Jim-Denny’s ends 85-year run with emotional final day at downtown Sacramento diner

Jim-Denny’s, a beloved Sacramento diner with more than eight decades of history, served its final customers on Wednesday after receiving an eviction notice. Owner N’Gina Guyton was ordered by the building’s landlord to vacate the premises at 816 12th St. by the end of July.

“We are treating this like a going-away party,” Guyton said. “So even though I’m crying, we are going to f---ing drink, we’re gonna eat. We’re gonna celebrate.”

With just 10 red stools at the counter and an outdoor patio, Jim-Denny’s offered no-frills service that made it a beloved institution.

Customers began lining up 20 minutes before the diner opened at 11 a.m., eager to show their support, some for the last time and others for the first.

Adam Fox, a teacher at Katherine Johnson Middle School, came to buy a T-shirt as “a piece of history” after seeing Guyton’s social media post.

“I would come here with my grandparents in the 1980s when I was a kid, and have the super burger,” Fox said. “And then I was a fan of the restaurant South where N’Gina had owned and had the best fried chicken, meatloaf and banana pudding in Sacramento.”

After the Southside Park restaurant closed in 2022, Fox followed her back to Jim-Denny’s for her signature banana pudding.

“I’m just heartbroken that another good restaurant has closed, another place,” Fox said

Jim-Denny’s first opened in downtown Sacramento 85 years ago and had been a capital landmark until its closure in February 2020.

Guyton brought the diner back to life on Sept. 2, 2023, blending new flavors, like hot dogs with mango salsa and Takis, with staples from the original menu, including pancakes and burgers.

Wardrobe stylist Denice Pizziferro, who has lived in Sacramento for five years, said she was shocked to hear the diner was closing.

“It’s such a fun place. It’s small, but it’s larger than life in there,” Pizziferro said. “When you go there, you know you’re gonna laugh a lot, you’re gonna eat great food and support small businesses.”

Pizziferro brought a bottle of wine to help turn the day into a celebration, per Guyton’s wishes.

“Instead of it being a sad moment, which it is, she wants to celebrate it and go out with a bang,” Pizziferro said.

Sacramento resident Eben Green said it was obvious Guyton had a passion about cooking and delivering quality products to her customers.

“The All-American burger is what In-N-Out should be,” Green said. “The patty is mad flavorful with a brioche bun. And when you pick it up, it’s weighty. You’re dealing with something substantial here. It’s by far the best burger I’ve had.”

Green said it’s crushing because Guyton made Jim-Denny’s feel like a warm hug.

“Raising capital, especially for a Black woman, is next to impossible,” Green said. “She’s proven she’s a cornerstone of the restaurant industry here. To just leave her hanging like this with no support, it’s ridiculous.”

In the social media post announcing the closure, Guyton said her landlord offered to sell her the building in November 2023, but in April he sent her an eviction notice.

She said she tried to gather investors to buy the property, but could not convince the landlord. Her legal challenge was denied because the agreement was verbal and non-binding.

Despite the closure, Guyton isn’t done feeding Sacramento. According to the Sacramento Business Journal, she plans to open a new soul food restaurant downtown.

This story was originally published July 2, 2025 at 4:16 PM.