The Saddle Rack

Celebrated my 23rd birthday here on Friday night with a group of 10+ friends. There was plenty of space for our large group to dance and I appreciated the drinks being reasonably priced and they are generous with their portions. My favorite bartender was Will because his drinks tasted the best and he was the most friendly out of the three bars I visited. I rode the bull super drunk but my friends said they took it easy on me which I appreciated. I had a lot of fun but was disappointed when my boyfriend and I got kicked out dancing in the cage (it's cool, I understand) and the dentist chair was closed!! I specifically came here for my margarita shot and don't know why it was not open :( for $15 cover it was a unique experience considering I am not a country girl but I would not pay that price again. The venue is nice and all but I think it is more worth paying around $5-$10 which they do offer on other nights. I will be back if it is for another birthday party maybe.

I have been here twice: this past Saturday, and a year ago on a Friday. With perhaps the exception of weeknights and early evenings, there is no two-step or progressive dancing (everyone traveling in a circle around the dance floor) of any kind on the main dance floor. Nor is there any line dancing on the main dance floor. Instead, it is random, "freestyle" dancing that you would find at a conventional nightclub. Therefore, this is not a true country-western dance club. Line dancing is relegated to a small dance floor in the back, which doesn't provide room for a lot of people. Only a small portion of patrons participate.

I did like the live band, which alternated between playing covers of popular country hits, and their own original songs. The mechanical bull is fun to watch. I like the terraced wooden floors. The place is big with plenty of bars to order drinks from. As an alternative to waiting in line at one of the bars, I like purchasing beers from the ice cooler near the entrance. It's nice to have craft beer options. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and New Belgium Fat Tire were my choices. Before leaving, I had ordered a cheesesteak, which I enjoyed.

With the complete absence of two-step and other styles of progressive partner dancing--during prime time on weekends--guys are all but stripped of the ability to ask a girl, "Would you like to dance?" In today's world of modern nightclubs, country-western dancing is one of the few options left for this nearly extinct social practice. Unfortunately, The Saddle Rack does not offer this on weekends, especially Saturday. For a guy, it's hard enough as it is to break the ice in common nightlife settings. Without the ability to ask a girl a girl if she would like to dance, there isn't much opportunity for the average guy.

On the female side of the equation, the vast majority of chicks at The Saddle Rack are in "girls night out" mode on weekends, especially Saturday. They have already decided ahead of time that they are just going there to strut around and dance with their girl friends, and not to meet guys. They stick together, avoid eye contact, hold hands, and use every other tactic to make it difficult--if not impossible--for guys to break the ice with them in any natural, meaningful way. In other words, they are not setting themselves up to meet guys. To make sure it wasn't just me who felt that way, I dutifully monitored the crowd during my visit. As a rule, I did not notice guys meeting chicks. This is definitely not the place for that on Saturdays.

To summarize, this is not a true country-western dance club because of the absence of two-step and other partner dancing on weekends. Instead, it is just like any other typical dance club, except it has live country music and a modicum of line dancing on the side. If The Saddle Rack ever decides to change to a two-step format, in which the DJ dictates what kind of dancing takes place on the main dance floor, from song to song, it may be too late to change what the patrons are used to there.

Apparently, The Saddle Rack is the only major country-western nightlife option in the San Francisco Bay Area, other than The Rodeo Club in San Jose. Sadly, the majority of local patrons at The Saddle Rack may never know what true country-western dancing is, including two-step. During weekends at least, the dancing that they are accustomed to on the main dance floor is certainly not it.

The absence of partner dancing during weekends at The Saddle Rack will keep me from returning, especially with $15 and $20 cover charge. However, I would be willing to come for the partner dancing offered Wednesday and Thursday, with $5 cover. I would give Friday another chance, since lessons are offered in the early evening for line dancing and partner dancing; but if the experience is too much like Saturday nights, with no partner dancing, then it would be dropped from my nightlife rotation.

This place overall is a lot of fun. I've been going to the saddle rack since I turned 21 and I usually go about twice a month. This review is about my last experience here. I'm a well paying customer, I never have a problem paying the $10 cover charge and I usually buy 2-3 drinks inside and tip well. It's always a good time with my friends.

Sadly this weekend I went to my cousins bachelorette party and I had only ONE drink and got kicked out for calling a D.D. For my friend and cousin in a hallway that wasn't even blocked off. I went into the hallway because the smoking area is too loud and you can't hear in the bar. An old man named ANDY who is the owner came up to me and asked me to move. I couldn't hear between his yelling and the person on the phone with the band playing. After I hung up he said "yeah that's right B***h" excuseeee me? I'm not mad about getting kicked out I see it happen all the time.  I'm mad that the owner used foul language to his customers! He literary pushed me out for about 15 feet. He had no right to put his hands on me and he even mistaked my sister for me. I do not tolerate those names!

I'm really disappointed in Andy. I've never, ever had a problem with the staff or bartenders like others have said on yelp. Hopefully Andy can learn something business wise since owners are supposed to be polite and calm and he wasn't either of those that night.

I would like to go back but at this point I am unsure and really sad that this happened. :,( sorry Andy.