Best of Sacramento 2016: Arts & Entertainment readers’ picks
Best all-ages music venue
1. Ace of Spades
1417 R Street, (916) 930-0220, www.aceofspadessac.com
2. Cafe Colonial
3520 Stockton Boulevard, (916) 736-3520, www.facebook.com/
cafecolonialsacramento
3. Sol Collective
2574 21st Street, (916) 585-3136, www.facebook.com/SolCollective
Best author of fiction
1. Christian Kiefer
2. Kim Stanley Robinson
3. Doug Rice
Best big screen
1. Esquire IMAX Theatre
1211 K Street, (916) 443-4629, www.imax.com/oo/esquire-imax
2. Tower Theatre
2508 Land Park Drive, (916) 442-0985, www.readingcinemasus.com
3. Crest Theatre
1013 K Street, (916) 442-5189, www.crestsacramento.com
Best brewfest
1. Capitol Beer Fest
www.capitolbeerfest.com
2. Raley Field Brewfest
http://raleyfieldsite.wordpress.com
3. California Brewers Festival
http://calbrewfest.com
Best casino/cardroom
1. Thunder Valley Casino Resort
1200 Athens Avenue in Lincoln, (916) 408-7777, www.thundervalleyresort.com
2. Red Hawk Casino
1 Red Hawk Parkway in Placerville, (530) 677-7000, www.redhawkcasino.com
3. Cache Creek Casino Resort
14455 Highway 16 in Brooks, (530) 796-3118, www.cachecreek.com
Best comedian
1. Johnny Taylor Jr.
2. Carlos Rodriguez
3. Lance Woods
Best comedy experience
1. Punch Line Sacramento
2100 Arden Way, (916) 925-5500, www.punchlinesac.com
2. Laughs Unlimited
1207 Front Street, (916) 446-8128, www.laughsunlimited.com
3. Sacramento Comedy Spot
1050 20th 20th Street, (916) 444-3137, www.saccomedyspot.com
Best community-theater group
1. Big Idea Theatre
1616 Del Paso Boulevard, (916) 960-3036, www.bigideatheatre.org
2. Davis Musical Theatre Company
607 Pena Drive, Suite 10, in Davis; (530) 756-3682; www.dmtc.org
3. Woodland Opera House Theatre Company
340 Second Street, (530) 666-9617, www.woodlandoperahouse.org
Best dance spot
1. The Press Club
2030 P Street, (916) 444-7914, www.facebook.com/thepressclub
2. Faces
2000 K Street, (916) 448-7798, www.faces.net
3. Badlands
2003 K Street, (916) 448-8790, www.sacbadlands.com
Best festival
1. California State Fair
www.castatefair.org
2. Sacramento Beer Week
http://sacbeerweek.com
3. Chalk it Up!
www.chalkitup.org
Best film festival
1. Trash Film Orgy
http://trashfilmorgy.com
2. Sacramento Film & Music Festival
www.sacfilm.com
3. Sacramento French Film Festival
www.sacramentofrenchfilmfestival.org
Best gay club
1. Faces
2000 K Street, (916) 448-7798, www.faces.net
2. The Mercantile Saloon
1928 L Street, (916) 447-0792
3. Badlands
2003 K Street, (916) 448-8790, www.sacbadlands.com
Best karaoke
1. River City Saloon
916 Second Street, (916) 443-6852, http://therivercitysaloon.com
2. The Distillery
2107 L Street, (916) 443-8815
3. Pine Cove Tavern
509 29th Street, (916) 446-3624, http://pinecovetavern.com
Best live music venue
1. Ace of Spades
1417 R Street, (916) 930-0220, www.aceofspadessac.com
2. Harlow’s Restaurant & Nightclub
2708 J Street, (916) 441-4693, www.harlows.com
3. Cafe Colonial
3520 Stockton Boulevard, (916) 718-7055, www.facebook.com/cafecolonialsacramento
Best local actor
1. Shannon Mahoney
2. Ryan Snyder
3. Benjamin T. Ismail
Best local media personality to have a drink with
1. Bethany Crouch, FOX40
2. Nick Brunner, Capital Public Radio
3. Cody Stark, Good Day Sacramento
Best meteorologist to trust for your weather forecast
1. Mark Finan, KCRA 3
2. Dirk Verdoorn, KCRA 3
3. Monica Woods, News 10
Best open-mic night
1. Luna’s Cafe & Juice Bar
1414 16th Street, (916) 441-3931, www.lunascafe.com
2. Shine
1400 E Street, Suite A; (916) 551-1400; www.shinesac.com
3. Old Ironsides
1901 10th Street, (916) 443-9751, http://theoldironsides.com
Best place to hear poetry
1. Shine
1400 E Street, Suite A, (916) 551-1400, www.shinesac.com
2. Poetry Unplugged at Luna’s Cafe & Juice Bar
1414 16th Street, (916) 441-3931, www.lunascafe.com
3. Sacramento Poetry Center
1719 25th Street, (916) 240-1897, www.sacramentopoetrycenter.com
Best place to knock down pins
1. Country Club Lanes
2600 Watt Avenue, (916) 483-5105, www.countryclublanes.com
2. Capitol Bowl
900 W. Capitol Avenue in West Sacramento, (916) 371-4200, www.capbowl.com
3. Strikes Unlimited
5681 Lonetree Boulevard in Rocklin, (916) 626-3600, www.strikesrocklin.com
Best place to see art
1. Crocker Art Museum
216 O Street, (916) 808-7000, https://crockerartmuseum.org
2. Verge Center for the Arts
625 S Street, (916) 448-2985, www.vergeart.com
3. Warehouse Artists Lofts
1108 R Street, (916) 498-9033, www.rstreetwal.com
Best place to stock your bookshelves
1. Beers Books
915 S Street, (916) 442-9475, www.beersbooks.com
2. Dimple Books
2499 Arden Way, (916) 239-3760, http://dimple.com
3. Time Tested Books
1114 21st Street, (916) 447-5696, www.timetestedbooks.net
Best professional theater company
1. B Street Theatre
2711 B Street, (916) 443-5300, www.bstreettheatre.org
2. Music Circus, California Musical Theatre
1419 H Street, (916) 557-1999, www.californiamusicaltheatre.com
3. Davis Shakespeare Ensemble
(530) 802-0998, www.shakespearedavis.org
Best seductive radio voice
1. Kitty O’Neal, 92.5 FM / 1530 AM KFBK
2. Devin Yamanaka, Capital Public Radio
3. Nick Brunner, Capital Public Radio
Best spot for pool
1. Blue Cue
1004 28th Street, (916) 441-6810, http://bluecue.com
2. R15 Bar
1431 R Street, (916) 930-9191, www.rstreet.cafebernardo.com/r15
3. Alley Katz
2019 O Street, (916) 442-2682, www.facebook.com/Alley-Katz-Midtown-Sacramento-253931997952199
Best trivia night
1. Track 7 Brewing Co.
3747 West Pacific Avenue, (916) 442-2682, http://track7brewing.com
3. Fox & Goose Public House
1001 R Street (916) 443-8825, http://foxandgoose.com
3. de Vere’s Irish Pub
1521 L Street, (916) 231-9947, www.deverespub.com
Best visual artist
1. Micah Crandall-Bear
3. Gioia Fonda
3. Susan Silvester