The Torch Club

This had bee a go to place for touring stagehands but I won’t be going here any time soon. Several of us stopped in after a load in, we were asked for our IDs (Sac is very hardcore about this). The bartender took one of our Guy’s ID to another bartender, then came back and said that the laminate on his driver’s license (Kentucky) was coming up and that it must be fake, IDs don’t do that, and she wouldn’t serve our friend, who’s 35. She never asked if he had another form of ID, she walked to the door to eyeball us as we left, like we were going to make trouble.
Basically, we were made to feel completely unwelcome, and this was after the locals talked about how great a bar it was.
Sorry but if your establishment has rude servers, I have no desire to patronize it, and I’ll tell everyone in our the company the same.

Can’t say enough about the torch Club always a great time great music but last night was over the top had one of the best times I’ve had in a long time great country band met some great people but like I say that’s kind of the norm at the torch Club

Live music, cheap drinks, dance floor.
What more do you need in life? I went to Torch Club to listen to the Lana Price band and when I got there I snagged a bar seat and was served quite quickly. Everyone at the Torch club is friendly though someone next to me felt as though the bartender was not being friendly, I did not get this vibe at all.
The bands here play several sets and the cover charge was very reasonable when I visited ($ 8). The band played till 1am and everyone was up and dancing and chatting to each other.
If I lived in Sacramento I would be a regular visitor at the Torch Club. The setting is casual and comfortable and you will find all sorts of people in all shapes and sizes here enjoying a night out.

Fun! Fun! Fun! Blues singer and band were great We danced, people watched and listened Reasonable prices for drinks and cover. Eat before you go they don’t serve food

Like live music? I do xD
Been here a few times before, and then came here with a few friends before a concert across the street to have a few drinks prior to things kicking off. Ironically the last time I was here was right before a concert as well to go see Everclear when they were in town months ago. Not to date myself or anything, but oh well everyone grew up somewhere at some point xD
I always like live music, and since you can usually always catch something here its quite nice I’d say.
There’s lots of seating and standing room and you’ll find something that suits you hopefully when you get in music wise. The bartenders and people at the front have typically been chill when I’ve been in so no complaints there haha. Drinks came out quick, and good pours on whiskey. Not the greatest selection of liquors but there’s a lil for everyone depending on what you want.
Most times its a chill spot with some background music to boot. Sometimes you can get some reggae or jazz, or covers being done. There’s a schedule somewhere so check that out beforehand and go to see some music. I’ll have to update when I figure out where that is aside from specifically at the bar xD Definitely check it out sometime if you’re looking to just kick it with friends and maybe get a small show on the side.

Great spot for catching a live show, smaller venue so you are up close and in person with the band. Nice semi-​divey kind of atmosphere, mixed crowd, not too much into dancing this particular evening. No cover and busy but not overly crowded on a Saturday night. Check their website to see who’s playing.

been coming her for the last 2 ½ yrs, never a tuesday. excuse my language… but the guy bartender tonight is an ass! Short & irritated. not ppl friendly… will wait till Sat to come back
1÷26÷2016

I went to the torch club over the weekend with a group of friends and family. I told everyone to come before 7:30 or they would have to pay the cover. We were at the bar 2 hours before the main band came on just to start drinking and to avoid the $ 12 cover for all 20 of us. The website didn’t say anything about paying a cover if you got there before the main band comes on.
Not only did they try to come around to charge everyone but the manager was a huge dick to all of us. He wouldn’t let us explain to him that we were here early to avoid the cover. NO WHERE on the website does it say you have to pay cover once you are already in side.
The manager is a complete idiot and has no idea how to deal with people.

Yes, you should stop here. The music is A+, the drinks are reasonable, and the people are super cool. Want company? They’re happy to chat. Want solitude? No problem. I may come back to Sac just to stop in here.

Horrible bar. Waited 5 minutes at the counter for a beer while 5 bar tenders just sat around talking to each other. Then I went outside to the patio area to relax, drink my beer and watch a movie there was some chick smoking a cigarette about 3 feet from the door and the owner or manager was right there talking to a patron and didn’t say a word. I’ll never come here again. Piss poor customer service.

Don’t expect fancy and know that it’s an older crowd. Still enjoyed it. The music was an unexpected treat. They were having a special Lagunitas night where you could get a beer and a brat for $ 8. Talk about a deal! The brat was delicious and I love Lagunitas so it was a win win for me.

I stopped in with a group of girlfriends to listen to some blues at about 9pm on a Saturday night. The music was amazing but the place was packed! At standing room only the place is too small to go with a group and not show up early to snag a table on a Saturday night. The patrons seated at the bar seemed annoyed we were trying to get drinks while they were listening to the music. Other people want a beverage too and that’s what happens folks when you take a seat at the bar. One of my friends wanted to dance but it felt really awkward standing in front of everyone that was seated by the dance floor. A little too small for all that. Nice little venue with some talented musicians coming through. Worth checking out.

We came to the Torch Club on a recommendation of a waiter at Ruth Chris’. We were visiting Sacramento for my boyfriends birthday and when the concert we were heading to was canceled, we wanted to find live music somewhere. The Torch Club was an awesome find and did not disappoint! As our newfound friend had mentioned, you can miss it if you’re not specifically looking for it and he told us to get there before 8 I think to avoid a cover. The night we were there they had two acts playing, a band and then a solo bassist with an amazing bluesy voice. We sat right at the bar, and the bartender was great at giving everyone attention and making sure your drink wasn’t empty for long, the bathrooms were clean and the music was just great. I saw that someone mentioned it was cash only, but not any longer, we paid with plastic. We’d love to visit this great divey bar when we’re back in town.

The Torch Club is where real people get down. Old, young, rich, poor, and whatever race. Music brings people together. That and reasonably price libations.
The live acts lean bluesy and crowd refreshingly mature. Live band karaōke is every other Sunday I believe. It’s a great time to check out the Torch Club, some people have serious pipes.
In a growing sea of $ 6 wells and people too worried about looking cool to have fun, the Torch Club burns bright. Make sure it’s in your rotation.

I came to The Torch Club one weekday evening to see fellow Unilocaler Dominique M’s Dad play in his band. The Torch Club is located in one of the areas in Sacramento where it’s hardest to find parking, so I was happy it was a middle of the week show to make my parking search a little easier.
The inside of the venue is very dark, I was looking for my friends when I walked in and had a hard time seeing them. I also have to agree with Regina W’s review when she said that the people watching wasn’t very great and she saw all there was to see within 30 minutes. I completely agree that everyone who comes here comes to see the bands (and that it’s an older crowd) so there isn’t much of anything exciting to see except for watching a bunch of people sitting around watching a band. The crowd is on the older side; I felt like I was one of the youngest ones there.
The bathrooms are kept clean and there are plenty of tables and chairs to sit at as well as a long bar. Because of this I do see how if it is a crowded show the band might be tough to see unless you’re sitting in the front row or two. No food is served, only alcohol.
I would come back to The Torch Club if there was a band playing that I really wanted to see, or if one of my friends wanted to stop in. It’s definitely not someplace I would spend my entire night though, it’s not exciting enough for that.

Awesome Blues & Jazz Mecca In Downtown-​Midtown Hoods
SITREP
Right on 15^th Street, between I & L Streets — and facing the Memorial Auditorium — resides The Torch Club, the stalwart bastion that hosts some of the country’s — if not the world’s — most dynamic Blues, Jazz and Old School Rock acts.
THE SETUP
The Torch Club — which along with Club Raven, The Press Club, and Old Ironsides — is indeed one of the most iconic & legit *Dive Bars* in Sacramento.
And on top of that, it also enjoys a well-​deserved rep for being a classic venue for hosting some great musical acts.
JASON DANIELS BAND
What prompted my latest visit — and actually finally motivated me to kick this review draft out of the can — was seeing the Jason Daniels Band: a Fantastic Blues Band based out of New Orleans.
But besides being a life-​long fan of blues, there was another special connection to the Jason Daniels Band is that our very own (fellow über-​Elite Unilocaler) Dominique M. is the daughter of the band’s drummer, SHAWN M.!:
:D
So this made for a both a great UYE-​opportunity, a very fun & special family reunion (some of Dominique’s family even drove down from Oregon to participate!), all besides being a chance to catch a very good band in action!
BEVERAGE BOUNTY!
But I would be totally remiss in this pool sentimentality & sweetness if I didn’t also put a plug to the bartenders for their drinks & drink specials:
* I acquired my Coors Lite for a nominal $ 3.50; and,
* I got to share sips of my sweet friend Regina’s «Moscow Mule» — my god, if that bastard didn’t just totally kick my teeth in too, it was good & strong!:
;)
CHARITABLE ENDEAVORS
The Torch Club has also found itself in the present and the past as the host of some great charitable endeavors:
THE LOWDOWN
The Torch Club is a perfect venue for LOTS of things, but you certainly can’t go wrong if all you want to is listen to some great Blues & Jazz, and have some nice inexpensive drinks.
PRO-​TIP: A word to the wise, however: make sure you don’t accidentally misdirect a lovely friend to the broom closet instead of the ladies room, or you’ll get a look-​that-​kills:
:D

Funky, good timey, bluesy bands play here all the time. This is a great dive — cash only, full bar, tables for sitting and a dance floor for the willing.

I stopped in here with two friends on a Friday night around 6 p.m. since we had heard that there would be live music and no cover to get in. When we walked in, I noticed that there was nobody at the door checking IDs as well (we were all over 21 anyways).
The atmosphere here definitely feels like a dive and attracts a crowd that is primarily in their 50s. We were able to easily find a small table that had a booth on one side and was surrounded by two small chairs. Fortunately, the table was in a good spot for people watching both the crowd in the bar area and also had a clear view of the stage.
Unfortunately, the people watching was rather boring here and I had seen everything I wanted to see within 30 minutes. Most people seemed to be there for the live music rather than the crowd and I was more interested in checking out the crowd rather than the live music. The live music that night was two guys on guitars. I appreciated that the music was at a good volume and not excessively loud.
From my experience here, I would be willing to come back if someone else suggested that we stop by for a quick drink on the way to something else. This is not a place that I would spend the entire evening though.

I’ve wandered into the Torch Club a few times over the years… I think my last visit was before Unilocal existed! Haha. I recall it as a dive bar with perpetual live music shows. I’m glad to have gone back to the Torch (and see that it hasn’t changed!), especially last night on Mardi Gras.
The green, gold and purple-​decorated bar was packed with regulars, Mardi Gras revealers and good cheer. There was a side table with food and the stage had a live band pumping out something funky to dance to. We grabbed ourselves some cheap beers and watched the band– I gotta give props to a middleage funk singer who covers Eminem. An elderly woman with a long white braid stopped dancing long enough to pull us in for a big hug, then went right back to shakin a tail feather. The bartender got up on the bar and threw beads (I’m not too proud to let the cleavage go unbeaded!) and then the cute tutu-​ed bartendress and some other ladies got up on the bar and danced around.
…yes. SO much yes.
It was such a fun crowd and a good vibe that I hated leaving, but alas I had to work in the morning. I’ll be back for more Torch Club, and I think it may be my new yearly spot for Mardi Gras!

There are a number of aspects that have to meld just right to make for a great dive. Especially if that dive is touted by many as the go-​to music venue for intimate viewings of fledgling acts.
I’ve been on many an occasion — daytime, nighttime, drunk, sober, when there was music and when there was not — and I can say it’s always a unique experience. There alway seems to be a larger over-​40 clientele than many of the other dives-​turned-​hipster-​hangouts on the grid. The drinks are stiff and it’s easy to get lost in the bottom of a tall glass of one of their many beers.
The downside is the music portion. The stage sits at the far end of what is basically an open room. If it’s a crowded show, there is almost no visibility unless you’re up close and it gets hot. The random tables and chairs around the floor make it difficult to navigate to the bar or the bathroom. And the sound system is barely hanging on — the last two bands I’ve seen there have complained into the mic about how certain amps or instruments kept cutting out.
I appreciate the Torch for what it is, but I also see it as having as many strengths as weaknesses. Tied in with a visit to Republic next door, it’s a worthy place to spend an evening.