Bottle & Barlow

I would’ve given it a better rating but I don’t think I should of had to wait 25 minutes for a drink. There was hardly any acknowledgement or interaction from the bartender and he appeared more self involved than service oriented. I would come back but I think I may just order from the cocktail waitress. She was actually quite good and seemed friendly at out going. I’d definitely hire her if she wanted to work at a better bar…

Cool place and awesome bouncer! Took 30min to get a drink though when packed, so that’s not too much fun!

Drinks are great. Service on a busy day, not so great. I understand it’s busy, but seriously, I’ve never had to wait so long in a busy environment for two beers.
Will try this place again another day with a happier note.

THE place to go for happy hour! With the best and most creative drink names, they will keep you coming back for more. Also having the chillest staff that have knowledge of what’s on their menu is always a plus.
You don’t know what you want to drink? They will!
Head on in and try it out. You won’t be disappointed.

It was a dark and stormy night. The ladies and I wanted a chilled out but semi-​high end HH experience. We went online and saw on Bottle & Barlow’s website that they do HH everyday from 5 – 8, so we collected ourselves and headed into the storm.
We entered the bar. There were a few clusters of patrons but overall it was pretty slow. A disturbingly high percentage of man buns despite its proximity to a barber shop. The vibe was very, how shall I put it?-staff oriented. I’ve worked in bars and restaurants so I get it. We all hang here, we are all friends, but come on-​give the customers some love! One of our party was already there and had just ordered a drink. The bartender Karina was making practice drinks for some event B&B was having so she eventually, begrudgingly approached us. We asked for a HH menu. We were told they used to do HH, now they don’t so (blank stare followed by pregnant pause) we just ordered and were done with it. SIDE NOTE: my friend went there a few days later and had a great old time having HH drinks. I guess the HH policy doesn’t extend to everyone. Maybe change your website or get your staff sorted out. Something. The guy behind the bar seemed friendly enough but I already had a bit of a bad taste in my mouth from the other bartender so you know how that goes.
I can’t recall what I got, but it was fine. My friends both had good drinks. But the vibe absolutely killed it.

My husband and I decided to check this place out when we were just walking by.
It’s a small bar, but a nice one! When we walked in and approached the bar we were greeted by the bartender promptly and he was able to get us our drinks fast, despite it being a little busy.
We checked this place out on a Friday night and they had a really good happy hour too!
This might have to be a bar we regularly check out. I like the staff, the drinks and the ambiance!

If you want real craft cocktails look no further… the guys that work here have come from one the the top names in the bar industry in San Francisco Future Bars (they own institutions like rickhouse, bourbon and branch to name a few) and the and the cocktail menu proves they know what they are doing. When I move to Sac, this will be my main watering hole. Thanks guy’s can wait to be a regular.

This place makes me a proud Sacramentan! The R Street area is really making a name for itself. It’s getting to the point where you tell out of towners that this area is a must. Round of applause to the curators and business owners of the R Street Corridor!
As for the bar itself, this place has definitely made my top list of bars. As I transition from my phase of poppin’ bottles at nightclubs to the let’s just have a chill night at a bar, this place will be one of my choices for the chill night. The ambiance is great and the people here are so hip! It’s because it’s right below Warehouse Artist Lofts. I even saw Soosh*E from 103.5 and David Garibaldi here… all the cool Sacramento people hang out here so it must be cool, right? IT IS!
For the drinks, they were all delicious! I am a big fan of creative cocktails. They have an ample selection of drafts on tap as well but I was there for the cocktails. Yes, they are expensive but worth every sip. Each handcrafted and made with with care. I saw one of the bartenders mess up on pouring too much in one glass and he started over from scratch. At other places, they would just wipe off the excess and hand it to you but this shows that they really care about their craft. But here a breakdown of my least fave to fave:
Midnight Special — Very strong. A little hard to drink.
Rim Job — Pretty messy. Not a drink to sip and walk around with. There’s literally shit around the rim and makes it awkward to drink. But if you love licorice, as my boyfriend does, you will love this drink.
Jackson 5 Spice — Interesting. If you like tea, I’d recommend it.
Kiss & Tell — I think the safest of all cocktails. You can’t go wrong here. It’s like cucumber lemonade. You’ll feel like it’s super healthy.
Passion of the Cross — Hints of fruit and very smooth. This was my favorite!
Also, the service here is stellar. We had a waitress helping us the whole night so we hardly had to go the the bar. We just plopped in an area/​table and she helped us the whole night. Having a waiter is a little odd since they don’t serve food but definitely a plus. It’s a bummer they don’t sell food here but there’s plenty of spots in the area for you to grab a bite. My friends and I walked 2 blocks down to get Burgers & Brew after and it wasn’t too bad.

— If there is product in your hair, Anthony does not wash it before beginning; Instead, he spritz your hair with water.
— After the haircut, he does not wash your hair nor brush/​blow dry you down after he is finished with the cut.
— I remembered that I asked for something specific, but I did not know the terminology, Anthony snapped at me, although everything was asked of politely. I could tell that he cares about his craft and industry, but to snap and yell like that was a dick move. You can review his Instagram and he pretty much does the same thing there. Seems like it is a pet peeve of his.
— At $ 26.00 dollars, without tip, he does not even give you advice on how to style your hair.
My conclusion as far as the craft, Anthony is not that special. If you are looking for styling, he is your guy though. For everything else and factoring in the price, you can get the same look at a different place for a cheaper price.
Moreover, I personally, over the past five visits, I would say Anthony is not the happiest person in there nor the person you want to be with. On my last visit, I handed him $ 40.00 and waited for change… He said, «What? … You want some change back?». Fuck yea I wanted my change back. Why am I going to tip him 50 percent?
If I had two drinks during my time there, then maybe I would give him the full $ 40.00, but this place and Anthony himself is a barber trap. Social media and social media marketing at its best.

Ive been going to Anthony for haircuts for almost 2 years now and he’s great. Meticulous but quick. Multitalented with clippers and shears. Never dissatisfied with my cuts.
On the bar side, coming from a 5 year craft bartender and previous bar manager, these guys are doing some really unique and fantastic stuff when it comes to their cocktails. Jayson is one of the most intelligent bartenders I’ve ever met. And for how good the entire staff is, you wont find a single over-​zealous ego behind the bar.
The cocktail menu is outside-​the-​box without being ridiculous or unapproachable. They gear their menu so that there are cocktails for all types of palates. Drinks are immensely complex and at the end of the day, they just taste… really GD good.
Overall, I love this place. I have a great experience every time I come. I wish my hair would grow faster so I could visit more often.

If I could give this place 10 stars, I would. Good looking bartenders with great hair making delicious drinks? SOLD.
My old roommate, whom I was visiting in Sacramento (Veronica S. Unilocal Shoutout) recommended that we try Bottle & Barlow. Well, thank you Veronica, now it gives me another reason to miss Sacramento.
The ambiance is a very hip yet relaxing and definitely brought out the older and taken crowd. #singlegirlprobs My friend decided to order the first round and ended up getting me the Kiss N Tell, I could be wrong on the name, but man that drink was amazing, and I don’t like drinking! The bartender who made our drinks were super sweet, welcoming, and had a great fade! I’m guessing it’s the craft of the second portion of the place, the barbershop.
Long Unilocal,Short, this place is amazing. The one thing I would change about my experience would be the music. I think I heard Bön Jovi 4 – 5 times in 30 minutes and know the lyrics perfectly to Living on a Prayer, which reminds me of that bad episode of Glee. This place should get RockBot and then it would be PERFECT.
Tasty Tip: Sit at the bar and keep that tab open!

I scheduled my husband an appointment for his beard and thought I would enjoy a drink while I waited for him. The bartender was less than friendly and took forever to get my order (there were two other people in the bar at the time). However, the drink was delicious. It seems like you only get good service and a drink in a decent amount of time if you’re a hipster. Seriously.
The other completely irritating thing was my husband received an email, text and phone call confirmation about his appointment and they were still over 40 minutes late getting started. He said his barber and the girl working the reception got into a small argument that resulted in a less than professional atmosphere (cussing at each other in front of customers? Seriously?).
His beard was cut uneven and had patchy spots, and it wasn’t symmetrical at all. Not even close. My husband said he will never go back and I wouldn’t suggest you even try it. This place was a total waste of time and money.

Ignored the barbershop part of this place but the bar section is top notch. Great beers on tap and diverse cocktail menu. Large outdoor patio but often overcrowded with smokers. Happy hour 6−8pm! $ 6 cocktails and $ 4 draft beers!

Off to a solid start, Bottle & Barlow offers an interesting new concept melding a barbershop and cocktail bar into a single establishment. After getting by the bouncers at the door, my girlfriend and I sat down for a relaxing drink. The interior was particularly spacious with a handful of benches and tables in addition to the bar seating.
The selection of both signature cocktails and spirits was good, though the execution has a fair bit of room for improvement. I went with a bartender’s recommendation on a gin for my gimlet and unfortunately, it turned out to be weaker and sweeter than I like. My girlfriend’s drink was the same way as I could hardly discern the vodka.
Great atmosphere and open late, but the drink mixing needs work to make a return visit worthwhile.

This is quite the classy little cocktail establishment. My girlfriends and I came across this place when our usual place was just jammed packed with people. We were instantly drawn to the outside lounge area which is just stunning! Way to go on the interior décor! Seats we exceedingly comfortable!
The service however was pretty interesting in that the bar is set up oddly. And if you are short like myself a bartender could easily miss you. But! Don’t let that discourage you! I fancy Moscow mules and they seem to have the best ones here in all of midtown! And they have their own mug which is adorable. Can bar mugs be adorable because this one is…
So after having a few drinks and having a great time I cant ever imagine not going to this place when me and my girls hit the town, hopefully I have inspired you to come and see how adorable these mugs are and hope you enjoy the comfort of the lounge area outside!

The bar and barber shop are connected but separate. This is a review for the bar.
You should go if you appreciate: a beautifully designed interior, friendly & knowledgeable bartenders, interesting & well-​made cocktails around $ 10, and a nice 20s/​30s scene, all on midtown’s happening «historic» R Street. They also have punch bowls, draft beers, and some specialty liquors.
You should NOT go if: you don’t give a hoot about any of the above, are looking for cheap drinks in a divey atmosphere, or food.
Cocktail menu:

THE NEW KING OF R STREET!
I have been here twice so far since the opening. The first time, it was crowded beyond belief. The bar was almost completely empty on the second visit. After those two juxtaposing experiences, i feel that I can give a pretty accurate review of this cool new place. So, let’s review!
QUALITY/​SELECTION: ⁵⁄₅
The first things that you will notice when you enter are the menus. Not only the gigantic tv screens with some beers on them, but the high quality paper menus that are tastefully pinned together. I LOVE good menus. There is a wide variety of liquors and a few less beers on draft. Many interesting house cocktails. Their take on the Moscow Mule is interesting and sweet. The drafts are all good craft beers. None of that pisswater that brings in the bros.
AMBIANCE: ⁵⁄₅
I really like their upper mezzanine area above the bar. I have never really seen a bar where you can watch the bartenders working like that. There is some outside seating where people can smoke. Inside is actually pretty large; the bar is very wide, there are many tables, and there is a smaller bar facing the windows. It is actually connected to their barbershop, in case you need to get your hurr did while you drink.
The patrons vary from hipstery to professional. I have only seen one d-​bag angry guy, and he left pretty quickly. Sometimes it can get pretty loud in there.
PRICE: ³⁄₅
Beers are average price based on quality, but I have seen the same ones for cheaper. Cocktails can get pricey. I think the Mule was 11 for a pretty small quantity. You are not getting drunk on a budget here.
SERVICE: ⁵⁄₅
The bartenders are on it here. Hardworking and happy is a good combination. They will offer you samples of brews. I have always been served pretty quickly. Waitresses will walk around if the bar is filled up. Drinks come out fast, as do checks. Sit at the bar if you can, though, as the bartenders really are friendly people. I believe that Fernando is the name of the young man who served me yesterday. Cool dude.
OVERALL IMPRESSION:
The new R st corridor is coming up in the world, and Bottles and Barlow is leading the way. Very good hang out spot regardless of your clique or friend group. Hopefully the new establishments coming to that area will keep with the same vibe as B&B!

My boyfriend and I stopped in for a drink and it was great! Love seeing all these different unique concept businesses pop up around Sacramento! I had the Kiss and Tell and it was amazing! Best drink I’ve ever had, not to mention it looked beautiful. The bartender was very nice and definitely knew his stuff. Only thing that makes me nervous for this bars success is that they don’t have food… hoping this place does well though!

They ONLY serve beer, cocktails, spirits, and wine. Basically anything with alcohol. Oh… And haircuts cause the other part of this place is a barbershop.
They will never serve food, but you are more than welcome to bring in your own from the surrounding area.
FYI: there are bouncers right outside ready to check IDs. It’s that serious! lol!

Took the Husband here for some man-​spa time. I was really excited to check out the brand new bar! It’s clean, well decorated, plenty of seating and the menu looks fantastic! The craft cocktails were carefully being prepared and people were loving them. Too bad I would never get one.
Apparently if you sit at the bar the bartenders will continuously walk by and do their bar back duties. Ice, new bottles, keg stuff, but they won’t help you. There was a line at the bar but it made absolutely no sense. I sat patiently for 15 minutes and smiled and waved at the bar tender but no one came to help me.
Thank goodness you can at least get some stuff on the barber side. My husband was there getting almost $ 70 worth of services so I was pretty ticked. I’m not generally an angry person but the bar side left me WTF mad.
He got a decent haircut and I got a beer and made some new friends on the patio. The barber side is pretty cool, the bar staff needs to look out for bar guests.
We might go back again but my poor experience at the bar left a pretty sour taste in my mouth. It’s just A-​OK right now.