I have to say, if I was ever asked to make a poster showcasing one of the best dive bars in Sacramento Benny's would be on that poster.
I usually only come here for XOSO pub crawls or when it is my volleyball league bar. Â Like other reviews this place has cheap drinks. Â I love their beef tacos. Â They're only $1 from 6pm to 10 pm. Tuesday through Friday (I think those are the correct days).
The patio is nice and spacious. Â There is plenty of room for a game or two of flip cup or beer pong. Â There is a TV in the patio too so you can drink and watch the game.
The bartenders are always nice and friendly.
Q St. Grill (aka Benny's) is always a solid spot for a Happy Hour or cheap late night drink and a great place to sit outside in the sun and have a beer or two.
I good quite often, mostly in the early evening when the kitchen opens. They have a good, quick and CHEAP menu of foods. Get the Jalapeno Fries, you will thank me, they are AWESOME.
The drinks are solid, they always have a selection of super cheap alcohol shown on the bar, they have a decent selection of draft beer, they always have "Bartender Specials" (which is basically whatever the bartender wants to make you for $3). And of note, Ohm, who usually works early evening, makes one of the best bloody marys in town, he seriously puts some decent time and effort into making them and he's extremely funny and cool.
Benny's has always been one of my favorite places to go. The atmosphere is cool and the people arn't bad either. It's a super divey bar with some really cool bartenders and a nice patio out back.
The food there is pretty good. I haven't tried everything YET, but the pesto fries are a MUST! The potstickers are mighty tasty as well. The tacos are plain and simple but meaty. :D
The owner Jim is a pretty cool guy. The guy bartenders are great! My favorites are James, Chris, Ian, Om & Joya whose a chick in training. All the other chick bartenders, I would wait until one of the guys can take my order.... They arn't really friendly, don't smile, and can be pretty rude. So if it's your first time, I'd stay away from them. :D But Joya is really cool and friendly. The drinks are pretty strong and good. One of my regular drinks is a Paradise Island which is more like a premium drink, but James is the one that can make it right. :D
I recently had a going away party there and it was pretty cool. The back part of the patio was closed off for me and I had started early enough (8pm) before the crazy crowds came out. With a group of over 50 we pretty much had the patio all to ourselves until about 10pm. They don't serve food on the weekends, so the owner was cool with me bringing outside food in for my party. I had bowls of salty mixed snacks out and everyone loved them. Maybe the bar should start serving snack mix to its patrons? Hee hee.
The only things I could complain about the place, is that the woman's bathroom is only 1 stall, on a busy weekend late night the line can be out the door. The other things is that they don't serve food on the weekends. But other then that, it's a cool place to go. Whether it's during the week for a drink and some food on the way home from work or a 2nd or 3rd stop of the night on a weekend, it's a great place to go!
Benny's Benny's Benny's! It is a great place to go and hang out, the bartenders are friendly, the owner is awesome and if you go during the weekdays the food is pretty good too!
The pesto fries with some ranch and siracha are very good, the tacos had a nice parmesan shell and the sloppy joe wasn't too bad but it wasn't my favorite.
I am glad I had a chance to drink and hang out here before I moved out of the city. I will definitely stop by Benny's if I am in town again!
I avoid this place (which I will always refer to as Benny's) on busy nights because the crowd is - um - not my type, but earlier in the day can be totally fun. The bartender Om (spelling?) is incredibly funny and cool, and the food rocks.
The step down to get the women's restroom WILL kill me one of these days, but if I have one of their burgers in my belly at least I'll go out happy.
Oh Benny's! Everybody wants to go where everybody knows your name. More importantly everybody wants to go where everybody knows your choice of poison. Well this is the place for you. Don't you love when you can throw up a number, and they know what you're talking about? Best Strong Island in town!
Review Source:This is a great Dive Bar. The atmosphere is inviting and the staff are really nice.
Cara, the bartender, is very attentive and friendly. I couldn't decide what I wanted so I tried a cider that was on tap (which was okay), next Cara recommended a delicious cider for my second round, big improvement!!! I love when I can go to a bar without an idea of what I want and get a recommendation from the bartender.
I really enjoyed my first visit to Q Street (Benny's) and I will be back soon!
I've been going to this bar for years-the traditional around the block to the press club, Townhouse and Old T....and I have to say a review is way over due!!
-First I went because my girlfriends told me there was this new hot latin guy, which by the way I didnt get to see.
-Second I see I'm not the only one with a complain with the girl bartender. I'm not a woman hater but GEESH! The bartender Kara (or Cara, I think) is HORRIBLE. I'd rather wait for the the nice white guy in the patio or walk all the way to the press club to get drinks (they also have the tall PBR cheap)
PLUS who are these bartenders that are making the drinks strong???? My drinks are always good but never strong, I go to the Merc for extreme stiff drinks
This place is an absolute dive, but it dives with 10.0 form. The drinks are STRONG and CHEAP, the bartenders rock, the range in patronage is as eclectic as Sacramento itself, and there's not a top-40 dubstep remix in earshot. Worried you're going to be turned away at the door for being underdressed? Get real. The bouncers know this isn't L.A. and practically give away bonus points for flannel.
A couple weekends ago, a "bar maid" walked around with promotional samples in light up shot glasses. Not sure if this is a frequent occurrence, but it was certainly appreciated and was a fun & free addition to the already dirt cheap drinking being done up in thurrr.
This may win the award for strangest compliment ever, but Benny's, thank you for bringing a little piece of Reno to Q street!
I am in accordance with most other people that have reviewed this place. It will always be Benny's regardless of what the sign says.
That being said, Benny's is a dive bar in Sacramento that has entrenched itself as a midtown landmark. The drinks are cheap and strong. The bartenders are super nice and interesting. Bar food is basic but done well and also very affordable. You will always see a good mix of people here all unified for the same goal: to have a few cheap drinks with cool people.
The back patio has been under construction this summer, and it is supposed to get a new roof, gate, and walkway which will make it much nicer back there. I have been a part of several intense flip cup marathons on this patio, hopefully with more to come.
Get the pesto fries and mozzarella sticks, you will not be disappointed.
Over the past couple years Benny's has become my favorite go-to bar & grill for something after work - I usually order the BLT w/o fries ($5) and Racer5 ($4) - what a quick, yummy, & cheap dinner. Â
Super easy-going and friendly. Â The wait staff are some of the friendliest in Sactown. Three tv's over the bar with a couple games playing. Â The crowd is usually most in their 30's, but all comers are made to feel welcome. Â Love it.
They can change the name to Q Street Bar & Grill all they want, but it will always be Benny's to me. This place occupies a unique and special place in my heart. This is one of the first bars I ever went to in Sacramento.
This place is an interesting mix of hipsters and thugs. Which really lends itself to great people watching. I have heard people express that they feel the crowd is a little rough, but I have never been hassled or felt unsafe here.
The drinks are stiff and cheap. This isn't my favorite place in the entire world to go, but I always enjoy my time here.
P.S. Try not to go to the bathroom here (it is nasty!) and make sure you stop for a burrito next door at Chita's.
Benny's is one of the first bars I ever hit in Sacramento
SITREP
The Q Street Bar & Grill (aka "Benny's") has some of the best strong stiff inexpensive drinks ($2 on tap specials? Â You really can't beat that!). Â With a divy bar, kick-ass jukebox, dart boards, and larrrrge outside patio, it brings a lot of different elements together to become a great social mecca on it's busiest of nights.
SETUP
Tough, bruiser of a crowd on some weekend nights, but a really chill relaxing environment on weekdays, especially during the Spring, Summer and Autumn (but wrap up).
THE PATIO
The patio is what really makes this place. Â It was (is) so much fun to see more than 100 people out her chatting with friends, wandering from clique to clique and catching all the new from the different scenes of peeps.
SCENES
And speaking of the scenes, I've seen many different "scenes" morph through the 20 or so years that I've been patronizing Benny's. Â Skater kids. Â Industrial punks. Â And now hipsters. Â My favorite era, however was between 1997-2002 when a large Lesbian contingent made this their home and I was happy to one of them (nominally, in any event). Â ;^D
It is an interesting, divy bar with history that goes back decades in Sacramento. Â Besides the Lesbians, I was also into the delicious rockabilly gals that I loved to hang out with back in the mid 2000's. Â I don't come here as much as I used to, and with the opening of the Hideaway (the former "Cheers"), a lot of the older crowd seems to hang out there.
But once in a while as I'm cruising down Q Street, it's fun just to stop for 15-20 minutes and have a beer and catch up with the bartender.
THE LOWDOWN
A nice chill place for a drink.
Arguably the finest dive bar you will find in the downtown area, Benny's/Q St B&G is as good as it gets. Â
It all begins and ends with the drinks. Â Yes, you can get beers for reasonable prices, but the mixed drinks are where it's at!! Â There's no official happy hour, because the drinks are ALWAYS cheap and ALWAYS strong. Â $6 for a double, and considering the glass is almost entirely filled with alcohol, that's a hell of a deal.
They have a solid assortment of bar food, including mozzarella sticks, burgers, fries, etc. Â Also very cheap. Â If the kitchen happens to be closed, they have no problem with you going next door to get some cheap and tasty Mexican food and bringing it back over. Â
The bartenders are friendly, and in the summer the back patio is a nice alternative to the more crowded Streets of London. Â
Finally, if you feel like pregaming before Press Club or Townhouse (not that you need to, their drinks are equally strong), Benny's is literally right around the corner from both!
Cheap food, strong drinks, and friendly bartenders make this place a real winner in the downtown dive bar scene.
This is a dive bar at it's finest. Â 3$ wells, 4$ for brand name drinks. $5 for the best damn bloody mary you've ever had. Â The food is also reasonably priced and ever since they hired their new chef Jeremiah, really really good. Â I've eaten through their whole menu, and honestly, everything is good. Â The Pesto Cheese fries and chicken strips stand out though, really tasty. Â
All the bartenders are friendly and attentive, and the patio out back is a nice spot if you aren't looking to hang at the bar with the regulars.
Bottom line: Cheap, strong drinks, tasty well-priced food, and bartenders who know what they're doing. Â Benny's (a.k.a. Q street bar) is definitely worth checking out.
I went here for the first time, for happy hour,a couple of weeks ago.
Not bad at all.
The bar tender was super nice. I always like trying new drinks when i'm at a new place. She had no problem introduing the different drinks that we're available. If you're a beer lover, this is definitely the spot.
They have pretty good appetizers too. I tried the jalepeno poppers and the chips/salsa and loved it.
I couldn't stay long but they did have a lounge area and beer pong set up there as well....I believe its put to use when the later crowd arrives.
I would like to come back there one day when I have more time to hang out.
This place used to be the go to spot on our tour downtown. Â In the past year or so the clientele has become a little seedy and not what we are really into. Â The dive bar with the laid back atmosphere we used to love is gone. Â
I really did not feel safe, comfortable, or happy in this bar anymore. Â The bars atmosphere gives off a very negative vibe and all of us felt like we had to watch out back.
Plus, the bartender we had was really nice.
i dont care what they try to call it...it will always be Benny's to me.
Good old fashioned dive bar....
Its kinda dirty, kinda seedy, but everyone minds their own business and the crowd seems a bit older and less annoying than Zebra Club.....(which is the closest alternative).
I knew the original Benny (I dated his nephew or something lol) Anyway! Let's just say I'm been coming here a long time...there is always a mix of people, bikers, frat kids, tattooed 20 something's, we all converge on their huge patio harmoniously. The inside gets pretty crowded and the bar is long and narrow, my normal routine is bar (get drink) then head directly for the patio. Trust me, you won't be sorry!
~only minor issue, last time I was there they were playing music on the patio and the speaker kept going static....either get a new speaker or don't play music....just a helpful suggestion.
It was a Friday night, and my friends and I were looking for a bar within walking distance for a drink and a friendly vibe. We should have gone elsewhere. Immediately upon entering, I felt as if I'd stepped into the unfriendliest atmosphere in the downtown area. Huge, thuggish-looking men leered at me and ever so slowly stared me down as I excused myself to pass them in the packed and small hallway to the back patio. I remarked that this "feels like a place people go to fight." My friend proclaimed that this is the bar where he most often ends up getting into a fight. We headed out back, slurped on our beers and then left as soon as we were done.
I feel like I'd have a much different (and better) opinion of this place if I were to visit during a casual afternoon. But based on my experience, I'd avoid "Benny's" on a weekend night.
As one of the only two places I know of where 20 dollars is more than sufficient for the night, I've spent a lot of time here. Like, years. But then again, so have about 100 other regulars. A great neighborhood bar, Benny's, err, Q Street Bar and Grill, Â is the place I prefer to spend most of my nights out.
The beer selection is pretty good; the drinks will mess you up, and the bathrooms are usually pretty messed up. You've been warned on both accounts.
It also gets wicked packed on the weekends, so come prepared to wait a couple for a drink. But the bar tenders work super hard, no slacking there.
The jukebox is pretty good, as is the large patio out back. Overall a really fun place to spend your average midtown weekend.
Everytime I go into Benny's, I wonder why I don't go there more often!
Benny's combines two of most contradictory passions: Stella and Dive Bars. Â In my religion, that is heaven.
The only downside is their jukebox. Â It only includes the "hits". Â If I look up Weezer's Blue Album, it only has Say it Ain't So or Buddy Holiday. Â I wanted In My Garage dammit. Â Yes, I'm feeling a little 90s nostalgic.....
Last night, the Ciroc Vodka girls were there. Â My group got free Ciroc compacts - even the boys! Â Haha.
If my memory serves (debatable) my tab of 3 Jamisons and 2 Bombay G&T's was only $22, soooooo, yeah, that was rockin'. Â
This is a solid dive bar with a cramped interior but large outdoor patio area. Â I honestly don't know where the '& Grill' part of the name comes from, but as a bar it fully serves it's purpose. Â Come here and get tippsy.
Benny's is one of those places that makes me feel like I'm on an episode of Cheers. Â Everyone knows your name and everyone is wasted! :) Â The drinks are pretty strong and the outside patio is pretty rockin.
We came here last night to celebrate some graduation festivities and as the designated driver I had a good time, even. Â I've been here before and I'm sure sometime I'll find myself on Q street again.
Wow, go here if you need a self-esteem boost.
I don't know if it's normally like this, but when I went, the booze-driven compliments were flowing like the Stella on tap. Who doesn't love compliments? ;) Yes, even the beer goggled ones because there has to be some element of truth in there somewhere. It's my theory, don't rain on it, please.
Anyway, "Benny's" seems to attract folks from the Bee and kids playing on the Xoso league. I also witnessed a group of golfers come stumbling in, on their Bar Golf tour. Nine holes, nine bars. Argyle sweaters were in full effect.
I really had no inkling that Benny's was so happening!
Oh, and everyone sang along to, "Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys." This song actually answers my lingering question regarding absence of said boys (see profile). Apparently, they're listening to their moms. So no cowboys, just mama's boys. Well, if any of the latter were at "Benny's" the night I was there, I say it's time to hug some mothers.
Benny's is like that weird looking socially awkward boyfriend you can't get over. it's a little rough around the edges but for some reason, you love it and keep coming back for more. This is one of my go-to places on those nights when you are sitting around wondering where to go.
me: "where do you wanna go?"
you: "i dunno, where do you wanna go?"
me: "i dunno, hell, let's just go to benny's."
you wouldn't think it from the front of the building, but there is a pretty good sized patio in the back. in the summer time, it's the ideal place to come for a beer on an empty week night. in the winter time, there are a couple heaters back there to keep me warm long enough to get thru a smoke. OH! big white canopy tent things are new in the back so my friends and i don't have to get rained on while crouching next to a heater long enough to get thru a smoke. there's a bar in the back too so you don't have to fight your way through the crowded hallway up to the bar inside.
the pros: the bartenders have the heaviest hands around. if you ask for a double-anything, that quite possibly could be your only drink for the night. don't let them fool you, they may look mean, but the bouncers are some of the nicest in midtown.
the cons: it gets really crowded on friday and saturday nights. there is only one bathroom stall for the ladies and the toilet can be on the fritz sometimes. it's best not to break the seal when you are there.
One time my friend was standing out on the patio on a particularly busy night and he found himself stuck in the middle of an escalating fight between two bros. Â One of the said bros reached back to throw a sloppy punch, missed, and hit my friend in the face. At that very instant, the bro adversary reaches back to throw a retaliatory punch, missed, and hit my friend on the opposite cheek. Â
That is Benny's in a nutshell.
"She's got a sha na na a morton loose you know I read it in a MAGAZINNEEE OH OH Ba ba ba ba benny and jets"
Ok, so allong never knowning the words of Sir Elton, I have found my new favorite dive. If you know Benny's, you know Q. The guy with the light up t-shirts, yeah you know him. Is it funny or just PUNny that I like to blast Benny and the Jets? Also, I bought about three well drinks and walked out slurring, so it's very reasonably priced.
What in the world could I possibly have to say about Benny's? Â I mean, I barely know the joint! Â Well, that's not completely true. Â After 10 years of visiting on a weekly basis (daily when I was younger and more verile), I'd say I've gotten to know the joint.
The Bartenders know what they're doing. Â They're fast and attentive. Â Not to mention, after you've been there a couple of times, they can match your face to your drink. Â It makes it possible to order with a nod of the head or wink of the eye.
I'm more of a beer and shots guy, but I dabble in the fruity mixers every now and then. Â Ask Amanda for a Cherry Lemonade on a warm summer eve. Â I have to limit myself to one mixed pint so I can make it through the night. Â Not because I'm a light weight. Â Drinks are just a wee bit stronger here.
If you're living in Sacto and looking for a place to call home, this is it. Â I'm not gonna say us locals get preferred treatment, but we are taken care of. Â I imagine Benny's would call me if I didn't make it in for a whole week. Â If you're lookin for a mellow night to relax and jibba-jab with pals, come in Sunday through Tuesday. Â Things start getting more and more busy as the weekends get closer. Â CHEERS!
I fear writing a review of this place. Benny's regulars are a fierce bunch and though I have mucho mas respecto for bar loyaty, I also worry that if I say what I really think about this place I may have some drunk chick come out of nowhere at Safeway or some other establishment and accost me and then I will have to get buck wild and that's not even what I'm trying to do because I'm trying real hard to be the shepherd and not the tyranny of evil men.
Let's just put it this way - not a fan. I have plenty of personal friends who like this place so I am not knocking their clientele.
I had to add a review for this place. I have been going to Benny's (it's officially Q Street Bar & Grill, yes Grill they serve food) for over 9 years. It's my home away from home. It's dangerously close to my day job for a major Sacramento newspaper named after an insect. I can walk door to door in about 1 minute. I go to Benny's to play darts, hang out with friends and cook there Thursday and Friday nights, that's why I know they serve food.
The drinks are strong, the people are real and the atmosphere, how can I say this? Oh yeah, "It's a dive bar and I love it!!" Some people have said, ooh, there are too many smokers, whatever, get out of my bar and go somewhere else. Anyway, Mon-Wed it's pretty mellow, Thursday-Saturday, it picks up with a load of regulars and unfortunately lately we have had posers showing up from all parts of Sacramento. But since we have a couple of huge badass bouncers on staff, things usually quiet down quickly. If you have never been in, come on by it's an adventure, nights tend to bring out the ink and piercing crowd but they are all really good people.
And if you come in before 8 during the week, ask Oom (day time bartender and part owner) to make you a house drink, a Mongolian Motherf@#ker, it packs a punch.
A bunch of us went to meet up at this small bar, most of us for the first time or only having been once. It was nothing spectacular. It was very hard to get a drink even when it wasn't super busy because it seemed regular customers got most of the attention.
It was very loud inside mostly because it is so small and the jukebox tends to overpower any possibility for conversation. This isn't a place for dancing either so, we sat there trying to scream at each other and flag someone down for a drink. My friend loved the selection on the jukebox however and they did make a mean drink!
****After reading reviews in the most common listing, I changed my stars (and review location) because I really can't complain about the drinks they were very good and we all enjoyed them. I think, we shall have to give this place another shot perhaps it's just because it was a Saturday night.
Reviews for the same place can also be found under "Sacramento Bar and Grill" (including another review by me). Â But as this is my favorite bar, I figured I'd review it again. Â Pretty quiet during the sun-weds nights with the patrons being mostly locals. Â Thurs night starts to pick up and by fri and sat its packed. Â They have an on again/off again relationship with food as in they are serving it now, but a month ago they were not, while three months ago they were. Â Go figure. Â And really, who's there for the food? Â Bartenders are all cool and are usually prompt in getting your order. Â Instead of complaining about a drink being weak, the most common thing you'll hear is that the drink is too strong. Â
I miss being able to smoke inside, but the patio out back is nice, and supposedly some kind of roof/shelter will be built before the rains arrive (right...) so we all wont be huddling under the tiny umbrellas again, smoking refuge camp style. Â The only other thing I could wish for at this bar is for them to bring back the Golden Tee machine. Â
But make no mistake about it, this is a damn good bar. Â 5 stars.
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