So we finally stopped into Dive Bar after hearing about it for years. We stopped in with some friends while celebrating a birthday and luckily arrived early enough that it wasn't too crowded. There were a bunch of people from out of town and the prospect of seeing mermaids intrigued everyone. As you walk in you see fun jellyfish decorations on the ceiling that take your eye to the giant fish tank above the bar. The tank is long and skinny and is deep enough that the mermaids can swim but shallow enough that they can easily pop up to breathe. While we were there we saw one of the them swim individually as well as in a pair. Some of the interactions were fun like when the merman acted like they wanted a drink from the crowd and then reappeared in the tank with a beer. Some of the performance is making bubbles or little hearts and circles underwater and some is more risqué. It was cool to see, but definitely the type of thing, at least in my opinion, that you can see once and check it off your things to do in Sac list. It also didn't help that the drinks we ordered were sickeningly sweet. I had to trade drinks with my husband because my first one had soooo much sugary syrup in it, the next one wasn't much better but I don't like wasting drinks. I ended up not drinking after the first one and my husband said his next drink, an easy Jack and ginger also tasted off... As the night went on Dive bar started to get packed and we enjoyed some dancing with our friends. It started getting tough to move through the skinny and long space and new people entering had to push through the dancers to get to the bar. We were there for a couple hours at least before leaving and I had a fun time but I don't think I need to go back again. read more

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Had a great night out at Dive Bar in Sacramento! The Mermaid show was amazing and really entertaining. The atmosphere was fun, and the drinks were good. A perfect place for a night with friends! Highly recommend! read more

Cameron, ronnie, and Bobby are the best service we have ever gotten here at dive bar and we come here often. They are the best team. The service and speed is impeccable. Give them a raise immediately. We are coming back just for them. I miss them already. Bye read more

Dive Bar - The best bartenders (excluding David ) - Dive Bars Near Me - Sacramento, California

The bar tender was very friendly and attentive. The drinks were very good. The Christmas decorations were wonderful for the underwater theme of the bar. read more

First time here after watching Nurse John. It's across the street. Fun fun fun place. Drinks are great! And vibes are good. Me and my friends had a great time. We just wish they serve finger food. It would be perfect because we were hungry too. I would be back again if I'm around Sacramento. read more

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Drinks are expensive but come in a huge amount. The bartenders are extremely friendly. They have more security than people actually in the bar that I thought was funny. And with all the security I was still harassed and followed out of the bar by one of them men and moved several times away from him. It's very cool first and last time. read more

Dive Bar - Drink - Dive Bars Near Me - Sacramento, California

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I love this place, the drinks are good, the decorations are amazing, and the music is an eclectic mix of feel good vibes. Also, to note, the mermaid swimming in the tank is super cool. Bartenders are very nice and attentive. I would definitely recommend this place for a date. read more

Came here for my bachelorette night out and it was a hit!! The line wasn't long and I got in for free for being a bride. The cover charge was $10 per person but you were able to go in and out of the bar. The staff members were very nice! Once inside, it was loud with music and people packed like sardines. It's definitely a popular spot on a Saturday night. We wiggled our way to the front of the bar and were helped fairly quickly. Above the bar is a mermaid tank with a male and female mermaid inside and that was the coolest! It was very entertaining to watch! Once we had our drinks, we moved to the "dancing space" underneath the jellyfish decor and had so much fun. The music selection for the most part was great. There were some weird ones but still danced our heels off. We got hot and had to step outside. Absolutely loved it here, just super crowded! read more

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Super cool bar they have a real person swimming the fish tank they have a full bar but only 2 bar tenders so you have to be patient its also not that big and just a few tables so your gonna have to be standing the hole time read more

Dive Bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Sacramento, California

We passed this bar daily while walking to work and finally popped in early on a weekday. There was no cover, one bartender, no mermaids, and several customers. I feel like this place gets a bad rap after reading numerous reviews. While my small party didn't experience the crowds/lines/bouncers/cover/dj/bad area... etc., etc. likely those are real pain points. We walked in for happy hour which was discounted wine, well, and beers. Had no issues ordering from the bartender and thoroughly enjoyed the underwater decor and videos of the mermaids (TVs are everywhere with their shows). The bartender told us they come out in the evening. I believe 9:30 is the first show. Cool concept though I'm never a fan of aquariums. read more

Dive Bar - Tank - Dive Bars Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Stopped here as our first spot of the night for a bachelorette and it was so cool! I loved the decor with the jelly fish hanging from the ceiling. Walked up to the bar and was not expecting LIVE MERMAIDS. Anddddd MERMANS. Totally sexy and fun and a great conversation starter for our night. The drinks were good. It was packed and hot but that's pretty common for a bar. Music was good. It was a fun start to our night. $10 cover. It was worth it to pay for the experience of the mermaids but after seeing them once idk if I'd pay to go back. read more

Dive bar, so much fun. From the front door, Chris thank you for being so welcoming and fun. Making sure everyone feels safe is clutch. Super good drinks. Thanks to the bartender Celeste for taking care of us. Will be back for sure!! read more

Dive Bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Sacramento, California

Went there and paid a cover charge. The mermaid was supposed to be there 1030 and 1230. The mermaid never showed!

First off, the theme here is pretty much mermaids and I love it so much. The service was great, the bartenders were extremely nice and they had variety of drinks to choose from. I definitely would come back. The coolest thing about this place is the tank directly above the bar where live mermaids swim every couple of hours. The only thing I wish was different was the music choice. It was a little too quiet and I wish they had better song selections. Other than that, it was by far the coolest bar I've ever been to! read more

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Super negative dj and security. Got our drinks and hung out for maybe 30 minutes. Paid $10 each to enter and my trans friend got kicked out for tripping on the metal rope bar... Waste of my whole groups time. The guy next to us was also kicked out. He is a regular and also disabled. Bad vibes for sure. Not lgbtq or disabled friendly. read more

I'm not from the Sacramento area but my friend and I came here on a Friday night around 10/11pm and it was very cool to see the mermaids swim in the tank. This place played good R&B & hip hop music. Drinks were fine. There is a $10 coverage charge. I think it's a fun place for you to stop by if you're not from the area. read more

Dive Bar - The pretty decor - Dive Bars Near Me - Sacramento, California

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The setting here is pretty nice with the underwater theme and a water filled tank stretching across the bar, decor resembling that of Ariel's cave in The LIttle Mermaid. During the mermaid show, the mermaid even got a fork at one point, and combed her hair with it, just like Ariel. For about 25 minutes, she swam with the fish, blew a few kisses, played with a ball, used a "shell" phone on her ear, and did a few flips and turns, all while breathing for air periodically and grabbing random props from above the water to entertain the audience. Impressive for sure, that's not an easy task to swim in a tank like that and put on a show while holding your breath. I loved how the colors of the lighting in the tank changed throughout the show. I think any aquarium is awesome, especially with some cool species of fish. And it's not everyday that I see mermaids at a bar (or at all), so we found it amusing during our visit on a Sunday evening.  The drinks were not that great and actually pretty weak, a big reason for the rating of this review. Without the mermaid(s), it would be hard to find reasons to want to return to Dive Bar, as nothing really stood out about the service and the drinks were subpar. The good news is, if you don't come on a weekend, you don't have to pay a cover fee. And it was definitely not crowded on a Sunday, so we enjoyed checking it out. By the way, they played mostly hip hop, if you care about the kind of music at the venue. read more

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Went to use the bathroom wasn't planning on staying to drink but when I walked in the bartender with brown hair and bangs told me I had to buy something to use the bathroom, so I did. I decided to stay to finish my drink and after I paid I did not leave a tip because she was rude then after she sees I didn't tip she said "I'll do better next time" saying weird stuff and kept going on about her life trying to make me feel bad "dry begging" and said how she would not be going out if she was broke too but I literally went to use the bathroom. Very unprofessional would not go here again, it seems like she was drunk or on something. This occurred on 02/7 around 5pm. read more

Brandon was the BEST! We came on a Monday and he was so accommodating. He was attentive to us and was actually welcoming and wanted to engage in our conversations. I am happy he was. I will for sure come again if the bartenders have the same energy and vibe as him. read more

Stopped by this place for some quick drinks but stayed because of the live mermaid show! I have never been so intrigued in my whole life but glad we were able to catch it! The bartenders were sooo nice and very accommodating. Drinks were super tasty! Hopefully I come back when it's super popping (I came on a weekday) so I can experience the full thing! read more

Dive Bar - Dive Bars Near Me - Sacramento, California

Very unique bar! They have live mermaid shows at preset times in the fish tank. Drinks are pretty well priced and strong! Bar tenders are friendly. Place can be crowded. read more

Visiting the area and some friends and I decided to visit here for our NYE. The ambiance was great and the crowd was fun. Mostly 20s-30s lots of people were friendly. Drinks were great too I don't drink too often so this was a nice experience. We didn't think they would have the mermaids but they did and all my friends and I were mesmerized! read more

Dive Bar - Front dance floor - Dive Bars Near Me - Sacramento, California

I was in town for a work conference and this was such a fun bar to come to with coworkers! Honestly, people of all ages and attires. The mermaid show is actually really fun to watch. There was a dj playing live music on a Monday night. It was really easy to order drinks at the bar and not a long line. We danced and really enjoyed ourselves. Definitely stop in this spot if you're in the area! read more

Dive Bar - Jellyfish decor on the ceiling - Dive Bars Near Me - Sacramento, California

This place is amazing, great way to go out whether if it's a girls night out. They have great drinks and service. Mermaid shows go on for every 30 minutes and they have a dj with an open space to dance. read more

Dive Bar - Halloween decorations - Dive Bars Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Great ambiance. Yummy cocktail. Great service. Such a cool place. We stopped by at 6 on a Saturday and loved the vibe. read more

Dive Bar - Jellyfish on the ceiling. - Dive Bars Near Me - Sacramento, California

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We came here because we were excited to see the mermaids and thought the vibe would be fun. It wasn't. Lots of bros and the energy was off. A woman told us to never put down our drinks in there bc of past incidents so we ended up leaving. My friend had a guy on her that was really insistent about getting her number. Felt unsafe. I'm hoping it's not their regular crowd but we didn't enjoy it. Mermaids were pretty. Why I'm giving the additional star read more

The Dive Bar is a fun, mermaid-themed bar in Downtown Sacramento. The vibe is cool, with the fun jellyfish lights and ocean themed decor. The giant tank where the mermaids swim is awesome - it's a huge tank spanning the whole bar. The mermaids were fun and it was impressive how long the show lasts for and how long they stay underwater. It was pretty quiet when we visited on a weeknight, though I can see how this place could get very busy. We had great seats along the wall to watch the show, though when crowded it could be difficult to watch, especially if you're not super tall in the crowd! Despite it being fairly empty when I was there, the DJ got there later on and played the music very loudly, to where you couldn't easily have a conversation if you wanted to. Both bartenders were super nice, and very quick with drinks. The margarita was okay, though it was very sweet and made with a basic mix. For the price and quality of the drinks I don't know that I would come back, though with a group and the fun atmosphere, that would be worth returning for. read more

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Always a fun place to bring someone new to the area. Good service and decently priced drinks. I wish the shows were way earlier during the week. They need a happy hour show. Way more people would come to a 5 or 6pm show. read more

I'm reviewing Dive Bar based on feedback I received from my company's board members. My board members who come into Sacramento a couple of times a year as well as traveling nationally love going to Dive Bar when they are in town. They've said it's fun, and it's an experience they don't get in other areas. I thought this was great feedback, since we just got back from a conference in NYC. Thanks Dive Bar for leaning into the Mermaid experience! read more

The girls at the door can use a class on service!. Anyway we were able to get in for free ( gotta know folks) it was 10 bucks to get in and it wasn't even crackin. We got a few drinks that were aight. The music was a mix between old 90's and newer rap. The real show is the mermaid swimming ‍ in the tank blowing kisses and bubbles! I had never seen this before.. I totally loved that experience while enjoying a cocktail so I guess it is worth paying for something you've never seen before! Although it's not a real mermaid ( nobody's ever seen one- fairy tales guys) she does a great performance! read more

Dive Bar - Live mermaid - Dive Bars Near Me - Sacramento, California

An adventure. Is pretty much a dive now but still fun. Was very quiet when we were there.

On Saturday I went to the bar to celebrate my graduation. There was only one lady bartending and it started to get a little busy I ordered a cherry mojito. The mojito tasted watered down and no cherry flavor, I wanted to tell the bartender about it, she then proceeded to say not right now. Later when she gave me her attention she said that you shouldn't taste any alcohol in the mojito. Very unprofessional in talking to customers, I hope they have more then one person bartending Saturday nights. read more

SUPER FUN EXPERIENCE! Make sure to check the schedule for mermaid performances. It was very interactive and an unique experience with all the props and fun staff! read more

I really enjoyed the decor. Didn't get to see the mermaid show but that was more timing. The bar seating was super uncomfortable but the bar tender said it was meant to be a standing bar which when I tested actually was comfortable to lean against. Bar tender super friendly but I was told it was happy hour and was charged full price. read more

On September 20, 2025, a group of friends and I visited this bar. We weren't inside for long because unfortunately, my husband had one too many drinks and he threw up in the bathroom. Once my husband walked out of the bathroom, the security told him to leave. I know for a fact, my husband isn't the first person to throw up at a bar. As we were escorted out of the bar, my husband asked the security for water. The security guard denied my husband water. I couldn't believe this when the security guard knew my husband was feeling ill. I would not recommend this bar to any one and I will not be going back. Again, I rarely write bad reviews, but this place deserved it. read more

I will say that the bartender was amazing. We went on a Saturday and all night it shows the showtimes of the mermaids on their screens - 8:30, 9:30, 10:30, 11:30. These need to be updated. We waited an hour and a half to see the mermaid... no show. Don't come past 10:30 pm on a Saturday if you want to see a mermaid. Cute fish though and the female bartender was impressive, remembering people's drinks and very efficient. read more

When you're walking almost by this location you're not really know what to expect from the outside and when you walk inside, it's like wow how neat is this. Love the music vibe, love the fact that it's spacious and it doesn't seem like everybody's crowded together while you're enjoying yourself. a very unique touch to this bar is the above the head fish tank that also allows for mermaids or mermaid to swim in with the aquatic fish during certain hours, which I think is around 8:30 PM on certain days. I did not have a drink this time around I just had some water, but I for sure see a visit to this location soon. Definitely saw different age groups doing the brief visit here. It was different to see a bar open as early as it was visiting around the 4 o'clock hours. So far I really liked what I saw Didn't have interaction with anyone from the staff, but we did have a young lady come by and pick up any empty cups or glasses that we may have had. Really cool place to check out a lot of different types of fish in the tank I could not figure out if they were saltwater or freshwater. read more

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It was our first time coming to this bar. The drinks and decorations was good. The bartending service was friendly and the bathrooms was clean. I love the jelly fishes hanging from the ceiling. This place can get SUPER crowded. There wasn't much seats to sit so we were standing the whole time. The DJ was ok. The only thing I didn't like was the securities, it's their job to maintain order but they literally were profiling people so they can kick someone out. The securities here are over their heads and aren't cool at all. One of them kicked my friend out because she mistakened him as the people who goes around picking up empty cups (she was asking him for water). Then one of the other security got in my friend's face and tried to provoke her not to touch him when she wasn't even trying to. I wouldn't recommend coming here if you're going to get profiled. read more

Pretty cozy and energetic bar while also giving such a unique theme ambiance with a mermaid, underwater theme! This bar also puts on mermaid performances with people dressed as mermaids swimming in a big tank among fishes! However the reason why it gets 3 stars is because on their site they said most drinks can be made into mocktails which is great as I don't drink really any more but when I went today I was told by the guy behind the bar that he had nothing able to make mocktails and could only offer a non alcoholic IPA or juice which was really disappointing. I was really bummed to not be able to drink a mocktail of some of the creative cocktails they have. Hopefully this was just a one off? read more

The vibe was awesome. It's fun to look at the mermaids and you can also tip them. The drinks are good. It was quite busy on a Friday night so the service might be a little slow to order drinks but it's pretty good spot in sac. read more

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