In Sacramento, cocktail scene has become a capital idea

Bar tender Keller Johnson sets off the sequence for a Gladiator Drop at B-Side bar in Sacramento, California, USA 15 Aug 2017. Gladiator Drop - Absolut Mandrin, Peach Schnapps, Red Bull, Orange juice. (Peter DaSilva/Special to The Chronicle) less Bar tender Keller Johnson sets off the sequence for a Gladiator Drop at B-Side bar in Sacramento, California, USA 15 Aug 2017. Gladiator Drop - Absolut Mandrin, Peach Schnapps, Red Bull, Orange juice. (Peter ... more Photo: Peter DaSilva, Special To The Chronicle Photo: Peter DaSilva, Special To The Chronicle Image 1 of / 12 Caption Close In Sacramento, cocktail scene has become a capital idea 1 / 12 Back to Gallery

Sacramento was built for cocktails. With many bars boasting spacious patios, live music, produce from the Central Valley and reasonable prices, finding quality drinks and the atmosphere to match is effortless.

The increasingly sophisticated food scene is fueling the demand for equally interesting and thoughtful cocktails; many of the best can be found in restaurant bars. Standard-bearers like Hook & Ladder, Shady Lady and Red Rabbit have nurtured and provided a stage for many talented bartenders heading up some of the best bars in Sacramento and the region.

Yet, despite being a metropolis and the state capital, Sacramento maintains an earnest, small-town vibe, further perpetuated by quaint, tree-lined streets and friendly locals. But don’t be fooled; Sacramento drinks as well as (if not better than) the many other large cities in the West, and it makes a strong case for being the cocktail capital, too.

— Lou Bustamonte, travel@sfchronicle.com

The Jungle Bird

The permanent home of what started off as Tiki Tuesdays at the Tank House, Jungle Bird delivers all of the tropical decor fun you’d expect, along with quality ingredients and balanced drinks. The Painkiller ($10, aged rum, pineapple, coconut, orange, nutmeg, cinnamon) is just sweet enough and delightfully refreshing. If the weather’s nice, take your tiki outside to the back patio. 2516 J St.; (916) 476-3280; www.thejunglebird.com.

Kru Contemporary Japanese Cuisine

A recent move to the east side (Jungle Bird occupies its former digs) gave this popular sushi restaurant some room to spread and shake its wings. Kru mixes up creative drinks that reference Japanese flavors without being cliche. Somebody That I Yuzu Know ($12, gin, cucumber yuzu shrub, lemon, Salers aperitif, sesame oil) is lightly sweet and fragrant with toasty sesame, like a Japanese cucumber salad. 3135 Folsom Blvd.; (916) 551-1559; www.krurestaurant.com.

Cantina Alley

Right off an alley, behind two huge hacienda doors, is possibly Sacramento’s best outdoor bar. Within the courtyard is an uncanny manifestation of a Mexican coastal restaurant and bar. The menu has well-made versions of the standards like margaritas and micheladas, but also includes fun rotating variations such as La Sandia ($23, Tequila, watermelon puree, lime, agave, tajin spice powder) — a small, hollowed-out watermelon filled with the cocktail easily serves two. 2320 Jazz Alley; (916) 970-5588; www.cantinaalley.com.

B-Side

The audio-themed and vinyl-focused bar has no cocktail menu but instead focuses on inexpensive, no-frills drinking: great beers, shots and classic cocktails. The DJ station and crates of records in the back get used often, with special blues, R&B and disco nights that turn into impromptu dance parties. 1430 S St.; (916) 706-1830; www.b-sidesacramento.com.

Block Butcher Bar

Attached to the popular LowBrau beer hall, this nook has a view of where much of the charcuterie gets made, with an appropriately meat-focused menu of snacks. The cocktails are more inventive than next door, with a focus on the large whiskey selection on the back bar. Don’t miss the freshly fried chicharrones and the B.M.O. ($12, gin, cucumber, jalapeño, Lillet Blanc, Chareau, honey, Prosecco). 1050 20th St., Suite 100; (916) 706-2636; www.blockbutcherbar.com.