By early evening the light comes off the river and the grid starts to fill: office workers leaving the Capitol area, gallery-goers drifting through Midtown, and the first tables filling along J Street. Later, the crowds shift toward the bars and clubs that cluster on and near J Street and along the R Street corridor.
Sacramento's nightlife is concentrated and easy to read once you know the two main quarters. Downtown and Midtown hold most of what a visitor would want, from upscale clubs and lounges to dive bars, a historic movie theater, and a long-running indie-rock venue. It suits people who prefer a compact night out on foot, mixing a bar or two with a show, rather than a single large entertainment strip.
Where to go out in Sacramento
1. Downtown and Midtown
These adjoining central districts are where most visitors stay and where most of the nightlife is. The upscale clubs and lounges tend to be on or near J Street, while the surrounding blocks hold a mix of bars, restaurants and music rooms.
This is the best choice if you want everything within a short walk and no fixed plan. Note that some clubs here apply cover charges and dress codes, so it is worth checking before you set out.
2. J Street and the K Street cluster
J Street and the blocks around 20th and K Street concentrate several venues in a small area, including gay-friendly bars and clubs such as The Depot, Faces, Badlands and The Mercantile Saloon, along with Streets Pub and Grub on J Street.
It suits a night of moving between places rather than settling in one. Several of these venues charge a cover, and some are known for strong drinks, so pace yourself accordingly.
3. R Street corridor
The R Street corridor offers the Shady Lady Saloon, R15 Bar and a run of restaurants. R15 is described as a trendy bar and restaurant with an urban industrial feel, attached to Cafe Bernardo.
This stretch suits a quieter, seated start to an evening, or a meal that turns into drinks. It is also where you will find the Crest Theater, a historic independent movie house known for its art deco design, foreign and independent films, traveling stand-up and music acts.
4. Dive bars and neighborhood pubs
Sacramento's dive-bar scene is part of its character. Benny's on Q Street is a casual, often-crowded dive with a large back area, and Pine Cove Tavern on 29th Street is described as a classic dive with darts, pitchers and karaoke two nights a week.
These suit a low-key, inexpensive night, or a late stop after somewhere louder. Both get busy on weekends, and Pine Cove in particular draws a crowd for karaoke.
5. Live music and club venues
Old Ironsides on 10th and S Street is a popular indie-rock venue hosting local and traveling acts, with a Tuesday indie-rock dance party and a first-Saturday event that draws a broader crowd. The Press Club on 21st and P Street is known for 1980s dance music and draws a college crowd.
Choose Old Ironsides for live bands and an indie-leaning room, and the Press Club for dancing. The Press Club is small and gets overcrowded on weekends, so midweek is the more comfortable option.
6. Capitol Garage and the Crest Theater
Capitol Garage, just around the corner from the J Street cluster, typically has guest DJs on Saturday in a laid-back atmosphere. The Crest Theater, nearby, is the area's historic independent cinema.
This pairing suits a night that mixes a film or a comedy set with drinks afterward. In summer the Crest hosts the French Film Festival and the Trash Film Orgy, an all-night screening of old B movies that locals attend in costume.
7. Gay-friendly bars and clubs
The area around 20th and K Street has a concentration of gay-friendly venues, including The Depot, a video bar with coin-op pool tables and a covered smoking area; Faces, a club with an upstairs and a pool in the back; Badlands, a three-story club with an outdoor patio; and The Mercantile Saloon, known for cheap, strong drinks.
This cluster suits a full night out in one area, since the venues sit within a block or two of each other. Several charge cover, and Faces in particular is noted as pricey to enter.
8. West Sacramento ballpark
Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento hosts the Sacramento River Cats, the local minor league baseball team, and has also hosted Major League Baseball's Athletics. A game is an early-evening option rather than a late one.
It suits a group or a family evening before the bars get going. You will need to cross the river from downtown, so plan the return trip.
How a night out unfolds
Sacramento's evening tends to start early and build. The Second Saturdays Art Walk runs from 6PM to 9PM on the second Saturday of each month, with Midtown galleries open and local restaurants staying open a little later for the art-walk crowd. Summer Concerts in the Park run on Friday nights from 5PM to 9PM at Cesar Chavez Park at 10th and J Streets. Clubs and bars carry the night afterward, with venues such as Benny's and Pine Cove Tavern drawing their biggest crowds on weekends. The sources do not give closing times for individual venues, so check ahead if you are planning a late finish.
Festivals and events worth timing a trip around
- Concerts in the Park — weekly, May through August, Friday nights at Cesar Chavez Park.
- Sacramento Capitol City Jazz Festival — late May, over Memorial Day weekend, with venues concentrated in Old Sacramento and hotels near the Convention Center.
- Sacramento Pride Festival and Parade — June, an annual LGBT Pride Month tradition.
- California State Fair — mid-July through early August, at the Cal Expo fairgrounds.
- Sacramento Gold Rush Days — early September, over Labor Day weekend, in Old Sacramento.
- Sacramento Kings NBA basketball — October through April, at Golden 1 Center.
- French Film Festival and Trash Film Orgy — summer, at the Crest Theater.
Frequently asked questions
Where should I stay if I want to go out?
Downtown or Midtown. That is where most visitors are anyway, and it is where the bulk of the bars, clubs and venues are concentrated.
Do I need to dress up or pay to get in?
It depends on the venue. Some clubs apply dress codes and cover charges, and Capitol Garage typically has a cover on Saturdays. Dive bars and neighborhood pubs generally do not.
What is the best night for dancing?
Old Ironsides hosts a Tuesday indie-rock dance party and a first-Saturday event, while the Press Club is known for 1980s dance music and is best on Wednesdays or Thursdays, when it is less crowded.
Can I combine a show with a night out?
Yes. The Crest Theater shows foreign and independent films and hosts traveling stand-up and music acts, and it sits close to the J Street and R Street venues.
Decide whether you want a seated dinner-and-drinks evening or a late, louder one, pick the district that matches, and plan your route before you head out.