Folsom Hotel — Restaurant in Folsom

On Saturday I arrived to the Folsom Saloon at 11:00 a.m., which is the time they open. When I approached the door, the bartender was placing tables and chairs outside on the sidewalk and she informed me they were not open yet and it would be awhile. I told her no worries, I would wait and that I wasn't in a hurry. I asked if the website hours were wrong, she replied "I'm the only one here to open ". While I sat outside to wait, she locked the doors. Eventually a young man opened the doors and directed me inside; however, the bartender again informed me she was not ready. I asked if I could sit on the patio outback, she said yes. I sat outside waiting for my friend to join me. When my friend arrived, the bartender tried to make her wait out front. My friend eventually made her way to the back patio. After 30 minutes of waiting outside, the bartender came outside and gave us permission to enter the bar. Once inside, the bartender informed us that the bar/restaurant is under new ownership, the place is now "Folsom Saloon", she is new to the area as well as to the bar, and proceeded to inform us that the place is much better and more fun then before. But when we looked around, there were no other customers and there were no tables and chairs...just the bare hardwood floors.

When we asked about food, she handed us a 5x7 piece of paper with a few BBQ items listed and informedus they no longer serve brunch. However, the bartender said the BBQ was not up and running. My friend and I were looking for brunch, so we explained that to the bartender, who was happy to see us leave. As we were leaving, she said "at least you guys look good" (hu?). I want to add that the bartenders tone during our entire interaction was not a good one and her final comment was even worse.

Since I live in Folsom, I've visited this place under the previous ownership and I can say that when I walked into the place, I was greeted with a smile, made to feel welcome, and I had a great time every visit. This most recent experience left me bewildered. I'm hoping it was just...

I really wanted to like the Folsom Hotel, especially given its historic charm, but the experience is consistently disappointing. The staff always seem unhappy to be there--service feels rushed, unfriendly, and unwelcoming. Even when the place is nearly empty (I'm talking 4:30 in the afternoon), they're out of basic drink ingredients like limes, oranges, and cherries for Old Fashioneds, not to mention short on glassware and even ice. I've actually been asked to reuse the same glass or the same "big rock" ice cube for my next drink... seriously?

It makes me wonder who's running the place that these basic supplies aren't stocked before opening. This isn't just a one-off; I've noticed the same issues over and over again, and to think that this place is under the same ownership as Goldfield's in Sacramento and Roseville.

What really crosses the line is the band cover charge policy. On multiple occasions, I've come in at 5 PM to have a couple of drinks--spending nearly $100 between two people--only to be told by 7 PM that I need to pay a $25 cover per person to stay, even if I'm not there for the band. On a Sunday evening, no less. That's not just bad customer service; it's downright tacky.

If you want to win back customers, here's a suggestion: Stock your bar before opening so basic supplies are never an issue. Train staff to engage warmly--attitude matters. Offer a grace period for patrons who came in earlier and have already spent good money. Maybe stamp their hand or give a drink tab minimum that counts toward the cover.

The Folsom Hotel could be a fantastic spot with its location and history, but until there's a major shift in how it's managed, it's hard...

I was really looking forward to trying the brunch menu but quickly found that the hotel is under new ownership. I’ll start with they weren’t opened at 11 since the bartender was quick to tell me she wasn’t ready to open. I decided to wait on the patio in the back because my friend and I were not in a hurry so we excused the initial rudeness from the bartender and thought we would wait it out. After about 15 minutes the bartender came out to the patio and said I’m ready for you to come in now. So at the this point it was close to 11:30. We asked for a menu and she told us nothing would be ready for a while but we insisted on still looking at the menu. The menu no longer offers breakfast options and is a few items for bbq options. When we asked about it she said everything is under new management and that the hotel is now “fun” and a country bar. We continued to attempt to have small talk with the bartender but at this point the rudeness, lack of food, and overall attitude was just not worth it. We ended up walking across the street and had a delicious French toast across the street at a local Mexican restaurant. I’m sad I didn’t get to experience this place pre Covid because I heard nothing but amazing things! I hope the new owners read the room on what the locals like. Good friendly customer service goes a long way. If you’re not ready to serve food then I don’t think it should be offered as an option until later in the day. The bartender doesn’t need to be so condescending and rude to anyone who walks in. Also a hello or greeting is often a good way to greet a customer rather than saying...