Got together with some pals for post-work drinks at Bandera. While it had been about a year since I had last clinked glasses there, it seemed pretty much the same. The big rectangular bar is ideal for people watching. Or flirting. Not so great for finding a seat when it’s crowded, but that makes customer interaction all the more likely.
I asked the bartender who she thought made up Bandera’s clientele. She told me an interesting tale:
Several years ago it was the college crowd who monopolized the bar/restaurant, which wasn’t the demographic Bandera was going for. So, they started to close the bar at early, to discourage the late night/early morning, age-21-ish crowds. They also started requiring entree orders to sit at the tables – including the ones in the bar area (and they still do that) to get rid of hanging-outters in favor of actual restaurant patrons.
Now, professionals abound during Bandera’s cocktail hours – not so much the uber-hip downtown crowd – but more of an easy going mix of all ages. Honestly, you can’t categorize Bandera – I’d recommend it as a happy hour spot for just about anyone – standard wine list, decent cocktail options, yummy appetizers, and lots of camaraderie.
Guess their plan worked.
The Sac Rag 
I pick my bars according to a mathmatical formula, which I am posting for any “open-source” improvement from the SacRagligious. Start with 100 points. For every Mercedes-Benz in the parking lot, subtract 10 points. If the bar has valet, subtract 30 points…I can sneer disapprovingly at my heap on my own time. If the person at the door can bench more than 200 pounds, subtract 20 points. Subtract a further 50 points if the bouncer is from Sac PD — this never bodes well for your safety. Now gaze upon the aforesaid clientele. If the ratio of beer to liquor is less than 2:1, subtract 20 points. If ANYONE is drinking red bull and vodka, immediately run out the door. Now, if you have any points left over, you just might have found a place worthy of parking your rump for a cold one. Enjoy El Dorado County!
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Bandera is the best ever! I’ve become somewhat of a “regular” there. The service:quality:price ratios there have to be some of the best in sacramento. If you get a chance, eat at the bar next to the kitchen and watch the quality control that goes into every plate that leaves the kitchen. Or sit at the bar and order a long island and marvel when the bartender uses name-brand liquor without any special order shenanigans.
The best part is that I can take my beautiful girlfriend there for a “fancy dinner” or we can show up in our workout clothes and get the same excellent service and food without feeling uncomfortable.
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Bandera also serves the best upscale burger in town. And by upscale, I mean, “Not served at the Squeeze Inn.”
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The only thing that bothers me is the pricing for the corn bread. You can order a single piece (a quarter of a corn bread skillet) for $1.00 or a whole corn bread for $4.50. I’m stuck feeling like a sucker for ordering the whole corn bread as a lesser evil to being cheap and saving $.50 by ordering 4 single pieces.
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