The Shady Lady Saloon

shady for sure! Sign by the door said wait for staff to be seated… waited… waited… for 10 minutes. Bartenders clearly saw us and pretended they’re busy!

Everything I’ve eaten has been good. It’s lovely and lively, even rowdy, do don’t take your lady for a quiet talk. For good appetizers and entrees plus great cocktails yes. Last time we got fried chicken sandwich and fried green tomatoes which were hella grubbin. Table service was excellent can’t speak for bar service. If ever bookish but empty of stomach and want to keep drinking get the fries, so banging. I don’t drink anymore but my memories of those fries work fine. The art and ambiance is up there. Tasteful speakeasy environment. Check it out

I love this place! The security in the front, super friendly and always level headed. The drinks, superb. The décor, killer. And the best part? LIVE MUSIC! This speakeasy bar is as classy as it gets in Sacramento. The bartenders knows their poisons and they serve it well.
It gets busy during the weekends, so I suggest parking by the park on Q and 15 and walk it over to the Shady Lady. ^_^

I go to this place often. I love Sunday nights. Jazz starts about 9:00 PM. I always feel safe here thanks to the excellent security staff. The food is great. Drinks fantastic. I do not call them bartenders but something else, maybe mixologists? These people are mostly excellent at their craft. Recommend the Olympia on tap for a few bucks. A nice mix of all ages. Atmosphere is great.

I stopped in for some classic cocktails, ordered some classic cocktails, enjoyed some classic cocktails, finished some classic cocktails, then went on my merry way. The knowledgeable bartenders were attentive and friendly – anytime there’s a big menu with creative cocktails of all sorts of different alcohol bases, I’m in.
I liked the antique furniture and red aura of the place. Everyone in the joint seemed nice (no trashiness). This would be an awesome place to start/​end a nice date. I’ll probably be back here again if I’m ever in downtown Sac for whatever else. This Saloon 100% should be on anyone’s barhopping list when partying in the area.

Strong drinks, unimpressive food.
You probably have to be 2 drinks in to love their food. We ordered the Mac & cheese, mushroom sliders, and the charcuterie platter and we decided we wouldn’t come back for the food.

Bone marrow
Mussels and Beer
Dixieland and other music
Impeccable cocktails and friendly waitstaff
What more can I say about the Shady Lady? I’m never let down when I come here and I feel welcome all day, whether it be for lunch or the wee hours of last call!
My favorite cocktail is their white linen, but be kind to the bartender and tell them to surprise you, and they’ll always whip you up something out of this world. Their creations are on the drink menu and it says who invented it. :)
There HAS been one moment when two intoxicated men started a little brawl outside the doors, scary. But the bouncer and doorman got em out quickly and quietly, which was totes impressive.
Also, nextdoor to Burgers and Brew if their 12am kitchen cutoff sneaks up on you.

Great live music, great food, great cocktails, great ambiance! Love this spot — for the grown and classy!
Food recs: macaroni balls, tomato soup, steak salad
Drink recs: RED DAISY! Caprihna!
Cons: not a ton of seating available so can be standing room only. Wish the «dance floor» was bigger.
But i love this place I’m a regular when i can get away. Diamond in the ruff for Sac.

We loved the name and the vibe of the Shady Lady Saloon. Plus it’s dog friendly with a nice outdoor area and the diners that were outside were all very friendly too. The service was a little laid back but our server was very friendly. I never understand how servers can take orders without repeating back the order or writing anything down b/​c I forget everything as soon as someone tells me but this gal got most of our order correct (except one drink).
The drink menu is creative yet classy offering an array of handcrafted cocktails and an excellent selection of beers on tap too. We loved our drinks!
For food my friend had the Grilled Chicken Sandwich with a lemon mayo and hubby had the French Dip. They were both very happy with their dishes with no leftovers either. And I helped them with the fries!
I have to admit that when I first saw the menu I was a bit disappointed at the lack of vegetarian options. I basically chose a salad with the only other thing on the menu that was veggie friendly (aside from the grilled cheese) — the portobello mushroom sliders. I wasn’t excited about my choices until I tried them. O-​M-​G both dishes were AMAZING!!!
The Roasted Beet & Carrot Salad was dressed with this awesome tarragon vinaigrette, some spiced walnuts, and shaved fennel. That ingredients were so fresh!!! And those Portobello Mushroom Sliders were RIDICULOUS. When I use a word like that to describe food it means «this is so damn good I have to throw down my fork b/​c I cannot understand how someone made these simple ingredients this tasty.» 3 sliders plated beautifully with house made mozzarella, watercress, balsamic onions, apples, and a garlic aïoli — nothing crazy but WOW. My friend actually wished she ordered what I had over her chicken sandwich. Such a great idea and so perfectly prepared!
As a vegetarian, I never get to eat sliders. And honestly I normally don’t bother ordering any portobello burgers b/​c most places put a huge mushroom on bun that hasn’t been properly marinated which makes it too tough to bite and break apart so it usually falls apart and I get irritated. BUT not here because they marinate and slice the portobellos which makes them tender and easy to eat! I have to say Bravo, Shady Lady, that is a well-​executed and thoughtful vegetarian plate. THANK YOU!

I typically have nothing but good things to say about shady. The service has always been self entitled, and pretentious so I must say I could’ve seen what happened last night coming. My girlfriend and I, ordered two drinks from the bar last night. When I received my drink, I knew something didn’t taste right, or something was definitely not right. So I had Asked a different bartender to remake the drink that I didn’t think tasted right.
After coming here and getting the same drink every time for 9 years, I thought it was a little off and for a 10 dollar drink, I would hope that it tasted exactly the same every time. After he remade my drink, he came over to me and said that it was going to be another 10 dollars for the same drink he just threw out, which I had already just paid for. When I asked him why I was getting charged for a second drink, he didn’t say a word to me, just came over and grabbed the drink out of my hand, and threw it out. If you don’t like dealing with people, maybe you should’ve picked a different career path in life.

The Shady Lady bartenders taught me about smacking mint leaves!
This place is great, I went in on a Sunday night before going to a show a couple doors down. There were a couple seats open at the bar and we were able to sit down right away and look through the menu of drinks. They have a long list of cocktails separated by the main kind of alcohol used in it. It was funny to see how quickly they come up with drink recipes based on what’s popular, for example, they have a drink named Damn Daniel. I didn’t order it, but the guy next to me said it was really good, he had 2.
I ordered Zombie, if you like sour drinks, you will probably enjoy this drink. My girlfriend ordered Pimm’s Cup, it was tasty, but not the Pimm’s cup we’re used to… everyone makes drinks differently, so I will not complain.
The atmosphere is nice and definitely a good place to hang out and grab a few drinks if you’re not in to loud bars/​clubs. Make sure you have a light source handy to read the menu, since the bar is dark.

Shady Lady, you have redeemed yourself! I decided to give this place a second chance and suggested it when a friend and I wanted to go grab some cocktails. We went on a Monday evening and parking was easy, you just need to drive around a little bit.
We walked in and grabbed some seats at the bar and checked out their huge cocktail menu. I decided to go for a seasonal offering; the mad hatter which was made with gin. My friend got zombie which features rum. Our drinks did take a bit but they actually have a note saying since they are speciality cocktails they take longer, and our bartender put a lot of time into them. They were definitely worth the wait!
We then headed outside to sit there; we got duck tots to share and my friend got tomato soup with grilled cheese. It was delicious and our waitress was really sweet and attentive. We got some more drinks (Venus fly trap for me and a mai tai for her) and chatted more. Super nice atmosphere and good place to hang out. I’ll be back but maybe not when they are at their busiest like before, and will have to make happy hour (3 – 6) next time!

Stopped by here for a quick bite to eat before heading to a show next door.
The vibe and ambiance of the place is very cool. It had a very relaxing atmosphere and if we had more time I definitely wouldn’t have minded staying and hanging out for a bit.
I ordered the Cesar Salad and duck tots.
The salad was… meh. It was a warm salad and they just presented it to you in huge blocks of lettuce. Really not the best way to eat it and the char was too much.
The duck tots however were pretty awesome. It can get a little heavy but definitely an experience.
Our waitress, albeit possibly by herself, was neither here nor there. It was very hard to get her attention while she only attended to another table besides ours.
We were in a bit of a rush when we were finished and ended up having to track her down by the back of the restaurant (we were sitting right by the entrance) to get our check.

Unique cocktails and delicious appetizers! I’ve only been here twice but both occasions kept me wanting more.
This place has an indoor seating (booths and bar) and outdoor patio seating. I like the atmosphere of this place! It’s quite quiet, spacious, dim lighting.
Good for first dates, dates in general, friends, HH, GNO, groups, etc.
Absinthe (Range starting from $ 10) — I tried my friend’s order and it was pretty cool experience. Other drinks I recommend is the White Linen and Gin Daisy.
Appetizer wise, I enjoyed the fried green tomatoes and duck fried tater tots. Skip the bone marrow unless you like to consume chunks of fat.

Still my favorite bar in Sacramento.
The White Linen is still my favorite cocktail from Shady lady and the Rosemary’s Regret.
Duck Tots ⁵⁄₅ $ 8.50
Smoked paprika-​lemon aïoli, duck cracklings. Omg, crispy on the outside, moist, flavorful and tasty on in the inside. I love this dish, so freakin good! One of my favorites.
Macaroni & Cheese ⁵⁄₅ $ 11.50
Black Forest ham, King Richard leeks, provolone, jack, white cheddar, grana padano and gorgonzola. How can you not love this dish, it’s creamy, cheesy, pack with flavors with a crispy burnt on the top.
Everytime I end my night here. I’m happy, this bar is my happy place. Amazing cocktails, delicious food with live Jazz. Yes, please!

This is one of the places to go, says one friend. So I decided to do my small high school reunion here with a handful of friends. The place is in mid-​town and it’s quite trendy. They have outdoor seating and when you walk in, it looks like it’s only for drinks.
The night I went, there was a meet up group there, so I guess they host little get together. Why not? More business and advertising! The place sure looked like a saloon, but modernly updated. Love the feeling inside, especially on a date. Feels intimate and sexy.
I got there early, so I was just sitting their alone in the booth. A cute bartender walked over and said someone ordered the wrong drink and instead of wasting it, he gave it to me. So sweet. And what’s sweeter is that he asked if I was over 21, hehe. Super cute guy, too bad I don’t like in Sac!
Finally the group came and we literally ordered the whole menu! The Charcuterie Board was everyone’s favorite. Variety of cheeses and meats, house made pork grinds and jam, and this board includes bone marrow! Yum!
We then ordered the duck tots. I thought this would be my favorite since everyone is like in love with it. It definitely wasn’t ours. It was cold and we couldn’t taste any duck!
The fried green tomato was great. Now that I didn’t think I would like, but I enjoyed it very much.
The portobello mushroom sliders were good and the beet salad was also good. The Cuban sandwich was meh to me, the others agreed. Supposedly it was heavily doused with horseradish. I only took a small bit and didn’t taste it.
The place was good, the atmosphere was good, it was a good night overall. I would come back if I’m in Sac again. =)

I can’t say for sure but at least for me this was the original craft cocktail spot in Sacramento. Before doing any real traveling, Shady Lady was the first to introduce me to a speakeasy and fine cocktails.
A sign of any good drink spot is the ability of the bartenders to take your liquor of choice and your current mood and put it into a drink. You can always order off the menu which often has seasonal choices, but letting the bartenders do their thing is always best. And don’t forget about the food here. The food often gets lost and many don’t know about it but it’s not just bar food. The food they serve here would stand up to any restaurant in Sacramento.
A great place for great food and drinks. Don’t forget about the love music on certain nights.

Everything about this place is what I love about a bar! This place has the best staff, amazing food, and great drinks!
My friend and I came here to just have a relaxing evening with a bottle of wine and some dinner. We went with a bottle of Malbec, the duck confit tater tots, mushroom sliders, and I believe he got the Reuben or Monte Crisco… can’t remember when he had.
Anyways, I was totally blown away, I was not expecting the food to be so amazing, not to mention the service we had that night. Wish we had remembered the waitresses name because she was amazing.
We were there to lounge and to just take our time enjoying our nice while enjoying our bottle. She even asked if we would like to take our bottle outside to enjoy the cold air but by the time we were asked that we had already finished it.
We did end up taking her advice on relaxing outside and decided to try one of their cocktails which were delicious. I had a vodka and tonic, they don’t skimp which was great, and my friend had something with jalapeños that was too hot for me to handle lol.
After a certain time I guess they do charge a cover which was something we weren’t charged maybe because we had already been there an hour prior to its night life change. But when we went in our table was cleared off and occupied which was fine. We just grabbed another both, admired the artwork on the wall, and listened to the band place.
Great place to relax with some friends or to even bring a date, a little hipster for my taste typically… but we really did enjoy ourselves.

While in downtown Sacramento we found this place on accident. I’m glad we did. Nice open area with lots of seating around the room and at the bar. The beer list was extensive and the server took the time to explain the different options listed.
I ordered the fried chicken sandwich with French fries. The sandwich was pretty good but nothing that I couldn’t have gotten from my local Hooters. Chicken had lots of breading on it that seemed to capture and hold all of the grease that it was fried in. Overall it wasn’t a horrible place I’d like to go back and try something different from the menu.

This place really has an awesome early 1900’s vibe to it that I LOVE!!! As soon as you walk in you’ll notice the velvet-​like wallpaper, dim lighting & old goldish brass like fixtures throughout the saloon. The drink menu was great… Lots of mixed drinks that I hear are named & from the prohibition era & the food menu has great bar bites perfect for late night drinking (duck tots, fried green tomatoes & portobello sliders to name a few)!
We were lucky enough to sit at a booth & had a great waitress! She checked on us regularly and was very helpful in suggesting great beers that suited our pallets. We ordered the charcuterie board (DELICIOUS) which had a great selection of cheeses, deli meats, bone marrow, pork cracklings, dried fruit, a baguette, nuts & pickles/​olives! It was really great, but way more food then for only 2 people… We couldn’t finish it lol.
The only problem we encountered was that our beers weren’t cold… Room temperature actually. Which makes drinking a stout or IPA not as enjoyable then if it was ice cold. We’re hoping that isn’t a usual problem there & will definitely return for a night of saloon fun where I look forward to trying out some of their whiskey cocktails!