I like Old I. I used to hate that it was so far away, but now I live right near it and I am thankful to have it! Just tried lunch here for the first time recently. Never knew they even had food during the day! It was a trip to see the place in the light.. really weird. I got a grilled cheese sandwich. Everything was really good and the service was also good. I will be going back again soon for the Roman Funerals CD Release show Nov. 11th. It's going to be fun! Haven't been to a local show in a while. read more

Great food and wonderful service. A classic neighborhood bar and grill. A friendly atmosphere. Same family ownership since 1934.

I have many great punk drunk memories of Old Ironsides, but my favorites are the one-dollar Pabst Blue Ribbon on draft beers--is that still available?--and the great juke box that had Frank Sinatra's "All or Nothing at All" ... read more

I eat at Old Ironsides for lunch during the business week. It has become my "comfort food," my favorite place to go. It helps that I work a block away too! Basically, great location, great food, FANTASTIC people! The waitstaff and bartender are always friendly and welcoming. They have daily specials that will knock your socks off. I keep going back for more! read more

WOW! What else can you say, might not be the most exciting place to go hang out at but between the staff and the music what else can you ask for. Went to see a show last Friday and the music was great, though this is not my first time there, I can honestly say that they never disappoint me. Perfectly priced, rockin' music and great friends! What else can you ask for? read more

A couple of friends and I attended Old Ironsides for New Wave 80's night. What an awesome hangout place. This place serves the best lemondrop martini's. Our bartender gave us exceptional service. When one friend ordered a lemon drop he would intentionally overfill the mixer and use the leftovers as a refill for ours! read more

I have been coming to Old Ironsides off and on for about 20 years, supporting shows, buying drinks, and tipping well. I thought it was pretty cheap and greedy to charge a pregnant woman $2 for a water after paying an $8 door charge. read more

I love Old Ironsides. I love the funky yet inviting look and feel of the place. I love the variety of acts that have played there. I've never, ever had a bad time at Old I, even when I went in with no idea what kind of music I'd be hearing. One of my favorite Old I nights was a Shruggs show (Matt K. Shrugg was probably underage at the time, but as his family owns the place, nobody cared.) Stan Shrugg was holding a yard sale the next day and he brought a bunch of stuff he didn't think he could sell. As the band played, he tossed free crap to the crowd - a how-to book on bowling, a handful of tiny plastic VW buses, an LP of folk songs, a Twister game, and other odd stuff. Right in front of the stage, some girls started playing Twister. It could only happen at Old I. I've seen great bands at Old I, like Th' Losin' Streaks, the Knockoffs and the Saturn V. I've seen bizarre bands at Old I, like the Knights of the New Crusade, the Ugly Sticks and a Portuguese punk band whose knowledge of English consisted of the phrase "Hello, St. Louis!" I've seen comedy at Old I, like Neil Hamburger, Francois Fly and the Moe Betterman Show. I used to see the elderly Karaoke King perform there before every band. (Whatever happened to him? Did he pass away? He was sweet.) I've had far too many beers there, I've stumbled into other women in the too-small restroom, and I've studied the display of vintage photos before bands have gone on. Oh, and I've had a damn fine lunch at Old I, too. Old Ironsides is a Sacramento institution. The venue hasn't changed much over the years and its age shows. But it continues to provide Sacramentans with an ever-changing variety of great music, both local and visiting. I consider it the number-one live music venue in town. read more

Been here a couple of times on Tuesdays for "Lipstick." It does get packed! Tuesdays are the Indie-rock nights; not really my scene but it's fun nonetheless. Bartenders are super nice and so is everyone that comes. Love the bowl of goldfish they give you so you're not super drunk by the end of the night :) read more

Stopped in and had the best Bloody Mary I've had in a while. It's nice to have a cocktail bar open early with a friendly bar tender for those of us who occasionally have a hangover. read more

it smells, it's old, you may get a std from the bathroom but I wouldn't change a thing and I always say I like my drinks like I like my woman..cheap. I go to Lipstick on tuesday night to shake a tail feather as much as I can. don't lick anything from this place and you'll be just fine! read more

I've been to lipstick many times and danced the night away! I'm definitely into the music and besides, what else to you have to do on a tuesday night? I love people watching here...great outfits and tat's everywhere! I feel like everyone comes to hang out with friends and have a good time...not to meet anyone new. It is also a good venue to see local bands play on the weekends. That being said, this scene gets old! Different faces but always the same,..I've since moved on, but I'll always have a special place in my heart for lipstick nights! read more

If you love a good dive bar this is the place for you! Service is good. Great drink prices. Always have an entertaining crowd and karaoke nights are loads of fun. One of my favorite places to go. read more

A family owned neighborhood bar with a rich history. Great bar unless your a couple chuckleheads from Arizona that have a fake ID that says it expires in 2060!!! (that also failed a ID book and electric ID scanner!!!) Ya, they aint going to let you in, but nice try guys. read more

i love Old I. although the music on the radio sucks bum these days, you can always go catch a live show at Old Ironsides that will give you hope to think that there is still GOOD music out there. I like going to the open mic night (Wednesday evening) to swig down a couple guinness while listening to "unknown" starving musicians give it their all on stage. lare crawley's got the sound rigged up just right so that even the most terrible of acts sound their personal best. oh, and did i mention that i've been on the boat "old ironsides"? i have. beat that. read more

I went here for lunch and my review will be based on lunch not the night life here. I had a tri-tip sandwhich it was okay. I would never eat here again but I would definatly come to have a drink or two. The music they were playing during lunch was awesome. read more

A great place to catch live bands, and meet up with friends. Just avoid the sound-guy who has an ego (and attitude) the size of New York.

Bummer. A really good band is playing here, and I refuse to go. Why? Too crowded, smelly( based on overcrowding) and rudest bartenders I have ever experienced. I used to come here to see the Groovie Ghoulies, my favoritest band in the whloe wide world, next to Indecisive Youth. But, alas, they are no longer. Last time i came here was to see a friends friend play. Don't remember his name. It sucked. I really have no need to pay $10 (which is my drinking money) for a way too crowded place and RETARDEDLY RUDE service. I would rather go to the Distillery for a show. read more

Places like the Old I are becoming harder and harder to come by. The beer is mildly priced but (and this really is true of all bars) the mixed drinks are a rip off. The bands . . . come for the beer but stay for the bands. Sure, it's yocal music but you have to support these guys or we'd eventually end up turning into . . . LA. The sound is good, the door price, as Leon mentioned, is a bit high but what's the alternative . . . going to the Empire. I gladly give you the Empire for Old I any day. But I do wish (oh how I wish) the Blood Brothers would play Old I instead. read more

Love me some Old I. I am a regular on Wed nights, when they have open mic night. My boyfriend plays there regularly and there is a lot of great local talent (even a guy that draws the artists as they play). Also, most of their drafts are only $2 Wednesdays after 9 and wells are only $4. The staff is super friendly and the bartender Steve makes THE tastiest pear martini- always so full that my first few sips must be hands free :) Any local singer/songwriters should definitely come check this place out. Or even anyone that can enjoy some local music and good people! Or just to say that you've been to the oldest bar in Sac (true fact!). read more

Now serving Fox's gluten-free pear cider. Yeah.....

I have to say, it was great to get service from a bartender that knows what bartending is all about. We were greated right away with a friendly welcome and the drinks were great. Loved the feel of the interior of the bar. Very much like those in New York. Nice to find a bar that still has the warm older feel to it. We will definatly be back. read more

I'll only come here when my friend's band is playing a live show. Probably won't come here on a night without live music, though. Too far off the grid. One nice thing about this place is that the bar is in a separate area from the stage. This allows you to socialize and actually hear what your friends are saying while waiting for the current band to finish their set and get off the stage. read more

This place is great. Lots of history. Almost like you're in the hull of a ship. After a few, you're rockin and REALLY feel like you're in the hull of a ship. Great live venue, bands never disappoint. Fair prices and they pipe in live TV to the bar so you can watch the band in the other room. Saw Th' Losin' Streaks here a few times and they rocked it both times. Walk or take a cab if you plan to drink. This area is swimming with cops at night. read more

this place was pretty much a drag for the tuesday night dubstep beats! I go to a bar and pay $5 i expect to actually hear the music! their system was so shotty they couldnt turn it up and the bass didnt even hit like it should have. I basically wasted $5 when i could have partied at my house for less with better sound! If i wasn't with two wonderful friends, I probably would have left after the first 10 minutes. read more

Slow service, shady characters, and bad music--don't waste your time.

I've only been here once, to watch my friends' band play, it was small but not crowded, the drink selection was pretty good I guess, don't ask me for specifics on that. I was happy to see some hard cider available, not too happy to pay $4 for a bottle, but I guess that's pretty normal and me being cheap. The stage where my friends played was an OK size, the whole 5-piece band couldn't fit but I'm sure they're more used to a 3-piece. Arcade Fire couldn't play there for sure! For what it was, it seemed pretty decent. Much nicer than Round Corner Bar, I'll give it that! read more

Food is pretty darn good! Not your typical greasy bar food. Old-time charm. Friendly atmosphere and staff. Only problem is I can't have a beer when I come in for lunch during the workweek;) great place to see bands in a small venue. Seating area is where the bands play by day. This place is a Sacramento landmark gem of a place. Pretty sure the kitchen is closed for dinner. read more

I wouldn't mind the high cover and irritating live show staff so much if they'd just clean their beer taps once in a while.

Great lunch! Don't judge a book by its cover. The kitchen at Old I turns out some great food (lunch)...and quickly. The cajun chicken sandwich is awesome. Great service. Also a great place for drinks and live music in the evening. A Sacramento institution. read more

Super awesome music venue and bar! The bartender remembers your name and drink by your second visit.

Awesome dive bar that plays live country music on Saturday nights. My friend had her hillbilly/redneck birthday themed party here this past Saturday and we all had a blast. Strong drinks, friendly bartenders, fun music, and good dancing. What more could you ask for? read more

Can't believe I forgot to review this place, even after being the Mayor on Foursquare and all... Sorry Yelp, I just don't need more than one application to check into places (At least Yelp would be my second choice after Foursquare, and well before Facebook). Whenever I picture a dive bar, this place comes to mind (in a good way). This was one of two bars to be the first to open back up in Sacramento after prohibition, and has been owned by the same family since. The history of this bar is insane; walk around and check out all the memorabilia sometime. It has a certain personal sentimental feel for me also. I have only been here once for lunch, but I was impressed by their menu at least a good six months leading up to that point. Whenever I thought lunch at a dive bar, nothing but a question mark would pop into my head. They serve lunch M-F with limited hours, I want to say around 11-2. The inside is nicely setup for a dive bar, with tables lined up with red and white tablecloths. Their menu consisted of the regular lunch fare, like sandwiches, burgers, soups, salads. Shockingly, they actually had a specific section devoted to veggie burgers! There was at least six different choices. I had the Tuscan Veggie Burger and was not disappointed. Food was great. Normally though, I am only here at night. There is almost always an event going on at night, sometimes even competing events. They always play all major sports games, but at the same time there will occasionally be a band playing in the other room, depending on how late the game goes. This bar has some really great bartenders, especially Art. Art has been a part of Old I forever; as a matter of fact, my girlfriend's father took Art out to drink on his 21st birthday. The father was a regular at Old I at the time. Back to the bar. They have a decent selection of beers on tap and quite a few more bottled. The fact that they don't carry Heineken tells a lot about this place. Their liquor selection is rather large, they tend to get new brands in regularly (they recently got that weird Southern Comfort & Tabasco mix... probably still unopened), and they make their drinks the good kind of strong! Not gag-worthy, but enough that you definitely feel like you got your money's worth. Come in for a drink, stay for the live music or jukebox or karaoke or open mic night, and enjoy my home away from home! read more

For a supposed 'dive bar', the drinks are pretty expensive. They charge a cover on weekends and sometimes there's live entertainment but many times they've closed early when I've gone, so no thanks. I'd rather go to Zebra and get cheap drinks in a gross place. read more

This place has killer food for lunch. Working down the street brings me in once a week and I haven't been let down yet. The bartender Sam is a really cool guy and it just feels like a good atmosphere inside. I don't venture out that way after the sun goes down but if you are in the area and are looking for a bite to eat, stop in and hope that they have the lamb as the days special....it's amazing. read more

Came here for a quick drink before a Rivercats game - it was probably around 4PM - on a Saturday and the place was empty - but that was okay with us. The bartender was great and attentive and chatted with our group the whole time. I was super thrilled that they had a cider on tap - i think one of the two rivers - and everything was reasonably priced - around $5 a pint. We would definitnely be back for a quick drink but I do think at night - Fridays/Saturdays it can get very packed and it's not a very large bar. read more

The owner Sam is the best! I would always order their BBQ burger with garlic fries every... single... time... it's so good!

This is a great place to see a local band. For a small bar/hole in the wall the music sounds good, whatever is on tap is pleasing and the neighborhood surrounding is great for hanging out during a change in sets. What's even better is there is a picture of my great grand father on the wall from his long stays at the bar back in the early 1900s. :P read more

live music cheap beer and a cool neon sign; what more could one want out of a bar? Old Ironsides was pretty cool beans after a morning bike riding and wedding dress shopping (not mine...). I liked the stage and the fact that there was plenty of seating at the bar which was separate from the music space. I was a little bummed that there wasn't much of a crowd to chat with. Seemed like such a cool place to hang out; wish it was more hoppin. Ah well. Next time I'm in Sac town with L, I'll definitely have to hit this place up again and bring a crowd with me :) read more

Four stars for the live music and dance scene. I don't come here to drink; unfortunately the drinks have no stink, it is packed at the bar, and they always charge a cover. It's worth checking out and forming your own opinion. read more