The Mercantile Saloon
Dive Bars · Sacramento, CA
About
A dive bar that's been Sacramento's first gay bar since 1972, still pouring strong, cheap drinks to a loyal local crowd. The Mercantile Saloon doesn't pretend to be anything else, and that honesty has kept regulars coming back for decades. You'll find a pool table inside, a heated patio out back, and a jukebox that sometimes competes with the bar's own music.
No cover ever, and the drinks are budget-friendly full pours. The crowd leans bearish and local as the night goes on. It's loud inside, so the patio is where conversation happens. If you're bar-hopping from the nearby gay strip, this spot rewards those who want a drink and a game without pretense.
Features
- ✓Pool table and heated back patio
- ✓Strong, cheap drinks — well-known in Midtown
- ✓Local crowd that turns bearish later
- ✓Never a cover charge at this dive bar
Good for
Practical
Best nights: Thu, Fri, Sat
What people say
Rated from 550 reviews. 109 community ratings. View this venue on Yelp
From the community
“"SALOON" is exactly accurate!”
The bar has a certain straightforward charm, and you have to respect it for being upfront about what it is. If you want to get drunk, this is the place—strong cheap drinks. But if you want to have a conversation, it is far too noisy. If you want to dance, too bad, they don't have dancing. If you want to avoid secondhand smoke, forget it, smoke keeps drifting in from the back porch. If you want to play pool, yes you can do that, it is a bar. It is exactly what it is, you have to love that. If a dive bar is not your thing, look elsewhere.
A visitor · Over a year ago
“great local dive bar with heavy pours”
You can get name-brand drinks for cheap here. Striking up a conversation inside or on the heated patio is likely to be rewarding. This is a very local neighborhood bar with a diverse crowd. Early in the evening the mix is about 40/60, leaning more masculine and bear-like as the night goes on. It's near the gay corner but not many twinks come here.
A guest · Over a year ago
“Fabulous”
I and some friends from northern Nevada took a quick trip to Sacramento for a change of scenery. The Merc was lots of fun. The bartenders were attentive and the patrons were attractive, even before the drinks. We cannot wait to return.
A recent visitor · Over a year ago
“Friendly”
It has a friendly happy-hour vibe and always a pleasant crowd.
A local visitor · Over a year ago
Over a year ago this bar used to be fun. Now it is horrible. The music is always too loud. The drama-filled atmosphere always ruins a good time. The drinks are okay, but I have had better. Usually a bunch of queens and preppy hipsters hang out here. Do not bother putting money in the jukebox on days when a certain staff member is working the back patio; he overrides it with the music he alone wants to hear, and it is always a poor selection.
A visitor · Over a year ago
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a cover charge? +
No, the owner lists never a cover charge as a confirmed feature.
What nights are busiest? +
Thursday, Friday, and Saturday are the best nights per Yelp, with a mixed local crowd.
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