At a recent visit to Fanny Ann's Saloon, one of Old Sacramento's food institutions, a group of us enjoyed good food, decent service (as much as can be expected here) and a memorable experience. Don't expect fine dining service. Their service guarantee is:
If it's not ready in 10 minutes, it will be ready in 15. If it's not ready in 15 minutes, order another beer.
Ordering at Fanny Ann's is an experience in itself. You're not waited on as in customary restaurants and instead you approach a small customer service counter at the kitchen (where the employee you're speaking with is barely visible) in the back of the saloon to order your own food. There seems to be an endless variety of burgers, hot dogs, sandwiches and salads to choose from. "Do I get the Jiffy Burger, Bravo Avocado or the Thunder Humper!?" Choose quickly because the line quickly forms behind you and the pressure is on! Here you pay for your meal and then visit the bartender to order your drink(s) separately, paying again. It's kind of burdensome for the customer, but it makes sense once you're there.
You can choose to sit at the bar or at any of the available tables in the upper or lower eating areas. When asked your name, be careful how you respond. One of my coworkers replied by saying, "Huh? Oh, Debbie." Once your food is ready, the Fanny Ann's employee calls out your name heard over loudspeaker throughout the entire restaurant. The restaurant resounded with, "Huh? Oh, Debbie, you're order is ready. Huh? Oh, Debbie!"
As you eat, you're surrounded by an assortment of eye catching wall decorations and trinkets. There doesn't appear to be any real theme to the decor, only that everything appears old and dingy. But that's the appeal. From a shark face painted World War II bomb shell to a white tailed deer head missing an eyeball, it's hard to keep your concentration on the people you're sitting with. The only time you may look down is to take a bite of your juicy burger.
Many burger joints have changed their policy to "everything is well done" to avoid lawsuits and displeased customers who really don't understand what "medium rare" means. The burgers here are well cooked, that is, agreeably cooked. The meat was tender and flavorful. The curly fries are not too salty, but not too plain and the vegetables were crisp and fresh. Nothing worse than soggy lettuce on a burger. The hamburger buns were soft and fluffy, but as you picked up the regular sized burger and set it down numerous times, the bun tended to get flattened out and was fully compressed by the time I had finished half the meal.
If you are passing through Old Sacramento and want a taste of the local culture, you won't be disappointed at Fanny Ann's Saloon. You'll get a dose of humor, good food and won't break the bank!
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