Good place for a happy hour with friend. Word to the wise, get there 10 minutes before happy hour or you will have no place to sit. The sliders are good and so are the fries. The bartender is really nice and he makes GOOD drinks. Not light on the booze at all. Good Happy Hour prices as well. Next time I will try a burger. I hear they are good.
Review Source:Overall very dissatisfied with our meal. I ordered the meatloaf that was served in a bowl all piled together and my friend ordered the pork chops which were supposed to be medium but came out very well done, dry and chewy. The asparagus was overcooked. Service was mediocre at best. We were seated and the server took our drink and food orders and then appeared again at the conclusion of our meal. Watch out to be overcharged for your meal, pricing on our check was different than the menu. Â The food has potential to be A+ but they need to work out some of the other kinks first. As for atmosphere, a simple paint job could help there was graffiti in the restroom and obvious smoke damage from a previous fire.
Review Source:Oh, Sheepherder, where do I even start with you?
When you walk in, you'll be pretty amazed at the beautiful dining area, with its impressively high ceilings, chandeliers, etc. I was pleasantly surprised and ready to expect great things.
The server was more than helpful and friendly to us, which started things off great. Then, the food started coming, and that was when it all started to go downhill.
Asian lettuce wraps - sure, i'm asian, so it might be unfair, but i'm am American Asian, so i  think i have plenty right to just say, these were not tasty at all. they were quite spicy, and had way too much vinegar or something in them. the chicken in them was dry, and it really just needed some good old hoisin sauce and stir fried chicken.
Roasted Assorted Nuts - YUM. i gulped down those wraps and started to eat nuts and hoped that everything to follow would be as great as those yummy cashew, almond mix. Must have been because they can't do anything else but straight American food.
Lobster Pot Pie - looked great, but the taste was way way too rich. The lobster was rubbery from being overcooked, and the cream had way too much cream cheese or something so you didn't want to take more than 3 bites. Also, there was a slightly burnt taste throughout the sauce, probably because the skillet had remnants of burnt food on it.
Prime rib - nothing special, not bad though. Props for that.
Fish and chips - the fish was okay, but not matching with the price points for sure. The coleslaw that came with it, just like the asian lettuce wrap, was no good. They try too hard with the spices and vinegar, methinks.
THEN, now comes the entertainment. I get that you want to have live entertainment, but do you really want to make it into a karaoke bar? there was a group of asian people in the back singing...and i would have preferred soft elevator music to them FOR SURE.
Their online menu looked good, so thought I'd try it out. When I walked in, the first thing I noticed was the drop-dead gorgeous hostess at the desk. The price of the meal was worth it just to look at her! Happily, the food was also great. Try the lobster pot pie. Very creamy and full of flavor. The menu is basically steakhouse fare, done well. The "sides" are huge, easily enough for 3 people. Wine list is so-so, too much California and not enough French & Italian wine.
Review Source:The New York Steak and my wife's Prime Rib were spot on. The server/busboy was exceptional as well. My only and biggest complaint was the waiter. We saw him for our order and when he brought the check. We had to almost help ourselves to water and bread. Would have understood had they been busy but it was a slow night -:(. This is one area they could probably take a few pointers from Cattlemans.
Review Source:We bought a groupon to take my mother in law out for her birthday. We arrived and only waited a short amount of time. We did have a reservation. The hostess was sweet and seated us with a smile. We were greeted by our waiter who took our drink orders and we order our starters. We ordered a beet salad and crab cakes. We were blown away by both. I am not a huge crab fan and I loved the crab cakes and the beet salad was out of this world. Although our waiter seemed to be a bit busy with the booth behind us his helper, by the name of Ryan was amazing. He was super polite, cheerful and so helpful. The owner personally brought over my bloody mary which he made. It was one of the best bloody mary's I have ever had. The hot pepper cheese was a nice added touch. We order the special which was The New York, mashed potatoes and aspargus. Everything was made to perfection. I bought another groupon and can't wait to go again. I will be a long time customer. This place was a great find in Rancho Cordova. Again never thought Crab Cakes could be so good. Wow. I highly recommend this place.
Review Source:I recently came here for an annual corporate lunch. After calling to set up a reservation for over 30 people, I was surprised when the banquet manager, Susan Gonzales was able to accommodate our group with such little notice (2 days). The lunch was great and the service was outstanding. Susan was there with other attentive staff ready to take on our hungry group. I realize serving such a large group usually means service or food quality can be compromised, but this was not the case at all. Thank you again Susan, for your attentive service and wonderful staff!
Review Source:Oldest building in Rancho Cordova - so adjust your building/air conditioned expectations. Â Â But if you are going for good food, or a great meal at "happy hour" this place is the bomb. Â Â The food was very good. Â The service was overstretched but very friendly/capable. Â Â A comfortable, kind of noisy bar, but decent selection (Stella on tap is a plus to me!). Â Â Food came out not hot enough - but the great taste offset it - again, service is stretched, but friendly.
HUGE portions of the happy hour selections (all amazingly good) and the restaurant meals are - the same!
Gotta try it at least once!
Let me be CLEAR -- the 3 stars is NOT about the food or the service... Â both were EXCELLENT!!!!
The 3 stars is because there is NOTHING inside this restaurant that alludes to Sheep Herding... Â nothing. Â Where are the vintage photos of a rugged old Irish Shepherd wearing his tam o'shanter, with his loyal border collie beside him, watching over his flock in some glorious field? Â Or a farmer working his dogs on sheep in the Scottish Highlands??? Â Or in California for pete's sake - I mean we have OOODLES of sheep and border collies here... and farmers... Â
Where's the Ode To Sheep Herding  ????  :)
The entry is not welcoming -- carpet was in poor shape, and it was confusing which way to go (to the desk? to the right? straight ahead?).... those sets of tables to the left were oddly placed (who would want to sit there?) and a colossal waste of space. Â If the place is hoppin' and there's overflow -- that's a good thing. It's a sign that it's worth the wait.... so convert that space to an interesting, visual-eye-candy waiting area instead. Â Move those tables to the main dining area, or tuck them away.
When we stepped into the dining area - it was reminiscent of a church I belonged to in my youth... Â or an 80's era House of Pancakes.... I was consumed with the wasted opportunity before me.
While I dined on my superbly prepared pear+cheese+flatbread appetizer, I couldn't help but dream of what I'd do to the place if I could just get my hands on it. Â LOL
Such amazing food deserves to be presented in an interesting, intriguing package.
Oh the things I could do to those blank walls --
Drop me a line -- I'm available! Â Give me a budget - I'll do it for free... Â ;)
*Might I recommend highlighting this local artist's work in the restaurant?
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fkevincourter.com%2Fworks.html%3Fset%3D72157618599256710&s=c5e885ac76cf6b962714fe8feafd1f420b335d899e58b6e60163bba4d0898f76" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://kevincourter.com/…</a>
I have been to Sheepherders a few times now and have been happy every time. I always leave full and satisfied. I was there last night for my two year anniversary and we were very well taken care of. Susan, our waitress, was very attentive, personable and offered suggestions to make our dinner even better. The pork chop I had was very thick and juicy. Would definitely recommend it. When it came time for dessert, the creme brûlée was delicious. Overall, my experience here has always enjoyable. It's too bad some of the other reviewers had less than satisfactory visits. I would recommend giving it a try. Ask for Susan and you'll be in good hands.
Review Source:Review Update as of 3/17/2013
My wife and I were contacted by Al, one of the owners of the Sheephearders. Â He wanted to get some additional feedback about our experience and invited us back to try the restaurant again. Â He said they have been working hard to adjust the menu and had made some changes to the kitchen staff.
We went back and found that things have improved quite a bit. Â The ribeye was thicker and better cooked, what a huge improvement over my previous visit. Â The warm salted nut appetizer was awesome, and the services was spot on. Â My two biggest complaints from my original 2 star review have been addressed. Â I'm increasing the rating to 4 stars. Â While not perfect, everything was better. Â With a little fine tuning, I think that the Sheephearders can definitely align their service, food, and pricing. Â I'll definitely try them again. Â
I think it should be said that being contacted through Yelp by Al, one of the owners, was impressive. Â He took the time to read the reviews and then reached out to get additional feedback. Â His effort was worth an additional star and pushed my rating to 4 stars. I really got the impression from him that his goal it to make the Sheephearders an awesome place to go and to address all the concerns noted by me as well as other reviewers. Â Without question he's made some big improvements. Â I'm looking forward to trying the place again in another month or two and see if it's improved even more.
Original Review...
For the price, this place just doesn't quite make it.  I've gone to the Sheephearder Bar and Grill for almost ten years starting way back when it was a dive.  When it re-opened a few years ago with new owners and a remodel I had high hopes.  They just can't seem to get the menu/food right. The décor and ambiance is very good.  The place feels comfortable and the live entertainment is a nice touch.
My wife and I went there again this week. Â We were told that they had updated the menu and had a new executive chef. (Promoted from within) Â Half the food was great and the other half was so so. Â I would have gone higher on my rating but the quality of the food compared to the price was way off. Â We had two dinners, one additional side dish, three glasses of wine, and an iced tea. Â The total with 15% tip was about $140. Â When spending over $100 for two of us, I usually expect everything to be really good. Â It wasn't.
The prime rib special was excellent. Â The ribeye was fair. Â It was a bit overcooked and a bit thin. Â We also tried the brussel sprouts side dish. Â These were under done and lacked flavor.
The service was also a bit under par. Â When we arrived the host stand was unattended. Â We waited several minutes for someone to come and help us. Â Our server was very friendly and helpful but at times was slow to bring food out. Â For a restaurant of this caliber the experience should flow well. Â Waiting close to five minutes after being seated to take a drink order is an eternity in restaurant time.
It seems that they are trying to improve but are a bit hit or miss. Â It needs to be cheaper or the food and service needs to go up a notch.
Wow how have I not been here before this year n I've lived in sac my whole life.. They recently redid the menu n it's better than before. Great service our waitress was Susan she was super sweet n fast n the (busser) Nicole was very attentive n had friendly conversation when she stopped by. I only give reviews for my new favorite places or places I hate n this is in my new favorites.. First time I had Mac n cheese & steak (tasty) n now I really recommend the prime rib which was the special of the day she explained both (that & rack of lamb) n made both sound so good it was hard to pick ! Â I'll definitely be back.
Review Source:So much for a merry Christmas:
My office booked a room for our annual holiday luncheon and couldn't have been more disappointed.
I can say without reservation that this was the worst dining experience I've ever had. From the deceitful menu to the dreadful service I couldn't tell you which would cause me to scream "please don't" to my friends and family louder if they ever inquired whether or not they should stop in.
I ordered a rib-eye steak sandwich served open faced topped by bleu cheese crumbles and caramelized onions. What was placed in front of me bore a stronger resemblance to the S.O.S my mother served when she was working late, 90 minutes after we arrived. Â The side salad was a lump of wilted brown "greens" smothered in a flavorless dressing.
My tablemate suffered an even worse fate. 10 minutes after the rest of the table had been served and the server was coming around to check on everything my friend realized that her food had not arrived. We inquired as to the whereabouts of her gnocchi. The server huffed and rolled her eyes and returned to the kitchen. Five minutes later she re-entered the room carrying a bowl bare handed. She placed it in front of my buddy and informed her that it was very hot and she should be careful. on dipping a fork into the dish my buddy discovered that the opposite was in fact true. her gnocchi had cooled and congealed into a gloppy mess. Several minutes later the server came back and asked how everything was, my friend informed her of the condition of her meal. Again with the huffing and eye rolling and the server informed my friend that "that's what gnocchi is, in case you didn't know." My friend asked for a replacement as the meal she had ordered and we assumed was being paid for was not acceptable. The server noticed that a steak sandwich had been delivered to the room without an owner. She picked up the orphaned sandwich that had been sitting on a sideboard for approximately 10 minutes and offered f it to my friend. When she politely declined the server spoke to the office manager and stated that my friend was being difficult. nothing could have been further from the trut and the whole interaction just struck me as horribly un-professional.
Long story short, don't, just don't. If you do find yourself stuck there, try the burger. Everyone in my office who had one said they were at worst mediocre. And if the server tells you that she's dating the chef, ask for a different section. Or else you're in for a long, unpleasant meal.
This place has gone downhill. Â Two years ago it was good.. 4 of us went for dinner. We have all been there in the past. Â The hostess tells us there is a new menu and new chef.. "cool?" right? Â Wrong...
It very nice inside... clean and up kept. Â Very nice. Â The dining area is large with a gorgeous fireplace. Â That's all I have good to say.
3 of our 4 of our meals were bad... 2 of the 3 apps were a complete waste of money.
The Oysters on half-shell were served with ketchup... that's it... no lemon, no tabasco, no...... Wait? You just charged me $3 each for these oysters that are undersized and you cant bring us the proper sides? Â Ketchup! That's it?!? Â Good grief.
I guess we were idiots' cause the server felt he needed to tell us not to eat the rock salt that the bone marrow was served on? Â What??!? Â This was the only side dish that tasted good and was properly done.
The Crab "cake" is a cream cheese BALL deep fried.. Where's the crab!?!? Â It was a tablespoon of cream cheese, and very very little to no crab (honestly not sure if there was crab in the ball that I had"... Under seasoned, all cream cheese in a ball... (no crab!) Â Â truly a bad version of a crab cake.
My duck confit was cold, and under seasoned, I had to send my side back as it was cold by time it was served. Â My entire meal was "ok" Â The duck had a nice sear to it.. but was somehow still barely warm when served. Â Lacks seasoning, cold Brussels sprouts, the pomegranate sauce was like 4 drops on the plate. Â
When one person asked for the meatloaf he ordered to come without the mushroom sauce the waiter argued that he really should try it and the 45 yr old man doesn't know what he likes...!  What?!?  Its a sauce.. he doesn't like mushrooms, doesn't  want it... that simple.  This meal was also served barely warm also!  Said the meat loaf was "ok" at best.  Under seasoned.
The lobster pot pie that another person ordered was "warm" but the puff pastry they topped it was not browned and under cooked, goey, soggy and limp. Â Again. Pretty light on the lobster... If its in the name one should expect to see it right? Â Guess not... He did not enjoy it.
The one main dish that apparently was decent was the shrimp scampi pasta.... The person that ordered it said was good, really garlicky, the sauce was tasty.
For over $60 a person here with the apps and drinks... This was horrid. Â The food service was SLOW... Â Seriously slow. Â Maybe it was cooked fast and that's why it was cold when we got it. Â The waiter was snotty or snooty or just an ass but they smiled while being so. Â Had to wave other servers down to get help as ours disappeared for a bit.
** Updated ** Â I updated some info for better clarification, and the manager did reach out to me. Â Thanks but this was a terrible experience.
Went there for happy hour based on proximity to hotel (The Hyatt House).
What did I like? Â Variety of food selection on happy-hour menu. Â Lots of choices, with good prices, and decent sized portions. Â Also, the beer was cold.
What didn't I like? Â First, when we walked in, there was no one greeting us at the door...we were faced with the "do we wait or just walk in and seat ourselves?" question. Â After a couple minutes of standing there, and looking at waiters (hoping they woukd acknowledge our presence - which they didn't) we seated ourselves.
My second, and most significant, criticism of the place - the quality of the  food.  To be specific - the buffalo wings.  My order of wings (spicy) were THE WORST I've ever had.  When they were delivered I. Noticed they were swimming in sauce.  This concerned me, because I view that as a lazy way of hiding bad wings.  Well, my problem was actually with the sauce....it was salty.  And, I mean SALTY.  Hours later, I'm still tasting the salt, despite chasing the wings with several beers and a couple glasses of water
Here's the thing about Sheepherder - Â when we sent our wings back (they really were salty to the point of being inedible), I explained our problem with them to our waitress. Â We asked if anyone had commented on the recipe before....she told us she had heard a similar comment the previous week. Â This means that despite having a prior complaint, NOTHING was changed! Â I acknowledge that our waitress told us that the chef tasted our order, and said there was too much salt in the recipe (and the wings were removed from our bill)......but, they should have learn from prior complaint(s).
I usually only go here when the company is paying for lunch and theres a large party. Its quite nice inside since they remodeled it, the waiters and waitresses are on point. Good service. I usually get the sandwich lunch specials, But the serving size to the plates could use a little beefing up. I hate leaving a restrauant hungry still. At least throw some extra fries in there.
Review Source:So I'm going above average on several things with the Sheepherder. Â I'm actually kind of amazed that it wasn't busier.
I had fish, she had meat. Â Both were excellent and had some originality to the presentation and taste. Â The meat was tender and cooked just right, my fish was done perfectly. Â Just flaky without being dry.
Generous salad, a bit light on the caesar dressing, but fresh hearts of romaine lettuce and good tasting.
A very nice "proper chop house" interior with nice big comfy booths and chairs, plenty of elbow room between tables, and a cozy warm feeling.
The lamb skewers were good, but there were only 4 and VERY small. Â 1-2 bites and gone. Â Still tasty. Â
Service was courteous, prompt and confident. Â
It was pricey, but the meal, atmosphere and service were on par with each other. Â
We'll definitely go back. Â If you're looking for something different with a touch of old fashioned comfort, it's a nice choice.
I ate here for my dad's birthday, apparently he knows the people who took it over & they set us up with a large booth in the back left section by a massive fireplace. The restaurant is done in lodge type decor. I didn't see the entire restaurant, but it looks pretty large & there were quite a few people there. They were also setting up for a very large party, I think another birthday. This seems like a good restaurant to go to for special occasions when you still want a fairly casual environment with more upscale food. It looks like it would be really cozy in the winter.
The menu looked pretty diverse & there were a lot of good looking choices. I was in the mood for a sandwich & I chose the french dip with sweet potato fries. My sandwich was huge! The beef was freshly sliced, the roll was soft & the au jus was hot. The sweet potato fries were pretty awesome. I'm a sucker for sweet potato fries & these were cooked perfectly. It was a huge portion too & I had to pawn some off on my grandma who was glad to take them off my hands.
They served us the birthday cake my grandma made for an extra charge & my grandma was surprised by how much they charged. I can't remember what the amount was, but I can understand why the charge for serving an outside dessert.
I'd eat here again. The happy hour menu looked tantalizing, maybe I'll come back to hit that up!
The place reminds me of a tavern or an elks lodge lol, but they have a really good happy hr. Â Mon-Fri from 3-9pm. Â Saturday 4pm - closing. Â You can't beat that.
Theres a good variety of alcohol n food on their HH menu. Â
$3 draft beers - domestic n imports. Â sierra, blue moon, newcastle, modelo, guinness, coors light, etc.
For $2 - chicken/steak tacos, quesadilla, garlic fries, potstickers, mozzarella sticks, jalepeno poppers, onion rings,
For $5 - fish tacos, bruschetta, cheeseburger n fries, chicken quesadilla, thai chicken lettuce wraps, macaroni & cheese, veggies & hummus, sweet potato fries.
For $7 - pepperoni pizza, sampler, potstickers, etc. Â
They have TVs too so you can watch the Miami Heat dominate the OKC Thunder in the NBA finals!
The restaurant has very nice, causal feel with a certain amount of intimacy that would make it a great place to take my wife on a nice evening out.
I chose the Halibut. Â Probably not the thing to do. Â My Halibut seemed a bit overcooked. Â That wasn't too bad (I ate it all), but the pee shoot tendrils upon which the halibut sits were horrible. Â Imagine eating straw. Â That is exactly the fibrous consistency of the pea shoot tendrils. Â Fortunately, I ordered a side of spinach which I eagerly devoured. Â I think I just ordered the wrong thing and/or it was an off night for the chef. Â I glanced around other tables and the food looked terrific - generous portions and lots of smiles.
I may come back for happy hour one day soon as I've heard from some local hospitality professionals that they head there for drinks after they get off work. Â Who better to recommend a good spot for happy hour than those in the know!
I'm beginning to come to a conclusion that the area around Sacramento is a food desert for anything above 3 stars. Sheepheder is a good example. Everything was ok but nothing worth a revisit. Good clam chowder, an average piece of prime rib, an ok wine selection. It seems to be catering to the great American average, which it does.
I keep searching in Sac!
We recently hosted my coworker's retirement party here. It was super last minute, and didn't have a clue about who would end up making it. I was very nervous because the job kind of got tossed my way in the end - So I was in charge of going in early and making sure everything was setup.
Cheryl helped me out and set up the room before I even got there. They set us up in a little nook by the reception area. I didn't have to move a thing... I just came and put up a banner, in which I also received help from the staff. They didn't charge us a room fee although we all bought appetizers and drinks. (We would have opted for the catered option, but we didn't have enough time to collect money to do this)
We probably ended up with a good 30 people and everybody fit comfortably. (A lot of people came and went, so they didn't end up with everybody crammed in at once.) Food was really good (get the sweet potato fries!) and service was amazing. They made my coworker's retirement party memorable. Thank you so much, Sheepherder's!!!!
Prepare to change your expectations about dining in Rancho Cordova. I know I did after walking into Sheepherders large but intimate restaurant off Folsom Boulevard.
I really had no expectations of what to expect because despite the restaurants good reviews, it still doesn't get near as much buzz as most of the downtown eateries. The inside has a sort of mountain lodge feeling to it - Â especially cozy on cold winter nights. My party and I were led through hallways and a spacious bar area to a giant back room where (on a weekday) we were almost the only ones there. This allowed us to be seated by a fireplace and enjoy hot tea and warm food.
We ordered up a great selection of delicious appetizers, and I ate one hell of a pork chop as my entree. The service was excellent in that they basically left us alone. It would have been quite intrusive to have a waiter hovering over your shoulder when you are the only ones there.
All in all an experience I'd love to repeat. Rancho Cordova is on the way up!
Wonderful place for a TGIF with your favorite group! Happy Hour pricing in the Bar is a very good deal...
I just wish the Happy Hour Pricing was good in the whole place so you did not have to sit in the Bar... But the Bar is even pretty nice...
I'll be there in the Future to have dinner....!
Note to owner: Consider getting rid of the cartoon, stand up sheep by the door. Yes, it is called the Sheepherder Bar & Grille, but do we really need a wooden sheep to remind us?
Have only been here for happy hour a few times. Great restaurant with lots of history! It does seem a bit off the beaten path on Folsom Blvd, but very easy to get to from Hwy 50.
You can get $3 pints Mon - Fri from 3:00 - 9:00 pm for happy hour. Good stuff too, like Blue Moon, which is currently my brew o' the month. Other happy hour highlights are their chicken lettuce wraps ($5) and their sweet potato fries w/ Â pesto ranch dressing ($4). Honestly, these are the BEST sweet potato fries I've had. Not soggy in the least!
The decor is lodge-y contemporary, but the bar area still has two large flat screen TVs with the latest game going on. Love those covered chandeliers in the dining area too!
I don't get the massage business upstairs. Doesn't seem like it really goes with the theme of steakhouse. Unless you like your steak massaged (Ã la Wagyu) beforehand. Har har har.
The Yelp reviews kept me away from this place, which is really too bad. Â I went there two times in the last week with friends and really enjoyed myself. Â
Starting with their yummy cocktails - I love the Pineapple Mojito - perfectly refreshing during those hot summer evenings. Â My companions and I shared a variety of the appetizers but especially loved the lamb lollypops, lettuce wrap salad and the grilled artichokes. Â
I loved the outside seating as this time of year, it is perfect. Â
The prices are fair and reasonable, with adequate portion size. Â Sorry I stayed away so long.
If you haven't been to the Sheepherders Inn for awhile, you should go check it out. The giant fireplaces are still there, but the rest of the place received a major face-lift. Here's what we found...
Casual upscale atmosphere. Nice but not stuffy.
Great, well rounded menu. Classic Sheepherders stuff (Shepperd's Pie, Potroast) alongside modern California fare. Great pricing.
Excellent, friendly service.
The Mac N Cheese side dish is awesome. It could be a meal in itself.
The Flat-Iron Steak is outstanding.
Feel like just a drink and an appetizer? The lounge is a cozy place for this, check out happy hour specials.
Decent beer and wine list.
We'll be back. You should go.
I always come here for happy hour and am never disappointed. Â
The service at the bar is always great and consistent. Â Can't speak for the dining area, as I have not eaten in the dining area...at this time. Â
The food is nom! Â A group of coworker/friends and I recently came here for a friend's birthday and we ordered one of everything...chicken wings, bruschetta, cheesy bread, mac and cheese, calamari, and more. Â Everything we had was delicious!
I'm curious to try food from their actual menu, actual entrees, and see if it warrants for a 4 or 5.
So far, off to a good start :D
I love happy hour with good people. Â It really doesn't matter where you're at, it's who you are with. Â That being said though I'd come back to this place.
We ordered the sampler appetizers and yeah it was a plate full of fried heaven. Â The jalapeno poppers and fried zuke sticks were average- Â you can't really make those taste extraordinary or anything. Â (Unless you make poppers the way my family does while camping on the coast: Â jalapenos wrapped in fresh abalone and bacon, stuffed with spinach and pepperjack and fried. Â Mmmmm.) Â But I digress. Â The fried potstickers were freaking good, not greasy at all and instead of just mozzarella they also used jack and blue in the fried cheese sticks. Â
Our bartender kicked ass. Â She was friendly, talkative, and quick on the refills. Â I just recently discovered a drink called the Dirty Palmer and I wasn't sure she'd know about it. Â She did AND she busted out the sweet tea vodka to make it. Â And then I promptly had to stop by the store on my way home to pick up a bottle because I heart booze. Â
About $24 for 5 cocktails and a good size sampler platter for two, not bad! Â Really chill and laid back bar. Â I'd love to come back for dinner and see how the menu has changed since they got new owners.
I really thought this place closed down. This is the place I was served a fly in my clam chowder, then spit out a mouthful of chowder into the bowl. My friends were so grossed out, they almost puked as if on cue, along with me. The meal was comped the staff was apologetic and the BBQ Prime Ribs bones were dry and tough.
I really tried to eat at this place again, but my memories of black fly clam chowder filled my head. I just can't stomach the place and I am surprised it is once again open. I had to leave the place.
And I really thought it was gone for good, because of the unsanitary reasons.
This place will always be burned in my memory as the "The White Barf Inn" of Rancho Cordova.
OH yeah if you still really want to eat here pick up a coupon in "Senior Magazine"
FYI, I have been served at other restaurants, three servings of hair at same rest., a two inch grub white grub in my broccoli beef, molded bread. OMG the list goes on, because I am old. Or perhaps they serve it too me because they think I am too old to notice.
Saw an ad in Ticket that Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett would be playing in the lounge on Friday nights, so hey... how could I resist? These cover guys (what? did you think Frank had re-vivified himself?) turned out to be quite talented. "Tony" turned out to be Tony and friends since he also covers for numerous other artists, providing a wide range of popular vocal tunes.. My husband had a lot of fun singing along as we happily ate our dinner in the lounge. (I, on the other hand, am not allowed to sing in public.) We even danced to a few of the nostalgic numbers on the smallish dance floor.
Happily for the wallet and waistline, we were actually encouraged to share an entree, enjoying  a smoky, bacony bowl of clam chowder first followed by a do-able house salad. The nightly special entree, recommended by our waiter,  was the coup de gras: smoked prime rib on the bone with a not at all cloying barbecue sauce, fluffy mashed potatoes and non-descript mixed vegetables.
The service was above average, friendly but not TOO friendly. (I am one of those who do not feel the need to be on a first name basis with my waiter.) The ambiance was casual-formal, a seeming oxymoron that actually was not. We felt comfortable enough to take a self-guided tour afterward and deemed the dining rooms, replete with fireplaces, quite cozy... in a good old-timey kind of way. This is definitely a place you can dress up or down without anyone's eyes rolling.
On a humorous note, a couple of guys dressed in cowboy hats hesitantly walked into the lounge and did not stay long. Who knows??... with the Sheepherder name, maybe they thought it was going to be some kind of hangout for ranchers.
The remodel was a dramatic improvement. Â The exterior still looks rustic but the interior is very cool.
It's a terrific place for drinks and appetizers. Â I'm a big fan of the clamari. Â The wine list will work but isn't something to tout.
The entrees, in general, are good but aren't my thing. Â Most of the red meat is topped with sweet sauces. Â If I'm careful in choosing the entree (ask about the sauces), the quality is very good (meat is cooked very accurately).
This is a needed addition to Rancho Cordova.
My roots are in Rancho: I don't say that with a lot of pride, but my grandfather was stationed at Mather and he built his family and his business there. My own father now owns and operates the business, Fun Services, which has been located on the werehouse stretch of Folsom Blvd. (you know, down where Centerfolds is) for 35 years.
Needless to say, I am not new to the Sheepherder. It is kind of a Rancho landmark, and I was very happy and intrigued to see they reopened.
I think they did a great job with the redesign. The bar is glam and posh and fabulous, but the overall feel is still cozy like a steakhouse should be. I work for a corporation that has an office in Rancho, and  think I speak for my company and all the other businesses around here when I say that it is nice to have an upscale place to lunch or grab drinks after work.
They serve the Buena Vista, SF's original Irish Coffee (yum) and the Gold Cadillac (the Hangtown Poor Red's classic - double yum). These two specialty drinks alone will keep me coming back.
The menu is kind of ADD - all over the place and unsure of what it wants to be, but that happens a lot with new restaurants - they gotta feel out the audience and the food to see what works and what doesnt. Price wise, their happy hour menu is awesome! Great deals! We ordered a Pulled Pork Pizza for like $7, covered in pulled pork, macadamia nuts and pinapple relish. It was okay - nothing to write home about.
I went there for lunch and was much more satisfied by their Mediterranean Meatball Sandwich. The french bread was soft and warm, and the lamb meatballs were hearty and flavorful.
I popped in on Thanksgiving day and had a drink before family time and they were serving full turkey day dinners which looks amazing, and they will be open Christmas day serving Xmas dinner, so if you dont want to cook on the holidays, this could be a good family outing. Their Thanksgiving meal looked simply amazing!
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