The place happens to be across the street from my friends apartment so I found myself sitting inside here on a Monday afternoon at 3pm. It goes without saying the place was empty. It's a total dive bar with cheap drinks and a couple beers on tap.
I grabbed a lagunitas IPA for four bucks, but my friend got Miller High Life for two dollars on tap.
The outside seating isn't anything fancy but good enough for a cold beer or two.
Been eating here for a long time but quality recently has slipped. The last straw was when we were there for dinner and one of the garlic breads had a very clear bite taken from it. So not only do they recycle bread that's been served to others but they don't care enough to remove those pieces obviously touched. What does that say about the rest of their food? It says we are not going back.
Review Source:When I was younger my dad would tell me that he would take me here for amazing prime rib once I am 21. Now that I am finally old enough I decided to go here with my family. The prime rib was amazing since they gave me a nice big slab for under $20 which included a delicious baked potato and some greens. I had the clam chowder instead of the salad with the meal since I was there on Friday and that was the soup of the day. Â The downside about this place is that they arent very good at cooking the meat to your liking. I asked for medium rare and received close to a well done and no one at my table received their prime rib cooked correctly. I guess next time I will just ask for rare and hopefully get medium.
Review Source:Best garlic steak and French Dip sandwich combo in town.
Someone said they got a new chef..... wow, could I tell the difference. The steak is tender, juicy, fresh, and my mouth is no longer marinated with MSG after lunch. This place is the best kept secret in town. That waiter is so polite and gracious, I wish I had a daughter to introduce him to. Please don't tell anyone how much this place has improved. Let's just keep this secret to ourselves - lest you like being put on a waiting list again......
The distillery is perhaps the best dive bar in Sacramento. My coworkers come here weekly, some times even daily, and are always greeted by the nicest bartenders who start pouring our drinks before we even sit down. Â There isn't much for ambiance, but they do have a nice little patio outside where you can catch up with a cold drink after a long day.
This isn't the place where you get a crafted cocktail served over a block of ice. This is a place where you go to get vodka, a dirty martini or a few beers. The prices are pocket friendly and the staff will have you laughing the whole time.
A typical dive bar but with GOOD food.
My dad has been coming here for the last 10 years and raves about the prime rib. I finally came here for dinner.
For dinner, prime rib is $17 with green beans, mashed potatoes and it comes with a side of salad or soup. I got the soup, it was tomato rosemary soup. The rosemary flavor was too strong for me, so I wasn't a fan of it.
The prime rib was cooked rare (the way I asked), and it was delicious. There's a side of horse radish. I split this prime rib with my friend, and we were both satisfied with it. It's a pretty darn good prime rib for a GREAT price!
We also got the caesar salad, and this is by far, THE BEST CAESAR SALAD EVER! I love the fact they don't cut the romaine lettuce so you get the whole stalk. It's covered with the garlic dressing and capers and the bacon bits, such a great combination! We got chicken with it, and the chicken is juicy and tender.
This is a great dive place.
I think the biggest con is the age limit. I am not really sure why... but you have to be 21 years and older. I guess it's a bar but a lot of restaurants are bars and kids eat there. Well, this place is worth it once you turn 21. So make the trip!
We also learned there's karaoke here at night, but we're not sure how this works.
Tip: If you go here, just get the prime rib. You won't regret it. Also, get the caesar salad because it's so good.
Street parking - we didn't have trouble finding parking.
Great dive bar. The Karaoke is the best part about this place. They have a wide selection of songs to sing. Great people-watching! Â The bar has a few beers on tap -but not much of a selection for beer. I have heard they ave food - but I have never eaten here or seen anyone eating here (I usually go late-night)
Review Source:Bartenders were great... Late night food was great.... But I will not return on a karaoke night.. This guy running the show (KJ I think was his name) was so incredibly rude to people that it was embarrassing... He even went as far as to cut someone off on his song stating that " I don't like the way your holding that mic" making reference to the singer as being gay. I was so insulted by this jerk that our group all decided to leave..
Advice to the Owner... Get a new guy.. Karaoke is a big money maker in downtown Sacramento and you cant afford someone like this taking $$ from you and treating your guests like crap
So much FUN, I came to town alone for work and had an AMAZING prime rib dinner that I don't think anyone could finish for only like $16! Picture will be uploaded in a minute. Then went to check out a few bars, only to hear that the place I came from was the best spot on a wed night, and It WAS! All I have to say is karaoke (I love this bar by toby keith, and I'm no christina aguilera). Anyways, check it out. Ask for Josh, he's the best!
Review Source:Used to love this place for the prime rib special. Â It is gone, Â Instead of $12.99 ($13.99?) Â a couple of days a week, it is now $18. Â With the iceberg salad, mushy vegetables, mayonnaisy (sp?) blue cheese dressing, Â cold bread, Â it is no longer a value. I also miss the 50s star shaped light fixtures which were taken out in a modernization 10 years ago. Â
Not much historical charm left, and the food has real competition for the price. Â
I miss it.
The Distillery is a great place to eat and an okay place to drink.
Their steak sandwich, french dip sandwich and fish and chips are huge plates at decent prices. You can even get the Half & Half (one steak sandwich and one french dip sandwich). They even have amazing clam chowder on Fridays.
My only problem with the kitchen is the fact that they are never open past 8:30 and it's still kind of a mystery when they do and do not serve food during the day.
They have a full bar, but it's a bit on the pricey side. I spent $7 on a bad bloody mary in a tumbler glass, (not a pint, a tumbler) for brunch one Sunday. Their wells seem to be however much the bartender decides to charge that night. So now I usually stick with the wide selection of reasonably priced beers they have. They also have Karaoke pretty much every night.
Definitely a place to have dinner and a beer or two. But not a prime night out drinking destination.
The first time I came here there was a girl running the karaoke who was great. I come back a second time and there is a guy running the karaoke who for some reason doesn't like me from the moment he sees me. I dance in a big group and the guy singles me out and asks me to sit down for "dancing too close to the singer". Then the bartender asks me to leave for "hassling the karaoke guy". I've honestly never been so shocked in my entire life. The sheer injustice of the situation was completely mind-boggling. Everyone I met here was great, but the karaoke host (mike?) was such an asshole that I am forced to leave a one star review.
Review Source:Hands down, my favorite spot in all of Sacramento.
It's a combination of the crowd, the cheap drinks, the karaoke, the people who work there, and most of all... the vibe. Even if you're not really a drinker, just visit a few times and soon enough everyone will learn your name. It's a mixed crowd of people from all walks of life, but the D manages to attract the friendly ones from each.
I'd rather not gush endlessly about the place, so I'll just breakdown a few highlights that people might find useful:
** Karaoke every night starting at 9pm (usually with KJ Rob)
** Spacious enough to accommodate a large party or a pub crawl stop
** Friendly enough for the solo traveler/drinker/karaoke singer
** They're upgrading their meals with some tasty new evening specials (i.e. braised lamb shanks, brie stuffed pork chops, etc.)
** Their old menu is still available (i.e. tasty cheap prime rib and french dip sammies).
** Later at night, when their kitchen is closed, a nice lady will sometimes stop by to sell some homemade food. Pretty rare, but you're happy when it happens.
** Outdoor smoking area (if you run out there's a liquor shop around the corner, 21 & K )
** Sunkists = Karaoke Juice = Mandarin vodka shot topped off with some peach schnapps and depth charged into a cup of rockstar energy drink.
** When drunk, feeling emo, or asked to sing it, I do a pretty mean version of Toni Braxton's Unbreak My Heart. You'd be surprised at how many people in the crowd sing along.
** If doing the Dirty Dancing song with a lady friend, be careful when attempting the lift. The singing area has a lower ceiling than the other parts of the bar... I almost took off a friend's head once.
These guys rock in accommodating for large parties! :)
I was coordinating a retirement party for a colleague of mine and was given an idea to host a luncheon here. This place definitely looks like a hole in a wall place; a bit run down looking but the food is amazing. I booked for a party of 17 weeks in advance and Terry was very accommodating. I collected everyone's order at my office and was able to fax it to her couple days before our arrival. We came during lunch hour and our waiter was awesome. Our food was delicious with a few minor mistakes on our order - but nonetheless our waiter was professional and took care of it! They had a vast selection of items to choose from on their menu at reasonable prices.
I ordered their half & half sandwich which hit the spot. This is a good deal for two people to share considering you actually get two sandwiches! One steak sandwich and the other french dip. I ate one and saved the other for my husband. Delicious and very good when it's fresh off the grill. It's very meaty on very tasty garlic butter bread!
I'm surprised as to how packed this little joint gets during lunch hour. In a blink of an eye this place was a full house with crowds of people standing around waiting to be seated. This was my first time here and I didn't realize what I've been missing out on. I'll definitely be back soon!
Prime Rib Special!
If you have ever been to Buggy Whip or like the old school feel of a bar restaurant and are in the downtown area and looking for a delicious prime rib meal on a Wednesday or Saturday night this is the place to go. Prime rib specials include soup or salad, freshly baked dinner rolls, and your choice of starch (a loaded baked potato, fries, rice) and seasonal vegatables. This all can be yours for $16.99. They hand carve the prime rib so not all servings are the same. If you like your prime rib a little red, medium rare is cooked to perfection.
I have also tried the garlic steak sandwich for lunch and its pretty good and the portions are large. The bread is buttered and seasoned and the steak is moist and not dried out from sitting on the grill to long. The service is friendly and attentive and our server came by frequently to refill our glasses and asked if we needed anything.
I also hear they have kareoke night but I haven't had the pleasure of personally experiencing it.
Only caviate you must be over 21 to get in after a certain time because its a bar so not too family friendly.
Recommendations: Prime Rib Special and the Garlic Steak Sandwich
1 star for our very understanding and sweet server, Lesley.
1 star for my positive past experiences with the food.
3 of us dined here on a Saturday evening. There were only 3 other tables. We were greeted and seated immediately.
Prime Rib dinner and Shrimp Pasta dinner came with a cup of Clam Chowder. it was a SALT LICK! We each had 2 sips and were done. It was terrible. Lesley offered salads instead.
My Prime Rib came out and right away I noticed my meat was cooked well done rather than Medium. My fries were peppered..with lots of pepper. (see pic). I was told I got a near-the-end piece because that's all that was left. I would have ordered something else if I was told this.
My friend's pasta, again, was a salt lick. She barely had 3 bites. Pasta noodles were al dente and they appeared dried out. Lesley had a bite off the plate in the back and agreed it was way too salty.
My bf garlic steak sandwich was coated with seasoning. He can polish off a meal but he didn't even want to finish this one. His side of fries too were speckled heavily with pepper.
I rarely ever send food back or complain, but this meal was terrible all around and may be one of the worst we had all experienced. We brought it to our server's attention and to notify the kitchen. She was super apologetic even though it was not her fault and she did her best to correct what she could. She said the cook was new. He managed to mess up every single dish and item, which is unacceptable. He must have rapidly depleting taste buds.
My family and I used to frequent the Distillery regularly, but it seems to have gone downhill. I'm still up in the air if I'll be returning. Lesley did make up for the inedible food with her great service.
This is a review for the food only.
I came here with my folks for the prime rib special. The special is only served Wednesdays and Saturdays. For $16.99 you get Soup or Salad, delicious toasted bread rolls, a huge piece of prime rib, and your choice of a side.
The Resturant: It's an interesting establishment. You enter the place thinking bar, since going in they have signs posted saying 21 and over only. The right side of the Resturant is a full bar with two big tv's. The left side is a full Resturant with tons of tables and lots of seating. It's an interesting place. It's like they took a bar and merged it with a family Resturant minus the younger family members. Anyways it was warm and inviting and brightly lit. The crowd was 40's plus but it was nice and not crazy. I'm sure the atmosphere changes as the night gets later. We were there at 6.
Bread: Now I know you probably are wondering why would I be writing about bread, well let me tell you this stuff was good. They gave us a lot of it too! They take bread rolls and cut them in half then toast them to perfection then butter them and add seasonings. I took my bread and dunked it in my soup. It was so good.
Salad: My step mom and fiancé chose the salad. I was surprised that it wasn't some small side salad. It was actually pretty substantial and had some good toppings.
Soup: My Dad and I both got the soup, they had clam chowder for their special and it was really good! It was super creamy. They served bread with our soups and salad and I kept dunking the bread into my soup. It was sooo yummy! I'd definitely get it again.
Prime Rib: Oh, my, gosh! So freaking good. I've had prime rib at a few restaurants and this was the best. I was very surprised to get such good prime rib at a 21+ bar. But yes, it was delicious. It literally melted in my mouth. The seasoning added great flavor to the meat while the juice they serve with it is sooooo freaking good. Next time I want to get the end cut. You can choose from a variety of sides but I opted for the baked potato. Oh it was delicious. They serve it with all the normal toppings and they certainly don't skip.
This is a great special. For the price you get so much food and great tasting food too. We all left with leftovers it was so much food. It definitely think this is a great little known special. Â My family and I will definitely be back.
**this is a 21 and over bar and restaurant.**
The Distillery shows the value of finding a market niche. In this case, its becoming the only place in midtown where wanna-be American Idol/X-Factor/The Voice contestants can sing karaoke on any night of the week they desire.
And that's good, because quite honestly, other than that, The Distillery is kind of a dump. The atmosphere reminds me of numerous family-style restaurants in small-town America that I have visited. In fact, I'm surprised that there aren't any signs telling me that the Rotary, Kiwanis, or Lions Club meets at the restaurant. There is a least one TV that I recall, although its certainly not a place that you'd go to watch a game and there is a large smoking patio out back. Other than that, there is nothing else to do. No pool tables, no shuffleboard, no darts :(
So Karaoke is what its all about at The Distillery.
And while that's nice, its simply because of a lack of competition that it succeeds. If you visit karaoke bars in other cities or just pay attention to the type of places you see on TV or movies when karaoke is shown, you'll notice that they look nothing like The Distillery.
But hey, Sacramento constantly seems to accept and love mediocrity, so The Distillery fits right in. Enjoy the singing.
This place has a welcoming but yet older trendy vibe to it. The bartender was attentive when he was actually at the bar. But there were times when I went back to the bar and there was no one working to be found. I would expect that if it was busy at the time. But there was only about 6 other customers besides our group.
Luckily their drinks have a good amount of alcohol in them and were relatively strong. They also had good prices for their drinks as well. Like an irish car bomb reduced in price the more you purchased. I believe 3 came out to be only $20.
The thing that makes this place a go to is because they have karaoke everyday, Â and if you're worried they don't have your song, well you don't have too. Cause they have a mass selection to choose from. (Huge binder of songs) When me and my dodgeball team went here we had a blast and everyone sang. We are definitely coming back here again for another team building event.
Definitely add this place to your list of bars to visit especially if you and your friends are up to singing and drinking the night away.
A more informational update - I'm telling ya, this bar has a good VIBE. Â That's hard to find these days- you feel safe, you feel supported, you feel welcomed. Â I went there without my usual posse, (who go there weekly or something) and no one recognized me, but I was still treated respectfully and given a fair shake by the KJ and other patrons. Â
Vibe is so important in a bar, especially when you are up there singing and putting yourself out there.
Badass Karaoke in a Badass Dive!
SITREP
The only times I come to Distillery is for Karaoke. Â It's a fun, kickass time. Â Also a fond memory for me since this is the first time I met one of my best buddies, MINH, when we were celebratin the birthday of our lovely mutual friend Erika.
SETUP
Traditional Dive Bar that features live bands on the weekends - sometimes of guys I like and I knows, so I go. Â But with Karaoke set-up on the mid-weekdays which I find a lot more fun. Â
THE MUSIC
Track listings are not quite extensive as I would find at either Rurulala here in Sacramento nor certainly as extensive as that Mecca of Karaoke places I love in Seattle: Â THE ROCKBOX. Â
But this is midtown in a bar, and it's Sacramento, so it balances out somewhat. Â You get all of the Journey, Styx, Motley Crue, Salt n' Pepa, Lady Gaga, Madonna, Lionel Richie, DePeche Mode, etc. etc. that you want, so a good time is had.
THE DRINKS
Cheap and reasonable. Â Full bar. Â Beer. Â Mixed Drinks. Â Not more than I could ask for. Â As long as they have the Rum & Coke, they can keep them coming so my vocal chords don't get TOO strafed.
THE LOWDOWN
For a fun time with Karaoke, the Distillery is a good time.
Lets talk about the Distillery!
First off I have to talk about my first impression. I walk up with a buddy an pass by people peeing in the bushes at the house next door! Poor homeowners! Anyway I was in the place and kind of get an "Old Dennys" vibe by the front area. I had a seat at the bar and took a look around. The place was probably the exact same as when they opened the doors back in the 70's. A lot of light colored wood work around but nothing fancy. The bar stools were old to match. The bar seemed to have quite a good selection of different alcohols to choose from so I decided to go with a beer anyway. I noticed several signs for their dinner specials. However was not inclined to order anything to eat at the time.
It was karaoke night which I guess is every night. I went on a Thursday and there was only one bartender on staff. For some reason I didn't see her smile even one. Maybe it was a lousy night for tips. I cant really complain about an of the singers even though most were like scratching a chalk board. Oh well though it is still  entertaining to watch. Most people have to be pretty brave to get up there in the first place so props are deserved in most cases.
The beers were reasonably priced so I cant complain there however it looked like the only one they had on tap was Miller High life which is not on my favorites list. The next time I come here if I do so again I will have to try out there dinner and update my review to reflect the food. Overall I would give the place a 3.5 star rating! This would have been a four "for smile" from the bartender girl.
My review is only for the food portion. Since I dont drink anymore the bar part doesnt apply.
Let me be specific: french dip sandwiches.
amazing. freaking amazing. So amazing I have considered being written up for work for being late to sit in my car to eat this all by myself and not share a single bite with anyone.
I dont know how good the rest of the food is, but you are hankering for quality french dip get the half and half you can split it with someone and both of you guys will be full.
meal can be pricey if you arent splitting it with someone. (also there is a split charge 4, they give u more fries but I dont need more fries)
customer service seems a bit rough and loud but its just old established bar service they have great servers working and they are all working at a million miles a min.
FYI. the Kitchen closes at 2:30 or so (call to confirm) and doesnt open back up until 5:30. SO DAM DISAPPOINTING!
I needed to fill my fix and couldnt get it filled here BOO!
come its legit.
For as good and as reasonable as The Distillery is this place should be packed every Friday and Saturday night. The seats are usually filled by couples who are at least twenty years my senior. One of my friends who had been there herself just to have a drink wasn't even aware they served food. Well I'm here to spread the word.
The most popular items on the menu are the $13.99 prime rib or the sandwiches. I'm a French Dip fiend so I can't help from ordering it every time. $12.50 will get you two French Dip sandwiches. Yes not one but two! And the au jus is perfect. A great salty beef broth with a hint of onion it is perfect yet simple. If you're not into French dips like I am try out the two steak sandwiches. If you cant' decide between the two get the half and half. That will get you one of each.
The prime rib is well seasoned and tasty. I warn you folks who like their meat rare to medium rare. Order it rare! They do tend to overcook the prime rib. Their medium rare is more like a medium.
Before your food ever makes it to your table though, you might already be stuffed from eating their freshly made garlic bread. Like everything it's simple. It's buttery with a little crisp on the outside and soft on the inside, and little hint of garlic.
So here it is mid-towners! Try this place out and I promise you won't be disappointed.
There is potential here. Rather than babble on about all the pros and cons I've listed them below.
Pros:
-Usually not very crowded and a friendly group of folks. Even the shadier regulars are still a cut above other bar crowds.
-Karaoke on most nights.
-Cheap drinks.
Cons:
-It reminds me of a greasy spoon Italian Restaurant converted into a bar. The harsh lighting and odd brick partitions make little sense in a bar setting.
-Only one beer on tap (Miller), and a bad beer at that.
-The patio has little ventilation and on a busier night it feels like you're stepping into an iron lung.
-The karaoke guy was sort of a curmudgeon who snapped at me about the microphone and (I suspect) bumped my song request down the list to favor a group of a dozen or so folks who ended up singing songs repeatedly.
As you can see, the cons outweigh the pros. I'm not against coming here, but if I have other options I'll take them!
So, I caught wind of some folks heading over to the Distillery, and thought I'd come check it out! Here's how  the scene plays out...
Me walking in after some of ya'll crazies were already here, karaoke in full effect...
Bartender: Â What can I get ya?
Me: Two Guinness
Bartender: Â Now being handed a microphone, Â begins to sing Simple Man by Lynyrd Skynyrd, continues to get my two Guinness, arrives back, just in time for a lyrical break, informs me of the price, then continues to sing while cashing us out...
Yeah, Ok... Â I understand now.
I don't know why I love this little dark bar....but I do.
I love the bald bartender who always compliments me by carding me....
I love the selection of beers, and the cheeeeeeeapness of it all.
I love the old men who Karaoke their little elderly hearts out!
People rarely express love in few words, but in a couple of sentences, I think that sums it up pretty well. Nice bartender, check. Beer, check. Atmosphere and great local crowd, check!
For these reasons, I'll stumble in and stumble out.
To me, the layout and lack of pretense make the Distillery a very versatile bar. Â When times are bad you can find a nook to hide, nurse your drink, and ponder existence. Â In good times you can groove your little buzzed self, mic in hand, and rock the crowd with some of the best karaoke action in Sacramento. I think folks from a lot of walks of life feel the same way. Â
What really pushes a 5 star rating for mile is the Sun-Thurs karaoke.  Rob is the best KJ around.  There's always a few people that are really good, but mostly it's folks with minimal talent and a lot of love for rocking the mic.  Also it seems there is always at least one borderline transient/ misunderstood loner that rolls in by themselves, gets in their one song for the glory, and leaves going about their night. You wonder what's in their head.  Maybe it's our encouragement that keeps them going.  I like to think that.  Judge for yourself- <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D7DAVQQDbXII&s=614382955eec9984734f2bbdd4e782683161e0f5fa582d8b803c0e05b2122716" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/w…</a>
Anyway, drink prices/pours and barkeeps are cool, even the older lady that snapped at because she assumed I was ordering water all night. Â It's a good place for times good and bad. Â Do it.
I've got the six day itch... for this place. Jim (bartender extraordinaire) and Rob (amazing karaoke DJ Mon - Thurs), thank you for treating our clan so well every single time we come in. You are always so appreciative and happy to see us.
The feeling is mutual.
Our next Humpy Hour is at Simon's so I don't know if we will make the trek over to your place to end our night on a "high note" but something tells me that some of us will find a way. (When we go walkin' after midnight.)
Yeah, when I walked into your house, I knew I'd never want to leave ...
I never know how to feel about the Distillery because my experiences have not been consistent. Whenever I go here expecting a fun night, I have a horrible time. Then, when I grudgingly drag myself out there expecting a terrible time, I have a blast.
Though they get some great bands through here, I will never go on nights when there is live music. The room is not set up in a way that works for live shows, and it's always way too crowded. Also, one of their employees is crazy and once physically attacked my female friend who was helping her boyfriend roll his cords up after his set. Not cool, and not worth the risk of running into him again.
However, I went here for karaoke the other night and had a blast. The bartender was super nice and the karaoke guy was cool. I didn't know many of the other people who were there for karaoke, but there was a really friendly vibe in the room and strangers were singing along with each other and coming up to compliment each other after songs. What a great atmosphere to have a couple beers and hog the mic.
The bathrooms are pretty clean and their patio is awesome. I never get good cell phone reception, but who goes to a bar to sit on their phone anyway?
I'll be back for karaoke, and would like to try their food some time.
Best French Dip in town. Period!
This place is what is right about the old school meat and potatoes kind of restaraunt. The portions are generous. The meat is cooked the way you want it. Rare is RARE. They make there own blue cheese dressing and it's the bomb.
The place is always crawling with old people who have " been going for years". I loved it last Valentines Day when my girlfriend and I decided to get a bite and chose The Distillery cause we could get a seat and it was full of old couples dressed in red and pink. Cute.
They also have bands on the weekends and karoke Sunday through Wednesday. I like the karoke there quite a bit. Although it's no Pine Cove. But then again I can't eat like a king at the Cove.
The Distillery is best described as being a gloriously dysfunctional split personality disorder of the Sacramento establishments. During the daytime, it's a well-respected restaurant frequented by, well, older diners looking for a nice meal in a comfortable, quiet setting. But as the sun sets and the diners depart, the respectable Dr. Jekyll transforms into the loud, rowdy, and slightly drunk Mr. Hyde. But in this case, Mr. Hyde is not evil- far from it. Mr. Hyde just wants to have fun, and lots of it.
This is the total essence of The Distillery.
As much as I would like to give a review of the food and dining experience, but frankly I've never eaten there. So instead, I have to stick with the night-time version, which is actually a nightclub- and considering the state of Sacramento's music scene, it's badly needed. There really isn't a stage to speak of, making it difficult to see bands sometimes. But by the same token, it gives the feeling of being more intimate, which I've always liked- the band is not above you but on the same level as you- just raising a holy cacophony of fun noise.
This can sometimes make any conversations of any sort impossible. But why would you want to talk to anyone during a live band? Two words: ordering drinks. Being that I have a large chunk of hearing loss, I was hesitant to yell at top volume a simple request for a coke directly into the ear of the bartender, but it was the only way that it could be done. So my advice to anyone seeing a live band play is to bring a pad of paper and pen- write your orders down, and pass them to your server. It'll make things a lot faster, and save their hearing (along with hearing protection- naturally). If you need to have any conversation longer than four words, step outside.
The liquid refreshments are no different than any other establishment, though surprisingly priced a bit better than certain other places- just don't run a tab. It's not that you'll be ripped off, just that signing off at the end of the evening is an impossible task with both the crowd, and perpetually wet bar. So bring cash.
The staffs, from the bartenders down to the bouncers are quite friendly, and not hostile to the patrons. But don't think for an instant that they won't toss your ass if you do something violent, or destructive.
The Distillery is a fun place to catch a live act. It reminds me a lot of places like The Mab in San Francisco or Jay's Upstairs in Missoula (the actual birthplace of "Grunge" for those of you keeping scores at home). I hope it stays around for years to come. Lord knows Sacto could use it. Let's just hope that the city doesn't succeed in getting them shut down.
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