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Empress Tavern
Elevated American fare and craft cocktails in a historic Sacramento setting.
4(5 reviews)
restaurant
$$$
Elevated American fare and craft cocktails in a historic Sacramento setting.
Empress Tavern offers an upscale dining experience in the heart of Sacramento, blending classic American cuisine with modern twists. Located near the Crest Theatre, we specialize in high-quality dishes like Japanese Wagyu steak, Beef Stroganoff, and artichoke dip, alongside expertly crafted cocktails. Our historic brickwork and intimate atmosphere make us ideal for pre-show bites, happy hour, or group gatherings. While we focus on appetizers and bar food, we pride ourselves on using fresh ingredients and providing a memorable visit in a cool, vibrant space.
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Enjoy elevated dishes like Wagyu steak and Beef Stroganoff in a historic setting.
Savor expertly mixed drinks at the bar, perfect for happy hour or pre-theater visits.
Share artichoke dip, fried chicken, and other light bites ideal for groups.
Take advantage of discounted drinks and appetizers during select hours.
Host gatherings in our intimate yet spacious venue, great for pre-show meals.
We stopped in here before a show at the Crest Theatre. Since our last visit, the restaurant has changed its menu — it’s now much more limited, focusing mainly on appetizers. If you’re looking for a full dinner, this probably isn’t the right spot. That said, the atmosphere is very nice and makes for a pleasant place to grab a drink or a light bite before an event.
Enjoyed our visit tonight. When we arrived early, as they were opening, we were greeted with enthusiasm. As the evening got busy, it became harder and harder to get a round of drinks. Orders for food and drinks are placed at the bar. Im not a fan. If this doesn't bother you, it's a pretty cool place. The quality of the food is good as far as bar food goes. The drinks are great! I will return. I do prefer full table service, but I understand the need to adapt to survive in the restaurant business.
It’s not the same since the covid and they sold the name to the theater upstairs. The menu is really limited and the cocktail menu isn’t the same. The atmosphere is really cool still except the tv plays basic cable for some reason??? We went there once and don’t see a reason to go back. If you’re looking for a cool bar/tavern with an elevated cocktail menu go elsewhere.
I gave this restaurant 3 stars because i liked the beautiful brickwork. The inside is worth seeing. The food was okay for the price. The beef cheek stroganoff was okay the biggest twist being the dill. I was happy that the meat was tender, Not chewy and did not have gristle. My husband loved the scallops and said they were the best he's had in a long time. Our dinner friends had the fried chicken which they said was breaded well and very tender. All of us agreed that our favorite part was the artichoke dip appetizer which came with crunchy potato chips. Even my husband liked it, (he usually does not because restaurants often leave the chewy harder leaves in with the dip which he doesn't care for), but here it was diced tender leafy creamy perfection. I thought the price was way too steep for the food, and it was very very loud. The waiter left much to be desired. But.... we all really did enjoy going and loved seeing this building as well. I also appreciated that the bathrooms were very clean and had lots of room. We loved that this place was so close to the theater. (We were attending a show later so it made it easy)
Just had the best Japanese Wagyu steak appetizer I’ve ever had! Empress grilled it perfectly! Each bite was melt in your mouth. Also had their delicious Beef Stroganoff and fresh house made Parker rolls hot out of the oven. Great place to get your steak fix! Always top quality!! Love the intimate feel yet still great for larger groups. And awesome Happy Hour specials!
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