Pocket Bistro

Closed now. Imagine that. You could see it coming a mile away.

Sad to see this place going downhill. When my boyfriend and I first moved to the pocket in 2013 we really enjoyed this place, but last time we went it wasn’t great. We walked in to the bar and seated ourselves, and it took maybe ten minutes for the waiter to come over. Felt super awkward sitting there without having been acknowledged at all, and we almost left. Menu could use some updating, the food is decent but if you’ve been here a few times you kind of feel like there’s not many options.

Still a good place for happy hour when the beer tap is cold (not always cold) but had a bad experience for dinner. Father-​in law came in for a visit. Took him to PB. Waitress was really nice. Told us they didn’t have any seafood, shrimp, mussels, etc. Which was fine. My son ordered chicken salad. She came back and said they didn’t have any chicken either! What?! No chicken, no seafood? It was an early dinner too. We were like the only ones in there. I think this place is going down hill fast. Too bad. Used to be one of the families favorites.

We just walked out of this place. One waitress for an entire restaurant. She was sweet but the food and speed of service was horrible. Steak satay came out the totally wrong temp, sent it back, it came back exactly the same 15 min later. My chicken piccata was an odd deep fried mess, I’m honestly not even sure what part of the chicken it was. My husband, dad and brother all ordered the same ribeye steak and all three were different thicknesses and cuts. A lot of gristle and very tough. My dad literally couldn’t even cut his with the knife. This is crazy for a place that charges $ 20 – 30 a plate.
The waitress was incredibly sweet and we felt bad for leaving but the food was just too bad.
Another weird note, it’s impossible to call them. Tried five times to make a reservation before anyone answered.

We stopped in late on a Saturday night when we happened to be in the area. Pocket Bistro is tucked away in the corner of a strip mall right at Riverside and Lelandhaven. We arrived around 9pm, and though it was a Saturday night we spied only three other patrons. The remaining staff seemed to be quietly waiting out their shifts until close, so we elected to pass up the dining room and sit at the bar where we were greeted and provided menus.
A woman sitting at the bar who seemed to present herself as a neighborhood regular recommended the mussels from the small plates menu, which I ordered. I was not disappointed! The broth was very tasty and the portion size was generous for a small plate. My husband was satisfied with his food as well, and the service was adequate. The only thing missing was a little ambiance, and I wonder if we just came at the wrong time of if the awkward location keeps people from discovering this place. I would recommend this spot to residents in the area.

We went on Friday night for a going away party and when we walked in one of our group was already at the bar so we went straight up to her (about 4 feet in the door) and started talking to her and the guy behind the bar looked right at me with a dirty look and sarcastically asked «can I help you with something?» REALLY, while im speaking to a friend? Clearly we were meeting her there! I didn’t appreciate the attitude.
And our garlic fries were sitting in a puddle of oil.

TERRIBLE HAPPY HOUR SERVICE!!! Been there time and time again, keep hoping they will improve it just gets worse! Probably our fault since this was trip #5, maybe #6. Not to worry on this particular visit, came in and after a few minutes (I mean like 5 – 7) we got up and went next door. No need to ever come here again to be ignored and get NO or crappy service when Banzai is right next door appreciating us as customers and offering outstanding service & fantastic food!

So what is there to see? NOTHING!
I walked in this place at 12:50pm and besides two guys at the bar, I saw no one!
There were no customers sitting at any tables, this was a little disheartening as it was our first time «trying» to eat here but we decided to wait. While we only waited about 5 minutes before deciding to leave, in those 5 minutes we did not see a SINGLE server. The place felt really deserted. This sounds like a far stretch but it’s the fact, no one was there. Not a good first impression.

I was looking back thru the reviews and it looks like the food began to go downhill in Sept 2014.
Wonder what happened over those next few months? Maybe Jade can figure it out. I have not been back since my last review. I want it to succeed… our neighborhood needs it. Make those prime rib cuts thicker! The flavor was very good.

Service was okay; the clam chowder was THE BESTbut everything was… meh…
I was disappointed.

New to the Greenhaven area and decided to try this place out. The dinner was a little pricey for the proportion and quality. I got the ciprioni which was a tomatoe based soup with red peppers and onions and seafood. The first bites were amazing but after a couple, the soup gets overwhelming. They only gave me two small slices of toast with my soup.
My dates meal was a little better. She had the grouper special which was a grouper fillet grilled with asparagus and a side of pasta that tasted very light, fluffy, and delicious.
There was no major issues with the staff nor environment. Heard its best to during happy hours.

My co-​workers and I went here the other day for some quick eats and the whole experience was just terrible.
First, we called in our order and ate at the bar. The lady working the bar area was kind of rude and a smart ass. But, I can move on from that.
However, my co-​worker ordered the caprese sandwich and was told it wasn’t available that day because they «ran out of cheese.» Really?!
Then, I had ordered a lettuce wrapped burger and that burger was as dry as the Sahara desert. I asked for ketchup and mustard. They said they didn’t have mustard. Ok, really?! (again)
When we finished our lackluster meal, we were asked to pay in cash. The oh-​so-​friendly server said their credit card machine was down and we needed cash or check. We had to go to an ATM and come back. Awkward.
I wouldn’t really recommend this place to anyone. The food is so-​so, the service is crappy and they don’t even have the basics.

My friend and I ate already, but we wanted some dessert, so we came here. Crème brulee is one of my favorite desserts. I didn’t realize how much I missed it until I cracked into this. The custard was so creamy. Drool… The white chocolate raspberry cheesecake was also good and not too thick.
I came back here for happy hour (3:30−6:30 Tues –Sat). We ordered everything on the food menu: Two Sliders with Fries, Hot Wings, Garlic Fries, Fried Calamari, and Beef Satay. My favorite was the fried calamari followed by the beef satay. The calamari was crispy. The beef satays were tender and had a great chimichurri sauce on top. My least favorite was the sliders– the meat was too dry.
I read on Unilocal that they also serve brunch on Sunday with $ 10 bottomless mimosas and Bloody Marys.

Enjoying a light meal at pocket bistro before I attend my first UYE, movie at the ball park at Howe park. I ordered the beef satay with sweet potato fries… yummmo

Pocket Bistro, I really wanted to like you. Maybe, as our waitress said, «It’s not usually like this.» I read about their Thursday prime rib night, and insisted on going last week. I ordered a Blueberry Lemon Drop and their prime rib special. The lemon drop was great! However, while sipping on my drink I noticed a guy in the kitchen take off his glasses, wiped his eye hard with his hand and put his glasses back on. He later poured our water. I hope he washed his hands, but even still, I didn’t want to see that.
The medium rare prime rib I ordered was beyond rare. So rare that it was difficult to slice and even harder to chew. My husband’s prime rib was even tougher. This was the first time I have ever seen him complain in a restaurant. The waitress was apologetic and said the table next to us was having the same problem with their prime rib. She said the prime rib was great all night, but suspected the kitchen ran out and grabbed a different one to cook. She told us to give them another try in the future. My impression while I was there, was that they lacked management. I had heard prior to visiting that the owners worked there, and were very involved. However, I saw no form of management presence while I was there.

2.5−3 stars. It was just an okay experience. I would’ve preferred going to BJs instead.
We made reservations online and it never went through, good thing I called to confirm. However, seeing how business was on Saturday I believe it wasn’t even necessary.
The waitress in the front wasn’t welcoming. Our main waitress was pretty nice, but she didn’t check up on us as much as she should. One of the waiter kept on kicking my chair walking through the hallway, there were no apologies or acknowledgment of me. Also, the waterboy did not smile, talk, or display any friendly gestures to us. It looks like he just dreaded being there.
We got the clam chowder everyone had been raving about, but it wasn’t anything special.
Our main dishes consisted of ribeyes w blue cheese and pasta Pomo w chicken.
The ribeye was good, but it wasn’t anything better than BJs or other chain restaurants I have tried. Also, we asked for blue cheese on the side and they ignored that request.
The pasta Pomo w chicken tasted like the microwaveable angel pasta and the chicken was dry, I didn’t even finish half of it.
Overall, the experience was really dissatisfying because I expected a lot more, which is why we picked this restaurant for my friends birthday. I would not recommend this place. It’s overrated for its price.

A very slow and lackluster service couldn’t make up for Pocket Bistro’s yummy food.
I headed down with my visiting parents on a Saturday (after Valentines) and it was packed. The strip mall wasn’t visible from the inside, just a nice place with booths and regular chairs. The art on the walls was a very nice touch. We were greeted by a friendly hostess (too friendly, she got delayed chatting it up with other patrons waiting) and seated.
It took a while to order, as the waitress was putting out fires in the kitchen (I quipped that that was a good thing, we didn’t want any burnt food). I had the lamb shank with fries substituted for the mash. It was very tender and not too fatty with a flavorful sauce and perfect veggies. I would have liked the fries on the side, as they got soaked at the bottom of the dish. It took forever to come out of the kitchen though, other tables got served before us who arrived later.
My parents each ordered the surf-​and-​turf which looked like a bargain. Unfortunately, the waitress only put the meat orders in and didn’t get the lobster, so it didn’t come out with their meals. It took forever for her to come back, so I flagged someone else down to get the rest of the order. By then they had waited for a long time and just about finished when the tails came out. They had enough appetite to finish but we didn’t want to wait for dessert (but more waiting for the check).
The waitress became really over-​the-​top with her tone, not fake or pejorative, but something along those lines as she completely ignored the service falling out under her for the night. We were expecting some sort of discount on the meals, due to the very long waits (an hour almost for food) and screwed up ordering, but none was there. I wasn’t about to contest it due to the time sink it had already become, but I wanted to.
All told, it took an hour and a half for our one-​course meal that was mis-​fired. That is just unacceptable (twice the usual time for such a meal) and will prevent me from returning. It is too bad too, because Pocket Bistro had some pretty good food.

1÷3÷14
I’ve been here for brunch before but not dinner yet. Oh what a treat. It’s in one of the neighborhood shopping centers but a great location. It’s got that wonderful bistro feel. The dinner menu is not overwhelming. It’s simple and has so many great options. I hate places that try to have so many options and they don’t work. This place is spot on. They have a great drink menu and had the college bowl football games on.
I am not a huge mussels fan, but the lemon garlic sauce they they came in was TO DIE FOR! I had the opportunity to tell the amazing chef that myself as he comes out to greet patrons and see how they like everything. I told him he needs to bottle this sauce and sell it. No joke. He was honored to hear that.
I ordered the risotto with scallops and my boo got the chicken piccata. When I tell you A-​MAZ-​ING! It is an understatement. I am a sucker for awesome food and this place does that with ease. We are every last bite. The portions are perfect.
Sad to say that I don’t remember the brunch, but I’ll never forget their dinners and can’t wait to go back again. Definitely try this place out! YUMMERS!
10÷20÷13
My boyfriend loves this place and took me here for brunch. It was my first time. I love the simple ambience of this place. We decided to sit in the bar area so we could watch the games as it is Sunday. Bottomless mimosas always has me sold. The staff were amazing at setting things up the place as they had just opened and taking care of us. There were only two other people in there at the time we were I there.
The food was good. I got an omelette, bacon, potatoes with an English muffins. Everything was average, but good. I’ll definitely go back. Breakfast is always my favorite meal, and even better with bottomless mimosas.

I looked forward to breaking bread again with my Unilocal friends as I entered the Pocket Bistro for another pleasant community manager Unilocal event (CMYE) arranged by Alex L.:
. Initially, we were welcomed and seated at 2 reserved tables set for 20 people. Joe K. and I sat at the first table near the wall along with Alex L and seven others. The staff was very friendly and attentive, but the «attentive» part soon lost its lack luster after we got our drinks and menus.
We all arrived on time, but for some reason, it took an excruciating length of time before our orders were taken. Since everyone was hungry and anxious to eat, Alex generously ordered extra appetizers for both tables to help tie us over while we waited for dinner. There was Fried Calamari, PB’s garlic fries, Sesame seared Ahi, Risotto Cakes, and Beef Satay. The appetizers arrived pretty quickly but inexplicably all ended up at the other table. It didn’t take long for them to disappear, as the people at our table (which apparently blended into the wall), still sat there starving and could only catch glimpses of what the morsels of food looked like. That’s when Alex ordered some additional appetizers for our table just in time before some of us turned grumpy and formed a hungry mob.
After waiting about an hour and a half for our dinners to get plated, food started trickling in. Everyone’s dishes looked very appetizing. I ordered a bowl of clam chowder to start with (thank goodness I at least had something to appease my stomach while waiting). Eventually my main course was served a half hour later. I had Blackened Salmon that came with garlic mashed potatoes and carrots. Joe K. ordered a Seared Ahi dinner salad (his review about the salad was less than stellar and can be read separately).
I could hear that everyone in our party had great things to say about their food. That’s a definite plus for a restaurant to have good food! We even received some delicious complimentary desserts to share, which included Crème Brulee, Chocolate Decadence Cake, and White Chocolate Raspberry Cheese Cake. However, the lack of organization, the amount of time for patrons to wait for food, and then to top it off we had to wait another hour just to get our bills, in which they billed both tables separately as a group, making it difficult (and time consuming), for each person to have to itemize their orders and then make sure that everyone paid correctly including the tip.
Three hours later the CMYE was over! I have attended many events at many restaurants and never encountered this much waiting time before. My compliments to the chef, but time management needs more practice!

Delicious Steak, Seafood & Vegetarian Entrees, Awesome Staff & Beautiful Décor — «In A Strip Mall?» «Cough* Yes, I Said In A Strip Mall.» And «TONTO» Was In Da House!
SITREP
So somehow I ended up going down to the Pocket-​Area of the Greenhaven Hood. Understand, this is not within my usual ambit of stayin on the grid of Downtown/​Midtown Sacramento, but I’m glad I escaped in this instance!
You have to look carefully, or you may miss it if you are just casually scanning the business fronts, without a care in the world as you cruise by. But there it is — Pocket Bistro — and it awaits your palate & appetites.
And did I tell you it was «Prime Rib Thursday»? Well, it was! And that meant a complete 10 oz Prime Rib steak, with Truffle Garlic Mashed Potatoes and sauteed veggies for $ 23. But I’m getting ahead of myself…
THE SETUP
From the front of the restaurant, you will notice an expansive & beautiful dining room area, going all the way back, even with other smaller compartmentalized dining rooms for groups. Off to the left is a very elegant bar that is fully stocked with all the spirits I love. And the bar area features a cheery smaller dining area for patrons to enjoy.
AWESOME STAFF
As I walked into the restaurant, I was immediately greeted by the hostess who took me back to my table where I would await my friends (I was the first to arrive). But a server quickly put out menus, water, and brought me a diet coke.
Then within a few moments, I was greeted by lovely Pocket Bistro owner Jade who engaged me in wonderful conversations about her establishment and it’s history, the food-​philosophy of the restaurant, about her darling chef-​husband in the back kitchen working away, and juggling her responsibilities with three (3) young children. It was fun pleasant time getting into the details of stuff!
YUMMY APPETIZERS
We started with an array of appetizers that included:
* Scrumptious Risotto cakes, topped with marinara sauce and shaved parmesan cheese (I practically ate a whole’s worth myself!)
* Seared Tuna Sashimi appetizer with a vinagrette salad
* And sweet potato fries!
Every appetizer was dam tasty. Then our manna started to arrive:
DINNER EXTRAVAGANZA!
* I got a bowl of their Creamy Clam Chowder — oh my god! One of the best clam chowders I’ve ever had outside of the Monterey Bay Area. It was spiced just right & came with delicious toasted breads.
* And then the MAIN EVENT: Prime Rib Dinner! Mine was medium (which was excellent!). And with that came a creamy horse radish sauce & an aus jous dipping sauce. I mastered a rhythm of *stab-​cut-​dip-​dip-​eat, stab-​cut-​dip-​dip-​eat*, etc., and it was so good with each repetition. (Tho obviously not repetitions at the gym where I BURN calories).
* Other amazing dinner entrees at my table included Blackened Salmon, Short Ribs, Portabello Mushroom Napolean, and what I want next time: Pan Seared Jumbo Sea Scallops with an Arugula glazed cheese sauce! [OH MY GOD. I wish I could have had 2 or 3 or even 4 different dinners entrees! But, alas!, tummy and pocket-​book both have their limitations!]
BUT THAT’S NOT ALL!
That’s right! There was more to be had! We enjoyed a selection of different desserts to punctuate the high point of a wonderful meal experience, and they :
* Thick Chocolate Cake with Thick Chocolate Sauce
* Crème Brulee — so creamy, so tasty, so fun to hit the shell tip with your spoon & crack it.
* CREAMY CHEESECAKE! (Yes, my favorite!) It came with fresh Strawberry sections, blueberries, raspberries & an AMAZING Raspberry drizzzle all over the cheesecake & berries. TO DIE FOR.
TONTO’S DUBUTANTE BALL
But there was EVEN MORE to this evening. It was also a «Coming Out» Party for our dear friend & rabidly rising popular Unilocaler «Tonto K.». Thanks to the courtesy & charm of our lovely Unilocaler Priya R., she made sure Tonto K. «had a ride» to Pocket Bistro.
* Here’s a sweet shot of Priya with her date Tonto:
* In fact, there was actually enough of Tonto to SHARE! And so here’s a shot of both Devo & Priya with Tonto & Tonto:
* I of course welcomed quiet «Mano-​y-​Mano» time with long-​time friend Tonto and we shared drinks together:
This night was a great way to celebrate blossoming friendships, new Unilocalers & great food! It couldn’t have been better!
THE LOWDOWN
Pocket Bistro provided an outstanding & delicious dining experience for Vegetarian, Steak & Seafood eaters alike, and I hope to enjoy good food here again soon!