Delta King

 

8

107

Stephanie W.

Berkeley, CA

Through my youth I've been here for my fair share of special occasion brunches and dinners. The dinners are uninspired and very pedestrian while the brunch is standard fair. Expensive for what you get and the novelty of the boat wears off really fast (especially when you're 9 or 10 years old) when you find out it DOESN'T GO ANYWHERE

Going back later in life, I still wish the boat went somewhere. While it was amusing as a child, I now must knock it down many more stars for the fact that it's far too crowded (went for Mother's day this year) and is full of old people. I was the youngest person in the restaurant by at least 10 years. More than that, I can make a better hollandaise sauce than the one served on the eggs benedict.

+1 for free flowing champagne to everyone at our table, except me sadly due to my age. Quite amusing to see my family slightly tispy on the holiday.

I would up the rating to 5 stars in an instant if the boat actually went somewhere and you could dine on the river.

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7

200

Julia L.

Campbell, CA

This was my first birthday trip present from my husband (he was a brand new boyfriend then).  He got an internet special package including one night stay, 2 theater tickets (on the boat) and a 5 course dinner.  Since I got to choose which one I wanted (they had different options of packages), I think the whole thing added up to $250 which is a great deal in my opinion.

Delta King is a retired river boat and being on it sort of transports you.  It made me imagine being in a Mark Twain novel.  It is docked in the Old Sac neighborhood which has a lot of restaurants, bars, clubs, etc.  

The boat is really cute.  The cabin while small is really intimate and styled like a nice BnB room - no loud English roses there, I promise.  The ceilings are low, which presented a problem for my really tall man.  He kept having to duck beams as we were checking out the boat.  The bar was cool.  He enjoyed it, when he snuck out on Sunday morning to participate in his football draft over the phone.  I have the misfortune of having a birthday that falls around draft day.

The restaurant - for the price and number of courses the food was excellent.  I don't remember what we had anymore but while it was not the best meal I've ever had it was definitely good, and the place was beautiful.

The theater was actually really great.  Fittingly we saw "I Love You, You Are Perfect, Now Change," and we were truly surprised how much we enjoyed the performance.  We were not expecting a lot, and were blown away by the actors.  

Overall, we both had an incredible time and I would be glad to do this again, even if it means driving to Sacramento.

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3

76

Chieko H.

San Francisco, CA

We were here for a dinner event on Saturday night. Our "banquet room" was super small and i felt the need for air in such a tight space.  The food was below average; I had the steak, which came with steamed veggies and mashed potatoes. I would rate the steak 3/10. Second to worse steak I've had (first being the $4.99 steak & shrimp dinner from Excalibur in Vegas). Fatty, too chewy, and dry. Don't spend your money on it.  My friend got the Chicken dish, which was chicken wrapped around bacon, baked with panko breading. It was dry, boring, and honestly, not good.

We headed up to the bar on the 3rd floor, and was pleasantly surprised at the homey feel of the band. The singer started talking to us girls, asking if we had any requests. They even offered to play songs, and we sing! Too embarrassed and having not enough guts, we sang along during the verse of the requested song, Sweet Caroline. It was fun, and the band definitely brought the level of fun up during the night.

There were random fireworks by the Pyramid, and by the time we got outside, it was over. Too bad. I wonder what it was for.  All in all, I would not come here unless I had some event planned here. Food isnt great, nothing too exciting to see on the water, and frankly, Id rather enjoy a good dinner at the Firehouse than here.

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48

22

Keith Lowell J.

Sacramento, CA

(Another installment in my "Punched in the Face" series.)

Okay, so this is unfair since I worked there about 15 years ago, but here goes.

This place was awful. The manager, Charlie Coin (sp?) had a stupid policy of not promoting from within. He actually said "Why lose a good bus boy by making him a waiter?" I'd just come from working at John Q's, where Adam (now at Moxie) knew how to run a restaurant and the contrast was amazing. The Delta King had the really young waiters and bus boys who wouldn't stay there long and the older folks who were defeated and bitter and who'd lost most of whatever pep they may have had in their step at one time to a life time of waiter's helper (it comes in powder form, usually snorted up the nose.)

The kitchen staff were cool, young guys who did the best they could with the cheapskate approach that was forced on them and the food wasn't too bad.

I ate some food offered to me by Charlie before the older staff members had a chance to warn me NEVER to eat food offered by Charlie. Turns out the nice spread he'd let me have at had sat out uncovered (mind you this is a boat, sitting on the river) for many hours. I got food poisoning. I went to the doctor and had it diagnosed even, no doubt about it, food poisoning.

I was then fired for missing a shift despite my doctor's note and the fact that I'd given ample notice that I would not be able to make it in. I scheduled an appointment with Mr. Coin to discuss this unfair and illegal termination. He twice let me come all the way down there only to stand me up, apparently figuring I'd just give up. I did. I was too busy looking for work to go after him.

A year or so passed. I ran into the guy at Old Ironsides. He didn't recognize me. I went about telling people that he was an @$$hole and I guess it got back to him pretty quick. He wanted to talk to me. I didn't want to talk to him, after all, I told him, I heard he was a bit of an @$$hole. He shoved me outside through Old I's front door. He came rushing through after me and... he punched me in the face. What is it about my face that is so irresistible to the punching types? I should sell my image to a punching bag manufacturer?

My friend Hoang came rushing from across the street hoping to kick Charlie's ass but a couple of big guys who I assume worked at Old I came out and got Hoang away from Charlie and Charlie away from me. They shoved Charlie on to his ass and told him to split and not come back.

He then uttered the perfect seven words: "You'll never work in this town again." I told him my name was Dillon McNeil. Over the next couple of years I must've called him a couple dozen times. I'd waste his time, planning big events, getting quotes and then mentioning that my nephew/ grandson/ neighbor/ star employee informed me that Charlie punched him in the face. It was pretty fun and well worth taking one on the chin.

I guess he doesn't manage the Delta King anymore. I like to sit on their upper deck and have a coffee once in a while.

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7

36

Darla M.

Roseville, CA

I went here on a Saturday afternoon with friends visiting from out-of-town.  We sat out on the upper deck to enjoy the lovely spring afternoon.  We asked for a menu and after about 10 minutes the waitress brought back exactly 1 drink menu (even though there were 3 of us).  Unfortunately we wanted to eat too, so we had to wait another 10 minutes for a food menu (again she took me literally and brought 1 menu).  
One friend ordered a dirty martini and I ordered a mudslide variation which also came martini-style.  We also shared an order of calamari.  The drinks and the appetizer were both excellent.  The calamari was lightly battered and perfectly fried.  It was served with a spicy dipping sauce that we all liked.  
With the lovely riverfront view and the tasty food, I would have given them 4 stars if the service had been decent.  Consider this a 3.5.

*Update*  Went back on 6/7/08 and the service was exponentially better - I'm increasing my rating to 4 stars.

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Elite '08

36

134

Reina M.

West Sacramento, CA

went here (pilothouse sunday brunch) for a girls' holiday luncheon last december.  i hadn't been here in over four years but it hadn't changed much, except for the fact that i'm pretty sure there was a carving station years ago.  now the only station is the omelette station.  other foods include fresh seafood (peel and eat shrimps, oysters on a half shell, smoked salmon), traditional breakfast (sausage, bacon, eggs, eggs benedict, etc.), pastry, cakes, etc.

it's really not a bad place for an all-you-can-eat and all-you-can-drink champage brunch (read: free-flowing champagne with no hesitation on the part of the waiters to keep pouring) for $26. even if it's a guarantee that you'll be the youngest person there.

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Elite '08

129

458

Tiffany T.

Beaverton, OR

Had a special Sunday brunch here with the family. It was a nice experience in the heart of old town Sacramento. They served melon, bacon, sausage, biscuits, ham, fresh fruit, pancakes, omelets and more. The food was good but the boat felt a little cramped inside. There was a pleasant view of the river and they also had a fun play (a cute comedy) below deck, which our entire party enjoyed. I would go there again.

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Elite '08

129

342

Amy P.

Sacramento, CA

No one tagged this yet...

Okay, this is one of the only places in Old Sacramento that I like besides the sausage deli place.

The Delta King has good dinners, great little bars, and you can stay on a river boat and feel the rhythm of the river underneath you.

If I ever get a money-is-no-object Beanie-Free romantic moment with my Pocket Fisherman, I want it to be in one of the little cabins on the Delta King.  I'll let him treat me.

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