Socal's Tavern
- Price Range: $
- Accepts Credit Cards: Yes
- Parking: Street
- Good for Groups: Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible: Yes
- Outdoor Seating: No
- Music: Juke Box
- Best Nights: Wed, Thu, Fri
- Alcohol: Full Bar
- Smoking: Outdoor Area/Patio Only
- Coat Check: No
29 Reviews for Socal's Tavern
Free nachos. Free sandwiches. No free beer? Well, two out of three ain't bad. The Sacramento Dive Bar Connoisseurs scheduled Socal's on this thursday night. To join the fun: http://groups.yahoo.co... The jukey was loaded with great tunes. The joint was packed with thirsty patrons shooting the shit about whatever. It was a great crowd. A good mix of people. Julie the bartender seemed overwhelmed but that's all part of the fun. "Julie, Julie! Anchor Steam!" Had several Anchor Steams, joked around with some fellow dive bar connoisseurs and wondered aloud about the health benefits of the smoking cage. I wonder what the Surgeon General thinks? As the night wound down I got a ride home from some chick named Laura. Success! They also have a cool neon sign that lights up Folsom BLVD.
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Not a horrible bar in East Sac. On the plus side it is within walking distance from my house.
Cons:
1. No pitchers - pint glasses only
2. Strange mix of music on the jutbox
3. college kids! - it becomes a hangout on Saturday night with young college kids. I never have a fun time when they are there.
Pros:
1. PBR on tap and it's Cheap!
2. Shuffleboard
3. Pool tables
People thought this was:
Useful (1)
Ah, Socal's. Reminds me of a tavern back in my home state of Wisconsin: Wood-paneled walls, powdered handsoap in the restrooms, friendly staff, low-pretense all around. A bit too cramped (especially on weekends) and the stereo can be a little loud, but the drinks are cheap and it's just a good old-fashioned neighborhood joint. Try the pasties!
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Overall, Socal's is a really cool, fun place. I have some issues with it, however. Like the really young looking college students who come here and just seem to take up space. They're not even really engaging in conversation with each other or doing much of anything...except CONSTANTLY be in my way.
I can see how people may think it's a dive bar, but it's really not. There are a devoted group of regulars, which make it a little bit cooler. The drinks weren't nearly stiff or cheap enough to be an actual dive bar. And everyone had their teeth.
Still, I had a good time there on a Thursday night. It got way crowded the later it got. I had to wait a little too long for my drinks. There are far too many other shitty bars I'd rather get wasted in.
I would have given 3 stars, except for the free nachos.
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Socal's is a wonderful little neighborhood bar right on the corner of Folsom & 52nd. It is adequately dim in there with a few tables and a nice bar. They also have a 'lower' level where there are two pool tables, a shuffleboard table & a couple of video games! I ordered my beer before my date got there and was then chatted up by a very nice woman (who is most likely a regular). Turns out she's an artist and wants to make a mask of my face! Funny, ah, but I digress.
After getting our drinks, my date suggested going over to one of the tables near a window, but directly under a speaker. That was the biggest mistake. It was LOUD! I really don't mind a loud bar, in fact, I enjoy it when music is playing on the jukebox, we just picked the wrong spot to try to have a conversation. Oh well, I should know better.
They have pretzels in a big community bowl for people to snack on and you can order pasties. They just microwave them, but if you are hungry and aren't planning on eating anywhere, they will do. Of course, I know this little bit of info from a previous visit, we didn't have any this time=(. I should have though, I was starving.
The women's bathroom is clean and has a great poster in it with a bunch of useless information, so that's always entertaining even when your date is not;)
Julie, one of the bartenders is AWESOME...I think she works mainly nights! I also like this bar because the clientele are a little older, so it's not as obnoxious or frat bar like.
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This place does get loud and crowded. Great jukebox selections, bartenders are usually really friendly, and the drinks are fairly strong. I refuse to stay very late though. When it starts filling up with people, I'm outta there!
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seriously, this place is so not a dive bar at all. it's a frat boy let's yell and be obnoxious bar (at least at night, i'm sure during the day and early evening it's quite wonderful). they do serve pabst and the bartender was very nice though. i give three stars for the service and the decor. cute little tables and chairs. totally not my scene though and i probably wouldn't go back. maybe i'll check it out in the daytime or afternoon, but definitely not at night. oh, the smoking "time out" area was pretty hilarious though. good stuff. all in all the crowd reminded me of the 2me on a weekend night.
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What can I say...this bar has darts, pool table and a shuffleboard table...its the triple threat, the holy trinity if you will...Patrons are friendly, the bartenders are cool, especially Julie...she rocks...My goal when I go there is to get her drunk! Which in turn always gets me drunker-est! Never tried the Pasties they sell, nor do I know what a Pastie is but its food and when your drunk who cares...They also have pretzels, which are free for you frugal yelpers...You know who you are!
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So...if you're not a regular you'll know it right away. This is a local LoCal spot. But it's still a good time--darts, shuffleboard, pool tables, a jukebox and for the most part friendly people. They have a convenient spot for smokers if that's your thing, but otherwise you're in for a semi-loud but fun evening inside. There's only one bathroom for the ladies which means you can stand in line for a while, but that's just an opportunity to chat with the pool players, right?! Have fun here and they'll remember you with a beer waiting at the bar...
If you want to go drink and get a bit crazy then this place is the place to go. Classic rock, rowdy crowd, just this side of dangerous, games in back, big fat drinks. It's loud and a bit crowded and very dress-down. Not a place for a quiet drink, not a place to dress up and dance at. Take a taxi - have some fun.
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This is a solid bar. It has everything I could ask for...well almost. Excellent beers on tap, great jukebox, Golden Tee, pool tables and a decent shuffle board table. I would agree with some of the other reviews that this place does get rather loud, and your pipes will definitely be tested. I enjoy coming to this place after work or on a Saturday afternoon. Nothing is more fitting than watching a ballgame, drinking a brew, listening to some great tunes and playing a little dice.
I would give this place five stars, but the bathroom situation is a mess.
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This is probably my favorite dive bar in Sacramento. My advice to all those wishing to avoid the Sac State crowd - go in the afternoon, or on week nights. I've had some great times at Socal playing pool with friends on a Saturday (or even Thursday;) afternoon, when it's just us and a handful of regulars. They do have a good variety of beers and mixed drinks for a dive. I have been there on a Saturday night and it is a whole different scene. If you want to hook up or be in a party atmosphere (one of those extreme extroverts perhaps) Saturday pm is your scene. But I like a lazy afternoon with my friends playing pool in a comfortable, nearly empty dive bar in no where East Sac.
Not sure why I'm sharing this very top secret info that years of research has gone into....but here goes:
Socals on Friday = generally good.
Socals on Saturday = generally bad.
But like anything it all depends on what you're looking for. What are *you* looking for? (It's important to know what you want in life.) Frat boys, the stripey shirt types and the bottle blonde thong bearing chicks who love them = Saturday. Plump divorcees' with a penchant for Jameson, snarky comments, and Stella = Friday...ok, well at least tonight.
In all seriousness, Friday's are just somewhat older and more the "regular crowd stumbles in" kind of thing. It's all timing too...the later it is, the louder it is. I've spent some wonderful afternoons in this place and I've also spent some not so wonderful nights outside puffing on a P-Funk Light wondering when I can drag my friends elsewhere. It's generally worth the gamble though.
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I walked past this place last week at about 2 PM and I saw an old granny with a teeny tiny short skirt on and heels. I don't want to make anyone vomit but the wind lifted up her skirt and I got a peek at something I hope never to see again. I guess even our elders need a little liquor induced love sometimes.
Despite my first experience, a few of us met here last night for some drinks. It was really crowded but we got a table and chat-screamed at eachother and got other people's asses and crotches in our face [and, NO, we didn't ask for it]. Eventually we left because the jukebox was way too loud.
There's a pool table, shuffleboard and video games in the next room, which wasn't as crowded as the bar area.
Lots of guys in tight shirts trying to flex their flabby muscles for girlies in tight tube tops.
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Too many Sac State kids - too crowded - jukebox too loud to have conversations. Pool and shuffleboard.
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I spent one evening at this bar screaming at my friends. I wasn't mad or anything, but anything less than a scream would have been indistinguishable from the background noise. At least nobody got into a fight, although a creepy dirty man (perhaps from the 1960s) with long hair tried to follow my friend into the bathroom.
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Quite possibly the best bartenders in Sac...and the doormen are pretty hot too (though i might be a bit biased as my bf is one of them ;)
The place can be a bit crowded when it's busy but it's perfect size when it's slower. Lots of regulars (which says a lot of good things about a bar if you ask me.) The jukebox plays the regular bar fare (journey, van halen, etc) but has planty of choices for those of us who will scream if we hear "Don't Stop Believin'.." one more time.
The have pretzels and pasties (the freshness of the former, however, is up to interpretation).
Yummy drinks and no cover, you can't ask for much more!
This bar is part of the East Sac Leg of the LightRail Pubcrawl .
This is well maintained, clean neighborhood bar with variety of bar type
games and a nifty smoking room dealy yo.
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Cool (2)
My friend LOVES this bar. She's there I don't know how many nights a week. She dragged me here. I didn't like it the first time. I got stared at a lot by other chicks. I have no idea why. A bunch of preppy looking college kids here. The chicks are usually in heels and skirts like it's a club or something. I usually go in my jeans and converse. I like to be comfy when I'm out drinking. So, the bartender lady is nice. There's a smoking area outside that is super tight. Everyone can hear everyone's conversation. The beer is pretty good. There are a few pool tables out in the back. A jukebox. It's really not that bad of a place. It's just the people there. They stare too much. One more experience. I went with a couple of my girl friends. As soon as we walked in, these other girls sitting right in front of the door were pretty much staring us down. I heard one of the girls say, "Here comes the black witches." Which I have no idea why. Yes, we were all wearing black, but calling us witches?! WTF!? I was in a good mood walking in, so I ignored it.
I enjoyed my first time here. Great conversation and great friends - the drinks were tasty and even the people I didn't know were friendly and fun. At one point the whole bar broke into song together. It was crowded but not in a bad way.
I had a hard time writing this review. I hate when people base reviews only on the clientele, but the clientele ruined this place for me. They have good beer on tap. I like anyplace with Guinness. But the people her drive me nuts. Went here on a Saturday after noon, and it wasn't very busy. But the people here were idiots. They wouldn't stop butting in on my conversation. They were smashed at 2pm and were still getting served. I'd move to another part of the bar, and there were more idiots. I know people are thinking right now, don't go to a bar if you don't want to be around drunk people. But this was the worst I've ever seen in bar. I can't stand to go in for that reason. It makes me wonder, how much of this can I blame on the owners. They don't invite these people here. There just trying to run a business. And they do a good job with the beer selection. Just a bad scene. I've tried a few more times and got more of the same. Ill keep trying occasionally to see if things change. i really want to like this place, but it's hard when I don't have a good time.
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My favorite local bar. The people are never angry or out of control, they have shuffleboard, pool and darts and a good selection on the jukebox. Try their special shot - the Socal Slut and be sure to buy one for the bartender.
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solid local spot with a friendly air. they run some fun theme nights and offer up free bad bar food on the regular. shuffleboard is always a positive. i am decidely biased because i got ten kinds of nekkid with some girl who lived in the apartment upstairs. i don't think she was a granny but i am crafty like a motherfucker, don't put it past me.
JCTSFR: 6.44
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Not to bad of a spot. It would be nice if all their beer wasn't always flat (fix that damn CO2 problem). Good jukebox and a nice hideaway spot with pool tables. I did get food poisoning from the chicken wings.
This place is a little bit of alright. Just avoid Saturday nights because the cougars come out and hunt for fresh meat. Overall the place is somewhat clean and the smoking area is really small, so you have to go outside to smoke. Well, that dog don't hunt, how the hell I'm I supposed to enjoy my tasty libation when I'm outside and it's inside. It just doesn't add up. Avoid the food there it gave me the trots and me and my toilet have become better friends for of it. So if your looking for an overcrowded, can't hear yourself talking to the person next to you kinda place I highly recommend Socals.
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my boyfriend loves the dogs on the wall outside. when we went on a friday night, pretty early, there was free nachos. we had just eaten but sometime we might go back and take advantage. the jukebox was alright. the best thing about socals is the almost pefectly straight shuffleboard table. 10 times better than the table at flame club.
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Nice lively crowd. Young, but not so rowdy that an oldster like myself would feel uncomfortable.
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After such a fabulous time at Socal's last night, I feel compelled to Yelp about this sweet neighborhood bar...I love Socal's and am reminded of this every time I venture there! This bar just screams comfortable environment for literally anyone. Local barflys enjoying a beer after work, Sac State kiddies all decked out in their Forever 21 finest, and East Sac folks who arrive via bike in flip flops because it's so close to home can all enjoy the excellent jukebox and great drinks (especially the brews). I love that Socal's has Harp on draught and last night my friend had not one but three frothy car bombs made possible by the Sac rarity of Guiness on draught that doesn't taste like it comes from a stale keg! The lack of a fifth star has to do with the terribly gross bathroom situation for both men and women (eeeewww, they smell SO bad) but all in all, this place is perfect for a crazy night out with a group or a post Kings game pint (perfect number of tvs plus a big screen make for good game watching here, too) or a mellow drink in the neighborhood. Go here!
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My favorite sacramento bar -- you can't beat the jukebox & suffleboard!
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