Here are the 15 most popular Sacramento happy hours of January 2016 (based on page views) on Cowtown Eats:

1. BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse (Last month's rank: 1)
2. Bento Box (Last month's rank: 2)
3. Chicago Fire (Last month's rank: 3)
4. Cheesecake Factory (Last month's rank: 7)
5. Zocalo (Last month's rank: 4)
6. Hook & Ladder (Last month's rank: 11)
7. Firestone Public House (Last month's rank: 9)
8. Ruth's Chris Steakhouse (Last month's rank: 6)
9. Burgers & Brew (Last month's rank: 12)
10. Fat's Asia Bistro (Last month's rank: 5)
11. 33rd St. Bistro (Last month's rank: 8)
12. Lucca (Last month's rank: 14)
13. Buffalo Wild Wings (Last month's rank: 10)
14. Blackbird. (Last Month: Unranked)
15. Broderick Restaurant & Bar (Last month's rank: 15)

Thanks for visiting Cowtown Eats! We had more than 55,000 page views and nearly 23,500 unique visitors.

I also want to give a special shout out to Ernesto's Mexican Food for generously sponsoring Cowtown Eats and keeping the lights on here. 

Level Up Lounge, located above the popular Thai Basil on J Street, closed in November, reports Sonya Sorich in Sac Biz Journal.

Replacing the night club will be VEG, a coffee, bar & tea room.

Suleka Sun-Lindley, who co-owns Thai Basil and Veg, said the idea has been in the works for about two years. She also co-owned Level Up Lounge.

She called the new concept "completely different." While Level Up Lounge catered to a nightlife crowd, Veg will specialize in breakfast and lunch service, according to Sun-Lindley. She's considering offering dinner service for select occasions, such as private events.

Read the entire story in Sac Biz Journal.

According to their Facebook page, VEG officially opened for business on Wednesday, Jan. 6.

VEG is located at 2431 J Street., and can be found online at https://www.facebook.com/vegcafemidtown.

More News:

Empress Tavern: Retro meat-and-potatoes fare in a fun (if somewhat noisy) setting - Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, Empress Tavern is a beauty. Located below the Crest Theatre on K Street, it’s a subterranean trip to the past. The long-anticipated Empress opened in September, with its sister restaurant, the vegetarian Mother, having already paved the way above ground. Proprietors Michael and Lisa Thiemann have once again picked an offbeat theme and exceeded expectations. Ann Martin Rolke in Sac News & Review.

Wings all day, err day - Lovers of crispy, saucy hunks of chicken have two new local options: Fire Wings and Kiki’s Chicken Place. On the cusp of Elk Grove, Fire Wings (8785 Center Parkway) dishes out mass quantities of wings in a massive number of flavors. Janelle Bitker in Sac News & Review.

Dos Coyotes expanding with new stores in 2016 - Locally-owned Dos Coyotes Border Cafe plans to add up to four locations in 2016, most of which are outside the Sacramento region. It marks another step forward in the company's franchising efforts. Sonya Sorich in Sac Biz Journal.

Sacramento Beer Week to return with larger, sudsier festival in February - Sacramento Beer Week will find a new home at Cal Expo for its opening Sacramento Brewers Showcase set to kick-off the 11-day celebration on Feb. 25. Jason Pham in Sactown Mag.

First Impressions: Land Park’s new Meet & Eat - The meaty mushroom-cheeseburger was a two-handed treat, served with excellent crisp and skinny fries. “I want to taste good-quality meat on my burger, and this one delivers,” said a lunch pal. Competing with that four-star sandwich was a trio of messy marinated-shrimp tacos. The tortillas, with satisfying corn flavor, were topped with perfectly ripe avocado, mixed greens, diced onion-tomato, cilantro dressing and, for once, a whole bunch of really tasty shrimp. The side of fiery salsa added the right bite. Allen Pierleoni in the Sac Bee.

Here are the 15 most popular Sacramento happy hours of December 2015 (based on page views) on Cowtown Eats:

1. BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse (Last month's rank: 1)
2. Bento Box (Last month's rank: 2)
3. Chicago Fire (Last month's rank: 3)
4. Zocalo (Last month's rank: 4)
5. Fat's Asia Bistro (Last month's rank: 5)
6. Ruth's Chris Steakhouse (Last month's rank: 7)
7. Cheesecake Factory (Last month's rank: 8)
8. 33rd St. Bistro (Last month's rank: 6)
9. Firestone Public House (Last month's rank: 9)
10. Buffalo Wild Wings (Last Month: Unranked)
11. Hook & Ladder (Last month's rank: 10)
12. Burgers & Brew (Last month's rank: 12)
13. Il Fornaio (Last Month: Unranked)
14. Lucca (Last Month: Unranked)
15. Broderick Restaurant & Bar (Last month's rank: 15)

Thanks for visiting Cowtown Eats! We had more than 48,750 page views and nearly 21,400 unique visitors.

I also want to give a special shout out to Cask & Barrel, Hook & Ladder and Ernesto's Mexican Food for generously sponsoring Cowtown Eats and keeping the lights on here. 

Thank you for visiting Cowtown Eats and for making 2015 another great year! Cowtown Eats had more than 725,000 page views and 257,750 unique users. Also, a huge Thank You to valued advertisers who help keep the lights on here. Please visit them so they'll continue to want to advertise.

These rankings are based on which happy hours Cowtown Eats readers are clicking on.

15. Shady Lady Saloon

Named as one of the "best bars in America" by Esquire Magazine, Shady Lady is filled with happy hour goers looking to get one of their craft cocktails at a slight discount. 1409 R Street, Sacramento.

Click here for Shady Lady Saloon's Happy Hour info.

14. Buffalo Wild Wings

Sometimes, you just want to grab a Coors Light, eat some wings and watch a game. Or maybe you want to meet a friend before going to a Kings game. That's what Buffalo Wild Wings excels at, and why they've made it on the list for the second year in a row. 3635 N Freeway Blvd., Sacramento.

Click here for Buffalo Wild Wings' Happy Hour info.

13. Hook & Ladder

Hook & Ladder, the heralded restaurant who shares owners with the popular midtown spot Golden Bear, opened late in 2012 and has hit its stride as both a restaurant and bar. The restaurant's popular happy hour is just another sign of that. 1630 S St, Sacramento.

Click here for Hook & Ladder's Happy Hour info.

12. Chevy's Fresh Mex - On The River

One of the best things about Sacramento is the river, and nothing is better than sipping on a margarita, snacking on a basket of chips and people watching at Chevy's. That's why people continue to flock to this restaurant - and its happy hour - year after year. 1369 Garden Hwy., Sacramento.

Click here for Chevy's Fresh Mex's happy hour info.

11. Burgers & Brew

Situated on a revitalized portion of R street, Burgers & Brew continues to draw in the crowds with its patio seating and diverse tap list. 1409 R St, Sacramento.

Click here for Burgers & Brew's happy hour info.

10. 33rd St. Bistro

A great neighborhood standby, 33rd St. Bistro is popular with those who live and work in East Sacramento. With their recently-remodeled bar, now's a perfect time to check out this happy hour. 3301 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento.

Click here for 33rd St. Bistro's Happy Hour info.

Wicked 'Wich's location at the West Sac Community Center closed in late November, the City of West Sac newsletter announced recently.

Community Center Café Changes for the New Year
The owners of Wicked ‘Wich located inside the Community Center are closing current café operations as of November 23. The owners are looking at a new menu and format, and anticipate re-opening by January 19, when Los Rios College Spring Semester starts and the students return from break. Information on the new menu and format will be shared as it is received.

I reached out to Matt Chong of Team Broderick for more info, but he did not return an e-mail earlier in the week.

Team Broderick, formally known as Working Class Heroes, has been busy this year. They're currently working on working Saddle Rock, replacing Capital Dime at 1801 L Street. In recent months, they've opened a second Broderick Roadhouse at 18th & L and Localis at 21st and S. I have faith that they'll make good use of the West Sac space come January.

As a side note, chef Matt Cannedy left Wicked 'Wich in November and is now the Executive Sous Chef at Esquire Grill. That position became open when Chef Jason Azevedo was promoted to become Chef de Cuisine at Hock Farm.

* Photo via the Wicked 'Wich Facebook page.

More News:

Temple, Old Soul land on Coffee Review best of the year list - Coffee Review has chosen its top 30 coffees of 2015, and four Sacramento-roasted batches made the list. Temple Coffee and Tea led the way at No. 6 with its Panama Don Pepe Estate Geisha Single-Origin Espresso. It was released back in October and received a 96-point rating. Janelle Bitker in Sac News & Review.

Bad news for Mimi's Cafe fans - Mimi's Cafe is shuttering one of its Sacramento-area locations. The restaurant at 3511 N. Freeway Blvd. in Natomas will have its final day of business on Dec. 20, according to a spokeswoman for the company. The location opened in 2006. Sonya Sorich in Sac Biz Journal.

Happy Hour Hound: Easy on I - If you spend enough time at neighborhood bar Easy on I, it will quickly start to become a place “where everybody knows your name.” Owners Mark and Carol Hoyt know all the regulars, always welcome new patrons and are always caught laughing behind their bar. It’s obvious that Mark and Carol have a love for what they do, which is running one of the best watering holes on I Street. They make the bar and grill, on the corner of 18th and I, seem more like your local hang out spot. Easy on I is a casual, low-key bar and grill that is perfect for a Friday night or Wednesday afternoon. It’s full of everything you want at your local bar: good beers, comfortable atmosphere, awesome food and friendly people. It’s the kind of bar that you can grab a drink, a bite to eat, and meet someone new sitting on the bar stool next to you. Amy Serna in Submerge Mag.

New future for former Italian deli in El Dorado Hills - The El Dorado Hills Town Center is getting another new restaurant. Rubio's Coastal Grill will fill a space previously occupied by Mama Ann's Deli & Bakery, which closed in October. Sonya Sorich in Sac News & Review.

Linden teen wins $10,000 on Food Network’s ‘Chopped Junior’ - The Food Network threw everything from orange push-ups to a vegetable sushi roll at 14-year-old Linden resident Elisabeth Watkins, but she kept her cool and came out a winner on a recent episode of “Chopped Junior.” Cathie Anderson in the Sac Bee.

Here are the 15 most popular Sacramento happy hours of November 2015 (based on page views) on Cowtown Eats:

1. BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse (Last month's rank: 1)
2. Bento Box (Last month's rank: 2)
3. Chicago Fire (Last month's rank: 3)
4. Zocalo (Last month's rank: 4)
5. Fat's Asia Bistro (Last month's rank: 5)
6. 33rd St. Bistro (Last Month: Unranked)
7. Ruth's Chris Steakhouse (Last month's rank: 5)
8. Cheesecake Factory (Last month's rank: 10)
9. Firestone Public House (Last Month: Unranked)
10. Hook & Ladder (Last month's rank: 10)
11. Burgers & Brew (Last month's rank: 12)
12. 3 Fires Lounge (Last Month: Unranked)
13. Magpie Cafe (Last month's rank: 6)
14. 58 Degrees & Holding (Last Month: Unranked)
15. Broderick Restaurant & Bar (Last month's rank: 9)

Thanks for visiting Cowtown Eats! We had more than 50,000 page views and nearly 22,500 unique visitors.

I also want to give a special shout out to Cask & Barrel, Hook & Ladder and Ernesto's Mexican Food for generously sponsoring Cowtown Eats and keeping the lights on here. 

Here are the 15 most popular Sacramento happy hours of October 2015 (based on page views) on Cowtown Eats:

1. BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse (Last month's rank: 1)
2. Bento Box (Last month's rank: 2)
3. Chicago Fire (Last month's rank: 6)
4. Zocalo (Last month's rank: 3)
5. Fat's Asia Bistro (Last month's rank: 7)
6. Magpie Cafe (Last Month: Unranked)
7. Cheesecake Factory (Last month's rank: 10)
8. Ruth's Chris Steakhouse (Last month's rank: 5)
9. Broderick Restaurant & Bar (Last month's rank: 13)
10. Hook & Ladder (Last month's rank: 11)
11. Bottle & Barlow (Last month's rank: 4)
12. Burgers & Brew (Last month's rank: 9)
13. Buffalo Wild Wings (Last month's rank: 15)
14. Shady Lady Saloon (Last month's rank: 12)
15. Lucca (Last Month: Unranked)

Thanks for visiting Cowtown Eats! We had more than 51,000 page views and more than 20,500 unique visitors.

I also want to give a special shout out to Cask & Barrel, Hook & Ladder and Ernesto's Mexican Food for generously sponsoring Cowtown Eats and keeping the lights on here.