Where can I get corned beef in Sacramento? These 4 pubs serve St. Patrick’s Day grub
Craving corned beef and cabbage for St. Patrick’s Day?
We scoured the Sacramento area in search of pubs that serve that classic Irish dish as well as more traditional grub.
Here’s what we found.
What is corned beef and cabbage?
Corned beef and cabbage is salt-cured beef served with a side of steamed potatoes and cabbage.
Although the dish is associated with Irish culture, it wasn’t traditionally eaten by folks in the Emerald Isle, according to Smithsonian magazine.
Rather, Irish immigrants began eating corned beef and cabbage after they settled in the United States and started buying their meat from kosher butchers, according to Smithsonian magazine.
“What we think of today as Irish corned beef is actually Jewish corned beef thrown into a pot with cabbage and potatoes,” the publication said.
The word corned beef has nothing to do with corn and everything to do with the way the beef is cooked, according to Smithsonian magazine.
“The British invented the term “corned beef” in the 17th century,” the publication said. It’s used to describe the large salt crystals that are used to cure the meat.
Which Sacramento bars serve traditional Irish food and drinks?
Below are four bars in the Sacramento area that offer Irish-inspired food and drinks perfect for St. Paddy’s Day celebrations.
Sean Finnegan’s Pub at 1030 Second St. in Sacramento’s historic Old Town offers a Irish sandwich with sliced corned beef and Irish cheese.
The eatery serves an assortment of sandwiches and traditional bar bites including fries, tater tots and freshly baked pretzels.
Sandwiches at the pub all cost $8.75 and sides range from $5 to $7.
Drink options include Irish coffee, which costs $9.25.
Sean’s pub is opens at noon every day, closing at 10 p.m. Monday and Saturday; 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday; 9 p.m. Thursday and Sunday. It closes at 1:30 a.m. Friday.
You can find corned beef and cabbage at O’Mally’s Irish Pub, 1109 Second St. in Old Town Sacramento.
The pub’s Sunday brunch menu features a corned beef hash, while the dinner menu includes shepherd’s pie and fish and chips.
Plates range from $10 to $13.
The pub is open from 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m. daily.
At Bonn Lair, you’ll find Irish dishes and British-style plates.
The pub at 3651 J St. in midtown Sacramento offers Scotch eggs, which are hard boiled eggs wrapped in sausage, rolled in bread crumbs and then deep fried. You’ll also find Irish pasties filled with meat and vegetables, and corned beef and cabbage.
“The Irish tacos which were filled with ground beef, diced potatoes and served with a medium taco sauce,” said Ida H, a Sacramento based Yelp user.
Dinner entrees range in price from $12 to $14, while lunch items cost $8 to $10.
The pub also has an expansive beer menu.
Bonn Lair is open 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. seven days a week.
Father Paddy’s Pub and Restaurant prides itself in offering Yolo County’s most authentic Irish bar experience.
On the restaurant’s menu, you’ll find items such as Irish stew, corned beef and cabbage and shepherd’s pie.
Main entree plates at Father Paddy’s range in price from $16 to 18.
There are also salads, sandwiches and soups, which cost $8 to $10.
The restaurant is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
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