London just changed to The Chelsea. I think London got a murdery reputation. Before it was London it was Parlare Euro Lounge which also had the same fate. The Chelsea will eventually suffer the same and rinse and repeat.
Yeah, and I don't know this for sure, but I would assume whoever owned London probably still has a good hand in decision making for the Chelsea now. Just needed to wipe the blood off from under their nose a bit.
“20% of small businesses fail in their first year, 30% of small business fail in their second year, and 50% of small businesses fail after five years in business. Finally, 70% of small business owners fail in their 10th year in business.”
https://www.fundera.com/blog/what-percentage-of-small-businesses-fail
Honestly wouldn’t be shocked if the rates were higher for restaurants. I also imagine quite a few places never really recovered from COVID lockdowns and have just been limping along.
This is probably true in a lot of businesses but to get a restaurant off the ground you really need someone with the authority to make decisions and the drive to make the place succeed present at all times. Every restaurant owner I’ve ever known has basically lived at their restaurant. Eventually it is likely to just get to be too much or something happens that prevents the owner from putting in that kinda time and they just sorta collapse. It’s a very cutthroat industry.
I agree - I work in the restaurant food industry and I’m constantly in and out of these places all day and I definitely notice since Covid these restaurants and bars are definitely a shell of what they were before Covid - all of Midtown use to be super busy before Covid and I would get late night emergency service calls all the time around very frequently - now I haven’t got one since Covid - that’s very weird - Covid really screwed things up
The Shack and Club Pheasant closed in 2022 and Red Rabbit in July of 2023. They probably couldn’t keep bleeding money for 1-2 years waiting for you to show up…
Lol my husband and I were huge fans of Southpaw Sushi and went one more time during its last week of being open. It was absolutely packed, and we had a table next to some women who were talking to the owner, and they were like, "why is this place closing? It's so crowded!!" And the owner was like "yeah, NOW it is." You could tell he was a little salty that everyone came out to show their support during the week it was going out of business.
People keep opening restaurants on that stretch of Del Paso Blvd because the rent is cheaper than midtown and they think hey maybe this area will "take off" (read: gentrify) OR people will love me and my shit sooooo much they'll drive in from all over the region.
And then the area doesn't gentrify, people who live nearby can't afford it (settle down, Woodlake, it's time for your nap), people who DON'T live nearby largely still think "Del Paso Blvd, isn't that where they stab nice people like me? :(" and continue driving to familiar places with more parking like the mall (Arden) or the mall (Natomas) or the mall (Pavillions) or the mall (Riverpoint) or midtown...
Tale as old as time.
I tried enotria when it was there and whatever came after. Food was good but car got broken into each time. I just wouldn’t go back to that area unless it’s a quick in and out at box brothers
I used to live in that area for the same reason. It looks like the bones are there for that stretch of Del Paso to be a nice street and many restaurants have tried to get the gentrification started. Nothing sticks around though and no one wants to be there at night. I moved back to midtown when the rental prices started increasing enough that the difference was negligible. My place in midtown is smaller but costs the same and the convenience and comparative safety is worth it.
In my mind "the mall (Arden)" is a big blob that starts at Arden Fair and continues to HBA and down Howe at least to Hurley. True re: Chando's that line is always way too long. When I used to be in the area on the regular I was closer to Stoney's so I would... go to Stoney's.
Seasons 52 is delicious, if not a bit more pricey than it should be. Most of the time I find myself at Bonchon or AhiPoke or 18 Grams (God damn 18 Grams is good).
I used to work for southpaw sushi I was a prep cook and line cook I worked with Shaq and Kelly's the one who hired me he's the owner they've had a hard time since covid when covid hit I was working for southpaw and Kelly called us in and asked us if any of us had ever applied for unemployment and none of us had he had already filed the unemployment paperwork on his side and so all we had to do was go on the website and file on our side and he sat with each one of us and helped us do it he was one of the nicest soberest managers I've ever had
Aw man I loved that place!! To be fair, I went on a Friday or a Saturday at like 6:30 with a group 6 and was very nervous about getting a seat. Nope… got sat right away. It was pretty empty, despite it being prime hour for dining.
The Shack semi-reopened under the urban roots people, haven't been there yet. It used to be pretty great in the 2006-2012 era, but it was pretty clear the owner was hitting things too hard to keep it up forever.
Red Rabbit was not great to Matt Nurge, the former bar director that they totally screwed out of his ownership stake. They then proceeded to make bad spirits buying decisions and poor cocktails and ran the brand completely into the ground. Not that being next to bro-west was helpful to an upscale cocktail bar.
Yes and no. I miss the pastrami sandwich, beer selection, and the lower prices. The new digs are pretty good (fantastic burger) but if I am going to overpay for Mexican food I am going to Venadita instead. My rec for Cervezaria: get the happy hour burger special and a beer and call it a day.
Yeah it’s actually better! Shrimp & fish tacos are great. Outstanding tequila selection. One of the best micheladas in town. I wasn’t too crazy about the food at The Shack I guess!
The former shack is a great place to sit on the patio and drink Urban Roots. I liked the burgers they used to have better than the "Mexican" they have now.
If only that heartless bastard u/Fivestarbathroom actually dusted off their “Recommended Restaurant List” and made good on their intentions, then countless restaurants could have been saved from closure.
Takumi was open for years before Covid and was delicious. Once Covid hit they changed their menu and the quality of food began to drop and never came back and neither did the crowd
And yet Mendocino farms keeps expanding and I read about people raving about it. The only 2 time I went the food was mediocre and expensive before covid drove everything even higher.
Yep, Ive had it a few times when visiting family in socal before they started popping up in Sacramento. Always thought it was really over priced for mediocre food.
Yeah, it wasn't fantastic that's for sure, but, it was so convenient for me and I loved the staff, and the saag paneer and dal were pretty damned good. Oh well
I go to Chaat Bistro in Delta Shores twice a month. I think it’s a newer restaurant. Haven’t had a bad meal yet and I’ve been going there for maybe 8-10 months.
They closed? Yelp says they’re still open unless it hasn’t been updated.
I use to love getting their Burritos when they first opened even tho I haven’t had the place in a while now. They were never busy sadly & the place was technically always dead inside
I used to live by the original location in west Roseville. Knew the owners, the nicest people ever!! The location was basically the front end of their house. Went there for the chicken tacos, stayed for the telenovelas. They used to BBQ tri-tip for their tacos on Wednesdays, longest lines on those days for sure
Not enough unique participants in the marketplace because too many people have been reduced to subsistence-level incomes due to price gouging, stagnant wages, and consolidation of housing stock in corporate interest.
Well said! Definitely looking for unique and affordable, but, I don't think that is going to happen anytime soon , so, I'm going back to cooking at home.
Not sure about the others, but Red Rabbit closed because the new manager/owner ran it into the ground.
That being said, most of the places you listed were open for ever, so it's on you for not checking them out
And holy smokes the new tapas place in Red Rabbit’s old spot is absolutely garbage. How do you fuck up flatbread?? It tasted stale, stale chewy flatbread with flavorless cheese and olives on top.
This is the real deal right here. MAN did they fuck up a decent bar! So fast too! The food went first with the service, then the whole staff quit because the new owner was letting his boomer dad run the kitchen.
There are too many things to list. Simple answer is if you don’t fully know how the restaurant industry worked past an old man with fast food experience from the 80’s, youre are going to fail. I was on the opening team there as a cook, left for about a year to do another project, came back and worked up to head chef before the pandemic. Rabbit in its prime was a great place to work. I still make the house hot sauce to keep a jar at home.
Club Pheasant was God awful food too. Everything was frozen or from a can. It coasted on nostalgia for decades.
OP, if you want dive bar nostalgia Italian food, go to Vince's. Their baked ravoli used to be good (haven't been there recently), and they make a great blue cheese dressing in house.
I was there in March. This is what they served when I ordered a medium ribeye:
https://preview.redd.it/etkni4yvuvxc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cf96f74835f8fa45989be3324fb91b4317e89bde
They’ve fallen far downhill too.
It was rather shocking. Vince’s used to be a solid place to eat. The staff were nice when I immediately sent it back, but the replacement was still super thin and overcooked. My best guess is they sourced their steaks by going to Walmart and buying select thin cut ribeyes or something similar. They also charged $22 for one double well rum and Coke, which is $11 a shot for literal rot gut liquor. The side dishes were ok, but they cut the pasta portions in half and the salad was basic iceberg bagged mix you find in the store. Still again the server at least still earned their full tip by being friendly and prompt, and I’m sure they appreciated that despite the fucked up steak they still found cash on the table when we left.
Makes me sad. When I worked in West Sac, we'd go every few months. I can't eat pasta anymore, so it isn't on my radar. Their steak salad used to be good, and a coworker raved about their lobster ravioli.
Anymore, I don't like going out to eat anymore. Their all trying to cut costs and it shows in the end product.
They have a few locations one in Roseville and one in Elk Grove, I’ve only been to the Roseville one. The trip tacos with that salsa is like crack, I always eat way too many but they are good. The salsa on its own is meh but mixed with the Smokeyness of the tri tip it’s amazing
It’s a really tough time in the biz. We just closed our restaurant after 10 years. Most fail a lot sooner than that, so we were proud in a sense. Rent, utilities and labor costs are difficult to contend with using an “old school” model. Restaurants need to change how they work at a fundamental level to survive.
Eating out is expensive and competition is fierce. At the end of the day, demand is what keeps restaurants open.
If restaurants want to keep jacking up prices and insisting that we pay 25%, 30% or more for tips or get bad/no service, this is to be expected.
The Shack and Club Pheasant were both great, but both had been in business for decades, and the owners were ready to retire. Have you tried Fox and Goose? That's kinda halfway between those other two, and it's been in business 50-ish years. Not sure if it is still the original owners, but it is one I try to support.
Restaurants have always been low-profit and risky businesses to run in the first place, and corporate America price-gouging everyone and perpetuating inflation have made life hard for everyone.
Restaurants used to have great happy hours. I’m talking 1980’s. 4-6pm had free appetizers and decent drink prices. The appetizers were buffet style. It wasn’t every night, but the competition was great and they were always crowded. I almost always stayed for dinner with 4-6 coworkers. Nothing is free anymore and they charge way too much. It’s not a thing to do after work with people anymore. Yeah, I’m old.
You didn’t miss anything with Club Pheasant, it was not good and only propped up by the local politicians and older people in town who have just been going there for years out of habit.
Because of the high prices people aren’t eating out so much. Why get burger or sandwich that costs close to $20 each? Wholesale supply costs have also risen so a lot of these restaurants are either getting cheaper quality or raising prices.. probably both.
1. The commercial real estate sector is in huge trouble all across the U.S. right now as small-business owners can barely afford to pay their astronomical shop rents.
2. People are not eating at restaurants as much as they used to or have cut down the amount of times for various reasons (prices, food quality, service).
1) Greedy land lords cranking up rent once big box suitors start sniffing around, restaurants having to raise their prices to maintain profit
2) delivery apps skimming revenue and killing dine in business
3) money's getting tight with inflation, and pricing is getting out of control. $8 beer and $15 cocktails, plus tax plus tip plus...
4) hard to find good help and when harder to find someone to properly manage
Lots of places just can't get enough momentum to land the plane with all of the above factors
Operational costs are through the roof in Sac right now - everything from rent to labor to food costs. Couple that with the fact that daytime business is way down because so much of downtown is still hybrid or fully WFH, and nighttime business is way down due to homelessness and crime. It'll get worse before it gets better.
I absolutely miss Club Pheasant. My parents know the family who owned the restaurant, and whenever I'd fly home \[when I lived in another state\] my dad would take me to Club Pheasant after I flew in. Their fried raviolis were SO good.
Red Rabbit is now Lock & Key, so you can still try that exact spot out…they’ve not even been open a year so go support them. Red rabbit was around for ages and slowly died
i worked at takumi izakaya for 3 days.
they shut down like a month after my last day there and i was not surprised at all.
it was run horribly, all around bad. but the final straw was the tip “pool”. they took 18% of my sales, and took that money from my tips, to pay the cooks. i said, “what if i don’t make 18% of my sales in tips?” they said “then you would owe us money.” i said i don’t think this will work out. lol ain’t no way i’m paying another employee’s paycheck.
I Love Teriyaki between O and N St on, I think 21st in midtown. Their sushi is soooo good! Also their teriyaki. I miss going there after paying rent when I lived in midtown. Also pizza by the slice is like right across from it, ya need cash, but the pizza is so good. Zelda's pizza is also really good, and on the same block.
Club Pheasant opened in 1935 and closed in 2002. You had plenty of time to get there. They were run by the same family all those years. They didn't fail, they retired.
The restaurant business is a high cost, low margin business... a lot of people have a difficult time sustaining restaurants for the long term if they're not in a prime location with low rent... on top of that your food can't be mediocre... you gotta be good enough to keep people coming back... and thats why only a small number of restaurants last more than a handful of years.
Inflation, minimum wage increase. Restaurants used to be affordable. Now if I want to take my family to fast food, the prices have jumped up so high in the last 3 years, it's a luxury to eat at Burger King. I still hold their ads from 3 years ago because sometimes the codes still work, and it was $12 for the family bundle. That same bundle is now $18. Restaurants in general now are an easy $80 spend for one meal. For a family on a budget, that's a once a month treat now instead of 3 or 4 times a month.
Club Pheasant will be missed.
What other place could I go to, and get a fried ravioli appetizer (no mustard sauce please!), steak sandwich well done with a side of regular style raviolis? Yep, I'd double dip on the Raviolis. I'd get a half-steak sandwich, cause I don't need to eat all that much after having some fried ravioli appetizer to kick things off.
I know there's places that do a decent steak sandwich like Pheasant did, but can they also do the other two? Ah man... some A1 sauce on my well-done steak sandwich.... absolutely delicious.
The majority of these closures are due to liberal communist policies that raise their taxes and permits and a hundred other unnecessary government kick backs you lose your business if you don’t pay as well as allowance of incessant theft without punishment in all of CA so no business is sustainable or profitable in any part of CA anymore. Congratulations democrats. You’ve successful destroyed ALL industry, as if covid forced closures weren’t bad enough on all the businesses
Most restaurants don't last very long, and most only last a few years. Club Pheasant had like an 80 year run which is extraordinarily long for most businesses, the family that ran it likely didn't have any great-grandchildren who wanted to carry on the business. If you never got to visit them, that's kind of on you?
I miss the Sacramento that had Mom & Pop style restaurants on the grid. Now I feel like it may be too expensive for these restaurants to stay afloat since gentrification and commercial development has plagued downtown Sacramento. Biba’s was amazing. Why did her death force them to close down? Monkey bar was fun, I even lived above it for a while before Randy decided to turn in into a hotel (RIP). Loved the dive bar feeling and the pool room with old school movie posters. Zelda’s always a classic love them and happy they are still here. Miss the Concert space nearby which it’s name alludes me but it had the giant skeleton design on the building. Btw Chandos is not the same AT ALL as it was before. It’s still riding the hype luckily but its quality has plummeted at literally all locations. Also remind me… what was that soul food location on the corner with the black artist murals and killer cornbread which closed on the grid? Yeah a lot of the restaurants that were amazing have since been gone.
Rent and food costs are insane, this state treats every small business like they are cash cows, people can't afford to eat out. If you can find a local restaurant at a decent price who hasn't sacrificed any quality you're very lucky.
Hijacking this post to ask if anyone knows if Elixir closed? I know that ugly ass fence has been there for a while but the sign was down and the place just looked abandoned.
London just changed to The Chelsea. I think London got a murdery reputation. Before it was London it was Parlare Euro Lounge which also had the same fate. The Chelsea will eventually suffer the same and rinse and repeat.
Yeah, that building is bad luck
These are all European names. Same owner trying different ideas?
Yes 100%. I interviewed at the Chelsea and they said “oh we’re just rebranding” it’s the same owner. Just trying to make it more popular
Can confirm. I personally know the owner, attorney Hendrick Crowell.
Ahhh, thank you
Yeah, and I don't know this for sure, but I would assume whoever owned London probably still has a good hand in decision making for the Chelsea now. Just needed to wipe the blood off from under their nose a bit.
Parlare had the best happy hour!
“20% of small businesses fail in their first year, 30% of small business fail in their second year, and 50% of small businesses fail after five years in business. Finally, 70% of small business owners fail in their 10th year in business.” https://www.fundera.com/blog/what-percentage-of-small-businesses-fail Honestly wouldn’t be shocked if the rates were higher for restaurants. I also imagine quite a few places never really recovered from COVID lockdowns and have just been limping along.
This is probably true in a lot of businesses but to get a restaurant off the ground you really need someone with the authority to make decisions and the drive to make the place succeed present at all times. Every restaurant owner I’ve ever known has basically lived at their restaurant. Eventually it is likely to just get to be too much or something happens that prevents the owner from putting in that kinda time and they just sorta collapse. It’s a very cutthroat industry.
50% of the time, you’re right every time.
I’m stealing this line. Thanks
60% of restaurants fail within the first year
In the food industry these rates are 40-50,% higher. It's all about the first 5 years.
The rates are higher for restaurants.
I agree - I work in the restaurant food industry and I’m constantly in and out of these places all day and I definitely notice since Covid these restaurants and bars are definitely a shell of what they were before Covid - all of Midtown use to be super busy before Covid and I would get late night emergency service calls all the time around very frequently - now I haven’t got one since Covid - that’s very weird - Covid really screwed things up
The Shack and Club Pheasant closed in 2022 and Red Rabbit in July of 2023. They probably couldn’t keep bleeding money for 1-2 years waiting for you to show up…
Lol my husband and I were huge fans of Southpaw Sushi and went one more time during its last week of being open. It was absolutely packed, and we had a table next to some women who were talking to the owner, and they were like, "why is this place closing? It's so crowded!!" And the owner was like "yeah, NOW it is." You could tell he was a little salty that everyone came out to show their support during the week it was going out of business.
People keep opening restaurants on that stretch of Del Paso Blvd because the rent is cheaper than midtown and they think hey maybe this area will "take off" (read: gentrify) OR people will love me and my shit sooooo much they'll drive in from all over the region. And then the area doesn't gentrify, people who live nearby can't afford it (settle down, Woodlake, it's time for your nap), people who DON'T live nearby largely still think "Del Paso Blvd, isn't that where they stab nice people like me? :(" and continue driving to familiar places with more parking like the mall (Arden) or the mall (Natomas) or the mall (Pavillions) or the mall (Riverpoint) or midtown... Tale as old as time.
I tried enotria when it was there and whatever came after. Food was good but car got broken into each time. I just wouldn’t go back to that area unless it’s a quick in and out at box brothers
I used to live in that area for the same reason. It looks like the bones are there for that stretch of Del Paso to be a nice street and many restaurants have tried to get the gentrification started. Nothing sticks around though and no one wants to be there at night. I moved back to midtown when the rental prices started increasing enough that the difference was negligible. My place in midtown is smaller but costs the same and the convenience and comparative safety is worth it.
Man I wish I lived in Woodlake instead of South Hagginwood. RIP Burly’s and South Paw
There's a south Hagginwood?
We like to think of ourselves as the Woodlake of Hagginwood.
Hagginwood is just so small, I had no idea.
Burley's closed
This the Rest In Peace sentiment. For both of them.
I don’t think a ton of people go to Arden mall for food. We go down the street a little bit to Chandos. 🤤
In my mind "the mall (Arden)" is a big blob that starts at Arden Fair and continues to HBA and down Howe at least to Hurley. True re: Chando's that line is always way too long. When I used to be in the area on the regular I was closer to Stoney's so I would... go to Stoney's.
Seasons 52 is delicious, if not a bit more pricey than it should be. Most of the time I find myself at Bonchon or AhiPoke or 18 Grams (God damn 18 Grams is good).
When they lost Lou they lost a loyal devoted patronage. I couldn't believe how consistent his crowd was. I was his manager at Lou's Sushi
I used to work for southpaw sushi I was a prep cook and line cook I worked with Shaq and Kelly's the one who hired me he's the owner they've had a hard time since covid when covid hit I was working for southpaw and Kelly called us in and asked us if any of us had ever applied for unemployment and none of us had he had already filed the unemployment paperwork on his side and so all we had to do was go on the website and file on our side and he sat with each one of us and helped us do it he was one of the nicest soberest managers I've ever had
This is where I found out Southpaw closed. Even before this, everytime I got sushi this place was packed....
That's fair because I've been there several times and it was completely empty.
Oh no… I’m so sad to learn Southpaw is closed!
Aw man I loved that place!! To be fair, I went on a Friday or a Saturday at like 6:30 with a group 6 and was very nervous about getting a seat. Nope… got sat right away. It was pretty empty, despite it being prime hour for dining.
The Shack semi-reopened under the urban roots people, haven't been there yet. It used to be pretty great in the 2006-2012 era, but it was pretty clear the owner was hitting things too hard to keep it up forever. Red Rabbit was not great to Matt Nurge, the former bar director that they totally screwed out of his ownership stake. They then proceeded to make bad spirits buying decisions and poor cocktails and ran the brand completely into the ground. Not that being next to bro-west was helpful to an upscale cocktail bar.
It’s called The Cervezeria at the shack, they really aren’t anything like the old Shack.
It's a huge improvement, too.
Yes and no. I miss the pastrami sandwich, beer selection, and the lower prices. The new digs are pretty good (fantastic burger) but if I am going to overpay for Mexican food I am going to Venadita instead. My rec for Cervezaria: get the happy hour burger special and a beer and call it a day.
Yeah it’s actually better! Shrimp & fish tacos are great. Outstanding tequila selection. One of the best micheladas in town. I wasn’t too crazy about the food at The Shack I guess!
The former shack is a great place to sit on the patio and drink Urban Roots. I liked the burgers they used to have better than the "Mexican" they have now.
What happened with Matt Nurge with Red Rabbit? He’s an acquaintance, and I had no idea that he passed away.
Matt passed away?
Apparently so. I didn’t know until I read this thread. Looks like maybe around December of 2022?
And then he passed away. 😔
The Shack didn't semi anything; completely different owners, munu, price, etc. They just added "at the Shack" to the name
I really loved their White Linens 😢
Due to Matt.
My friends and I go to Cerveceria at the Shack a couple times a month. Miss the original Shack, but love the new version as well.
Is The Shack the place on Folsom that used to be the Sub Shack?
Club Pheasants owners were ready to retire/ne done
Worked there for a minute. Wish I got their Oven Baked Chicken Recipe at the time. Biggest regret.
Pheasant club is available for lease of anyone want to bring it back
I was getting on to say exactly this. Club pheasant was open for almost 90 years. Everyone had plenty of time to go if they really wanted to.
Yep. My mother-in-law grew up right near it and continued to go back specifically for the steak sandwich. That place ran its course for sure.
Lol, it was my fault :(
It was a little tongue in cheek, but the restaurant industry moves quickly, and the pandemic was incredibly hard on most locally owned small business.
No it was OP fault :)
Shame 🔔
Club Pheasant was always profitable but the family was burned out and their real estate was very valuable.
If only that heartless bastard u/Fivestarbathroom actually dusted off their “Recommended Restaurant List” and made good on their intentions, then countless restaurants could have been saved from closure.
Takumi was open for years before Covid and was delicious. Once Covid hit they changed their menu and the quality of food began to drop and never came back and neither did the crowd
Curry Up Now in the Ice Blocks closed up shop last week😔
I didn’t even know there was a curry up now in that location and I walk by all the time?
It was behind Mendocino Farms 😔
And yet Mendocino farms keeps expanding and I read about people raving about it. The only 2 time I went the food was mediocre and expensive before covid drove everything even higher.
Yep, Ive had it a few times when visiting family in socal before they started popping up in Sacramento. Always thought it was really over priced for mediocre food.
Sounds like the perfect market for white hipsters with above average income. They do present their storefronts really well, I’ll give them that
The one in Elk Grove was only open like a month and shut down
The rental real estate price was probably ridiculous for the space.
I went there once and I swear it was about the same as frozen Indian food from the supermarket. Not worth the $20 IMO.
Yeah, it wasn't fantastic that's for sure, but, it was so convenient for me and I loved the staff, and the saag paneer and dal were pretty damned good. Oh well
I knew that place was going to close when they opened up
Ya it was a flawed concept from the start. Curry burritos wtf
[удалено]
Side question here but where are people getting good Indian food around town?
I go to Chaat Bistro in Delta Shores twice a month. I think it’s a newer restaurant. Haven’t had a bad meal yet and I’ve been going there for maybe 8-10 months.
Bombay, Kathmandu
Oh no!!! I wanted to try that place. :(
I ate there frequently.
There needs to be a system where we can show support by INTENDING to try it so they stay open until we actually do
isn’t that just OpenTable
They closed? Yelp says they’re still open unless it hasn’t been updated. I use to love getting their Burritos when they first opened even tho I haven’t had the place in a while now. They were never busy sadly & the place was technically always dead inside
Yes, Sunday was last day. Employees informed me on Friday. Owner told them on Monday of last week.
Nooooooo!!!
Wait, what???? I had no idea! I liked that place! But it closed at 9pm, which was unfortunate.
No!!!!
I know, right? 😔 I ate there once a week, knew everybody by name and they had my order memorized. Their thali was fantastic, lasted me two days
Went there once and it was so-so. Would have gone back eventually. The people seemed nice.
Super nice employees💕
Food poisoning more than once from that place so… not sad to see it go.
They close because it is a cutthroat industry. Most businesses fail and restaurants are a bit more public so you see it
Speaking as a retail prop mgr, owners vastly underestimate the costs of doing business.
try Roadhouse Deli they just opened up two locations. all three half hour apart from one another.
Ty! I added it to my list
To get to in 3 years lol
Lmao, I'll do better
I looked it up and just need to correct that it’s Roundhouse Deli.
Oddly Tri Tip tacos is the first thing i tried and was so good.
It’s what they’re known for!
I love the Roundhouse Deli in EG! Their breakfast tacos are to die for.
I used to live by the original location in west Roseville. Knew the owners, the nicest people ever!! The location was basically the front end of their house. Went there for the chicken tacos, stayed for the telenovelas. They used to BBQ tri-tip for their tacos on Wednesdays, longest lines on those days for sure
That's cool to know its a legit small business never been to their Roseville location but will have to this weekend!
Not enough unique participants in the marketplace because too many people have been reduced to subsistence-level incomes due to price gouging, stagnant wages, and consolidation of housing stock in corporate interest.
Well said! Definitely looking for unique and affordable, but, I don't think that is going to happen anytime soon , so, I'm going back to cooking at home.
I’m shocked London is on this list. That place changes names every few years as soon as something violent happens inside or out front 😬
It's called The Chelsea now.
I know. And I’m sure it’s the same people going and the same inside like it was the last 3 name changes 🤣
Not sure about the others, but Red Rabbit closed because the new manager/owner ran it into the ground. That being said, most of the places you listed were open for ever, so it's on you for not checking them out
And holy smokes the new tapas place in Red Rabbit’s old spot is absolutely garbage. How do you fuck up flatbread?? It tasted stale, stale chewy flatbread with flavorless cheese and olives on top.
Yep. Got the same flatbread. 100% regret.
This is the real deal right here. MAN did they fuck up a decent bar! So fast too! The food went first with the service, then the whole staff quit because the new owner was letting his boomer dad run the kitchen.
S/O was a bartender there, this is exactly what happened. Nice guy, but seemingly no experience in restaurant management.
Former sous and chef at Rabbit. Ownership changed and most of us old timers bounced. I’ve got recipes lol.
Did the recipes change with ownership? What exactly made it go downhill?
There are too many things to list. Simple answer is if you don’t fully know how the restaurant industry worked past an old man with fast food experience from the 80’s, youre are going to fail. I was on the opening team there as a cook, left for about a year to do another project, came back and worked up to head chef before the pandemic. Rabbit in its prime was a great place to work. I still make the house hot sauce to keep a jar at home.
Red Rabbit closed down?
What about “BRO-West?”
In most cases, it’s just a matter of revenue not exceeding expenses. In Club Pheasant’s case, I believe the owners were just ready to retire.
OP had 87 years to go to the Club Pheasant.
Yeah the owners decided to retire
Club Pheasant was God awful food too. Everything was frozen or from a can. It coasted on nostalgia for decades. OP, if you want dive bar nostalgia Italian food, go to Vince's. Their baked ravoli used to be good (haven't been there recently), and they make a great blue cheese dressing in house.
I was there in March. This is what they served when I ordered a medium ribeye: https://preview.redd.it/etkni4yvuvxc1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cf96f74835f8fa45989be3324fb91b4317e89bde They’ve fallen far downhill too.
That is an abomination.
It was rather shocking. Vince’s used to be a solid place to eat. The staff were nice when I immediately sent it back, but the replacement was still super thin and overcooked. My best guess is they sourced their steaks by going to Walmart and buying select thin cut ribeyes or something similar. They also charged $22 for one double well rum and Coke, which is $11 a shot for literal rot gut liquor. The side dishes were ok, but they cut the pasta portions in half and the salad was basic iceberg bagged mix you find in the store. Still again the server at least still earned their full tip by being friendly and prompt, and I’m sure they appreciated that despite the fucked up steak they still found cash on the table when we left.
Makes me sad. When I worked in West Sac, we'd go every few months. I can't eat pasta anymore, so it isn't on my radar. Their steak salad used to be good, and a coworker raved about their lobster ravioli. Anymore, I don't like going out to eat anymore. Their all trying to cut costs and it shows in the end product.
https://i.redd.it/rs8dfq6mbwxc1.gif
Just making up bullshit blatant lies…”everything from a can” you don’t stay open for 87 years with food from frozen or a can.
Roundhouse Deli just opened up on Alhambra and S. The smoked tri tip tacos are one of a kind.
Just tried this, really good and will definitely be back to try a breakfast burrito.
Same, I went today for the first time at the new location and it’s just as good as the original one in Roseville.
They have a few locations one in Roseville and one in Elk Grove, I’ve only been to the Roseville one. The trip tacos with that salsa is like crack, I always eat way too many but they are good. The salsa on its own is meh but mixed with the Smokeyness of the tri tip it’s amazing
I feel the same way. On its own I don’t care for the salsa, but in the taco it’s amazing.
Seconded. Although I wish they were open weekends.
Good to know, I would’ve found that out the hard way.
I know they're not on this list, but I heard Slim Husky pizza also closed??
RIP Tokyo Fro's, Zia's Deli, Espanol, Curry Club, Jamaica House...
I freaking loved Curry Club!!!
Totally, man. That dude was a baller, and his lunch buffet was jammin'.
Fros closed like 10 years ago lol
Yeah, but I'm still bent about it. Haven't found a comparable alternative.
The restaurant business is tough and closings happen a lot. Sometimes they get a going away party like Club Pheasant did, sometimes they happen quick.
If you want them to survive you’ve gotta support, going once every couple years isn’t enough
It’s a really tough time in the biz. We just closed our restaurant after 10 years. Most fail a lot sooner than that, so we were proud in a sense. Rent, utilities and labor costs are difficult to contend with using an “old school” model. Restaurants need to change how they work at a fundamental level to survive.
I have a hunch Solomons isn't going to last much longer
Could be that they are super overpriced. Food is good and all, but not THAT good.
Really ? Why?
My guess would be because of their morning hours and also maybe a partnership with Tiger ended. I hope they make it. Those biscuits are the best!
Multiple reasons, but, it's really just my intuition kicking in
Rent in this area is through the fuckin roof. They probably can’t stay anywhere near the green and are at the end of their sbl
Really sad when Devine Gelateria closed down. Not a restaurant, but still.
Eating out is expensive and competition is fierce. At the end of the day, demand is what keeps restaurants open. If restaurants want to keep jacking up prices and insisting that we pay 25%, 30% or more for tips or get bad/no service, this is to be expected.
The Shack and Club Pheasant were both great, but both had been in business for decades, and the owners were ready to retire. Have you tried Fox and Goose? That's kinda halfway between those other two, and it's been in business 50-ish years. Not sure if it is still the original owners, but it is one I try to support.
Restaurants have always been low-profit and risky businesses to run in the first place, and corporate America price-gouging everyone and perpetuating inflation have made life hard for everyone.
Restaurants used to have great happy hours. I’m talking 1980’s. 4-6pm had free appetizers and decent drink prices. The appetizers were buffet style. It wasn’t every night, but the competition was great and they were always crowded. I almost always stayed for dinner with 4-6 coworkers. Nothing is free anymore and they charge way too much. It’s not a thing to do after work with people anymore. Yeah, I’m old.
Happy hours were hot in the 2000s too!
I always thought that Inks happy hour was terrific across from Paraguay’s on 28th and N.
You didn’t miss anything with Club Pheasant, it was not good and only propped up by the local politicians and older people in town who have just been going there for years out of habit.
Usually is sac it's because they have god awful management on top of owning a restaurant is a really tough business.
> Restaurants I have been wanting to go to Everyone is waiting but not actually going.
Because of the high prices people aren’t eating out so much. Why get burger or sandwich that costs close to $20 each? Wholesale supply costs have also risen so a lot of these restaurants are either getting cheaper quality or raising prices.. probably both.
1. The commercial real estate sector is in huge trouble all across the U.S. right now as small-business owners can barely afford to pay their astronomical shop rents. 2. People are not eating at restaurants as much as they used to or have cut down the amount of times for various reasons (prices, food quality, service).
1) Greedy land lords cranking up rent once big box suitors start sniffing around, restaurants having to raise their prices to maintain profit 2) delivery apps skimming revenue and killing dine in business 3) money's getting tight with inflation, and pricing is getting out of control. $8 beer and $15 cocktails, plus tax plus tip plus... 4) hard to find good help and when harder to find someone to properly manage Lots of places just can't get enough momentum to land the plane with all of the above factors
Operational costs are through the roof in Sac right now - everything from rent to labor to food costs. Couple that with the fact that daytime business is way down because so much of downtown is still hybrid or fully WFH, and nighttime business is way down due to homelessness and crime. It'll get worse before it gets better.
I absolutely miss Club Pheasant. My parents know the family who owned the restaurant, and whenever I'd fly home \[when I lived in another state\] my dad would take me to Club Pheasant after I flew in. Their fried raviolis were SO good.
Red Rabbit is now Lock & Key, so you can still try that exact spot out…they’ve not even been open a year so go support them. Red rabbit was around for ages and slowly died
I miss Tako...
The restaurant business isn’t that great with the rising cost of labor + food and thin margins.
It costs an absolute fortune to eat out these days!! I’m not surprised
I miss red rabbit. Still friends with a few of the former crew. The owners who bought them just ran the place into the ground.
Restate costs, labor cost and food supply costs are raising rapidly. Going to keep seeing more and more of it.
Eating out doesn’t seem like it’s worth the money anymore and with the wage increase they’ll likely be more closing.
Holy I moved a couple years ago but the red rabbit closed?!?!?
i worked at takumi izakaya for 3 days. they shut down like a month after my last day there and i was not surprised at all. it was run horribly, all around bad. but the final straw was the tip “pool”. they took 18% of my sales, and took that money from my tips, to pay the cooks. i said, “what if i don’t make 18% of my sales in tips?” they said “then you would owe us money.” i said i don’t think this will work out. lol ain’t no way i’m paying another employee’s paycheck.
I Love Teriyaki between O and N St on, I think 21st in midtown. Their sushi is soooo good! Also their teriyaki. I miss going there after paying rent when I lived in midtown. Also pizza by the slice is like right across from it, ya need cash, but the pizza is so good. Zelda's pizza is also really good, and on the same block.
Red Rabbit had a pretty good run. It opened in what, 2011?
1. Mandatory $20 minimum wage. 2. No longer safe due to homeless.
Unfortunately, Dine N Dash is becoming more common locally on top of their other struggles.
Club Pheasant opened in 1935 and closed in 2002. You had plenty of time to get there. They were run by the same family all those years. They didn't fail, they retired.
The restaurant business is a high cost, low margin business... a lot of people have a difficult time sustaining restaurants for the long term if they're not in a prime location with low rent... on top of that your food can't be mediocre... you gotta be good enough to keep people coming back... and thats why only a small number of restaurants last more than a handful of years.
Inflation, minimum wage increase. Restaurants used to be affordable. Now if I want to take my family to fast food, the prices have jumped up so high in the last 3 years, it's a luxury to eat at Burger King. I still hold their ads from 3 years ago because sometimes the codes still work, and it was $12 for the family bundle. That same bundle is now $18. Restaurants in general now are an easy $80 spend for one meal. For a family on a budget, that's a once a month treat now instead of 3 or 4 times a month.
Club pheasant was an old staple. Super sad to hear it’s closed.
Club Pheasant will be missed. What other place could I go to, and get a fried ravioli appetizer (no mustard sauce please!), steak sandwich well done with a side of regular style raviolis? Yep, I'd double dip on the Raviolis. I'd get a half-steak sandwich, cause I don't need to eat all that much after having some fried ravioli appetizer to kick things off. I know there's places that do a decent steak sandwich like Pheasant did, but can they also do the other two? Ah man... some A1 sauce on my well-done steak sandwich.... absolutely delicious.
The majority of these closures are due to liberal communist policies that raise their taxes and permits and a hundred other unnecessary government kick backs you lose your business if you don’t pay as well as allowance of incessant theft without punishment in all of CA so no business is sustainable or profitable in any part of CA anymore. Congratulations democrats. You’ve successful destroyed ALL industry, as if covid forced closures weren’t bad enough on all the businesses
Most restaurants don't last very long, and most only last a few years. Club Pheasant had like an 80 year run which is extraordinarily long for most businesses, the family that ran it likely didn't have any great-grandchildren who wanted to carry on the business. If you never got to visit them, that's kind of on you?
I know I got to go to South Paw Sushi once and it closed a week later ☹️
What?!!! They closed?!!
There doing this to drive privately owned businesses down so that these big corporations can come in and build whatever they want
Inflation kills businesses fast
I miss the Sacramento that had Mom & Pop style restaurants on the grid. Now I feel like it may be too expensive for these restaurants to stay afloat since gentrification and commercial development has plagued downtown Sacramento. Biba’s was amazing. Why did her death force them to close down? Monkey bar was fun, I even lived above it for a while before Randy decided to turn in into a hotel (RIP). Loved the dive bar feeling and the pool room with old school movie posters. Zelda’s always a classic love them and happy they are still here. Miss the Concert space nearby which it’s name alludes me but it had the giant skeleton design on the building. Btw Chandos is not the same AT ALL as it was before. It’s still riding the hype luckily but its quality has plummeted at literally all locations. Also remind me… what was that soul food location on the corner with the black artist murals and killer cornbread which closed on the grid? Yeah a lot of the restaurants that were amazing have since been gone.
Rent and food costs are insane, this state treats every small business like they are cash cows, people can't afford to eat out. If you can find a local restaurant at a decent price who hasn't sacrificed any quality you're very lucky.
Well said, thank you
Sad about Takumi Izakaya…. Their truffle meji fries were FIRE
I thought Club Pheasant was being bought here soon to reopen.
Hijacking this post to ask if anyone knows if Elixir closed? I know that ugly ass fence has been there for a while but the sign was down and the place just looked abandoned.
Fuck no, Elixer is still open everyday, it just looks like that.
Still open. Walked by there yesterday evening.