Sticky Wicket

Typical hole-​in-​the wall bar. Definitely an old building… looks like it’s been there for 50+ years.
The crowd is interesting.
My friend and I stopped in here about 6 years ago and walked in to find 90% of the patrons wearing flannel and an obviously pregnant woman AT THE BAR– drinking shots. WTF. :/​
This time around, the crowd was much the same. Minus preggers. We walked in, looked around and walked out. I wish I could give a more detailed review, but it’s just not my kind of place. It definitely has a «Cheersie» type atmosphere. I’m sure they have regulars and everyone knows their name!

I love this place. I don’t even need to speak, the bartenders know our drinks, I got my own parking spot right up front… the best place to sing, drink and be happy.

I happen to like this dive bar! They make STIFF drinks and they have a fairly decent crowd of regulars. Granted, it is still a dive bar. but if you are into that sort of thing, look no further!

Ye Old Sticky Wicket is true to it’s name, as it feels like the type of place you would randomly run into your 9^th grade history teacher, you know, the one with a 2 ft. beard who has no income, but also no expenses, so he just comes here every day to ease the pain of teaching a bunch of kids who just don’t care about the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
But I digress. This place really isn’t that bad. It’s got a fun somewhat friendly atmosphere, and it’s definitely a place for the locals. It’s a little dingy, a little divey, but where else ya gonna go for a mini-​pitcher boat race with your girlfriend and competing couple. Wide variety of games, darts, pool, big buck hunter, and the occasional karaōke night offer a lot of fun.

Buck hunter, darts, pool, cheap drinks and rumors of terrible karaōke. What more can you want from a dive bar?
This place is pretty cool. They have a pretty mellow crowd, definitely older. The beer is cold and decent priced. They have daily specials. Pretty much your average dive bar.
FYI — Cash Only!

I think I’d like any bar that starts with «Ye Old,» and I do like this divey dive bar. I typically prefer my beer in large quantities but a mini pitcher here is just too cute to pass up. They have a mini-​library near the bathrooms in case you have an urge to read old National Geographic magazines and Harlequin novels in between a karaōke sesh.

Great dive bar in the suburbs. They have daily drink specials and Karaōke fairly often. I have stopped in here a few times and it has always been fun. They serve mini pitchers too which are kind of a cool little novelty.

Myself and two of my friends went to the Wicket on Friday night. We go every other Friday for karaōke and fun with our friends. We have been coming to this bar for years. We usually have a large group of friends with us. I’d say we are regulars. After the events that occurred last night I will never set foot in that establishment again! We were there having some drinks and singing some songs. When the bartenders son decided that he would come over to us and call one of our friends who wasn’t even there a derogatory name. He also said «that he/​she whatever it is» after we defended our friend he decided to start calling us derogatory names. He kept on doing it for most of the night. When I asked him to stop he said he didn’t have to, I just needed to deal with it. Finally one of my friends approached the bartender (who is his mother) my friend told her what he was saying and that it was offending us. At first she told him to knock it off. And he did for a bit. He started at it again and then his girlfriend yelled at us across the bar. My friend and I had been talking about mothers day and what she would be doing. She lost her mother recently. The girlfriend said we were talking about her, we stated that we were not, in fact talking about her. When we did state what we were talking about… Zack (the guy who had been calling us names all night) said: «your mom died? «Boo Hoo Hoo then stomped his foot. At this point my friend tried to reason with the bartender again. We ended up getting kicked out. Not the guy who had been harassing us all night. We were kicked out for sticking up for ourselves and our friend. I would not recommend anyone to this bar again. At least not until that bartender is no longer there. Or her son who likes to degrade people for no reason.

We have been by here a few times. taking it slow, feeling the crowd and different bartenders and the level of service. cash only, older crowd. but I guess I could be considered older as well. good pour, couple of pool tables, they need to take the smoking away from the door. other than that, we will be back. Oh, and it is on the way home from work, so it is a good stop to have a de stresser.

Let me start off by saying that this place gets more than one star due to its prices — no other reasons. I checked Unilocal before heading out to this little joint which is conveniently located and the reviews seemed good. There was a reference to ARC being close by and a local watering hole. My expectations were that this would be a college-​aged, dive bar — it is not.
I walked through the door, which was surrounded by the drunk and smoking, to be surprised by the average age being 35 — 40! That wasn’t even the worst part — it must have been Chubby Chaser night too. I’d say the average female weight was around 250 — whatever, not what I expected. I wasn’t there to pick-​up ladies, so the gluttonous gals didn’t bother me as I drank my $ 9 large picture of Bud Light (you can get Bud too), but it wasn’t the prettiest sight when they started grinding on each other to Karaōke.
They do not take cards, but there is an ATM, and for those who don’t know about the glory of the Co-​op network, if you have a Credit Union, you can use any other CU for free — deposits and all. An added bonus is that all 7 – 11 ATM’s are also Co-​op and there’s one right next door, which is better than the $ 4 bar fee and the $ 3 your bank is going to charge you.
One last thing — I asked for an IPA. If you don’t know what that is, it’s a type of beer — Indian Pale Ale. The bartender said, «What’s IPA.» The worst part is that he was serious. I think light beer was just coming out when he was getting into the game — it’s like I asked for an smart phone and he’s still selling a party line.

Not just any dive bar has «Ye Old» of it… that’s a classy@ss prefix. :D
I used to live/​attend school right near this place and never went in until a little while ago. It was a hot Sunday afternoon and we were thristy, then we noticed we were driving by the Sticky Wicket.
Me: I’ve never been there.
Friend: I know the bartender.
Me: Capital idea, old chap! *swerve*
It’s just what I like in a dive bar: a little dark, mostly older crowd (surprising, considering it’s proximity to ARC), reasonable noise level, sports on the TV, some pool tables, and strong cheap drinks.
My friend ordered, my husband ordered, but I didn’t know what I wanted… I just knew I was schvitzing and wanted something icy. The bartender asked me what flavors I like; as I perused the bottles, I spotted 99 Bananas.
Me: What can you make with that?
Bartender: Do you like chocolate?
Me: Yeah.
Bartender: I can do like a frozen chocolate banana slurpee thing.
Me: Sounds like the dog’s bollocks, mate! *gulp*
I was impressed to get such a yummy non-​dive bar drink at a dive bar, and I really dug the low-​key vibe of this place. Check this place out for a Ye Old Goode Tyme.

Amy, Connie and Rhonda love Ty !!! The best bartender in town. He knows how to make the most random drinks!!! You name it and he can make it!!!

As an avid karaōke singer, I had wanted to try this place for a while. I convinced a friend to go with me on a Friday night. I will say that I like the diversity in this bar! You have people from all walks of life that go in there. And the bartender is really cool. However, I left that night not really enjoying the whole karaōke experience.
I guess the regular Friday night guy was out so maybe that had something to do with it. I used to run karaōke at a bar so I know how the game works. You sign up, wait for your turn, get called up and sing. He was not announcing that tipping would move you up the list but I did tip him a couple times anyways. It’s just a courtesy.
The first time I was skipped, I didn’t think anything of it. I went up to him, he apologized and put me up after. It happened EVERY time I was to sing!!! At the end of night, my friend and I were on the list to sing a song together and we were skipped AGAIN. It appeared there was a large group of the KJ’s friends there that he was moving into the list without having to sign up! That’s not right. There’s a certain etiquette I believe should be maintained when running karaōke. Favoritism toward friends is unacceptable, especially for someone who had never been there before. Personally, I would want the newer people to feel like they were having a great time, and have them come back, than just my friends who I know would be back anyways.
When the song started where my friend and I should have been singing our song, I approched the KJ and pointed out that he skipped us. He said it was the last song of the night and oh well, sorry.
Needless to say, I will not be going back to this place for karaōke any time soon.

Friendly, relaxed, and casual, great prices and good drinks, never watered down, there is every karaōke song available and you don’t have to wait for hours for your turn. We have always enjoyed it and bring family and friends when they visit as well as regularly meet there for a hoot and a holler.

I waded deep into the arteries of North Sac, following the trusty guides of the dive bar connoisseur group, (thanks Scott C, Rob Tipsy, Wendy, Steve, AC, TJ and friends!) to find this place. The stately birdbath-​esq ciggie disposal – and the impressive amount of butts told me straight away, this place knew how to dive. Ooh, can we use it as a verb? No, no I don’t think we can.
Bartender was a graying, kindly old chap.
I discovered a phone in the back of the bar with a dial tone but no buttons or ringer to actually make a call. I think it’s the silent auction hotline.
I thought I was fairly experienced with the whole dive bar experience, but I made the classic newbie mistake: showing up with no cash and asking if they took ATM. The music did stop and people did turn to stare. Ok, not really.
I was directed to the 7-​Eleven next door and told «no, you don’t need to drive, it’s right there.» True, and I did take this advice, but I walked with my keys tightly gripped b/​w my knuckles ready for any hooded hoodlums should I seem like easy prey. (They have not been to my gun show, obviously.)

Ye Olde Sticky Wicket!!! I used to drive by this place on my way to school for at least ten years, each time gazing longingly at its iconic yellow and orange sign and wondering what kind of amazing happenings were afoot amongst its friendly confines. I vowed that once I turned 21 I would visit the wicket myself and all my wildest dreams would come true but Life took me to LA for college and my 21^st birthday visit was lost.
So I was 23 before I finally paid a visit to the wicket, but It was well worth the wait. The Magical sounds of karaōke filled my ears as i entered and slid up to the bar… Ive never heard a butchered version of Piano Man sound so magical. I ordered a modestly priced budweiser and drank it with a great sense of accomplishment. I had finally made my way to the dream bar of my youth, and I saw that it was good.
The bartenders are old but nice, the drinks are cheap, the karaōke is flamboyant, the bar is well lit, and with a name like that, how can you go wrong. If you are a dive bar fan then this is the place for you.

Good little neighborhood bar that lights up on the weekend. I think they have a large base of regulars, but you never know what the make-​up will be when you walk in. The place recently underwent a change of ownership… of sorts. The owner died and his sister now owns it, but a good friend of his runs it. I’ve noticed the place has been cleaned up since the transition. A little too bright? Yeah, maybe, but in this neighborhood, that’s not a bad thing. Prices are in line with any of the ‘regular bars’ in the area. Cheaper than the Elephant Bar type of places. In all, not the biggest, not the hottest chicks, but a good place to shoot some darts, laugh at the karaōke geeks, and throw some back.

The best name for a dive bar in the greater Sacramento area… The Sticky Wicket. The term has long been in usage as a figure of speech in everyday life, especially in the British Empire and Commonwealth, to mean particularly difficult circumstances. For example, «The Olympic torch runners were in a sticky wicket in San Francisco due to all the protesters.»
We dropped by the Sticky Wicket on Wednesday night and there were no difficult circumstances at all. The bartender was extremely friendly and there was a good crowd of regulars. The usual dive bar kitsch on the walls. Yes… even a shrine to the dearly departed Dale Earnhart. Cool tunes on the internet jukey. Three dart boards, a pool table and lots and lots of snacks for sale if you get the beer munchies. I’ve never seen so much beef jerky in a bar. They even had the «Big Daddy Beef Stick». There were a few typical oddball patrons. One lady was actually wearing a blanket. We called her Miss Linus. There was also an older lady in a pink track suit who could have been a body double for Bea Arthur on the «Golden Girls». She was drinking the cheap wine with matchingpink lipstick stain on the glass. I ordered the dive bar staple… A pint of cold cold Budweiser. My wife got a Hefe and we took it all in. A great neighborhood dive in a not so great neighborhood. After a few shot of Yager I’m sure plenty of folks have got into a «sticky wicket» at the Sticky Wicket.

Small bar; a little too well-​lit for me. Fun name, so I was expecting a fun locals-​type atmosphere, but it really was more like a small sports bar. Nothing bad about it, but the inside doesn’t match the outside, ya know?
Bartender & customers were a little stand-​offish, not sure why. I got the vibe that this was where some Dad’s went to blow off steam and gripe to each other after their kids lost in soccer or Taekwando. I know we shouldn’t generalize after one experience, and I probably will go back to test it a 2^nd time.