Empress Tavern

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.

Beautiful space. $8 beers that you can take into the theater. Okay selection. The bar (restaurant?) is set up in a way that makes it feel empty, rather than spacious. No table service. Dude sleeping in the doorway. Menu didn't speak to me.

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!

When it was with it's previous owners I had eaten here several times. The food was always good and the cocktails innovative. This time around we had to fight to get the attention of the many bartenders who were busy chatting among themselves. But the drinks were good and overall it was ok. We do plan on coming back for dinner sometime and I'll update this review.

Great food! Had the shared rib plate. So much food! Everything was very good. Ribs were tender with the right amount of sauce, beans were just acidic enough to cut the richness of the ribs. Coleslaw and Mac and cheese were good too! My wifes Fried Gnocchi was really good, but definitely on the rich side of things. The service was excellent as well!(Thanks Heather!) Oh, and the curved brick walls were awesome!!

Excellent cocktails and venue! The settings ng was underground and felt very cool. The menu changes to match popular movies. The food was good except for it was mostly bread. Get the bone marrow because the whiskey luge is fun

What a cute hidden gem in the heart of downtown Sacramento. The underground vibe of the space adds to the feeling of being somewhere else. While I didn't have any food, the drinks were spectacular and service was quick. I had the "Some Gourmet Shit" which was a delicious, coffee-based cocktail. I will definitely be back to try more.

ALIENS Pregaming Stop #2! SITREP So, we left our new favorite stop the Ten Ten Room, but still had 40 minutes to kill before ALIENS started (killing us! Ha!). So we popped into here, one of our OLD favorites! LE LIBATIONS Thank god for the classics! I immediately zoned in on one of my favorite bourbon drinks, the OLD FASHIONED. Our bartender made it perfectly balanced, with my favorite orange bitters and slice of mandarin. The best part though?..... TAKE YOUR FAVORITE ALCOHOL DRINK WITH YOU TO THE MOVIE! There was no way I would want/could finish my drink before the start of the movie. Luckily, however, Empress Tavern sits below The Crest Theatre and is part of the same company-ownership: so enter the simple courtesy that people can actually take their drinks from the Empress Tavern and go into The Crest Theatre through the shared inside door. The best part of this arrangement - in terms of drinks - is that The Crest Theater only sells Beer & Wine, and limited at that. They MAY have some sort of premixed concoction also available, but usually it's some overly sweet abomination mixed with ingredients and alcohol you don't want. So bringing the EXACT alcohol-beverage you like from the Empress Tavern with you is a huge plus of this arrangement. THE LOWDOWN Literally, the best place to pregame before going into the Crest Theater with your favorite drink!

I'm so sad I didn't visit Empress Tavern sooner! We heard about it while attending a show at the Crest Theater, but didn't think it would be the right spot for us with so many local restaurants. We hear rumblings of their great fries and being able to bring drinks/snacks from there into the show. Well, on our most recent visit to the Crest Theater, for Bob's This is Wild Tour, we decided to give it a chance and my mind was blown. IT IS BEAUTIFUL! The brick work, the wallpaper, the lighting- SO COOL! How could I doubt it. We were immediately won over and mystified. BUT WAIT- The Menus are so cute!! They're formatted like scripts and had some very fun options. We made it in before the rush of theater attendees and ordered at the bar. I got the "No Redneck is this Creative" ($14) with Terroir gin, hibiscus infused white vermouth, and benedictine. I forget what my husband ordered, but he got one on menu and one "surprise me" drink from the bartender. We all enjoyed out drinks. We each ordered the Wolfman Burger ($18) as well. It came with fries on the side and was a simple yet SUPER flavorful burger with two smashed patties, cheese, lettuce, pickles and special sauce. I would order this again and again- it was so good. I definitely paused before getting it at an $18 price point, but I'm hungry just thinking about it. The reason I give it four stars instead of five is that they get VERY busy around showtime and the staff does an amazing job, but it does get loud and cramped. Also, their hours are weird. We heard they weren't supposed to be open the day we stopped in, but opened specifically for the show (and they were BUSY). I feel like the food and drinks should make this spot a must visit, even when they don't have shows and I'm not sure if their limited/changing hours may be holding them back or might be giving people FOMO. Regardless, I'll 1000% be back for more.

Recently visited because we were going to watch a show at the crest theatre. We ordered a few drinks and a few things from their menu. We loved their Mac and cheese--super cheesy if that's what you're in to. The fried Brussels sprouts were good but not super crunchy. All in all, cool ambiance. Loved how it connects to Crest.

Came here to grab a drink and a bite to eat before seeing Nurse John at the Crest theater. What a great place, love the atmosphere. Very nice and attentive employees. We ordered the Brussel sprouts, shishito peppers, and the Mac & cheese. The Mac & cheese was my favorite.

Love the underground look! Fun music. Had to wait a bit for service at the bar but the bartenders was quick, friendly and not phased by my special order. Would love to come back when I'm not in a rush to see my show at the Crest, But totally cool to be able to take the drinks and food into the theater!

Swanky spot in f downtown Sacramento. The ambience is fantastic. It's an old theater that was transformed into a beautiful bar. The drinks were cool. Bartenders were really cool as well. Enjoyed the bartender choice Margarita really enjoyed the food. Try out the appetizers, pork fries, and brussels sprouts check out the spot really funky they didn't enjoy myself. Totally recommend this place. Come check it out.

Empress Tavern has always been one of my favorite spots to dine. This place has a full bar, serves up tasty cocktails and small bites like fried chicken and mac and cheese. It wasn't too busy on our Friday visit at 6 pm, and surprised there was no happy hour menu. Still not a problem, we drank and ate! You order at the bar and the staff are very friendly and attentive. The fried chicken was crispy outside, juicy inside season with honey butter coriander cardamom spice. The mac and cheese was good however I would have preferred it to be a little creamier and favored. I also ordered a glass of Sauvignon blanc and the bartender topped it off to the rim it was spilling- thank you! It's a good spot for a chill evening out.

Fun place with delicious food & drinks, and nice people running things. The "new" Empress is casual and fun, like a sports bar vibe without the sports. The bartenders are down to earth and friendly, the cocktails are simple yet delicious and the food is like tasty elevated bar food. Tonight was bingo night which was a lot of fun. I recommend following their IG for the most up to date info rather than rely on their Google page and website because the info on google/website is out of date. Overall, I enjoyed my visit and I plan to return soon!

First time here last night, before a show at Crest theater. The drinks are strong. The bar attendants are friendly and nice. Great atmosphere. Just FYI to my vegan friends. I was told they no longer serve vegan burger. I was disappointed about that.

A great place to catch a quick drink before a show at the Crest Theater. Haven't had dinner here, so cannot comment on the food. But whenever we've gone for a drink, it's full of people enjoying their dinner.

My visit to Empress Tavern was characterized by a mild experience. The restaurant's trendy and modern décor created an appealing atmosphere, and the buzz of excitement from other diners contributed to a lively ambiance. The menu showcased a range of somewhat innovative and unique dishes, and I decided to try their French dip and a couple of appetizers. While the presentation was lovely, the flavors were somewhat mild. Service was attentive, with the staff being knowledgeable about the menu and offering recommendations. The restaurant's popularity was evident in the bustling crowd, but it also translated to slightly longer wait times. On the positive side, the restaurant's aesthetic was Instagram-worthy, and the overall vibe was trendy and energetic. However, some notes there is extremely limited signal in this area and because it is connected to the popular crest theater - there is a large crowd. It's worth a visit for the fun ambiance, but perhaps with tempered culinary expectations. Final thoughts - this is a very "smoky" environment so be prepared for that.

Great place for dinner and a movie to follow. The cocktails are tasty, quirky and cinema themed. The burger and fries hit the spot too. All of the bartenders and staff were incredibly friendly. Loved the ambiance and decor. It was very mellow when I first arrived but the place gets packed before a movie showing so plan accordingly! I had a great time chatting with the staff and heading upstairs for a Bruce Lee flick afterwards. I'll definitely be back.

The drinks were fantastic and our bartender was amazing! It's also such a cute place with great wallpaper and an elegant vibe.

Dumb should be open on Sunday would be a good place to eat after church! Looks like a nice place near the church would get lots of business from good church folks or just visitors from out if town who frequent downtown and go to the Theater

This place is a oasis form The Gotham city aka K st. Came in for a Pregame before WWE Smackdown. It was also happy hour too. Glad because I don't want to spend any drink money at Golden 1. The place looked fancy because of the bricks but the vibe was casual af like the bars I used to go to in Portland. Bartenders were cool and very casua, which is what I like personally. If I had to hit a bar on K. This place would be it. All that Club stuff out there is not my scene.

It's been a couple years since I was here last, disappointed with the food quality at this past visit. Unfortunately, both the chicken tacos and the fried brussels sprouts were not eatable. The brussels sprouts were so greasy they were mushy and the chicken was so tough it was pretty rough going. That being said, the staff was very friendly and attentive, the atmosphere is great, and the resturant was clean. I hope some modifications are made to the menu so the food can be as good as the atmosphere!

Empress Tavern has reopened and still has quality food. The paper menu is handed to you when you walk in and primary is small bites and bar menu type food but done in a upgraded method. The prices range from $8 to 16 for each menu item. They have a full bar and you can't beat the brick curved ceilings for ambience. This is more of a bar eats place than a full restaurant.

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. The service was good though so I give them props for that. The bartenders were friendly, attentive, and engaging.

The Empress Tavern has so much potential. It's a beautiful restaurant under an amazing concert/movie venue. It should be wonderful. That's what's so frustrating. We went there tonight and ordered about an hour before the show. It shouldn't have been an issue. 45 min later, our food was still not out of the kitchen. We had to leave without eating in order to make our show. The waitress commented, "yes, the kitchen always gets backed up before a show". It seems like management could plan for such a thing and bring in more help. Anyway..... disappointing. Come on Empress - you can do better!

Stellar service - Bartender Tyler took time to chat about an infusion he was working on. Yummy empanadas and the hummus was amazing! The building is really interesting with archways, exposed brick, and nice lighting. I'll definitely be back

Found this little gem before we went to Crest Theater for a show. Great drinks and the food was good. Mac and cheese was perfect and the chicken skewers were delicious. Service was excellent as well. Looking forward to going back.

Going to a concert at the Crest Theater. Needed a quiet & good dinner place before the concert tonite. The chef at our usual place is sick so the kitchen is closed. Damn! Scooted on over to The Empress. Food is always good here, but it's changed. Definitely louder now. Really loud. Theres no hostess or greting. You need to find a seat, then find a menu, then stand in line at the bar to order. Then wait and wait for your food. We ordered at 6:45pm and our food was served at 7;20pm. A little late for a 7:30pm concert. No apologies for the lateness. Nothing. Not an inviting scenario. Not a welcoming experience. Nothing really to want you to come back. 2 stars only because the chicken salad sliders are still pretty good.

They were so busy and still killed it.. great food, drinks and service rich flavor, not overly salty.. chef really let the food shine with flavor. Team was rockin it on service

I want to start off by giving my review pre-quarantine and say that I love the ambiance of Empress! You're literally underground and if you blink, you might miss the entrance. It is located in between The Crest and The Crest Cafe and across from Pizza Rock on K Street. I have been a couple of times for my birthday and a much needed date night with my husband. I love their Mac and Cheese, Stroganoff and Potato Wedges with Cheddar Aioli. Their drinks are one of a kind too! Fast forward to the current quarantine and I have ordered curbside pick-up twice from them! The first time we ordered their Empress Fried Chicken for a family of 4 that came with Rolls, Asparagus, Potato Wedges, Mac and Cheese and Caesar Salad. The fried chicken with the habanero honey and pickles was on point! The chicken wasn't the juiciest, but the flavor made up for it! The Caesar Salad was probably one of the best I've had - it came with broccolini and potato wedges on top as well as a soft boiled egg. It was a meal within itself - bomb! Last night for Yelp's Big Night In, we ordered the Lasagna for 4 people that came with Rolls and Butter Lettuce Salad. I called them on Tuesday and asked if they would still have this special on Saturday and they told me if I ordered ahead of time, they would make sure to put some lasagna aside for me. I also told them that it was my husband's birthday so when we picked up the food yesterday, Chloe bought out our meal and told us there was something special they added in the bag for us to eat as soon as we could! When we got home, I opened up the bag and they had added a complimentary warm chocolate cake complete with strawberries and a birthday candle! So thoughtful! The lasagna was good and layered perfectly and we loved the dressing on the Butter Lettuce Salad! It was the perfect amount of food for the 4 of us! We also ordered cocktails to celebrate and they were so good! We ordered the 50/50 Margarita, Mezcal Last Word and Moscow Mules. Each cocktail comes in a plastic bottle with instructions and ingredients - they included limes, salt and Ginger Beer for the Margaritas and Mules as well. I highly recommend the Paloma (we ordered those when we had the Fried Chicken)! It is my favorite cocktail and they include Grapefruit Soda and limes to go with it. You won't be disappointed. I also need to point out that Chloe was super helpful and went above and beyond to make sure our meal was perfect. She even called us earlier in the day to confirm our order! You can park in front of Pizza Rock and they will bring your food out to your car! I highly recommend Empress Tavern for your quarantine and post quarantine hunger needs! If not for the food, at least order a few cocktails to help pass the time at home!

Great spot to stop before a show at the Crest. The fact that you can bring your drinks into a show and not have to stand in line at the concession stand is a great bonus. It's like drinking in a cave and I'm a fan of such activities.

Tyler is an exceptional bartender with an infectiously positive attitude and world class skills! He takes pride in his craft and it really shows. We really enjoyed our time at this bar on a warm Friday night.

What a fun experience! I'm working on a project up in Sacramento, so my team took me out for a belated birthday celebration, and I stumbled across Empress Tavern after a quick search. The food looked pretty good, and the atmosphere seemed fun and inviting. Before deciding to make a reservation, I sent the menu to my manager and he flipped out! He looked at the cocktail menu and noticed are the cocktails are named after characters/scenes from Point Break, which he swears is the best movie of all time (he's a surfer). After that, we had to go to this restaurant. We get there and it has a really cool atmosphere. You enter through the side of the theater and it's down the stairs. The atmosphere is very inviting and trendy. It wasn't too busy, so reservations were not needed, but I had made on just in case... you never know. We first ordered some drinks. I ordered the Bodhisattva and then then the vaya con dips for my second drink. For food we had the cheddar biscuits as a starter, I ordered the beef stroganoff and both my team mates ordered the Petaluma fried chicken with hot honey. As sides we ordered the Brussels and wedge fries. Everything was great! I think the atmosphere, service, food and the fun find with Point Break made the experience a memorable one. I highly recommend trying this place out to break up the monotony of many of the other restaurants in the area and perhaps to imbibe a Point Break cocktail.

Fun underground tavern with amazing customer service and accommodating atmosphere. Adjacent to Crest Theater and available for hosting special events. Historic location with modern features. Clean and well-stocked bar.

4/17/21: I understand from your website and other online listings that Empress is open again. So far calling your phone number during open AND closed hours both don't have anyone answer, and the mailbox memory is full. Also your Open Table link sends to the Open Table app for the restaurant but doesn't allow any reservation times to be selected--not because they're all full mind you, it just shows as if the restaurant doesn't have a reservations option and only Dine At Home. Please fix because I love Empress and am trying to give you business again over the last 2 weeks. Will update review after fix.

After over 10 years of being Yelp Elite, I cannot believe I have never been here before. My husband and I have been HUGE fans of their sister restaurant MOTHER but I am now forever changed by last night's dinner experience! Empress Tavern is located below the Crest Theatre, basement level (little to no reception) surrounded by beautiful brick walls. An amazing bar area and TONS of seating. We made reservations for our party of six and we had no trouble being seated quickly! Our waitress was Heather who was perfectly perfect in every way. She was attentive, personable and easy going. She was well informed, knew the menu well and provided great recommendations! Our party shared the wedge fries, the butter lettuce salad and the baked brie. OMG the brie, so INCREDIBLE! The bread (with butter, can't forget the butter) was SPECTACULAR. We also brought three bottles of wine from home, there is a $20 corkage fee, FYI. The butter lettuce was pretty tasty and the wedge fries were yummy as well. I ordered the lamb shank and boy was I NOT disappointed. So soft and just melted off the bone. The polenta that went with it as so crisp and perfect. My husband ordered the Gnocchi, another exemplary dish for your taste buds. My friends ordered the jambalaya (delicious) and I honestly don't remember what my other friends ordered because I was so distracted by my dish! They had no complaints otherwise! We also ordered additional side dishes including the Mac and Cheese and the Squash...all very good options to add a little extra to your entree. For dessert we had the s'mores chocolate cake. In fact, our party of five ordered two of them and they were INCREDIBLE. Well worth the hard workout I had earlier that day. Thanks again for a great experience and I look forward to being back here. Thanks Heather!

This place has such a cool atmosphere and great staff! They have a small menu, but everything sounded great! We ordered a few different small dishes to try out including the fried risotto balls, shrimp skewers, and Mac n cheese. I really enjoyed all the appetizers we ordered.

I've been here several times and it has been a great experience each time. I recently came here to celebrate a friend's new job. I normally order steak but I decided to try the Ora King Salmon. The salmon was very tasty and cooked perfectly. The service was great and the decor was nice. My cell phone didn't work inside the restaurant at all but I am not sure it was just due to my service. I would definitely continue to come back and check out the happy hour specials. The food items are priced higher so I would come during special occasions.

The bartender was VERY rude. She was instantly insulted at the fact my party thought her Kamakazie shots tasted like "lemonade" and REFUSED to continue to service us and wouldn't have allow us to order another round after the first order. Will NEVER return to this spot and will encourage others to never stop here.

Very cool looking place. Food was just okay. The arugula on my burger was wilted and slimey. Kinda gross. Probably wouldn't go there again.

The Empress Tavern is back like it never was before! When I came here pre-pandemic, it had a very snooty vibe and seriously high prices. All has changed! Not only is it fun and affordable, the food is way better! If you want a real Sacramento experience, grab some food and drinks at the Empress before having a one of a kind experience at the Crest Theatre. This is Sacramento at it's finest!

The Empress Tavern was built under the Crest Theater. Formerly, there were smaller theaters for showing the secondary films at the Crest. Although I had many good memories of watching movies in those theaters, I must admit that I admire what has been created from that space. The Empress Tavern is a spacious, grand space with interesting vaulted brickwork that makes me feel like I've entered the Hogwarts of taverns! (Nothing is flying overhead carrying tomes of knowledge, but it's easy to envision such, anyway!) We tested the skills of the bartender and ordered a couple of classic cocktails: A Manhattan and an Old-Fashioned. While we waited, we perused the menu and picked out a couple of plates that looked interesting: the potato chips with salmon mousse and the ham hocks with collard greens. The cocktails were served. Cloth napkins and silverware were brought. The cocktails were quite nice. (Well, my Old-Fashioned was, and from the way my companion was enjoying his Manhattan, he agreed.) The plates arrived, and the food was very agreeable. Perfect for an evening when the promise of Fall was definitely in the cool, breezy air. This would be a lovely place to meet friends for a drink and a bite. It feels so much like a secret lair hideaway that is airy and expansive.

Holy. Cow. First: THE BREAD! Hot, fresh ... not sure if the honey was in the whipped butter or in the bread rolls, but the hint of honey was there ... AND IT WAS DELICIOUS! Seriously, beats out Texas Roadhouse bread - and I LOVE Texas Roadhouse bread! The Man: Prime Rib Amazing! Cooked to perfection, and it wasn't a small piece either! No sauce or garnishments needed. Me: Raviolis Delicious! Three huge raviolis came on a plate, topped with spinach, squash (I think?), and maybe some artichoke heart pieces (?) -- I don't know, but it was delicious and extremely filling. I only got thru two raviolis. Our waitress: I don't know her name, but she was the cutest, sweetest redhead ever! The Man asked for a cold glass for his canned Modelo (not on tap; no bottles). She had the bartender ice a glass for him and even put a fresh glass in the freezer, in case he wanted a second! THAT is excellent customer service, considering they don't offer chilled glasses! We got there around 9pm and were done eating at 9:30pm. No lie. For a restaurant like that, with what we ordered, I was shocked that everything was so fast and excellent. This place is definitely getting bookmarked!

I always feel bad giving a bad review, but the Empress Management needs to know and hopefully make the necessary changes for improvement. My gf and I went last night (Mon, not even a weekend night!) before the concert at the Crest Theatre. The location and vibe of the restaurant were what drew us there. Our experience was horrible. The employees and bartender were nice, in fact, we felt so bad for them. The place was not busy when we arrived, yet they told us food would take over an hour (for a sandwich and chicken skewers). The skewers were burnt & we never received our rissoto balls. No table service...food & drinks need to be ordered at the bar, and bartenders are very busy and backed up. Too bad, because it's a great location to the theatre & and a nice & large place.

Love this place! Bartenders are the best! Even when busy they are killing it busting out great cocktails for everyone. Food is excellent too! we had the shrimp & chicken skewers as well as the hamburger. Love the aioli sauce and grilled bun. Swanky interior with with red brick walls and beautiful lighting. Great vibe, great drinks and great food!

We came to a show at the Crest in February, and the cocktail menu had only 3 drinks on it, one of which was a "Mistletoe Margarita". We waited at the bar for 25 minutes while the bartender ignored us and chatted with the people next to us. We eventually had to leave 15 minutes after the show had started upstairs without a drink or even having been acknowledged.

We stopped in while killing time before a show upstairs at the Crest. I will say, it's highly convenient placing. It does have that going for it. The decor and atmosphere (and killer wallpaper) are what will bring us back. We ordered a few drinks, an order of fries, and some chicken skewers. The fries were great. The skewers..... not so much. Super dry, no sauce. The skewers came with a slaw that was undressed... and no utensils or napkins! For a food and drink establishment to be unmasked is gross in my opinion. I have every intention of avoiding this place, even if their wallpaper is awesome. Oh, and be sure you check your card charges! They charged us for a tab that wasnt ours.

Always a great time at this underground speakeasy type place. Great mood, good vibes, great ambiance, and super friendly service. Food and drinks were both amazing, with an ever changing food and drink menu. Definitely a place worth trying in downtown Sacramento. Food - my friend and I had the fried chicken, beef stroganoff, and Brussel sprouts. The fried chicken is a staple here make sure to try. They add a homemade hot honey and fresh pickle. The Brussel sprouts were great, maple bacon delicious! The stroganoff looked great but may have needed more cream. Drink - we didn't stray far from my favorite old fashion with Rittenhouse rye. Classic standby, however, no cherry but still delicious. We sat at the bar and had amazing service, the place was packed I mean it was Friday. A bit loud but not overbearing. Definitely check it out! Highly recommend!

I like Empress a lot. It's elegant yet approachable at the same time with the hospitality and quality you'd expect at the price point. If Empress is not in your special occasion rotation, it should be. Aaand the "Happy Meals" on their happy hr menu are fire. The CD Special (burger and old fashioned), which seem to persist while other things change, is a proper adult happy meal. It's probably the best burger you've had in awhile.

In town for the CAEA in Sacramento (Sacrament for all of you that are religious) and in need of some Foodie Food!! I was already 0-4 on my food experience so I was a bit nervous about this place! The entrance to this place feels like I'm ready to either be tortured or we're going to a medieval Speak Easy! Most definitely Impressed! It was rather easy to get a 5:15 pm reservation on a Friday and that was both encouraging and scary. The hostess sat us near the kitchen which was an ear shot from our table. We watched all the action and the genius Homie chefs working their Magic! I asked about the beers on tap and I was impressed with the sophisticated beer list and settled on a beautiful Amber Ale. Our waiter dropped the secret menu on us but in the end we nervously ordered the Mole (a recipe on loan from one of the chef's Abuelita from Oaxaca)! But first, we would have to check out the home made bread that arrived at our table like a warm new born baby, it even smelled new! Next we ordered the Pork Rinds (Chicharrones that came with an Amazing dipping sauce)! Our Mole arrived looking like an Aztec Goddess and tasting like a sacrificial experience on our tastebuds! Homie made his grandma very very very proud! The chicken was moist and the mole was mildly sweet and spectacularly spicy! We ate, we happy, and we were FULLY impressed. We never hesitated about the dessert! We told him to bring it! That sweet lemon delight came and both my wife and I were lost in Good Will Hunting! We gave in willingly! We Fat tonight! In the end I was definitely Impressed with Empress! Would definitely come back to try out the other offerings on the menu! Eat On! People, but please bring your best appetite!

I was at the Crest for a movie and came in to have dinner and a beer. They had a delicious red ale which I had with e cheeseburger and fries. Burger tasted very fresh and it was very tasty. The fries were awesome, they had the righty amount of crunchiness to them.!!

My friend and I came for happy hour after work. I ordered a sour beer which was the strawberry island and it was really delicious. It wasn't too sour which I loved. My friend had the Moscow mule and a Sierra Nevada. He liked his drinks as well. The bartender was super friendly and very attentive. Overall great happy hour experience.

A month ago, I made reservation at Empress Tavern for a colleagues birthday luncheon. I made reservation through open table and I received confirmation, several reminders about my upcoming reservation. Unfortunately on the day of the reservation, we saw a closed sign posted outside the doors. The sign in bold said "the restaurant is closed for maintenance. We were doomed neither the restaurant nor open table made any attempts to notify about the closure. Despite the first incident, we decided to give the restaurant a second chance through opentable. I guess our stars were aligned and it was our lucky day; the restaurant was open for regular business. The restaurant is tucked along the K Street next to Crest Café. Upon our arrival to the restaurant, we noticed another couple waiting for the doors to open. Unfortunately, they don't have a sign outside their main door indicating its "OPEN". After we opened the door, we realized it was dark inside. Here's the inside tip, search for the arrow signs. The entrance leads to staircase that goes downstairs into a cellar-like room. Honestly, I felt it had the wine cellar vibe. By the way, the staircase is dark like a scary movie. I wish they had lighting for kids or adults so they don't take a wrong step. We had reservation for 6 people; the hostess sat us in a dent lounge area. In the middle of the restaurant they have the bar area in case you are there for drinks. Overall, the ambiance is beautiful but lightening is an issue. If you need to read the menu, use the phone flash light. LOL Menu: Lunch menu have limited option. Few people on our table were disappointed they didn't have the award winning burger on the lunch menu. Most of us ordered the Trout sandwich. The server said trout was a popular choice on our table. It's usually not the case on the rest of the tables. The trout was deep fried, served with pickles and French fries. I personally felt the trout had the fish smell, little greasy and it was a thin slice. A little bigger piece would have been appreciated. I would rate the sandwich as an average. Next time if we go back to empress, I'll share the lunch with another person. The portions are big. One of my co-worker loved he's chicken sandwich. He said, it was juicy, flavorful, had a little spicy kick and the bun was soft. He thinks they used chicken thighs and presuming that could be the reason it was delicious. Service - Service was great for the following reasons: - Waiter stopped several times to check on us. - refilled the water bottle - packed our leftovers togo Few of my co-workers want to go back to try out other items on the menu. I would absolutely recommend this restaurant for a lunch on a hot day because it's cold and nice inside the restaurant. Also, it would be a perfect date night, gathering with friends/family because you can share the $90 chicken bucket, happy hour or special occasion. Overall my rating is 3 stars.

What could be better than Griddled Bacon? Griddled bacon with banana mustard. That is how we started out our evening with some great cocktails. We got there a little early and they do not start dinner service until 5 pm. So the staff invited us to have a drink at the bar and then we could get a table after 5pm. The bartender was very friendly and made some great suggestions for appetizers and drinks for happy hour. Best suggestion was the bacon to start. We had questions about how the bartender made one of the drinks and you can tell he is very knowledgeable and loves to make good cocktails. Then the host asked if we still wanted dinner and if so he had a booth for us. We then ordered the stuffed peppers with a cream cheese and crab filling with spices and popcorn on top. A nice light starter. For entrees we had the Short rib stroganoff. Yum! We ended with their homemade donut with blackberry glaze and fresh blackberries. Staff was very attentive and helpful with suggestions. We will definitely be back soon to try other options.