Parlare Euro Lounge

Parlare Happy Hour Menu

About 6 items in the $4-$6 range

$1 off beer - $3.50 for domestic and $4.50 for imported (usually $4.50 and $5.50)

House wine (red or white) - $4 (usually $8)

Parlare Happy Hour Hours: 4-6:30 PM (Monday-Friday)

Location: Near the corner of 10^th and J streets

My Happy Hour experience:

There is a special happy hour menu which encompasses about 6 dishes. I tried the tasty hummus, olives, and crackers platter which was $4, with glass of the house Red (also $4). I also had a beer, and was a little bit disappointed to learn that they only had a bottled selection (no draft).

The ambiance and 2-story setup of Parlare Euro Lounge gives a wonderful San Francisco feel. The trendy art and decorations are classy and the indoor waterfall is a tranquil addition. On the weekends, this place has a nice crowd, and sometimes even live music.

Weekdays are a different story. When I visited for happy hour on a Wednesday, there were probably six people in the whole place. The food/drink specials were attractive and the service was good…the only thing missing were the people.

I don’t get it…I’ve heard plenty of complaints about how there is nowhere to go in Sacramento, and how dead downtown is on weeknights. Here’s a place that offers us young urbanites a place to hang out and grab a drink or watch the game, and yet no one shows up!

I read in the Bee, that the owners (who didn’t receive much help from the city), are having a difficult time since opening due to lack of foot traffic in the downtown corridor. Hopefully business will pick up once all of the surrounding buildings are completed, but until then, I encourage everyone to try and check it out on a weeknight.

Recommendation

I would recommend Parlare, not just because it’s the first step in changing the mindset and image of downtown, but because it’s a trendy place to chillax. Once you step through the door, it feels like you’ve stepped outside of Sacramento and into a “real” urban city. That is what we all want… right?