Mason’s: So Far, the Best

Mason’s is where it’s AT! (And that’s saying a lot since I rarely end sentences with prepositions.) I checked out Mason’s, it’s my new fave. Design: uber-modern. People: probably too early to tell, but I spied mostly polished, semi-hoity-toity types. Service: impeccable (one of my friends found it annoyingly constant, though). Bar menu: lengthy and of the best quality. And let’s not forget about location. I don’t mean geographic, I mean proximity – to other bar venues.

Several years ago, most of Sac’s good bars were isolated. Meaning you’d have to DRIVE in order to bar hop. (I am not really a fan of bar hopping for its own sake, rather I like to have the option to go next door if my original destination is too crowded. Or empty. Or boring.) I remember the Centro/Blue Cue/Harlow’s corner was convenient …

And the Mace’s/Piatti complex for a mellow-er evening. And there were/are still some passable downtown grouped options. But now – in addition to the Mikuni/Lucca/PF Chang’s intersection, there’s the Mason’s/Ma Jong’s/Park Lounge/Spataro line up – just across from the Capitol.

I haven’t had a chance to sample Ma Jong’s Asian Diner (with cabana-type seating options) or the funky Lounge (all blue lighting, wedding dresses strung from the ceiling, and I could’ve sworn I saw a bed and a big mirror in the corner!), but you can bet I’ll report on those soon.

Whether you’re a beer drinker, wine enthusiast, cocktail connoisseur, or appetizer aficionado – be sure to give Mason’s bar a try. If it’s too crowded (and it may be), you have three other options – just steps away.

5 thoughts on “Mason’s: So Far, the Best”

  2. Hmmm … the Sheraton and Hogshead on one list?!
    Totally bummed I have to miss that.
    Based on my tribute to convenient “bar groupings”, you’d think I’d love pub crawls. In theory, I do. In reality, I find traveling in a large group means waiting a long time for a drink and then having to rush to the next bar just when I’m getting settled … I’m not picky, I just enjoy cocktails and camaraderie so much and don’t think they should be rushed. Anyway, I’ve learned a pub crawl trick: instead of hitting EVERY pub on the list, I skip every other one – that’s half the pubs, but same amount of fun, and much more my speed.

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  3. I know, I’m sorry Beers Books.
    Normally I’d spout something about how it’s a free market, the people have spoken, blah blah blah … but, yeah, Beer Books was a landmark. Always thought it was an unusual, but refreshing, venue right by the Capitol.

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  4. I’d love to see the progressive KissMeKate review of this upcoming Saturday’s Halloween pub crawl throughout Old Sac and Downtown. Some of these places are a bit grittier than those in your reviews, but it could be a fun time, especially in costume:

    http://www.geocities.com/SunsetStrip/Basement/5239/schedule.html

    I’m sad that this doesn’t end at 2Me (I guess the Crazy Hat East Sac Crawl has dibs on that), since there’s really nothing better than The Pasty Shack at 2am — that is, if you can’t get your mits on a Denny’s Moons Over My Hammy or Macho Combo Burrito from Del Taco.

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  5. Someone will have to let me know if the beers at Hogshead have risen above the level of “poisonous”.

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