating: 4
Sacramento, CA
I came here when it wasn’t that crowded (in fact pretty quiet). I drank a beer from Eureka (the Tangerine. Only $ 4.75!) And enjoyed the mellow vibe.
Dont be surprised by the floor. Lot of peanut shells everywhere but hey it’s a Saloon what do you expect!
Apparently this place serves good bloody Mary’s too.