Prelude Kitchen & Bar

A nicer dining option in downtown Sacramento with delicious drinks, good service and pretty good food (some dishes are hit-or-miss as I’ll explain below) We opted for outdoor seating. I much prefer to sit outside, the inside vibes are a bit off to me (I can’t put my finger on it…). The interior is quiet and the trimming, layout, and bright lighting makes it feel like the inside of a residential house. I think this resonates with other diners as well since I saw all the outside tables full, while the inside had a lot of empty tables. The service was great, really friendly. The cocktails were delicious as well. The food was overall good. The pork chop and the chicken dishes were great. The steak was cooked perfectly. There were a few dishes that were REALLY SALTY. Like almost hard to eat, because it was so salty. For instance, both of our pasta dishes our entire group of 9 thought were really salty.

We had a wonderful experience dining here! The three of us thoroughly enjoyed every dish we ordered—everything was flavorful and beautifully presented. The atmosphere was warm and welcoming, making it a perfect place to relax and enjoy a great meal. The staff was friendly and attentive without being intrusive. We’ll definitely be coming back and highly recommend it to anyone looking for good food and a great vibe!

We had a wonderful experience last weekend celebrating my nieces graduation dinner and with a party of 15 they accommodated us perfectly in our own private section with a prefixed menu along with appetizers. Food was delicious! I believe his name is Jason that was our server but he was fantastic, patient, attentive and very friendly! He definitely made the experience top notch and I look forward to coming back! Great view of the capitol outside when we took pictures on the patio. Great decor and large wine selection. Thank you Prelude Kitchen for a memorable night.

Reviewing lunch on a weekday: Beautiful view of the capital, but limited lunch menu and really middling quality really holds this otherwise well-kept and well-serviced restaurant from the full 5 stars. The bread felt cheap and served as backbone for a lot of the menu, and a single item being out of stock cut total options by 10%, which felt oddly more painful than if the menu had been larger. Drinks are not bad but do little to elevate the food quality. Ingredients don’t seem to be particularly well sourced or presented. Price is set high, relatively speaking, for the view it seems. Salads are swimming in dressing with little in the way of actual ingredient variety. Steak burger is a stand out and you should probably get that to avoid being let down by other options. Pasta also might be a star, should likely have gone with that instead of a sandwich. The sides are portioned well (e.g. fries), but overall fry quality was really weak. Felt industrial and cheap. You may not find many better options just steps from the capital, but take this as a lunch flag and maybe try this place for dinner instead and see if you can catch some better luck with an expanded menu and better options.

I was so bummed to pay almost $400 for this food. We were a part of three girls. The drinks were good. We ordered 3 starters: bread, peppers, and tuna. They all came cold. No question, the bread was at least 3 days old. The waiter claimed it was fresh, but come on, you can’t lie about old bread. He did bring another bread, which was slightly heated, but it didn’t taste good either. We waited a full hour for the entrees to arrive!!! It was just too long that we were forced to munch on the stale bread. We ordered half chicken, steak, and Scallop. Finally the main course arrived. IT WAS COLD. The chicken had a tasty sauce, the steak came with old and soggy fries melting on the dish (see the image) even a pizza place would make the fries better. I didn’t complain about the food before eating it. We were so hungry and there was no time to redo. Besides, at that point, no remedy would have fixed the situation. So we ate old, cold, stale food!!!! When the waiter brought the dessert menu, I thought maybe we could end it with a good note… wrong! We ordered chocolate (brownie) and vanilla ice cream. For goodness sake’s could you go wrong with those. The brownie was at least a week old. The ice cream came in the bottom of a cup with 2 old cookies. It was so hard to cut into the brownie. As little as it was, we left it on the plate. To recap, our food stayed in the kitchen no less than 20-30 minutes before it was served. The restaurant where we sat was empty. See my video. We were the only table in there! It was a Thursday night. Message to the restaurant owner: When you charge $59 for a dish, you should provide not just the food, but the experience of joy. That’s how people justify paying a high price for those ingredients. If you’re not willing to serve fresh food on certain days of the week, shut your restaurant down on those days. My first visit to your restaurant was in December 2023. I must say that we paid a high price but we enjoyed the food so much. The chef was talented and I remembered to come back again. This time I’m 100% sure that you hired a second hand chef who brought the quality of your restaurant down and I’m certainly not going back.

Happy Hour here is limited to the bar area only, the patio is serene and has a view of the capitol building. The martini and margaritas were perfectly crafted. There were like 4 dishes offered during happy hour all were sides dishes. The dining room looked so romantic here, they have a beautiful wine rack right behind the bar which looks awesome. The two dishes I tried was the blistering asparagus, by far one of the best asparagus I have eaten in a long time, and the fries were seasoned perfectly. Bring some friends, date night, family this place is perfect for a good drink and some delicious food. Parking might be a challenge where this restaurant is located. Follow me @Only1ChristineLu for more places to eat Good!

Had an amazing dinner at Prelude! From start to finish, the experience was exceptional. The ambiance was elegant yet inviting, making it the perfect spot for a memorable meal. The food was beautifully presented and bursting with flavor—every bite was a delight. The service was outstanding, with attentive and friendly staff who made sure everything was perfect. Whether you’re looking for a special night out or just a great dining experience, Prelude delivers on all fronts. I’ll definitely be returning to enjoy more of their incredible dishes. Highly recommend this spot to anyone looking for a top-notch meal!

First time trying this place for a birthday dinner, and there were some highs and lows. For some reason our server did not come to our table for 25 mins after we were seated. The very nice host took our drink order and comped our appetizers. The pork chop was delicious as many other reviewers have said, but the scallop risotto was kind of pitiful for that price. 3 medium scallops and a small serving of risotto - just not worth it. Cocktails were fine; unfortunately I doubt we will be back.

Came here for the first time for our anniversary and was extremely impressed with the food, the vibes, and the service!! When making a reservation they asked if we were celebrating a special occasion to which I told them it was for my anniversary. Upon arrival, we were greeted immediately and given a small mason jar of flowers with a "Happy Anniversary" stick attached! (Loved the attention to detail, and as an added bonus we got to keep the flowers!) I had the scallops and risotto, my husband got the steak, we had Manila clams for appetizer and finished the night with the carrot cake. EVERYTHING WAS COOKED TO PERFECTION! The steak was tender and perfectly cooked with these amazing potatoes that were extremely crisp on the outside but soft and fluffy on the inside! My risotto was creamy and the scallops were perfectly cooked! I usually don't like carrot cake (but my husband is a fan) and oh my gosh, I was in heaven after the first bite! They gave us complimentary chocolate truffles to celebrate our anniversary, and our server Victoria was extremely attentive and sweet!! The vibe of the whole place was awesome, with modern decor, such a perfect place for a party! (They have private spaces for this too!) Definitely will not be my last time here! Can't wait to go back!

Came here for a work dinner and it had a great ambiance. It wasn't too loud but loud enough to let people enjoy themselves and speak openly without feeling self conscious. The appetizers were all delicious and great for sharing. I didn't get a photo of the caprese because it was devoured. The tomatoes were naturally sweet and they were the star of the dish. Ordered the Basil scallops and the flavors were perfectly balanced with the slight saltiness of the scallops. Would definitely come back.

Made reservations through Open Table for 4 at 5:30 with a note to the restaurant that we were going to an evening Broadway 7:30 show. Our server, Devon, was personable with dinner suggestions and very knowledgeable about all of the ingredients in the dishes; he did a great job of splitting two salads and one entree, plus bringing out two guests' soups at two different times as one was having it as an appetizer and the other as part of her entree. Sadly, the clock crept closer to 7pm and our entrees had yet to appear! We know it wasn't Devon's fault as he had paced our drinks and dishes, checking on us and letting us know he was working to get our dishes out. The entrees came out, we ate more quickly than we would've liked, and had to pass up dessert.

It was okay. The appetizers we got were great but I got the scallops for dinner and it was 3 tiny ones and so much pesto orzo. It was good at the start but got old fast. Especially with that price... insane

We started the night at a steakhouse in the hotel down the street and it was a disaster. I decided to cut my losses and find something else, and fortunately I found Prelude which was still open. I grabbed a seat at the bar and had great service, an excellent glass of wine and a delicious dungeness crab pasta! It literally saved the night! Great vibe, and nice decor. I'll be back next time we come to town!

The food tonight was amazing. The artisan bread warmed through perfect but it went over the top with that fennel pollen butter, ate every slice. Next we had the smoked pork belly esquites just delicious the corn sweet and crunchy. You would think the bork belly and beef tallow would make it a heavy dish but it was light and a great starter. The watermelon gazpacho so good. I hade the Campanella it was fresh and the burst of saltiness from the olives delicious. My friend had the basil risotto with scallops and I had a taste it was so good she ate every single bite. It was so beautifully presented I took a picture. The service was impeccable our waiter was attentive but not intrusive and I never felt rushed. Will definitely be back.

Returned for Happy Hour before another Friday evening Broadway Sacramento show, bar seating. 3 of us shared two orders of the fried ravioli, one brussels sprouts, one artisan bread, and one dark chocolate mole...pretty much everything from the Happy Hour menu except the parmesan truffle fries. The fried raviolis are great (hence the second order). The brussels this time came with big pieces of pork belly and cranberry compote compared to my previous visit where it was pancetta and pistachios instead. The artisan bread was two kinds of bread (foccacia and another maybe baguette?) and came with a sundried tomato-balsamic dip and a wowzer smoked bone marrow butter (pretty sure it wasn't honey garlic butter which was the other kind listed on the menu). Never seen that before. The dark chocolate mole had fresh tortilla chips, pickled red onion, and cotija cheese. This was also first for me, as I'm more familiar with mole being served with meat and rice. Their mole was a nice sweetness from the chocolate. From the bar, we had hot toddys, gummy bear martinis, and I had a blood orange paloma (zero proof CleanCo Tequila). They do validate parking unless you paid a flat event rate in advance.

Happy Hour here is limited to the bar area only, the HH menu is tiny as well. The patio seating is serene and has a view of the capitol building. The martini and margaritas were perfectly crafted. There were like 4 dishes offered during happy hour all were sides dishes. The dining room looked so romantic here, they have a beautiful wine rack right behind the bar which looks awesome. The two dishes I tried was the blistering asparagus, by far one of the best asparagus I have eaten in a long time, and the fries were seasoned perfectly. Bring some friends, date night, family this place is perfect for a good drink and some delicious food. Parking might be a challenge where this restaurant is located.

Upon our arrival, we were warmly greeted by the host at the front desk. Since we had arrived a bit early, we decided to relax at the bar and enjoy a cocktail. The bar lounge area was cozy, especially on a rainy day, with the fireplace adding a touch of warmth to the ambiance. The bar staff was incredibly attentive and knowledgeable, going above and beyond to provide us with detailed information about the menu. Once we were seated at our table, we were delighted to find a beautiful vase adorned with flowers and a "Happy Anniversary" decoration. The entire staff made sure to congratulate us, which was a lovely gesture. For our appetizer, we opted for the Di Stefano Burrata Cheese, served with grilled radicchio, Spanish anchovy bagna cauda, and garlic toast. While the addition of the Spanish anchovy bagna cauda was delightful, we were a bit disappointed to find only one slice of bread. Given the amount of burrata, we believe that at least two slices would have been more appropriate. To satisfy our craving for more bread, we ordered the House Baked Artisan Bread, which included assorted house-baked breads and fennel pollen butter. The fennel pollen butter was a new discovery for us and paired perfectly with the breads. The rosemary bread was particularly noteworthy, with its buttery texture, softness, and addictive flavor. We would have happily ordered a full tray if possible. For our main course, I chose the New York Steak, accompanied by hasselback potatoes, grilled asparagus, smoked bone marrow butter, and charred scallion pesto. I ordered my steak medium, but it arrived slightly overcooked, at medium-well. However, the smoked bone marrow butter helped to balance the temperature and added flavor to the steak. The asparagus was cooked to perfection, retaining its crispness while becoming tender. The hasselback potatoes were a standout, thinly sliced yet maintaining their round shape, cooked to a delightful crunch on the outside and softness on the inside. My wife ordered the vegetable risotto topped with grilled chicken. The risotto was delicious, featuring pesto and ricotta cheese, and the vegetables--tomatoes and arugula--paired well together. We decided to skip dessert because we were too full. Overall, it was a pleasant experience, and we will definitely be going back. The staff deserves five stars! One last note. There is parking garage conveniently located, unfortunately the restaurant doesn't validate and the cost is $15.00.

Love this place! We had a surprise 70th birthday dinner for my sister. Anna Hansen went above and beyond to make this a memorable event. They were very warm and welcoming to my family. Will definitely use them again for future events.

This location has been a revolving door for years but we might have a longer-term candidate now! I can only describe this place as swanky. Very attentive staff and clean and crisp, down to the minute decor and details. It seems to fill up on "show nights", being in close proximity to the Broadway Sacramento venue and the staff are very respectful of showtimes. As for the food, I would say it was a little pricey for my own taste. I'm happy to report there is a happy hour menu that ends at 6 pm. The fried ravioli were especially delicious and came highly recommended by the bartender. The accompanying salad had capers and other mandolined veggies and a great sauce. I would definitely recommend this as a standout. The garlic parm truffle fries and fried Brussels sprouts are all that you could ask for, not particularly special or unusual, but very good, nonetheless. I found the bacon on the side of the Brussels very crispy.

Ok now this place is a gem, everything I had was delicious and the service was definitely worth the bill I'll definitely be returning here. I have absolutely no complaints, usually when you go to a place like this the plates are smaller portions and here it was the complete opposite the portions were very generous, definitely a cute place for date night or dinner with the girls.

Before a recent concert at the Crest we had a very tasty dinner at Prelude. Warm and friendly, they watched the time for us and recommended timely food which was delish! Our amazing server, Ashley was perfectly attentive and really made us laugh. She was very knowledgable about this restaurant's interesting and ambitious wine list. 5 Stars! Excellent ambiance

I arrived about 15 minutes early for my reservation and decided to have a drink at the bar while I waited. The bartender, Jake, greeted me right away. He was very friendly and made a PERFECT martini. I decided to stay at the bar instead of going to my table. The staff were all very friendly and helpful. This review would honestly be 2 stars if not for the impeccable service. That being said, the food was not great. I was really disappointed as I'd heard AMAZING things. My first course was the blistered asparagus with marcona almond butter. This was just a greasy plate of asparagus with a few marcona almonds sprinkled around. The next course was the steak tartare. This was done with an olive tempanade and that's all I could taste. It was very one note and extremely salty. I ordered the artisan bread with the fennel pollen butter. The focaccia was doughy and slightly raw and the sourdough was so aggressively salty that I couldn't finish it. Finally, the strawberry spinach salad. This was dressed with a Disaronno vinaigrette. It was basically just raw spinach with 4 or 5 pieces of strawberry and some chunks of goat cheese. I had really been looking forward to dining but was severely let down. I do, however, highly recommend sitting at the bar and letting Jake make you a cocktail or 2. The ambiance is lovely and very upscale. The bar gets pretty full for Happy Hour.

First time checking this place out and it did not disappoint! Super friendly, attentive staff in a beautiful, elegant space. Their cocktails were so delicious and visually appealing. Accommodated a few changes to their salad, and it was amazing. Everyone in our party really enjoyed their meals! I had the risotto with shrimp and it was so flavorful and beautifully prepared, I couldn't stop eating it even though I was full :) We were celebrating a few birthdays and even though we were too full for dessert, the staff brought us each our own little dish of decadent truffles with a candle, so unexpected and thoughtful If I am headed downtown again, this place will definitely be on the top of my list to go back to!!

We were a party of 9, the service was incredible. Devon was knowledgeable about the menu, Miguel made sure our glasses never went dry. They both were fun and added so much to our experience. The food was beyond incredible, from the appetizers to the main courses. Yes, I got to taste them all. The steak, pork chop, fish and pasta. The food was thoughtful, creative and above all a delicious treat. Leaving all of us full and very satisfied. We also enjoyed three desserts. Beautifully presented with incredible flavor profiles. The entire evening was amazing and we are looking forward to returning. Big thank you to the staff at Prelude and their Chef Aaron!

Everything from the initial hand crafted cocktails, to the dessert at the end was absolutely perfect! Our party of four tried half the menu, and loved every bite. Make sure not to skip the appetizers, because they are just out of this world! Whipped butternut squash with balsamic caviar, anyone?

Prelude offers an upscale feel and in a well designed restaurant. Servers were very friendly and accommodating. This place is known for its brined pork chop which I enjoyed. It did come out lukewarm which may mean it had been pre cooked earlier but the flavor was there. The restaurant was busy and the wait time for food was longer than you would expect. Overall, it was a great experience and I appreciated that it was not a chain restaurant.

Made reservation for 8 people on a weekday for lunch to celebrate graduation. We were given a table which was very private. Restaurant was quiet with beautiful decor and ambience. However, there was only one waitress working. She did her best. Services was so slow that we started having second thoughts after we ordered drinks because it took her so long. She said some employees called in. Lunch menu was so limited. Drinks and starters were good. We end up going to a different restaurant for actual food. It seems like a perfect restaurant for dinner though.

About the only good thing about this restaurant is the validated parking option. Food was either bland or over salted. The Cayenne Ricotta that came with the grilled asparagus had no flavor and didn't go with the dish. The sundried tomato vinaigrette was about the best thing that I had there. I ordered the angus ribeye and asked for rare, what I got was an over salted medium well steak. It was so salty, I can't even give it to my dog. The dish came with peas and two literally "smashed" potatoes, weirdest combination ever. Peas had no flavor on any of the dishes and just no place for it. The house made linguine was the worst! Pasta was overcooked and there was absolutely no flavor and the toss in peas just ruins the texture of the dish and made it worse. Service was okay, but, definitely not worthy of 20%.

This my favorite lil hide out .. I can go solo or bring a group it's a vibe every time the staff is always amazing service always top tier! Now the food that's a different story that sh*t is ABSOLUTELY FIRE it dnt matter what you order you can not lose i promise this review is well past due seeing ive had almost everything on the menu (yes im fat lmao) and they have crab deviled eggs!!! They are pure HEAT and not like space i mean like so hot I can't go without them if im there hahaha every now n then they switch a few things up but so far anything new had held up its end of deliciousness!!!!

The service and ambiance is amazing! I would rate it ten stars if I could. We shared fried ravioli appetizer. That was excellent. I ordered the short rib over polenta with broccolini. It was underwhelming! The short rib was cooked perfectly, but was very bland. The polenta was grainy and undercooked, as was the broccolini. My date enjoyed the pork chop entree but was not a fan of the couscous. Overall, it was okay but I don't see myself going back, or recommending it to others.

The perfect dining experience. Not just the food. The classy greet at the entrance: warm , friendly , genuine. The ambiance: a little din... chatter of other patrons, minimal echo, kitchen clatter... The bartender: Kim, the icing on the cake.. all smiles , friendly , engaging A little chit chat but left me alone to savor the gourmet American short rib Wine by the glass, great, Beet salad minimally complicated complimented by a good mild cab Home made fresh whipped cream on a desert. Why can't all dining experiences be like this. I will most definitely come back and order everything on the menu. Thank you owner and staff. First class , blue jeans friendly fine dining.

Incredible risotto! So sweet it was our anniversary and they treated us so well! Very warm staff, felt fancy, but not pretentious.

Went here on a beautiful day to have lunch with a friend. This place is quite quiet of an atmosphere in a very busy area. It's right in front of capitol garage, so parking is made easier for your convenience. The staff here were welcoming and pleasant. I wasn't sure if my attire was appropriate at the time of entry as I saw plenty of suits and ties and I came in wearing sandals and shorts, but they greeted me just as they would anyone else, with politeness. Attentiveness was their key strength here, they made sure to take care of us at exactly the appropriate time and made sure each of our orders came in fresh and never felt rushed. This had to be one of the best old fashioned I've had. It had the perfect balance of smoky, sweet, and acidity. The whiskey was smooth, pronounced, but not overwhelming. Banh mi bruschetta is delightful. It's an open faced banh mi that was light and bright. The the texture of the bread was crisp and the pork belly was soft and chewy. The acidity in this dish really woke up the palates. The risotto was full of umami through the truffle. It was creamy, smooth, and the leeks were amazing in this dish. For the price of this, you could easily share with one or even two more people, they don't skimp out on portions here.

One of our favorite restaurants in Sacramento. Sal, you are amazing!! Excellent service, the food is amazing. We had a wonderful celebration of our daughter getting a new job. All the recommendations were perfect. Thank you for a wonderful evening.

We decided to go to Prelude for a friend anniversary celebration, 10 years! We made reservations in advance and if you are going for a special occasion they put a cute mason jar flower arrangement with a plaque that says whatever you're celebrating. We went on a Saturday at 6pm and it was basically a full house with the exception of the bar area. The menu was short and sweet and they had some nice cocktail options as well as a full bar. It's a pricey spot (the drink I had was $20 and my entree was $46 if I remember correctly), but everything I had was delicious. The staff were all very nice.

My first experience at Prelude came November 5th. It was a brisk fall evening on an otherwise inconsequential Tuesday night. Short version: food was very good but not too exciting (except the blueberry lemon tiramisu which absolutely slapped), staff very friendly, and very nice inside. Patio offers unobstructed views of the years-long ongoing capital construction project. As an added bonus, I got to watch someone try to steal an olive out of their dates drink and then accidentally shoot it out of their mouth across the room. Long version: pls reach out to me directly

Ever since I moved to Sacramento, I've been searching for a premium restaurant to celebrate life's special moments--and Prelude Kitchen & Bar delivered. The short rib here is impeccable--tender, flavorful, and beautifully presented. If you're a meat lover, this place is a must-visit. Yes, it's on the pricier side, but the quality of the dishes and the upscale, luxurious interior justify it entirely. You feel like you're treating yourself. I don't drink, so I can't speak to the cocktail or wine options, but everything else I experienced was top-notch. If you're looking for modern American, farm-to-fork cuisine in Downtown Sacramento, Prelude is worth it.

I hosted a baby shower event here and mainly worked with Anna Hansen. We were debating between Ella's and Prelude and I'm so glad we went with Prelude. Highly recommend for any private events, they were accommodating and had multiple areas you could rent to fit your needs. There were also multiple menus to choose from and the event coordinators stayed in constant contact with us leading up the event. Day of the event, they allowed us in early to set up and worked with us on how we could configure the room. We had a dedicated server that was very attentive, helped us stay on track, and on a seamless timeline. My guests were very happy with the food and the area just looked beautiful. Thank you prelude, we will be back.

Sal, Thank you so much for the hospitality. Your wine and food knowledge was impressive and made our experience that much better.

Just had a beautiful lunch outside on the patio. It is one of the best views of the Capitol. The food was cooked to perfection, the service was excellent, and company wasn't so bad either ;). Thank you for a lovely afternoon.

Last night, we had the chance to try a delicious and beautiful restaurant. It was a pleasant experience from beginning to end. The host was about to leave, but as soon as she saw us entering the restaurant, she kindly welcomed us. Venue: The interior is modern, elegant, and organic, making me feel luxurious. The ambiance was calm, with soft music playing in the background. Server: Miguel, the server assistant, promptly served us water to start our evening. Throughout the night, he supported our server consistently and efficiently. Our server, Tamara, was very helpful in making suggestions and answering questions. I loved the fact that she communicated with us in our native language. In the end, she surprised my friend with a delicious birthday treat. Food and drinks: They have a well-balanced wine list that caters to every palate. I didn't have the chance to try their cocktails, but I plan to come back soon to do so. We had some Sauvignon Blanc "Peju". The truth is, I should have ordered the Albariño Paco and Lola instead. The food, oh my goodness, it was excellent. I tried their steak for the main course, and it was fresh, flavorful, and cooked to perfection. But the standout for me was the appetizer, Calabrian Rum Shrimp; the flavors blew my mind. YOU HAVE TO TRY IT! For the grand finale, we shared their delicious tiramisu, which we loved because it was well-balanced and not too rich. Prelude team, thank you for such an impeccable experience!

Great food. Appetizers were delicious . The entrees were well presented and portions were perfect size Our server was amazing We had a spectacular view of the capital bldg.

Gorgeous restaurant with a romantic, cozy and classy vibe to it. We walked in to a fireplace on the left, a wide and brightly lit bar, and grinning staff. I ordered the scallops, but my photo came out extremely blurry to post (they were cooked to perfection), but definitely missing a side of some sort. My husband ordered the duck breast and the portion was large and he said it was exquisite. I got to try the duck breast and it was cooked perfectly too. This plate could have been shared. My friends ordered the ribeye and the short rib. They said the ribeye was large (14 oz.) and he had to take some to go and that the short rib was robust! The wine was overpriced in my opinion. I ordered a glass of zin for $16-$18. The pour was on the lighter side for sure. The craft beers were $8-$10 (those were more decently priced). I'd come back for happy hour to try some of their cocktails on that menu. Overall the ambiance, the excellent service, and the food make me want to go back soon! The desserts on the other hand, were lacking and tiny. I'm giving this restaurant a 4 star based on the dessert alone. We ordered the honey lavender crème brûlée and there was zero honey or lavender flavor in the dessert. We were really bummed out about this because we're used to ordering flavored crème brûlées and this sounded great in theory.

It is 1:41 pm as we walked out of the restaurant. My husband had made a reservation for our 11 year wedding anniversary. We were seated at 1:17p. A lovely lady seated us and informed us the waiter (Josh?) would be with us shortly. Another man came to refill our water twice while we were in there. Not one other person checked on us at the table. The dining room upon entrance was maybe 50% full. It was not bustling at all. We watched two tables get up and leave and the cute older women on our left were finished with their food and just gabbing. I asked my husband to give them a couple minutes twice because I am starving. Disappointed especially since it's been a crappy week. We couldn't celebrate on our anniversary because my cousin died the day before. We needed this. Hopefully, others have better luck. My husband had zero luck attempting to get anyone's attention. He said he felt like everyone he tried to make eye contact with were being avoidant.

We waited over 25 minutes for a bowl of pasta that wasn't as good as what I make at home. I also saw rats running through the outside area where we were eating. Will not go back and will tell others about it.

Had a reservation and were promptly seated. Excellent service. They don't have a formal kids' menu but brought them an activity sheet and told us what the kitchen could do. One of my kids ended up ordering off the regular menu, and I asked if they could do anything to make his sides more kid-friendly, which they accommodated beautifully. Every single thing we ordered was delicious.

Veronica was awesome But so was everyone at the restaurant- the food was perfect, service excellent and having the whole place to ourselves for lunch seemed amazing but also felt like people do not know what they are missing - get in here and eat their artisan bread with balsamic butter!!!

This review is mainly about their limited time "3 Course Italian Truffle Dinner". This was our first time trying out Prelude Kitchen & Bar. What enticed us to try this place out was their "3 course Italian Truffle Dinner" that I saw on Yelp (See picture I uploaded from Yelp). We went on European Cruise last summer and loved the truffle dishes we tried in Europe, so when we saw this, we jumped at the opportunity since it was a limited time menu. I actually think it was the last day they were offering it. From the Yelp Story, I was expecting Shaved Truffle. Why was I expecting that? Well because it was directly on their Yelp Story Page. To my surprise, it was not shaved. It was grated and not much was given. You can look at my pictures and judge for yourself. Maybe I was expecting "European Truffle portions". Granted the dishes were good, but I honestly was expecting more truffle than what was on the actual dishes we got. Other than, that service was awesome. Mike was very attentive, and the rest of the staff knew when to pick up our dirty plates and to refill our waters. The restaurant itself is very clean. I really like the ambiance of this place. Because the staff were very friendly, and the place itself had a great feel, we will be back to try their other dishes. I just felt their Truffle 3 Course Dinner was very misleading, and I'm pretty disappointed in that.

My friends and I celebrated my birthday and had dinner here. The ambiance is very nice. Cute flower arrangement in our table with a Happy Birthday sign. Our server was great! We tried everything he recommended and the drinks were wonderful!

My partner and I came here for our anniversary and it was such an amazing experience! Our server Jacob gave such tasty recommendations that we left very full and very very happy! The seasonal lemon drop was so good that I had to have two and the pork chop??? Amazing! The vibes are also top notch, the heat laps were a godsend so that we could enjoy the view of the capital and the outside ambience without getting too chilly. We had such an amazing time that I'm already recommending it to everyone.

The view of The Capitol while sitting outside was beautiful. The staff are generous and extremely helpful with suggestions and offering their favorites! We started at the bar top and made our way to sitting outdoors to enjoy to weather and view. Truly enjoyed the knowledge and conversation with the mixologist/bartender. Opted for their suggested newly-in champagne. The food portions were a bit smaller, as expected. We ordered the potato gnocchi, which we weren't really a fan of it. The blue cheese took away from its traditional taste. The risotto, clams, and Bahn Mi were all pretty good! Ambiance 8/10 Staff 9/10 Food 7/10

Second time coming to prelude!! First time was a little rough! Came in last night with a group of girls for a birthday! The service was much better and the food was great!!! I got the pork chop and a mocktail! The pork chop was cooked to perfection and the blood orange mocktail was great! We were on the patio and had a great server ahead was very accommodating and provided great service. Thanks prelude for stepping it up!

You may have heard good service can make up for a poor meal but excellent food can never make up for bad service. Well fortunately the food here is amazing but the service is quite honestly the best we have had in the Sacramento area (shout out to Devon). I have been dying to come back to prelude after a company dinner here a while ago, it did not disappoint. The ambiance is very comforting nothing too flashy and had a rustic New England vibe. We were quickly seated, the menu was easy to navigate with a handful of starters, salads and entrees everything looked enjoyable with different types of inspirations behind them. We ordered the Bread and Butter, Potato Bacon Soup, A Pork Chop with Black Garlic Spaetzle and Prosciutto broth and the New York Strip Steak with Mole and Peruvian Potatoes. We also ordered 2 zero proof cocktails which the menu had a small section of NA offerings. and 2 simple ice cream desserts. Devon our server gave the perfect amount of attention to the table not too much but we never felt we needed to ask for anything. The table was marked cleared and reset without distraction. We did have a little mishap with out pork chop and the way it was prepared but the way Prelude handled the situation was perfect; they apologized and took it back to the kitchen to correct and in the mean time since I had my food but my wife did not, they brought her out a house salad to relive any awkwardness of either me eating while she waited or us both sitting there not eating with a full plate in front of me. Not every service can be flawless but its how you handle it that is remembered. Even with the pork chop mishap the food was exceptional, the bread and butter was a baguette and focaccia served with a tomato balsamic dip as well as a fennel pollen butter, the dip was perfect and while I enjoyed the butter it was heavy on the fennel so you need to enjoy that anise flavor. For the soup being so simple it was perfectly seasoned and balanced being a heavy soup the portion was a perfect size although I definitely was finished craving more, not a bad thing. The New York Strip was served with Mole, Cotija cheese, chard and purple potatoes, I had never had a steak with Mole, but I do love Mole. The Mole was thick enough to adhere to the steak and gave it a very complex flavor with a little spice, I will definitely order that one again. My Wife's Pork Chop was the most tender juicy pork chop I have tried in a long while. The Spaetzle which I tend to love was a little underwhelming but the blueberry horseradish jam paired with the pork chop will most certainly be ordered by us again. While my wife had an affogato I opted for a blackberry Cabernet sorbet, both were excellent finishes to our excellent meal the sorbet was extremely complex with the blackberry complementing the complex cabernet finish. This is a nice lite end to the meal I would recommend exploring if you don't have the space to try one of the richer desserts. As a whole I could not recommend more in the Sacramento Area the experience doesnt just end at the restaurnt when you exit at night you have an excellent view of the Capital all lit up a nice little touch as you walk back to your car.

The ambience in this space was very nice with soft music and a nice, spacious, clean and comfortable seating area with normal tables, high tops, and a lounge area. The service though is a bit lacking I fear. I was supposed to meet someone who had the time wrong so I ordered some bread as I waited - and waited - and waited. It did come out after 15 minutes or so and it was very tasty. Warm and crunchy on the outside and very savory. Since I was planning on dinner out as well, I just had the bread and a beet salad. The beet salad was nice and fresh, with raw spinach and pickled onions and blue cheese crumbles. Overall a nice addition to downtown, and from the sounds of the conversations, a spot where congress people and lobbyists spend some lunches.I

Great food and service, love the bar area and friendly service , can't wait to comeback soon Definitely recommend

Loved everything! Staff was so helpful and friendly! They were very attentive to all of our needs! Ryan was our main server from cocktails and apps to dinner! Beautifully done restaurant, so comfortable! Loved the bar area! Food was excellent! Loved the meat and cheese board. Cocktails were great! We had the meatballs and pasta, pork shoulder and risotto for our main courses. Everything was so good! This was our first time and we will be back for sure!

So, I'm not going to lie. We were so enthralled by the food that I forgot to take pictures. That's how good it was. As we got seated, we were a little skeptical because the menu selections were very limited. we looked at the items on there and were like, "This could either go really, really well or poorly." And as you can see from the very first sentence, it went fabulously. Our server Erica was wonderful she was very attentive and gave us a lot of recommendations on the menu and why, and everything that she suggested was spot on. Overall we ended up getting the appetizer of the shrimp the Prelude Caesar salad and the halibut. Literally our mouths were so excited for each dish because they were all different flavors and paired well with our Albarino white wine. I also recommend trying to check them out during happy hour as they have some great selections. The other thing to note is this place has a beautiful view of the capital and if you can book in advance to get a reservation that is around 7:30 so you can see the sunset and the colors in this guy behind the capitol as you eat.