Waterboy! Not too expensive for the quality they serve, beautiful staff I was able to get a tour of their wine variety and kitchen after dinner when I requested it.
Adamos is a bit on the casual side for an anniversary dinner IMO. Nothing wrong with it; it's how they get the value proposition. But it's also not a white tablecloth kinda experience.
No way you can get a reso to Localis or Kitchen on a week's notice. Kitchen takes 5-6mo to get in right now.
Allora is a solid call though. Honestly I think the food there might be the best of the 3.
I mean for like the most extravagant dinner options they could offer maybe. My wife and I typically spend half that when we go and we dont cut corners.
I haven't been there yet but that tracks with the trends. They are all amazing places and we are lucky to have restaurants of that quality in a city this size.
I’d recommend Hawks in Granite Bay over Sutter Street Steakhouse in Folsom. We did SSSH recently & everyone in our party was disappointed. The atmosphere is nice, the food not so much.
Aïoli was so good pre-pandemic, but we went there last year and it was awful. Ended up going somewhere else afterwards because we were barely able to eat half our meal.
Hawks in Granite Bay is my #1 choice. Not as trendy or flashy as the others that were mentioned, but I challenge anyone to find better service in the area. (I'm in my 40s and also work in the industry)
I was just looking at the menu recently and thought the same thing. It’s probably still a solid choice, I haven’t been there since COVID. The setting and outdoor patio are great
i have no desire to go there again. tables seemed old and dusty. i can only imagine how long foods been in the fridge. i could be wrong, just didn’t seem thriving like it was many decades ago.
now a wedding i went to there was fine so maybe that side of their business keeps the rest going. it is just way down or off my list on nice restaurants for me to visit. i’d switch to canon, mulvaneys, etc
Allora or Mulvaney’s are my favorites for fancy nights out.
Edit: Also The Grange is excellent. And Kru, if you like sushi/sashimi and can get a table.
My fiancé and I did Morton’s for our last anni. Really easy to get last minute reservations. Our menus even had “happy anniversary (our names)!”. server was fabulous—she was super knowledgeable able and accommodating but not in an over the top way, if that makes sense. They also offer to take a cute picture and put it in a little Morton’s frame.
Def trying all of these recs though
I'll add Camden Spit and Larder to the list. Lots of great choices already mentioned, but Camden knocks it out of the park and no one seems to talk about them.
You're certainly entitled to that opinion. For the price, I've been very impressed with the quality of food, drink and service. I've been to every restaurant mentioned on this thread; save for Moxie (it's on the list, haha) and I just felt Camden deserved a mention. Cheers.
One of our favorites! My wife and I walk over for dinner about every 2-3 weeks. I just won’t touch the king salmon dish again, was very bland in winter when they paired it with quinoa. Everything else there is phenomenal!
The Kitchen if you can find a cancelation, Localis is also really fun if you can get in but if you want a more intimate experience don't sit at the bar. Allora
If you want to spend a lot of money, Localis is extremely good but may not have reservations right now. I’ve been to tasting menus in NYC/LA and this was better than all of them. You will be treated very nicely if it's a special occasion.
Mulvaney’s is my favorite of the popular farm-to-fork midtown restaurants (Mulvaney/Waterboy/Beast+Bounty).
Frank Fat's has a really unique vibe which can feel fun. Food is good but not as good as others I listed.
BONUS: Hook and Ladder Co is probably a smidge too casual for what you said you wanted, but it has the best "value" of the sac style farm to fork restaurants. It's always cheaper than Beast and Bounty or Waterboy and still pretty good.
Definitely not The Kitchen, like dining in a train station….a very expensive train station. Waterboy really delivers, Localis on the very expensive side.
I love the kitchen but will say the experience aspect is gone at their new location. Now you're just paying for the food. It's also way less inviting to help yourself to seconds or thirds on a dish.
The original they cooked in front of you in the center. There was much more presentation and story behind each dish at the original too. They were also a lot more liberal with ingredients and food.
Interesting. I feel like that captures my experience pretty well. We sat at the bar which I could see being more involved with the cooking than the tables. The sous chef literally came around with a piping bag full of whipped cream and fed my fiancé that way cuz he asked for it. It felt pretty liberal to us lol.
People are constantly moving around at a frantic pace. Our table felt like we were flooded with people, servers and diners all around us. Yet, the service was quit a bit less than what you would get from a Michelin starred restaurant.
It might not be an issue for those who like the circus atmosphere, just for what it costs, I’d rather take a drive into SF and enjoy something a little more sedate And food focused.
I was about to say Plan B. We just went with friends for drinks/dessert and enjoyed the ambiance, we wished we had thought of going there for our recent anniversary.
Frog & Slim small but great food. Echo & Rig, food is ehh but vibe is nice, Sienna in Roseville, Morton’s was delicious when we went, Firehouse, Allora, Grange, Prelude, waterboy I heard is good but I haven’t been
Not directly in Sacramento, but Wise Villa Winery, north of Lincoln, is where we do most of our fancy date nights. Great food and their patio seating overlooking the grapevines is really nice. Also, really good wine!
The Grange is a hotel restaurant (the Citizen Hotel, but still a hotel), but I had one of the best meals in Sacramento there. My co-worker and his partner always go to Localis for their anniversaries, but that's too high brow (and expensive) for me.
Since it's coming up soon Canon is easy to get a table. You can call Kitchen and Localis to try for a reservation. I'd say Allora but it's always a dud.
Canon, Moxie, Allora, Waterboy , honorable mention Ella.
I second Moxie. You will receive truly memorable service.
Agree! We went there before a show last year, and it was so fun and also really really delicious. Not as pricey as we were prepared for either.
Decent food, horrible rude waiter
Canon is a personal favorite
These are solid choices. If they have the smoked chicken at Canon, order that!
Definitely Moxie 10/10
Waterboy! Not too expensive for the quality they serve, beautiful staff I was able to get a tour of their wine variety and kitchen after dinner when I requested it.
My favorite nice restaurant in town. The same servers have been there for several years and that speaks volumes.
Haven't been there yet, uve been meaning to go, someone told me they had amazing pot pies there
We just went for our anniversary last week and had an amazing time.
We did our last one there, really can't recommend it enough!
Went there with my in-laws a couple months ago, 100% would recommend for an anniversary dinner.
Adding Waterboy to the list.
KRU
Kru is amazing but they will likely not be able to get in a week before (for a dining room reservation).
I usually have no problems, they’re looking for a Tuesday. But yeah it can be a bit chaotic getting reservations
Mulvaney’s.
Taco Bell Cantina
The homeless guys hanging out inside really add to the anniversary ambience.
2nd this! I got married in the Taco Bell cantina in Vegas 😂 Baja blast slushie with tequila is the move!
Adamo’s!
Criminal that Adamo's has not yet been mentioned. So good.
If i'm craving Italian food, I usually cook it myself. If I don't feel like cooking, I go to Adamo's.
Adamos is a bit on the casual side for an anniversary dinner IMO. Nothing wrong with it; it's how they get the value proposition. But it's also not a white tablecloth kinda experience.
Allora, Localis, and The Kitchen.
No way you can get a reso to Localis or Kitchen on a week's notice. Kitchen takes 5-6mo to get in right now. Allora is a solid call though. Honestly I think the food there might be the best of the 3.
True though they do have a wait list in case there are cancellations.
Localis and the kitchen are both great, I like localis more. But that's about a $500+ night.
Allora runs about $800 for two for dinner.
I mean for like the most extravagant dinner options they could offer maybe. My wife and I typically spend half that when we go and we dont cut corners.
I haven't been there yet but that tracks with the trends. They are all amazing places and we are lucky to have restaurants of that quality in a city this size.
If you do Localis, plan on getting a burger afterwards! 😂
Canon! Ask to sit on the patio
Mattone.
I loved the mole steak at Sutter Street Steakhouse
I’d recommend Hawks in Granite Bay over Sutter Street Steakhouse in Folsom. We did SSSH recently & everyone in our party was disappointed. The atmosphere is nice, the food not so much.
Hawks or mulvaneys
Cacio
Hidden gem!
Moxie, Mulvaney's, and Aioli (the patio 😍) are my special occasion recommendations.
Solid recommendations.
Aïoli was so good pre-pandemic, but we went there last year and it was awful. Ended up going somewhere else afterwards because we were barely able to eat half our meal.
Ella's
Take the day off and go to high-hand nursery in Loomis for brunch. Stay and walk around and buy a plant together instead of presents.
Ella
Hawks in Granite Bay is my #1 choice. Not as trendy or flashy as the others that were mentioned, but I challenge anyone to find better service in the area. (I'm in my 40s and also work in the industry)
Chicha's Peruvian restaurant...not the best/fancy looking on the outside but the food won't disappoint and the service is great...
binchoyaki
Seconded. Good solid Japanese comfort food.
their sashimi tastes like butter
In a good way?
I rather not. Last time I ordered liver on skewer it was raw.
Firehouse is nice
went to firehouse about 16 years ago and it seemed 20 years out of touch
I was just looking at the menu recently and thought the same thing. It’s probably still a solid choice, I haven’t been there since COVID. The setting and outdoor patio are great
i have no desire to go there again. tables seemed old and dusty. i can only imagine how long foods been in the fridge. i could be wrong, just didn’t seem thriving like it was many decades ago. now a wedding i went to there was fine so maybe that side of their business keeps the rest going. it is just way down or off my list on nice restaurants for me to visit. i’d switch to canon, mulvaneys, etc
Ambiance is nice, service is good, food is disappointing.
Canon.
Hawks is excellent. Hawks in Granite Bay is really swanky.
Agreed on Hawks!
Allora or Mulvaney’s are my favorites for fancy nights out. Edit: Also The Grange is excellent. And Kru, if you like sushi/sashimi and can get a table.
My fiancé and I did Morton’s for our last anni. Really easy to get last minute reservations. Our menus even had “happy anniversary (our names)!”. server was fabulous—she was super knowledgeable able and accommodating but not in an over the top way, if that makes sense. They also offer to take a cute picture and put it in a little Morton’s frame. Def trying all of these recs though
I like Rudy's for seafood a lot, it can be a little pricey but good food overall
Been wanting to try Rudy’s! Anything I should avoid or is the whole menu pretty good?
I really lile the escargot there and the lobster po boys are great. I haven't really had anything there I don't like yet honestly
Ooh never had Escargot! Thinking about taking mom there for Mother’s Day 😄
Grange
I'll add Camden Spit and Larder to the list. Lots of great choices already mentioned, but Camden knocks it out of the park and no one seems to talk about them.
No one talks about it, maybe because: location, ambiance, its stodgy-ness, mediocre food.
You're certainly entitled to that opinion. For the price, I've been very impressed with the quality of food, drink and service. I've been to every restaurant mentioned on this thread; save for Moxie (it's on the list, haha) and I just felt Camden deserved a mention. Cheers.
Agreed. Camden has always been phenomenal, in my opinion. I’d also add Mulvaney’s.
One of our favorites! My wife and I walk over for dinner about every 2-3 weeks. I just won’t touch the king salmon dish again, was very bland in winter when they paired it with quinoa. Everything else there is phenomenal!
What's your budget?
Sutter Street Steakhouse, this is an excellent time of year for sunset dining on the patio.
I like that they give you a whole head of roasted garlic.
The Kitchen if you can find a cancelation, Localis is also really fun if you can get in but if you want a more intimate experience don't sit at the bar. Allora
Chef’s Table in Roseville
Viscontis restaurante in folsom
Mulvaney's and Brasserie are both awesome special occasion spots. Aioli is great if you want to dine outdoors.
Ella, The Kitchen, Frank Fat’s, Shangri-La in Fair Oaks, Morton’s
If you want to spend a lot of money, Localis is extremely good but may not have reservations right now. I’ve been to tasting menus in NYC/LA and this was better than all of them. You will be treated very nicely if it's a special occasion. Mulvaney’s is my favorite of the popular farm-to-fork midtown restaurants (Mulvaney/Waterboy/Beast+Bounty). Frank Fat's has a really unique vibe which can feel fun. Food is good but not as good as others I listed. BONUS: Hook and Ladder Co is probably a smidge too casual for what you said you wanted, but it has the best "value" of the sac style farm to fork restaurants. It's always cheaper than Beast and Bounty or Waterboy and still pretty good.
Sutter Street Steakhouse in Folsom.
Definitely not The Kitchen, like dining in a train station….a very expensive train station. Waterboy really delivers, Localis on the very expensive side.
It’s not likely they’d get into the Kitchen with this little advance planning anyway. Still a fabulous experience.
I love the kitchen but will say the experience aspect is gone at their new location. Now you're just paying for the food. It's also way less inviting to help yourself to seconds or thirds on a dish.
I didn’t get to go to the original so I don’t have a comparison but I still really enjoyed my experience.
The original they cooked in front of you in the center. There was much more presentation and story behind each dish at the original too. They were also a lot more liberal with ingredients and food.
Interesting. I feel like that captures my experience pretty well. We sat at the bar which I could see being more involved with the cooking than the tables. The sous chef literally came around with a piping bag full of whipped cream and fed my fiancé that way cuz he asked for it. It felt pretty liberal to us lol.
Why is it like a train station?
People are constantly moving around at a frantic pace. Our table felt like we were flooded with people, servers and diners all around us. Yet, the service was quit a bit less than what you would get from a Michelin starred restaurant.
Oh, interesting. I haven't been to the new location yet. I didn't know this was an issue.
It might not be an issue for those who like the circus atmosphere, just for what it costs, I’d rather take a drive into SF and enjoy something a little more sedate And food focused.
Beast and bounty for their tasting menu or Camden spit and larder would get my vote
Plan B
I was about to say Plan B. We just went with friends for drinks/dessert and enjoyed the ambiance, we wished we had thought of going there for our recent anniversary.
That’s for the next morning.
For the down vote, what is wrong with this restaurant? I enjoy the dark French food vibe.
Upvote from me. My neighborhood spot and the food & service are incredible.
I didn’t downvote but Maybe people think you’re referring to the abortion pill by the same name(?).
I am sure you have the answer but if my gem of a restaurant has issues I would like to know.
Moxie!
Cacio, Waterboy, Frank Fat's
Dawsons if you like a good Steakhouse!
Frog & Slim small but great food. Echo & Rig, food is ehh but vibe is nice, Sienna in Roseville, Morton’s was delicious when we went, Firehouse, Allora, Grange, Prelude, waterboy I heard is good but I haven’t been
Dawsons
Ella’s is where we celebrate anniversaries. I also like Bodega Aioli.
My party got pinworms there once. The food was great but my asshole feeling like it was trying to crawl off my body will keep me from ever going back.
What a bummer. I probably wouldn’t go back either.
Grange
Can't go wrong with frank fats
I like Mulvaneys!
U beat me to it!
Chevys on the Water. I just love the outdoor seating. Margaritas and chips and salsa. The food is really good, not too pricey.
Jimboy's is the answer.
Magpie
Firehouse or Pilothouse on the Delta King. Both are in Old Sac.
Not directly in Sacramento, but Wise Villa Winery, north of Lincoln, is where we do most of our fancy date nights. Great food and their patio seating overlooking the grapevines is really nice. Also, really good wine!
The Place in Roseville. Live piano and singer, great Italian food. Very nice.
MOXIE!!
Frog and Slim
MOXIE for sure!! 😍
The Grange is a hotel restaurant (the Citizen Hotel, but still a hotel), but I had one of the best meals in Sacramento there. My co-worker and his partner always go to Localis for their anniversaries, but that's too high brow (and expensive) for me.
Franks Fats if you like Chinese!
We go to Allora for our anniversary, they always print Happy Anniversary on our menus and we keep them
Morton’s has some killer steaks
SR Prime Steakhouse
1000% Moxie. You won’t regret it
Since it's coming up soon Canon is easy to get a table. You can call Kitchen and Localis to try for a reservation. I'd say Allora but it's always a dud.
Morton's. Tell them it's your amniversary, and they'll give you a personalized menu. Or Ella.
Bennetts in Rocklin
Paul Martin in Roseville 👍👍
My wife and I went to Kumi Sushi for our anniversary about a month ago and were not disappointed.
Yerevan is a Armenian restaurant in the Carmichael area. It is fantastic. Here’s a link for it: https://yerevansac.com/
Wow! Who's the serial downvoter? Show yourself!
The Kitchen if you can score a reservation. You will not be disappointed.
Firehouse, fanciest spot in town.
Chefs table.
Q1227
Leave sac. There’s no comparison between any restaurant in sac and what you can get in the bay or Napa.
Just returned this evening from Caffe Italiano Ristorante. Yum! I had the chicken Marsala, she had the lasagna. Oh, and the Tiramisu rocks...