Cozy little neighborhood bar. Just that, don't expect much else. No cover, cheap drinks, pool tables, outside seating and a good selection of beer on tap. read more

Let me walk in with a backpack at opening and keep it with me. Come back an our later and it's not allowed? If a rules a rule enforce it at all times. read more

The bartender in the back helped us and was really friendly. The bartender made the drinks strong so I can't complain read more

The Depot - Gay Bars Near Me - Sacramento, California

We came for trivia on a Wednesday night and had a great time. The bartender was friendly and our drinks were ready quickly, even with a decent crowd. The trivia was really fun as well and I loved the format with different rounds with answers in between. It was our first time visiting, but after this experience I would definitely plan on coming back again either for more trivia nights or for a quick drink. They have seating at the bar as well as some tables in the front area and then some pool tables before you get to the back where it's more open again. I could see this spot getting crowded on peak nights easily, but it definitely had a good vibe and the drinks were cold and tasty. read more

Lovely staff. Great music. Drinks are properly poured and priced. Very welcoming. The Depot feels like a safe space thanks to the staff.

It's Pride month and a group of friends and I wanted to go out to celebrate. We met up at the depot on Monday night, on Monday nights we were told it's free billiards night and they mostly played rock-n-roll. They had rock themed shots on sale throughout the night. The environment was lively, and the staff was pretty friendly. The only thing is the sliding door wasn't being kept closed in the back and so the smell of cigs were overwhelming in the billiards area. Though my friends and I still had fun and enjoyed the night. read more

The Depot - Interior - Gay Bars Near Me - Sacramento, California

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employees are rude, don't look you in the face and only speak to their local friends while I sat ignored by even the barbacks. my first bartender ignored me after my first drink order, so I had to unfortunately have to speak with the B word to my right. she only spoke to her locals and never said welcome, but managed me as a customer number 500 for the week. I added my drink to ice to make it less sweet and she quickly slammed my newly made drink into the sink. when I looked at her she was non apologetic hostile and accused me of being the devil I guess. RUDE no apology read more

Now that my clubbing days are mostly behind me, I find that the Depot is more my speed. While it can still get a little crowded, mostly during the hours of 10pm - 12am it dies down fairly quickly. We've been coming for the past few weekends just to play pool and haven't had any issues with long waits for one of their 2 tables to open up. Drinks are on par price and pour wise with other bars/club in the area. They do have an outside patio which is nice as well as an outside bar that is less hectic than the main bar inside, especially during the busy hours. Bathrooms are hit or miss. Mostly a miss though unfortunately. They are often disgusting with clogged toilets, toilet paper everywhere, urine on the floors and seat and I'm pretty sure all the white specs on the floor is booger sugar, if ya know what I mean. They do take cards now, so no need to worry about carrying cash only. Security at the door was also patting down female which I've never encountered but all good. And every time we've been there has never been a cover. Overall, other than the bathrooms we always enjoy our time here and continue to come back. read more

Next stop: Sacramento Depot! Had drinks at Depot two of my three nights in Sacramento. It's a nice, safe place with a positive vibe. Lots of lively synergy due to the club next door too. Brandon and Deanna (my Michigan home girl) were my bartenders. Funny, sharp-witted yet attentive and professional, all at once. Prices were reasonable - based on the other 4 area bars I patronized. And, pours were quite "respectable". If I lived in the area, I'd definitely be a regular here. read more

The lady in the day time working alone today is a bit off and probably shouldn't be managing that bar alone. She puts a poor taste in the mouth and overall bad vibe when I come here quite frequently. Her response to my drink order was "well you know we're a dive bar right"? ... in which I answered uh yeah come here all the time, it's not busy, and I always order this drink. Mind you - it's four ingredients - lemon, simple, Hennessy, and Cointreau, aka a sidecar... basic simple cocktail. Anyway, it's always off putting for someone to reply with a statement like that - as if you're not here to make drinks or if I needed help because I seem lost. We're not... and the place is always extremely lacking in diversity so being the only Black people in here, I gladly grabbed my friend and left - letting her know never mind on the drinks. She started acting offended like we somehow were aggressive to her - that's when I realized she's off her rocker or on a little something that she shouldn't be doing during / before work. read more

Are You kidding me? This place makes more than enough money to have decent cue sticks and hand chalk for Pool players. You have to pay 2 Bucks for one game, surrender your id AND leave a deposit to play a game, and this is the $#!t you get? Also, seriously? You guys can't fix the sink in the men's room so it's not constantly wasting water? Lastly, the bar is overdue for some deep cleaning. read more

The Depot - a close up of a metal button - Gay Bars Near Me - Sacramento, California

I've been coming to this bar for almost 20 years. I've been bringing my girlfriend with me for the last 3 years. She wears a mini backpack that serves as a purse. It's more secure than a purse. Just big enough to carry her wallet and keys. The bouncer always takes a look inside and then lets us through. Like any purse. At any other bar. Tonight we walked up and the woman bouncing said "Sorry no backpacks" and wouldn't engage us further. We walked a good half mile or more to go to Depot. Never had a problem in 20 years. Honestly, I'm not gonna waste my time again if we meet the same kind of unnecessary resistance. We don't like people looking through our belongings, but we understand the importance and are willing to cooperate. This was a level of no cooperation on the establishment's part and we don't have the time or money to support a business like that. Very unfortunate. read more

If you are planning a fun evening or a happy hour Depot is the place. I like how knowledgeable the bartenders are on finding you the perfect drink that I never ever heard of before this adventure: the Superman (2 limit) and the Fairy F#@K that my friend enjoyed a few. Coolest aspect is if you're there before 9 you can walk through this side door with a free cover charge into Badlands. And when it gets a little too cray in there you can walk back through the door back to Depot to mellow out. Note: cash only in Lavendar Heights bars. read more

Always go to play pool and they have THE WORST cue sticks I've ever seen! Either get rid of your pool tables or simply replace the tips of the cue sticks!! There's no excuse. It's always been like that. Y'all just look lazy. read more

The Depot is a friendly and welcoming neighbor gay bar. The drinks are good and the service was attentive. We were there after a Sunday Brunch so it was nice and mellow the way I like it. This is a cash only bar so make sure you hit the ATM on your way there. There is street parking and some nearby pay for use lots. read more

I don't see why this bar doesn't deserve 5 stars based on my experience! I came here recently on a Friday night and was immediately comfortable knowing the bar was mostly full of harmless gay men, as compared to going to hetero bars where as a woman I have to be alert 'cause you never know. The music was fun, the two bars downstairs weren't too crowded and the margaritas I ordered were just fine served in a full glass. The bartenders were friendly and nice. I like that there are different rooms at this bar including the main room you walk into that has a long bar, cocktail tables, and window seating, a room with a pool table, and a room that is enclosed yet open to the outside air and has patio access if you really want to be outside vs being enclosed in the metal cage-like room with another smaller bar and more cocktail tables. There's two single restrooms downstairs as well. I didn't go upstairs but definitely would in the future. I'm looking forward to going back for more fun nights. read more

Very good drink & had fun at the pool tables. Two tables & 2 dollars a play/ 5 for 3 games , cheap drinks & good drinks for your buck!! if anything people/security could be a little better. No complete pat down or bag check. Lucky I didn't have my CCW on me but they didn't check anything. What server sais 'no tip no request'. That seems a little redundant to me to be begging for tips because you're havint a slow night. Had a phone stolen & nothing was done when it was stolen from my jacket on the floor. Security needs to be more strict with who they let in besides checking ID. read more

My Sacramento go-to bar with my BFF. The drinks are cheap (I come from the Bay Area) and the music is usually on point. The bartenders are super friendly and are quick to serve. My favorite thing about this bar is that it hasn't changed. Everything in Sacramento is starting to get gentrified and that Bougie flair is starting to creep to all my favorite haunts. The Depot was one of my favorite bars when I became of legal drinking age and has been a dependable bar to go to when I wasn't in the mood for a club or a lounge. Still to this day, you can get a good buzz and depending what you order, possibly drunk for $20, especially during happy hour!! Take your bff, boo, partner, girl gang, boy bangs, etc. and enjoy a drink! Snag the prime seats by the open window so you can people watch and drink your drank. read more

One of the best happy hours! I want to say it's everyday and it ends at 8pm. The ac is on in the front but obviously won't be on the "patio". They have two pool tables and you have to pay /ask one of the bartenders . read more

The Depot - Tequila sunrise and vodka and cranberry ! - Gay Bars Near Me - Sacramento, California

Horrible customer service! If you want to be inappropriately touched, this is the place to go! Management doesn't give a shit that their guards grop women and say that it's a procedural pat down. The manager was more bothered by the complaints from patrients than by the sexual harassment being openly performed...FYI, it was a female guard inappropriately "patting down" women. read more

I had an awful experience at the Depot this past Saturday morning around 1am. Out of the bars in lavender heights the depot has always been one of my favorites. However, that completely changed after being on the receiving end of a poorly implemented new pat down policy and awful customer service from the manager. I went to the depot to meet up with some friends and was showing my partners friends the lavender heights scene since she was visiting from out of town. Upon getting to the depot a security guard said that she needed to do a pat down of our "breast area." I didn't think anything of this but after getting into the bar red flags were raised. This pat down was not a pat down like any other I've ever gotten here in Sacramento or anywhere else. It was really rough, unnecessary, and my partners friend ended up feeling pain. The pat down was only of our chest are and no where else. It was very rough and triggered past feelings of sexual assault. Because of how uncomfortable we felt we asked to speak to the manager, who we later found out's name is Omar (he did not want to release this information to us). When we spoke to him about our concerns he cited new safety protocol and continued to double down on the fact that this is a newly implemented policy due to safety. We repeatedly explained that we understand the need for safety but the way this was implemented mad us uncomfortable. Then he ultimately told us that we should leave because we were unwilling to work with him. The poor excuse for the pat down was violating and awful but Omar's response and gaslighting of our experience is what made this so much worse. I have never felt less safe at this bar and am so concerned for other survivors of assault and also the queer community because this policy is here to stay and is not done in a safe or inclusive way. Even worse is that when we went back outside there were groups of other people coming in not receiving this pat down. I noticed this and Omar was standing outside at this time so I pointed this out to him and he yelled at me to leave. I am so disappointed in this experience and really caution anyone thinking about going here. There were no solutions offered and we were incredibly dismissed for our experience. It was very triggering and not how I wanted to end my night. Be safe everyone. read more

The bartender had a full on power trip! She was completely raging at two girls who went into the bathroom together. This was a Thursday evening the bar was empty no one was waiting to use the restroom and they were in there for a mere couple of minutes. The bartender was enraged and proceeded to kick them out with force. Yelling at them calling them names. Completely unnecessary. Something that could've been handled very differently and professionally instead she used the "power" that she had to put her hands on them and kick them out. Management needs to take this type of interaction seriously and reassess/train their employees before they get a civil lawsuit against them. Completely not okay. I would avoid at all cost. read more

I parked right outside, so I'd say I was lucky with that. We entered and were asked for ID. They also take your picture so I'm assuming they use a program to match your face to your ID. There was no cover charge the night I went. I drank Shock Top the whole night which was about $6 a glass. They had white claws, something that most bars don't have for some reason. The Bar tenders were nice, they smile at you, create small talk, bar tender stuff. I went on 3/19/23, a Sunday and it wasn't very packed. They have pool tables if you walk further back and then a pathway that connects to Badlands which is next door. It was dim, I don't remember hearing music for some reason but it was quiet enough for us to converse and hear whoever we were talking to. Overall a good experience. I'll have to come back on other days to give a better overall review but 5 stars so far. read more

Night manager is horrible, as a manager downtown who comes in with other managers/bartenders trying to have good time but he consistently blocks us off at the door saying their not accepting new patrons on a Friday night, at 12:42pm. At this point we're sure it's personal. It's degrading to the business and hope it changes soon read more

great place to have drinks listen to music and play some pool! everybody is super nice and always has great attitudes!

I love this bar. Gay bars are usually a lot more fun to just chill in a nice environment and listen to dance music. So my friend and I that have the opportunity to meet up once in a while decide to check it out; grab a couple of drinks and catch up. We went on a Saturday evening for their Happy Hour deals, which were great... less than $5 for a cocktail or pint of beer. Inside there were so many TV screens on the ceiling that it was very hard to not get distracted by them. Saturdays they play clips from sketch comedy shows and movies, and music videos from the latest hits. It was fun re-watching old MadTV clips though while sipping on drinks. The bartenders were very nice and they made some strong drinks for us. My friend and I talked for a few hours outside in the smoking area, and we had a great time. I will definitely come back later for some of the events that they have... looks like fun! read more

The Depot - Kamikaze and Apple Martini - Gay Bars Near Me - Sacramento, California

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bar was very nice, lady at the front was very thorough with her pat down, there's no reason to touch my genitalia. 2/5 stars

One of my favorite gay spots in Sacramento, mostly due to the chill environment and the crowd. While visiting Sacramento on a Wednesday this place drew in an audience due to it hosting a trivia night. Although I chose not to Participate in it tons of people went and it was enjoyable nonetheless. They have a pool table in the back that some guys were in and an outside area to smoke or relax, along side with another bar which they open on their busier nights. This is known as the pregame bar before going out to badlands next door or any of the other places nearby. Definitely recommend starting your night here. read more

Went to the Depot Saturday night with two of my friends...everything went horrible very quickly.. The guy checking our ID greeted us and was really nice. Then we waited in line to get checked by security. The security lady check my purse first and gave us a story about how someone pulled a knife on a staff member and that they were implementing a new search policy. She asked for consent to pat us and I said yes. Not thinking anything of it. She patted me first but only did the chest area, which I felt was very inappropriate. We all felt very violated. Even the girl behind us yelled wooooh that's to much! WE WERE ALL IN SHOCK. We walked inside and came right back out. The guy that checked our ID was right behind us and even appoligized, saying "that was to much". We were still in shocked, trying to figure out what just happened to us. We went back after a few minutes to speak to a manager. On our way back, we watched how they wear patting down the women at the bar next door because it was the same security company, MIB, but it was nothing similar to what we got as a pat down. We went back and we watched the depot let people in with no searches or pat downs, so we asked security for a manager. We spoke to the manager because we wanted him to be aware of what was happening, and we didn't want it happening to other people, but it was clear he didn't care to hear what we had to say. We also asked about where they got training from, and he responded with an attitude, Sacramento shireff department. He also stated that they will be having another training next month. I didn't want to continue the conversation with him beacuse the way he was responding was rude and obvious that he didn't care, so we said thank you and walked off. read more

Fun place to drink. Bartenders are fun and great people watching. Great location too! Deanna is the bomb, we had a fantastic evening with her serving up some great cocktails. Can't wait to try the piano bar on Tuesday nights. read more

I mean what's not to love? Strong, and I mean STRONG, vodka sodas, friendly as hell bartenders (D, i'm lookin at ya) and amazing pop music videos playing on all the tv's. Been coming here almost weekly with my gal pals for mid day drinks on saturday's and it's been so fun ever since. My only complaint is the back patio can be a TAD bit crowded and often can't find enough space to sit/a place to sit for that matter. All in all though a fun gay dive! read more

Always always have a great time with Joey and Nelly @ The Depot! SITREP Great peeps and a fantastic location for bar-crawling fun. At the corner of 20th & K, this is a prime location for being able to wander around the Midtown. SETUP This is a nice place to end up after an evening of wandering around Midtown and enjoying the 2nd Saturday Art Walk. With friends and TVs on some favorite shows, this is a great way to end the night. *FLASH-MOB!* On a Saturday back in October, it was just a wild treat to watch a Flash-Mob take over the nearby streets and do a rendition of Thriller! What fun. After taking pictures and participating in all the madness, it was so nice just to be able to get into the chill-environment of THE DEPOT and have a few drinks. THE LOWDOWN The Depot is where you want to end up at! read more

Always a great safe place for a drink, make new friends and enjoy music and laughter.

Satisfactory gay dive bar, but probably not my first choice since it is cash only, and they will not give you a receipt but will tell you how much your drink was. There was no cover charge, at least when I went on a regular Friday night ~12am. The women's restroom was locked when I went, so all the ladies just went to the men's restroom and it essentially turned into a unisex restroom, which was fine, but it got crowded quickly. read more

Sat with a drink for a minute and a cute bartender with a backwards hat and a tattoo on his left arm ran over to me and handed me a $50 I apparently left on the counter. Good staff. :) read more

I consider The Depot a gay dive bar, and my favorite one at that. It stands out as a low-key little corner bar on the same corner as its big neon club companions. Much like its club counterparts, The Depot has strong drinks, numerous screens playing music videos, and a smoking area in the back. Unlike its club counterparts, the drinks are cheaper, it's quieter and much more casual. There's pool tables in the back bar area. I've been here on weeknights, on weekends, on pub quiz night, on Leather Porn Party night, on St. Patrick's Day, on Halloween, on New Years, hell I'm going there tonight to the RuPaul premiere party... I like Depot any night of the year! It's a great place to grab a cheap drink with friends (or even better, grab a few cheap drinks before going over to Badlands or Faces!) read more

The Depot - *clink!* - Gay Bars Near Me - Sacramento, California

Yay the depot is back and better than ever! Go in and say hello! Things were clean and the videos were playing. And we could play pool will be back read more

So i just bought a pitcher of beer. Than i accidentally handed a cup of beer out the window. And instead of the security saying "don't do that" she took my pitcher and kicked me and my friend out. They didnt give me my money back or anything. So i had the manager come out and complained and he kicked us out no refund. Thats annoying. read more

Being a drunkard means having grand illusions about what drunkenness is and does, and a lot of romanticizing about alcohol and perhaps some of the good times you have had while boozing. You know what I mean - you think about that cold glass of beer and how refreshed and glamorous you will feel, sipping a cold one and laying out on a boat in your bikini. 6 hours later you are sun burnt, have a mild concussion from hitting your head on the boat motor, and are lying in a fetal position in a pool of your own vomit trying to figure out where you are. Fantasy versus reality I suppose is a good way to put it. This sentiment pretty much sums up the Depot for me: when I think about the Depot, it seems like a really fun place in my mind, filled with pool games, drag queens, Depeche Mode videos, $2 you call its, a robust smoking section, bad ass trivia on Wednesdays.... When I get this giddy sentiment, I go to the Depot and am seriously let down. The queens don't do their makeup very well, the video bar is more uber gay Erasure than kinda gay Depeche Mode and the toilets reek. Like that girl lying sun burnt and cold on the bathroom floor, the Depot leaves me wishing I'd stayed home. Don't get me wrong - I like the bar. Everything is just less fun than I imagine. I really like the concept of a video bar - it gives you a good source of entertainment while you imbibe, ranging from old SNL skits to new Justin Timberlake videos and everything in between. Oh, and the drinks are strong. Real strong. And the Happy Hour is happy. And the smoking patio is smokin! I am really torn I guess. I cant even give this place less than 5 stars because in my head I love it so much. I think maybe there is some dead indian burial ground underneath the Depot, or the corner of 20th and K has some mystical latitude and longitude that drives me to worship this place.... I feel like Im rambling....I need a drink! read more

Last weekend, a friend and I ended up at The Depot on a Friday night around 10pm, before the crowds showed up. We did not intend to go there, but seeing as I just recently turned 21, it would be my first time going to a bar in my home town. We sat down at the bar and I told the bartender "Every time I go to a new bar, I like to ask the bartender what their specialty drink is. I like to try a handcraft cocktail that they recommend. I like things a little more tart and 90% of the time, my drink of choice is a Tanq and tonic. What can you recommend?" "Same for me," my friend replied with a smile. "I like the sweet and sour combination" The bartender smiled and started up conversation with the both of us. He started pouring and said he would make something called a "Sour Godmother" for my friend and a Ruby Red Kamakazi for me. We chatted and soon he set our drinks in front of us. "Let me know if you don't like these and I'll make you something different" he said. Both drinks were fantastic and very well mixed by a very friendly bartender who was able to make great recommendations for both our tastes. Best of all, each cocktail was only $5, which is ridiculously cheap for a more hip, club scene sort of bar. Though they do not have a dance floor in The Depot, they do have billiards, fun music (Britney Spears, Katy Perry, Lady Gaga... what you stereotypically think of in a gay bar) and a club next door if you want to shake your tailfeather. But you come to the Depot for the drinks, the conversation and the absolutely fantastic bartenders. read more