Empress Tavern is an american restaurant in Downtown, Sacramento.
Empress Tavern beneath the Crest Theatre on K Street, downtown Sacramento, is an Alchemist CDC culinary incubator with rotating chef takeovers and pop-ups.
Signature dishes: Rotating chef pop-ups, Cocktails
Must order: Whatever the current rotating chef is serving; the cocktail menu shifts weekly
Tip: Thursday to Saturday 16:00 to 23:00. Happy hour runs 16:00 to 18:00 and 22:00 to 23:00.
Address: 1013 K Street, Sacramento, CA 95814
Cafeteria 15L on 15th Street, downtown Sacramento, opened 2010 as a comfort-food room, bacon-wrapped meatloaf and craft cocktails for brunch.
Signature: Bacon-wrapped meatloaf, Breakfast waffle sandwich
Order: Bacon-wrapped meatloaf, the breakfast waffle sandwich, a Bloody Mary at brunch
Tip: Weekend brunch from 09:00 to 16:00. Patio bar takes the spillover. Walking distance from Capitol.
Cafeteria 15L on 15th Street, downtown Sacramento, opened 2010 as a comfort-food room, bacon-wrapped meatloaf and craft cocktails for brunch.
Signature: Bacon-wrapped meatloaf, Breakfast waffle sandwich
Order: Bacon-wrapped meatloaf, the breakfast waffle sandwich, a Bloody Mary at brunch
Tip: Weekend brunch from 09:00 to 16:00. Patio bar takes the spillover. Walking distance from Capitol.
Tank House on J Street, midtown Sacramento, is the smoked-meat counter backing the 1881 water tank house, brisket and craft beer on tap rows.
Signature: Smoked brisket, Dirty tots
Order: Smoked brisket, the ribs, dirty mac and the dirty tots
Tip: Patio under the historic tank house. Full menu to 22:00 then late-night menu to midnight. Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives stop.
Burgers and Brew on R Street, midtown Sacramento, is the Niman Ranch half-pound burger counter with over 50 craft beer taps, five-location chain.
Signature: Niman Ranch burger, Craft beer flights
Order: The signature half-pound Niman Ranch burger; the bacon jalapeno cheeseburger; a craft tap flight
Tip: Patio for warm weather. 50+ taps rotate. Sister locations in Davis, West Sacramento, Chico and Folsom.
Squeeze Burger on Power Inn Road, Sacramento, is the long-running counter where a third-pound patty is buried in cheese that fries into a crisp skirt.
Signature: Squeezeburger with cheese skirt, Hand-cut fries
Order: The signature Squeezeburger with the cheese skirt; double Squeeze for the hungry; hand-cut fries
Tip: Counter ordering. Cash and card. Sacramento's original Squeeze Inn counter, on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives.
Mikuni on J Street, midtown Sacramento, is the Taro Arai Mikuni group flagship sushi room, the Northern California chain downtown branch outpost.
Signature: Incredible Roll, Lover Roll
Order: The Incredible Roll, the Lover Roll, the omakase nigiri course
Tip: Closed Monday. Happy hour at the bar. Sister locations in Folsom, Roseville and Fountains at Roseville.
Chando's Tacos on Arden Way is Lisandro Madrigal's 2010 original storefront, the family street-taco counter that relaunched in late 2025 after a pause.
Signature: Street tacos, NorCal burrito
Order: Street tacos with fifteen meats to choose from; the NorCal burrito with fries inside; mini tortas
Tip: Counter ordering. House stone-ground tortillas. Patio seating for warm weather. Family-friendly.
