33rd Street Bistro

Tasty bistro on the corner of 33^rd and Folsom. Kind of a darker, romantic interior. Small but creative menu — their panini’s and such are unlike anywhere else I’ve been to. Great cocktail and wine selection. Friendly staff. Dogs on leashes allowed on the patio. Parking is a major pain in the arse, but I’d battle for a spot again for one of those panini’s. :)

I’ve been here many times and can categorically say that the food is always good and the service is always bad. There’s no reason why the servers cannot step it up a few notches — last night, for example, after waiting close to ten minutes after being seated to be greeted by our server, he did not check on us until we were close to done with our meals, and then we watched him stand in the bar area chatting with the hostess while we waited for our check. The restaurant was not busy, and in fact it rarely is. This is typical for 33^rd Street Bistro. We rarely go here because we know that the service is sub-​par. It’s unfortunate because this could be a place we frequent, if things were different.

Few people. Way too cold. Fans running when outside temp is 60s,
What happened to salad selection!
Overall decline in past two years

Terrible service!
Gave the restaurant another try in an attempt to stay local, however, disappointment strikes again.
If you like receiving your food in timely manner this is not the restaurant for you.

I had a very delicious breakfast. I ordered the northwest scramble & orange juice. The salmon was moist, egg fluffy & sliced grape tomatoes added just the right flavor. There was also nicely seasoned potatoes & toast with the main item. The juice was pulpy (fresh!). There was also three/​four more tempting plates, we’ll be back.

My favorite brunch spot in Sacramento. The food is always delicious, no matter what I have ordered. And the wait staff, hosts and manager are welcoming and attentive. I especially like the sun dried tomato pesto on goat cheese with crostini.

I genuinely enjoy going to 33^rd Street Bistro. I have only ever sat on the patio or at the bar, and would recommend both. There is a parking lot but it is limited, and it can be rough finding street parking nearby.
I think one of the best parts about this restaurant is the large and varied menu. It’s not TOO big to where you feel overwhelmed with choices or think the kitchen may be stretching itself too thin, but there are many different options. Several different appetizers, salads, soups, sandwiches, paninis, flatbreads, pastas, entrees… you get the idea.
The other best part about this restaurant is HAPPY HOUR! It is my favorite kind of happy hour: all appetizers half off, and SEVEN. DAYS. A WEEK. Sliders, baked goat cheese, enchilada dip, Korean street tacos… something for everyone. Nothing is out-​of-​this-​world amazing, but it’s always tasty. The drinks are decent but can get pricey. I generally just get a beer or a vodka soda.
My favorite item on the menu, however, is the kobe beef sliders. They are not a part of happy hour but it has never stopped me before. They are little patties with micro greens and goat cheese on mini potato rolls. At first I am always sad that there are only two, but then I take a bite and remember how rich they are. So good. However, I have had a couple paninis that have either too much cheese or sauce, and some flavors get lost while the sandwich itself can be too much to finish.
Overall, 33^rd Street has something for everyone and at a decent price point for what you are getting.

I’ve eaten here a couple of times for lunch during the week. Good food, quick service. The kobe beef sliders and fish tacos are delicious.

Terrific! Initially we sat outside (per request). After a few minutes we realized we were too cold and asked to be seated inside. Our request was met quickly and easily. We had the cross cut fries with Gorgonzola and baked Brie with tomato pesto and crostinis for appetizers. Both were delicous. We also ordered Matchbook Chardonnay, perfectly chilled. We got so full from the appetizers, we could barely touch our entrees. The fries were especially filling. I had the Puget sound and my date had a French dip. My sandwich came with a fresh and light side salad as well. The French dip came with fries which I didn’t try but were said to be so so. All in all, this place is great. We will be coming back! They also had seasonal specials, today’s were dishes featuring asparagus. With tip the bill came to about $ 107, so it’s a pricey dinner (that’s with a $ 34 bottle of Matchbook Chardonnay). Great!

Great Place For A *Surprise!* Birthday Soirée!
SITREP
So I was Shanghaied by my lovely fellow music muse Bambi, and the next thing I know we’re meeting up with my our 3^rd kindred-​spirit (and my Unilocal-​partner-​in-​crime) the fabilous Fabi F. and my stalwart fellow Musketeer Jefe R.
And what would a party be without a pair of fellow State Workers thrown in, Viv & William! And hence our arrival at 33^rd Street Bistro!
ART DECOR & VIBE
The Bistro is filled with a lot of lovely art pieces and really is a visual feast by itself. Every wall is filled with art, and with the lighting and furnishings, makes for a very friendly warm place:
THE FOOD!
* Tri-​Soup! I enjoyed their soup sampler which was absolutely delicious and featured a creamy tomatoe bisque, hearty clam chowder and the soup of the day:
* Crab Club Sandwich! I kept it simple (I thought) but my Crab Club Sandwich was pretty spectacular & hearty, QUITE filling!
AND *WA-​LA!* — DESSERT!!!
Cookies of ME! Edible likenesses of me, anyways, in lemon-​bar form and rice-​paper images of my face (two crowd favorites, apparently). Fabi was quite impressed with the result:
THE LOWDOWN
This was definitely a delicious good time and a great way to spend a birthday!

Brunch was delicious! We went for Easter Sunday. We definitely will be back! Can’t wait to try the regular menu!

The happy hour menu is great. Half off appetizers and small plates. The staff is so nice and seem to enjoy working there. I went here for lunch for the first time and our waiter was very friendly.
My friend and I both ordered «The Rainier» and the waffle fries. The fries were amazing – very crispy and flavorful. The panini was perfect comfort food.
The blueberry lemonade sparkling soda with my weakness. It’s so refreshing and tastes like summer.
4 stars because the only disappointment was the total cost for lunch. Paid about $ 45 including a tip for two people. I’ll be back for the happy hour prices!

Wood-​fired oven=win win!
We arrived on a busy Saturday night around 8pm without reservations and lucked out. We only had to wait a few minutes for a table.
We weren’t that hungry so we chose what we thought were small dishes: Thin-​crust wood-​fired Pizza Margherita, French Onion Gratinee Soup and a Bistro Gardens Salad. The pizza was great. A personal pizza that’s big enough for two people. It’s made the traditional Italian way with tomato sauce, mozzarella and basil, but I don’t know why it had jalapenos on it though. I guess that’s their take on a Margherita, but I think the name should be changed if it’s going to be altered. The soup was perfect with baked cheese over chunky croutons, soft sweet onions and perfectly brothy. Again, big enough for two to share. And the salad, was super fresh and refreshing with a light vinaigrette dressing.
FYI, they do have a section on the menu that says «Small Dishes.» However, next time I dine here I would like to try their entrees. They seem to have something for everyone, especially the classics.
I will admit that I am a music snob, and that the «overplayed hits» music messed with the ambiance that night, but I won’t take a star away. Service was great, lighting was dim, and bellies content.

Although we live just walking distance from 33^rd St. Bistro, we rarely stop in. The menu is decent, lots of oil in the pasta dishes. Beer glasses are smaller than pint-​size (unforgivable!) and when we stopped in for a recent HH, the portions were absurdly tiny.
We do enjoy the breakfast/​brunch menu, the atmosphere’s warm and inviting, and the bloody Marys are delicious.
33^rd’s outdoor dining is one of my least favorite. The location and orientation of the patio is less than ideal, and it could really be improved with a makeover. Hopefully that’s in the cards, because there are dozens of outdoor seating restaurants that offer a better experience.

This bistro has a friendly neighborhood bar and grill feel. There is both indoor and outdoor seating, coupled with a nice bar. Good art on the walls and a minimalist décor inside. All of this is backed up with a knowledgeable, effiecient and helpful staff.
Now the menu was large and diverse. After a great deal of ponding (for brunch no less), I ended up ordering the buttermilk fried chicken salad which really was marvelous. Bacon, egg, cheese, avocado, tomatoes, cucumbers, a super dressing and of course, fried chicken. My wife had the soup sampler which consisted of three different house made soups including minestrone and clam chowder. She finished all of her soup, did not offer to share — it must have been good. They have several wines by the glass and bottle along with a full bar. We went for brunch on Sunday morning, but the next time we go will be for a dinner.

Checked out 33^rd Street Bistro’s brunch last Saturday. They have a small, but varied breakfast menu which included interesting twists on classic standards. They had a smoked trout hash and black bean hash with linguica. They also had a mushroom and spinach crêpe and a northwest scramble with smoked salmon. My sister and I went with two classics: the eggs benedict and the breakfast panini. The breakfast panini used turkey instead of ham or bacon, which is what you usually find in breakfast sandwiches. My niece got the french toast and we got a cinnamon roll to share.
Since we had the dog, we sat outside and it got a little chilly in the shade. Luckily, they kept the hot coffee pouring throughout our meal.
The cinnamon roll came out first and it was a good size to share between a couple of people. Our meals came out right after. I really loved my breakfast panini. They said it came with herbed mayonnaise, but it tasted like mustard, which I really like. The country potatoes were perfectly cooked, crispy on the outside and smushy on the inside. I could have easily polished off another plate of just the potatoes.
Staff were really nice and helpful. Since we were on the patio, it was sometimes hard to get anyone’s attention. However, it was a nice day and we liked watching all the folks and doggies walking by.

Appetizers and Dinner was excellent. But service was mediocre. We waited about 15min to give our order. Hubby said his Rainer sandwich was little different from previous visits. They actually said they updated their menu. Plates seem smaller. We’ll still come back though.

I can’t believe there are still brunch spots in Sacramento that we haven’t tried! My boyfriend took me here for brunch this week, despite its average rating. We are always open to trying new places despite the ratings, but after eating here, I can tell why they are average according to Unilocalers.
I’m never really in this area but if I was driving by, I would not have seen their sign. It’s hard to tell that it says 33^rd Street Bistro, but when you do realize it, it’s a pretty clever logo. The interior is really clean and has a really nice feel to it — along with their outdoor patio.
The menu was limited. I decided on a standard eggs benedict to fulfill my savory tooth, and we split a housemade cinnamon roll to fulfill my sweet tooth. The eggs benedict was eh… mostly because my egg was overcooked and it wasn’t runny at all. That’s the best part of an egg benedict in my opinion. The hollandaise was fine, and the potatoes were good once I added a ton of Tabasco sauce. As for the cinnamon roll, I’d rather pay for a Cinnabon. it just didn’t taste fresh or moist at all. Even the center of the roll wasn’t that great… and that’s always the most important part of a cinnamon roll… Basically, the description of a 2-​star according to Unilocal: «meh, I’ve experienced better.» However, the service was good, nothing to complain about.
Not on the top of my list of brunch spots :(

I has been about three years since I have been here and it is no better than before.
We were seated quickly in the middle of the restaurant but asked to move to a just opened table and the hostess was happy to accommodate us. Very nice hostess! It was a nice quite corner as the place is very loud inside. It is a very cool looking place and a trendy spot that has been here for years!
It took the server about 10 minutes to get to our table for drinks. Ice to for the both of us. Ice tea came in about another 10 minutes! Way to long for both. Server mentioned that the morning has not been to good for the restaurant. «A few issues» he said. Ice tea tasted like water with lemon. The waiter happily took them back and said «I.ll get you something better»! The next teas came and he waited to see if it was good. Nope it is the same. Waiter «It came from the machine»! That’s okay we will have water!
I asked about the fish and chip as to what the fish was. «Cod and they are great!» I asked about the burger and what kind of bun? Brioche? Waiter «Yes it is!» Okay I, ll have the burger and she will have the Seafood Club Sandwich. He left but did return to tell me it was just a regular bun! Okay then I’ll have the Fish and Chips!
15 minutes and our order came to our table. I am okay as good food takes time and it was an easy order. The club looked good but looked a little dry. It was okay but as noticed it was dry and over cooked toast! Very light on any resemblance for fish products!
The fish & chips was noticeably very skimpy on the amount of fish, oily looking and almost burned! 16.95 was what this dish cost. I am okay with the price but for 3 – 4 ounces of fish if that? It ends up the fish it self was very dry over coked and the batter was oily and had a burned look and taste. The waiter came back did ask me how it was. I explained the issue. He did apologize although did not offer to get me anything else! I really was hoping he would ask me and take care of it. I ended up splitting my wife’s sandwich with her and left my plate with two pieces of fish and the fires!
The bill came and waiter did remove the fish and apologized again. I told him «You didn’t cook it!» He said yes but I am the liaison between you and the kitchen and I am very sorry.
To sum it up the waiter did an okay job. He could have done better but it was okay. The restaurant is so loud it is hard to hear your guest and have a conversation. The food was not good at all. I will not return. This place is no better than my experience with Riverside Club House! But I would take a dirty table with good food over lousy food with clean table and an okay waiter!
After this meal I feel like I need to go lay down and let it pass!

After another disappointing visit today, I’m left to wonder what has gone wrong with this old, familiar friend. Has it become acceptable to management for the once thriving, innovative restaurant to run with lackluster service and mediocre food as the norm? Are there too many irons in the fire with the multiple restaurants they manage? Is there just a general boredom that comes after being steadily successful over many years?
Some things can still be counted on. You’ll feel like it’s your lucky day if you score one of the few parking spots behind the restaurant. We managed to do just that as we got there about a half hour after they opened on a Saturday. Being that the dining room was empty, the waitress told us to take a seat wherever we wanted. I have always loved that they have multiple tables that sit right by the large front window.
Also love their extra strong, full flavored coffee. Oddly, the first cup our server brought was barely warm. When she kept disappearing outside with a coworker, I went up to the bar twice to refill my own and the coffee was hot both from the bartender and from the carafes that they kept on the counter.
I heard one of the servers mention that they don’t have their espresso machine anymore. Too bad, I always thought having that option available was kind of a classy touch.
They changed the crab and pepperjack omelet to turkey and pepperjack. They’ll substitute the crab, but now I’m stuck paying an extra $ 5 for the same omelet. Another favorite, the smoked trout hash, used to come with small diced vegetables, allowing the flavor of the trout to really shine through. Today, the BF’s order arrived with large chunks of undercooked potatoes and zucchini.
At least the berry griddle cakes are still wonderful. Slightly more dense (in a good way) than other berry pancakes and brimming with blueberries, these are still the best in town for my money. A friend once had a heart attack while consuming these cakes. He’s fine and I’m quite sure it had much more to do with the cigarettes he puffed on than the sweet, buttery cakes, but I always think about what a testament to their amazing deliciousness that would be!
With so much competition for our brunch dollars in the area now and with many of those places doing it better, I don’t think 33^rd Street will remain in our top five. But even if I have to get my own coffee and pay $ 17 for an omelet, I’ll be back every few months for those griddle cakes.