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

1. BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse (Last month's rank: 1)
2. Zocalo (Last month's rank: 2)
3. Bento Box (Last month's rank: 3)
4. Ruth's Chris Steakhouse (Last month's rank: 5)
5. Chicago Fire (Last month's rank: 4)
6. Fat's Asia Bistro (Last month's rank: 6)
7. Firestone Public House (Last month's rank: 12)
8. Cheesecake Factory (Last month's rank: 8)
9. Lucca Restaurant (Last month's rank: 10)
10. 33rd St. Bistro (Last month's rank: 11)
11. Shady Lady Saloon (Last month's rank: 12)
12. Paesanos (Last month's rank: 10)
13. Brasserie Capitale (Last Month: Unranked)
14. Burgers & Brew (Last month's rank: 9)
15. Orchid Thai (Last Month: Unranked)

Thanks for visiting Cowtown Eats! We had nearly 59,000 page views and more than 23,750 unique visitors.

I also want to give a special shout out to Cask & Barrel for generously sponsoring Cowtown Eats and keeping the lights on here. 

Empress Tavern is scheduled to open on next week, and they've been giving previews to local media. The Sac Bee's Chris Macias tweeted that the space is a "game changer."

Here's a little more from S.T. Vanairsdale in Sactown Mag.

Thiemann promises a meat mecca when Empress opens, a carvery rooted in the sanctity of the French dip and with heaping servings of everything from prime rib to short ribs to seafood and even the turducken—the Thanksgiving specialty of chicken stuffed inside duck, then stuffed inside turkey, that Empress will offer year-round. 

Former Mother chef and longtime Thiemann confederate Matt Masera will lead the kitchen, a massive space with a rotisserie oven at its heart, pastry and ice cream stations at the ready (desserts are Masera’s forte) and a halo of gleaming pots, pans and other implements dangling from the ceiling.

“It’s like a steakhouse, but with all meats, which allows us to keep the price point really reasonable,” says Thiemann, who emphasizes Empress highlights like salmon and Hangtown fry (the oyster omelet delicacy hailing from the Gold Rush) nearly in the same breath as bone marrow with escargot.

 Read the entire story in Sactown Mag.

Vanairsdale also reports that the opening date has been refined from the week of Aug. 31 to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 2.

For some gorgeous pictures of the space, check out chef/partner Michael Thiemann's Instagram account.

 

Empress Tavern

A photo posted by Michael Thiemann (@chefthiemann) on Aug 24, 2015 at 11:19pm PDT

Empress Tavern is located at 1013 K Street, and can be found at EmpressTavern.com.

More News:

Here's what happened after I ordered a glass of wine at Starbucks - Instead of "tall" or "grande," I was deciding between pinot noir and sauvignon blanc. And strangely, extra whipped cream was not an option. Welcome to the new Starbucks experience. Sonya Sorich in Sac Biz Journal. 

Sacramento’s thriving cocktail culture lures back a hometown star - Scores of Sacramentans have faced this dilemma: Should I stay, or should I go? Jayson Wilde grappled with this choice five years ago. Burned out from his desk job at a Roseville insurance company and unhappy that his punk band was stuck in limbo, he took a side job as a bar back at the Shady Lady Saloon on R Street. There, he found his calling making craft cocktails – impeccably prepared mixed drinks featuring fresh ingredients and dynamic flavor combinations. Chris Macias in the Sac Bee.

Truly, deadly, delicious - Formoli’s Bistro radically changed its lunch menu for the first time since, well, ever. The only remaining items are the stuffed dates and—don’t freak out—the whiskey burger. That means there are a whole lotta new dishes to try. I recently sampled a simple salad with perfectly seared salmon ($12); a fried chicken sandwich that surprises with a light tempura-beer batter ($10); and deadly, deadly braised lengua tacos ($9). Sometimes, the taco plate offers pork instead. But when it’s lengua—my goodness—you must. Janelle Bitker in Sac News & Review.

Sweet, savory, seasonal: Prosciutto and watermelon pizza, Paesanos - Meat and melon on a pizza? I wasn't so sure about it going in, but I've seen the light. Paesanos' delicious seasonal pizza ($13.95) has just the right balance of sweet and savory on top of a tasty crust. Meg Masterson in Sac News & Review.

The Berhane sisters serve up coffee with a side of sass at Tiferet - Sabrina and Makeda Berhane have made their East Sacramento business, Tiferet Coffee House, such a neighborhood gathering place that not long ago, a young man who had just passed his bar exam brought in champagne for the sisters and their customers. The reason: He had done most of his studying there. Ed Goldman in Sac Biz Journal.

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

1. BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse (Last month's rank: 1)
2. Zocalo (Last month's rank: 2)
3. Bento Box (Last month's rank: 3)
4. Chicago Fire (Last month's rank: 5)
5. Ruth's Chris Steakhouse (Last month's rank: 4)
6. Fat's Asia Bistro (Last month's rank: 6)
7. Burgers & Brew (Last month's rank: 9)
8. Cheesecake Factory (Last month's rank: 13)
9. Lucca Restaurant (Last month's rank: 10)
10. Paesanos (Last month's rank: 8)
11. 33rd St. Bistro (Last month's rank: 5)
12. Shady Lady Saloon (Last month's rank: 15)
13. Firestone Public House (Last month's rank: 12)
14. Hook & Ladder (Last month: Unranked
15. Chevy's Fresh Mex - On the River (Last month's rank: 9)

Thanks for visiting Cowtown Eats! We had more than 69,000 page views and more than 29,750 unique visitors.

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

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

1. BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse (Last month's rank: 1)
2. Zocalo (Last month's rank: 2)
3. Bento Box (Last month's rank: 3)
4. Ruth's Chris Steakhouse (Last month's rank: 6)
5. Chicago Fire (Last month's rank: 4)
6. Fat's Asia Bistro (Last month: Unranked)
7. Chevy's Fresh Mex - On the River (Last month's rank: 9)
8. 33rd St. Bistro (Last month's rank: 5)
9. Burgers & Brew (Last month's rank: 10)
10. Lucca Restaurant (Last month's rank: 8)
11. 3 Fires Lounge (Last month's rank: 13)
12. Firestone Public House (Last month's rank: 7)
13. Cheesecake Factory (Last month's rank: 11)
14. Paesanos (Last month's rank: 12)
15. Shady Lady Saloon (Last month: Unranked)

Thanks for visiting Cowtown Eats! We had more than 58,000 page views and more than 22,250 unique visitors.

I also want to give a special shout out to Cask & Barrel and Hook and Ladder  for generously sponsoring Cowtown Eats and keeping the lights on here. I also want to thank Strings Urban Kitchen and ASR Restaurant & Lounge, who completed their advertising with Cowtown Eats last month.

Iron Horse Tavern, by the Wong Brothers, owners of Cafeteria 15L and The Mix, will open to the public on June 18, reports Sonya Sorich in Sac Biz Journal.

Among the other details she's unearthed:

• "The Wong brothers spent more than a year fine-tuning Iron Horse's menu, seeking inspiration from places such as New York, Chicago, Portland and Seattle. The end result features options ranging from pizza to paella."
• "Iron Horse will emphasize "cozy, casual dining" with 15 small-plate options, Mason Wong said. Craft cocktails will be available, and 25 beers will be offered on tap, including local varieties."

Click here to read the entire story in Sac News & Review.

For a video tour, check out Tina Machua on Good Day Sac.

According to the video, menu items include:

• 2 lb turkey leg, brined for 24 hours, confit and deep fried with flower
• A 9 option mac & cheese bar, including lobster mac & cheese, pesto mac & cheese and egg and bacon mac & cheese.
• Red Velvet Ho Ho
• Loco Moco

But if you want to get a jump on the rest of the public, you can get a taste of their food (and other restaurants near 15th & R such as Dos Coyotes and Roxie Deli BBQ) on Sunday June 14 at a fundraiser for the Children's Receiving Home of Sacramento.

According to its Web site, the Children's Receiving home's mission is to positively impact the lives of children, youth and families affected by abuse, neglect, behavioral health issues and trauma in California.

Click here for tickets.

Iron Horse Tavern will be located at 15th & R, and can be found online at http://www.ironhorsetavern.net/.

* Photo via their Facebook Page.

More News:

First look: Brasserie Capitale serves up a French revelation on K Street - McNamara strikes that balance in the kitchen with a nifty suite of dishes, including supple house-cured salmon (kissed with dill, egg brunoise and laid on a bed of rye crostini and crème fraîche) and petatou (a delicate mashed potato salad containing niçoise olives, thyme and balsamic beneath a seared cap of goat cheese). McNamara's outstanding country pork pâté (crafted over two days of marinating in cognac, white wine, shallots and spices) and his zesty garlic sausage are both made in-house, along with classics like bouillabaisse, coq au vin and cassoulet that are each offered as specials throughout the week. S.T. Vanairsdale in Sactown Mag.

In chefs we trust: Omakase at Kru -  I've been sitting at the bar at Kru for lunch recently for $20 omakase sessions, and the crew does not disappoint...By far, it's one of the biggest bangs for your buck in Sacramento. Garrett McCord in Sac News & Review.

Local food landing at Sacramento airport's Terminal A - Airport spokeswoman Laurie Slothower said the addition of Squeeze Inn, Iron Horse Tavern and Paesanos reflects the positive reaction to local bars and eateries opening in Terminal B a couple years ago. Ben van der Meer in Sac Biz Journal.

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

1. BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse (Last month's rank: 1)
2. Zocalo (Last month's rank: 3)
3. Bento Box (Last month's rank: 2)
4. Chicago Fire (Last month's rank: 6)
5. 33rd St. Bistro (Last month's rank: 5)
6. Ruth's Chris Steakhouse (Last month's rank: 7)
7. Firestone Public House (Last month's rank: 9)
8. Lucca Restaurant (Last month's rank: 4)
9. Chevy's Fresh Mex - On the River (Last month's rank: 10)
10. Burgers & Brew (Last month's rank: 13)
11. Cheesecake Factory (Last month's rank: 11)
12. Paesanos (Last month: Unranked)
13. 3 Fires Lounge (Last month's rank: 14)
14. Alley Katz (Last month's rank: 12)
15. 58 Degrees & Holding (Last month's rank: 15)

Thanks for visiting Cowtown Eats! We had more than 59,000 page views and more than 23,500 unique visitors.

I also want to give a special shout out to Strings Urban Kitchen, Cask & Barrel, Hook and Ladder and ASR Restaurant & Lounge for generously sponsoring Cowtown Eats and keeping the lights on here.

The 15 most popular Sacramento happy hours of January 2014 on CowtownEats.com were:

1. BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse (Last month's rank: 1)
2. Bento Box (Last month's rank: 3)
3. Pour House (Last month's rank: 4)
4. Firestone Public House (Last month's rank: 2)
5. Lucca Restaurant (Last month's rank: 6)
6. Burgers & Brew (Last month's rank: 8)
7. Ruth's Chris Steakhouse (Last month's rank: 5)
8. Hook & Ladder (Last month's rank: 9)
9. Capital Dime (Last month's rank: 13)
10. Zocalo (Last month's rank: 10)
11. Chicago Fire (Last month's rank: 8)
12. Coyote Tap House (Last month's rank: 12)
13. Paesanos (Last month's rank: 12)
14. Fat's Asia Bistro (Last month's rank: 11)
15. Cheesecake Factory (Last month: Unranked)

Thanks for visiting Cowtown Eats! We had more than 78,750 page views (up 46 percent compared to last year) and more than 27,000 unique visitors (plus 64 percent over last year).