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I've come to a conclusion -- granted not a very shocking one. How you feel about a place (person, thing, etc.) is all about expectations ...
I was hoping that tonight after my Espanol experience, I would find no one had yelped about this place. I wanted to be the first because I felt like I had stumbled (or rather sojourned and got lucky) upon this relic, this wonder. I went out searching for something old and authentic in Sacramento, and found it.
It's important to me, that as much as Sacramento "grows up" and offers new, modern cuisine, bars and ambiance, that some of the roots of our city remain. This is not just a root, but THE root. It is like stepping back in time.
Espanol is Sacramento's first restaurant (opened in 1923) and has moved three times until it's final? resting place on Folsom Blvd.
Black and white pictures older than my parents hang on the walls, older owners and staff have that knowing hospitality, which is nothing but sincere and under spoken. Nothing about the decor is chic, modern or coordinated, but the details tell a story.
Our bartender/waiter delivered my friend and I, Laurel W, an appetizer of fried raviolis (which served as our entree too, since we are dead broke.) An entire plate full of them! And then, he pointed us to the free appetizers just behind us -- fresh french bread baked with cheese, onions and tomatoes. Really??! Yes, Virginia, their really is a free dinner.
Ok, our meal wasn't exactly free (though almost), nor was it the best I've ever eaten. However, the generosity, hospitality and attentiveness found here create a totally unique, unforgettable experience completely worthy of all stars.
Oh, and they give out wooden drink nickels! Heck yeah!
Everytime I walk into Espanol I expect to see a group of well-dressed Italian gentlemen in fine suits and gold jewelry seated around a table discussing "business" - nudge, nudge, wink, wink.
I know other people have commented on Espanol's "dated" interior, but to me it's like I'm stepping into an old-fashioned Italian restaurant I might find tucked away in a New York City borough. The red & white checked table cloths, the wood paneled walls, the often elderly greeters & servers - all these take me to a place far away from Sacramento.
As to the food, I love it! They start you out with a salad, basket of bread, and a giant bowl of minestrone to share. After that it's on to the entrees! I've only tried the spaghetti and cheese ravioli, mostly because they were so good I have a hard time trying anything else. It's their homemade marinara sauce that really sets them apart.
If you're looking for nouveau or haute cuisine, this isn't it. But if you're looking for good Italian food with some old world charm, then I highly recommend checking out Espanol.
(Hint: Go for lunch to get the same menu, including salad & soup, for about $4 less!)
I think people go here for the tradition of it. This place has obviously been around for years. I think the best item I had was the polenta. Everything else seemed too unauthentic and homemade for a restaurant.
traditional. the closest thing Sacramento has to Louie Ciro's. It isn't as much as a social icon as Louie's but is is in the family tradition. I love knowing that when I come here I wont run into anyone.
For me, this is the best place for good home cooking Italian food. The décor may be a little lacking, but the minestrone soup and spaghetti are out of this world. Getting all three courses with some ice cream at the end makes this a great value. The sauces are all homemade, including the pesto! I recommend this to anyone who wants a good home cooked meal.
Meh, that's about it, although I give the ambiance a wink and a smile. Good for families, large groups, and the geriatric crowd, but definitely would be embarrassed to take a date here. The food is what I imagine food tasted like in the 1950's, not very refined or interesting. The minestrone that everyone raves about was not all that and they bring it to your table in a plastic mixing bowl, I've had better from from a can. For a similar feel and better menu selection Bucca di Beppo would be a better bet.
Yup, I freakin' love this place! This place is so Italian - picnic"cky" table tops, paintings, and perhaps most important, the huge PORTIONS. I eat a lot, so the latter is muy importante!
The soup hits the spot - all the ingredients retain their flavor while preserving their structure so they don't become soggy. That's impressive considering how much soup they have to make.
Grub:
*Minestrone soup, a few bucks more to have refills 'til your tummy hurts (the best minestrone I've had!)
*Chicken parmesan (one side was a little overcooked but I'd order it again)
Service:
*Waitresses were good about refilling our bowls of soup and feeding us bread - goodie goodie!
Espanol reminds me of going to grandma's house... provided your grandmother is blind, has no interior decorating knowledge, and subsequently also seems to lack taste buds. (So needless to say, it's not MY grandmother's house, but I'm sure it's like someone's grandmother's house.)
This place boasts "homestyle italian cooking" in the worst sense of the phrase. But before we get to that, lets discuss the decor. We're talking plastic fruit and horrible yellow/white floral motifs everywhere... everything seems anachronistic in the sad, depressing way that makes your heart ache just a little knowing that the decorations haven't changed since the day the place opened. More than that, the place was just old. The paint was chipping from the walls and ceiling and everything looked like it was about to fall apart.
We were seated by an elderly woman who looked as if she should break a hip if she walked too quickly. She brought out bread and minestrone (which was actually very good considering I usually don't like minestrone soup). We ordered our entrees and they came out fast enough.
The main meat dishes were served with a side of what were obviously canned green beans. I don't care how "home style" your restaurant is and how authentic you want to be to your mothers kitchen, but there is no excuse for serving canned vegetables in a restaurant without even the attempt to dress them up. Upon tasting them, they were lukewarm and very salty (obviously not even rinsed thoroughly once they were taken out of the can).
The pasta had a great texture but the sauce was oversalted. It was simple in the bad way... no complexity of flavor but no effort going into it either. It was like they took a handful of tomatoes, some salt, and a can of ragu and dumped it all together without much other effort. That's not the way I do things in my kitchen (and I'm not even Italian).
Worst of all about this restaurant was the acidity of the pasta sauce. I will honestly say that I have an iron stomach. I drink more than many of my male friends (or used to) and can eat two week old expired yogurt without a second though. Espanol was the first place to ever give me indigestion because the sauce was so damn acidic.
Really, I wanted to like a place that was family style and had been run by the same family for so many years, but how can you forgive poor ambiance and worse food, even if they try to keep up kind service. Perhaps that stuff works in your family, but not in mine.
I moved to the area from SF about a year ago and was intrigued by the outward appearance of Espanol from the first moment I saw it. A few weeks ago, we finally had a chance to try the place. We made a Saturday evening reservation for a party of 7 (4 adults and 3 kids).
Let's start with the outside of the place. Don't be fooled by my 2-star rating. The outside of the joint is about as retro-hip as it gets. I initially thought it was a cover for a really hot restaurant. It definitely has curb appeal. Once, inside, however, it's a little disappointinig. It needs some sprucing up and the dropped ceiling in the dining room made me feel I was eating in a dimly lit school cafeteria.
We walked inside and discovered the place was packed. And it was packed with all manner of people, the majority of which were 60+. That's when I knew it wasn't a hipster kind of place - nothing wrong with that. The customers I saw that night ranged from families, older neighborhood folks, to kids dressed in tuxes and formals having a bite before heading to their school's Sadie Hawkins dance. We waited a few minutes and were seated at a comfortable table.
The server we had must have been a long time employee. She worked our table without batting an eye or breaking a sweat. She was helpful, great with the kids, quick to help us with our meal choices, and overall seemed like a great lady.
The reason behind my low rating really has to do with the food. While the place could stand a little sprucing up, the food is really the driving force behind this review. Though the serving sizes were large, there's nothing that compensates for poor quality and off flavors. More isn't always better. Food swimming in - strike that - drowning in sauce is always a bad sign. Don't get me wrong. My palate isn't as sophisticated as some but I am 100% Italian, so I know good from bad with Italian cuisine. I also dropped my expectation levels down a couple notches when I walked in the place and took in the surroundings.
My group ordered a broad range of dishes. We had veal, Alfredo, raviolis, Bolognese, and a couple other dishes. Let's put it this way, nothing was inedible, but none of the food was great either. I ordered the veal, which was tough and drowning in sauce. The green beans on the side were straight out of a can. The server overheard my comment about the green beans and told me they once tried frozen vegetables and the regulars complained so much they brought back the canned. Hey, there's nothing wrong with standing by your regular customers. The place has been in business for 70 years so my mediocre review isn't going to put them out of business or hurt their bottom line. I guess I want folks to know what they're getting into.
All I can say is Espanol might be a good place to grab a quick bite but it doesn't take much to make quick Italian dishes at home. The prices and service were terrific. Unfortunately though, good prices and great service can't make up for poor food coming from the kitchen. I won't go out of my way to eat there again. I'm sure there are a number of other restaurants in the Sacramento area that provide good service, have good prices, and - most importantly - serve good quality Italian food.
I'm all about supporting locally family owned restaurants but Espanol (which serves Italian food BTW), was a HUGE disappointment. If I could give them the Yelp equivalent in terms of stars of a goose egg, I would.
The pro's - it's family style, so you get a LOT of food.
The con's- you get a LOT of mediocre food.
The pasta sauce tasted like something out of a jar, the salad was really watery and the tabletop was really sticky. After trying to flag down our waitress three times, we gave up and just tried to keep our elbows above the table as not to have to peel them off and lose a layer of skin.
The only redeeming factor for the place, was that the minestrone soup wasn't bad. But hey if I just wanted minestrone soup, I'd go to La Bou.
Espanol is an weird place. You could think of it as a dinosaur left over from a different epoch of restaurant dining in much the same way that the backdoor lounge is a throw back to a different era of bars. Unfortunately, while the backdoor lounge seems timeless, Espanol is just dated.
I really want to love the place: the horrible decor, old-school, family-style Italian dining, and great old man bar have all the makings awesome neighborhood gem.
Unfortunately, despite all that Espanol has going for it, including massive portions that border on ridiculous, the food just isn't anything special. It isn't bad, and can be satisfying comfort food on a cold winter night, but it is satisfying in the canned soup and jar of Prego over spaghetti way not in the grandma spent all day slaving away in the kitchen way.
When I eat here I feel like I am dining at grandma's house..it is very cozy & the food is great....
It's a great place to take children, since most diners are families..room can get a little loud, but I feel that adds to the charm.
Good, solid, basic italian. Although not a lot of kids when we've been there, we've taken our young children each time and it was fine.
Won't make my top 10 list (maybe not top-20 or 30), but adequate nonetheless.
I haven't been here in a while but I do remember that their minestrone was very good but their pasta sauce was not. It had the consistency of gravy and no flavor at all.
Momma speaks highly of their garlic chicken.
Survey says, you love it, or you hate it. There's no middle of the road here. Except for JT, Amy, Kim, and finally, me. I don't love it, I don't hate it. It's a-ok. That's all I have for you.
The guy I was dating really wanted to go here for some reason, and I really didn't want to go… Read more »
Man, the food here is really lame. And why all the confusion over the name (is it Spanish or Italian?!?)? I've never been in the bar area but each time I come here I think, "maybe it'll be better this time" and it turns out even worse than before. I'll give em two stars cause they've been around a while. How do they even stay in business? I guess they sucker in people from the burbs that don't know better.
The last time I came here they ran out of bread so they had the busser over to Albertson's and eventually gave me some craptastic roll. If I'd have known that I was waiting for a crappy roll from Al's I would've just finished my soup with some saltines. I'm a bread junkie so if you have bad bread I'm not gonna be happy (especially with Italian food if you can call it that). I like some carbs with my carbs for cryin out loud.
Also, good luck finding a time this place is even open. Their hours are very hit and miss. And why do they always seem to have Porsche convensions here?
If you've read the other reviews, you know about the family style servings and the minestrone and the pasta. What no one mentions are the little menu secrets. First one are the french fries. Fresh cut in the kitchen and fried to a golden crunchiness. Try them with a little of the red sauce from your pasta. The second is the garlic fried chicken. Thin crispy crunch covered in a generous pour of garlic. If you like garlic you will LOVE this.
This is basque family style food, cooked basic Italian/American. You get your minestrone soup in a mixing bowl. You get your giga salad full of iceberg. You get your raviolis and spaghetti. You get your coffee and spumoni. It's like spaghetti factory, but not as good (don't be scared)
Unlike neater Basque places like the ones in Minden, NV, you can't order a giant family style plate of tongue. Which, in my book, is a good thing.
Still, if you go here, you are probably going because it's one of the old restaurants in Sacto. It was originally located where they now run Interstate 5 and stood on a block between Old Sacramento and New Sacramento.
Now you can find actual photos of that era, and fun 50s junk to look at in the bar and on the walls, including old menus with ancient prices.
The food is not that good (very basic Italian), but it's run by the family, and it's a neat place to go at least once.
Best Italian in the county. Their minestrone must have something addictive in it.
The food is edible, which is why I am giving this place one star. I don't think there is anything special about the food. I think I could make the same or better dishes in my own home. I had the most horrible service here. I did not get the dish I ordered and then the waitress was very rude and argued with me about what I ordered.
okay... it is italian but more like grandmas kitchen kinda thing. I can describe it as italian comfort food, I guess. Its good, but I hate that they serve canned green beans with their entrees.
Several in my party said "I wonder if the kitchen has any spices besides salt." A few said "all of the dishes had too much salt." Others said "everything was too salty." One person said "no salt in the ice cream." Everyone laughed. No one will be back.
Those expecting Espanol to be a modern restaurant will be disappointed. Those who understand that Espanol is a family-owned place with over 70 years of business (and longtime regulars to support it), will be humbly satisfied. This is a neighborhood restaurant where East Sac Italians abound. The owner himself makes the sauce and actually works in the restaurant. I have found that the best bet is to come for lunch and go for the pasta. Prepare to be stuffed.
I just love this place! I just moved back home from the Bay Area and had heard my Dad talk about this place all the time, as he and my sister frequent it. So I was excited to try it out. It's like dining at my grandma's house, with the wood paneling and the curtained window inside and old pictures up around the room. The quaint red and white checked tablecloths add a certain coziness to it that is irresistible. I order the Pesto Angel Hair pasta(but it actually doesn't come with Angel Hair, it comes with spaghetti), and the portion is huge. After the family style bread, minestrone soup and salads, prepare to ask for a doggy bag. Corkage if you bring your own wine, which is recommended, is a mere $10. What a deal! Lastly, don't forget dessert! Your choice of vanilla or spumoni. It's a cozy, warm, comfortable place with good food that will leave you with a smile on your face for sure.
It is a family-owned restaurant with good food. Price are very reasonable. I always order Chicken Parmesan or Lasagna.
Mediocre...I think that completely sums up the place. I read the other reviews and saw that there was quite a bit of variation but the ratings averaged out to be...mediocre. Went on a Saturday night and the place was packed (not exactly sure why). The bread did taste like it came from a supermarket across the street. The soup was probably the best thing but I am really not a fan of minestrone so that didn't do much for me. I had the veal which really tasted like some type of TV dinner. My sister had the chicken caccitore which was at best fair. Someone else in the group had the halibut steak - just aweful (I know I like to taste other people's food :). The only points the place scored are the fact that the portions are decent, the soup was hot, and it is after all a long-standing family-style type of joint. I would probably not return though if it was up to me.
If you are in the mood for some authentic Italian food, then this is the place that you need to go to. I was very pleased with the portions that this restaurant gives to you. I love pastas! They seem to have more of the original pastas, not so much variety like Macaroni Grill or Pasta Pomodero, etc. They have more of the original pastas such as Spaghetti (with or without meatballs), pesto pasta, ravioli, linguini, lasagna , etc. Everything is made fresh for you. If you are not in the mood to eating pasta, try the garlic fried chicken! It is so delicious. Tons of garlic over the chicken. I believe you get a breast, thigh, drum, and wing. You also get a order of fries and a plate of spaghetti with your meal. The best part about dining here is the big bowl of minestrone soup that you get and salad with salami. You also get your choice of ice cream to accompany your meal. The service, I felt, was very good. They were right on your table. Highy recommend this place to anyone that loves Italian food. Original place to go to.
The minestrone soup is awesome! I thought the entree (spaghettii) was also very good. The decor seems a little dated and the day we went there was a very large group dining there which made it pretty loud. The server was friendly and even recognized my dining companion who eats there regularly.
Sacramento, CA
Category: Pizza
Sacramento, CA
Category: Italian
Sacramento, CA
Category: Italian
Sacramento, CA
Category: Burgers
Sacramento, CA
Category: Italian
