River City Brewing Company - Sacramento, CA

River City Brewing Company - Sacramento, CA
Don't bother says Cranky.
I have been going to this place periodically over the last 10 years, and I realize it is TIRED. It used to be a busy place, but the food is the same yet nothing exciting. They must shake it up. Beer is good, but not fantastic. Wait staff, lord, the worse. We chose outside dining, many tables, umbrellas, heaters, and a 3 foot iron fence around a wide area. There was a rash of homeless or beggars there as well and no one from the restaurant kept them out. We were approached twice by people wanting to sell something or just plain ask for money.
STAFF: What service? Immediately seated, the hostess did not take drink orders, perhaps she should. We had water and a little bread right away, then it took 10 minutes, no lie, for the waitress to get to us. By then the bread is gone and the water nearly so. We order beer, the waitress dashes off, and after another 10 minutes we are wondering, what the heck, it isn't like the place was busy, we only ordered beer, how long could it take? The waitress comes back and tells me my choice was "out." Ok, waitresses can't always know that ahead of time, perhaps they just ran out. I dunno, but it took nearly another 10 to get our two pints of beer. Naomi had the stout and I had a Woodenhead ale (from experience, I knew this is one of River City's best). Good thing we ordered food when the waitress brought us the beer, or our wait would have really dragged on. She gave us an excuse about they got slammed and one table had taken all her time - but there were no big groups there, and I didn't see any trouble folks. I don't care, just bring me food and beverage.
DRINKS: The beer here is usually good, but the last few times I have come in, River City was out of at least one of the brews they had advertised as available. The Stout was "thin" but tasty and the Woodenhead was excellent. River City missed a chance to have us consume more beer since it took nearly 30 minutes to bring us our first drinks which arrived shortly before food. We could have drank two over the entire time we were there (about an hour) but...
FOOD: River City must re-ignite the menu. It is old and I've eaten most of what is there. It's good and tasty.
Cranky rates River City a one happy face. Someplace I will only pop into for a brew when I am at the mall downtown Sac, and definately if there is only bar seating.