9 Bars In Elk Grove That Locals Love For Fun, Music & Vibes!

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Last updated on January 30, 2023 by Wandering our World

Elk Grove is a city known for its 140 acres of first-rate parks, Laguna Creek Parkway’s riding and walking trails, agricultural practices, and other fun outdoor and nature activities. It also hosts its fair share of events, like the Western Festival, the Dickens Faire, and the Community Harvest & Giant Pumpkin Festival.

However you can see, nightlife is not high on Elk Grove’s list of attractions! But that does mean many excellent bars go unnoticed. So in order to help you find something to do once the sun goes down, we have put together a list of our favorite bars in Elk Grove.

Luckily this city has something for everyone, be it a fancy sushi bar that serves rare cocktails, a brewery that hosts daily events and activities, or an intimate and friendly dive bar.

So we are sure that you will find something exciting. Let’s get started!

CONTENTS:

  1. The Best Cocktail Bar
  2. The Three Best Bars For Beer
  3. The Best Dive Bar
  4. The Two Best Bars For Live Music & Entertainment
  5. The Best Bar For Food
  6. The Best Bar For Sports
bartender pouring drink
Photo for illustrative purposes only: iStock.com/MaximFesenko

The Best Cocktail Bar In Elk Grove

1. Umai Bar & Grill

Fancy restaurant bar that offers Asian-influenced dishes, classic and rare specialty cocktails, and happy hour specials that include sushi and drinks.

Elk Grove is bursting with sushi bars and restaurants, but Umai Bar & Grill remains unmatched. This bar combines Japanese cuisine and excellent mixology, offering an experience like no other.

We think the cocktails add the most to Umai’s appeal and set it apart from other bars in Elk Grove.

Negronis, Cosmopolitans, Mojitos, and other usual drinks appear on the menu. Yet while they are delicious and made with first-brand spirits, we strongly recommend you change it up and try one of this bar’s specialty cocktails—most are classics with a twist, such as the Japanese Old Fashioned and the Lychitini.

The signature drinks are interesting, tasty, and fun, thanks to the colorful presentations and unusual flavors provided by using the freshest ingredients and Asian spirits.

Regarding the food, we have already mentioned that Umai Bar & Grill serves Japanese and Asian-inspired dishes. The dinner menu features the likes of ramen noodles, several teriyaki recipes, seafood dishes, and loaded salads.

However, the most frequently ordered meal is sushi, and the good news is that many rolls are included in this bar’s Tuesday-Friday happy hour specials. So are all the draft beers, some cocktails, and a few red and white house wines!

Hours of operation are from 11:30 am to 9 pm every day.

Address: 8973 Grant Line Rd #100, Elk Grove, CA 95624

Expert barman is making cocktail at a bar.
Photo for illustrative purposes only: iStock.com/santypan

The Three Best Bars In Elk Grove For Beer

1. Dust Bowl Brewing Co. Old Town Tap House

Fun brewery with thirty craft beers on tap, two bars, food truck-inspired meals, a spacious pet-friendly beer garden, and outdoor activities.

Dust Bowl Brewing Co. is inside an old brick building, but don’t let the rugged facade deter you!

The interiors are modern and well-decorated, and so is the beer garden—below the fairy light rows, you will find several picnic tables, fire pits, and cornhole setups. Its relaxed, fun atmosphere and its spaciousness makes it suitable for all ages and dogs, too!

The patio also has an outdoor bar with thirty rotating craft beers on tap, just like the indoor one. Some have the classic malty taste with varying bitterness levels, while others have innovative notes, such as citrus, floral, or berry.

The flavors actually change with the seasons—you will find more fruity and tropical beers in the summer, whereas cinnamon and coffee hints are more present in winter. Best of all, you can order five-beer flights to try all the fascinating flavors!

As you can see, the beer at Dust Bowl is excellent and varied, and luckily the food doesn’t disappoint either.

You can pair your cold pint with food truck dishes, such as tacos, nachos, sandwiches, pizzas, and pretzels, all provided by Wedo’s Kitchen. The quality is unrivaled, and the portions are meal-sized—trust us when we say you will feel stuffed after having dinner at this bar!

Hours of operation are from 4 pm to 9 pm Monday through Thursday and from noon to 10 pm on Fridays. On the weekends, this bar opens at 11 am and closes at 10 pm on Saturdays and 9 pm on Sundays.

Address: 9676 Railroad St, Elk Grove, CA 95624

Selection of beer
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2. The Bank Shot

Laid-back taproom that offers a varied and ever-changing list of over 15 craft beers, small snacks, and daily happy hour deals, in addition to several pool tables available open til close.

This bar has over fifteen rotating craft beers—you can choose from several IPA, ale, seltzer, lager, märzen, pilsner, sour, wheat beer, and cider varieties, both local and international.

Many of those brews have tropical notes, but there are also more typical-tasting options—and you can try them all with the four-beer flights!

Beer variety is one of The Bank Shot’s greatest assets, but it is not all it has to offer. This bar enhances your drinking experience with eight pool tables available throughout the day. Billiards is always ideal for a family or friend gathering—just add beer, and you’ll have the perfect plan for your evening! You don’t have to make reservations to use the tables, as this bar uses a first come, first served system.

If you get hungry, you can take a break from billiards and order a small bite, like fries, mozzarella sticks, or wings. The snack prices are already affordable, but you can get them for an even lower price from 4 pm to 7 pm Monday through Friday, and from 1 pm to 4 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. These deals also include the beers, and there’s also the $6 pints all-day Tuesday offer.

Hours of operation are from 4 pm to 11 pm Monday through Friday and from 1 pm to 11 pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

Address: 8535 Elk Grove Blvd, Elk Grove, CA 95624

tasty craft beer on bar table
Photo for illustrative purposes only: iStock.com/WinzenT

3. Tilted Mash Brewing

Spacious brewery with 16 craft beers on tap that serves food truck dishes while offering entertainment and a pet-friendly outdoor seating area.

Tilted Mash Brewing has so many assets we don’t know where to begin! For starters, the spacious venue is one of the most pet-friendly bars in Elk Grove, and has a patio with various seating options.

It also offers entertainment with several game setups, such as foosball and ping-pong, and comedy nights every fourth Thursday of the month.

However, while all the extras are fun, Tilted Mash Brewing’s main attraction is, of course, the beer. They brew on-site, putting together an entirely local 16-item beer list with fruited, hoppy, and malty options. Some introduce exciting flavors, like the Evocative Mindset, featuring toffee, caramel, and cheesecake notes.

This bar’s beer list is rotating, and so is its food truck selection. The trucks are usually available Thursday through Sunday from opening until a few hours before close and offer various kinds of excellent food like Latin-infused and Mexican.

Hours of operation are from 3 pm to 8 pm Monday through Thursday. On Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, Tilted Mash Brewing opens at noon and closes at 9 pm, 10 pm, and 8 pm, respectively.

Address: 9175 Union Park Way, Elk Grove, CA 95624

Friends with beer doing a cheers
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The Best Dive Bar In Elk Grove

1. Bob’s Club

Welcoming dive bar with friendly service that serves bottled craft beers, a few classic cocktails, and free popcorn while offering pool tables, dart games, and excellent happy hour deals.

Bob’s Club might be the most welcoming of all the bars in Elk Grove. As soon as you step foot in this eclectic venue, the friendliest staff and crowd will greet you and make you feel like a regular, even if it is your first time visiting the bar.

People playing darts and pool are a common sight at Bob’s Club—there are three pool tables and a few arcade darts machines.

Why not join the fun and play a few games while sipping an ice-cold beer. There are many bottled options, ranging from Bud Light and Corona to craft beers by small local breweries.

Classic cocktails are also available, as Bob’s Club has a full bar stocked with first-shelf spirits. This bar does not serve dishes to pair the drinks with, but it does offer free popcorn, which you can refill as many times as you want!

On some nights, Bob’s Club also partners with different restaurants that supply complementary dishes during happy hour—these deals last from 4 pm to 6 pm, Monday through Friday. Make sure you take advantage of them!

Hours of operation are from noon to 2 am every day.

Address: 9039 Elk Grove Blvd, Elk Grove, CA 95624

bartender making cocktail
Photo for illustrative purposes only: iStock.com/iMaximFesenko

The Two Best Bars In Elk Grove For Live Music & Entertainment

1. Babe’s Lounge

Charming, intimate bar that offers live music and pool games as entertainment and serves beer, various kinds of whiskey, a wide range of cocktails, and bar food.

Babe’s Lounge is small and intimate but full of personality. Starting with the interiors, we have the red bar with its musical notes drawings and an impressive bottle display behind it. The walls are covered with posters and pictures, adding to the bar’s charm.

The outdoor patio, on the other hand, is romantically decorated with plants, flowers, and vintage light bulbs. It often operates as a stage for local bands to play live in the evening. However, the music is just as good indoors. The speakers play a varied repertoire, and there is always something that appeals to everyone’s taste.

Live music is not the only form of entertainment at Babe’s Lounge, though. You can also participate in pool games and trivia night on Wednesdays. The pool tables are at the back of the venue, and they get crowded pretty quickly—make sure you keep an eye out for a free spot!

Regarding the food, Babe’s Lounge offers an excellent whiskey selection, bottled beers, and cocktails, which range from mules to sours to martinis. There is also a small food menu that features meals like paninis and pizzas.

Hours of operation are from 3 pm to 11 pm Monday through Thursday, from 3 pm to 1 am on Fridays, from 1 pm to 1 am on Saturdays, and from 10 am to 5 pm on Sundays.

Address: 9007 Elk Grove Blvd, Elk Grove, CA 95624

Live music at a bar with audience looking on
iStock.com/Nutthaseth Vanchaichana

2. Waterman Brewing Company

Fun brewery that has 12 local draft beers on tap, offers events, activities, games, and happy hour deals every day of the week, and serves bar food, wine, and cider.

Waterman Brewing Company offers so much more than your typical brewery. In addition to its ever-changing 12-beer list—which includes seemingly endless kinds of IPAs, ales, lagers, stouts, and sours—this bar features numerous forms of entertainment that create a one-of-a-kind experience.

Waterman Brewing Company has a busy weekly entertainment schedule too!

On Mondays, it is open mic night. On Tuesdays, you can test your general knowledge on trivia night. Wednesdays are for paint night, while karaoke takes over Thursday nights.

This bar also hosts live music on Fridays and Saturdays, which you can enjoy on the outdoor patio. Finally, a projector screen streams NFL Sunday Ticket games and other sporting events, so there is something for sports fans, too!

If you want to enjoy all these events but are not a fan of beer, Waterman Brewing has local wines and ciders on tap, as well as a food menu. You can order paninis, flatbreads, and small bites.

This bar opens at 3 pm every day, except for Sundays, when it opens at 10 am. Closing hours are at 9 pm Monday to Thursday, 10 pm on Fridays and Sundays, and 8 pm on Sundays. Happy hour offers are available from 5 pm to 6 pm, Monday through Friday.

Address: 9824 Dino Dr #150, Elk Grove, CA 95624

guitar player at a live music show
Photo for illustrative purposes only: iStock.com/Pro2sound

The Best Bar In Elk Grove For Food

1. Elk Grove Sports Bar & Grill

Laid-back sports bar with an extensive food menu that serves fantastic burgers, numerous breakfast options, tap beers, and classic cocktails, while offering a projector screen and TVs to stream sports.

This bar has a projector that plays various popular matches and games. It also has several TVs, a pool table, and a few arcade machines. So far, it sounds like a typical sports bar, right?

However, the excellent quality of its food also makes it suitable for anyone looking for a good bar to eat at, not just sports lovers.

This bar serves what many consider to be the best burgers in town—cooked to perfection, generous in size, and paired with fresh ingredients and unmatched fries. We will let you in on a secret: the regular fries are excellent, but the garlic ones will take your burger to the next level.

The food menu doesn’t end there either. In fact, it is quite extensive. It features numerous appetizers, sandwiches, hot dogs, seafood, salads, tacos, soups, and many more.

It even has breakfast dishes, such as pancakes, and French toast, making it one of the best bars in Elk Grove to swing by for a weekend brunch!

Regarding the drinks, this bar offers hot infusions, juices, and soft drinks for breakfast. Whereas for lunch and dinner, you can also choose from the many beers on tap and classic cocktails served at the bar.

Hours of operation are from 2 pm to 11 pm on Mondays, from 11 am to 9:30 pm on Wednesdays, from 11 am to 10 pm on Thursdays and Fridays, from 10 am to 10 pm on Saturdays, and from 9 am to 10 pm on Sundays.

Address: 9661 Elk Grove Florin Rd C, Elk Grove, CA 95624

Top view of home made tasty burgers on wooden table.
Photo for illustrative purposes only: iStock.com/Kesu01

The Best Bar In Elk Grove For Sports

1. Bull Wings Grill & Bar

Modern bar that operates as a sports bar with numerous TVs, excellent food and chicken wings, cocktails, tap and bottled beer, and happy hour deals available on business days.

This bar’s interiors are modern and tastefully decorated—with vintage lightbulbs and vines hanging from the wooden ceiling, chic bottle displays behind the lit-up bar, and leather seats. It is definitely one of the most stunning bars in Elk Grove.

However, looks can be deceiving, and while Bull Wings Grill & Bar appears to be a fancy cocktail bar or restaurant, it is actually considered to be one of the best spots in town for sports.

There’s seemingly an uncountable number of TVs placed so that you can comfortably watch your game from wherever you decide to sit. This bar streams various sports, such as football, boxing, and basketball, among many others.

Bull Wings Grill & Bar offers great quality and variety when it comes to gastronomy too. This bar serves snacks, burgers, tacos, salads, and, of course, chicken wings. There are twelve sauces that you can pair your wings with, including peanut butter, buffalo, chili, and garlic, one of the favorites.

Regarding the drinks, we recommend trying their cocktails. The list is extensive and has a House Cocktails section with classic drinks like the Old-Fashioned, and a Specialty Cocktails section as well, where you can find innovative ingredient combinations and less common spirits.

This bar also offers over fifteen beer options, some of which are included in the Monday-Friday happy hour deals, available from 3 pm to 5 pm.

This bar opens at 11 am every day and closes at 11 pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Sundays, and at midnight on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.

Address: 9625 E Stockton Blvd, Elk Grove, CA 95624

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  • Wandering our World

    Hi and welcome to Wandering our World! This article was written by one of the Wandering our World team - a team of travel enthusiasts who live around the globe.