Romano's Macaroni Grill
Locations:
• 8295 Laguna Blvd., Elk Grove, (916) 478-2878; • 2739 E. Bidwell St., Folsom, (916) 984-9401; • 2010 Douglas Blvd., Roseville (916) 773-6399
Hours: 11 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday and Saturday
Happy hour: 5-7 p.m. and 9 p.m. until close Monday-Friday
The real steal: A tapas menu is available only in the bar and patio areas. The light eats are prepared for easy sharing. The mac & cheese bites, breaded and fried so they're crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside, come with skewers and creamy white truffle-asiago dipping sauce ($5). The baked prosciutto and mozzarella is served in a bath of tangy-sweet arrabbiata tomato sauce alongside grilled slices of bread that are crisp and tender ($6). Pepperoni, margherita or Italian sausage pizzas are $5 during happy hour. (They regularly range from $8 to $10)
The vibe: The bar area of Macaroni Grill is a far quieter, mellower experience than the restaurant proper. Couples sip wine and share tapas while enjoying each other's company and occasionally glancing up at whatever game happens to be playing on the muted televisions. Granted, as a chain, there is a bit of a cookie-cutter feel from location to location, with an unabashed embrace of faux rustic Italian-Mediterranean décor. However, a certain pride is taken in the bars at these restaurants, an area where many other chains fall flat.
Signature drink: While Macaroni Grill does serve its own brand of wine, after one of its "crafted cocktails" it becomes clear where the bar's strengths lie. One very popular drink is the subtle, not-too-sweet Blood Orange Cosmo, which substitutes fresh blood orange juice for the standard cranberry and comes with a floating slice of blood orange. It's $5 during happy hour, as are the rest of the crafted cocktails. They are regularly $8. One of the more decadent cocktails served here is the Apple Smash: macerated Granny Smith apple slices sweetened with agave nectar, mixed with bourbon and a splash of club soda, and served in a pint glass.
Bathroom break: The restrooms are kept well-cleaned and stocked, a relief after a couple of crafted cocktails.
Take a seat: The layout varies from restaurant to restaurant, but choosing a seat at the bar affords a view of the bartenders mixing specialty cocktails all night long, which will definitely add to the list of drinks you'll want to try next time.
Something extra: The Macaroni Grill chain of restaurants is a family- friendly operation. All tables are covered in butcher paper, and doodling with the house-provided crayons is heartily encouraged. Grab a booth or table in the bar area to enjoy the best of both worlds – tapas and discounted cocktails will indulge your grown-up half, but the art you'll create will make sure your inner child isn't left out.
STUART ANDERSON'S BLACK ANGUS
7925 Greenback Lane, Citrus Heights
(916) 745-3134
Hours: 4-10 p.m. Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday
Happy hour: 4-7 p.m. Monday- Friday in the bar only
The deals: The $3-$4-$5 menu is packed with comfort food. Three bucks will get you beer by the bottle or pint, well drinks, select wines, onion rings or three-cheese garlic bread. For $4, you can choose a Goldstrike margarita, classic martini, loaded potato skins, crispy fried zucchini or original or buffalo chicken tenders. Up your limit to $5 for fire-grilled artichoke, prawn cocktail, a steak quesadilla or chipotle Buffalo wings.
PLAZA DEL SOL
8523 Elk Grove Blvd., Elk Grove
(916) 686-1550
www.themenupage.com/ plazadelsol
Hours: 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday- Thursday, 11 am.-10 p.m. Friday- Saturday, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Sunday
Happy hour: 5-8 p.m. daily in the bar
The deals: Carnitas tacos are $1.50. Appetizers are half-off, and each day Plaza del Sol features a different special on drinks. Sundays will get you $5 sangria. On Mondays you can get a mojito or Grande Margarita for $6. Long Island iced teas are $5 on Wednesdays, and on Thursdays, premium house call tequila shots are $5. Fridays offer Mexican beers for $3, and Saturdays feature $5 cosmopolitans and lemon drops. Domestic drafts are $2, except on Tuesdays, when they're $1.50. Well drinks and house wines are $3, and house margaritas are $4 during happy hour every day.
OSHIMA SUSHI AND FUGU LOUNGE
(916) 515-1958
2071 Natomas Crossing Drive, Sacramento
Hours: 11 a.m-midnight Sunday- Thursday, 11 a.m.-2 a.m. Friday- Saturday
Happy hour: 3:30-6:30 p.m. Monday- Friday and 9:30 p.m. until close Sunday-Thursday
The deals: The early happy hour features a rotating drink of the day for $5. During the late-night happy hour, domestic bottled beers are $2 and imported bottled beers are $3. Draft beers, Wasabe brand vodka-Red Bulls and Jager-Red Bulls are $5. During both happy hours, hand rolls are $5, and nearly three dozen rolls are discounted to $9 or less. Three varieties of Happy Box (a combination plate akin to a bento box) are available, featuring items like gyoza, salmon teriyaki, sesame chicken and California rolls, and run $10 each.
HAWKS RESTAURANT
(916) 791-6200
5530 Douglas Blvd., Granite Bay
Hours: 11:30 a.m.-2 a.m. Monday- Friday, 10 a.m.-2 a.m. Saturday, 9 a.m.-2 a.m. Sunday
Happy hour: 2:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, and 2:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday
The deals: Note that we're republishing this bar's information because the happy hours were incorrect in the June 3 listing. Though Hawks has an ever-rotating menu, recent happy hour delights included housemade garlic and fennel sausage served with spicy tomato braised onions ($8) and barbecue pork steamed buns served with kimchi ($6). Drink specials include select house wines for $5, Hawks Brown Ale for $2 and inventive specialty cocktails like the blood orange gimlet and the vanilla bourbon sour that hover in the $7 range.Do you know of a bar that has amazingly good deals on drinks and food? Share the scoop with The Bee, and we'll highlight it as part of this new Night Life feature. Email sacbeenightlife@gmail.com.
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