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Best St. Patrick's Day Bars In Sacramento

By Valerie Heimerich

No matter what the true origin of St. Patrick's Day, in this part of the world the holiday means green beer, pub crawls, shamrocks, "Kiss Me I'm Irish" t-shirts and a healthy dose of blarney. While many Sacramento bars and restaurants will offer specials on March 17, consider celebrating at one of these local Irish pubs.

Dive Bar - Saint Patrick's Day Pub Crawl
1016 K St.
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 737-5999
www.divebarsacramento.com

Dive Bar is the starting point for this holiday crawl taking place on Fri. March 17 and Sat. March 18, 2017; celebrants can enjoy a pint or two at 4 other venues along the way before reaching District 30. Get a ticket to take advantage of specials prices; the accompanying wrist bracelet may not come from a pot of gold, but will allow the wearer to get $2 beers, $3 well drinks and $4 shots all night at Dive Bar. The St. Pat's crawl happens from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. both days; tickets can be purchased here.

de Vere's Irish Pub
1521 L St.
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 231-9947
www.deverespub.com

There is no need to hop a plane to visit the Emerald Isle, just stop by de Vere's Irish Pub in downtown Sacramento. Holiday-appropriate brews on tap include Smithwick's Irish Red Ale and Guinness Dry; revelers should be sure to try a hot toddy, Irish coffee or Dublin Apple cocktail. Irish stew and corned beef will be on the menu, there is no cover charge and members of the Sacramento Firefighters Pipes and Drums Band will drop by several times throughout the day. True connoisseurs can spend the holiday happily sampling from the pub's extensive whiskey library, which includes Tullamore Dew, Jameson, Connemara, Knappogue Castle, Red Breast and Tyrcoonnell.

Related: Best Craft Beer Shops In Sacramento

The Blarney Stone Irish Pub
8906 Greenback Lane
Orangevale, CA 95662
(916) 988-0985
www.theblarneystoneirishpub.com

Don your favorite green apparel and set out for the Blarney Stone's all-out Patrick's Day celebration. From 9 a.m. through 2 a.m., the pub will have 2 full bars, traditional Irish food and an outdoor beer garden. If there is a bit of a nip in the air, pick a shot of Irish whiskey or a pint from the 22 beers on tap. Get your sham-rock on with entertainment starting at 12:30 p.m., including DJs' Mouf and Alazzawi and live music from Irish rock band ONOFF. A $5 cover charge applies.

Boxing Donkey Irish Pub
300 Lincoln St.
Roseville, CA 95678
(916) 797-3665
www.theboxingdonkey.com

The pub opens at 6 a.m. on Saint Paddy's Day; a cover charge applies while there is live music between 10 a.m. – 10 p.m. The menu is less expansive than usual, focusing on holiday-themed dishes including corned beef in tacos, nachos and colcannon. The extended beer garden is a great spot to enjoy a Kilkenny cream ale, Harp, Smithwick's or Guinness, or to relax with a Donkey Punch or "Old Irish Ass" specialty cocktail. Holiday guests can even pose for photos with a real donkey.

O'Mally's Irish Pub  
1109 2nd St.
Sacramento, CA 95814
(916) 492-1230
www.facebook.com/OMallys-Irish-Pub

This St. Pat's Day, O'Mally's is welcoming patrons to join in the celebration of 20 years in business. With 14 beers on tap and more than 30 in bottles, the family-owned and operated pub has more than enough to keep a twinkle in the eyes of every leprechaun. Corned beef and cabbage, served with house-made Guinness mustard, is on the popular menu, as are tacos made with corned beef and slaw. On Sat. March 18, 2017, one of the O'Mally family will be Grand Marshal in the Old Sacramento St. Patrick's Day parade.

Related: Best Creative Burgers In Sacramento

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