Nick on the Town

F is for Fox & Goose

November 6, 2008 at 1:50 pm 1 comment

Fox & Goose
1001 R Street
Downtown Sacramento
www.foxandgoose.com

It was only a matter of time before the ABC’s of Drinking brought me to an Irish and/or British pub. We have a number of such joints in Sacramento and it turns out they are open year-round – not just on St. Patrick’s Day or during the World Cup.

The plus side of British pubs is that you can find beers on tap that you can’t get at other bars. The downside is that fish and chips is never as good a meal as you think it’s gonna be and the dart boards don’t keep score for you. Of course I’m generalizing since I went to the Fox & Goose and did not confirm that they have either dart boards or fish & chips.

I did confirm the beer selection though. They have this whole wall of beers I have never heard of. Feeling unadventurous, I went straight for the ol’ Guinness. Very unoriginal of me. On a side note, if you want to read about my trip to Dublin click here.

My buddy, Brandon, got some other beer…and a copy of some fake British Newspaper that they keep on the bar.

This made him very happy.

What made me happy was this painting we found at Beers Books which is just down the street from the Fox & Goose which I call ”Brandon with a Mustache.”

If you are the artist or, better still, the subject of this painting please contact me. I must know the story behind it and why it looks exactly like Brandon…with a mustache. And we all know that, given the ability, Brandon would grow that exact mustache. Perhaps a better name for the painting is “Brandon’s Dream.”

Anyhow, the Fox & Goose Pub is a decent option if you’re looking for a pub at which you don’t have to try to impress anybody. It’s dark, it’s old-timey and there’s a bunch of wacky British stuff on the walls. It is definitely not the hip scene which actually makes it ideal for those of us over the unfortunate age of 30.

In combination with their neighbors Old Ironsides, Elixir, Beers Books and the collective known as “The Building,” Fox & goose actually finds itself in the center of a pretty decent entertainment block. Also, there’s a Volkswagen dealership if you’re part of my VW posse.  

One thing I don’t like about Fox & Goose, and I can’t even put my finger on the reason, is that something about the layout isn’t quite right. I couldn’t get comfortable there. Also, if you come for breakfast, which many folks rave about, don’t show up early because they will make you wait til your lazy friends show up to seat you.

Highlights
* Nice selection of European beers.
* If you’re lucky the bartender will draw a shamrock in your Guinness foam.
* Full bar
* Amusing Guinness ads all over the place
* Live Music
* Popular Breakfast
* I wish I took a picture of the crazy wizard painting. It was cool.

Price
We paid like $4.50 a beer..if I remember correctly. It was the official Imperial pint which is a healthy 20oz, so it felt like a good deal.

Clientele
I don’t think it’s a news flash that local British/Irish pubs are generally filled with soccer fans who haven’t gotten over the time they studied abroad in college. In the nighttime, Fox & Goose fills with the music crowd. In the morning, it’s packed with breakfast lovers who think they’re too good for Denny’s. They’re probably right.

Entry filed under: ABCs of Drinking in Sac, Bars, Nightlife. Tags: .