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Alley Katz
Categories: Nightlife Bars Nightlife Pool Halls Bars, Pool Halls [Edit]
2019 O StSacramento, CA 95811
Neighborhood: Midtown
(916) 442-2682
- Hours:
Mon-Fri 11 am - 12 am
Sat 2 pm - 12 am
Sun 9:30 am - 12 am
- Outdoor Seating:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
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$
- Music:
- Juke Box
- Best Nights:
- Tue, Fri, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- Yes
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
121 reviews for Alley Katz
Review Highlights
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"I've always loved your beer selection." In 31 reviews -
"maybe the best happy hour I've been to in a long time." In 13 reviews -
"The Rogue Dead Guy ale has rocked my world lately." In 5 reviews
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121 reviews in English
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Review from Vincent M.
Sacramento, CA
5/23/2012
Great bar. And if you like beer you have to get there. Probably the best beer selection I've seen in a bar in a few years. Great venue, a cleaned up brick warehouse, with 2 pool tables in the back, a few flat screens and plenty of room to chillax.
I was there for trivia night, seemed good to me, i'm a 2nd tier player.
On the beer front, I tried an awesome draft called Matilda, amber not too sweet or bitter, good flavor.
Then i ordered a pink bottle of beer by Rogue. I think they called it the donut. Maple syrup and bacon flavors. Had to try it once. That was enough for me. Amber color, light body, maple up front and bacon towards they end.
I ordered a blond to start, their staple in the middle of the bar. that was good too.
fun place.. -
Review from Jared D.
Sacramento, CA
3/28/2012
Identity crisis. That pretty much sums up Alley Katz. Try to picture a laboratory clean room with a large selection of beers. Does that sound fun to you?
I prefer to meet people in dimly lit bars. They look better that way. -
Review from Darrell Y.
Sacramento, CA
A little over a year ago I would have actually said that I loved this place (that sounds ridiculous to me now). What I loved about it was that it felt very neighborhood bar-ish, they still weren't serving liquor (beer and wine only), the food menu was short, but had pretty tasty sandwiches, and at least one of the owners was very helpful, friendly, and knowledgeable about his beers. Once they started selling liquor, I decided not to come back.
A year later, reluctantly, I have been back twice, and both times I found the place to be at the abysmal end of the steady decline I predicted after the introduction of liquor last year. This place is an absolute nightmare. For starters, service is awful. Before I had ventured back in here (again, reluctantly), I had overheard that the staff has been considerably less knowledgeable and helpful regarding their beer selection. A drinking establishment that used to pride itself on its craft beer selection ought to know a thing or two about the stuff their serving right? Lucky for me, I already know what I want prior to approaching, so as to expedite the process.
Unfortunately, it takes forever to get a drink here, even with only a handful of people in the sprawling expanse of Alley Katz' interior. The first visit back proved frustrating when there was no staff to be found once I entered. Oh yeah, there was that guy out front smoking a cig for 20 minutes, but all he did when he entered was sit at the end of the bar, mope, and periodically play terribly sad music on the jukebox. Maybe his girlfriend dumped him. Other employees were nowhere to be found for at least 20 minutes. Finally some dude comes out of the back. Maybe he was taking a dump. Who knows. If I hadn't gone in to meet a friend, I would have split within the first 10 minutes of standing around waiting for somebody to show up for work.
The final and absolute nail in the coffin is the kind of people this place attracts and the staff's complete lack of control of the place when things get weird. The bartender(s) continued to serve a few patrons who were clearly overly intoxicated (no reasonable/professional bartender in town would have served them), and did nothing when these dudes started what was essentially the early stages of a brawl breaking out. Not even so much as a verbal warning to knock it off. The inmates are running the asylum over at Alley Katz.
Oh and women, if you just can't get enough unwanted advances from the same type of dudes mentioned above, then this is the place for you!
This place is even lower on the scale for me than the Townhouse, and Toho is one of the scummiest places in town!
Avoid at all costs, and let's hope it goes away sooner than later.2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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1/28/2011
Finally had a chance to try the food today. Sandwich was great. I went for the Sylvester.… Read more »
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Review from Grant S.
Sacramento, CA
Updated - 5/8/2012
I think everywhere deserves a chance, so we went back to Alley Katz to give it a second chance.
We went for a drink and light dinner on a Monday night at about 6 or 6:30ish. The bar was pretty quiet, maybe 10 - 15 people in there, all sitting at the bar itself. They had one girl working the bar, and a guy in the kitchen area.
We were greeted as we sat down and we asked to see a list of the beers they had. We were told that they don't have a list of the bottles, but a list of the beer on tap was on the whiteboard. We asked for recommendations for beers on tap and were given some, so it started pretty positively.
When our beers arrived, we asked for a food menu. We were given one and then left to look at it. After deciding we waited for the girl behind the bar to take our order. She was nowhere to be seen (OK, we could see her, she was at the other end of the bar eating, and pretending we weren't there). Eventually she made her way over and took our orders and we ordered a sandwich each.
Eventually, after what seemed forever, our sandwiches arrived (they were simple sandwiches, I mean, how long could they possible take to make???).
The food was below average, i.e. the chicken in my sandwich was that cheap compressed chicken pattie gunk, and the cheese was just a couple of processed slices.
Eventually we ordered a second beer, and my GF's beer showed up in a chipped glass (gross right?!).
The toilets were as grimey as I remembered last time, and in the unisex one the hand towel dispenser was jammed. I actually had to remove the top to get them out to use.
We partially paid using a "Living Social" voucher and they were reluctant to take it saying that they have had problems with a rival voucher being copied and used more than once. We were told that they have no POS system to record the use of the vouchers. I was thinking at the time "How is that our problem? Maybe you shouldn't be selling them if you won't accept them". Ours was grudgingly accepted.
As with our first visit, Alley Katz is not up my alley, and after giving them a second chance, I wont be going back. There are lots of bars in Sacramento that have a good beer selection that have better service, better food and a better facility.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/8/2012
We had a Groupon to use here so decided to go one Sunday for an early drink and dinner.
We walked in… Read more »
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Review from Felipe O.
Sacramento, CA
5/10/2012
I love this place!!!!!
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Review from Alissa T.
Sacramento, CA
The stars that I gave all go to the alcohol selection and establishment. If you are hungry DO NOT EAT HERE!!
They have a wide range of beers. If you are a beer drinker you will like this spot.
Alley Katz has an assortment of tables: roomy booth tables and bar tables; but if sitting and drinking isn't your glass of beer, they also have a foosball table and few pool tables.
Recently they must have put in one of those iSnap Kiosks where you can take pictures and upload them straight to facebook, that was fun.
But let me talk about my food experience. I am a big cheese person so I wanted something with cheese. To my surprise they do NOT have mozzerella cheese sticks on the menu - a common and expected bar food. So instead I had to choose between Nachos and Pizza. 6.50 for a pizza? heck ya! So I ordered mine with extra cheese. Can't go wrong with that... or maybe you can.
When the pizza came out, a girlfriend of mine said it looked like DiGiorno, but personally I wouldn't insult the "It's not delivery" pizza like that. I immediately noticed something physically peculiar about it and ask "why is my pizza orange?!" Oh hail nah! My EXTRA CHEESE were those single slices that are individually wrapped in plastic (I doubt they were even Kraft rather a generic version)!!! Who does that??? They didn't even try to hide the fact by chopping it up, so by the time it came out to me there were big solidified squares of orange cheese on my pizza! Grudgingly and hungrily I ate half then passed the rest off on my hungry friend.
If I could I would give a quarter of a star for being a great topic for conversation and another quarter of a star for it making my friends double over with laughter at 9am in the morning remembering the sight of it.
If they switch up their food menu it has the potiential of being a 4-5 star place, but until then they will remain a three for me. -
Review from Chris W.
Sacramento, CA
5/16/2012
Best beer selection in downtown/midtown area. However, the hours posted here in yelp are not correct and they often close on random Sundays like Easter. Iif you are set on going here on a non-Friday/Saturday, call first because there's a good chance they are closed.
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Review from Elizabeth P.
Sacramento, CA
3/4/2012 7 Check-ins Here
This is a Beer Drinker's resort. With over 200 beers to choose from, you never have to try the same thing twice.
The staff is friendly and knowledgeable. On the week days this place is chill, laid back and a bit low key. On the weekends, it is standing room only, a mad house. There are people from all walks of life to experience and enjoy!
What is especially nice about this bar is they change their handles every few weeks, so there is always something new to try,
If you are lucky enough to meet up with Jon, the bartender, simply tell him your beer preference and he will give you a beer you will love.
As far as prices go, it is average $5 a pint, so a little high, but worth it for the experience.
The only downfall is the juke box is kind of restricted and for you smokers, there is no outdoor smoking patio you can take your beer and have a smoke. While they do have smoking out front and an ashtray, your alcohol cannot join you. -
Review from Dave S.
Sacramento, CA
3/3/2012 5 Check-ins Here
Alley Katz is a fun bar with a good vibe, with a couple pool tables and nice open space. The towers of beer are always a good idea if you come with a group of friends. There area few different types of people that come around, ranging from Mexican gangsters to college frat guys, to normal not crazy people.
I actually saw one guy break a pool cue over another guy's skull one night, but I've been here plenty of times, and that's the only craziness I've seen.
This is a great place to come with friends to hang out or watch a football game, but the lack of quality food and average drink prices make this place a great option, but not always the perfect one. -
Review from Brittany N.
Pacific Grove, CA
1/23/2012
I went in to Alley Katz last week knowing that they have an extensive beer selection and wanting to find one beer in particular. The place was packed for Trivia Night, but we found a spot at the bar and then after the Trivia Night thing was over we snagged a tall table. They didn't have the beer I was looking for, but they had such a large selection that I found several other good ones that you don't see many other places.
The bartender, Efrain, was very knowledgable and gave our group good recommendations for the different beers. All in all, a fun atmosphere with a big selection of beer. -
Review from Justin M.
4/11/2012 1 Check-in Here
I come here to drink beer and play pool. It's right around the corner from my place so it's convenient for me to come here. The food doesn't look too appetizing to be honest, but the wide variety of bottled beer that they have is pretty impressive. If they only had a menu of all the beers...it's a little frustrating trying to lean over the bar to read the labels to figure out what to order. I like to come here to play pool because it's not crowded all the time and they only charge $1 a game where some other places charge much more than that or by the hour which can get expensive when your spending half the time being social or drinking. I like the idea of the place, it just seems to need a little finessing if that is a word.
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Review from Ron B.
Updated - 3/28/2012 2 Check-ins Here
After my most recent trip there for lunch, I've decided Alley Katz is just not worth it. I spend a good amount of money and don't feel like I got my money's worth. It also doesn't have a warm or comfortable feel to it physically. There are other bars I've reviewed that are better.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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1/23/2012
I want to like this place. It's right down the street from where I live so it would be great to… Read more »
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Review from Chris N.
12/2/2011 1 Check-in Here
My first experience at Alley Katz was solid, although it left some room for improvement.
Let me start off by saying that I appreciate how they host viewing parties for the Sacramento chapter of the Oregon Ducks Alumni. It's nice to have a place in town to go and know I'll be among friends on game day. This is what brought me into their establishment, and they got a decent crowd.
However I found it surprisingly difficult to place an order upon arrival. It wasn't all that crowded when I first got there, yet I spent maybe 15 minutes trying to get a beer. I then tried to order some food... they were "out of quesidellas", so I ordered the fries. After an hour they still hadn't come, so I asked about it at the bar and they handed me some right away, as if they don't take that long to make. The portion was small and the fries were mushy... certainly not worth an hour wait.
That being said, the bartenders changed around 6 and doubled up their forces, and suddenly everything moved much more smoothly. Everybody working there was friendly, and they had two security guards roaming around, which I approve of.
If you're a beer enthusiast, you'll love this place. They've got a huge variety of bottles to chose from, including an impressive jug of Rogue's Dead Guy Ale (a personal favorite). They also have a big ol' cylinder with a tap that they fill up with beer and bring to your table, which was impressive.
I like the atmosphere, and I think they have a lot of potential. Two pool tables got them some bonus points too. I just can't look past the poor service and food, which I had also heard about from friends that had been there before. Once the kinks get worked out, they could easily achieve a solid 4 star rating, but for now they can sit at 3, at least until my next visit.Listed in: Sacramento Bar Adventures
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Review from T P.
Sacramento, CA
5/2/2012
Bartender was nice but uesless. Hot Wings were disgusting (Costco variety). They didnt even have tobasco sauce to cover but up the bad wings. Foosball table had a ping pong ball as a ball. I've definitely had better and this was a Tuesday night.
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Review from Moses H.
Sacramento, CA
12/1/2011
I used to love this place. Great beer selection, nice people.
But they added hard liquor, and it turned into the douchiest, popped-collar frat date-rape hangout of Sacramento.
And thus I won't be back. Oh well! Too bad. -
Review from Katie H.
1/5/2012 1 photo
I. Love. Alley Katz.
I started going before they had their liquor license, and I eagerly await the day they can stay open past 12. They have liquor, they have great hard ciders, and most importantly, THEY HAVE BEER!
There are plenty of good (and not so good) beers on tap, and hundreds of bottled beers to choose from: Stone, Speakeasy, Dead Guy Ale, Brother Thelonius, you name it! This place is a beer lover's dream, and my boyfriend is super proud of his collection of empty beer bottles that the bar tenders let him take home each time we go.
In addition to great drink selection, the ambiance is fun: they have a good Trivia night on Tuesdays, pool tables, a jukebox of sorts (which is always hit or miss), and plenty of seating and standing room. The ONLY downside, which others have commented on as well, is the awkward bathroom line situation. But it's never been bad enough that I would consider giving this place less than 5 stars. I just love it! -
Review from Sunny L.
12/12/2011 4 Check-ins Here
AK .. There are times that I've enjoyed this place this but recently for the past few times Ive been here, the place closed at 12 on a Friday night...
What a drag...
AK as armed with Towers that hold several pitchers of any tap beer for your entourage to drink up. Having that said, you should have a good sized group to take one of those down because they do start getting warm from all the heat that people generate in here. AK's selection of beer on tap consists of about 10 beers; moreover, they have a great selection of bottled beer from different places in the world.
If you are going to come here, you won't have to worry if its too packed because there's always Old Tavern and Benny's around the block. Though, the crowd is pretty interesting at times; you may find it packing one night and on another, almost empty.
The restroom for Guys and Girls are pretty annoying here. Guys even wait for it.
Definitely an annoying and awkward situation for 5+ guys to wait to use the restroom.
AK is a hit or miss in my book. Its a place to like or dislike. Recommended for a try.
Pros: iSNap Kiosk, 2 pool tables
Cons: Hit or Miss, Restroom issue.
Stars: 3
Notes: Parking is on the street -
Review from Rockstar M.
Sacramento, CA
Updated - 3/1/2012
This place is OK now. I hardly ever go mostly because the crowd on weekend nights. I will definitely steer away from here on Fri. and Sat. nights. I dont know if it's because they serve hard alcohol now or what, but my spouse and I dont really feel safe here like we used to. Hope that changes.
2 Previous Reviews: Show all »
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11/7/2011
So now I frequent this bar more often than others. Not only b/c of convenience of location, but it… Read more »
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Review from Christina V.
Sacramento, CA
3/15/2012 1 Check-in Here
So many beers to choose from! I'm in BEER heaven every time I walk into Alley Katz.
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Review from Mimi B.
Napa, CA
3/21/2012
I really liked this place (going for the first time on their Tuesday trivia night); they have plentiful beer choices and a friendly staff! The questions for trivia night were good ones (interesting, not too easy or too hard), and they have booths where it's easy to sit and discuss your answers in absolute secrecy! I highly recommend trying it out.
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Review from Christine C.
Sacramento, CA
11/18/2011 1 Check-in Here
My friend and I came here last night for a drink and a post-yoga meal. Unfortunately, we were both pretty disappointed with the food.
We sat down at the bar and started ordering some food. It seemed like everything we tried to order was unavailable. We were told the kitchen was out of quesadillas, burgers, and mashed potatoes. We both decided to order the Thursday Night Grub Special, which was the Open Faced Turkey Sandwich. Sounds good, right? Nope.
When the bartender brought out our food, I thought I had mistakenly ordered a Banquet TV dinner. Out came two huge plates with three ginormous slices of fake turkey slapped with canned gravy, as well as a huge piece of white bread that seemed so uninviting. Since the kitchen ran out of mashed potatoes, it was substituted by broccoli. Normally, that would be fine by me, however, some of pieces of broccoli were still frozen. Nice touch.
In all fairness, I guess not everything about the bar was bad. Here are some of the pros:
- Super friendly bouncer greeting you when you come in
- Spacious bar
- Great place to watch a game
- Great chance you'll never run into anyone you know here
Conclusion: I can't say I would never return to Alley Katz, but I might wait a while before my next visit. -
Review from Matt B.
Sacramento, CA
3/10/2012 4 Check-ins Here
Alley Katz prides itself on its beer selection and it is impressive...I am 100% certain all beer palettes could be satisfied with what they offer. Alley Katz also serves food but this is certainly not up to their forte! The food is typical of most American bars, ie hamburgers, wings, etc and it is relatively cheap. However, I think it is fair to say that the food is very average and I would suggest eating elsewhere before stopping in for a cleansing ale.
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Review from Alex L.
Oh Alley Katz. You were just too precious and beautiful to soar amongst the eagles, for now your wings have been clipped and you've firmly taken root among the douchier bars in Sactown.
I've always loved your beer selection. I can remember back in the day when I would come here for an afternoon, order pint after pint of Racer 5 or your delicious House brew and watch my beloved Giants on TV (when they were winning). I returned recently to find you have become, as my good friend Chris C puts it, "a crowded cheap mixed drink train-wreck meat market."
The frat crowd came out of the woodwork as soon as you added hard alcohol to the menu. I'm as big a fan of cheap and stiff drinks as the next barfly, but why ruin what was such a great venue for the beer aficionado?
I beg of you - close down early one night, leave all the hard alcohol in the back alley and reopen the next day as your former self. When that happens I promise I'll return.Listed in: Places That Start With A, Nightlife, Best DIves, Bars with PBR on tap, Minnesota Fats, Move Over...
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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4/4/2011
With 100+ (140+ so I'm told) beers on tap and draft, it's hard for a brewsky aficionado like myself… Read more »
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Review from Estevan D.
Sacramento, CA
Updated - 2/15/2012 2 Check-ins Here
I really used to love this place. It still has a good beer selection, but now you have to shoot out 3/4 different beers on their menu to see which ones they actually have in stock. Also, the female bartender isn't as friendly as she once was. I'm pretty sure I didn't do anything to offend her so I'm not sure what the deal is. Honestly, this place has gone a little downhill since it started serving mixed drinks.
Listed in: Bars, Pubs, Night Clubs
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/11/2011
Color me impressed. Wow.
So many beers, so little time. I went here last night (a Thursday) and the… Read more »
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Review from John S.
12/5/2011 2 Check-ins Here
Over 300 Beers....... Go. Now.
Table Tap. 3.5 Pitchers of beer, fun for the whole family.
Good Food. Good Atmosphere. Pool.
If you're in sac, this is beer. -
Review from Grace J.
Elk Grove, CA
12/23/2011
I really liked this place as the atmosphere was really laid back and chill. They played good music there, but not so loud to where I couldn't chat with my friends. I got my drinks fairly fast and we were able to get really comfortable places to sit easily without anyone bothering us.
The only complaint I have is their bathrooms, which has got to be one of the scariest places I had ever had to relieve myself. Girl's bathroom had some urine looking fluid in a corner with a fat roll of paper towel on the floor, which had to be used in replacement of toilet paper because there weren't any! then don't get me started on the broken beer glass scattered everywhere..... Other than that I had a great time. -
Review from Chris C.
My worst fears were confirmed when I dropped by last night to discover this once Majestic beer drinkers paradise has descended into a crowded cheap mixed drink train-wreck meat market.
With liquor added to the menu, bartenders are now scrambling all over to pour cheap cocktails and seem far less interested in explaining anything beer related. I tried to ask what dogfishhead bottles they had, the bartender shuffled around and didn't really seem to have any idea. Then from behind me a classy young man with a mini dirt mustache shouts over me to the bartender "BRO! LET ME GET TWO MALIBUS AND COKE, AND A SHOT OF JAMESON!!!".
During the week, this place still maintains a decent atmosphere. Weekends however have turned into something awful. I will say, one of my single female friends was pretty excited at the direction Alley Katz has taken, I believe her words were "I love Alley Katz... it's a hot sausage fest".1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/6/2011
This review is really about the beer, which is an absolutely unparalleled and awesome selection for… Read more »
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Review from Bhanie C.
2/22/2012 1 Check-in Here
Very chill place, they have two pool tables in the back and a foos ball table. Tables are scattered around and they also have booths around the wall. Drinks are really cheap and service is quick and friendly. The only thing I don't like is their trivia Tuesday. We came on a Tuesday out of a whim and wanted to listen to music, and play some pool. But I guess they were having their trivia night and it was kind of killing our moods. So we ended the night early. I will be back on a Friday or Saturday when there is no trivia going on.
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Review from Lynn N.
Santa Clara, CA
9/12/2011
My boyfriend happened to stumble upon an ad for this place in a Sacramento Mag and he is a beer lover so when the ad said it had 300 beers... we had to go check it out! The place itself is nice and clean and pretty open for plenty of people to mingle. Theres plenty of sitting space and a large bar area. We were suppose to sit down for one beer but we ended up being there for awhile. They had on of my bfs favorites on tap, Kilt lifter. I tried the new Guinness Black Lager...and had the old Guinness and also tried whatever my bf happened to be drinking as well...including this Brasilian beer called Xingu. That was good and it was a recommendation from Laurie who works there.
I really enjoyed the time I had here and the service was great. Kudos to John and Laurie for providing a great experience. I would totally come back here!Listed in: Favorite Places in Sacramento
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Review from Geno G.
San Francisco, CA
2/19/2012
Excellent selection of craft beers at a reasonable price. Friendly and knowledgeable bartenders , and an all-around good vibe.
Definitely a solid place to begin an evening with friends, or a chill place to shoot some pool, play beer pong, listen to some music and stay the night. -
Review from Che G.
San Francisco, CA
7/26/2011
Pros: Good Beer selection and pool tables.
Cons: Overpriced, douche bag bros hangout here, slow bar service
Ambiance is kinda ghetto. Looks like they just tried to slap it all together really quickly before opening the doors. Could do better. Expect to pay another buck or so extra for a beer. -
Review from Brandon M.
Sacramento, CA
1/29/2012
The reasons I have to go to this place: they have a lavish beer selection, it has a Foosball table(its down right now due to sports on TV) but regularly they do, and 2 pool tables.
The reasons I have been finding to start branching out to other bars: Long lines for beer and bathroom, music can be a bit to loud and currently no Foosball.
--Over all impression of the place--
I like going here on the weekdays bc it has a more relaxed atmosphere but that changes on the weekend and I wouldn't expect any less. During the week it is a cool place to try a different beer with friends. It starts out mellow around 8pm but by 10pm it's a pretty packed joint. After 10pm on Saturday I think the service was a quick as it could be so no real complaints there. I waited a few minutes and that was no biggie. Now the prices seem high for some beers and not for others but I don't have a pricing chart in front of me so I can't make a fair assessment. I just knew when the bar back was telling me prices of some 22oz's I couldn't believe it but I know there are some expensive beers out there.
Anyways, the only things that will keep me away is the line for the bathroom since they only have 2, individual bathrooms, which caused a 10-minute wait for guys when I was there. One woman remarked, "I have never seen a longer line for guy than girls before." Truer words were never spoken. Also with no Foosball table I am prepared to branch out to find a bar with another. Finally the music was at the level where it was hard to talk to a person next to you without being up in their face.
In the end I would recommend this bar to a friend to start the night off here and to mosey around after it starts to get packed. -
Review from Rob G.
St Paul, MN
2/5/2012 1 Check-in Here
I checked out Alley Katz with some friends while visiting from Minnesota for a weekend. We stayed for a couple of hours and played pool, and had a pretty good time. The only complaint was that the pool table was set so close to the tables that we couldn't really play shots from one side of the table without constantly having to ask the party at the table to move out of the way. It was a little too crowded, so they might consider readjusting the layout to make it more accommodating to players. The beer selection is very decent and they have aTV bove the bar which can keep you distracted or carry you through quiet moments with friends. I really enjoyed it and would go back.
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Review from Alma R.
7/27/2011 2 photos
Came here for my boyfriend's birthday celebration on a Friday night. The place was packed, country music was on full blast (yeah), and beer towers were on almost every table.
If you want to secure a table, try to arrive early, otherwise, you'll be like me and stand next to tables with patrons that seem like they're about to leave. We finally swooped one up after about 20 or so minutes, luckily, I was drinking my Crispin Hard Apple Cider with Honey...talk about AMAZING!
The drink was pretty huge, but so delicious that I didn't mind drinking a lot of it...err, all of it. Next up was their 120oz beer tower! That thing is definitely a sight to see and a few of the people in the party finished it was ease.
The music really depends on who's running the jukebox. The most likely bet is that they're playing country music, try to change it when you can.Listed in: Sactown's Finest
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Review from Sandy H.
Sacramento, CA
11/17/2011
The beer selection is great. There is beer for girls and guys :) . Mike and Patty are great. The tall oger Efron
is a total D bag but besides that the place is great :) -
Review from Allie S.
8/15/2011 3 Check-ins Here
The beer selection, although delightful, does not make up for the awful music over the jukebox and the beyond annoying chic literally screaming in the corner because her "man" is "cheating" at fooseball. Can't deal dude. This place was better when it was strictly beers.
And, I'm sorry, but a domestic draft beer should be $4 so I can hand you a fiver and call it a day...
But I will say that the bar crew is cool and I appreciate the "everyone knows your name" vibe on the less busy nights. -
Review from Jason P.
Sacramento, CA
7/26/2011
This has to be the best beer selection at a bar in the Sacramento area. I have been to many brewfests, and have not seen a selection like this. I tried a sampler set that was recommended by the owner. Deschutes Black Butte XXIII, Firestone Double Jack, Rogue Double Dead Guy Ale, Mad River ( I think Imperial Red), and an Imperial Brown Ale (can't remember what brand). All of these beers you struggle to find at any other bar in the Sacramento area.
After the sampling, the owner shared an Oskar Blues Gubna and a Firestone Parabola. If you have never had any of the Oskar Blues, this brand is a must and the Imperial IPA is incredible. But, they saved the best for last. The Firestone Parabola is the finest Imperial Stout that I have tasted in my life, and I have consumed a lot of beers. I love Stone Imperial Russian Stout, and the Parabola is a better pour than Stone.
Thanks again to the owner for treating us so well and educating us on beers this afternoon. -
Review from Lisa S.
4/19/2011 ROTD 5/9/2012
Alley Katz is 3.5 stars with unquestionable 5 star potential. There are a few kinks to be worked out, but I really want to see this place succeed. Their beer selection is amazing, but they seem to be out of many items (on all three of my visits). I realize some options are seasonal or otherwise limited, but it makes ordering a bit frustrating. I'm starting to think the Rogue Hazelnut Ale is a mythical entity, like unicorns and people named Bertha. In the meantime, having a couple back-up plans ready to go is probably a good idea.
Service is friendly, but at times inattentive. I'm not talking about waiting a few minutes on a slammed Friday night - that is understandable. When there are 8-10 people in the entire place, it shouldn't consistently take a huge effort to get the bartender's attention. Hope this gets better in time. I don't want to do Civil War reenactments with my friends, feign a seizure, etc. every time one of us wants to order.
Food was pretty good. They were out of salad one of the times I went (?), so I ordered a meatless Sylvester*. It was supposed to come on sourdough, but came on rye (surprise!). Not earth-shattering. Basically I ended up with a melt of sorts, with green/red peppers, mushrooms and some sauce which I found a bit heavy. It's possible it would be perfectly balanced if meat were in the equation. The second half of my sandwich was great, after scraping off most of the sauce. During my second visit, I got the sincronizada without ham. The menu says it comes with avocado. I did not get avocado...maybe you will? They keep you guessing!
Little things aside, this place is great during the day and early evening. Mellow crowd, cat paintings, and a new beer adventure every time!
(*Somewhere, Darrell Y. is probably frozen in horror - sandwich blasphemy!) -
Review from Lydia N.
Sacramento, CA
5/21/2011 1 Check-in Here
Dear Alley Katz,
Can we please institute a policy of public mockery of those patrons who dare order PBR or Bud? I mean seriously?! You come to the best selection of beer in town outside of... oh, I dunno, Bevmo, and order a Bud light?! Ridiculous.... BUT, a really easy way to screen first dates that are doomed for failure ;)
Dear others,
If you haven't found Alley Katz yet, and enjoy the craft of beer, I am sorry. Stop reading this, and GO. Alley Katz will have your beer focused tastebuds drenching the bartop upon sight of the selection in bottle alone, let alone draft. The bouncer at the door is wildly friendly in a flirty yet respectful manner. My only concern is that someday all the people you don't want taking over your favorite bar will find their way here *sigh* -
Review from michelle h.
Sacramento, CA
1/7/2012
What a bummer! Fantastic beer selection ... asshole bartender.
