Hitting hometown haunts

For some who grew up in Sacramento, those weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas are the best time to return to the place that raised them. And for the prodigal sons and daughters making a quick stop, it’s not always about gathering around decorated trees and festive tables; it can also be a chance to revisit places connected to glowing memories.

This is especially true of a handful of bars and restaurants that have somehow escaped “progress.” One such place is Sam’s Hof Brau on Watt Avenue, which has been part of Sacramento’s fabric for six decades. As with all holiday seasons, the old stalwart is about to see a lot of faces from the past dropping in to relive the past.

Sam’s Hof Brau was founded in 1959 by Sam Gordon, who determined to combine old European food traditions with a relaxed California atmosphere. The place was a big hit. The number of birthdays, anniversaries and family reunions celebrated between its walls is literally countless. For several years, Sam's Hof Brau was owned outside the Gordon family. Yet when the landmark eatery ran into financial trouble in 2017, Sam’s grandson and great-grandson reclaimed ownership. That came as a relief to prideful Sacramantans—and guaranteed Sam’s would remain a gathering spot for holiday nostalgia-seekers.

Why do those trekking back feel so strongly about having a bite at Sam's Hof Brau? It’s partly because all the upgrades and renovations over the years have not changed its unmistakable ambiance. Diners are still greeted by the large Bavarian oak shields hanging on faded brick walls. They can still see massive murals of Western saloons and railroad scenes hanging above the Austrian accents of its crimson wallpaper. Antique photographs of Sacramento parades and long-forgotten firefighting crews still adorn its dark wooden booths. In short, it’s the same Sam's Hof Brau it’s always been.

On any given day, it’s not uncommon to hear someone at the bar bragging about having been a regular for 48 years.

Another reason Sam's Hof Brau is a holiday tradition is that the food is still as comforting as logs crackling in a fireplace. It’s always been known for nicely flavored sausages and the tender, slightly salty perfection of its pastrami. Better yet, all the meats its white-jacketed cooks carve up can be paired with an awesomely authentic creamy horseradish that opens the skull up in all the best ways. Families with Prussian or Eastern European roots also appreciate traditional staples such as potato pancakes.

One person planning to come back for a holiday lunch at Sam's Hof Brau is Kathy Fellure, who grew up in Fair Oaks but now lives an hour away in Ione. She’s planning to meet her sister, Shawne Boyd, at an annual Christmas craft fair in the neighborhood and then go to the restaurant together for some reminiscing.

“My favorite memory is of our large family going there together, because it was always very family friendly,” Boyd recalled. When she was a teenager, she’d shop next door at Tower Records before going in for a bowl of Sam’s signature pickles.

Fellure’s main memory of the place is slightly different.

“I would go there and have dinner alone with my dad after we’d both get off work on the weekends,” Fellure said. “Later, when my husband was in the Air Force and we were stationed in England for three years, it was the first place I went to eat at when we got back to Sacramento. So knowing I’ll be going there again with my sister, I’m really excited.”