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I need to start this review out with a BIG ARSE DISCLAIMER!!! Mattee is from The Grid. It sometimes takes a ton of debating to venture out of the afore-mentioned Grid (I'm a master debater). Usually, promises of a ride and free brews will do it. Let's face it folks, living in the Grid can spoil a man. I'm always within walking distance of a frosty adult beverage, and $30 can easily get you trashed for the night. One thing the Grid has been missing in recent years are good **venues for our up and coming artists. This is where the Powerhouse Pub gets my props!
I've gone two times now. Both times for the free show Wednesdays. The way the place is set up allows for plenty of open space to enjoy the show and still has plenty of seats for taking a load off. Although only the front bar was open when I visited, there are multiple bars (4 more I think) all located in key locations so you're never too far from some refreshments. Here's where me being spoiled comes into play. I'm not used to payin out $4 for a budweiser. After my standard buck a beer rule, that's 5 bucks a pop. I was hoping for a cheaper alternative (PBR? Oly?) but couldn't find one that sounded good. In the Grid my selections are $2 Oly's, $2.50 buds, or $4 PBR tall boys. I TOLD YOU I WAS SPOILED!!! I'm also a positive person. The positive I see here is that it's cheaper than the $9 budweiser I bought at the Bellagio in Vegas. Haha!
So, the inside decore reminds me of a high-end dive bar. But, the back patio will make you want to drink rum and hula till you're three sheets to the wind! From the wooden planks to the thatching (I don't really know what thatching is), it's completely a Tiki-Pirate theme. If only my back porch was that awesome...
I actually really liked this place and plan on returning (pending a ride and maybe a couch to crash on). The decore and free show Wednesdays totally makes up for the price of my booze. The only thing I'd change about the Powerhouse is to relocate it to the Grid in all it's entirety. Preferably next door to my house. Or, just let me move in...
**Don't get me wrong though, the Grid still has it's venues. Just not as many selections as we used to have. SUPPORT YOU LOCAL BANDS AND VENUES!!!
Seriously this was a cool place to go like 3 years ago . the douches have infiltrated as well as the thuglife mothafuckas .
let alone no hats , and insanely overcrowded , have fun walking around in there , or waiting 5-20 minutes to get a drink that'll probably end up being made wrong .
if you're gonna go stay on the patio and order from the patio bar .
Cool they have bands playing here. Cool patio area. That's about it. Would I pay 10 bucks to come here again? NO. Free? maybe.
The only time I have come here is for the Led Zepplin cover band. The drinks are pretty week and the crowd is pretty nondescript. I would never venture out of Sac for this place if it wasn't for the band.
Good place to dance, as long as you LOOOOOOOOOOVE the Pogo! Always overpacked and the dance floor is like a sardine can.
Not sure how it stays on the hill? It looks like it was patched together with shoestrings, bubblebum and duct tape.
On the positive side, they do get some good bands and it is reasonably priced.
I was told Tuesday night was "college night." I was absolutely disgusted with the crowd there. Two watered down Grey Goose and sodas were $15. The crowd were full of club skanks and boys (yes BOYS) trying to grope them. I put my purse down 2 feet away from where I was dancing and watched as a guy tried to take my wallet immediately. The crowd looked and acted no more than 18 year olds. I will never come here again.
The Powerhouse is an awful nightspot. Its not the worst place in the world for a show, but for drinking on a weekend night I think I would rather punch myself in the eye than go to Powerhouse.
The other reviewers here have kinda covered it (high-five team), but it pretty much comes down to mediocre beer selection, stench, and the broiest bros this side of Broapolis. I guess if you are really into flatbilled hats and lifted trucks, then you probably feel that this is the greatest venue since Tommy Lee's dick, but I cant stand this place... especially when there are both better classy places (Manderes) and dives (Jaegs) right there.
Considering the band we came to see this place was quite suiting. I don't drink in Folsom ever so I have nothing local to compare it to but I had fun. It does have a cowboy/hick roadhouse feel to it but who's to say that's a bad thing when you're there to see a country band. The bartenders work fast and the drinks are well price. I liked the size of the dance floor and the fact that there was ample seating. There was no cover when I went but I would be a little miffed if I got charged 10 bucks like most of the people reviewing did. But all in all I had a good time. I was with a large group of friends and I think that helped a little. I would take someone here for a first date or romantic evening. Jeans cowboy boot kinda place.
Lately, the people the Powerhouse Pub is attracting are a bunch of thugs and unruly drunks. They are bringing a bad element to Old Folsom with assault, battery, vandalism and DUI's.
It makes me wonder why everyone had a problem with Ms. Teaz...when the real problem in the area is the Powerhouse Pub.
Ohh... and the stench... well, what can I say, if you smell urine, vomit or something else then someone has probably urinated, vomited or done something close to where you are standing.
The only positive thing is that they do have a few good bands playing there once in a blue moon - literally.
I did the live music thing here (Sat), the band was off but fun anyway. Just carousing around it was pretty obvious the venue hosts different types of parties (weeklies?). It seemed to have been through a remodel or two. Somehow they pulled off a live band on one side and outdoor lounge on the other (each with it's own bar). The outdoor deck area is the best feature.
I saw a Led Zeppelin tribute band here and the frontman (uhh Roburt Plante?) apologized for being 2 hours late, because they played the "House of Blues" the night before... basically insulting the venue on stage. I figured if the place had more industry-cred, the main act wouldn't want to burn gig bridges by saying such things.
Didn't think much of this place the first time I went, but it was the middle of the day during the Light Rail Pub Crawl. It was only during my return visit to see The Saddle Tramps play live here, that I came to appreciate what a great little bar and music venue this place is. Acoustics are great, drinks are reasonable and there's plenty of kitschy bar clutter on all of the walls including a giant stuffed hippopotamus head!
I had seen The Saddle Tramps perform their particular brand of "cowpunk" or "trailer trash rock" before at a pool party at the Sands Hotel in Reno. They rocked the house then and they rocked the house this time. I was eagerly anticipating their classics such as "Momma Was a Flagger" and "You Put the Cunt in Country", but happily discovered some a new favorite when they sang "The Bulge in Satan's Pants". During a break, some members of the band hit the smoking balcony/patio and I asked if I might be lucky enough to hear them play "Fortune Cookie Nookie". Only in a venue like this can you hang out and chat with the band and even have your requests noted.
All that being said, I highly recommend catching some live entertainment at this great little party spot in Old Town Folsom. And you can get pizza from Chicago Fire brought over to eat here... good deep dish pizza makes for happy drunks!
I'm not sold on the Powerhouse..it seems like the place where the trendys of Folsom go to kick it. Every time i been there i have seen something twisted there. And on top of that the 1st Lightrail Pubcrawl was scheduled to go there but it was shut down for a private party.
It is ok
Thank you Powerhouse for letting me finally see ACDShe this summer (and yes, they r-o-c-k)! Previously, all of my other attempts to see one of the world's most awesome all girl cover bands had fallen through. Finally the curse was lifted.
The Powerhouse Pub proved to be a choice venue with a mixed crowd. Good sized dance floor with plenty of room to bop around without doing a sardine impression. It has a great bar, old-timey roadhouse decor (Patrick Swayze eat your heart out!), huge flat panel TVs, large patio area, and parlor games for all to play. It's in historic Old Folsom and just three blocks from the yellow light rail stop. Prime for a boozey night out on the town.
I wouldn't pay a cover to get in for unknown bands but I will checkout their karaoke nights (Monday?) if gratis and will return again if a worthy band comes-a-calling.
I went on a Sat and it's $10 to get in if they have a cover band. Kind of a rip off. the band was ok. It had the better looking singles than most places in Sac. You can go back and forth to Scarlett's too. The police are everywhere on Sutter Street so be careful.
This place was great till they went after the trendy crowd on Tuesday nights, Sure they will come untill another bar takes them and then I will come back.
Good bands but stay away when they have DJ's.. Too many want to be cool people.
I used to visit the powerhouse on Tuesdays for Karaoke and occasionally on the weekends but over the last couple of years the place has gone down hill. The drinks were always a bit on the pricey side and the bar staff always left me feeling irritated and unappreciated.
My friends and I made a pit stop there recently and were greeted at the door with a hefty cover ($15) and very very rude bouncers at the door. I was fine with paying the cover to see the band and hang with some friends who were already inside but not with being treated like scumbag by a couple of overweight unattractive minimum wage cop wanna be's at the door. They were the final reason we left and have not been back.
The last time we actually did go in, I do remember a nasty stench in the air, a few pervy gross drunks, some snobby old drunks, and a bunch of thuggish boys trying to act hard (what a laugh). NOt reallly the type of place I would go now. I am over the vomit scene.
Ive been going here for awhile now. Not because I love it but because they are usually playing some good dance music. Welllll bump and grind music... Yea, that's when I've had tooo much.
The one thing I can never get past is the HORRIBLE stench!!!!
Its a mix of beer, barf and sweat... Not good!
It gets way to packed with gross men and drunken 40 year old women.
That's when I make my way back to Scarlets.
So far Ive had pretty good experiences with The Powerhouse. I mainly go on Wed nights because of the bands playing (Sounds of Sac) which is free!!! I'm always happy when I find a bar that has pretty good live bands for free. Drawback, drinks are pretty pricey... I would say on the average pricey side though. Service speed is average. I like the atmosphere there and its deceivingly large inside and out. There are two bars (second bar is not always open. I'm guessing they open it on the weekends??), a second floor mainly for sitting and watching the chaos on the dance floor below, and a nice and large outside area. As far as the type of bar... I wouldn't go as far as to say "dive" but its not exactly high brow either. There is a cover on the weekends to see the bands they have booked. Def check out the website to get details on the cover before you go. Also, I have seen them with a line outside from time to time and do occasionally sell out of tickets if there is an extremely popular band. Parking is limited right by the bar but there is a parking lot for old Folsom across the street.
So this place totally bums me out cuz the last like seriously THREE times I've tried to go here, there's been a shitty cover of like $10 to see some shitty band. No thank you!
But the times I actually have gone here have been pretty chill. The back patio is pretty much the shit, with heat lamps and clean surrounding and green foliage. There's free popcorn inside and ample seating, along with huuuuge tv screens showing local sports and vh1. There's an upstairs if you want a bit more privacy. I had pretty decent bloody marys here on a few occasions. Don't quote me on it, but I'm pretty sure I remember there being a phone where one can dial the pizza place down the street for a delivery. That's awesome, right?
Avoid the cover dudes, it won't be worth. Come here on a quiet night with some bros.
Its not the establishment so much that makes this place crappy... it's the crowd that goes there. I have been to this place several times and each time I have been disappointed and annoyed. It's too bad because they have a really cool atmosphere and a nice big backyard/patio.
The last time would be my final trip there. My girls got me a limo for my bachelorette party and we went to Powerhouse to see the Cheeseballs (80's band) play. The limo company contacted the bar and reserved us a table. When we got there, people were all standing around the table giving us dirty looks and acting like we were crappy for saving a table. A couple of guys came over and were ultra rude to us and said they didn't care if it was reserved they were going to sit there anyways. (We had a couple extra chairs while girls were smoking) I told them all they had to do was ask nicely and not be asswads, we would have gladly let them sit with us. They scurried off somewhere when I stood up all pissed off.
The dance floor is so crowded your table view of the dance floor is asses in your face from about 3 inches away.The music was ultra loud and you can barely hear your company. I won't rip on the age of the patrons that attend this place because I think that's rude, but let's say it's not a 20 something majority bar... I have no problem with the age of the bar crowd so long as everyone is being cool and fun.
To make matters worse for the night, the women in the place noticed my party veil and were making rude comments like " Don't do it!!!" "Marriage sucks...you will be miserable" blah blah..... more crappy comments came from about 6 different middle-aged women that we could tell were regulars. DON'T GO HERE for your bachelorette party... its supposed to be special and fun, unlike this "bar" full of miserable and snobby women. BAD vibe, pricey drinks and way over-crowded. The dance floor smelled like a diaper... no joke.
Went on a Thursday night with my husband, super cheap beer and no cover. The Saddle Tramps were playing that night which a friend recommended...so we checked it out! It was a great show in addition to the people watching. I love the interior of this place and the beer was $2 or less, definitely would go back. And of course it's awesome because it's in Old Folsom.
Oh, how I miss the Powerhouse!!!! For a bar, it is by far the BEST venue for live music. Most others, even in SF, have a poor layout that interfere with watching the show. Part of why I love the PHP is the design. Great, funky decor. There is a Rhino head above the main bar with trumpets dangling from its tusks. Stilettos tacked to the wall. Swirly cheap Christmas decorations and Tiffany-esque lamps hang from the ceiling.
There is an established dancefloor so people aren't dancing next while you are trying to order your drink. Plenty of seats for people to sit, or dance on until a bouncer gets them grounded. A pool table that should just get chucked so there is more standing or table room.
There is a second floor that provides some great people watching and cuddling if you venture there on a slower night for a Battle of the Bands.
Very large outdoor patio for socializing, smoking and cooling off, as ventilation can be an issue.
The crowd tends to be a mix of good-looking co-eds, Folsom yuppies, and then our Mom's and Dad's friends on the prowl. Lots of cougars and an equal ratio of creepy old guys. Yet, a popular college and post-college hangout. I'd always run into acquaintances, friends or old classmates.
After all these years, some of my best nights out have been at PHP! And I have yet to had another bar provide such a great venue and host so many quality memories!
Tuesday and Saturday nights tend to get the younger crowds.
Must see: Poprocks!!! The Spazmatics! Wonderbread 5! And The Cheeeseballs!
Avoid: Mercy Me. Hip Service. Tribute bands.
Came here to celebrate my cousin's Birthday on a Saturday night. It was good, cover was $10 and the drinks were a bit pricey (around $7 for shots and beers). The Ambience was cool, there was a hippo eating a person as a mantle-piece over the bar, a Laurence Fishburne Blow up doll near the bathroom, and a candy grab machine full of unmentionables.
The Spazmatics were playing there that night, and they Really knew how to drive the crowd (says my cousin). I agree with her. They were cool, and Really really dorky.
I think the fact that they had live music was really refreshing, a different experience than just a club or bar scene.
This place rocks every 2ND Friday. Notorious, an awesome band plays there. They play all the great songs of the Eighties!! I've never had a bad experience there. Great crowd that knows how to have a good time. You can catch me there surfing the crowd.
Great Bands, especially Wonderbread 5 and the Cheeseballs. Crowd is mixed 20s to 40s. Good place for a bunch of us old married ladies to go dance and remember our real "Clubbin" days.
This place was a blast for awhile but shady business practices have turned me off on it.
I used to go there after work for beer and to B.S. with friends, it was always a decent time. Sit on the patio and watch the afternoon traffic or catch some of the Kings game on the Big screen. Nights were also fun when a good band was playing.
Unfortunately that all changed when twice within 3 weeks I was charged for drinks which I never ordered.
I do not remember if it was the same bartender both times or not but each time it was near the end of the bartenders shift, when I went to cash out my bill there were two cocktails on my tab which I did not order nor drink.
The issue was addressed with the bartender on hand and I was told that since he wasn't the tender of record I'd need to take it up with the other tender (who had already left) or the manager. I left my number and a note for the manager and went on my way.
Both times I ended up calling at a later time since no correspondence was made in response to my note. I was never compensated for the over charges and never received an apology so I simply quit going there.
Both instances occured in the early evening.
If you do go to this place, watch your bill closely.
It's unfortunate a bad employee had to ruin this place for me but the management could have easily made it right... My money is better spent elsewhere.
So let me preface this..I am not a club/bar person. That being said the Power House seems like a good mix of what you need in a establishment. Lots of places to purchase drinks.. Decent amount of seating (err people watching) places. The best thing however was the mix of the crowd. The age range was 21-61 and every where in between. I cover was a tad high at $12 but it was a good time. I will surely go back.
mmm there was a time when I would have given this place 5 stars; good crowd, side bars open, good karaoke. The last couple of years have turned this place upsidedown. Much like any place that receives a bunch of attention, the powerhouse has attracted a certain ghettoness. Fights in the parking lot seem to be the new attraction here. The side bar is closed down, so now you must wait forever to get a drink. And the karaoke seems to be gone; ghetto club music has taken over...One star for the random crap on the wall, one star for the memories...
One word to lure you to Powerhouse Pub, Spazmatics, performing every Tuesday night.
They have some good bands here, but the staff ruins the experience. Each visit has been met with yet another cocky or rude bartender. Also, the cover charges are getting very high. Our last vist was $15 p/p and packed shoulder to shoulder on the dance floor. Overall, not a very fun night out, sure wish that there was another place in town that had good bands.
Folsom, CA
Category: Nightlife
Folsom, CA
Category: Nightlife
El Dorado Hills, CA
Category: Dive Bars
Folsom, CA
Category: Bars
Folsom, CA
Category: American (New)
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