It was late, I'd been drinking, and I needed nachos. You know how that goes... Luckily Limelight had them on the menu! They were big, meaty, smothered in guac, and really hit the spot. I sat at the bar and dove in face first. I watched TV at their big wooden bar as I smeared sour cream and cheese all over my face. The bartenders were polite enough not to say anything. They were a fun group who seemed to enjoy their work and brought me my food with a smile. It was a good experience, so five stars. read more

Limelight Bar & Cafe - Big screen! - American Near Me - Sacramento, California

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I haven't been here in a while. I do remember loving the size of the servings here, but I was thinking it was a little lower-end bar fare, but after my visit today, I'm saying it's simply a fantastic place to eat. We came on a hot Monday and there was hardly anybody in the place. Most of the people were in the casino area or the bar. This restaurant would make a fabulous place to bring a giant group of people when the outdoor weather isn't so hot. There's sample seating inside as well. I ordered the New York steak sandwich and a side salad instead of fries. Wowza this steak sandwich is as good as you can get around here. The meat was incredibly tender and perfectly cooked and without gristle or extra fat . I loved the grilled mushrooms and the way they just crisp that soft giant sandwich roll is perfection. My daughter always orders a salad and she's always so excited about the size of it. This time was no exception. The chicken on her salad was perfectly cooked. We also ordered a glasses Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc in for their house wine it was very good. I hadn't been here in a quite a while and I'm definitely gonna make this a regular stop when I'm craving a steak sandwich. The steak sandwich is enough to share; have the 2nd half of mine for lunch tomorrow. read more

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Comfort food & plenty of patio space! We came for brunch- which was great! but I am eager to return for the regular menu, which looked perfect for watching a game: lots of big TVs, full bar, and plenty of tasty apps! So many tot options! read more

Limelight Bar & Cafe - American Near Me - Sacramento, California

Fantastic service. Our server worked butt and it seemed she was the only one working and did it with a smile. First time here and the breakfast/ brunch choices were good. I had the biscuits and gravy and the gravy was really flavorful. read more

Limelight Bar & Cafe - American Near Me - Sacramento, California

One of those bars where regulars rule. I could tell when I walked in that this is a place to relax and have some fun. We met some friends to celebrate a birthday. All the staff were friendly and the atmosphere was typical 'bar-like'. We ordered their fried zucchini and potato skins. Both good, but in the realm that they were a good match with our whisky soda and gin and sodas. Fried, carb deliciousness. Cheers! read more

Limelight Bar & Cafe - Whisky soda - American Near Me - Sacramento, California

Love the dealers and bartenders. But the zuppa toscana tonight was uhm... a no go for me. Way too thick. Didn't really taste like it and I've had it plenty of times before at other establishments. Didn't take a pic because I didn't think it was worthy of a pic. Sorry guys. read more

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Limelight bar & cafe been here a few times for food and drinks and it remains solid! A great place to sit outside with your dog or watch sports on a Sunday! Today I tried the Bloody Mary and chicken nachos! The Bloody Mary was really good except they forgot to rim the glass with salt! The chicken nachos were huge and enough to share! Recommend this place! read more

Limelight Bar & Cafe - Bloody Mary - American Near Me - Sacramento, California

Can't go wrong with the ol' Limelight. A couple of drinks on a Friday night or brunch on the weekend. Great service and a menu for everyone. read more

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5 stars for the best burger in the 6 months I've been in Sacramento. Patty looked hand-formed and was full of flavor-cooked EXACTLY as I ordered with no extra salt. Fluffy bun that actually held up til the last bite. Got my aioli on the side-a light touch was perfect. Fresh cold sliced tomato. Hot fresh sautéed mushrooms. My only grumble was the lettuce. Folding a huge leaf of whatever and leaving the spine on the burger is no substitute for legit crunchy iceberg. I mean, ask In-n-Out. Anyway, let's talk about perfectly crunchy and hot skinny fries. Yum! Best bit of the evening was stellar service. Definitely on my go-back list. read more

Limelight Bar & Cafe - House burger and fries. Close to perfect. - American Near Me - Sacramento, California

Originally from Philly, and this place reminded me of home even if only for a few hours. What a phun place to watch the Eagles beat the Cowboys. Fly Eagles Fly! read more

Came here for a Kings Watch Party and wow, I love this place. This place has a cool concept. Sometimes they have live music out in their patio. It's nice that people who enjoy sports can go inside and watch the game and those who just want to relax can go outside and listen to some music. For food I orders a Caesar Salad, and wow I was surprised how good the food was. I think the key was how fresh the ingredients was. The salad was very green, dressing made in house, and fresh parmesan. Yummy. My friend ordered a pizza and he said that was good as well. To balance the salad I ordered a Banana Bread Pudding and that tasted amazing as well. Overall service, food, and environment is on point. Will come back to see another Kings Game here! read more

Been here on a handful of occasions and always had good times. Friendly and attentive bartenders and staff. Affordable drinks. Decent food. Nice atmosphere that's great to watch a ball game, but never too loud. Card room is not my thing but you barely notice it's there despite being consistently popular. Great bar for east Sacramento locals or folks that want to meet up without pricey parking or the downtown hubbub. read more

I went to Limelight late night with some friends. It had a casual ambiance and good vibe. We got the nachos to eat and they were pretty good. The drinks were good as well. It was very calm inside, but it was super late. The service was great and we got our items quick. I would definitely go back at an earlier time to see what it's like busier. read more

Service was excellent, albeit a little slow (short staffed). The Limelight Burger was phenomenal! The pasta and sauce was not that good, but not terrible (bland, undercooked). I would not order that again. The garlic bread was excellent though, nice garlic flavor and crispy on the outside but soft on the inside. It may look hipster on the outside (esp with the neon light), but it's pretty divey once you get inside. read more

Limelight Bar & Cafe - Pasta - American Near Me - Sacramento, California

I'm not usually one for hype, but this spot impressed me. It's got that old-school, no-frills bar feel--right in the middle of downtown--and honestly, that's rare these days. It's the kind of place you could end up becoming a regular at, especially after a long day when you just want to unwind around decent people and familiar faces. Drinks are priced right (always appreciated), the bar food is solid--not trying to be trendy, just good and dependable. The energy is lively without being chaotic, which is a balance a lot of places can't seem to figure out. Bartenders stay attentive, check in at the right times, and don't push anything on you. Big points for that. The layout makes sense: a dedicated area with TVs and tables if you're here for the game, a patio if you want some air, and--surprisingly--a card room tucked away in the back. Didn't expect that, but it's a cool touch. Good spot to start the night or even just stay put if the vibe's right. Caught a Kings game while I was there--crowd was loud but fun, and honestly, the energy was infectious. read more

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Limelight! Me and my crew come here to watch football. Lots of televisions, the beers are cold, and the food is good. So far, we have tried calamari, hot wings, tacos, sliders, their salads, potato skins, biscuits and gravy, a delicious take on biscuits and gravy called, smothered sausage and egg biscuits, and berry cobbler with ice cream. They have a lunch and dinner menu, a happy hour menu, and a weekend brunch menu. Myself, and my football crew have enjoyed every item we have tried so far. Felling healthy? They have 6 salads to chose from. Sweet tooth? They have not 1, not 2, but 3 homemade desserts to choose from. Wishing you were at cantina? Well it just so happens that pozole, and albondigas both make appearances on their specials menu, as well as their standing menu item of street tacos. The vibes are neighborhood bar and grill, but the food can go toe to toe with any local casual eatery. Table service can range during games, but that's expected as they are busy during football. I've stopped in on a random week night during the off season to grab a drink or a quick bite at the bar, and the service and food have been great as well. Further, for my gamblers out there, the Limelight also operates a cardroom, and has many popular games to chose from, while I have not gambled there yet, my friends have enjoyed playing blackjack. Aside from sports, the Limelight is a great spot for a casual late night bite, paired with your favorite beer on tap, or a casual brunch. read more

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The bare is great if you are looking for something lowkey. The space is a mix of dive bar and sports bar. The service was quick and they were so kind and the food was ok. I tried the garlic fries and the fries did not taste fresh to me. The loaded tots were a little better. The wine was surprisingly decent. read more

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Limelight has the best brunch !!! It's cheap and fresh ! It's also a good spot for late night eats also but their brunch is my favorite! Some of my favorites are their chicken fried steak and their Caesar salad . I love how extensive their Brunch menu is. Their parking lot is pretty small so if you can't find parking then park in Safeway across the street. I also love their happy hour from 4-6 Monday thru Friday , they have a bunch of small plates for under $10 read more

Limelight Bar & Cafe - Chicken Fried Steak - American Near Me - Sacramento, California

We sat on the patio; they have nice big shady umbrellas and are dog friendly which I love! I got the BLT with a side Caesar salad all of which was so so delicious!! The bread was so soft, the bacon perfectly crispy, loved the addition of arugula and Gruyère cheese in the sandwich, it was unique! Caesar dressing was delicious, everything tasted so fresh. Hector gave outstanding service, kept our waters filled, including the pup's water bowl and checked on us consistently. He was very friendly and attentive! Thank you for a great first experience I can't wait to come back!! read more

Limelight Bar & Cafe - BLT with side Caesar Salad - American Near Me - Sacramento, California

Minina with another bartender together hosted as nicely as could be NYE and I really enjoyed myself mostly immersed by the place's energy and experience. Would definitely do again when more financially ready to do more, this is now on my favorites list. mood retro music, with ebullient fun friendly conversation, plus a mostly open crowd/patron-ship attending good drinks, good prices, good experience forgot troubles a few hours, which in life is hard to find food was reasonable read more

The worst casino I have ever been to. Terrible dealers with huge attitudes. Go somewhere else. Got kicked out just for saying "f yeah" when winning a hand. Wasn't a problem when I was losing, but when I was actually winning money, they made it a huge problem. Didn't even want to cash me out and called security when I was already leaving--for them to do nothing and just cash me out anyways. I told them you're going to cash me out whether you like it or not, or I'll go ahead and call gaming commission. Whoever was the guy running the floor/cashier--straight clown. Definitely telling people to stay far away. I hope you guys enjoyed and split the $2 tip. read more

One of my favorite local hangout spots in the city. Located on the outskirts of downtown Sacramento, Limelight is home to a great bar and a card room. The food here is no joke. I've had some really good meals here. I particularly like their breakfast. The country fried steak is super underrated as well as the biscuits and gravy. Gambling here can be fun when you're winning of course. I've heard from friends who say they've never had any luck here and others who swear that it's the only card room they win at. I personally have played the blackjack and poker. I've won and loss, but had fun every time. The server Tina is super nice. She works in the card room and is always attentive and sweet. She's a Kings fan and for that reason she's the best lol. I recently came here for the Eagles vs Buccaneers football game and let me tell you was it hilarious. Turns out Limelight is an Eagles bar! Well... the Eagles got their asses kicked that game and the fans at Limelight were HEATED haha. One guy was cursing out the offensive coordinator. Another guy grabbed his helmet he brought from home and told his wife, "grab your purse because we are leaving!" That was awesome lol read more

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The Biscuits and Gravy was the best! I am normally here late night enjoying the best tater tots around but I found myself here during breakfast. Not being too hungry but needing something in the belly, I chose 2 sides which was 1 biscuit with an incredible tasty gravy along with 2 pancakes. I was thinking it would be the usual bland food you may find in a cafe, but no! It was amazing. Hot, Moist, yet Flaky Biscuit with a sausage gravy that was over the top! Check it out as well as the pancakes. read more

I have lunch here regularly and have had good food and service. It's a small bar atmosphere. There are tables in the bar and a larger seating area available. There are several tv's for sports. It has a typical bar menu. Burgers/fries are very good and on Friday they have an excellent fish special. Salads are generous servings. The food is consistently good quality. The service is always good. Has off street parking but the lot is small so you may need to park on the street (metered). The clientele is good - no undesirables. read more

Met up with my girls for lunch and our server was great! She had so much energy, great customer service and on top of all of our requests! Food was absolutely delicious and we were all full, needing to run laps around the block lol! read more

Came in for lunch and a beverage; the bartender is amazing! She made great food recommendations and her service is superb! Come see Hallie!!

Been coming here for 20 years + Took a coworker out for apps- We had the carnitas on nachos !!!! Was not expecting it to slap so hard. Knew it would be good- was not expecting to fight bf for the last bite and have none leftover. It was perfect for two hungry ppl to share. The staff were chill as always. The Margaritas were not my favorite but they were fine. The vibe was relaxed and it wasn't too loud. We alway like our time here. Thanks read more

I Was bored being in my luxurious room at the Kimpton Sawer and ended up taking an Uber to test my luck. Initially, I was nervous since I only saw the cafe... I walked deeper to see the cardroom! Signed up for the players card and sat at the UTH Table. Working half an hour of play I hit a four of a kind of fours! This place is chill and entertaining and it's been around for over 60 years! Thanks Brian, Tori and the cute cocktail waitress... I feel bad that I didn't catch her name to mention her on this review. Dealers and staff are welcoming and friendly. Remember to tip well! I did! I'd visit again if in town for work. Definitely worth the visit! read more

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A Nobleman's Notes on the Limelight: Sacramento's Crossroads of Eggs, Cards, and Escape On the fabled frontier between Midtown and East Sacramento, where Alhambra Boulevard draws its noble line through the city like a saber through butter, there rests a Sacramento institution -- The Limelight. Kitty-corner from what was once Sutter Junior High -- renamed during that peculiar era of historical revision and hashtag governance -- The Limelight endures. It is part bar, part card room, part diner... and wholly Sacramento. Let us speak first of the bar: old-school, unapologetic, and expertly managed. It's the sort of place a married man might frequent to "run errands," returning only when the dishwasher cycle completes. I, being unburdened by such legal entanglements, need no such refuge -- but if I did, this would be it. Now, to the food. There is indoor seating, outdoor seating, and -- praise be -- actual table service. Yes, a real human greets you, takes your order, and brings sustenance to your table. This is the way the gods intended. None of this iPad-ordering, tip-yourself, seat-yourself charade. The Limelight honors tradition. The food is not cheap, but here's the magic -- the portions are generous. A true blessing for any Nobleman who detests dainty dollops and microgreens masquerading as meals. The breakfasts are hearty. The omelets? Plump with pride. The burgers, fries, BLTs, salads -- all deliver solid flavor and honest comfort. One must especially try the Pastrami Sandwich, which, I dare say, could broker peace between Cousin Miles and Granny (were it not for his appalling taste and her iron will). Conveniently located and always blessed with parking across from the Safeway, the Limelight makes a fine destination for brunch with the lads or a solo retreat with hashbrowns and reflection. Even Granny, fierce protector of dignity and decorum, has bestowed her approval -- a rare gesture, given that the common man reigns supreme here. And that is perhaps the Limelight's most noble quality: a place where mayor and mechanic might dine elbow to elbow, equally enthralled by a perfectly cooked egg and a side of old Sacramento charm. -- The Land Park Nobleman read more

Literally the best food! Best service! Best prices! I come here once a month. I get my hair done next door at Alchemy (by Melissa she is the best). So when I do we always head next door to catch up and enjoy this gem! Honestly everything I order has always been amazing. I literally can't resist the garlic tots. But I have even had abondigas which was on special and is a Mexican soup.. delicious! The bartenders and waitress are always friendly and helpful! Super chill vibe! Just go on in it feels like home! Oh and if you gamble there's that! Lol read more

Limelight Bar & Cafe - American Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Just went here for my best friend's brothers celebration of life a few weeks back. I was very impressed with the food, drinks and hospitality given by the employees. Her brother was a regular there and was very well liked, and they gave him a permanent seat at the bar. Very touching! They have a nice patio, outdoors, I will definitely go back there for lunch or dinner. read more

Great burgers and happy hour sliders. Great service. A bit noisy as 49er's were playing!

I like Limelight. I used to come here in the 70's when my roommate was a bartender at Limelight. On Sundays, after going to the Farmers Market with my Pop, we'd often have breakfast here- great brunch. I moved to Marin then Sonoma County 40 years ago, but still have family in Sac, so will stop by for lunch. As a vegetarian, I appreciate their house made veggie burger very much. My mom typically gets the quesadilla and likes it. Very generous portions. The servers are quite friendly & efficient. Since covid, we like to stop here because of the outdoor dining option. It can get chilly though and all the heat lamps aren't always working. The parking lot is small & hard to maneuver. If you're expecting a charming ambience, this isn't the spot. All that being said, I'd come here again as food is solid and not super overpriced. Besides, I like to give my business to local restaurants that have been around a very long time! read more

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Love this place. It's definitely a vibe. Love the ambience. The staff are always so nice! The food is good and the drinks are good.

The limelight used to be a place that back in the day would be a bar/cheap eats spot with friends. I hadn't been there in eons, and we decided to grab brunch there. We were seated outside. Seating was okay, but the flies were crazy. Gross. Our server was nice, but nowhere to be found. Maybe she had tables inside that she was taking care of. The food was basic. Nothing special or memorable. I truly expected more. More flavor. More of a positive experience. Drink refills were non-existent. Napkins were rationed out. The cutlery was dirty. When the food arrived, it was closer to cold than warm. Based on the lack of attention at our table, our food received the same treatment. Would I go again? Meh. Not so much. Would I recommend it? Not so much. There are better places to go for a better meal. read more

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Limelight is alright nothing special in regards to the restaurant bar. I was surprised for a second walking past the little gamlbing area. First timer and knew nothing about Limelight so I was def caught off guard felt so random seeing all those people gambling at the tables haha. Not many people there on a Sunday evening. We wanted to sit outside but their heating poles were broken. Outside is cute it'll be a cool spot when it's warmer out. I appreciated the easy going server and bartender. We ordered a few appetizers not bad regular bar food as expected to me. Food took a bit to come out. Drinks were good and well priced. read more

Limelight Bar & Cafe - American Near Me - Sacramento, California

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Like an old friend who show up to help you move, the Limelight is that friend. From the inside rooms to the patio, you won't miss any of your games with a plethora of screens. Great food, brunch,Lunch or Happy Hour you needs will be met. read more

First time coming here on a football Sunday. I'ma California Eagles fan so perfect place to catch the Eagles game. It's almost like being at an actual game lol. Anyway, I came just in time for brunch and had the California Scramble minus the onions and it was GOOD! The portion size was more than enough. I also had a side of sweet potato fries and I was impressed with the quality and quantity for the price. My brother had a burger and it must've been pretty good cuz he had an empty plate after. I was told when I walked in its a "sit where you want" type place. The nice young man/waiter gave me a mini tour after I told him its my first time. It can be confusing given they have multiple rooms/areas to dine. The 4 stars is because after I found somewhere to sit, I felt ignored for at least 15 minutes as waitstaff helped everyone around me that was already there eating without any acknowledgment. I actually contemplated on leaving. But once the waitress did come to me, it was good service after. Overall good experience. read more

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This is my favorite bar in town, hands down!! The people there are amazing and so is the food! For guest visiting Sacramento,I recommend the hot wings, traditional with sauce on the side and a pint of valle with a slice of lime!! read more

Great food, great service at a fair price! Make sure you check out the daily specials. read more