Rio City Cafe

Recommends

iflymaui

Joined 6 years ago

Inconsistent Food Quality But Stunning View And Patio/Deck. This is a great restaurant but not for its food or for its guest policies. This is a great place to dine for its outdoor patio/deck that faces the Sacramento River.

Parking is only validated if you are dining there Monday-Friday for business. A divided and 'guest preferred' policy; you'll pay approx; $6-$8 if you dine on weekends or holidays. Strange but true...

The menu is varied and it changes quality by chefs and general managers. I've been dining there for 10 years now because I like its views, patio, staffing and 'just sometimes' its food. For 2007, the restaurants lunch menu has changed again and just as an example, all sandwiches during lunch come with 'Garlic Fries'. In oil. On the plate... No alternative options except those wet-greasy fries. The menu exhibits oils, cremes, sauces and fat instead of being healthy California if even in concept.

Wine list is good and wine prices fair. They've changed the beer menu (used to have Sam Adam's iced glassware for those hot Sacramento days but downgraded). Full bar offers everything else but signature drinks are pricey.

This isn't a not-to-go restaurant. I'd advise lunch for the sun and the lunch menu prices. It fails miserably at being consistent overall while being perfect in location and ambience. TGIF's or Cheesecake Factory quality at best if I were to compare.

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janbaby27

Joined 7 years ago

Romantic at night. If it's not too hot or cold out, its fun to sit outside and enjoy the river. However, the prices are a little steep for what you get. If the food was awesome, then the price would be fine - but its only subpar. They have a great variety of martinis, which can make the night fun!

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atwong

Joined 7 years ago

Good view of the river. When you're in Old Sacramento and looking for a place to eat and have a good view of the river, try this place out.

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faeryjen

Joined 7 years ago

Great food, "eh" for service. My boyfriend and I went here for our anniversary. The service was not very good in that we had to wait a very long time for each of our dishes and the waiter barely spoke to us during the course of the night. However, the food was great. We started with the crab and artichoke dip, which was tasty, but then my entree of grilled salmon with mango coconut brown butter sauce was excellent. I ended the meal with tropical bread pudding, which (if you like bread pudding) was amazing. I would definately go back for the food, but I would go with low expectations in regards to service.

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nicolealn

Joined 8 years ago

Great for Sunday Brunch!. Great outdoor seating on the river, it is hard to beat the atmosphere on a nice day.

Doesn't Recommend

stefanierblair

Joined 8 years ago

Wors Filet ever!. This Sunday was a joke. We were expecting a wonderful filet meal. 50 dollars later and two comp meals (the filets for me and my fiance was over cooked and cold after two send backs to the chef) they still charged us a wapping 50 something dollars for just having salad and wine and didn't even offer us bread until our second try on the filets. The waitress was almost like an actress and forgot about us several times and wouldn't even bring the manager over. What a joke! What happened to the cooks???

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JimC

Joined 9 years ago

Can Be Noisy. While the restaurant has a nice setting along the Sacramento River, the covered area outside can get extremely noisy both from large groups which they seat there and also from the engines of the paddlewheel tour boats which dock next door. This engine noise can really become overwhelming and seriously detract from your dining experience. Outdoor seating is great, but sit to the far left end of the deck.

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

Riverfront elegance and California fare combine for the perfect upscale evening in Old Sac.. The Scene
Simple cream-colored walls and modern art complement the spectacular river view. Couples vie for the few tables by the windows overlooking the Sacramento River, while families opt for tables in the front room with a view of Old Sacramento. Uncomplicated elegance makes for a romantic destination. Deferential hosts do not quite make up for sporadic waitstaff.

The Food
California cuisine that experiments with Pac Rim influences, for the most part, proves successful. Crispy duck empanadas start the meal off well with their sweet, tangy berry-reduction sauce. Grilled salmon is slightly dry, not crisp on the outside, but tender and meaty in the middle. Moist pork tenderloin would be satisfying if the apple-brandy sauce paired with it wasn't so cloyingly sweet. Rich turtle tart is chocolate-heavy with truffle-like filling, but the pecan crust is worth eating on its own, if just for its nuttiness and hint of cinnamon.

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JennieG

Joined 10 years ago

Your Chef Joey. I've been to alot of restaurants in the Sacramento

area, and the food I had when I visited your restaurant was among th e finest. When I asked whom the chef was that particular evening, I was

told his name was Joey..."MY COMPLIMENTS TO

YOUR CHEF!....Everything was prepared to order

and was done to my total satisfaction...I will be a

frequent diner at your establishment..more than

you know...thankyou for your time and discression in hiring your staff...especially Joey.

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carlasquirrel

Joined 11 years ago

good chow. Delightful for lunch or dinner! Good place to bring a date!