Punch Bowl Social to close in Downtown Commons, cutting 83 jobs

The Punch Bowl Social entertainment venue in Downtown Commons will permanently close Dec. 24, eliminating 83 jobs, according to a state employment notice.

The venue, known for combining dining and nightlife with arcade games, bowling, karaoke, and cocktails, opened in 2017 as one of the anchor tenants of the revitalized DoCo complex next to Golden 1 Center. It spanned two floors and connects directly to the Kimpton Sawyer Hotel.

The Denver-based chain filed a Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification with the California Employment Development Department earlier this month, confirming the closure, but did not respond to requests for comment. The company filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2020 after pandemic shutdowns and financial difficulties led to multiple nationwide closures — including a yearlong hiatus at the Fifth and J streets location.

Part of a national “eatertainment” trend before the pandemic, Punch Bowl Social catered to crowds looking for food, drinks and games under one roof. A 2018 Sacramento Bee review described the venue as “a hipster Chuck E. Cheese” with a Southern-inspired menu, cocktails in oversized punch bowls, and decor blending industrial-chic and themed kitsch. The 23,000-square-foot space could hold up to 850 people and featured everything from bocce courts to private karaoke rooms.

At its peak, Punch Bowl at DoCo employed more than 200 people.

This story was originally published October 30, 2025 at 8:55 AM with the headline "Punch Bowl Social to close in Downtown Commons, cutting 83 jobs."