Battle Royale, Beer Lovers: Manderes Vs. Samuel Horne’s Tavern

A myfolsomite thought it would be fun to every once in a while pit one Folsom establishment against another in a head-to-head battle. So I am passing this along today to get your input too.

Please post your replies/comments below and I will submit them to the survey and post the final scores in a few days.

Today is a battle of the beer-centric pubs Manderes and Samuel Horne’s Tavern. Each venue will be scored on 5 criteria: Beer selection (30%), food (25%), service(15%), ambiance(15%), Miscellaneous (15%)(i.e. anything else that you want to consider, is the availability of TVs for sporting events important? Do they have special events? Is it convenient to where you live…basically anything else you want to consider). Each is on a scale of 1 to 5, 1 being the least favorable impression and 5 being the most favorable impression. After a few days I will tally the results and declare a winner.

And our contestants:

Manderes, 402 E. Bidwell St
Manderes was opened, I believe in 2008, and filled a niche not seen in Sacramento, a place for true beer lovers. Featuring American craft beer, Belgian beers of all stripes and great beers from around the world it certainly is not wanting for those who love to be adventurous in the beer. Manderes also offers dining fair that is bar favorites with a high end twist and fare such as Lobster ravioli that you would not find at most bars. Manderes is supposed to be moving up more toward Blue Ravine, but I do not think it has yet. Manderes has won several awards as the best bar in Folsom.

Samuel Horne’s Tavern, 719 Sutter Street
Opened in December 2009, Samuel Horne’s Tavern created a unique and friendly stop in historic Folsom. Focusing only on American Craft Beers (no Bud Light here), Samuel Horne’s features a rotating set of sixteen craft beers on tap with information on the style, alcohol, hoppiness, etc helpfully displayed on chalkboards above. If you see nothing you like there are dozens of other unique beers form Northern California, Oregon and places beyond. The beertenders, as they are called will offer you a taste and if Dylan the owner is there he can tell you everything you need to know. The food is classic American done very well, with a twist here or there thrown in, like the Cootie burger: Pepper jack cheese, raw spinach, mayonnaise, and pepperoncinis topped with an over-easy fried egg. Cozy but comfortable with classic beer signage as adornment, the popularity has made it hard sometimes to find a seat. Samuel Horne’s has many beer related events including a full week of beer lovers excitement during Sacramento Beer Week.

There you are:
So grade from 1 to 5 on Beer Selection, Food, service, ambiance, and Miscellaneous and add in your own comments!

I’m actually very fond of both places and usually go to one and if that place is crowded, then I go to the other. (they’re both in my top 5 favorite places in town)

I view Manderes as a gourmet gastropub and Samuel Horne’s as a local old town pub, I like them both nearly equally but each is very distinct in it’s own style, offerings and service.

Food-wise, I love the risotto dishes that Manderes makes, they are off the hook fantastic – I highly suggest you try them all, they’re available Thurs thru Sunday… and I love the hamburgers at Samuel Horne’s and their chili – my ultimate favorite thing to eat there is the Cootie Burger with a side of chili-cheese fries, it’s a heckuva belly bomb, but it’s oh so tasty!

Manderes:
Beer – 5 (they go far beyond the imagination when it comes to their selection of beers, and heck I barely leave the taps)
Food – 4.5 (hands down their risotto dishes and other specials that they serve on weekends are my favorites in town)
Service – 5 (I’ve been going to Manderes since it opened and know their crew like family, I always get great service there)
Ambiance – 5 (the decor is perfect to me, especially the guitars, about the only downside would be the small capacity and noise levels when it’s packed- but that will be fixed in a few weeks)
Miscellaneous – 5 (going there is like going to Cheers, everybody knows your name, plus they do some great beer tasting events occasionally that are a blast to attend)

Samuel Horne’s:
Beer – 4.5 (very good choice of beers)
Food – 4 (good pub food, not gourmet, but their burgers are some of my favorite in town)
Service – 3 (you order at the bar and get your food dropped off, while the staff is great and friendly, that’s not really rate-able service)
Ambiance – 5 (I really like the old time look and feel, it feels like being in a real pub from the 1800’s)
Miscellaneous – 3 (trivia night is a blast and it’s a nice small get away at times)

Lets hear your reviews now – please post comments below – thanks!